Soon - Valeria's POV
I fully intend to keep the promise of ‘soon’, as long as this man doesn't cause a riot that will ultimately delay everything. As he hovers above me, I hold my breath and gaze into his eyes, captivated by his dominance. If I make even a single move, it might set his wolf on edge again.
Not that I really mind.
My wolf is enjoying every moment of it and is happy to relinquish control to let him take over.
“Kendric, are you going to stay like this all day?” Part of me hopes he says yes, but I know there are things we have to take care of.
My cheeks heat with how brash I’m becoming. This man is tearing my resolve apart little by little and soon it will be completely gone. Once it has vanished, I don’t know that I’ll be able to hold him back any longer.
“I just want to hold you a little longer. The things I’m about to do won’t be enjoyable,” he says with a deep sigh. “I killed someone and the lead council member at that. They will expect me to pay for what I’ve done.”
“Yes, you did, but it was to save me from a false mating. Micah had no right to keep me with someone who wasn’t my mate, so you are justified in your actions. Is that enough to save you from the council?”
It’s a long shot, but fated mates aren’t something you mess with and once it comes to light that Diego bought me from Levi, it might quell their anger at Kendric for killing the council leader, because it is his fault.
“It should be, but they hate me. Most of them are suspicious or have figured out my secret. But they forget that my feral outburst as a child saved them when they needed it most, then I was gone,” he says, huffing. Then he rolls off me and lies beside me. “I’ve watched them and heard the things they thought of that feral wolf. Deep down, if they could have captured and continued to control me, they would have used me because of the power I hold. Now, I’m just a threat they wish to silence.”
I rack my brain for several seconds as I try to think of what he’s talking about. As far as I know, we haven’t been at war for hundreds of years. Did something happen that I’m not aware of? I thought Jackson kept my knowledge up to date, but then again, he didn’t care as long as I served his family. What business would I have in knowing what is going on outside of the pack?
“What did they have you do?” I ask softly.
Kendric rolls his head to the side, studying me. His eyes flutter as he tries to find the words to say, but I can tell it’s bothering him to even bring it up. “Are you sure you want to know about my past?”
“Kendric,” I say as I reach out to stroke his face. “I have our memories from our lives before, though muddled, so I can make guesses, but I could be completely wrong about it too.”
He leans his head back against the cushions and stares at the ceiling. “So, the darker side of history is someone discovered I was feral and used me as an assassin. But once I’m in that form, I don’t have as much control. I was ordered to wipe out those in charge and that was how the council rose to power. Then I disappeared to save my life after taking out those who knew about me, but apparently someone else was watching.”
“I remember Jackson talking about it years ago. He wasn’t happy when they first formed the council, but then he became happy suddenly, like it was the best thing ever. I never understood how someone could go from hating it to liking it that quickly.” It still to this day has me puzzled to some extent, but I guess Micah was doing favors for him.
“Oh, he liked it and was in deep with Micah. There’s more to that than what’s on the surface and we may never find the bottom of it. To say the least, he deserved to die too, but his wife and daughter are out there, somewhere in hiding because of Micah. That could be an issue in the future.” He reaches up at scratches at the scruff lining his jaw. “The pack isn’t settled. I probably should go outside and talk to them. Micah’s body is lying out there so anyone might take off with it and try to change the story.”
He stands and slowly walks to the door. I stay put because I’m not sure he wants me to go with him. As soon as he reaches for the handle, he turns toward me with a soft smile. “Don’t go anywhere. I can’t think straight if you’re near and there is danger lurking around.”
“I’ll stay right here and wait for you.”
That makes his smile grow. “Good. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Kendric leaves and shuts the door behind him, leaving me to my thoughts.
None of this is going right and now I know for a fact those dreams are very much real. Kendric is the man I’ve always been with in every life. If I remember correctly, though, all the times we were brought together were during the times of war. That thought has crossed my mind multiple times already, but I just can’t shake it, no matter what I do.
“If we come together in times of war, then does that mean there is about to be a war?” I sift through my thoughts, staying focused on that one line of thought. No, there is always a war and our mating brought peace. There hasn’t been a war in hundreds of years, so it can’t be that. “This is all wrong. We’re semi-mated already. Are we doing things in reverse this time? We mate, then war breaks out?”
A growl escapes me as I lay back. My gaze moves to the ceiling, and for the faintest moment, I see something, but it’s gone just as quickly.
Suddenly, I’m pulled into a void and everything goes dark.
