Chapter 26

                The wind blew through Claire’s loose, blond strands, making her hair whip around her like a silk blanket offering her it’s smooth comfort.

                Wyatt, the boy standing just a short distance from her watched her carefully, waiting for her to run at him, attack him, try to make him pay for what she deemed at traitorous behavior, but she made no move. She only stared at him with open and unashamed contempt.

                He couldn’t hide the hurt her bitterness and scorn brought him, and for a moment she thought he was Just Wyatt again and not the Wyatt who turned on his pack and brought Tobias there.

“I have to talk to you,” he said. “You have to know the truth.”

                He walked toward her, slowly, carefully, like she was a wild animal that would attack him given the wrong move. “Claire, listen to me. I know you probably have tons of questions for me right now and I promise to answer them all, just let me explain-”

                With loud smack against the boy’s left cheek, his eyes widened in surprise at the girl who’d slapped him. There was already a red mark forming along his smooth, peachy skin, the heat from the impact burning as a reminder of what he’d done.

                He grabbed at his cheek and rubbed the searing burn her hand had left, their eyes locked. His look of surprise was gone as quickly as it had come, and in its place was understanding. “I guess I deserved that.” He sighed and took a step back from her. “But I promise I can explain this if you’ll listen to me. Kieran-”

                Claire smacked him again, this time harder and more forceful. She didn’t let the little bit of distance put between them stop her from displaying her anger.

                “Don’t you ever speak his name again! You don’t deserve to say it. You are a liar and a traitor and what you’ve done to him is unforgivable. I trusted you. He trusted you. And now you’ve betrayed us both. That’s punishable by death.”

                Claire lifted her hand into a fist and was getting ready to land a blow to his face only this time he saw it coming and made a move to stop her by trapping her hand in his fist before it could make contact with his skin.

                “Would you just listen to me for a minute?” he shouted in frustration. “It’s not what you think.”

                Not hearing him she lifted her other hand to do what he’d stopped her from and meet the same end. He’d grabbed her other fist now and he wasn’t letting her go.

                “Wyatt, let me go,” she ground out between her teeth.

                “Look,” he said. “I can’t tell you what’s going on now. Not here and not now. It’s too risky. I just need you to trust me and meet me tonight, Okay? I promise I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

She laughed bitterly. “You’re kidding me, right? You really expect me to just hand over my trust to you, no questions asked? If so, you’re dumber than I thought.”

Claire began pulling roughly to free her arms from Wyatt’s grasp on her, but he was unrelenting. He wouldn’t let her, not until he had want he wanted; her trust.

“You have too, Claire. You just have to, okay? If you won’t do it for me, do it for him. Whatever I do, I need you to just go with it.”

“The only thing I can do for him is kill you!” She quickly spun on him, her back to his chest now while he still had her hands clutched. She remembered everything Daniel had taught her in training, fighting in her human form was never her strong suit, but thanks to Daniel she was much better at it now.

With a quick shove of her arms she forced her elbows back into his ribs, temporarily knocking him back and ripping away his grip on her. She had just enough time to advance on him. He no longer had her hands restrained so she was at full advantage again.

He saw her coming at him, but not enough time to react, she too fast for him. Before he knew what was happening her fist was flying at his face, his arms were pinned behind his back and his feet knock out from under him bringing him to his knees with her standing behind him.

He winced in pain from the throb of his face, but here was a smile upon his face. “Wow. I’m impressed. It seems you’ve learned a thing or two since you’ve been here, Luna.”

Her proper address caught her temporality off guard. It had been so long since anyone had called her that, she hadn’t been expecting it or the sudden memories that it brought back. Wyatt took advantage of her distraction, ripping his arms free and bringing her down to the ground over his shoulder.

He pinned her to the ground under him, her arms in tight grips above her head. She could feel his hard muscular form against her and she new in this position fighting him was futile. He could easily overpower her here.

“Well, you’ve got me now. So tell me what you want me to know before I have the chance to rip you to pieces.”

