ENGAGEMENT CEREMONY
**********************
NARRATORS POV
**********************
“I have been meaning to tell you something for a while now.” balthazar smiled his eyes glowing.
“What is it my friend,” Demetris replied. His eyes and nose crinkled, obviously, Balthazar still found him important.
“I am in love.”
“Hmmm, how long have you known her .”
“Almost a month now.”
Turning sharply his friend “and you are just telling me, now.” his eyes narrowed
‘I had to be sure, and now I'm convinced she is the one ``Balthazar's pupils turned to bright gold.” This happened whenever he was emotional.
“When did you meet her.”
“Remember the sales attendant at the workshop, in the neighboring pack.”
Demetrius remembered no wonder he had thought her to be familiar when he saw her with balthazar under the oak tree. “Yes, I remember.”
“I want to start making arrangements for our unification, immediately.”
“Their pack is so small, wouldn’t it be better if we made allegiance with a bigger pack, it would benefit us more.”
“Demetrius, you speak as though we can choose whom to love. Aside from that, you of all people should know our high sense of smell leads us directly to our mates, you should be happy for me, especially now that I am going to give our pack a luna.”
‘Im happy for you Balthazar, you know im more logical than emotional.’
“That you are my friend.”
******************
THE NEXT DAY
******************
BEFORE THE COUNCIL
“It’s a good thing that you have found your mate, as the alpha of the pack this is very good news.” the eldest of the pack said
“Thank you. I intend to marry her right away.”
“Even better, we would all be going to see her parents tomorrow then, it is in their right to accept or reject our offer.”
“She is an orphan.”
“Thats going to be a problem.” the elder said
“Why?”
“The luna of a pack as big as ours is supposed to be from a strong family lineage, we need alliances especially through marriage,” Demetrius replied, sometimes he wondered how their pack ended with someone as soft as balthazar. A pack needs someone ruthless and domineering to ensure there is discipline and order.
“Phoebe is my mate and I'm convinced about this. I don’t care about alliances, our pack is the strongest in this territory, after my father ruled, I have continued with his legacy.”
‘We all know this, but .”
“No, but, spread the word, my engagement begins in earnest. And bathes an order.” Balthazar stormed out of the room, with Demetrius in tow.
‘The elders meant well for you.”
Balthazar suddenly stopped and turned to face his friend “are you for me or against me.”
“You are my friend. Of course, I'm for you.”
“Then support me, have faith in my decision.”
Looking sober Demetrius placed his hands on his friend’s shoulder. “You have my full support.”
The enemy lurked behind the shadows, as the plot thickened the perfect plan was hatched, the wolfsbane was ready, just a drop would do the magic. Too small to kill but enough to cause damage. Indeed he was the genius if only his human was as devious as him.
The engagement of Phoebe and Balthazar was attended by the alphas and high-ranking officials of the neighboring packs; all the members of the mountain pride pack were in attendance. Phoebe also invited members of her pack to her engagement, the alpha of her pack Lakeview pack declared a holiday to honor her because it was a great alliance for their pack to have an alpha of the mountain pride pack marry their own.
The gathering was filled with people of all ages, there was much to eat and the atmosphere was pure bliss, the drinks flowed freely, the table was phoebe and balthazar sat detached some few feet away from the other guest.
The time came for the couples to share their first meal. Unknown to them the steak had been laced with a tiny drop of wolfbane, not suspecting a thing they ate up as the crowd cheered them on. The deed was done and their fate sealed.
S“My queen.” Sebastian smiled as he approached Mara. Mara stood transfixed as she was mesmerized by the man standing before her. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life.“Finally you are here.” he held her hands and kissed her fingers. “Time to go home, where you belong.” he held her hands and let her back towards the ocean.Czar watched them in confusion, everything was happening so fast, and ‘who was this fine-looking man’ -he wondered.“What's going on here, and where are you taking her to?” Czar blocked his part as he spoke, it took all his strength not to fall for Sebastian's charm.
CZARS’ POVI Stared at the rogue before me, weighing his words and trying hard to convince myself that what he was saying was false, but failing miserably. It was not as if I was not aware that the pack hated me but to want me dead was so new and frightening to me. Also, no one knew I was out here except for the enchantress and possibly the beta and council of elders.Feeling defeated and strained, I crouched beside a huge tree with my head bent over my thighs. Indecisive about my next plan of action, to make things worse I was beginning to doubt the essence of this mission I was sent on, what if it was a plow to get me out of the pack so I could be killed or worse my parents could be in danger.Or maybe they wanted me killed so I would not su
THE JOURNEYTHIS PART OF THE STORY DEALS WITH THE ADVENTURES, AND DANGERS AND CREATURES CZAR AND MARA WOULD ENCOUNTER AS THEY JOURNEY TO THE REALM BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATHWhat's your name?” Mara said, running after the warrior. From the way he walked, she noticed he limped on his left foot but that did not stop him from walking so fast. He had been ignoring her since they escaped from the dangerous black haze.To Mara, they were in the middle of nowhere but somehow Czar seemed to know where he was going.At first, she tagged along behind him until he shouted at her to stop following him, but she ignored him. however she allowed a reasonable distance between them, no need ruffl
THEY METCZAR’S POV“What are you doing here?” I asked once I got my balance and stood firmly on the damp ground.“I should be asking you the same.” She retorts back at me before bending her head over her knees.“You would have been dead by now, all it would take is just a strike from me,” I say to her, she just missed being struck by a stroke of luck. Looking at her bent-over the frame I just could not fathom why she was in this part of the forest, and from the way she looked she had been here longer than I was and was still alive. Mystery or luck- I wonder.“And who says I'
SEEKERBalthazar's health continued to deteriorate. He was supposed to get better according to the doctor but rather than get better; he got worse. His nerves shook involuntarily and when he tried to shift, it was so painful, worse than it was when he shifted for the first time. His luna phoebe was so worried that she called the attention of the packs’ enchantress.“He is under a curse.” the sorceress claimed immediately as she stepped into the alpha’s bedroom“You must be joking, what is it with you and curses,” Balthazar replied, irritated by her remark“You have angered the gods, you spilled the blood of an innocent child, a gifted one chosen by the gods.” the sorceress conti
BANISHEDClara and Lana took the herbs when they started feeling the baby's pressure down their pelvic area, they were already nine months into their pregnancy and the herbs were to help quicken labor and make delivery smoother.Lana gave birth first followed shortly by Clara, however, there was no cry from the babies. The midwife in attendance did everything possible to make the babies cry.“They are turning blue.” one of the ladies in attendance said“The enchantress was called upon so was mara but it was too late.‘They are dead.” whispered the midwife.“No, not my child. Give her to me.” Clara took the still baby and wa