Chapter 35

Chapter 35
VIVIAN'S POV

            "You're not going to tell me something like that and leave it at that. I'm tired of it. You want me to be your Luna, and you're dangling knowledge over my head like I'm an idiot. You either start telling me something, or I'm gone," I snapped.
            I was done with his games. I kept the look on my face stern, hoping Killian could see how serious I was. My thoughts went straight to Chris, but I hoped he wouldn't call my bluff. If he did, I'd fold. I couldn't risk Chris. But I needed answers. I couldn't be in the dark anymore.
            "Fine. Sit down. And I'll give you something."
            I continued glaring at him as I sat, keeping my eyes on him. I couldn't break and let him know how nervous I really was. Keep in check, Vi. "Go on."
            Killian sat, leaning forward on his fist, staring me down. "Blackmoon is dying; I wasn't lying about that."
            "How? Why?"
            "I'm not going into the nitty gritty, but you've realized we're the kind to lean heavily on the magic variety. Our soil is tainted, our she-wolves are having problems conceiving, and our shifting is becoming a problem."
            "Why? And what does that have to do with me?"
            "Our witch shifters need a powerful witch shifter, Luna, to lead with power. Otherwise, they can't direct their magic, keep their levels controlled, and keep the magic flowing," he said, looking down.
            "This doesn't explain how I'm involved. And what happened to the last Luna?
            "My mother passed, and when I took over as Alpha, she lost her Luna status regardless. We only realized the importance of it once it was too late to undo it. The one who knew didn't bother to inform us until it was too late."
            I rolled my eyes. "Sounds like an asshole. And again, me."
            "You. You're the Luna I need. You're the powerful witch shifter I need."
            I sucked in a breath. "I'm not a witch shifter."
            He sighed. "I hoped to wait to keep this from you until our wedding, but you're forcing my hand. But you are. Your father is our strongest witch shifter."
            I pushed my chair back. "No."
            "He had a daughter I was meant to marry, but she disappeared. We expect to avoid marrying me. We're not sure, but she's gone, and then you came waltzing in, and it was like fate."
            I stood, heading towards the door. "I need to go. This is...I'm not a witch. I'm not."
            He stood, following me. "I know this is a lot of information. And it's not how I wanted to tell you. I shouldn't have planned to keep it from you like I did, but it was my only leverage other than the mutt."
            I put my hand on the door handle, but he slammed his hand on the door, barring me from opening it. I glared at him. "Let me go."
            "No."
            "Then let me see my father."
            “Also, no. The deal still stands about when you'll meet him. Do you know how I said the person who knew about Luna stepping down would make us fall into disarray? That was him."
            I shook my head. "Why don't you just relocate or return to the old ways of pack life? There are ways to undo magic. This still doesn't make sense."
            "Our shifting has become reliant on magic. Our births are started in magic. We all have a little magic in us. That's how we have so many witch shifters in our pack now. We can't just relocate."
            I wiped a face over my face. "Just marry another shifter. They'll become more powerful being a Luna. Train them. You don't need me. I have no training in magic. I'm only half of my father. I've never even used magic or felt magic."
            He leaned in. "You think I didn't consider that? No. It needs to be you. You have time to train. But it won't matter. You have the magic within you. You have what we need."
            He ran a finger along my jawline. "If you let me, I can make you happy."
            I swatted his hand away. "I don't want this. I'm sorry about your pack and want to help, but I need to get back to my own. I have my own shit to deal with."
            "You're willing to let your not-mate die so you can go back to a mate who rejected you? What do you have waiting there that is so important? A mother and fake father who don't care about you?"
            I narrowed my eyes. "What?"
            "I know things. I've sent my men to your pack to learn more about you. You were a nobody. You never caused a ripple. You were rejected by your mate, who was your best friend. Otherwise, you have no other friends. Your parents didn't care about you. Chris was your boyfriend, but most figured it was out of pity because you both didn't get along throughout school. Then he left you for some hot piece of ass."
            Before I could stop myself, my hand slapped him across the face. He laughed, grabbing my wrist. "Did I hit a a soft spot? Which part pissed you off the most? The part about Zeke or the part about Chris?"
            'You're an asshole."
            "I'm going to assume the part about Chris. And it's the exact reason you'll keep your end of the bargain and become my Luna."
            He released my wrist, still grinning at me. "You can either decide to get to know me and make this a more pleasurable experience or make it as miserable as you want. I'm really not the bad guy you're thinking I am."
            "You seem pretty bad to me."
            "You'll change your mind.”



ZEKE'S POV

            "You did what?!" Sam shrieked.
            "I got rid of Vi and Chris so we could be together, Sam," I said, holding her hands and kneeling before her.
            She was sitting on my bed, staring at me in horror. "Where are they?"
            "There with the Blackmoon pack. Killian wants Vi to be his Luna, but Chris is stuck in prison. I doubt he'll be coming back, though. You know how Blackmoon is. And if he does, he'll be so wrecked mentally that he won't be able to make it back."
            Sam shoved my hands away. "You're an idiot. I didn't want them gone! I needed that bitch here. And now you ruined everything!"
            I stared at her. "What are you talking about?"
            She started pacing. "We need to get them out from under Killian's thumb. It's not going to be easy. He's controlling as fuck and cunning."
            "Wait. Why would we want to save them?"
            Sam waved a hand at me. "You don't do that to pack members, Zeke, you idiot. And how am I supposed to get back at Vi if she's not here?"
            I pursed my lips. "Get back at her for what?"
            "Don't you worry about it, sweetie."
            She walked over to me, pressing her lips to mine, smiling sweetly. She whispered words that didn't make sense, and a warmth spread through my body. She always knew how to calm me down.



SAMANTHA'S POV

            Zeke was an idiot. I don't know why I ever thought he was a good little puppet. But now, I would have to take matters into my own hands. I'm not sure he would work out with my next plan. If he got in my way, I'd have to get rid of him entirely.
            Looking at him, his eyes getting cloudy haze over them, I decided I'd give him another chance to redeem himself. It would be his final chance. He's been such a disappointment lately.
            Right now, I needed to focus on how to get through Blackmoon's defenses without raising the alarms of my presence. I guess that's where Zeke would come in hand. If I came around, I'd surely be killed on sight. Sigh.
            Zeke really fucked me.