He glanced down at her and smiled, completely unaffected by her words. At first she thought it was a smile of mockery as if she couldn’t really do it, but as she looked at him more closely, she realized it was nothing other than fondness. “I can see what Kieran see’s in you. He was right to bring you too our pack. You’re twice the Luna jasmine could ever be.”

Claire wasn’t quite sure why she blushed in the situation she was in, when she clearly should have been furious, but she did anyway.  Wyatt saw the heat on her face and chuckled lightly. “I don’t mean anything by it other than a compliment. You’re Kieran’s and my Luna. I’ll always respect that.”

Claire saw in his eyes everything he was saying to her was the truth and she slowly started to relax under him. She took the time to truly notice his beautiful features now. She’d always thought he was handsome, but she had never really looked at him until now.

His light brown hair hung down in his eyes, brushing his long eye lashes. His angular check bones set high on his face angled down and disappeared near his nose. His skin was more tanned than hers, and soft. He would make a great mate for someone someday and she hoped they were deserving of him. Wyatt really wasn’t a bad guy all things considering.

“I’m going to let go of you now, but you have to promise you won’t attack me when I do,” he said. “I don’t want to have to do this again.”

She nodded and he removed himself from her, sitting on the ground next to where she lay. She placed her hands by her sides on the ground and pushed herself into a sitting position, knocking the dirt off her clothes after she did.

“Why are you here, Wyatt?” she asked. “If you’re telling the truth and you respect Kieran than you being here doesn’t make sense. You should be there with him, helping him, not returning our prisoner back to his pack and playing ally to our enemies.”

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I had too. I didn’t have a choice. I had to act.”

“Well you did. You bought him back and now they seem to trust you. Why is that?” She asked. “You seem more than a random stranger around here.”

He propped his knee up in front of him and threw his arm over it lazily. He stared into the trees as he spoke to her. “I stand by what I said earlier. We can’t talk here. We need somewhere more private and secluded. Somewhere we don’t have to worry about someone overhearing us. They won’t be occupied with Wyatt for long.”

Claire wanted answers. She wanted them more than she had wanted anything in a long time. Her mind searched for a way for them to be alone together when she recalled Celia’s garden from earlier. She’d told her it was only for her use, but surely Celia wouldn’t mind if she knew the circumstance. Celia wouldn’t help her, but she wouldn’t stop her from receiving help either.

“It’s okay. I think I know just the place. We’ll have to go in at night though, when most of the wolves are asleep.”

“What about the guards? Won’t they be a problem?”

Claire shook her head. “No. Where we’re going its completely safe. No one goes there. Only Celia and whomever she invites.”

Wyatt looked at her skeptically. “And she won’t mind us using it?”

Claire shook her head. “No. I don’t think she will.”

He was silent for a minute. All she could hear was their breathing patterns and the wind in her ears. Then finally he nodded and dropped his leg back to the ground. “Okay. We’ll meet there tonight or in the morning depending on your perspective. One A.M okay with you?”

She didn’t even have to think about it. Of course it was okay with her. If he had any information that would be of some value, it was worth the risk they were taking. “One it is. Let me giving you directions.”

At midday Daniel found Claire sitting against the big oak tree on the training grounds staring at the kids fighting against each other. All of them were in their wolf forms except the little girl, Emma that still hadn’t assimilated yet. Daniel noticed her gaze on the girl and sighed, taking the spot on the ground beside his mate.

“She’s a lot like you, don’t you think?” he asked. “She’s reluctant, just like you were when you first came to us.”

“I didn’t come to anyone. I was taken,” Claire stated. She was able to keep the resentment out of her voice as she said it. It hadn’t been without some practice though.

“But you are here nonetheless,” he said. “You are one of us now and you are going to help her.”

Claire continued to stare at the girl with pity. She wanted to go over to her and take her up in her arms and tell her everything would be okay. Though, that would be a lie she knew she couldn’t promise her those things when she didn’t know that herself. Not to a child who might actually believe her.

As if the girl could sense Daniel and Claire’s stare, she turned and looked at them. He eyes meeting Claire’s last. They only lingered on her for a brief moment and then she quickly looked away.

“I want to meet her,” Claire said. “I want to know her.”