Flashes of images swirl around me. Some I’m familiar with while others are new, but I don’t know that I want to see all of them. One comes fast and stays in my view for longer than the others.
I see Kendric, but he has much longer hair. He’s standing before me, his eyes focused on me as we join hands. I can tell just by the lack of attire and everything else going on that it’s a mating ceremony. We’re happy and smiling, ready to be together. Somehow, I just know this time wasn’t during a time of war and we were mated at the stroke of midnight.
He embraces me, pulling me in close. His lips trace their way down my jaw to my throat. There is a sting on my throat, as if the bite is happening now. I feel his body against mine, moving and setting me aflame.
My eyes flutter as if I’m really there. Oh, how I long to have that part of our lives back.
Flashes of our life together go before my eyes, filling me with hope. That life was peaceful and full of good times. And the memories fade too soon.
As I’m sucked back to the present, I let out a low growl. I wanted to stay in that memory and watch more, but sadly, it’s over. I blink a few times, focusing on the ceiling again. This is the first time it’s ever happened during the day when I’m not sleeping, which is new.
“So, now I’m having day dreams. But what does it mean? We weren’t at war, so that gives me hope.”
You should have hope. Kendric is everything to you and always has been. It’s time you get your head wrapped around this and get a move on.
I close my eyes as I try to shove my wolf back. Her words are true, and I can feel them in my heart, but after everything I’ve been through, I just need time to breathe. After all of these years living in abuse has messed up my mind, and I was almost mated to a man just because he was nice to me.
I get it that Kendric is my fate, but regardless, I need time to figure out my mind and get over this hump.
What if mating him is what saves him? Have you thought of that?
Right as I’m about to answer my wolf, I hear shouts outside. “No, Kendric.”
I rise from the cushions and hurry toward the door. As soon as I swing it open, I see Kendric is gagged and bound in the middle of the pack.
“Kendric!” I scream.
Someone comes forward, stopping me from going to him. “You can’t come near him. He’s a feral wolf.”
“He’s my mate, so move,” I snap. “If you know what’s good for you, you won’t interfere.”
The man glances down to my neck and sees the fresh mating bite, but then looks at Kendric and sees no matching mark. “No, little lady, if you know what’s good for you, then you will stay out of this and not interfere. I’m sorry his wolf marked you, but you haven’t returned the bite so that won’t save you from him when he’s like this. Stay back. It will be over soon.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” A snarl escapes me as I stare at the man.
He just looks up at me, smiling faintly as if he thinks something is about to happen. “It means you won’t die if he does and you’ll be free to find another mate. Feral wolves don’t get happily ever afters.”
“No, he’s my fated mate. You can’t do this. Wolf law states you can’t separate fated mates, so move out of my way before I rip out your throat.”
The man reaches up, scratching the scruff of his chin. “It says that, but it also says feral wolves must die. This is the best I can do. Haul him out of here.”
“No, stop. Please, don’t take him.” I say, as I try to get through to the man, but he prevents me from following Kendric.
His arms wrap around me, holding me back, but I break through and push through the others, trying to reach Kendric.
“No!” I yell, as tears stream down my face. “You can’t take him from me. Not now.”
Kendric keeps his blazing red eyes on me, never wavering as he is hauled into the back of a truck.
“Kendric! You have to fight,” I cry out, but he does nothing except comply. “He didn’t do anything wrong except protect me. That man saved me from someone who was forcing me to become their mate. You can’t blame him for killing those standing between him and his fated mate. All of you would do the same thing for yours.”
I beg again, asking them to please let me go, but they refuse.
“Females are special and we won’t kill you alongside your ex-mate. Let him go and maybe the Moon Goddess will bless you with another.”
My gaze goes across the clearing, looking between the houses at all the pack members standing nearby. “What are you doing? Help your alpha! He saved the Moon Stone pack and has helped so many. Why are you just standing there?”
They all stand there, casting their gazes to the ground in complete compliance. It brings back memories to how everyone was while I grew up. No one cares. They do what those in charge tell them and they never once question if it's right. It’s just like when Alpha Jackson abused me. They let that slide, too.
“Who even called this in? It was one of you, wasn’t it?” I ask as my gaze drags across some of the wolves from Diego’s pack. “You knew what he did and yet you’re going to turn in my fated mate for killing the man who stole me?”
The guy who had spoken up before, stating he got the healing balm, looks up at me sheepishly. “Well, he is feral. You saw what he did to Micah and he couldn’t stay here as our alpha. I’m sorry that he’s your mate and all, but the law is the law. We have to follow the rules or we get into trouble.”