Chapter 82

ERIA

"There are two things you need to know," Kael said, his hands on the wheel as he navigated the car down the road.

I sat stiffly in the passenger seat, staring into the distance and not even trying to hide my annoyance as we headed towards the Mystic Shadows Pack to formalize the engagement. There were two things I knew alright, I thought. One, I still didn't want to do this, and two, we could have taken a portal which would be far more efficient than the terrible traffic on the road. Kael didn't seem to mind though.

"Are you even listening, Eria?" he asked, glancing toward me, the frustration evident in his voice.

"Yeah," I lied, sitting up straighter in the chair.

He gave a sigh and ducked the car into an alley.

"Fine," I said at last. "I suppose it would be unfair hating on someone that I haven't even met."

Kael didn't say anything, but his hands tightened on the wheel.

"We're here," he said. I looked up to see that the road had thinned out again. I could only guess that we were no longer in the city, or at least, we must be near the outskirts. Instead, a tall ancient building rose up in front of us. It had a Japanese traditional feel to it, I thought, seeing the raised floor, tiled roof, and white plaster walls. Somewhere between a tea house and a temple, I thought.

There was a garage, strangely enough, next to a gazebo, where some girls were training with sabers and staffs.

A man walked towards us, like he had been waiting. I couldn't help but stare at his white loose linen pants and what I suspected was a haori over his shoulders.

"We've been expecting you," he said, his tone neutral, and nothing about his expression said that he was happy to see us—so neutral that he might as well be emotionless.

"Right this way," he walked forward, not glancing back once.

"Eria," Kael reached out, touching my arm just as I was about to start following.

"You know..." He broke off, like he didn't know how to continue. "You know I love you enough to hate myself for doing this, right?"

I let his question hang in the air and took off, following our guide, keeping an unreasonable and probably unfair distance between my brother and I.

I caught up with the man, glancing around the wide passageway with interest. It was nothing like I had quite seen. Sliding doors lay on the left, opening into rooms. I could see some sort of training going on in one; the shelves in another told me it was likely a library.

"I didn't know Alpha Michael was Japanese," I said, a little fascinated despite myself.

"The Alpha has a fixation for traditions and languages. Two weeks ago, he bought an estate near Long Island, and the pack was Spanish for a while," he replied, his voice still neutral.

We had stopped in front of a room. Kael caught up with us.

The door slid open, and a man stood at the entrance. I didn't know what I expected, maybe a kimono and an ancient sword strapped across his belt, but instead, he wore a stylish black suit, an ash-colored sweater vest, and black pants. He looked young, I thought. Too young to be Alpha Michael.

Across the room, seated at the head of a table surrounded by his elders and council members, was the Alpha. It was easy to recognize him. I could feel his regal air from across the room, and yes, he wore a kimono and haori jacket, a lazy grin spread across his face.

My eyes darted back to the man in front of us. The same angular jaw, the same black hair though his fell over his face in layers, the same chilling certainty about him. I felt my blood run cold.

"Eria," Kael put a hand on my shoulder, steadying me. I wanted to bark at him and race down the passage and get the hell out of this place. But I imagined that if I did that, I would make the Obsidian Pack look bad. I looked at the Alpha's son again.

Dominic regarded me coolly, only a flicker of mild interest in his eyes as he stepped away, letting us in.

"You're just in time!" Alpha Michael boomed. He rose up from his chair, a huge grin spreading across his face.

Kael pushed me in. I half suspected that it was because I was standing like a statue at the doorway and he wanted to get in himself.

"Alpha Michael,"

The two men shook hands over the table, and I felt a knot tightening in my stomach. No matter how I looked at it, this was peak betrayal, and I wasn't going to forget it.

"Aren't you coming? I saved you a seat next to your brother," Dominic said, looking at me.

To hell with your seats and medieval settings! I thought, all but fuming with rage.

Kael glanced towards me with a measured look. I held my head high and walked past him to the table where the rest were seated.

I sat next to Kael, my hands folded on my lap.

There wasn't any female in Alpha Michael's council or Luna, I realized. I was the only woman in the room, and the men looked at me in prying interest. I kept my expression locked up, staring past the window in the room at the girls training in the gazebo, all wearing a sort of black buttoned-down uniform over white skirts and leggings.

"I'm glad you honored my proposal," Alpha Michael was saying.

Dominic walked back to the table and sat opposite from me, blocking my perfect view of the fight outside. I glared at him, then caught Kael giving me a pointed look and turned away.

"I didn't have much of a choice," Kael said, turning back to the Alpha.

Some maids came and served steaming hot mugs of green leaf tea. Dominic smiled, seeing my appalled expression. Jerk, I thought.

"Now don't be like that. My offer goes both ways, perfectly in line with your own wishes for uniting the packs together. Consider this a mere show of my full support. You're a good leader, Alpha Kael, and I trust the Obsidian Pack enough to be one with them."

He was smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes. That, Dominic had in common with him. The rest of the members of the council nodded in approval, muttering something about their Alpha's open-mindedness and beliefs.

"I suppose then you make it a hobby of yours to force two people into a relationship just because it fits into your grand scheme of plans," I spat, unable to help myself.

Alpha Michael regarded me coolly, and for a moment, his eyes flashed in anger, but it was gone in an instant, replaced with a faint smile.

"That would be beneath me. It's time that the five packs were united, a movement which I believe in. Your brother has been fighting for that course ever since, and you believe in it too. I do not force anybody, Eria Rathmore."

I clenched my fist under the table. He was lying! He told Kael that he would only help him if I got married to his son. But he hadn't really forced Kael into anything, I thought. He simply left his offer open, and it was ours to accept or refuse.

But the Obsidian Pack was in need of help. We needed this, and he knew it. The bastard had simply taken advantage of us.

"Your son is a fine man," Kael spoke, turning his face to Dominic. "Do I have your word that you'll treat my sister well?"

My ears stung. Kael was really trading me away like this, I thought bitterly. For the help of the Mystic Pack. I thought of Vance. Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes, but I fought them back. I wouldn't cry, not now.

"Are we taking vows now?" Dominic asked, his voice sweet and highly amused. I felt his eyes on me, and I badly wanted to punch something.

"My son," Alpha Michael cut in, "you will find is well-trained and a gentleman. I can assure you that he would love and protect your sister."

Kael didn't say anything to that. He's not my mate! I wanted to yell. But no one seemed to be paying much attention to me anymore. And did Raven even know Kael was her mate when they first met? I thought. But I was so certain that it was Vance.

We fought countless battles together. Even now, I could feel him, alive, fighting.

A document was placed on the table. Kael slipped a pen into my hand.

"You have to sign," he whispered.

"Wait," I dropped the pen, my heart hammering in my chest.

If I signed, it would be over.

I remembered Raven's voice, telling me to stall the process for as long as I could.

"Isn't this all a bit too sudden? Too formal?" I tried for a smile.

"Why don't I take a week or two with my fiancé? Get to know him a little..."

"Eria, this is an arranged marriage," Kael began impatiently.

"And I've accepted that, but I don't want to marry a total stranger."

My voice broke. "It'll make it easier for me, Kael."

Kael's eyes softened.

"It's settled then," Alpha Michael was still grinning.