Chapter 2
2296 Words
~Brian~
Is it possible that what we did could have made him lose his temper to this extent? But it still doesn’t explain why the others would do such a thing? And why weren’t David and I affected?
I look at Selena’s expression. She knows more than she is saying, but it will not be a good time to ask. Lucille returns from the pixie town and follows Selena to her office.
Charlie arrives with Billy and when they tell us what happened David loses his temper. It takes everything Charlie has to calm him. I need to get them to go on their honeymoon before things get worse!
Charlie “Brian, forget about it! I can see it in your face. We aren’t going anywhere.”
She says pointing her index finger right at my nose. She might look small, but she is as tough as they come!
Brian “I guess she isn’t going to let this go David?”
David “Nope… not even to go on our honeymoon.”
He folds his arms looking sternly at his bride.
Charlie “I’m not going to let my best friend kill my people! You two can forget about it. What do we know so far?”
Brian “Not much. Selena and Lucille seem to know and they are in a private meeting.”
Charlie turns on her heel marching into the office.
~David~
Oh, boy, there is no stopping my beautiful, little bottle of poison when she is on a mission. Brian and I reluctantly follow her into the castle, to Selena’s office.
She doesn’t knock and walks right into the office.
Charlie “Where are we? What are we going to do?”
She asks, interrupting what was clearly a private conversation.
Selena “We were just discussing the town’s protection. Billy and the council decided to stay and I sent extra coven members as protection.”
Selena has changed into a graceful Queen answering Charlie’s question with grace and without hesitation.
Charlie “Your Majesty… I’m sorry if I sound disrespectful, but you know that is not what I’m talking about.”
She puts her hands on her hips and stares at Selena who stares right back.
Selena “Okay, I guess all of you are going to find out sooner or later. The Alpha King inside Thomas has been awakened. The other wolves can’t resist his call.”
Brian “Not all of us.”
He looks offended.
David “Yeah, why didn’t it work on Brian and me?”
Lucille “That boys, is what we were just talking about. We don’t know. You should both have been with him right now. Turned against us, no matter your connection to us as your mates.”
~Selena~
Selena “My only hope is that Thomas is still in there somewhere and that is why you are still here.”
Brian “Selena, how did this happen? Thomas is a bitten wolf.”
Selena “That is a long story, Brian. I guess with him finding his lineage something must have triggered his royal blood. Before that, he was under a spell.”
David “How do you know this? Why didn’t you say anything?”
He starts looking angry.
David “No disrespect, but you put all of us in danger! Especially Charlie and her people!”
Lucille “Calm down David! You are still talking to your Queen!”
Charlie “Let’s all calm down for a second. David, please, I’m sure there is a reasonable explanation.”
She looks my way.
Selena “There is a legend… okay not a legend.”
I roll my eyes.
Selena “There was a war between Donella, myself, and the Alpha King over territory. Donella won the war against the King with my help.”
I lower my gaze, looking at my hands in my lap, hearing Brian and David’s disappointment without them even making a sound.
Selena “You must understand that this is… so long ago. I only found out Donella was still alive when I saw her at our first meeting. She didn’t even recognize me that day.”
Waving my arms in the air, not believing that someone could be so wrapped up in themselves.
Selena “I don’t know the details, but the King and his family soon disappeared after the loss. Most of the pack having been moved to other packs for their safety. Some even moved here.”
Charlie “What does that have to do with Thomas?”
Selena “That is just it, Charlie, I don’t know how his family returned and how I didn’t know. That is why the only thing I can think of is that he was under a spell.”
Brian “Ariel!!”
Selena “What does she have to do with everything?”
David “She must have broken the spell.”
Selena “Please tell me she… she isn’t involved in anything.”
Brian “I’m sorry, we can’t. We found out that she was the witch that helped Thomas’ family hide their lineage. We brought her here thinking she could help him find it again.”
~Azi~
They aren’t all blood and some don’t seem to even be full blood wolves, but from what I can tell from what I feel Thomas feeling, they are my pack. They listened to my call. There are some missing though.
Azi “Where are the Betas?”
Thomas says nothing. I look at the pack and they start looking around between them not finding the betas.
Azi “Where are my betas?”
Anger boiling up and I stand up, standing closer to the pack, swatting away one of the idiots in the front row. He lands a couple of meters away, yelping in pain as he hits the floor and my claw scratched a cut in his side.
Nobody says anything.
Azi “Find them!!”
I feel Thomas pushing his way through, getting stronger at the mention of the betas, and especially when he feels my anger towards them, he gains control pushing me back.
Thomas “STOP!!”
He shouts stopping the guys from running to find Brian and David.
~Thomas~
The Alpha call has gone out and now I can’t show weakness or they will try and overthrow me.
Thomas “We don’t need them. I will appoint the new Beta’s. They are traitors!! We have to look after our own first. Start work on the packhouse.”
I try my best to sound like Azi, talking with that same authority and it seems to be working. Walking into my house I shift seeing the damage Azi left behind. My place is wrecked and all because of what? All because I lost my temper… No all because Brian and David went behind my back and spoke to Ariel!
