Chapter 22

MARCUS'S POV

“You show no remorse for what you have done. No, you seem to be proud of it,” she retorts. I pause, starting to grow angry.

“Jeremiah Brentwood. He was forty two years old. He was my father's henchman and he was loyal to my family. He had three daughters and a son, a wife as well. Thirty six year old widow. He died on that day. He was just one out of nine men who died on that day and you come here to raise your voice at me because your cousin died? Was he more valuable than the men who died because of his recklessness? Did he think he was going to hold the land he took? Was he that stupid? If he was then it is your fault for not schooling him better,” I snap.

Dona stares at me, the flames making her features seem sharper. She sighs then leans back against her chair. She clasps her hand before her and when she speaks again, her voice is softer, calmer.

“What my cousin did was foolish. He was young and he made a mistake, so did the men who followed him. I will bear his death in silence but everything must continue in the manner they were before. You will ask nothing of me and I will bury my cousin in peace. I say this to ensure that we have an understanding and to foster peace among our packs,” she says.

A part of me wants to accept her deal. A part of me wants to just give in and put all of this behind me but I remember the men who died for something that could have been avoided. I remember the threats. All of this could have been avoided but people are dead and she wants to avoid punishment, wants to avoid the consequences. I chuckle and shake my head.

“I hate this conflict, Dona. I hate it as much as you do, maybe even more but your cousin committed an offense for which he has paid with his life but you have not paid for yours. I gave you the rights to deal in my business as reparation for what my brother did. I tore off his arm. Surely you can see it. That was his consequence and the one I bore for letting him step out of line. Your cousin has paid his debt. Now you have to pay yours. You will return the rights I have given to you and you will lose every right to ask for them until another fifty years has passed,” I say.

The entire room goes still, almost as though even breath had ceased. Dona rests her elbow on the table and when she speaks, her voice is a tight whisper.

“Marcus…don't do this.”

“It is already done. Do you accept or not?” I ask. She looks at the members of her pack, the elders standing behind her and she turns back to face me.

“Let me talk to my elders. Let us get to an agr…”

“You have thirty minutes,” I say. She clenches her teeth and nods then stands and walks to her elders. I stand and walk to mine but I don't say anything. Elliot walks to me then nods at Elizabeth.

“What is she doing here?”

“My alpha asked me to be here so here I am,” she snaps back at Elliot who raises an eyebrow.

“And who might that alpha be? Some backwater werewolf at the edge of the world?”

“If that is what you think about your brother then I won't argue,” Elizabeth replies.

“Will the both of you continue to squabble like children? They can hear us. She is under my pack now so she will be treated and protected as a member. Elizabeth, he is also higher than you in the hierarchy. Show a little respect?” I ask. She shakes her head.

“I believe he is yet to earn that,” she replies. I meet her gaze and hold it then she looks away.

“Fine,” she says. I nod and turn towards Dona who is still speaking with her elders. I don't want to hear what they are saying before she tells it to me so I turn off my heightened hearing.

“Perhaps they will refuse,” My brother says to me.

“Perhaps they will. That would be rather unfortunate,” I say and that is when Dona straightens and starts walking to the table. I walk with her then sit down and she stares at me for a while as though in deep contemplation, before she speaks.

“If I do this thing, there will be no attack or hostility from your people?” She asks.

“I give you my blood oath. As long as I am alpha, my people won't attack yours if you relinquish these rights in agreement to the terms that I have presented. She clenches her teeth and I can see the struggle she is going through to accept what I have said.

After a while, she takes a deep breath then she nods and opens her palm. I watch as she draws blood from it with a claw then I do the same and we clasp it together. We say the words of our agreement and we pull our hands away then let the wound heal.

“I do this for my people's safety. You killed my cousin, Marcus. We are not friends.”

I nod, understanding what she means. She nods as well then stands and walks away, her elders following her. I can tell from their expression that they don't approve of what she has done and I have a feeling that mine don't approve of what I have done either but that does not matter. They are not the ones burdened with leading and keeping their followers alive. I walk out of the building and Simon falls into step with me.

“That was wide. Fighting a war with them at this time would hurt our businesses. We need to wait until its the right time…”

“Did you listen to what happened in there, Simon?” I ask. The man pauses with a slight frown on his face.

“You promised to…”

“There won't be a war. We won't attack Dona. She has accepted our terms and she is trying to avoid war as much as I am. It will remain that way,” I say to him and he frowns.

“As you say, Alpha Marcus,” he mutters.

“Good, I reply and continue walking, aware of my brother's eyes on me.