Forced Mate

22: Mysticum Lupi

"How could you do that? It's not like specific birth timetables can be planned—"

"Magic, of course. If you haven't realized by now, we're Mysticum Lupi."

"Yeah, I caught onto that."

"I didn't complete your training so you wouldn't shift. It's part of the prophecy, you see. I knew you'd be mated to someone like Jaxon—I read it in the stars," Her casual tone contains so much outlandish information that it sends my head reeling. But I do my best to listen carefully so I won't miss any vital details. 

"I knew such a powerful Alpha would be upset with an unshifted mate. Along with his rejection of you, your father's death, and my leaving, you became the perfect image of the cast-off mate that would bring Hayes immense power." She pauses again, "What I didn't plan for was you falling in love with that beast. I mean, I never loved your father and he was such a kind wolf. It was easy to ignore his feelings. 

"Yet, Jaxon manipulates you, abuses you, forces you into things you've never desired and you still somehow manage to fall in love with him? It's pathetic, my dear."

"I-I couldn't help it," I defend myself, though I don't know why. "He marked me...and then had me bonded to the pack. The mate pull was too strong—"

"No, you're just too weak," She spits back and I cringe at the venom in her tone. "And stupid. You believed his little lies, didn't you? About his entire pack dying if he died? About you dying if he died? No," She laughs now, a breathy and evil sound.

 "You're just a naïve little girl. Easily tricked just because someone tells you they love you—"

"Shut up!" I shout at her, raging against my bounds as she berates me. "I didn't know! How could I? No one told me. You left. Dad died. I had no one—"

"Don't use that as an excuse for idiocy," She scoffs. "You allow fear and love and naivety to rule you—a dangerous combination." 

Fingers grip my chin and hold me in place as she speaks lowly into my ear, "But you can be so much more than that. By the time I'm through with you, you will be one of the most powerful lupus mystici of the age. And Jaxon will tremble at the sound of your name."

"Stop!" I resist, yanking my face out of her grip and trying to peddle myself away from her. I eventually smack into a wall, which she laughs at.

"There's no escaping destiny, Isabelle. Fatum circulo facit—The motto of Mysticum Lupi. Your circle is almost fully drawn, and when it's complete, you'll never be accused of being weak again," The sound of stone grinding against stone reaches my ears. 

"Which, I thought you'd appreciate, after being cast aside so many times by your mate."

"I don't want to be weak," I grit out, "but not if it means having to be mated to him—"

"Would you prefer his brother, Jon?" Her tone sends ice down my spine and I swallow hard at the mention of my best friend. She tsks, "Such a shame about his betrayal. We know he made the necklace to conceal you. If only betrayal wasn't punishable by death..."

"Don't you touch him!" I scream, wriggling and squirming as I try to break free. I don't know what I'll do once I'm unbound, but all I care about is Jon. They can't kill him—not for helping me. "Don't!"

"Maybe," Her velvety voice is closer now, "there could be mercy for him..." She trails off, "if there's cooperation from you."

I stop fighting, "Y-You won't kill him I cooperate?"

"His survival depends on it," She says and I slouch against the wall, my breath coming out in long pulls from exerting myself.

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"You don't," Is all she says.

Simultaneously, I hear her let out a puff of air and a gritty dust settles over my face. I cough as I try to expel it from my lungs, but more of it manages to make its way into my mouth and nose, down my throat. Sour and smoky, I almost retch at the taste of it. But it's only a moment before I'm seeing stars that pulse in and out until there's nothing but darkness. 

A/N: Another short chapter. My thesis defense is in less than a month, so I've been devoting most of my time to that. I'm taking a quick break, so I thought I'd write a little chapter for ya!

1) What do we think of Isabelle's mother?

2) What about Isabelle being a mystical wolf?

3) Will her mother keep her promise and not have her best friend killed if she cooperates?

4) How will she ever get out of this situation?

5) What about Jaxon?

xoxo,

IC Judah