Daniel reached out and placed his hand over hers that rested on the root of the old tree. “And you will. She’s ours, just like I promised. When we are fully mated she’ll stay with us in our part of the house.”

Claire had to fight down the nausea rising up in her like it did every time he mentioned their mating and kept focusing on the girl.

“Are you feeling better now?” he asked her. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

For a moment she wanted to tell him the truth and say that she was fine, it was only natural, but that thought snapped back on her like a rubber band stretched to far, effectively waking her up to what she’d almost done.

“I’m still a little ill. I’m sure it will pass with a little time.”

“Maybe,” he said gripping her hand. “But it still wouldn’t hurt to see the pack doctor. We could go see Gabe and make sure everything is alright. He may be able to recommend some herbs to you for your stomach.”

At that, her stomach tightened and her heart began thumping slightly erratic. Why hadn’t she foreseen this? Why didn’t she realize it might come to this? He was Daniel after all and he seemed to take notice everything about her. She couldn’t hide her condition from him for much longer. He would eventually put it together and she’d have to deal with the repercussions.  

“No,” Claire said quickly. “There’s no need for that. I’m alright. Or I will be.”

She put on optimistic smile for him and Daniel smiled back. “Okay, if you say so.” He picked his hand up off of hers and wrapped his arms around her back. He pulled her into him so that there was no distance between them any longer and Claire had to remind herself not to stiffen at his touch. She remained indifferent.

To any onlooker it might appear romantic, that they were just another couple sitting under a big oak tree. That they were sitting so close because they loved each other and enjoyed being in each other’s company. How misleading a picture from the outside could really look.

She wasn’t sure how long they had sat there watching the children fight, enjoying the silence between her and Daniel, but at some point they had been joined by Axel and she hadn’t even noticed.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” he smiled pleasantly. He was so good a putting on a good face for everyone. It was hard not to believe it wasn’t actually real. If she didn’t know him any better, she’d never believe he was the devil himself underneath all his exterior.

“No, of course you aren’t,” Daniel said looking up to meet Axel’s eyes. “Claire and I were just talking.”

Axel’s grin widened. “Did you tell her?” His eyes left Daniel and rested on her.

“Tell me what?” she inquired. She didn’t like being kept in the dark under normal circumstances, but in these times, secrets never held anything that was particularly good for her. She was almost afraid to know.

“I didn’t,” he replied. “Not yet.”

“Come on, Daniel. It involves her too. You have to tell her.” There was a teasing to Axel’s tone that seemed too forced to pass off as real. He didn’t remove his eyes from her. Claire could feel herself burning under his stare. It was unnerving.

“Tell me what?” she asked again a little fiercer since they’d obviously chosen to ignore her the first time she asked.

“We’ve talked about and we’ve decided to make you a complete member of this pack. You’ve proven yourself to us in your training and through cooperation that you’re worthy of being a part of the Underground Pack,” Daniel answered. His voice waived somewhere between happiness and nervousness.

“It’s a great honor to be had. And you deserve it,” Axel added, his brown eyes boring into hers. “There is just one thing that concerns us.”

Claire couldn’t help herself. She asked. “What?”

“Your attachment to your old pack,” he answered her matter-of-factly. “Daniel told me of your mating to that Alpha, Kieran Knight, and to my understanding that hasn’t changed. How can we expect your full allegiance to us if you’re still connected to him?”

It suddenly it occurred to Claire what all of this was about; her mating to Daniel. She swallowed hard as her heart began to beat in her throat. All she could hear now was the blood in her hears.

“What we’re saying is, in order to completely make you one of us and an official member of this pack we have to complete the mating process tomorrow night,” said Daniel.

She quickly bolted upright and stood in front of the two boys in sheer panic. “But-but it’s so soon. I haven’t had time to prepare. And I’m not feeling well. Shouldn’t we wait? Daniel said we could wait until I was feeling better.”

“Unfortunately we don’t have that kind of time,” Axel said as Daniel stood up in front of her. “We’re making a move on a pack in two days and we have to know that you will be loyal to us and your mate during the raid.” He looked at Daniel and he nodded his head in agreement.

