Chapter 83: Chapter Thirty

**Amina’s POV**

Funny things tended to happen when people became anxious. First, imagining and focusing on the impossible and the illogical, they would enter an incredibly destructive style of self-sabotage. Then, as their minds gradually collapsed into chaos, they would disengage from reality almost entirely. 

That must've been the case with me, for I couldn’t explain elseways the long-drawn-out walk that Benjamin and I took to get from the foyer to the living room. The hallway appeared to have widened about a mile or so, and if I hadn't been here just last night, I could've sworn the Millers were undertaking some kind of expansion. 

By the time we entered the spacious living room, where Alpha William, Luna Shira, and Benjamin's parents were all waiting, my mouth was dry, but my palms sweaty. My heart rate had picked up, but my breathing slowed. I had become nothing more than an impatient and eager mess, struggling not to implode.

“Uncle Ronan?” Benjamin asked aloud, letting me know he was just as surprised as I was to see the older, big-eared man. “What are you doing here?”

“What are you talking about?” Ronan Lafleur asked in turn, subtly glancing behind Benjamin and me. “We have an Alpha guest, Benjamin. As this pack’s former Beta, I was certainly not going to miss out on any meetings with him. Speaking of which, I don’t see my son with you. Where is he?” 

“He’s home. I didn’t ask him to come.” Benjamin explained, taking my hand in his and pulling me towards one of the oversized empty couches.

A faint and sharp grunt escaped my throat as I struggled to keep my cool, already tired of the small talk. I needed this meeting to get underway quickly. My nerves were threatening to give in, and I knew that my heart would be next if Shira didn't speak soon.

“You’re going to make him lazy if you keep giving Ryan days off, Alpha. All of my hard work with him will go down the drain.”

“Lay off my son-in-law, Ronan. You know he's amazing.” Grace playfully shook her head, reacting to her friend's crack at Ryan.

“I don’t see William’s Beta here either.” Benjamin smiled, an eyebrow raised at the scarred Alpha.

“Hey! Why are you putting me in this conversation?” The poor man rolled his eyes with his hands up in the air, and earned himself a few laughs.

“Enough! If you guys don’t mind, maybe we could skip the pointless chitchat, no?” I suddenly let out in a bold voice I barely recognized as my own.

Straightaway, all six pairs of eyes inside the room landed on me. And while no one seemed expressly angry, their astonishment at my sudden outburst was very clearly decipherable on their faces, though I didn’t care. I had enough of the casual pleasantries discussing sons-in-law, pack politics, and whathaveyou's. I was here for far more crucial reasons.

“Shira?” I called out to her as our eyes met. “You said you had a solution for us last night. Care to share?” 

“Sure, but you may not like it.” She warned in a low voice.

“Why wouldn’t we?”

Her gaze immediately shifted from mine to Benjamin's as if her following words were meant solely for his ears. “I don't think it comes as a shock to anyone when I say that the main problem between you two is perhaps that Mina is human.” She began to speak. "And that if she weren't, things would go a lot smoother."

"You're not telling us anything new, Shira." Benjamin replied tightly in a low grumble.

“Sure, but it's what it really comes down to, and, believe it or not, the solution is even simpler. Mina has to shift.”

Quickly, the whole room filled with the low taunts and the disbelieving snickers of every werewolf sitting beside me. Even Benjamin let go of a slight chuckle as he slumped further into the couch.

"Be serious, my love." William said to Shira.

"I am." 

“That cannot happen, Luna Shira." Carson tried to delicately reason with her as he leaned forward in his seat. "You know as well as any of us that werewolves don't possess the ability to turn humans, and humans cannot shift into anything on their own."

“I understand, but Mina’s not human. She's a Lycan." Shira insisted, undeterred by everyone's skepticism.

"I'm not, Shira. My mother-" 

"Her mother drank a potion from a witch." Benjamin cut me off. "It effectively bound her lycan side. Mina's a human."

"What potion?" Ronan's eyes widened upon hearing everything for the very first time. "Wolfsbane?"

"That's what we thought of." Carson spoke again. "Maybe even some amount of silver. Who knows?”

“And who cares?” Benjamin added, almost distressed at the idea. “In the end, the fact remains the same; my mate can’t shift.”

