Hel's Huntsman

14 - A sweet offer

Elora

I sit at my sewing machine, humming as the thread brings the green material together. Sewing brings me peace. I’ve been doing it since I was old enough to know what needle and thread were. Starr brought sewing machines to the pack when I was five. She said it would make things easier for everything, though not everyone was on board for some time.

Of course, everyone was thrilled once Starr showed the seamstresses how to use the machines and how efficient they were. Sewing by hand can take days, while with the machine, it takes no time at all.

It’s been a trying couple of months for me. I found my mate while on a trip to Lykos with family. He was so handsome it should have been criminal! He had the lightest blue eyes I had ever seen, so light they looked almost crystal. He was beautiful, like a rugged Angel – if that was a thing. His short beard was so soft I could have played with it all day. He has much shorter hair than anyone in Wild Pack. Everyone here has super long hair, apart from Devonte.

Devonte used to have long hair like everyone else, but he was attacked a few months ago, and they did horrible things to him, including shaving his hair. Long hair is a tradition within our pack. Shaving someone’s hair is as bad as cutting off their balls, so my brother Kai says. My dad always says that attacking someone from behind is what cowards do. Two men did just that to Devonte in town.

For what reason?

No one knows. We can only wager a guess that those men didn’t like the way Devonte looked. From what Devonte could recall, they called him awful names. Starr told us all about racism and what some people believe. Growing up in the wild, we knew nothing about such stupid things.

Those two men took a dislike to Devonte because his skin wasn’t white. They attacked him from behind as he was making his way back to the forest to return home. He didn’t even have a chance to fight back before they had tied his hands behind his back and jabbed him with a syringe filled with wolfsbane, effectively cutting Devonte off from his Wolf.

Devonte managed to weakly mind-link Orion. Orion went ballistic! Orion, Rafe, Kayson, and Kailus rushed to Devonte’s aid. They killed the two men, but not before getting the information from them that they needed. They screamed how they didn’t want Rafe to come any closer because they didn’t want, and I quote, a black bastard near them. No one understood what they meant because no one in the Wild Pack had ever heard such a thing. Everyone in our pack, even those who joined to be with their mates, came from all-inclusive packs.

Kayson said Rafe laughed while looking at his hands and said, ‘I’m brown, not black. What’s wrong with these idiot.s?’ Rafe is not as dark as Devonte, so he couldn’t understand what those men were saying.

Kailus understood and lost his mind. He and Orion tore the men apart while Kayson and Rafe picked Devonte up and rushed him back to the pack.

Ciska and April were absolutely devastated by what had happened to their son. April was so angry that she levitated in the air, holding her hands to the sky, and released pent-up magic, causing a storm!

That was the day Starr sat everyone down and explained about racism. She said that some people out there see nothing but their own skin color. They say and do disgusting things with no thought to how it feels for the one they’re spouting their crap at. Starr said that there were also vile people out there who would kill someone who didn’t look like them for that reason alone.

My heart broke because no one in the pack had ever been that way. We have a mix of people of different colors who speak with different accents because they come from far and wide. Some meet their mates and bring them home, and they don’t look or speak the same as everyone else. But I cannot recall one time they were treated so disgustingly.

Devonte and Rafe’s father, Clyde, ran through the trees in a panic. There was so much panic in his eyes that it brought a tear to mine. Starr had mind linked Clyde and told him what happened. The man ran in Wolf form for miles to get to Wild Pack and didn’t stop for anything. Starr threw shorts and a shirt at Clyde while Rafe ran at his father. Clyde had only pulled his shorts on before Rafe was in his arms.

Ciska and April had made a deal with Clyde when he agreed to be their sper.m donor. He would help them conceive a child each, and he wouldn’t stop them from living in the wild with those children as long as he could be their father. Meaning he could visit them, and sometimes take them back to Lykos with him. Ciska and April agreed, and Clyde was a fantastic father.

My brother healed Devonte, but the experience left him scarred. He’s a little more cautious of people and won’t go anywhere alone. I’m not saying Devonte is weak because he isn’t. However, he hasn’t dealt with the trauma of what happened yet just because of the color of his skin.

I will never understand the mindset of some people. Devonte is a beautiful man inside and out, and he didn’t deserve what happened to him.

Orion and Rafe are even more protective of their brother, though Devonte gets annoyed sometimes with their fussing. I think anybody would if they had two brothers treating them like fragile flowers. Orion and Rafe don’t believe Devonte can’t take care of himself. However, they’re afraid that something will happen again, and they will lose the brother they adore. Nothing will ever happen to Devonte again; his mother has seen to that. April has been teaching Devonte how to use his Warlock powers even more than before. She was angry with herself because she had not insisted he work harder on his magic before the attack. She blamed herself, saying if she had pushed him, none of what happened would have happened. That has all changed, and Devonte is getting incredibly good at using spells. Being a hybrid has its advantages.

But I digress.

I thought my mate wanted me. I believed I had finally found my happy ever after. But I was stupid to believe such fairytales. My mate wanted one thing from me, and once he got it, he left. Okay, that’s not true. He said something that hurt me, and I reacted out of anger, which was stupid. I tried to reject him because I thought that was what he wanted. But instead of letting me say the words, he shifted and ran.

Now, I’m all sorts of messed up inside. I don’t know what to do because I can’t move on without my rejection. I’m pregnant, and I need to be healthy for the baby. So, my life pretty much sucks right now.

‘Your life doesn’t suck.’ I sense my Wolf rolling her eyes.

‘What would you call it, Sable?’

