NATALIA
I can do this. The words became my mantra, providing a fragile anchor as I stood outside the Loch Fyne Café and braced for my meeting with Councillor Ronan.
The café door swung open, unleashing a swell of sound and scent. My nerves jangled out of tune with the casual bustle around me. The warm aroma of fresh scones and toasted sandwiches reminded my empty stomach I hadn't eaten since breakfast.
"Table for one, dear?" A perky waitress appeared at my elbow, menus stacked in her hands.
"No, thank you," I replied with a brittle smile. "I'm meeting someone."
Her eyes followed my gaze while I scanned the room, and with an understanding nod, she darted back into the bustling café. My heart rate quickened when I spotted Ronan near the window.
Taking a deep breath, I approached his table, steeling myself against the memory of our last encounter. It was all still fresh in my mind—the annoyance in his voice and the undisguised disgust in his expression as I pleaded my case.
"Natalia." His greeting was gruff, but his smile was polite when he gestured to the empty chair across from him. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."
"Of course, Councillor Ronan. I want to help however I can." The words tumbled out, my nerves manifesting in the quickened pace of my speech.
"Please, call me Tiberius. We're not at an official council meeting, after all." He signalled the waitress for another coffee. "How do you take yours?"
I settled into my seat, folding my hands in my lap to hide their trembling. "Latte, thanks."
An uneasy silence fell between us once the waitress brought my drink. I cradled the warm mug, unsure who should broach the subject first.
The tiger shifter studied me for a long moment before he cleared his throat. "I know you must be wondering why I, out of the whole Council, was asked to speak to you... The truth is, I owe you an apology. I misjudged you, and for that I am sorry."
My eyes widened at his admission, searching for any hint of insincerity. He seemed genuinely contrite, his previous hostility replaced by an almost friendly rapport. I couldn't let myself hope too much, though; our cordial exchange could end the moment we delved deeper.
"I don't understand."
"Let's just say that recent events made me realise you only want what is best for those shifters," he continued, meeting my gaze. "And I believe you're their best hope to resolve this crisis before it's too late."
I stiffened, breath catching. How could I tell him that the very abilities they needed were gone?
"But please, let's not dwell on the past. I asked you here because the Council needs your help more than ever."
"Tiberius, regarding my offer..." I hesitated, struggling to find the right words.
Ronan watched me wrestle with inner turmoil, sharp eyes missing nothing. I took a shaky breath, the truth trembling on my lips, but shame held it back.
"Perhaps we should continue this conversation somewhere more private. Too many ears here." He glanced meaningfully around the busy café, full of humans but also shifters. "Let's take a walk outside. It'll give us the privacy we need to discuss such a sensitive matter."
"Alright." I took one last sip of my coffee and followed him out of the café.
The promise of more time before my confession gave me temporary respite, yet I knew it would not stay buried forever.
JAMES
Alone with my thoughts, the silence in the kitchen pressed down on me like a vice. My head throbbed as I cradled it in my hands, fingertips digging into my scalp to stop the emotions that threatened to consume me. I wanted something, anything, to dull the ache of knowing I had hurt Natalia; yet there was no escape from the storm raging inside me.
The image of her crumpling to the ground, powerless and broken, was seared into my mind. I was never going to forgive myself for causing her pain. More than that, it was the knowledge that I had crushed her spirit, shaken the very foundations of our bond.
No, I fucking deserved this torment, this constant reminder of how deeply I had failed the woman I loved more than life itself.
Leaning back against my chair, I closed my eyes, picturing her face. I missed her with an ache that went soul deep. Those striking blue eyes that saw right through me, her playful smile that always made my heart stutter.
I never deserved her light, her goodness. But she chose me, believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. She unlocked something in me I thought was long dead—joy, tenderness, hope. With her by my side, the future had never looked brighter... Now that light was extinguished, snuffed out by my lies and Kerrin's manipulations. And I only had myself to blame.
"Fuck," I roared, sending the mug on the table flying until it smashed in the nearest cupboard.
I'd fucked up.
This wasn't all your doing, Aron chimed in through our mindlink. We both played a role here.
Doesn't matter, I interrupted him. She trusted me, loved me, and all I gave her in return was betrayal and misery... She didn't deserve this, any of it.
