Chapter 87
Chapter 87
(Kaeleigh’s POV)
Adam and I headed through the woods quickly. We knew it wouldn’t be long before someone realised that he was gone, or that there were enemy wolves on the territory’s border. We had to pass close by the pack houses on the way to the meetup point beyond the plunge pool, and everything in me screamed at me to turn back, find Chase. Everything except Ana.
I could already tell that she was getting quieter, and that she was being pulled back to the cage. But she wanted to get free, and she knew Asher was a strong enough Alpha for it. She told me she had been partly responsible for my confusing feelings around Asher, and that she would continue to help me feel better about what I had to do.
We made it to the top of the waterfall, and I made my way down the little path as quickly as possible without slipping. We had just hit the little plunge pool meadow when I heard the howl. I stopped dead and looked at Adam. I knew that howl. It hit me straight in the heart and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Chase was on his way.
Adam grabbed my hand and pulled.
“Come on,” he hissed, “we don’t have much time.” He pulled me towards the back of the space and between a gap in the rocks that you would never have seen if you didn’t know it was there. This must have been where Asher appeared from that day that I had seen him. The gap was small and I could tell that a wolf wouldn’t fit through, and lasted for about five feet before opening up again into some more woods and the edge of a clearing. The clearing had three or four cars in it and standing in front of them waiting as we came through, was the Alpha himself, Asher Bowman! He watched me with a big smile on his face, as I walked towards him.
“Kaeleigh, my Queen,” he said in a smarmy tone. “You look beautiful.” I felt my stomach flip as he reached out and pulled me into his chest and buried his head into my neck. He stiffened as he breathed in my scent and lifted his head. His eyes met mine, and he looked furious.
“Why?” he whispered and then looked at Adam.
“Why is your smell all over my queen?” He let go of me and turned to face Adam, who shrugged.
“She needed to get close to break me out.”
“And then he kissed me,” I let out, not so accidentally, and smirked at Adam. He looked at me in disbelief.
“Low blow,” he grunted. Asher growled before backhanding Adam hard. I gasped as Adam crashed into a tree before crumpling to the floor. He pulls himself up almost straight away.
“Still worth it,” he grinned and winked at me. Asher growled again.
“Mine!” he snarled and then turned to me, grabbing me and pulled me into him again and brushed his lips against my ear.
“Mine,” he said again and I can’t help the shiver that crawls down my spine. Someone coughed, and I looked up to see Cade, Asher’s Beta, standing there.
“Boss,” he said, “we are going to have company very soon,” and Asher growled, but let me go and turned to him.
“Fine, get in formation,” he commanded and Cade lifted his hand and suddenly the clearing was a whirlpool of activity as Crimson Shadow warriors descended from nowhere. Without counting, there must have been around twenty of them, one I recognise as Meagan’s father, Everett Stanton, leading them.
Asher turned to me and smiled. “Now my dear, it’s time for your loyalty oath,” he said and I looked at him open mouthed
“Here, now?” I exclaimed, and he nodded.
“I need to ensure you are serious before I can take you home,” and he lifted my chin with his figures, “plus there is a vital part that you won’t be able to become my Luna without carrying out first.” My blood ran cold and even though I always knew it had to be done, I still wanted to avoid it.
“And if I agree, and agree to the mate bond, you will have the curse removed, right?” Asher nodded.
“Yes, as soon as we have completed the bond, I will have the curse removed from your precious Alpha,” he spat the last part. “Once I have you, I don’t need anything else, my darling.” He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips, not taking his eyes off of me. I closed my eyes and nodded in agreement.
“Okay,” I said. “Let’s get this over with.” Asher grinned with a wicked glint in his eyes. He half turned his head and nodded to Cade again, who then came and stood by us. He smiled sadly at me.
“Nice to see you again, love.” he said before producing a dagger.
In his clear northern Irish drawl, he spoke.
“Kaeleigh Buckley, you stand here before the Alpha Asher Bowman of the Crimson Shadow pack, who bears witness today. What say you?” I felt tears dropping down my cheeks as I said the words.
“I, Kaeleigh Buckley, renounce my link to the Dark Moon pack and seek acceptance into the Crimson Shadow pack.” I felt the snap of the connection to the pack and another series of howls went off beyond the rock, and my stomach turned at the sound.
“Do you vow to be loyal to the Crimson Shadow pack, placing the safety and concerns of the pack above all others?” Asher asked, his eyes on mine. He looked excited, like a kid who was finally getting the toy he wanted on Christmas day.
