"Just like you let her go?"
When Selena reached the meeting room, everyone was there already. There was something that she needed to talk to Xavier about, away from the sharp supernatural hearing of the wolves. So she linked Xavier to once come out of the huge meeting room.
There was something weighing down on her heart, and it was important that she spoke to him about it.
When Xavier came outside, he saw the frantic look on her face. Immediately his hands went on her cheeks and he looked right at her eyes, "What is it? Are you okay?"
"It won't be easy," Selena spoke.
Xavier stilled. With his hands still on her cheeks, he whispered, "What?"
Selena took in a deep breath, and removed Xavier's hands from her cheeks but didn't let them go.
"There is as little as five percent chance of us to win this war. Max and Leon, along with the rest of the hunters, they are not going down without a fight and we both know that with the help of silver bullets and god knows what other weapons, his win is inevitable."
Xavier frowned, "So what are you saying?"
With her eyes still on him, she saw the confusion clearly. He had no idea where she was going with this conversation. She continued, "You can back out if you want to."
Xavier raised an eyebrow but she continued before he could interrupt, her eyes solely on him.
"This is not your fight. Hundreds of people will die and there is also the chance of your pack being destroyed. I don't want that to happen. I don't want people to risk their lives because of me. I have already lost one pack. I cannot take the loss of another."
All Xavier could do was stare at her.
How could she say that?
Selena looked at him, trying her best to have her guard up but the moment it faltered, Xavier could clearly see what was bothering her. Her eyes kept going back to the meeting room door, where the pack was, and she looked scared.
She was scared of losing another pack, of losing her mate, her brother and her friends. She was scared to once again be taken without her consent and be tortured with God knows what. Xavier thought it was time that he knew what they had actually done to her, but he didn't approach the topic at that time.
He smiled and took her hand, and walked into the meeting room. Selena had expected him to voice his reply but when he started pulling her behind him, she only hesitated for a second before she stopped and went with him. Everyone made way for their alpha and Luna to pass and Xavier didn't stop until he reached the podium.
He then turned to the pack. Selena was confused, why was he smiling, and what was he doing? But he didn't say a word. Everyone looked shocked, some of them even a bit curious.
The wolves in the room had started whispering seeing that their alpha was quiet.
"Silence!"
His voice echoed throughout the room. Everyone stopped and stood dead still in the room, waiting for their alpha's next command.
"Who is the woman standing beside me to you all?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Selena's neck snapped towards him. The family took a few steps forward and Ileana put a hand on Xavier's shoulder.
"Xavier, what are you doing?" She whispered in vain; everybody heard her.
"What is she to you, Ileana? How important is she to you?" Xavier asked again, this time, he took hold of Selena's hand, while he repeated and looked at her sister. Selena flushed in slight embarrassment as Ileana looked at her and her eyes softened.
"She is like my sister. She's a fighter, the strongest one I have ever seen," she said with pure love and adoration in her eyes.
"She is my sister, my doll. She is the most important person in my life besides my mate now," Connor spoke and the way he looked at Selena, Xavier knew that Connor had figured out what this was about.
"You are the one that brought changes in the pack, good changes. You're family," Aiden said looking at Selena.
"You're the one who brought me my best friend back. Xavier had become a brooder after the previous attack and before meeting you. You are also my best friend," Ryan said with a soft and sad smile. "You're my sister. You're my family. You're our Luna."
"You're my alpha," Jayce said, surprising everyone. He smiled at her with love, adoration and respect, "and till now, the strongest alpha I have seen." He glanced at Xavier and said, "No offence," with a slight bow in his head and looked at Selena again, "You will always be the strongest one I know."
He said slowly and everyone shouted agreeing with him.
"You're our Luna."
"You taught us to fight stronger."
"You are the one that never gave up; you came back up stronger every time you fell."
"You're our favourite Luna!" shouted a teenager from the crowd.
The final statement made her take in a shaky breath as everyone looked at her.
"Will you people back away from a fight if it is about the safety of your Luna?" Xavier asked now looking at the pack again.
Screams of "NO" and "NEVER" were heard all throughout the room. Everybody was screaming and wanted to know what was going on as Selena looked down. She was overwhelmed as she felt the love of all the pack members through the link.
"There is something that you guys don't know," everyone became quiet and Xavier continued, "The hunters have been keeping an eye on us. They were always a step ahead of us, and based on the two threat notes that we found, it can be concluded that they are after our Luna."
Gasps were heard and the face of the pack members instantly changed from confusion to anger.
