Chapter Four

Ice and I share an anxious glance before retracing our steps and sitting back down on the couch. This time, Gray and Bo sit down too. Bo takes a seat on the chair to my right. Gray sits down on the coffee table in front of us. 

“Like I said, Abraxas cares about blood purity,” He says slowly. “It is possible that he may… Expect certain things in exchange for the wolfsbane we need.”

“What do you mean?” Ice asks. 

“He may want an alliance between our packs,” he explains. 

“Why?” I ask him. “If he’s so into blood purity why would he want an alliance with us?”

It wouldn’t make any sense for him to want us. We’re a tiny nobody pack. Sure Ice and I are pureblooded, along with a few others, but the majority of our small pack are made-wolves that we took in. According to what everybody has been saying Thantos Abraxas loathes made-wolves. So why would he want anything to do with us? 

“Abraxas has five children,” Gray says. “Three boys.”

My heart drops as my blood runs cold. A buzzing in my ears and head make everything fuzzy and static-y. Like I’m underwater and can barely make out what they’re saying. 

“With the bloodlines being as muddled as they are now-” he says. 

“Selling us off-” I hear Ice say in the background. 

“Case-” Bo, I think, says. 

“Can’t believe this-” Ice groans.

“Don’t know-” Gray says. 

“Wait, wait, wait,” I groan in a whisper. “Stop, stop.”

I bury my face in my hands and try to breathe. After a few minutes of silence everything subsides. I slowly lift my head. 

“You’re saying you set up arranged marriages for us?” I ask slowly. 

“No,” Grayson says sternly. “Of course not.”

“But it may be a possibility,” Bo says. 

“You said you wanted all the information,” Gray tells us. “That’s what I’m giving you. I have not even spoken to Abraxas. About anything. You are just showing up. But because of your bloodline, once you explain the situation it’s a possibility that he will want something in return. Your blood is the only thing that holds value to him. We are just warning you of what could happen.”

I nod my head. “So he doesn’t know we’re coming?”

Gray shakes his head. “No.”

“Do you really think that’s the smartest idea?” Ice asks. “He’s not going to know who we are or that we’re purebloods. How do you know he’s not going to kill us as soon as we step foot on his territory?”

“Because he has wolves guarding the borders,” Bo answers. “And because you’ll be escorted there by a friend of mine who knows him. I set everything up, he may already know you are coming, but we don’t know for sure.”

“You trust this friend?” I ask. 

Bo smiles, breathing a chuckle and nods his head. “I do.”

I sigh and look at Iselyn. ‘What else can we do?’

‘Nothing.’

I look back to Grayson. “Is there anything else we should know?”

‘Should we ask?’

‘No. We’ll figure it out. Maybe he’ll tell us on his own.’

“That’s everything,” Gray shakes his head. 

“Who’s the friend that’s taking us?” Ice asks.

“A witch I met in New Orleans,” Bo replies with a smile. Seems like more than a friend to me. “She’ll meet you at the airport when you land in Portland. From there, it’s about a six and a half hour drive to Crescent Shadow territory.”

I nod my head. Ice sees my face and turns to them. 

“Can we go now?” She asks. 

“Of course,” Gray nods his head. “Get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day, you’ll need your rest.”

We don’t respond and just leave the room in silence. We pause at the stairs, hidden in the hallway from their view.

Bo sighs. “They’ll be okay, right?”

“Yes,” Gray replies. “They will.”

I follow Ice upstairs and into her bedroom. She flops down on the bed and stares up at the ceiling. I sit down at her feet facing her, curling my legs up onto the bed and look down at my hands in my lap. We sit in silence for a while, neither of us really knowing what to do or say. Finally, Ice is the first one to break the silence engulfing us. 

“At least Jace is coming with us,” She says. “And Bo’s friend.”

“Yeah,” I smile. “Do you know anything about this witch?”

She shoots up smiling. “Oh, Thank goddess. I didn’t want to be the one to say it. But he’s definitely been with her right?”

I laugh. “What is it with our uncles and witches?”

“Seriously!” she giggles. “I do get it though.”

“Get what?” 

“The whole wolf-witch dynamic,” she says.

“What about it?”

“Well, think about it,” she says. “With wolves it’s all about brute strength, hunting, tracking, fighting, the kill. But with witches it’s different. They’re intellectuals. Smart, powerful, cunning. It’s kind of the perfect relationship when you think about it. The ones who are nature, and the ones that protect nature.”

“Wow,” I mutter. “Do you have something you want to tell me?”

She laughs. “No. I’ve just been thinking about it lately.”

“Gray and Delia?” I ask.

“Are we finally gonna talk about that?” She raises an eyebrow at me. 

I shrug. “Seems like as good a time as any.”

“Yes,” she answers. “Gray and Delia.”

“Why do you think, is the reason they haven’t just gotten together already?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” she says, shrugging one shoulder. “Maybe they think it’d be too complicated with both families.”

“I don’t see how.”

“I can think of a few reasons,” she says.

“Like what?” I ask.

“Well, the blood purists like Abraxas for starters. Then her coven, how would they react if their child was a wolf instead of a witch? That might cause some problems. And if they had multiple kids, how would the kids feel if one was a witch and one was a wolf? I mean, if it were us, I don't know how I would feel. But I know I’d be pissed either way it went,” She says. 

“Wow,” I gasp. “You really have given it some thought.”

She shrugs. “Yeah, after a while you just start to feel bad for them. Either way it goes, it sucks.”

“Yeah, I guess,” I nod. “I still think they should just be together.”

“Yeah,” she laughs. “Because you’re a romantic.”

I shrug and laugh. 

Ice looks over at the clock on her nightstand, before laying her head back down and rubbing her temples. 

“Should we pack now or in the morning?” she asks, her eyes back on the ceiling. 

“Morning,” I reply, crawling across the bed to lay down. 

“Definitely,” she nods before turning the light off.