He would show the old man later. Derek thought, glaring at Mike. But for now he had to resolve the issue somehow, quickly, before it escalates into something else, before it stains his father’s good legacy. Still, he couldn’t stop himself from making a dig at Mike.“As you mentioned Mike…” He started, producing a huge mocking emphasis on Mike's name, aware but ignoring the exaggerated sighs from Anthony and Agrip. They both knew that he was going to never let the elder go. Despite that knowledge and their sighs of seeming tiredness of Derek’s act, they were still interested in what the latter had in stock for the elder.“…the creatures are of magic, so to be able to deal with them as you mentioned, we have to know more about them, we have to throw a wide research net on them. Our findings would determine our next course of action. Or don’t you think so…Mike?” Derek asked the elder, producing the emphasis again on the name which was of course obvious to the occupants of the room.Mik
Derek furrowed his eyebrows, his lips forming a thin line, mirroring Anthony’s expression, after Agrip’s latest declaration.He was captured?Derek shook his head, feeling a strange chill all over his body.No wonder. He thought, referring to the matter of Agrip’s long time in coming back to the pack.He heard the other elders murmuring between themselves and sighed. They were probably waiting for him to question Agrip on what had really happened.He would have agreed with them, but for some reason, he didn’t find it okay at that point. He didn’t know why, but he decided to trust his instincts this time around."That’s…new, Agrip" He finally managed to stutter out, ignoring Anthony’s raised eyebrows and the elders’ look of unbelief. He would talk to his brother later.Agrip nodded his head at Derek’s flimsy statement. And even though it looked like the young man behaved or had acted as if he didn’t care that he had been kidnapped, Agrip knew that the little dude cared. Perhaps somethi
"Don’t you think you were too firm or harsh with your words??" Anthony asked Derek, immediately the elders had vacated the conference room.The only people left in the room were he, Derek and Agrip."Perhaps I was. But didn’t you see that they were trying to look down on me because of my age? The insolence!" Derek mentioned, gritting his teeth in the process.He was still unhappy that the elders had thought they would neglect and stamp on him because of his age, instead of supporting him and guiding him properly like Agrip usually did. They were supposed to respect the Alpha’s title for fudge’s sake!They deserved it! He affirmed for the umpteenth time, since he had noticed the signs of their disloyalty. Especially Mike. Why he had let Gabirel off from the punishment hook was because the latter had been wise and quick enough to admit his mistake and apologize unlike the pompous bratty elder, Mike."Anthony, Derek is right. For now, your brother needs to use a strong hand and voice to
There was an unpeaceful quietness after Agrip had dropped his question on Anthony and Derek.Derek bit his lips, his head bowed down, his feet shuffling and drawing unknown patterns on the floor like a shy girl who was being wooed by a man. Only Agrip could make him nervous this way despite his title of Alpha-ship.He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it as he thought of the implications of the truth right at this moment. The old man’s staff would find his head as a good resting place, at least a hundred times. He would be signing for his death!Should he lie? Should he say that his little witch had traveled to reaffirm her parents that all will be alright?Contemplating on this, he nodded slightly, thinking that it will be the best option for now till he has laid hold of Emma. Hopefully he can convince her to forgive him and come back to her rightful position. There was no way she had already forgotten him, right?“Dream on!” He heard Maru say, and almost scoffed but for
Derek’s eyes widened, his words lost in his mouth as he heard the scream that had echoed and vibrated around the house.That was his mother’s voice!Quickly, without minding that he hadn’t given a reply to Agrip, he rushed off towards his parent’s bedroom, his heart beating fast as he wondered if the worst had happened.Behind him, Anthony and Agrip were trying to keep up pace, especially Agrip who due to his old age, couldn’t walk as fast as the two young lads.Derek burst into the room abruptly without even knocking.His heart drowned to his stomach when he saw his mother wailing on the floor like a woman who had just lost her mate.His eyes ran across the bed, and dilated when he saw his father convulsing and shaking violently on the bed.Was this it? He thought, numb from what he was seeing. He couldn’t act or say anything. He had never felt so useless.He wasn’t even aware when Agrip and Anthony entered the room. Only when Agrip shouted that Anthony should mindlink the pack docto
"Jack, I thought you mentioned that the seizures won’t be coming back anytime soon, at least for 24 hours!!" Melvina screamed, seeing her mate’s now lean body beginning to undergo rough and violent shaking and spasms.The dam of her eyes was beginning to cut open again. She just couldn’t help it, couldn’t believe that her sigh of relief was all for nothing. Her mate wasn’t out of the dangerous woods yet!She looked at a confused and shocked Jack beseechingly, not understanding why the medicine had a short lived effect. Around her, she could feel the tension that was underlying the atmosphere of the room. She also knew that the occupants of the room were all waiting for a reasonable explanation from Jack."Jack, what is happening? say something! I thought my father still had more time!" Derek stated, his voice rising higher than he had intended. His emotions which he had earlier subdued were beginning to rear their ugly head again.He felt Anthhony’s light tap on his arm, and let out a
