Chapter 29 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
MAEVA
"I'm home." I tell Taron through the mind link.
I enter my house and jump into the shower to wash off the sweat of running none stop for hours and the stench of Caius and his pack. I've escaped, and I'll be damned if I let him take me again.
Taron informs me when he enters my house. I ignore him and continue letting the water wash off everything I don't want him to smell on me. Especially the fear. I didn't stop for air because I was afraid Caius would catch me and take me back to his pack.
I dress up in comfortable clothes and meet Taron in the living room. He came with a lot of food and I thank him. This is just what I needed. Recoup, then sleep and then in the morning, I'll know what to do.
"How are you? Your eyes look sunken." He says.
"I'll be fine. I just have to rest and tomorrow we start making plans to fortify the pack against Caius."
"We don't have the numbers to fight against him if he decided to fight against us."
"Then we'll die trying."
Taron wants to say more but he swallows his words. Good. I don't want to hear how selfish I'm being.
The next morning, I wake to someone in my room. I slowly rise from the bed when I realise that it's a familiar scent and she's not here to kill me, hopefully.
"Why are you in my room?" I ask when I sit up.
"I'm not supposed to be here. I'm in hiding."
"Be in hiding somewhere else. My bedroom is not for witches in hiding." I say.
It's not hard for witches to blur the line and disrespect you so I have to draw the line for her.
"Ouch. Even after I helped you escape?"
"Especially after you helped me escape."
She laughs and walks out of my bedroom and I relax. What have I gotten myself into with this witch? I stand up and wash my face before I join her in the living room.
"How did you escape?" I ask.
"I didn't. Your mate let me go. I told you he had no plans of killing me."
"Don't call him that." I say.
It's annoying and she knows it. Which is why she's doing it.
"I decided to come give you what I promised before I go back to my home and get ready for what is to come."
"What is coming?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.
"That's not your concern for now."
With a flick of her wrist, a paper appears on my table.
"This is the list of everything you need to make the potion. Make sure the measurements are precise and that you are are timing the brew correctly."
"How do I know if it's correct?" I ask.
"You don't. You can only tell when you go a moon cycle without going into heat."
I nod and pick up the paper. Everything on the list is something that will take a day or two to gather and another day to brew. It should be ready just in time for the next heat cycle.
"Well, I should go. You have a very busy day ahead of you."
Tell me about it. I still have to settle the Grant issue today and get back to all the Alpha's who came looking for me while I was away.
With a poof of smoke, she disappears and I'm left alone with the list and my thoughts. This witch is not trying to poison me, is she?
"Alpha, you need to come to the square right now." Train says through the mind link. The urgency in his voice sets me on edge.
"What happened?" I ask.
"The council put out a declaration last night and your neighbours are here. It's about your mate bond with Alpha Caius."
I close my eyes and breathe through my nose as I feel incoming headache. The council did what? I get out of my comfortable clothes and wear my favourite combat boots, cargo pants and tank top. I tie my hair in a pony tail and start running to the square.
The moment I step into the pack square, the energy shifts and the murmurs quiet. The air is tense with the power radiating from all the Alpha's present. Alpha's who look like they have a lot to say.
Taron's eyes flicker with something close to relief when he sees me and I almost smile. I remind myself whose presence I'm in and the smile is wiped clean off.
They watch me quietly. Judging, measuring, waiting.
"You sure took your time." Alpha Kol says, the hate, back in his voice.
"I came," I say flatly. "That’s more than you deserve, considering you all came to my pack without informing me first."
"We couldn't wait for your permission. We all got news from the council that left us all in shock and we had to come here immediately." Alpha James says.
The damned council told them but didn't bother sending me a message too?
"And what news is that?" I ask, acting dumb.
"They say Alpha Caius is your mate and you are refusing to mate with him." Alpha Luca says.
I notice that his voice is not as condescending as it usually is when he's talking to me. It makes me sick to my stomach.
"That is correct. Now that you have confirmed it, get the fuck out of my pack."
Alpha Kol and Alpha James growl at me and take a step forward. I take two steps forward and growl back.
"Take one more step forward and I'll take it as a declaration of war."
No one moves and I continue.
"You gathered here today," I say slowly, my voice cutting through the vast square, "because you think this concerns you. It doesn’t."
"This affects every single werewolf. An Alpha-Alpha pairing has not been seen in generations. Do you know what this means for the future of werewolves? Do you know how powerful you and your mate will be? Do you know how powerful your pups will be?" Alpha Mage says, nearly drooling at the thought.
"I will say this once," I continue, my gaze sweeping over them, daring any of them to challenge me. "I will not bond with Caius. Tell the council that I won't be forced to do it and they can do their worst."
"You would defy the council?" Alpha Luca asks.
"I already am."
"Very well then, since that is what you have decided, so be it. We'll leave." Alpha Kol says.
He gestures for them to leave but he stays behind and waits for them to walk a few paces away from us.
"Your Beta should excuse us." He says and I nod to Taron to leave.
"It's a good thing you won't be bonding with Caius. I first thought of bonding with you and now the moon goddess wants to take it from me." He starts.
"Let me stop you right here. I won't bond with Caius but I'd rather die before I bond with you."