A crushing weight pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I meant every word I said to her earlier. I was ready to do everything to win her back. Yet, the doubts kept creeping in—what if she never forgave me? Never trusted me again?
The thought of losing her tore me apart inside.
You cannot give in to despair, James. Aron cut in, refusing to let me wallow. You have to fight for her. Show her that you're willing to do whatever it takes to make things right. Be the mate she deserves—the man she always knew you could be.
My spiralling mind was interrupted by the ringing of my phone, Sara's name flashing on my screen. Part of me didn't want to answer, but I couldn't ignore my sister, either.
"Hey, Sara." I answered her video call, trying to sound casual. "How are you?"
"I'm alright, but you look like hell. What's going on? Is everything okay with Natalia?"
"I'm fine. Just tired, that's all." I attempted to shrug off her concern. But my sister knew me too well, so I could see the scepticism written across her face.
"Hey, don't do that. You can talk to me."
Except that I wasn't ready to tell her about Natalia yet. "I appreciate it, sis. But I'll be alright."
"Fine." She sighed, relenting for now. "But if you change your mind, I'm here. Anyway, I called to share the news—the Council has agreed to seek Natalia's help with the feral shifters. Thought you should know."
An invisible fist squeezed my heart at the mention of my mate. "Thanks, but I already know. Councillor Ronan is here to meet her."
"What? That's not possible—he wasn't at the Council meeting, and we only just took the decision."
"Well, Ronan called her forty minutes ago, asking to discuss it with her," I explained, feeling a growing sense of unease. "Are you sure he wasn't there?"
"Positive. You know how big the Council is. I would've noticed if he were there."
"Damn it," I cursed under my breath, gripping the phone tightly. Fear for Natalia's safety began to consume me, like a wildfire tearing through a forest. "Sara, what's been happening with the feral shifters so far?"
"They're locked up. Before Natalia suggested her solution, there were talks of putting them down for everyone's safety. In fact, Ronan is in charge of overseeing them and the territories affected. Why?"
"Shit," I hissed, fear gripping every part of me as I pieced together the implications of Sara's information. My chest tightened, and my breathing grew shallow. Natalia was in danger, and I needed to find her as quickly as possible. "Sara, I have to go—Ronan has my mate."
"Wait, what? What's going on?"
"I'll explain later. I need to go now!" I hurriedly ended the call, already sprinting towards the door. Every fibre of my being was focused on one goal: getting to my little wolf before Ronan could harm her.
NATALIA
The autumn air filled my nostrils as I strode beside Councillor Ronan. We treaded the leaf-strewn trail, the path winding along the shores of Loch Lomond. It was far enough from Luss and the bustling café to ensure our privacy, yet he remained silent, his deep thoughts apparent in his furrowed brows.
I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, hesitating. He walked unaware of the conversation I was rehearsing in my head. I knew I needed to tell him about the loss of my abilities—I had no choice—but the uncertainty of his reaction made me anxious.
Could I still be of help? Without my abilities, was I still a valuable asset, or was I just... ordinary?
My mind spun with conflicting thoughts, but one truth remained: I might've lost my powers, but not my will, my determination.
Gathering my courage, I looked over at him. "Councillor," I began, my voice betraying the quiver in my chest. "Tiberius."
He stopped mid-step, sharp eyes piercing mine. "Is everything okay?"
My stomach twisted itself into anxious knots, like a flock of frantic birds trying to escape. But I pushed past it, swallowing the lump lodged in my throat.
"There is something you need to know. I... I don't know how to say this, so I'll just—" I stumbled over my words, each one tasting more bitter than the last. "I've lost my Omega abilities."
"Lost them?" His face faltered for a moment, surprise etched across his features. "What do you mean, you've lost your Omega abilities?"
"It's hard to explain it, but something happened and I can no longer connect with other shifters."
"Are you sure?"
I nodded, the reality of my situation sinking in further. "Yes. But I want to help however I can," I added, desperation seeping into my words. I wanted him to understand, to see that my will was still strong, even if my powers were not.
Ronan was silent for a moment, staring off into the distance. His face remained inscrutable, making it impossible to gauge his reaction now that I couldn't feel others. Yet, there was a flicker of... something. Disappointment? Regret? Or was it relief? It was gone before I could be sure.
