Chapter 27: Rejected by the Beta, Claimed by the Alpha

Axe’s POV

I eye the pool of blood collecting in Revenge's hand as I slide the blade along my own palm.

"My oath to you is that I will battle against the Americans on your side."

The monster does that 'smile' again before growling out an oath of his own.

"My oath to you is that in return for your alliance, I will return your mate before we fight."

With a small glare, I shake his hand in front of the witnesses and feel the invisible bind take root.

A weight. A promise that I can't break.

"Bring her to me," I say again now that there are no trust issues (as there should have been) on

his part.

He turns to a man that stands idly by his throne, nodding his head towards the doors.

"Get the girl."

I fight the urge to follow him, knowing that a few more minutes of patience will bring my reward

well enough.

"You fool!" Lilac's father whisper yells into my ear. "A blood oath?! Maybe we would be able to

make it out of a war alive if you didn't tell the American packs to expect an attack!"

Perhaps it may have been foolish to warn them, but this will be my problem.

"I swore for myself only!" I remind him. "On our way down you can all sneak off during the

night if you so please, but I have to fight."

"Do understand what this will do to my daughter?!" He asks fiercely. "I may not understand it,

but she loves you and your off to get yourself killed! Explain that to her when she comes in here

and see how it goes!"

I sigh, emotionally exhausted. I just want to take my mate home and make love to her. I want to

pamper her in every way to make up for the suffering she's had to ensue by being held captive.

She's a lively woman and I know staying inside for a day is difficult, let alone be held

somewhere for over a week. How awful it must have been.

Speaking of, where Is she? I'm growing more restless by the minute.

After tapping my foot, pacing, and picking at my dirt ridden nailbeds for several minutes, I

finally snap.

"Where is she Revenge?"

The monster clearly doesn't have an answer. Instead, he sends off another guard to fetch them

quickly and he scampers off at a quick jog.

No wonder communicating back at the pack was so difficult. They can't even fetch someone

properly.

It's yet another minute before the timid guard comes scampering back.

"Um... Sir- Chadwick... He's dead. The girl seems to have escaped."

The monster roars in frustration and my eyes widen.

"Escaped?! Find her!"

A swarm of men around the room rush towards the exits, searching for my lost mate.

I'm a fool. I've taken a blood oath without a second thought only for my mate to somehow have

escaped. I know she is safe, I can sense that much. The heavy dread I felt through the bond over

the week has eased, but now there's an emotion I can't decipher. All I know is that she's out of

danger and that's good enough for now.

At least I don't have to fight against the Americans yet because if the Monster tries to start the

war before my mate is returned to me, he'll die.

I think about where she could be headed and my once eased nerved spike again. Miles. She won't

reach anywhere for several miles and she's slower than a duck. They could catch her easily.

The monster's claws scratch at his throne, leaving light mark along the dark stone.

"We don't have time for this. To launch a surprise attack, we need to move! Gather the troops

and grab our supplies. We move tonight."

I sputter in disagreement and cross my arms.

"We aren't going to anywhere without my mate. Have you forgotten your oath?!"

"I promised to return your mate before the fight. I'll have a search party hunt her down and

they'll meet us on our trek, returning her to you BEFORE we battle as promised. For now, you

just worry about keeping up your end of the deal," the monster demands. "We leave at dawn."

I watch him leave with mildly contained fury. Technicalities. Now we have to start a three-day

journey and I don't even get to see the love of my life before we do.