"Agrip, my mother is still waiting for your answer." Derek pointed out, seeing that his mentor had zoned out for a couple of seconds."Oh, sorry...my Luna." Agrip apologized, bowing down a bit. But Melvina waved it off. She could care less about her titleship and the benefits it came with. She just wanted him to say something concerning her mate’s condition."Just tell me, if Peter will be okay." She uttered, looking at Agrip earnestly."I am not sure about that. The pill is for pains according to Agog..." Agrip stated, although remembering that the pill had healed his broken leg without any further first aid on his part. Could it do the same for Peter?"So, how long does he have till the antidote arrives?" Melvina asked, choosing to be rational and clear at this point, instead of wailing out her eyes again. Crying wouldn’t solve any problem. She had finally thought to herself. It was time to take some actions, of which finding that Esther was the top on her list.To think she had tho
Agrip sighed when he heard his son's statement, knowing that there was no way he could talk his way out of this one even though his utmost desire was to find out who Esther and Derek's mate was.Well, his son had promised to talk about Esther, but what about Derek's mate. He believed that was even more important.His eyes met the gazes of Anthony and Derek and he could swear that he was seeing relief in them.Those brats! He cussed, snorting loudly before turning to his son."Let's go then. Now that I think of it, I am very hungry." He voiced out, deciding to deal with the two guys later. They were not dying anytime soon after all.Jack nodded happily, before turning around to face Derek."We will be going now, Alpha. Have a nice evening, and send my regards to little Eva." Jack mentioned, giving a slight bow to Derek, before walking out with his father out of the room, after Derek had acknowledged his bow with a nod.But before they had entirely left the room, Agrip had turned around
Emma’s eyes were as active as anything active as she watched the elders slowly walk into the hall reserved for judging cases, like Annabel’s. As she watched them, her feet kept dancing on the floor in a funny unsteady motion; she was unsteady. One, one. Then two, two. Then one two. Once, Amelia had looked at her, with a piqued eyebrow. ‘What is that?’ Her eyes seemed to ask, but Emma had given no answer. What is it? It should be what are they?! When they were hurrying over to the hall, after convincing the guards that they would be around for the trial too, her sister had whispered that the cabin, her parent’s cabin, had been burnt by the master, Slediv. It had brought Emma up short, making her stagger on her feet for two reasons. That Slediv had really traced them, even without her then, and that the cabin was burnt; the loss it meant for her parents. Would they regret helping her then? Prescott didn’t think so. But Emma was still worried about it, just like her mind had tried
One week later:Emma had run to the clinic, immediately Adah had burst into her apartment with the news that Annabel and Amelia were awake. Over the couple of days in class, they had bonded over gossip, and training, seeing as the latter was the only one that had been sincerely interested in her. Emma had run with Prescott in her hands, and Adah right behind her. And when she arrived at the room she had frequented daily with prayers, and saw her sister and her friend chatting tiredly, she let out a scream of happiness and hurried over to them. “Amelia! Annabel!” She called gaily, garnering the attention of the two females sitting cross-legged on the same bed. Before they could let out a shout or smile of their own, Emma’s hands were already around them. “Oh my goodness, I am so happy for both of you…” she paused. “but give me a heartache again, and I will skin you both alive..” Annabel and Amelia divulged bouts of laughter, with the nurses. Prescott and Adah weren’t left behind,
Caden sighed in relief at his mate’s words, wanting to believe at all costs that the years he had spent with her, that the love they had shared, hadn’t been in vain. He didn’t know what he would have done otherwise. Cry, brood? Neither was acceptable in these times. And so, he wasn’t moved when his son piqued an eyebrow at his mate’s words, or when his daughter’s lips turned up—in disgust or curiosity, he wasn’t sure. But he didn’t care. He just hung on to the thread that his mate was spinning with. “I didn’t cheat on my mate, I’m sure he would have found out if I had done so, considering the mate bond and all that…” There was a pause, where relief sunk its foothold the more in Caden and his children. “So, if that’s what you are thinking, Caden… if that’s what you all are thinking, cut it out. I was surprised too when Claire had met me with the news at first, and I didn’t tell you, Caden, because I wasn’t sure how to explain the phenomena to you. I knew you held the lineage of you
