Chapter 15 The hideout
The clock had just struck midnight when Cersei stepped out of her cottage.
She paused at the door, scanned her surroundings silently, then pulled on the hood of her black cloak.
She stepped away from the cottage, walked forward and stopped again. She seemed to be waiting for someone.
Minutes later, another figure joined her. A man, shielded in a matching black cloak.
When he pulled down the hood, the glow of the moon illuminated his face. It was Orion.
"Were you followed?" Cersei asked in a low whisper.
He shook his head. "No. I was able to slip through when the guards changed shifts. Where are the rest of the council?"
"At the hideout." Cersei pointed her chin towards the other side of the forest. "We must hurry. I have a bad feeling about tonight."
"Why?" Orion asked as he walked hurriedly beside her.
"I don't know. I just have a feeling. Alpha Thane has been strangely observant lately. We can't let him find out."
"He won't." Orion said confidently. "He has the kingdom to think of. But that isn't the only thing bothering you, is it?"
Cersei sighed. Orion had always been good at reading her. Even years ago, before both their mates died and they found solace in each other, he had been the only one who could correctly guess when something was bothering her.
"It is the new girl." She murmured.
Orion frowned and cocked his head to the side. "The blonde one whom he brought in?"
"Yes."
"What about her?"
"There's something about her. Something strange. I fear she will ruin our plans."
"What do you mean, Cersei?"
"I'll tell you when we reach the hideout."
They walked deeper into the forest, holding hands, shielded under the cover of darkness.
At the edge of a large oak tree, they turned left and descended an uneven slope. At the bottom, there was a wooden hut almost hidden with thick trees and roots.
Orion walked up to the front and knocked twice, sharp hard knocks in a peculiar manner.
A soft rustle came from within, followed by low voices. Then the door opened. The interior was dim, with a single oil lantern lighting it up.
Orion and Cersei disappeared through the door and it was locked again.
Inside the hut, the other members of the lycan council stood together, Jade, Wren and Talok.
"What took you so long?" Talok snapped the moment the door shut.
"There was a slight delay." Orion answered. "Alpha Thane went into the forest again, to search for the skinwalkers."
"Didn't he do that earlier with the Knights?" Wren asked. She had a shaved head, with peculiar eyes, one blue, the other brown.
"He did, but he got distracted." Cersei answered.
"How?"
"The girl. Turns out she tried to escape."
"Did he kill her?" Jade, who had been quiet, spoke finally.
"He didn't, which is suspicious." Orion muttered. "The last girl who dared to escape, he ripped out her heart."
"It's because this one is special." Cersei cut in. "She's different from the rest of the girls. I knew it the moment he brought her in."
"What do you mean 'different'?" Talok asked.
"Is this important?" Wren cut in. "We have more important things to discuss. The half-blood prince is getting impatient."
"He needs to get a grip!" Talok snapped. "We are doing this for him, risking our lives. If not for the fact that we hate Alpha Thane and want him out of the throne, we wouldn't be helping him."
"Would you keep your voice down?" Cersei snapped. "We already swore our allegiance to the half-blood prince. We swore we would help him destroy Thane so the throne could be his. What we need to do right now is move on to the next step."
"And what is the next step?" Talok snapped. "Your lover, Orion, had to open his mouth and remind Alpha Thane of taking a chosen mate. Imagine the risk! Imagine Alpha Thane actually agreed. You all know once he takes a mate, it's all over. Our plans will be ruined!"
"It had to be done." Orion snapped back. "We must let him continue to think we are on his side. If we don't bring up the matter of a chosen mate from time to time, he will grow suspicious."
"Orion is right." Cersei added. "Remember we are his advisors, we are the council. We are meant to discuss things like that because that is part of our duty. Besides, Alpha Thane might grow suspicious if we totally ignore the issue of a chosen mate. You all know he isn't an ordinary Alpha."
"Of course you would side with Orion." Talok scoffed. "He's your fuck mate after all."
"Say that again! I dare you!" Orion snarled and turned on Talok, canines bared, eyes glowing with anger.
Talok just looked at him unfazed, his arms crossed nonchalantly.
Wren and Jade had to step in between them. "Enough!" Jade said. "If we begin to fight within ourselves, we are doomed. Remember the goal! Destroy Alpha Thane and hand over the throne to the half-blood prince."
"And as it stands, the half-blood prince is getting impatient. We need to move our plans forward. We need to kill Alpha Thane before the next blood moon."
"Easier said than done." Cersei muttered. "You all speak as if it's easy to kill an Alpha. Need I remind you that Alpha Thane isn't ordinary. The rumors about him aren't actually rumours. They're true. We need to think this carefully, so the half-blood prince needs to give us more time."
"I don't know about that, Cersei." Wren shook her head. "When I met with him last two nights, he looked enraged. He needs the throne. And remember what's in it for us. We get to rule the seven lands which Alpha Thane has kept hidden for years."
"You don't have to remind me. I know that." Cersei nodded. "We just need to be careful. Alpha Thane is not to be trifled with. Besides, we have another problem."
"What?" They all asked in unison.
"The new girl I spoke about. Rue. I don't think she's ordinary."
"Why? You think she has powers?"
"No, not that." Cersei shook her head. "She's wolfless, an omega too, so that crosses it out. But I think she has some sort of connection with Alpha Thane."
Orion frowned and moved closer to her. "Go on." He urged her.
Cersei slowly explained what she had witnessed when she barged into the throne room without thinking.
"I've never seen Alpha Thane react to any of the other girls, not even Katherine. And another thing. A few of the guards who report to me are talking about a golden thread of light."
"What does that mean?" Talok scowled.
"I don't know. One of the guards on duty saw a thread of light form around Alpha Thane and the girl, like a bond."
"Impossible." Talok spat. "If the girl turns out to be his mate, our plans are ruined."
"Then we must stop it." Orion looked around the council. "We must kill her before it happens."