No matter the problems that Selena faced there, apart from the few deceivers and the few disgraceful wolves, everyone in the pack adored her for the strength that she had shown. She had earned their respect as their Luna.
The Luna is like a queen, the one that holds the pack and their alpha together, and to learn that someone had been threatening her? The wolves were already outraged at the hunters for having abused her. And now, they wanted blood.
"They have been mocking us, playing with us from the very beginning," Xavier continued, "But it is time that we show them why we are the strongest pack."
Xavier's voice had gotten significantly louder by the time he finished and everyone was shouting out their agreements. Selena's heart warmed at the sight, but there was one thing holding her back.
"We will fight for her, with her," the pack screamed together.
Xavier turned towards her and took her face in his hands. He could feel the turbulence in her mind about letting the pack begin a war, but it wasn't just her decision anymore. It was what the pack wanted.
"We will fight for our Luna," Xavier began with confidence, "We will lay down our lives for her if it comes to it."
Selena blinked back the tears and looked back at Xavier, there were so many emotions in her eyes that it broke Xavier's heart. He smiled at her gently.
"All these people love you, Selena. They love you for who you are and we will do everything in our hands to make sure you are safe. This is our fight," he turned to look at the pack, "This fight is to avenge the injustice done to our Luna, and this fight is for the murder of our beloved Ex-Gamma."
Xavier noticed how bright Roy's eyes were shining. He nodded at him subtly and the gamma returned a jerky nod.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"The hunters will pay!"
Xavier shouted and in response to his shout, screamed back the pack.
"Training is compulsory for everyone from now on. We have a war at our hands, and everyone should be prepared to fight back. That's it for now, meeting dispersed."
Xavier, while still holding Selena's hands firmly, walked back to his office without waiting. When they reached the office, he closed the door and turned to look at her.
Selena was going to speak, but Xavier beat her to it.
"Is that why you had planned to leave?"
Selena looked at him completely confused, "What?"
Xavier's eyes bore into hers, trying to figure her out. However, it was clear that Selena had no idea what he was talking about, and he sighed, "Connor let it slip that you had planned to leave."
Selena went back in her mind and remembered the conversation she had had with Connor while Ryan was still in the hospital and Xavier was in another pack, she too sighed.
"Partly," she whispered, "Also because I had felt that things wouldn't get better between us, but you proved me wrong," she smiled at him softly now, "You gave me a reason to stay."
"I haven't really done anything to prove it yet," Xavier whispered.
Selena shook her head, "I see you trying to make up for it every day. That is what matters the most."
"And you still thought about leaving?" Xavier couldn't help but ask.
"I saw one pack perish, I cannot bear to see another, I cannot see you go through the same thing I did."
"You won't," Xavier held her close to him. Their foreheads touched and their breaths mingled together as Xavier continued, "We are together this time, and we are prepared too. We will succeed."
She sighed, "I hope so."
Xavier rolled his eyes, "I know so."
He pecked her lips, a few times consecutively, making her chuckle. She kissed him back but stopped before things got too heated. Xavier noticed it but didn't say anything. He knew she still needed time and he respected it. No matter how crazy Zion gets, he had committed to himself that he wouldn't initiate anything intimate until Selena makes it clear that she is ready.
Xavier groaned, "Why can't I just be here in your arms? Why do I have to go?"
"Because you are the alpha and it's your duty," Selena smirked amused.
"Well, I am your mate too, and it is my duty to make sure that my mate is looked after."
Selena giggled, a sound that Xavier barely gets to hear, and made him smile, before she asked, "Where do you have to go?"
"To the dungeon," Xavier sighed, "To pay a little visit to my childhood friend."
His gritted tone made Selena look at him a bit sadly, it did hurt to have one of your oldest friends turn out a traitor.
"Actually," Xavier said, "Come with me. Let's have a chat with that wretch."
Selena scoffed and chuckled, "Why are you speaking like a character from 1800s?"
Xavier stilled and looked at Selena with a tilted head, and then sighed, "I was reading a book, the words from it might have gotten to me."
Selena chuckled, "You're cute."
"Absolutely not," he said getting too close to her, "I am handsome, hot and sexy, not cute."
Selena shrugged and walked out towards where they knew Stacy was chained, and Xavier grumbled as he followed her.
When they entered, the room was dark and the only sound was of someone's strained breathing. Xavier walked in with Selena right by his side, a harsh look on his face.
The guard outside had switched on the light for his leaders when he saw them enter her cell.