“But what if you didn’t have all of the facts, Benjamin. Just hear me out for a second. You too, Mina.” The exasperated seer Luna let out before addressing me. “As far as all of us are concerned, humans can’t sense a mate pull, but you can. They don't emit a particular scent, but you do. And you have the subconscious ability to manipulate and mask it at will, same as any Lycan. So I don’t think that your powers are fully fettered. That side of you wants to come out; we both saw it during our sessions. Whatever it was, the magic used on you can come undone.” 

"What?" William and the three former heads of Blackwoods roared in pure dismay.

“I know what you're all going to say. Yes, magic is permanent, but if the witch who uses it has other plans- “

“Other plans?” I whispered without realizing it.

Shira’s long brown hair followed her as she whipped her head back toward me and smiled. “Yes. It seems as though she wanted to keep your Lycan side on the surface. She needed it accessible as she may have been planning to undo her spell in the future.”

Confused, overwhelmed, angry: I didn't know what emotion to deal with first as they came to me at the speed of light. I spent weeks struggling to come to terms with who I was and who I never would be, and, within minutes, another shipload of unexpected and extraordinary news fell upon me.

My rushed thoughts were wreaking havoc in my head, and yet, I couldn't help but glance at Benjamin. He had been silent for far too long, and as his lips pressed together and his eyes stared at the ground, I could tell he was having as much trouble taking it all in as I was.

“Are you sure about this?” I asked the Luna.

“There are no other explanations, Mina. We find the witch, and you will regain your powers and turn, I’m certain. Then you two could finally complete the mating process.”

I watched Benjamin's eyes suddenly lift and his whole face light up before going completely blank again. He began to shake his head from side to side, softly at first and more ardently until his voice revealed his inner thoughts.

“No. Absolutely not!” He said firmly.

“Benji, this could solve all of our problems-”

“No, Mina.”

“Why not? If I shift, we can be with each other the way you always pictured and-”

“Dammit, Mina!” Benjamin yelled out, suddenly on his feet. “I said no!”

“Honey, maybe you should-”

“Stay out of this, Mom! My answer is no, and it’s final. I don’t care that we can’t complete the mating process; we’ll find another way to live with that. No one is going to go find that witch.”

“You can’t be serious, Benji?” I challenged him, unable to accept nor understand his decision. “All my life, I've been looking for a chance to be my true self, and now I finally can. You don't have the right to take it away from me.”

Benjamin’s demeanor and rigid features softened as guilt and remorse washed over him. He sat back down next to me and took my hand in his before resting his forehead against mine.

“Baby, I’m sorry.” He whispered. “I don’t mean to hurt you, but you have to understand why I’m against it. Finding the witch means we risk your father and the Lycans finding out about you. It’s just too dangerous.” 

“Micheal’s mother and her rogues are back.” I shared, at long last, as I pulled away from him. “She’s back, and she’s hunting me.”

“Sweetie, you saw her?” Grace gasped, shocked.

“We’ve had no reports of rogues entering our territory.” Carson and Ronan hurriedly told Benjamin. “None at all.” 

“She’s here, Benji. I know it.”

Benjamin's gaze studied mine intensely, as if he were searching for the slightest trace of madness. “Have your investigating warriors reported anything about rogues, William?” Benjamin asked River Creek's Alpha, eventually believing me.

“No.” He replied. “Travis Reese led the expedition; he’s my best tracker. I trust him.” The Alpha added in response to Benjamin’s suspicious growl.

"Look, I'm not crazy or lying." I sighed, standing up in turn. "Gisele is coming for me, and the best thing I can do to defend myself is to turn."

“Baby, I can protect you.”

“The same way you protected me from Micheal?”

I shouldn't have been so insensitive and spiteful toward my mate, and I regretted the hurtful jab as soon as it left my lips. Indeed, the guilt and the shame Benjamin felt over my kidnapping and subsequent torture never waned; therefore, throwing it all back in his face was a definite low blow. Still, I had to make him understand that reversing the witch’s magic was the only option I had left. As risky as it may have been, it was the only way to ensure that our lives and our relationship would forever be safe.

“I’m sorry, Benji. I’m-”

“I know, and you’re right, Mina.” Benjamin stopped me with a soft voice before turning to his father and Alpha William. “Let’s put together another team of trackers to try and find Gisele before she attacks my Luna. I want Anderson on it as well as Ryan. If in a week we haven’t found her, I’ll have no choice but to consider the alternative.”