Twenty-one
“I’m sorry, what?” I stared at Alice, certain that I had heard wrong.
“If someone challenges for the position of Alpha, and wins, they can take that person’s mate. It’s a very old, outdated custom but since Alpha’s can choose who they want to be with, that would apply to new leadership,” Alice said, “meaning either one of my sons could claim you. Although I personally would advise them against having a traitor’s daughter for a mate. But they might want you to keep Desmond in line.”
I turned to look at Desmond. “Did you know about that?”
Desmond ran a hand through his hair. “Honestly, I figured it would be Damien we would be dealing with. He’s in love with your sister. I didn’t think that would be an issue.”
“You didn’t think that would be AN ISSUE? YOU’RE A WEREWOLF. Power is a game for you. You’ll do whatever you can in order to claim it, including steal someone’s mate. Desmond, I’M NOT A FUCKING TOY.”
The whole of the Werewolf center was looking at us now. All of the packs and their Alpha’s. Desmond’s eyes flashed angrily. “Come with me,” he growled. He pulled me by my hand through the crowd back to the room that we had first told me his plans in. He closed the door behind me.
“What are you doing? Desmond, you can’t do this!” I struggled against him.
He forced me down into one of the chairs. I tried to get up and he pushed me back down again, blocking my path. “Iris, listen to me. No one is going to take you from me. Do you understand? I brought you into this mess. I’m going to make sure that we get out of it in one piece.”
“I’m a human, Desmond. If I want to stay in Moon City, I have to swear fealty to someone to stay. What’s it going to look like if I refuse an Alpha when I’m supposed to be sworn to our pack? They could end up banishing me from my home!”
“Come with me.”
“What? This is supposed to be our engagement party. You told me that it was important that everybody saw us.”
“They saw us,” he growled, “you want to make certain that you are safe, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then come with me.”
We left the Werewolf center. I wasn’t familiar enough with it to know where Desmond was taking me, but we ended up back in his car.
“Take us to Luna’s temple,” he ordered the driver.
The driver nodded, and we sped through the streets. Not stopping until we reached the main center of Moon City.
Luna’s Temple was a tall, glittering, silver building in the center of the city. There was a long set of stairs that led up to the building. “What are we doing here?” I asked.
He didn’t answer me. He got out of the car and helped me out too. Wordlessly, he led me up the stairs to the main temple hall. The temple was domed shaped, made to look like the top of the moon.
A priestess in a silver robe appeared. “Alpha Desmond. What are you doing here?”
“I need you to perform a Connecting Ceremony.”
The priestess was covered in silvery paint. She had yellow eyes that signaled that she was a werewolf. “A Connecting Ceremony?” her gaze roamed over me. I knew she had an idea of who I was based on her expression.
Desmond nodded. “I want her to have half of my power. Now and forever. If I die, she will get it.”
I looked at him, startled. “Desmond!”
He locked eyes with me. “I promised you that you would be safe if you helped me. This isn’t going to make you a werewolf. But you’ll have my strength. You’ll know what I’m thinking. I’ll know what you’re thinking. I’ll show you how to block me out. But…. you won’t be weak anymore.”
I frowned. “But…I thought…I thought there was…” I glanced at the priestess before us. I couldn’t go around spilling all of Desmond’s secrets because I was worried it might interfere with my future. “That sounds permanent.”
The priestess smiled at the two of us. “If you are mates, and you are in love, it shouldn’t be a problem. If you have doubts…I would not recommend.”
Desmond stared hard. “Do you trust me?”
“I…”
“Do you trust me?” he repeated.
I looked over at the priestess. “What’s the worst that could happen if this ends badly?”
The priestess shrugged. “The worst thing that will happen would be you lose the powers if you end up not being his mate for whatever reason. He would never be able to be with you. Or anyone else, for that matter.”
I looked back at Desmond. “You…but you….”
“I don’t need a mate. It’s not something I have to have. There are plenty of people that can fill the Alpha spot after I die.”
“But you’re immortal,” I reminded him, “it takes a lot to kill you. You might be alone for a very, very, long time Desmond.”
He took my hand and stroked the top of it. “I dragged you into this mess, Iris. I promise you; you are going to get whatever you want. Even if it means that I don’t.”
My gaze softened. “Desmond, that’s not fair to you.”
He let go of my hand. “Nothing in this life is fair. Are you going to help me or not?”
The door of the temple burst open then. A figure stood in the door way. “She’s not going to help you with anything.”
I flinched. I turned. Desmond turned too. I recognized that voice. Damien. He was the opposite of his brother. He had blond hair, and blue eyes.
“Damien,” Desmond’s gaze narrowed at him, “what are you doing here?”
“Arresting your mate. For treason.” There were two Peace Brokers standing behind him.
“Me?” I blinked. “On what grounds?”
“On the grounds of video footage, we found of you, helping your father, Kent Westmore, sneak you in.”
“What?”
Leave a Reply