Chapter 31 CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
CAIUS
Just like Clayton said there would be, there are five Alpha's and their entourage waiting at the pack entrance when we drive in.
"Is this necessary?"
"It is absolutely necessary. It's one of the biggest things to happen in years."
"Yes, noted. Except, she doesn't want me. Why can't they go bother her instead?"
Clayton shrugs and nods to one of the Beta's. "They don't want to. They picked you, now suck it up."
I groan and sit up straight. I don't care, I would send them away but for Clayton's peace of mind, I will hear what they have to say.
"Let them come in. Have the kitchen make something for them."
I think it over and change my mind. "No. Forget I just said that. I didn't invite them here."
Clayton smiles and shakes his head. "I'll have them fix something for our guests."
Clayton drives to the pack house so we can attend to our guests there. The door to the main pack house building opens and some pack elders come out with displeased looks on their faces. I have a pretty good guess as to why they look displeased and I don't like it.
In all my running around with Maeva, I forgot how big of a deal our bond is and how important it is to the future of our people. That is why I didn't anticipate this reaction.
"Keep our guests busy while I talk to the pack elders."
He nods and starts moving.
"Let's talk in my office," I tell the pack elders.
I lead the way and they follow. I close my ears to their murmurs. Whatever they have to say will be said inside my office.
It's a tight fit but everyone finds somewhere for them to stay in the office.
"Well. You've heard the declaration from the council. You now know what's going on. Yes, I have a mate. Yes, she's refusing the bond. No, I'm not going to accept it. Any other questions?"
"I have a couple." Ajax says.
He's old and wise and he's not one for bullshit so I appreciate him being the one to talk.
"Were you planing on telling the pack?" He asks.
I blink lazily. "No."
"Her refusal of the bond, is it over something you did?"
"No."
I won't give them her reason either. It's hers and not their business.
"Final question Alpha. Do you think you'll bond with her before the blue moon?"
His question puzzles me. What does the blue moon have to do with the situation? He picks up on my confusion and looks around the room. When he sees that everyone else is puzzled, he nods.
"We need to talk privately Alpha."
He holds my eyes and I see the urgency in his stare so I ask everyone to leave. We both wait quietly as the others leave. Most of them are not happy about being sent off but they can't say anything about it. Once the last person leaves and he is sure that the door is closed, he sits down.
"I can see that you don't know about the blue moon." He starts.
"Other than the speed and the blood lust it brings?"
That's what we all know the blue moon for. The hunger for blood increases and we become faster than we are. Many believe it's to help us capture prey.
"The blue moon also affects rogues, do you know that?"
Understanding dawns on me. Whatever the rogues are planning, they will be planning to do it on the blue moon. They are at their best on that night and the fight will be balanced. I need this situation handled so my mind can focus on the fight when it comes.
"That's not all the blood moon does. She can break the bond that night without your permission or acceptance."
My head spins and everything becomes blurry for a few seconds.
"What do you mean? I have never heard of this."
"Some think it's a myth but it is real and with everything that is happening, the rogues might take her to keep you both from bonding untill the blue moon."
"That's a stretch. How do they hope to keep a powerful Alpha like Maeva for that long?"
He shrugs. "It's worth thinking about."
He stands up, bows and leaves but his words sit with me. What he said about the rogues was nonsense but what he said about the blue moon myth makes me restless.
Myths are often facts forgotten about. What if Maeva knows about this myth? The witch's words ring in my ears. The witch knows about it. That's why she's helping Maeva fight the bond. Damn, once again, I'm surprised that a witch showed her hand. I should have stuck with my demand for a new witch.
The door opens and Clayton comes in. "Are you ready? The Alpha's are already waiting."
Let them fucking wait. I need to figure myself out.
"Yes, I'm ready."
I stand up and leave with him to the large hall he put the Alpha's in. The meeting starts like it should. One of the Alpha's starts by singing my praises and trying to get on my good side. I zone out of the discussions and focus on Maeva. I have to be extreme about getting her from now onwards. I need to make sure that we bond before the blue moon.
The meeting ends with me not saying more than I have to and not committing to any of the invitations for me to visits their packs.
"You weren't paying attention." Clayton says when the last person leaves."
"I wasn't. I heard something about Maeva being able to break the bond without my acceptance on the blue moon."
"That's a myth."
"You know about it?"
He nods. "Not a lot of wolves know about it but I spent a lot of time with the older wolves. I learnt so much."
I nod absent mindedly. This is one myth I will not be counting off.
ALPHA JAMES
"Where you successful?" Alpha Kol asks.
"It happened just as you planned. Nobody asked why I came such a long way from home. They all assumed I was there to lick Alpha Caius' ass too."
He doesn't smile at my joke and I shake my head. Alpha Kol takes everything seriously. I earnestly feel like joy is lacking in his life.
"Did he say anything that will help us?"
"Nothing. They're so alike and so very different that it is actually crazy that the goddess made them mates. He told us, without really telling us to get the fuck out of his pack and to mind out business. I even asked the question that was meant to incite him and he didn't take the bait."
He nods and starts moving. "As it stands now, Maeva wants to break the bond. Let's help her do that."