Oh, God. Claire felt herself unable to breathe and light headedness slowly started to creep over her like a nightmare. She could hardly believe what was happening. She need more time. She had counted on having more time. How could she possibly escape now? If she were to mate Daniel she wouldn’t even want to leave here anymore. She’d want to stay there with him and stand by his side as he and his brothers born of evil brought the world of wolves down on its knees.

She sucked a sharp breath of air in horror. Nothing and no one could comfort her now. She was in a place now where nothing she could do would change the situation she was in. There was no getting out of it. She had to do it. She had to become Daniel’s mate to prove herself to them this one and final time; her ultimate test of loyalty.

Daniel rubbed her back in what he felt was soothing circles. To Claire, it was nothing other than a reminder of him invading her personal space.

“Okay,” she forced herself to say. “Okay.”

Daniel couldn’t hide his surprise at her willingness to give in so easily. He knew she might fight him on it a little seeing as she was still mated to the asshole who stole his mate, but never did he expect this.

“Really?” he asked.

She nodded and smiled so bright, Daniel had to believe what she said was true.

“Yes.” She looked up at the other boy standing beside her. “Axel is right. I have to prove myself. I don’t know any better way.” Even Axel looked taken aback and it made Claire smile to herself internally.

He clasped his hands together in delight. “Alright then, tomorrow it is.”

“But,” Claire added. “There is just one thing I’d like to request.”

Axel’s eyes leveled with hers, curiosity heavy in them. “And what’s that?”

“A mating ceremony,” she answered automatically.  “I’ve never had one before and if I’m going to do this with my true mate,” she turned and smiled at Daniel, “I’d like to do it right.”

Daniel’s delight was blatant. He smiled as bright as she had and kissed the top of her head. “What a wonderful idea. The ceremony is outdated now and hardly anyone does it anymore, so it’ll be perfect for us. I’d like that very much.”

“And I want the whole pack to be there,” she added quickly. “They should all share in our happy day. Everyone.”

Axel grinned. “I’m impressed. I had my doubts about you at first, Claire, but I’m starting to see in you what Daniel did all along, potential. Welcome to the pack. I’ll announce it to everyone. We’ll have it tomorrow at sundown. Daniel will handle all the details.”

Claire smiled up at him. “Okay. You think you can handle it all?”

He grinned back. “For you, I can handle anything. I’ll start right away.”

And then both the boys turned and stalked away side by side, leaving her alone with her thoughts, and the realization of what she’d just done.

At precisely one A.M Claire made her way to the garden where Wyatt was already waiting on her to arrive. The night air was warm and full of the scent of flowers and earth. He was leaning against one of the lighted post on the man-made stone covered walkway built through the center of the garden.

He had changed clothes since the last time she saw him. He looked more cleaned up. No stubble from the beard he wore before, no dirt soiled clothes, his brown hair back to its normal kempt look. It was as if the unruly boy from earlier that day had never existed.

He unfolded his arms from his chest and dropped them to his sides when he saw her. He smiled. “You’re here. I didn’t think you’d be able to get away.”

She picked a honey suckle from the winding vine up one of the lamp post, the glow emitting from the light giving the flower an outline of bright color. “I said I’d come and I did.”

The truth was, it hadn’t been easy getting away from Daniel. She almost believed she wouldn’t get to meet Wyatt at all tonight and tell him of her plans for the mating ceremony. He’d wanted to stay up most of the night talking details and talking about their life together after everything was done. She got the feeling that he didn’t want to close his eyes, afraid she’d evaporate if he did.

If only that were possible, she thought sadly.

Claire brought the flower to her nose, smelled it and let it drop to the ground. “Did you have any trouble getting here?” she asked the boy as she neared him.

He shook his head. “Not much.” He looked around the garden, taking in all of its beauty before his eyes rested back on her. “This is quite a place. I’ve been given a tour of the Underground pack before, but it never included here.”

“Axel built it for Celia for their first anniversary. It’s for her use only. He didn’t want anyone but them to find it.”

Wyatt’s hand rested over his heart dramatically. “Aw. If he wasn’t so morbid that might be sweet.”

Claire gave a soft laugh and glance up at the moon above their heads. “Yeah.”

