CHAPTER TWENTY
I picked up the glass in front of me and smelled it for anything suspicious before I drank it. It reminded me that the job I did was beginning to look like it had failed and the only way out of my misery was alcohol.
I wasn't a heavy drinker but the longer the alpha stood there alive, the more I chugged some wine down my throat. I detested the bitter taste of failure that clung to my throat, and my late aunt's voice was having a berating party in my head.
The alpha cleared his throat and the entire hall went pin-drop silent.
I forced myself to focus, shifting all of the intoxication to Nyx for the moment.
“After I was born,” he began, walking down to sit in front of all the children who were paying rapt attention to him, “my father, the late Alpha Night, was the happiest Alpha on earth. His joy was complete. But some people who hated everything good and bright came in the night, just like their dark fur and with horrible, dark, wicked magic, kidnapped me. The Alpha tried everything they could but the Dark wolves refused to send me back, making some ruthless demands. My mum, unwilling to endure the pain any longer, decided to sacrifice herself in exchange for my life. She used herself as bait, against my father's wishes and they killed her. The next morning, I was dropped back at the Northern border. My father mourned his mate for years. I was literally raised by the woman that controls the kitchen,” he paused and the children yelled:
“Mama Mariana!”
“Smart kids!” He commended them, and dived back into his story. “The second the alpha rose out of his mourning, he began to plot his revenge. And with the help of many other wolves who these dark wolves had hurt, he was able to catch them unaware and boom! He massacred everyone!”
The children cheered, applauding the former Alpha.
“Any questions?” He asked, and a little kid raised their hand. “Kain, what's your question?”
“Why did…. Why…”
“Take a deep breath Kain, you don't have to be in a hurry okay?”
The boy nodded before trying again.
“Why didn't the …Alpha just kill the mother?” he finally let out.
The entire room went silent again as Lucian was thrown into a difficult place. He obviously loved to believe they were the good guys, killing an entire pack out of pain for one loss. I didn't even believe that crappy story but even if it were true, did they have to kill everyone else? Why were they chasing after me as well?
He stood up from the dais he'd sat down on and adjusted his mic as the boy looked towards him.
“My father killed all of them because they didn't deserve to live. They're all the same evil creatures, Kain. All they do is destroy everything in their path for their selfish gains. So if you ever see a Dark wolf, kill them. If you can't, run for your life!”
“That was a wonderful story telling episode by the alpha,” Mia announced from the stage, ending the protracted silence that followed the Alpha’s warning. Everyone erupted in cheers that irritated me with every passing second.
“Are you good?” Darius asked me again.
“Please stop asking me that question,” I cut out, “I'm not feeble. I can take a little history time.”
“Okay but the offer is still available. One word, and we'll be out of here.”
“And have people whispering more than they already are?”
“Like you care what they say,” he chuckled.
“Touché.”
Mia retrieved her man back to the center stage, like the perfect Luna she was hoping to become. It was odd seeing an unmated pair behaving like they were. Without a proper Mating Ceremony, she shouldn't even be on that podium but then, most things about this Pack were completely different from what I was used to.
What they wiped out.
“I have an announcement to make,” Lucian spoke up again, his tone less aggressive. “As you all know, after my Father's victory, we've been doing everything to prevent the prophecy the council warned us about from happening. Some of you are aware of the details, and if you're not we'll, there's a reason for that. But that's by the way,” he cleared his throat, putting one hand in his pants pocket as he continued calmly addressing the crowd. “I've done a lot over the last few years to ensure that the werewolves of America do not return to the dark ages, where we have to fight against each other, only for the dark wolves to pick on us all individually. Besides searching for the last surviving Zaneer child who I genuinely think is dead by now, I've also been working on a strong alliance that would negate his plans if he ever rises again!”
The crowd erupted in loud cheers and my eyes widened.
“They think it's a man?” I whispered to Darius.
“I told them that,” he replied, averting my eyes.
My heart bloomed with warmth, he was protecting me even though he didn't know of my existence.
“Still a bare minimum gesture?” Nyx mocked in my head.
“Shh,” I hissed back as the Alpha began speaking again.
He seemed to love the sound of his own voice.
“You love it too,” she accused me but I ignored my wolf.
Even though she had a point.
“So in the next few weeks, I'll be gone a lot. We're still finalising the details, you know how difficult it is to get Alphas to agree on anything,” he joked and the crowd laughed with him, “but I trust Jake and Darius to take care of you all when I'm away and I confidently promise you that once this alliance is sealed and completed, we're going after the rogues and whichever corner of the earth a dark wolf resides and we'll send them back to the hell they crawled out of!”
My bones chilled as the crowd erupted in cheers and without meaning to, my hand found that of my mate's, like he'd been reaching for mine as well.
We exchanged glances, a deep message of fear communicated with a single look before we joined the crowd again, clapping our hands as well.
“Get ready everyone!” Mia yelled above the noise, her screeching voice irritating my ears, “our mating ceremony is beginning in the next five minutes!”
Lucina's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. They probably didn't plan that part together.
But I steeled my nerves, I'd come here to watch him get mated with her, if he didn't die first.
He's obviously thriving, so the only chance I had to get a reaction out of him was Darius.
“Darius?” I called out.
“Hm? Are you okay?”
“I'm just… scared.”
He turned to face me , his eyes filled with concern.
“Don't worry Iris, no matter what happens, I will protect you, okay?’
Before I could respond, a loud growl erupted in the hall and everyone turned to look at the convulsing Alpha.
Mia ran to him, trying to calm him down but the second her hand touched him, he slumped, his weight pushing her to the ground as he fell down.