12

Before the cursed wipe fifteen years, Werewolves and witches were creatures that co-existed peacefully. They made up for each other’s flaws and supported each other when needed, but werewolves are greedy creatures. 

Suddenly they wanted everything for themselves; the charms, curses, magic, they suddenly wanted it all, they waged a war against the witches, and they triumphed. They wiped out a great number of witches and those remaining went into hiding; Ketura was one of them.

She had discovered Devon’s secret and that of his pack, and in desperation for cover and protection, she had used it as blackmail and got offered a place. Ketura soon realized she didn’t need to blackmail him because him and his pack weren’t involved in the cursed wipe, and Akira Pack became a home for her, but all that ended 10 years ago when she made the mistake of falling in love with Devon.

They had a fling; it was an assumed mutual agreement – no strings attached. They had fun together, she played his luna, but soon enough, she wanted to become the actual luna. 

“Did you forget what you did to me?” Devon retorted, eyes blazing with anger, and Ketura’s eyes widened. “The spell to forget did not work,” he said when he recognized the shock and confusion in her eyes.

Ketura in her desperation to become the actual Luna cast a spell on Devon, she tried to enforce a mating bond, subjecting him to immeasurable pain, and when he found out and sent her out, she cast a memory spell on him to forget and make herself the victim

But she forgot, Devon could resist a witch’s spell and so can many members of his pack. It might work in the moment, but it fades just as quickly. It was one of the many advantages to the secret his pack harbors.

“How…” Ketura whispered, her eyes wide and Devon smiled.

“I have also waited.” She narrowed her eyes and he started walking over to her, “The past ten years, I have been waiting for when you’d call me back.” His hands wrapped around her neck, “and I ask you again, Ketura, was this all what you prepared after making me wait for ten bloody years?”

She smiled, showing her bloodied gums. “I can’t disappoint you like that, my love,” she brought her hand up, and trailed her fingers slowly and softly across his face, but then she suddenly slashed his jaw, drawing out blood and Devon immediately backed away from her. The look on her face however told him it was too late.

“Some files in your database have gone missing,” Devon’s brows shot up, and she bent her head slightly to the side as her smile widened, “those are Alpha Markos’ files. You have nothing on him now, but he has something on you and he is on his way to your pack as we speak.” 

Devon touched his jaw that she slashed, forcing it to heal and then smiled. “Now we are talking,” he said and laughed. Markos was as much of a threat to him as a fly, and she should have known that if she did her research well. “Is that all?” he asked, unable to hide his disappointment. 10 bloody years and the cleverest thing she has done so far was the unexpected rogue attacks on his border.

“Your mate!” that was the last trick up her sleeve, but she was tired of every other thing being dismissed like it was something minor, and this time around, she smiled triumphantly when she saw the look on his face change, and he clenched his jaw tight.

“What do you know?”

“I hear she has a unique scent, Markos would love to claim that… or is already claiming that as we speak. He’s got his person guarding her doors anyway, and you know just how much he loves it when his women smell good.”

“You bitch!” he cursed and turned on his heels to run off. They had to go back to his pack and they had to go back now. He could easily fend off Markos, but when he is in possession of his wolf-less mate, it wouldn’t be as easy.

“Vinctus sanguim, vinctus meus, ligatus ad me sicut sanguis tuus in digito meo” she chanted and Devon fell to his knees, and a corner of her lips tugged up in a smirk.

She walked over to him and caressed his head. “You might be resistant to a witch’s spell, but you have been cursed with your blood and that will take you about 2 hours to break off.” She squatted to his eyes level and with her index finger, she nudged his head up to face her, “You will then spend about 3 hours heading back to your pack, that is all Markos needs to mark and claim your mate for himself.”

The both of them held each other’s gaze for a while before Devon broke out into a smile. “Your first mistake was underestimating how quick my type evolves and adjusts. We were blessed to keep growing Ketura.” He placed his palms on the ground, and pressed hard, pushing himself up to his legs and Ketura’s eyes widened.

She immediately stood up as well, “you might stand but you can’t…” Devon slashed his jaw himself and allowed a few droplets of blood to roll to the ground before he forced himself to heal, “Be bound by your curse.” He muttered and Ketura’s body stiffened; granting Devon his complete freedom. 

He was naturally resistant to a witch’s spell, but he still went out of his way to learn how to reverse spells, and he was glad to know it finally paid off.

He smirked at her knowing fully well she can see him but she cannot do anything. “Time to see how good your plan truly is.” He dashed off, tearing his shirt off as he did, and midway to the gate, he shifted.

A black wolf with a perpendicular sign on his forehead. People describe him as majestic and magnetic, and that was exactly what his wolf was.

He was 10 times faster in his wolf form, and that was exactly what he needed right now. “Meet me back at the pack, make sure to bring Ketura” he said to Alfonoso and Bacchus when he passed them. 

He took the shortcut, reducing the time back to his pack by an hour, and he could only hope that he would make it back before any harm comes to her. His blood curled and raged inside of him when he thought of Kiara getting hurt by Markos.

“I will eat him alive.” Those were not his words, they belonged to his wolf, and Devon knew that it was not a threat but a promise.