‘Okay, things are a little sucky right now. But it’s not the end of the world.’

‘How are you be this calm? I thought you would have been begging me to find our mate and have him accept us.’

‘Pft.’ Sable scoffs. ‘I’m not desperate, Elora. Why the hell would I want a mate who doesn’t want me?’

‘Touche.’

“Hey, beautiful.”

I smile as I look at Rafe, walking through the sewing room door. “Hey, handsome.”

I abandon the dress I was making and get to my feet. The sewing room is a small cabin at the edge of the pack. I’m in here four out of seven days a week. It’s the place where I come to think about things. Though, since I met my mate, I’ve been here every day.

“What can I do for you, Rafe?”

“Alpha told us what’s going on.” I sigh because I should have known Kai would gather the pack and let them know what was going on with me. “Hey,” He cups my cheek. “Don’t be angry. Kai just wanted everyone to be aware of the situation and make sure we all look out for you.”

“I get that,” I whisper. “But I feel so stupid, Rafe.”

“You’re not stupid, Elora. You met your mate and thought everything would be perfect. I’m sorry this happened to you.”

Rafe pulls me into his arms. I wrap my arms around his back and close my eyes. I know everyone in the pack is supportive, no matter what I do. But I just needed someone to hold me and tell me everything will be okay.

“What am I going to do, Rafe?”

He kisses my head and pulls away. He leans back against the wall behind him. “You know how much you mean to me. Don’t you?”

I chuckle and nod. “Yeah. You mean a lot to me, too.”

“Then let me take care of you.” I narrow my eyes. “Hear me out. We could be chosen mates, Elora.”

My eyes widen in shock. “Rafe,”

“Just listen.” He takes my hands, and I look at them briefly before looking into Rafe’s eyes. “I know you’re not in love with me; I’m not in love with you either. But love grows, Elora. We already have something between us.”

“Friendship, Rafe.”

He nods. “And that could be the making of something wonderful. I’ll love your baby like my own, and I promise I will never hurt you.”

Emotion fills me, not just from the pregnancy hormones but also from what Rafe just said. Rafe is a wonderful man, and I know his heart is in the right place. But this was so unexpected that I don’t know what to say.

“Just give me the chance to prove that I can be everything you need, Elora.”

“Oh, Rafe.” I lay my hand on his chest. “I don’t doubt that you could be everything I need. I know you would be a wonderful father to my child, but I can’t let you do this. What happens when you find your mate? Please don’t say you would reject them for me. I wouldn’t allow it because whoever your fated mate might be, they deserve to be your everything.”

“It might never happen.”

I smile. “It will, and do you know why?” Rafe shakes his head. “Because you are amazing, Rafe West. Your mate will be lucky to have your love, just as I am lucky to have your friendship.”

Rafe smiles that film star smile of his and hugs me. “I’d do anything for you. I hope you know that.”

“I do know that, Rafe. I appreciate what you wanted to do for me. You’re a good man, and I love you.”

He kisses my head with a chuckle. “Love you, too, Elora.”

‘Elora?’

‘Kailus?’ I pull away from Rafe and answer my nephew’s mind link. ‘Is something wrong?’

‘There’s a guy here claiming to be your mate.’

My heart slams into my throat. It’s beating too fast, and I clutch my chest.

Why is he here?

I’m not going to ask how he found me. I told my mate which pack I belonged to; we spoke about my family and my part in the pack. But I thought he didn’t want anything to do with me.

What if he somehow found out about the baby?

What if he wants to take my child from me?

Oh, Goddess!

‘Calm down, Elora.’ Sable hushes me. ‘He won’t be taking our pup anywhere. Let’s see what he wants, and then we can reject him. Let’s get this over with so we can get on with our lives.’

‘Okay.’ I whisper while taking a deep breath.

‘Tell me your mate’s name, Elora. This asshole could be anyone, and I will not let him through until you tell me his name. If it matches what you tell me, and if you wish to see him, then I will let him through. So, tell me his name. Now!’ Kailus demands.

I can’t refuse to answer when he used his Alpha aura. As next in line as Alpha of the pack, everyone must answer Kailus’s orders as much as my brothers. Not that Kai demanded that I tell him my mate’s name. He seemed to understand that I wasn’t ready to talk.

‘Draven,’ I whisper into the mind link. ‘Draven Dalgaard.’

‘Fuc.k.’ Kailus growls. ‘He’s demanding to see you. Do you want to see him? And answer quickly because Fenrir is about ten seconds away from killing him.’

I take a deep breath. I can do this, even though I don’t want to.

‘Yes, I’ll see him.’

The link cuts off, and I have to sit down before I fall down. I am so nervous. I’m scared I might throw up!

Rafe crouches down in front of me. “Elora? What is it?”

I look at him. “Kailus mind linked me. He said my mate is here and he wants to see me. I’m scared, Rafe.”

“Hey, now.” He cups my check. “I know you’re worried about what your mate wants from you. But either way, you will be just fine. I won’t be far away should you need me. I’ll be there in less than a second if he tries anything you’re not ready for. But hear him out, Elora. I know he hurt you, but give him the chance to explain his side of things. If you still want to reject him once he’s said what he needs to, then reject him. We are all here for you, Elora.”

I smile. “This is why I know you’re going to be an amazing mate.”

Rafe rolls his eyes and helps me to my feet. I lay my hand on my stomach because it’s turning over. I don’t know what Draven wants, but I pray he doesn’t say or do anything stupid. He won’t make it out of here alive if he does.