“I do.” I whispered, and he nodded. Asher then took a silver-coloured blade from Cade and sliced his hand.
“Kaeleigh Buckley, I offer you sanctuary and acceptance in the Crimson Shadow pack. Do you submit to the blood bond?” and he handed me the knife, and I sliced my own hand and watched the blood flow from the wound.
“I, Kaeleigh Buckley, submit to the blood bond of the Crimson Shadow Pack.” Much like when I did this ceremony with Alpha Daniel, I felt a strong pull as something rushed through my body and Ana yipped in excitement as Asher grabbed my hand and the connection to the Crimson Shadow pack snapped into place. Asher pulled me towards him again and smashed his lips against mine and kissed me passionately before pulling away and whispering.
“Kaeleigh Buckley, as the bond forms from blood, I officially recognise and accept you as a member of the Crimson Shadow pack.” I couldn’t help the sob that left my mouth.
Just then, there was a commotion of noise in the clearing by the gap we came through and Chase came crashing through. He was naked, probably from transforming from his wolf to get through the gap. Asher grabbed me and pulled me towards him as Chase’s eyes fell on me.
“Kaeleigh baby,” he pleaded. “Don’t do this. Come to me.” I wanted nothing more than to run into his arms, but I knew it wouldn’t help, and I had to follow through with this. I shook my head and cried as I said,
“I’m so sorry.”
He eyed the warriors who had formed a barrier between us and I could tell that he was assessing if he could get through. At the same time, Jensen, the Beta and the Alpha all came through the gap, and Jensen passed Chase a pair of shorts. They all watched and assessed the situation and the Alpha placed his hand on Chase, who was still sizing up the barrier.
“Asher,” the Alpha called, “you’ve gone too far this time. This is an act of war.” Asher laughed in response.
“Bring it, old man,” he sneered and then nodded to me. “Kaeleigh sweetheart, we have to go.” I closed my eyes, suddenly unable to speak, as the tears streamed down my face. Ana whimpered in my head.
“It’s for the best,” she said, and I nodded.
I pulled myself away from Asher and stood and looked at Chase.
“I meant every word and I do this for you, always for you,” and he realised what I was about to do. His eyes went wide and fear crossed his face.
“Kaeleigh, no,” and he lunged at the barrier when Jensen and the Beta grabbed him and held him back. “Don’t do it, please,” he begged.
I gathered the courage and said the words.
“I, Kaeleigh Buckley of the Crimson Shadow pack” I saw Alpha Daniel flinch at that “hereby reject you Chase Stone, future Alpha of the Dark Moon pack, as my mate.” Pain screamed through my body as I felt the connection between us pull to an impossible tension and I fell to the floor screaming as the tension became too much.
“Nooooooooo!”
I was vaguely aware that Chase had also been hit with the same pain as me and was on his knees. It feels like the entire world narrowed down to just the two of us and I see as he lifted his head and stared into my eyes, his own full of pain. Through gritted teeth, he said.
“I do not accept your rejection,” and those words held so much pain and I crumpled into a mess of tears. I felt Asher’s hands on me, as he helped me back up to standing.
“Time to go, sweetheart,” he whispered, and Chase started screaming again.
“Kaeleigh, no,” he shouted, “Don’t you dare. I told you I do not accept your rejection.” I shook my head. I simply couldn’t deal with it anymore. Chase was in hysterics and all I could hear as Asher led me to his car was Chase repeating.
“I do not accept your rejection,” over and over.
I felt like my world was crumbling around me and I had gone numb as I heard the man I love, the mate I have just rejected, screaming for me. Asher helped me into the car and leaned over to pull my seatbelt on, before placing a quick kiss on my cheek and slamming the door shut. Within seconds Asher is round the other side and in the car. He started the car and pulled away from the Dark Moon pack onto the road. The back door opened and I could hear Chase still screaming as Adam slid into the backseat.
Asher glared at him in the rearview mirror, and Adam shrugged.
“I told you I’m not leaving her side,” and Asher growled but said nothing. The car hit the road, and I glanced in the side mirror as we drove away from the Dark Moon territory. I saw the Crimson Shadow warriors disappear back into the woods as if they were never there.
But most of all, I saw Chase as he chased after the car, screaming my name, and I saw as he shifted into his wolf. We turned a corner and the last thing I heard as the tears started streaming down my face again was the heart wrenching howl of my rejected werewolf mate in pain.