Chapter 47 CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
CAIUS
“I think we should follow them back and wipe them off for good.” Neil, one of our pack warriors says.
“And if you find out that their number far outweighs yours, what will you do? What will happen if you follow the rogues back and you end up being the ones wiped out?” Moira says.
“I was not speaking to you, witch.” Neil responds.
“This is a meeting, wolf, you’re speaking to everybody here.” Moira responds and Neil and other wolves snarl.
This is what has been going on since the meeting started. They’re clearly not getting along. Well, Moira isn’t getting along with the wolves, Elaine is doing just fine keeping her mouth shut and her eyes wide open.
Unfortunately, their madness doesn’t irritate me. It’s the faint sound of Maeva’s voice as she bargains to be let into this meeting that distracts me. She must have heard about the meeting and couldn’t resist the urge to come here.
The guard tells her that he’s under orders to fight her if he has to and Maeva laughs in his face and asks him if he really thinks he can fight her. She’s showing more restraint than I gave her credit for.
“Do you want to join this meeting you called?” Clayton asks through mind link.
I snap out of the conversation happening outside and rejoin the meeting.
“We’re not going back with the rogues. It’s dangerous to step into territory we know nothing about. We’ll stick to the plan Clayton laid out. The witches will stay in the forest and let the rogues come to them. We’ll get to them before the rogues get them and try as much as we can to get some alive.” I say.
“Remember that they kill themselves when captured so part of the plan is to keep them from killing themselves.” Clayton adds.
“How are we sure this plan will work, Alpha? How are the rogues supposed to know they’re here?” Nox asks.
“We’ve been masking our energy. We think that’s what alerts the rogues. Once we let it down, we’re sure they’ll be back.” Elaine says sweetly.
Neil returns her sweet smile and winks at her.
“That is all, everyone. Go get ready. We’ll get into position in an hour.” Clayton says and everyone starts leaving.
The witches and Clayton are the last to leave after a few final additions between us.
“Let Maeva in on your way out.” I tell Clayton through the mind link.
I wait a few minutes before Maeva walks in with a hurt look on her face.
“You plan to use the witches as bait?” She asks and I nod.
“Why wasn’t I invited to the meeting? I know about strategy and I’m powerful, you need my strength.”
She’s walked up to where I’m sitting and she’s looking down at me with hurt and betrayal in her eyes.
“Not really. I have enough wolves for the trap we’re setting.”
“Have you not punished me enough? I’m sorry I kissed Taron. You’re stopping me from communicating with my pack and you’re making me useless in this one. How long do you intend to punish me for?”
I hate seeing her like this. Docile, agreeable and tired. Did I go too far with the prison?
“You’re not going to try to join the battle even if I refuse? You’re not going to try to escape even if you won’t make it.”
“You already had me locked up once. I don’t need your pack members seeing me like that again.”
I did go too far. Maeva’s greatest gift is her pride and I broke it when I had her locked and chained up.
“You don’t have to worry about being locked up again. I’ll never do that to you again.”
“So I can join the battle?” she asks, hopeful.
“No, you can’t Maeva. I told you that from now onwards everything is a privilege you have to earn.”
“What do I have to do to earn the privilege of fighting with the pack?”
“What are you willing to do for it?” I ask, leaning back in my chair.
She doesn’t say anything for a few seconds then she takes a deep breath and looks in my eyes. I clench my jaw and force myself not to look away. Her eyes are beautiful – they’ve always been – but with the way she’s looking at me now, they’re absolutely breathtaking.
“I’ll let you kiss me.” She says, licking her lips.
My eyes follow the movement and my hands itch to trace the path her tongue made. She doesn’t even know the effect she has on me.
“I’m not interested.”
Her brows furrow and I laugh humorlessly. “I always want to kiss you. I’m not going to do it as a bargain.”
“Then what do you want? It’s all I can give you.”
I nod, stand up and close the distance between us.
“Then I guess you have an hour to think about it.” I whisper in her ear before walking away.
MOIRA
“How long do you think this will take?” Elaine asks.
“Why? Do you have some poor wolf to siphon?”
“Now that you mention it, I do actually but he won’t be as fun as the Alpha. He’s the one I want.”
Elaine is going to put a wedge on my path if she continues this way. We’re in the forest a few miles out of the back boundary, waiting for the rogues to find us. I would rather wait in silence but Elaine has other plans.
“You saw his mate outside the pack house, you felt her power. Do you really want to cross her?”
She rolls her eyes and laughs. “I could also smell the blocking spell you no doubt did for her. She doesn’t want the bond.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her about the blockers but I hold myself. Elaine will no doubt tell Caius about it. Maeva needs to fight the bond for as long as she can for her survival. Caius finding out that he only needs to up his seduction will end her fight immediately.
“Did you tell her about the vision? Is that why she asked for the blocker? You’re getting too attached to wolves again. One would think after the last time that you would learn your lesson.”
“Don’t bring that up.” I say, looking away from her.
“If your past is so shameful, why are you trying to repeat it? You know nothing good comes from being close to werewolves.”
“I am fine. Let’s just sit here in silence and wait.”
She agrees and we sit in silence for a few seconds before she speaks again.
“Before they reconcile, I’m going to have a taste of the Alpha. I need it.”
“Why are you telling me?”
“So you don’t try to talk me out of it. I know what I’m doing and the threat the she-wolf poses.”
Before I can say anything, a portal appears and droves of rogues pour out of it, charging at us.
“That’s not supposed to happen.” Elaine says, sounding uncertain for the first time since she came here.