Chapter 21 Chapter 21
Sloane
I’d never been in this room and neither had i been round so many of the enemy. Wolves, in their human form, were everywhere.
I sat on the edge of the carved wooden throne, my hand still in Tys. His fingers were dry and strong. They gave me comfort.
And by all the gods I needed that comfort because the moment he spoke the room went crazy.
He might as well have said I was going to eat their babies. Cries went up, snarls and yells. More than one person , male and female stepped forward menacingly.
Their lips pulled back off of their teeth as they growled and snarled.
Ty dropped my hand to stand more in front of me. His hands balled into fists at his side and an angry loud growl falling from his lips. “Enough.” He roared , his voice louder than anyone else’s there.
An uneasy silence fell. No one looked happy but no one was rushing to rip my windpipe out either. Not that I relaxed.
Coming here was a bad idea. I should have stayed in my room where it was safe and not dressed up to the nines like dinner.
“Ty is right.” Eirian took his spot on my other side. Both of my protectors slightly in front of me, so if anyone attacked they would have to go through them.
Through the crack in their bodies, I saw the anger flow across their peoples faces. But no one moved. No one wanted to go up against their alphas.
I let out a small sigh of relief. I was safe as long as they were with me.
Well maybe not safe from them but safe from being ripped apart anyway.
“That is enough.” Eirians voice rose up. “Sloane is our choice. She has already fed us.”
A murmur of unease flowed across the room. Leaning forward slightly I frowned.
I’d heard him say that before but I still didn’t understand it. I’d never purposely fed them, I barely had enough to keep myself and my baby brother alive as it was.
The snares, I sucked in a breath. They thought I had been feeding them.
I opened my mouth to speak when Ty spoke again. “The full moon is coming and this full moon will be the last one where we do not lay with our mate and Luna.”
No one spoke. But I could tell they were angry. Their silence told me they were furious. I shrank back and tried to make myself as small as possible.
“You-“ a man stepped forward. “Have your choices of women in the pack. High class she wolves. And you insult them all by taking a human on the full moon?”
Eirian looked uncomfortable, his eyes darted to the side to glance at me.
“Our mate -“ Ty began to say and was instantly cut off.
“Everyone knows you need a human girl to break the curse but to make her your Luna? To weaken your pure Wolf blood line with her weak human blood? You cannnot be serious?”
A murmur of agreement went up. It was just more wolf politics that I didn’t understand.
“Take her however you need to.” The man’s eyes raked over me. And the look of hatred and disdain made me want to shrivel up into myself.
I should have never come here.
“But take a female from the pack to have your children. Make a woman who deserves it, Luna and not some weak human-“
“Enough.” Ty yelled and seemed to double in size. His whole body rumbled and trembled. “Sloane is out choice-“
Ever the diplomat Eirian stepped forward. His hands out , palm first. “We will hear and discuss your concerns at the next council meeting but tonight we are here to celebrate. There is nothing more to say or discuss right now. Is that clear?”
An uneasy murmur went up, but the people moved away back into their little groups. Throwing death glares towards me as they went.
“Are you ok?” Ty took his place back at my side. Mutely I nodded but honestly I didn’t know if I was ok or not. No one told me anything and I missed my home.
“Sloane?”
Blearily I craned my neck up to him. My eyes awash with tears. He took one look at my face and held out his hand to me.
“Come with me, let’s dance.”
I stared at the hand blankly. He didn’t move it.
“You have questions and it’s time I told you what you need to know but I want you to dance with me first.”
Slowly I nodded my head. Sliding my hand into his, I let myself be lead down the steps and into the middle of the dance floor.
Once there he twirled me once, so fast I almost tripped over my own feet and ended up crashing into his chest. Instantly his arms went around me.
“I am sorry you had to witness that.” He began to move and for a big guy he was graceful and light of his feet.
“I guess there has been a lot of push back about me being here.”
For a second Tys arms tightened around me so much that my breath hitched. “Yes, they know the curse, but they don’t understand the cure. You’re the cure, Sloane.”
One giant hand slid up and down my back and I had to fight back the urge to shiver.
A wave of need flooded me. Why did being in his arms feel so good?
So right?
Above me Tys nose flared as he caught my changed scent. I blushed scarlet. Chuckling to himself, he pressed my cheek into his chest. Just a little below his heart. I could still feel it beating though. And strangely my own skipped a beat to match his.
“What is the curse?”
His sigh rattled his chest. “The end of our line.”
Confused I craned my neck up to him. “What?”
“Many years ago, a witch put a curse on my family. That the end of the wolves would come when twin boys were born. From the moment of their birth, the wolves would be plagued by illness , and misfortune.” His eyes speared downward to meet mine. “And madness.” The corners of his lips twitched. “It was so long ago that people thought it was just a story.” His eyes scanned the room quickly. “Most people here think it’s just a tale. But me and Eirian know the truth. We feel it and see it every day. Our people will die.”
My eyebrows slammed down.
“We will die, or worse.” Reaching up, he ran his rough fingers down my face. “I always knew it was you though Sloane. Eirian said we should try others first because -“ he shook his head and his eyes darkened. “Well it doesn’t really matter now. You are here and you are the one. You have to become our mate. It’s up to you to save my people. To save me and my brother.”
I couldn’t help but look around. These people hated me. Did I even want to save them?
Before I could stop myself I glanced up at his face. Ty was the mad one but he had always been gentle around me. He softened around me.
I might not care about his people or whether they lived or died but I kind of cared about him.
I didn’t think, surging up on my tiptoes I pressed my lips against his.