When their eyes fell on her, Stacy was sitting there almost too calmly with her eyes closed shut, the only sign of her being conscious was the sound of her ragged breathing.
"That's rude, no greeting?"
She opened her eyes surprised and stared at them in confusion.
Xavier raised an eyebrow and smirked, "You didn't feel us arriving, did you?"
Stacy frowned, a little panicked right then.
"Tchk..." Xavier continued, "Scent hiding potions have a side effect, they weaken your other senses."
"What do you want?" She asked.
"That's what I should ask you. What do you want? You had everything here, a pack, a home... why did you risk all of that?"
Stacy scoffed, "Your father killed my mom. I still loved you. But then..."
"Then I came along..." Selena said out loud, "Are you really that stupid, making the same mistakes your mother did? You have a mate out there."
"Oh I know," she grinned in a crazy way, "That is what made me realize that I never loved him. He also made me realize that you are all murderers... You, Damien, and you don't deserve to lead this pack. In fact, this pack is a bunch of murderers and hypocrites."
"You're insane," Xavier muttered.
"You killed my mom!"
"She killed your dad and came after my family!" Xavier screamed back. Selena held his hand in comfort and Xavier calmed down only slightly, "She wasn't sane."
Stacy laughed out loud, "You don't deserve happiness, Xavier. Your family needs to pay. Jared will make sure that you pay for what you have done to me."
"Jared?" Selena asked surprised, "Is that the name of your mate?"
Stacy smirked widely, "You bet he is. He will make sure you pay. And with the help of that witch and her spellbook?" She laughed, "You don't even know what you are going against, they will rip you to shreds," she growled.
"Spellbook?"
Stacy grinned, "They are gonna hand your asses back to you. They will have you begging on your knees for your lives."
"I am sure they will," Selena said.
She almost pitied the she-wolf for a second before she remembered everything she put her through and just like that, her face was hard again. With one last look at each other, the couple left the cell, leaving the she-wolf alone in the cell, hanging by the chains, shouting like a maniac.
"Make sure she gets enough food to keep her breathing. Always have an eye on her. I need her alive."
"Yes alpha."
They remained quiet until they entered the packhouse.
"Call Lorcan." Xavier looked at Selena surprised and she continued, "He'd know more about the witch thing."
Xavier nodded, "Well I am pretty sure that he will drop in like he randomly does sometime tomorrow."
____|~.~|____
On the other side, Jared walked into the cave. It was a cave in the no man's land where all the rogues were, these hunters and modified it into a home for themselves. It was only their workplace. Most of them lived in the town like Jared and Naomi.
When Jared entered the cave room, only a single man was there sitting on a chair, facing away from him. There was an aquarium where the man's eyes were, and Jared was sure he was looking at the fish or sleeping.
"Stacy has been MIA, I think she has been compromised."
His fingers moved only slightly, but enough to get Jared's attention.
So awake, he thought.
"Well, I knew she would get caught sooner or later."
"Sir, I think we should make a move now."
"One more week, Jared, let our princess have one more week."
"But what are we waiting for?" The man turned around and looked at Jared.
"Are you sure you wanna know the story?" he raised an eyebrow, "It's a long one."
"For god's sake, brother, don't bore him with it," Leon said as he came inside the room, took another beer and walked out again.
Max chuckled and leaned back, "Everything is planned, Jared, cannot make changes to the scheduled right now."
"Schedule?"
"What's with the questions?" Max questioned, "Make sure that our guest is prepared for the war."
"Yes sir." Jared hurried out and slammed the door shut as he did.
Max sighed and stood up, he walked back to the room where he had kept Selena. The cage was still there, but in that cage, was another boy, barely eighteen.
"How are you doing, Elijah?" Max asked as he kicked the cage making it rattle.
The boy put his hands on the cage and looked up at him.
"Please father," his voice scratchy and weak, "Please let me go."
"Just like you let her go?" He seethed.
"You were torturing her." He coughed as he finished his sentence.
"They are monsters! They took my lover!"
"You beat her, tell me what's worse, anyway she wasn't yours to take."
Max kicked the cage again, harder this time, making Elijah groan in pain.
"Please, just let me go. I will get out of your hair, please..." Elijah sobbed. He shivered in cold as his father looked down at his naked body.
"You're a disgrace," he spat and with one last kick to the cage, left the room, and his crying son, shivering and shaking.
____|~.~|____
Please vote, comment, add and share if you liked the book! It would mean a lot! Thanks for reading! <3