Chapter 19

Katla

“How the fuck could you?!” I shouted at my lifelong friend as I felt my claws sharpen at the edges of my fingers. “You’re a fucking traitor, Hekla!”

“Katla, I can explain–”

“How can I trust anything you could ever say?” I retorted.

“Katla, please,” she begged, “My father, he… I didn’t have a choice.” I felt my claws pause, and Aurelia’ snarls turned to calmer growls in my mind. Something about the look in her eyes and the way that her voice shook let me know that she was anything other than a willing participant.

“Viti is your mate. Don’t betray him,” I warned. Betraying a mate after a blood tie would mean her death. “Let his mate die,” Aurelia hissed.

Reading my mind, Hekla assured, “I am marked, but he is not. I was able to delay until the Mating Moon to buy time. I’m sure you wish I was dead, too, though….” she looked down, her eyes brimming with tears about to spill over. “Katla, your father, I’m so sorry. I tried to warn you earlier, but my father came in with the guards and took me home before I could tell you. I love your father, probably more than my own if I’m being honest. You have to listen to me though, you have to leave and don’t look back. It isn’t safe for you here. Go, live your life and just try to be happy. OK?”

“Hekla, I was to be named Alpha-in-Waiting. I was bound and couldn’t tell you, but Iceclaw is my pack to lead and protect.”

“I already knew. My father told me after Fenrir’s death, and Viti confirmed it. Katla, I didn’t ask for any of this. Please believe me. When my father commanded me to marry Viti, I couldn’t say ‘no.’ I don’t want to be Luna, and Viti’s plans are just…it doesn’t matter. I will do my best, Katla, but you have to go. Now.” Hekla’s eyes darted to the door. “He’s coming back. I’ll stall him.”

She dashed out into the hall, and I jumped into my closet to grab the first thing I could. A pale pink tracksuit, white tanktop, and white trainers, and tiptoed across my room to listen to the hall. Shit. Shit. Shit. He was back.

“Viti!” Hekla called. “Or should I say ‘Alpha?’” her tone changed to a purr.

“Come here and call me Alpha, baby,” Viti sneered. My skin crawled and Aurelia snarled. “It worked, Hekla. I can’t believe that I have rid the pack of that cancer. I cannot believe that he thought a she-wolf could lead,” he spat.

“Well, you showed who was the true Alpha tonight, and I’ll make you a proper Alpha on the Mating Moon.”

“Who says we need to wait? I need to celebrate, and my wolf wants a release.”

“Remember your promise. No sex until the ceremony, but… we could do something else for your… release…,” she said, and I heard his bedroom door click open. “Come inside and find out what it is.”

“I need to check to see if the bitch came back,” he said, taking a step toward my door.

“Wait, baby, please. I want to wrap my lips around your massive, rock hard Alpha cock and suck you until you explode. Checking to see if she is here can wait for a little while, right?” If she was being honest with me and buying me time, I definitely owed her one; if she wasn’t, I hoped she got what she deserved.

Viti strode back to his side of the hall, Hekla yelped as Viti said, “Do you like when I grab your hair like this?”

“Mmmm,” Hekla responded.

“Good girl,” Viti approved as his door open and shut behind them.

“Thank you,” my wolf said to Hekla’s for the last time. I could feel Hekla’s defeat as I slipped away.

I could still hear the others howling in the distance, and through the windows that faced the glade, I could see crimson on the horizon, not from the sun rising, but because they were torching the place.

“My father,” I gasped. He would inevitably be burned with it. How could they not care?

I sprinted like the wind down the hall, past my father’s office, down the stairs, through the foyer and out the front, racing toward the black cars waiting in the driveway. I still had the documents and necklace in hand, when Damien threw the door open. “Get in! Hurry, they’re coming!”

I jumped into the backseat next to him, “I got delayed. Hekla…” I said, unable to finish. She had betrayed me because she had no choice, but she remained a friend and had just saved my life. I didn’t want to think about what she had to do to save me though.

“Did you get what you needed?” Damien asked, looking me over, “And I see you had time to cover that lovely backside of yours… that’s a shame…” Damien gave me a wolfy grin. I just met this man, yet knowing he had admired me like that brought the tightness and want back. I caught him smirking as he caught the scent of my arousal.

“I did, and I found this,” I said, holding out the charred remains of my father’s will. “I see you had time to throw something on, too” noticing his grey joggers and bare top, mentally noting that he got much more of a show earlier than I did. His broad shoulders, and muscular chest, trailed down to a black line of hair that trailed into his waistband that sat on his hips. My breath hitched, and Aurelia began imagining what was hidden.

“Hmm,” Damien said thoughtfully, “This could come in handy, but it will need to be restored.”

“You can’t restore what was lost,” I replied.

“We’ll see,” he seemed lost in his thoughts.

Just then, I realized I had no idea where were were going as the cars sped along the roads to the Northern border. “Are we going to the human lands?”

“Not exactly.”

“Where are we going?”

“To Silverburn territory of course.”

“Well, that’s obvious,” I smirked, “but where is Silverburn territory?”

“To the North of course. Don’t you know where you really come from, Katla?”