Breaking the Bond that Binds.

Chapter 24 - Like Old Times

Damien cleared his throat. "Leave him to find his own mate mother. He has lived without our rules long enough to know what he wants in a mate." His father was not happy with this situation at all. You could see it on his face, the veins on his forehead looked like they were about to pop.

"How can you sit there and discuss him looking for a mate." His father finally spat the dummy. "For the Alpha of the Pure Bloods, this is totally inappropriate behaviour. Why is he staying here, he is no  longer one of us." I remember that look of hate on his face. I use to see it every day of my life when I was young.

All the unpleasant memories of being a lowborn were coming back and I wanted to disappear. What he said was true to a point. I had disowned the pack but that wasn't what he meant. He was talking about me not being a pure blood in the first place. "Your rejected mate is sitting at our table and you are talking pleasantries. What about you? When will you choose a mate?" He stood up, his fangs dropped and he his palm came down so hard on the table that the plates and glasses rattled across the top. I could start to feel my chest constrict. I breathed slowly and closed my eyes concentrating on staying calm. This was the last place I wanted to let the pain take control.

"Father unless you want to end up in the hospital again calm yourself." Damien was like ice. He stared down at his father and Luna cowered in her seat. So this is what he was like as Alpha leader, even his father was not spared the indignity of being put in his place.

Damien heard a small gasp and turned to me. I was trying my hardest to control the growing pain. He realised what was happening. To my shock and I think his parent's utter amazement he laid his hand on mine for a moment and spoke gently. "If you're finished I think we will leave now. We have a meeting to attend." I stood up ready to sprint out of the room. He said his goodbyes to his parents and I nodded in their general direction and followed him close enough to be between him and his shadow.

The PA was waiting outside the door and the three of us made our way to the waiting car.

.....

The silence in the Chapel is different from anywhere else I have been. It's as if nothing of this world exists within it. It's a bubble that holds the essence of somewhere else, a sacred, secret place. I felt it vaguely when I was there for the rejection ceremony. Generations of ancestors stood around us in their ghostly forms watching us. The heavy door leading to the chambers beneath was open. The three of us stood under the central light and waited for the Tattac Guardian.

To each Pure Blood pack, there were 5 Guardians. Each advising the Alpha in different areas of the Lycan world ie Hoplite - the training of a small army of men to guard the pack, Kairos - the growth and health of the packs business and fortune, Tattac - the performance of sacred rights and the perpetuation of the old ways, Ogéneia – otherwise known as The PA was the guardian who spent his lifetime close to the Alpha and The Pure, the ultimate wingman. The last had a nebulous function. Apestal - They were always sent from the Pure Blood homeland and assigned to a pack by the Alpha King of all purebloods. They were only answerable to the Alpha and the King himself.

We heard the steps first, coming slowly up from the chamber below, a little ominous I thought and I moved a step closer to the PA. He finally removed his dark glasses and gave me a look that said back off.   A very old, short, grey-haired man appeared in the doorway. I had expected someone like Paul, tall, scary and intimidating but instead, it was a rather well-dressed hobbit that stood smiling at the Alpha. If he had looked like the typical Pure Blood Lycan it had been a long, long time ago. He had the olive skin and strong jaw of our pack but he was bent with age and his wolf sat placidly licking its paw, no fire left there.

"Alpha, it is always a pleasure to see you." He took the Alpha's hand a shook it furiously. "And how may I help you? I was told that you have an urgent matter to discuss." His eyes moved to me and the faintest look of disgust crossed his face. He even sniffed me. I wanted to hit him. "Who do we have here?" He knew perfectly well. He had after all performed the fucked up rejection ceremony.

"David surely you must remember my ex-mate, Virgil. You broke our bond right on this spot." I put out my hand but his fluttered around his face for a moment and then clasped tightly on his chest.  

"Of course, you look well my boy. I thought you left for good." He eyed me up and down and turned back to Damien.  I admit it was unusual for a rejected mate to be on speaking terms with their ex but he was being particularly rude.  Even with my expensive clothes my lowborn blood still offended him.

"How can I help Alpha?" Damien's facial expression was somewhere between peeved and angry. Whatever came next could go either way. I could see that he was very much in Alpha mode. The Guardian, David, who looked more like a Kevin, seemed to be shrinking under Damien's glare.

"Something went terribly wrong when I rejected Virgil." He took a step closer to the Guardian and growled, his wolf just there behind his eyes. "You have one chance to fix the mistake."

David looked like he was about to pass out or wet himself.