Chyra didn’t know what Clem was talking about—the end of the world, and all that—but she knew that she was to blame for Claire rejecting her mate considering what she had soaked into her daughter’s mind about the alpha’s family, about how the Luna seat was her birthright. She also knew that she shouldn’t be working with Arnold. But she was too proud to concede to that, to concede to anyone, and so she shrugged her shoulders to Clem’s question. In the next second, she saw why that had been a wrong play on her part. When she saw Clem fume in anger, when she saw Claire glare at her stinkingly, when she saw her mate watch her like she was foolish, she knew that she had made a mistake. It would have been best if she had kept quiet, than giving off that nonchalant attitude. But her pride held her back from apologizing. Why should she apologize for being a mother caring to give her daughter the best? “Mother, are you so daft that…” Clem was saying when his father shouted him down. Caden
At this point, Clem didn’t know what to think about his sister, Claire. He had thought that their parents had been her motivator to reject Curtis, to follow Curtis up and down, to join the meetings that prince Nathan held with the others, but from the thick astounded silence that dwelled in the room, it could be safe to say that his sister had been acting on her own, without any external influence. He didn’t know what to think of that. He looked at his mother; she looked more shocked out of her shoes and mind than his father, quite expected since the mother and daughter duo were quite close, since his sister had no mind of hers, except put into place by his mother. As much as he was not happy with his twin, he was happy that for once his mother had no part to play in her recent escapades. “What do you mean…Claire?” Caden asked, pushing himself ahead, his elbow resting on his knees. “What do you mean when you say that Curtis is your mate? When did that happen? When did you find out?
What Claire saw first when she stepped into her father’s room was her parents sitting in the living room, with Clem, their backs hunched, the air filled with pregnant silence, waiting. They were waiting for her. She knew it from the moment she had dropped a note in Clem’s mind that she was on her way home. That he hadn’t bothered with a response, should have been enough to let her know that her twin was still angry with her. But she had held out hope, until she had reached the borders of the pack and he hadn’t been waiting for her. This was very different from the times they had quarrels. She knew, however, that this quarrel was different. She had denied her mate, because of the throne; had gone ahead to push Emma away from the pack; and when Derek still hadn’t chosen her, she had returned to Curtis because he was an Alpha. Would she have returned to him if he wasn’t that? She didn’t know. That was the truth. She didn’t know. She might have gone back to Curtis, even if he wasn’t a
At Wind Winders Pack.“Dad, what is this? What was Zoe doing in my room so early in the morning?” Curtis questioned, a second after he rushed into the dining room where his parents were having breakfast. He had slept in obviously, but he didn’t care. Yesterday’s training had been rigorous after all. He darted his eyes between his mother and father; his mother’s widened eyes told him that she had no idea what he was talking about; quite expected since this turn of event hadn’t been part of their plans. Hence, he trained his eyes on his father; the old man just continued eating his breakfast like he hadn’t spoken. Curtis thought of repeating himself, but thought better of it. He walked up to his father, and took away his plate of food; an act that he wouldn’t have been able to try before; an act that might have spelt his death; but considering his father’s few options of allies, he knew that he had a chance to live. And so, when his father glared at him heatedly, he didn’t quake in hi
“Hey…how are you feeling?” Emma whispered, touching Prescott’s head softly, as she watched him open his eyes for the second time. The first time, she had screamed and had called for the nurse in charge of his treatment, not minding that Adah was with her. Nothing could have dampened her joy. She had just checked on Annabel and Amelia, who although their vitals were stable, was still asleep, yet out of coma. According to the chief nurse, a week was enough for them to wake up now. Then she had checked on Prescott, and only touching him with fondness had elicited the response of his eyes opening. Emma had been overjoyed. “Prescott, can you hear me?” She asked softly, dragging a seat to herself, whilst Adah watched on, not understanding the communication method of the squirrel and Emma. Like the people in the community, she had never seen a talking animal, or rather an animal that communicates as Emma had painted Prescott to be. Her friend who was in the upper echelons of the community
No professor spoke to her, and Emma couldn’t help but wonder why. Had Prince Shiloh ask them to avoid her? Or had professor Brooks’ defeat scared them away from her? Well, if that was the matter, then she believed it was for the greater good. She had no interest in making affiliations after all, so long as they taught her what she wanted to know, and treated her fairly. “So, do you think you can cope?” She heard Adah ask, and turned aside to see her new seat mate. The mischievous glint in the latter’s eyes made her smile, howbeit small. “I believe I can.” She answered, before getting on her feet. She took her bag which Gira had provided that morning and slung the straps across her shoulder. It was time to go home, or rather check on her friends. Classes were done for the day. “Where are you going?” Adah asked her, getting to her feet. As they walked toward the door, a couple of the students swiftly moved, and stood before the door, causing Emma to furrow her eyebrows. But she chose