Chapter 4

Christian

I released the breath that was threatening to choke me. I have never experienced anything harder than trying not to pounce on my mate with her scent trapped in my lungs. The restraint I had to put myself on was a first experience for me. What scared me more was how I was supposed to control myself in the future now that I had her around. I didn't know what the future held for us, what my fate was supposed to be. But I did know that I couldn't survive without her. For long at least. I had to make her mine. I had to do something to get her on our side. She just had to. My luck was hard considering she was not a werewolf, so she wasn't ready to accept the bond despite knowing what it could make us werewolves feel. But I had to fight. I will fight for her. I will go against anyone who tries to take her away. I have waited for a long time now. This was my one and only chance at having my mate finally. 

With the royal beta duties, my job was not only to care for the execution of our pack but also oversee the decisions of other packs coming under the king's rule. This kept me so engaged, I never had time for meaningless flings or affairs. Especially knowing that my mate was out there, I waited. But how was it even possible? As far as I had heard, werewolves were only supposed to have werewolf mates. Then why her? How? 

The small visit I paid to her cell was just an excuse to get close to her. I wanted to see her. Feel her. My hand was itching to touch her. It had crawled up to feel the soft skin of her cheek but just as it was about to land on its surface, I retracted it. Why? Because I wasn't sure what my wolf would do next, feeling her skin and the sparks that would erupt like a jolt of electricity. 

He was ready to come out any moment if I hadn't shut my eyes forcefully to keep him at bay. Otherwise he would have claimed her then and there. 

I looked at my shiny gold wristwatch. It was time for the council meeting. Important decisions were going to be made. I sighed, knowing all those decisions had to do with my mate. Help me, moon goddess, for I can't lose her. 

Making my way to the meeting room, I saw all the Alphas of other territories gathered with their beta's sitting in their places on the huge rectangular table. My seat was at the head of the table, on the right of the King's royal chair. Being the the Royal beta, and the king's right hand, our pack was above everyone else's. 

All eyes immediately turned towards me, notifying that it was my presence that everyone was waiting for desperately. King's eyes pinned me until I made way and took my place beside him. 

"Let's begin then," came his authoritative tone. 

"We've heard about Gamma Arnold's daughter. But the news spread quickly that you have captured Balthazar's daughter as well," my hand clenched into a tight fist hearing Alpha Alexander speak that way of my mate. " We are ready for the alliance, King, even if it goes as far as to another war, we are standing with your pack. Aurora would be more than happy to help on the quest with her specialities." Alexander mentioned his mate knowing the powers she held, being the last white wolf. "Moreover, I already think we have the upper hand with Balthazar's daughter being our captive. Eye for eye, daughter for daughter." My wolf was screaming to come out to punch him after hearing his words. But I had to contain myself, knowing it was my hard luck she was still the enemy. 

Calm down! I heard Dominic scold me through our mind link. He could feel the anger radiating off me. 

"Whatever we do, we need to be careful. I don't want any harm to come to my daughter. And knowing how selfish Balthazar really is, he wouldn't mind sacrificing his daughter for his benefit. Moreover, we don't even know if she is really his daughter or not. What if they are just playing with us?" Gamma Arnold made his point. For a moment, I thought of his words and knew what he said made sense. That could be a high possibility. 

"There should be no debate about this. She is the enemy who has cost us our warriors. Having her as a prisoner in your pack is only going to put you all in more danger. She should be killed immediately!" One moment Alpha Malcolm had uttered those words and the next he was choking in death-strangling grip of my hand. He would be an Alpha, but I was the royal beta, which made my position automatically superior to all these minor Alpha's sitting in this very room with me. The only person who had any authority over me was Dominic. The rest, I wouldn't waste a second to kill if they dare say anything about even touching my mate, let alone kill her. 

"Say that again, I dare you!" My voice came out lethal as I squeezed my hand further blocking his air passage. Seeing that weakling struggle in my grip did wonders to my pride. He was the most incapable Alpha and leader any pack could ask for. Not only a womanizer who is least bothered about fulfilling his Alpha duties, he was greedy for power and had killed his own father to take over the pack. Though he spun many lies to make it look like an accident, we were better than him to know the reality. 

Everyone sprung out of their chairs seeing the scene I had created. But I had no control over myself or my wolf. The moment he uttered that bullshit out of his disgusting mouth, all I saw was red. My wolf chanted only one word in my head. 

Kill, kill ,kill. 

"Enough Christian! Leave him," Dominic ordered in his hard tone. My jaw clenched and I only squeezed his throat further as he struggled in my grip, his hands tightened around my wrist trying to pull it away, his eyes begging me to leave him.

"Christian, let him go, I said!" I heard Dominic's stern voice before finally releasing my grip and dropping the pathetic Alpha to the ground to pant for air. I smirked at his condition. Served this pathetic being right. 

"Why did you do that, Beta Christian?" Alpha Alexander questioned with a suspicious look and emotion in his eyes that told me he had put two and two together. I, however, chose to remain quiet as everyone observed me with either shocked or scared faces. Except Dominic, of course. He looked bored. 

"She is my prisoner and therefore I will decide what we have to do with her. Whatever the decision may be, all of you are only advised to do as told or else the consequences will be severe," Dominic announced like the king he was. "You all are dismissed, leave." With that, everyone started scurrying away along with Alpha Malcolm, who gave me a look before his beta helped him out. 

As everyone was leaving, Alpha Andrew stopped in his tracks and turned to look me in the eyes, "if she is your mate, then you know the fight is going to be worth it." He was one of the best Alpha leaders in alliance with our pack and has helped us in many wars with Shadow Weavers over a long time. He had a daughter who was killed at seven years of age as a result of the animosity between werewolves and Shadow Weavers. He and his mate were heartbroken for a very very long time until they had a second child. But no matter what, we could still see the pain of losing a pup in his eyes up till now. 

He made sure to say those words after everybody was gone and he was the only one left behind. I gave him a single nod before he left, closing the door behind him. 

Dominic sighed as the door closed and he sunk back into his chair. "You have to be careful, Christian. I know what she is to you, but you can't lose control every time like this. We need to deal with this situation maturely."

"Yes Alpha,"  I nodded, not meeting his eyes since my blood was still boiling with fury because of what had occurred a few seconds before. Before becoming my King and Alpha, he was my friend and I knew what he said was straight out of his heart. He knew the war I was fighting, knowing my mate was in the cell when all me and my wolf wanted was to have her in my arms. Fuck fate! 

None of us said a word for a while before he decided to break the silence. 

"One week." I looked up to meet his eyes to see him already looking at me with no emotion. "You have one week. Make her fall in love with you. Claim her, bring her to our side. Do what you have to, to make her trust you. To make her your mate. It's not only going to favor you but also us if she gives us all the secrets of Shadow Weavers. I know it's not easy, she is his daughter after all. But there is only so much a person can do to resist the mate bond. It's only a matter of time until she gives in." 

"And if she doesn't accept this?" I asked, calculating all the possibilities. 

"Then we will have no other option but to trade her with Anastasia."