The Oracles Mates

Chapter 18: Aofie

I ran my hands tiredly through my hair, planning has been a chore. We've been back from Italy for three days, and we're expecting allies to begin showing up. At the moment I was still trying to wrap my head around the situation. Things seemed peaceful at home, but there was something nagging in the back of my mind telling me otherwise. A knock on Serenity's cottage door caught my attention. I stand and make my way to the door opening it to find Jun.

"What's going on brother?" He asked as I stepped aside to let him in. I ran a hand over my tired face.

"Nothing but stress."

He hummed at my answer taking a seat on the couch and crossing his legs. "What can I help you with? Serenity and Damien are out training." I took a seat back in my arm chair.

"The Dragon king is arriving today." he commented. That's right, the Dragon king was coming to discuss strategies. "I thought he was coming tomorrow?" I was completely confused, I was under the impression that he was coming later this week.

"He informed us last night that he would be in. He and his mate will be here in a few hours." Jun confirmed. I nodded, where has my head been? I feel like so much time has gone past me and I can't seem to keep a hold on anything.

"Are you doing alright? You've been really spacey recently. Serenity, Savannah and I were out training with Giselle when she sent me in to check on you. She's a worried man." Jun gave me a worried look.

"I'm not too sure myself." I gave him a dry chuckle. I felt powerless, after seeing Jennifer and knowing that she's out to get me...terrifies me. I want to protect my mate and family, but I have no clue what Jennifer may be capable of. It is well known that the elder council will stop at nothing to ensure that they stay in power. It was also ridiculous that they have ruled over us for four centuries. While our aging did slow down significantly, it was not common for a wolf to live past three hundred. The elder council had to have used witches to grant them immortality.

"Is it about Jennifer?" Jun asks, gaining my attention. I give him a grunt in response. It was always about Jennifer. Not only is she after me, she also rejected my brother as her mate. This situation was getting out of hand. How was one woman causing my family so much trouble?

"You know...in more ways than one I'm glad she rejected me." Jun spoke with a light tone as if he honestly felt this way.

"Why?" I gave him a confused look as would any other wolf.

"I'm an oracle." He pointed to his silver hair and eyes. "Oracle's are not supposed to have mates. Serenity is the first I've ever seen, well besides myself. I'm glad, though." Jun stopped for a second, I watched him as a hint of sadness swirled in his eyes.

"There was something that threw me off the second I met her. She may have hidden it from the elder council, but I could see it. The crazed look in her eye every time she even looked in my direction. She may have seemed friendly on the outside...but I knew there was something deeper than that." Jun shook his head in frustration.

"Now, I'm learning how to be on my own. It would have been nice to have a mate, ya know? Jennifer...she is no mate. I've only heard legends, but Jennifer is what is referred to as a kitsune. She's not a regular shifter, she can easily change her appearance and no one could tell the difference. I've seen her shift once, and when she did she had a total of nine tails." Jun sighed. I waited patiently for him to continue.

"We have to practice extreme caution with her. She has the elder council and the witches on her side. I even remember seeing her transform into a human male...she went by the name, Nate if I remember correctly." Everything clicked and rage filled my veins.

"Nate?" I growled.

"Yeah, it was how she was able to travel to the United states and be undetected. The elder council knows of her abilities and has been using her to do their dirty work. She used the disguise of the human male Nate and would get dirt on packs and send back that information. Did you ever come across her?" Jun's brows furrowed. I nodded solemnly.

"Nate was a human Serenity was seeing not too long ago. Now it all makes sense. Jennifer used 'Nate' as a disguise to get closer to me, she must have known Serenity was part of the twins pack...but how? Who would have told her?" My mind swirled with questions. Jun tapped my shoulder, gaining my attention.

"Don't think about it too hard. We'll discuss that with the twins later." Jun reassured me with a tight lipped smile.

"I'm sorry she put you through that. Did she make any effort to get to know you?" I asked leaning forward with renewed interest.

"No, as soon as she looked at me she rejected me. I did try courting her a couple of times, but the longer I interacted with her the more she began to show violence. She would throw things while yelling at me to get out, one time she punched me square in the jaw. After those incidents I swore to stay as far away from her as possible. She's not stable." Jun shrugged as if the situation did not bother him.

"Alright, no more sad topics. I did want to ask, when is Uncle going to arrive?" I tried to dissipate the tension in the room.

"He'll be here when we least expect it. He was never one to arrive anywhere and give a heads up. The raid from our pack really messed him up." Jun nodded as if he had an idea.

"But when he gets here, you'll know." Jun smirked as he stood and stretched. I nodded and watched Jun turn and leave the room. Once again I found myself over thinking, my mind wandering to the 'what-ifs' to the worse scenarios, everything was just becoming too much.

"Baby?" Serenity's voice called from the door way. I pulled my hands from my face and glanced at her. She stood in the doorway with Damien behind her, they both wore expressions of concern. I guess now would be the best time to tell them about Nate- I mean Jennifer.