The witch who seems to have become a thorn in my side!
Thomas “Ariel! I know you are around here somewhere! Show yourself!”
I growl. I know her scent and can smell her in my house.
Ariel “Ah, my darling Thomas, I could never hide from you, nor would I want to.”
She appears out of nowhere. I walk behind the bar… or at least what is left of it and pour both of us a drink.
Thomas “Out with it! What is happening to me?”
Ariel “I have no…”
I grab her by her throat, one of my nails pushing out against her throat.
Thomas “Don’t lie!”
Azi is still fighting to take over and I have to fight to keep calm.
Ariel “Okay.”
She says sounding throttled. I let go and she looks scared.
Ariel “The spell over your wolf broke the moment I smashed the first vial of blood so I could enter the territory.”
Thomas “What? Why was there one in the first place?”
I grab the bottle and walk through to my office. Everything else had been trashed.
Ariel “Your ancestor gave me three vials of blood. The first was to protect your territory and you. I could not trespass without your bloodline being released. That way, your secrets in the library would stay hidden.”
Thomas “This was not written in his book. He said that you demanded the vials the price for helping with the spell.”
Ariel “No, we agreed that he writes that to protect both me and his family from Donella. If she were to find either, she would torture the truth out of us.”
I look at her with suspicion. Ariel never does anything for free.
Thomas “Say I believe you, what about the other two?”
Ariel “One is to join you and your wolf. I warned your ancestor that this would happen if the spell was kept too long. You lived for generations without wolves and never learned how to link to them. I will have to do a ceremony to re-join you.”
Thomas “Why haven’t you done it yet?”
Ariel “Because I don’t know what will happen. This has never been done so long after the spell was cast. I don’t know if you or your wolf will survive the spell.”
So, there is a chance… a big chance that Azi could take over and I would die.
Thomas “I thought all wolves had a human side?”
Ariel “They do, but like I said, in your case Thomas, you have been split from your wolf for your entire life. So were your father and your mother and so on. There is no guarantee of what might happen.”
Thomas “Fine. What is the last one for?”
Ariel “That is for you to find your mate.”
She looks down at the ground blushing.
Thomas “But I found her already. Selena is my mate.”
Ariel “Again Thomas, things might be different once you are your true self.”
Well… that’s just great. Not only am I not myself, but the woman I just asked to marry me, might not be the woman I am cosmically destined to be with!!
Thomas “What the Ffffff Ariel??!!”
Ariel “I know… I’m sorry Thomas. I never thought this would happen. When I was asked to do the spell, I thought it would be for a couple of years, then they never returned. I forgot about it until Brian and David tracked me down asking about it. If I had known when we met, I would have…”
I stop her right there.
Thomas “Be honest… you would not have said anything. You would have manipulated the situation to play out in your favor. The only reason you are speaking the truth right now is out of fear.”
~Donella~
A howl echoes through the dungeons, sounding like a soul being ripped apart. It can’t be… I took care of them! My heart starts racing. It wasn’t close, was it?
Donella “GUARD! Where did that come from?”
Guard “I don’t know? What do I look like? Your personal information desk?”
He looks back down at his phone, ignoring me.
Chloe “Donella, what is it?”
She looks interested.
Donella “Nothing! You mind your own business!”
I start shivering, remembering the howl. It can’t be, they are all dead. I told them not to return and they wouldn’t dare! Looking up I see one of my guards looking right back at me. He must have recognized the howl as well.
No, it’s not possible!!
~Thomas~
I call someone to take Ariel and keep her locked up in one of the cells we found underneath the house.
Thomas “If you try to leave Ariel, I will let Azi come to find you and he will not be as kind as I am.”
I haven’t the foggiest idea of how you keep a witch captured and hope that my threat is enough to keep her there.
Back in my office, I start pacing the office. I need to deal with Brian and David. They betrayed me, but then, they also just tried to help. It’s not their fault that things turned out the way they did.
Thomas link “Brian, David, I need to see you both.”
Silence.
Thomas link “Guys, it’s me, not the Alpha king.”
David link “How can we be sure it’s not a trap?”
Thomas link “Charlie saved me from the cage in the court.”
Brian link “The Alpha King would know everything you know.
I try and think of a way to make them believe me.
Thomas link “Guys, honestly I don’t have anything except for my word.”
David link “That’s Thomas. Where do you want to meet us?”
Thomas link “Let’s meet at the border, that way I know you will at least be safe from the Alpha King. Bring coven members with you. I will come alone to be safe.”
Brian link “Thomas, are you sure?”
Thomas link “I’m sure bud. We need to talk and I don’t want to risk your lives.”
I break the link, shift, and run outside, giving the wolves orders, saying that I’m going to scout the border and that nobody is to follow me. I want the packhouse to be done as soon as possible.
Azi fights to get through when we run to the border and with each step, it is torture to try and keep him at bay.
- Writer