A peaceful quiet settled itself between them as they both now took in the stars and the sky. From the nearby pound frogs croaked, crickets sang, and trees raged in the warm breeze.  Claire took in a deep breath letting it wash through her and exhaled. 

She remembered visiting the pound at her old pack, back when she still lived at home with her parents. She used to just sit and listen to nature all around her and let herself get lost in it. It always helped calm her nerves when she felt over anxious about meeting her mate or just wanted a break from her life.

She laughed to herself. It was funny. Now that she had actually met her true mate and knew him well enough, she wanted nothing more than to get herself as far away from him as possible.

“You know, I don’t ever remember a time since being here that I’ve felt this peaceful. It’s nice,” she admitted.

Wyatt spoke. “I don’t suppose there’s been much chance for peace.”

“No. There hasn’t been.”

Claire was momentarily distracted by the rustling of something coming from Wyatt and turned to look at him. He was digging a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and on the top of it, in elegant script, was her name.

“What’s that?” She asked him immediately.

He freed the paper from his pocket and handed it to her. “A note for you,” he said softly. She looked at it curiously, but didn’t take it. She still wasn’t sure how much she could trust him. Though, there must have been some left for him deep within her or else she would have never risked coming there tonight to meet him.  “It’s from Kieran,” he added.

She didn’t even need a second to decide what to do next. She quickly reached out and took the note from his hand and flipped open the paper. She saw her name at the top of the slightly worn note and exhaled in a mix of surprise and relief. It was from him. It really was.

 Claire,

I’ve sent this note with Wyatt in hopes of it reaching you. He says he has ties to the underground pack that could help him lead you to freedom and I believe him. I do not know what happened to you the day you disappeared, but I do know who was responsible for it and I promise to make them pay for what they’ve done.

I won’t ask how you’re doing because I already know the answer to that question and it isn’t as if your response will reach me soon enough. There is no doubt in my mind you are as well and as strong as the day you left me. You always were. But if you ever find yourself doubting me or yourself just remember that the love between mates never gives up.

We haven’t given up hope of reaching you. Jennifer has given us some insight to the location of The Underground pack and now that we have gathered enough wolves to fight, we are coming for you and I will not stop unless I am no longer breathing. Have faith in that.

Please understand that I don’t write the letter lightly. We are at war now, a war that cannot be stopped until the enemy is dead. In this war, like all wars, there will be injured and casualties. I only ask that do whatever you have to to make sure you are not among them. I couldn’t live if you were.

You are half of my soul, keep safe until I find you again and I WILL FIND YOU.

-Your mate and Alpha, Kieran Knight

Claire gasped and clutched the letter to her chest. It had been so long since she had heard his voice in her head that it nearly shattered her. Her legs felt like jelly and her chest ached with the gap missing him left. She hadn’t allowed herself to think about Kieran very much, afraid of what it might do to her if she let her thoughts linger there too long. She knew she would fall apart. But now…now she couldn’t help it.  She had to think of him. His letter. His words. His hands had touched the very same paper as hers did. She briefly wondered if she might catch a scent of him on it if she tried hard enough to find it.

“Claire,” Wyatt said softly.

He brought her out of her stupor. She looked at him. She hadn’t realized there were tears in her eyes until he reached out and touched them with back of his hand. He briefly wiped them away only for them to be replaced by more cascading down her cheeks.

“Talk,” she said. “You told me you would. I want answers.” She wiped the tears away viciously with the letter gripped tight in her hand.

He sighed and dropped his head. “Of course you do.”

“What happened? How did you end up here?”

“I’ll tell you. But first you have to agree to hear me out before you do anything rash. Like hit me again.”

She smiled a bit at the thought and nodded. “Okay.”

He slumped to the ground, keeping his back against the lighted post and stretched out his legs before him. “Axel came to me about four months ago. Back when Kieran was…” he looked at Claire. “Well you know.”

She nodded.

“I was in charge of my pack, acting as the best Alpha I could, given what was going on and all. I followed Kieran’s lead for the most part, doing everything I thought he’d do and doing everything he’d want. That was until Axel showed up. He was looking for people to join him. He’d heard about Kieran’s leave and he’d made a big speech about not following leader and everyone being equals. That was his persuasion speech of course. That’s the speech he gives everyone to get them to come to his side. I was no different than them.