"Well, that is... unfortunate," he finally said. "I suppose life has a way of throwing wrenches into our plans, doesn't it?"
His composure was unnerving. He should have been dismayed, frustrated even, yet he seemed... contemplative before his gaze hardened, growing intense.
"Sometimes, we must make difficult sacrifices in pursuit of the greater good. Stay focused on ambition, not temporary obstacles." The sudden coolness in his tone sent a shiver down my spine. "Fortune favours the bold, Natalia."
His words were cryptic, heavy with implications I couldn't quite grasp. My skin prickled with unease, the disturbing echo of my father in Ronan's words chilling me to the bone. His statements, every carefully measured pause, stirred memories of my father's views and lectures, his mannerisms. The resemblance was unnerving, a splash of cold dread spreading through my veins.
"I... I should go." I turned, my instincts screaming at me to put distance between Ronan and myself.
"Really, Natalia?" His voice stopped me in my tracks, his tone laced with a hint of mockery. "You must truly have lost your abilities if you haven't sensed it."
"Sensed what?" I choked out between ragged breaths.
I spun around to face him, prepared to demand answers, but the words died in my throat when he spoke. "That I am behind it all, down to the last feral shifter."
Horror seized me, freezing me in place as the gravity of his revelation took hold, and everything suddenly moved in slow motion. The intricate web of deceit he had woven, the lives he had endangered, all under the guise of someone trusted. A member of the Council. In my naïve optimism, I had walked right into his trap.
"Wh-why?" I searched for reason in his eyes, only to find cold satisfaction.
"Power," the tiger shifter said simply, as if that one word justified everything. "With chaos comes opportunity. And with opportunity, control."
I shook my head, refusing to accept his twisted logic. My chest tightened, raw emotions clawing inside my mind, choking off any chance of coherent thought. How could I have been so blind?
"Did you really think I'd let you waltz in and fix everything?" Ronan sneered.
"Then why reveal yourself now?"
"Because your time is up," he said, his voice cold. "And I want you to know who ultimately defeated you."
In the corner of my vision, I glimpsed something metallic. A syringe filled with a sinister liquid glinted in the fading sunlight, held firmly in his grip.
"Abilities gone or not, you are the only one who could have stopped me, and I am leaving nothing to chance."
Before I could react, he lunged, syringe aimed for my neck. Instinct kicked in and I twisted away, but Ronan was quicker. He anticipated my move, and in one brutal motion, slammed me back against a tree, knocking the air from my lungs.
I clutched my neck where the needle had stabbed, heart thundering against my ribs fit to burst. My vision blurred, Ronan's distorted grin mocking my futile resistance.
A scream tore from my throat as the icy serum chilled me to my core, then set every nerve alight with agony. The foreign substance coursed through my body like a venomous intruder, hell-bent on destruction. My knees buckled, my muscles spasming, and the solid ground morphed into a treacherous sea of instability.
I heard Ciara's cry echo within my mind before the tether of our connection frayed, unravelling into a screaming cacophony. The world around me dissolved into anarchy as my thoughts scattered, logic slipping away while primal impulse took over.
"James..." His was the only coherent image left. I clung to it like a lifeline before chaos consumed me.
My body convulsed, responding to an urge to shift that was as terrifying as it was uncontrollable.
With an anguished howl, Ciara's calm presence vanished once my wolf form took over, leaving only frenzied animal instinct when the last tether of my humanity snapped.
*********
Surprise 🫣🫣🫣
Sooooo, this happened... And that's all I have to say 😂
Meanwhile, I am super happy I actually managed to get this chapter done this weekend. 🥳I only started on Friday night due to the pneumonia that has be plaguing me, so I am thrilled I didn't need to postpone it for next week.
Having said that, we are soooo close to the end. I don't want to tell you how far because I don't want to spoil the next chapters but yes, I am not sure I am ready to say goodbye to James and Nat yet. 😭 That's if they make it out of this first because things aren't looking good for poor Nat....
Can't wait to hear what you all think, especially if you have any theories whether Nat can be saved from her feral state. 😭
Love,
Ina xx