Chapter 50

Jasper POV

I rested my chin on my fists, my eyes drifting on the horizon line in view by the window of my office. The return back to the pack was hectic, and it felt like I was running to catch my tail. In a way, I was thankful to have the opportunity to drown myself in work, because not one time did I stop thinking about my mate.

The mate I witnessed being afraid of me. Of my touch that made her once shiver with pleasure, now she was trembling in fear. Our time apart felt like forever but at the same time, it was so short, I couldn’t imagine what she had gone through to be so different.

‘Elders…’growled Jarek to my ears.

He was only perking up and pressing himself whenever I thought about mate’s issue. I could feel the anger, boiling, under a silent surface. A threatening volcano that would erupt would it be triggered with the slight breeze. That or a soaking wet carpet, as I like to compare him to, when I can feel his overwhleming and overpouring feelings linked towards Sarabella.

I was no better, but I kept myself distracted. I couldn’t so much for Jarek, trapped in there, while I drowned myself into paperwork through the night and manual labor from sunrise to sunset.

A knock on my door brought me back into the room, while my mind and heart stayed outside, waiting for the time she would step a foot on our lands. On her new pack’s land.

I grunted, and the doorknob turned right away, letting Kylon, flanked with Clemencia, right in my office. If my Beta was walking on eggshells, my Beta female was not on the same vibe as him. He came up to my desk, standing in front of me, while I rocked on my chair nonchalantly, my eyes void from any curiosity, my demeanor deprived from interest. His eyes, while mine were the bay window to what was happening in this head of mine, were filled with worries and anxiousness. When his mate came up to the same level, with her firm stance, his shoulders loosened up a little, and he looked like she gave him the power to breathe.

That’s what I wanted. That’s what I needed right now.

“Alpha, stop this nonsense. You are exhausted, and at your breaking point.”

I was being scolded by a kid. A frail one at that.

“She means to say please, that we are extremely worried, and that we are coming to talk about the meeting tomorrow.”

“Go on.”

“Actually, you should pay more attention to what we have to disclose to you, Alpha.” She marked the last word with such intention, I couldn’t resist looking up and meeting her stare.

Stare that was intense, and filled with anger, frustration, and fear. The same spark of fear that resided in the eyes of my own mate when she recoiled at my touch. Frowning, I leaned forward, encouraged them to take a sit from a single gesture. Kylon did so, but Clemencia started to undo the buttons of her shirt. I raised a hand, perplex.

“What the hell are you doing?”

She shushed me with a roll of her eyes and a twitching of her mouth. I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of that little twig making me back up and shut up. This one was a hell of a storm. I couldn’t refrain but think she must give a hard time to Kylon which was not a bad thing at all.

She kept undo the buttons until the last and she then took off her shirt, letting her full torso on display, almost naked, if not of the sport bra that she wore. And I was grateful for it, since even with the weight of their message, my Beta was scratching his armrest, all claws out, his stare riveted on my every move.

“Alpha, have you noticed the mark in the middle of your back?”

“I, huh, I haven’t really check my back out lately why?”

“Did you feel any pain this morning? Burning pain that was coming from that location then?”

“Slightly. If I recall, I felt as if someone was stabbing me, leaving an opening to pour some feelings that weren’t mine?”

“I see. Well, you have a slave mark, the same as this one.” She turned around, and above the fabric, a bloody mark was marking her pale skin. It was even dripping fresh blood.

“How?”

“I told you when we got back to the pack… Didn’t you listen?” Kylon sighed, more exhausted than irritated. Genuinely, I didn’t have a clue about a word they said. “Well, would make sense that you were still out of it even a day or two after. That was on me I apologize.” He bowed his head, running his two hands through his hair.

In a loving gesture to express her support, the young lady pat him on the shoulder, rubbing in slow circles until he lifted his head to look at her. They exchanged half of a smile before acknowledging my clueless self again.

“To summarize, you were both out after the tea or whatever it was. I put you two in the car to bring you home. I had to clean you and dress you before putting you both to bed since you were covered in your own blood, oozing from your respective mark. When I was forced to express and explain myself…” He stopped himself, pressing lightly the fingers of Clem, bringing them up to his lips, that he pressed tenderly again her knuckles. I diverted my eyes for a second, burying the fury of jealousy deep down. They were not the true target. “We teamed up for some researches, because by myself, I was at a dead end. And we found it. We found what it was.”

“A slave mark.” I answered, asking at the same time.

“Exactly. It is an ancient practice from the witches. They used it against other creatures to make them work for them through servitude. It was a forbidden by an Act at some point in history, but when the War broke, well you can literally say, all is fair in love and war.”

“Why would they bring that back?”

“Ha, I see you figured why they used that on us. Very well, you’re no useless and stupid Alpha.” She received a nudge in the ribs which made her shrug and she kept going. “They never really stopped after they got their dirty paws on these old tricks and ways. They are sly, and perfideous, vile, and…”

She was silenced by the hand of her mate who jumped on his feet. “Love, we know the feelings you harbor for them, but you could be killed for such a speech. I want you to feel safe from them and to express yourself, but please, do not taunt fate at the moment. I love you too much for that”

“He’s right, and I understand. Well, they went to this extend to make sure we carry our part of the deal so… Let’s not waist time and make them wait. You’re going to tell me more on the way.”

***

The car ride left me… even more confused. The whole couple of hours, I had to ingest a bunch of informations, about history, magic, sides and perspectives of my knowledge that I wouldn’t have suspected in a million times. For the first time since she joined the pack, my Beta female opened up to me about her past, and I could tell, to some glimpses of what she was. Her and Kylon often exchanged quick looks, full of secrets and warnings. I knew what it would imply if she opened up too much, and the price she would have to pay to do so. I didn’t want to push there so I took what I was given.

She was a witch then. Or I mean, had some in her lineage, since she was obviously a shapeshifter. Magic was new to her, and archives and reliable knowledge about that subject was limited. They talked about a second mark, one she might have been bestowed with in her early days from what her wolf could tell her.

Yes, she mentioned always having her wolf by her side. That was not a trivial details. The more they talk, the more I was determined to come up with a plan, and sooner than I expected. Everything we needed was where we were headed. And we needed a way to find clues, bring out Sarabella. And fast.