“Though, I knew the real reason why he was building his army. Not to overcome oppression, but to seek revenge. He isn’t done with Perilous pack and once they’re annihilated, New Dawn is next.”

“But what happened to ‘the son should not be punished for the sins of the father’? It was Kieran’s dad who made the mistake to stand by an out of control pack, not his. And besides, hasn’t Underground Pack done enough damage to Perilous Pack?”

“Claire, not everyone believes the way we do. You of all people should understand that.” When she didn’t speak he went on. “When he came to me, he knew I was the beta, and he wanted to do everything he could to hurt Kieran. If I sided with him, it would kill Kieran and that’s exactly what he wanted, pain for him. Kieran had lost his parents, but not nearly as much as Axel had.”

“He really thought you’d join him after he killed Kieran’s parents?”

He smiled. “Probably not, which is why I’m sure he was surprised when I did.”

“And why did you do it? Join them I mean,” Claire asked.

“I thought it was better to be on the inside of everything that was going on than the outside. That way you don’t get caught by surprise on their next course of action.”

Claire stared at him in disbelief. “So you’re telling me it was all for the pack. You did this for them? I can’t believe Axel trusted you.”

“He didn’t. Until now that is. I returned to him what was his and that, more than anything, is a pledge of my loyalty to him. I passed the test.”

“So what was your plan when you got here?” She asked him. “Were you gonna just take me without them even knowing? They may trust you now, but that doesn’t mean they trust me. At least not yet.”

He raised his brow. “And how do you plan to change that?”

“I have a plan.”

He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. “Well things on my end are looking pretty bleak, so please, share.”

“Do you have any plans tomorrow? I need you to give me away.”

He looked puzzled. “Give you away?”

“During my mating ceremony tomorrow,” she explained. “It’s the only way we’ll be able to see each other before it happens.”

Wyatt looked at her like she was someone he barely even knew and stood up abruptly. “Claire, no. I was sent here to retrieve you, not give you away!”

She held up a hand to his protest. “Relax. I’m not going through with it. We’re going to escape while it’s in procession. The protection of the pack will be at its lowest during the ceremony. No one will be looking for us until it’s time for us to make our appearance. By then we’ll be far enough away that we’ll stand a chance.”

“It’s madness,” he said. But it wasn’t with protest, only admiration. “It’s a hell of a lot better than what I’ve got. Let’s do it.”

“Tomorrow I’ll have Celia collect you and bring you to me. While everyone is distracted with start of the ceremony we’ll be on our way. There’s just one more thing I forgot to mention. We’re bringing someone along. A girl. A child.”

“Now that it madness,” he said. “We can’t take a child. We can’t let anything slow us down. We’ll send someone back for her.”

“No! She goes too. I’m not bargaining on this. If she stays they’ll kill her. I won’t live with that on my conscience. Not when I could have done something to save her.”

He looked at her and sighed. “I guess I should have expected no less from you. Alright, fine. We’ll take her. But no one else, only us. And we’re getting the hell out of here.”

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Update! Yay.

How did you guys feel about the different perspective in this chapter? Just something I decided to try out. It will go back to first person in the next chapter.

NEXT UPDATE: I’m not sure yet. My schedule is all over the place right now. I’ll be slowly working on it though.

Comment, vote and follow!!!!

Delirium Book Review: I took your Dystopian Novel suggestions into consideration and recently read the Delirium series. Let me just say this. It was fantastic! I mean I truly loved it. That is until I got to end of Requiem and then it just…ended. It didn’t make any sense and made angry. I had so many unanswered questions! I feel like there should have been another book or an epilogue at least. And it wasn’t fair that the whole love triangle between Lean, Alex and Julian never got resolved. Those things never end well and she should have chosen who she wanted to be with. Ahhh. I’m still so angry.

Anyway, if anyone who had read the series wants to discuss it, you can leave me a message on my board or in an inbox. I’d love to hear what you thought of it. (: