Witches pact
Lucas
That was no holiday for me. Before, I was worried. Every few minutes I wanted to talk to somebody, Kendrick to check up on her, or Alejandra herself, but I didn’t want to be too on the nose. My heart had nearly beat out of my chest when I thought of the worst case possible. By the time the first night came and went without call or incident, I was convinced that maybe everything was fine back in the pack.
Killian, however, was yet to return from his meeting. While it was expected ,after all, all alphas sat at the pinnacle of governance, and them being in the same place at the same time only made it harder ,they would deliberate for hours and hours. It was even worse than the council meetings back home. It was, after all, because all of them believed they had the right to speak, the right to be heard, and the power to do so. Age was just a number, but it was well known that if you were an old alpha, you would be given some form of respect ,Elias being a perfect example.
But still, I didn’t think there was any need to drag this on any longer. I had paced around the common area until I bumped into a familiar face. It was a witch, much younger than Calypso and much more inexperienced ,in fact, she was an intern for all intents and purposes. She smiled as she saw me, her face beaming and turning slightly pink.
“Beta Lucas,” she said, her strange green eyes twinkling as she walked closer. Sitting on her head was the intern’s hat ,a distinguishing mark, as the signature witches’ hats helped differentiate them from their betters and superiors.
Endurance apprentices were the middle save, and interns could only be witches.
She smiled and stepped closer. “Were you the last to arrive?”
I shook my head slowly. “No. I did find a way to wiggle out of the bad luck. Do the betas gather anywhere?” I asked.
She shook her head. “In an hour,” she said. “But for now, no.” She smiled. “I heard a rumor from the Great Sage Calypso that there is a human. Is it true?”
She stepped closer, her eyes twinkling and her thin lips pressed together. I would have said it was a rumor and that those rumor mongers should be ashamed of their actions, but since it was a well-known open secret by now, I simply nodded.
“Yes,” I said. “What else did you hear?”
She grinned. “That she’s the mate of your alpha. It’s amazing to know that she’s still alive,” she said. “I thought your pack would have killed her by now, especially given the fact that there are so many conservatives, you know ,and many that want to stick to tradition.”
I shook my head. “Oh no, this is something both factions agreed on. Just as I said ,both conservatives and new age believe that she should be killed. Some think maybe they should see how it goes, but others aren’t so liberal in their mindset. Everyone agreed on one common factor,” I mumbled. “The human cannot be allowed to live on our land.”
I continued walking toward the general lounge area. “Some believe that the alpha must care for his own peace of mind, and killing his mate would prove too dramatic for his wolves. Given the fact that he doesn’t have an heir, and his father wasn’t so forthcoming in providing one before he died ,also given the fact that those with alpha blood are far between ,concessions had to be made.”
She tapped on her chin. “Alpha blood,” she said. “But you have alpha blood.” She smiled. “Don’t you want to try to take the pack? I don’t know…” she placed her hand on her chin still, looking at me through her lashes.
And that’s when I felt it ,a small pull ,but I couldn’t quite figure out what it was. Maybe it was magic. Was she enchanting me? I shook it off, but it was impossible. Witches were forbidden to use magic on close members of the council. It was well known that sometimes a witch or two had tried to influence the decisions to be made in their best interest, but that witch was punished when last it was done, and I highly doubted an intern like her would try to do something so foolish.
Maybe it was just my nerves, I thought. Maybe it was just the worry, I thought ,and decided it was the latter.
I think you would make a wonderful Alpha, she said. Do you have a mate yet?
I shook my head but continued walking until we got there. “No,” I said.
“Do you think the pack would frown if you had a witch mate?” she asked.
What the fuck was she talking about? I asked myself. I turned to her. “What the fuck?” I whispered. Suddenly it clicked. It wasn’t my nerves; it wasn’t worry ,she was using magic on me. But she was young and foolish, much too young, probably, to remember how that witch was killed.
I stepped closer, closed my arm around her neck, and pushed her all the way to the wall, earning a squeal of fear from her. Tears gathered in her eyes as my hand closed in around the tiny appendage that was her neck. Just one little twist and it would come off, I thought. My wolf urged me to snap it. How dare she use magic on me to influence anything? How dare she make me question my loyalty? I said instead of asking.
She raised her hand; her wooden staff fell to the ground. “Please.” The word forced out of her restricted throat.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Calm yourself, Lucas. It is against the law to kill—”
I snarled at the voice, recognizing it to be my beta mate, Colin.
“To use magic on me,” I barked at him. “That in and of itself is enough to earn her an instant snap of the neck.” Tears gathered in her pathetic eyes. Suddenly it occurred to me they weren’t green; they were brown. Of course there was nothing wrong with brown, but she had enchanted herself and the magic had fallen. I frowned deeper. She had tried to change my perception of her, and it would earn her death.
I said out loud, “She tried to make me betray my Alpha. I will kill her if it is the last thing I do.” I growled a little more, pushing power into my voice and just having Colin call even more for respect to go.
“Why is he trying to kill the girl?” I heard other voices.
“Call her,” another eventually spoke up. “He claims that she tried to enchant him, to turn his mind from his Alpha.” I heard a couple of chuckles.
“Foolish one,” someone said. “He is the most loyal of the betas. He’d rather die than stab his young Alpha in the back.” Another voice laughed, full and hardy. “She’s young, Lucas; perhaps it will be a good idea to kill her.”
The same chorus raised a hundred questions, “She probably has a life to live, a full life ahead of her. I wonder what her master would say.”
Suddenly I felt a huge wave of magic wash over me, forcing me to let go of the neck in my hand and forcing me to my knees. For a moment the world went black and I lost control of my beast.