Well, that's definitely one way to announce who my mate is!
My family looks absolutely flabbergasted. Blessing looks the worst. She's leaning on Mom for support, her eyes darting between Kairos and me. When our eyes meet, her face steels with resolve.
"I still don't drop the charges!" She tries to announce with an attempt to mirror her voice with May's, but the shrillness gives her away. She's scared shitless.
The Royal Messenger doesn't even afford her a glance as she strides up to Alpha Briar.
"Alpha, do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way?"
"They can't be here! You can't be here!" He sputters out, waving his hands desperately. "You have no right! Hazel was not shunned! Not in my pack! My son is her mate! He's accepting her now! See! No shunning!"
May sighs.
"Looks like we're doing this the hard way," she mumbles under her breath. It's so faint, but I hear it loud and clear. How did I hear that?
"In addition to shunning, you are charged with mateless arranged marriage! Jaxon Briar and Maxine Plyath are not divine mates! Rather, you mated and married for power. Maxine's real mate has come forward with the truth!"
The blood drains from Alpha and Luna Briar's faces as their eyes widen, and loud gasps fill the room.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Florentine rises from the Pack Elders table with a shout. "Alpha! Luna! Explain this at once!"
"Mom? Dad?" Maxton stutters, his face ghostly pale as he looks at his parents in disbelief. Luna Briar bursts out into tears.
"I wanted you to be with your real mate so badly!" She sobs, looking at her son. "Because I know how much it hurts to not be with them!"
I'm in so much pain I can hardly allow myself to feel shocked at the news. But I can't help but realize how much it all makes sense.
The lycans had been researching this from the beginning. They studied Mates and Marriage: Exploring Pack Leadership's Chase for Power through Arranged Marriage and Wolf History: The Pack Family Tree for days! And it also explains why Luna Briar was adamant about pushing Maxton and me together.
For a moment, I feel pity for her. This definitely was the hard way, like May said.
Maxton looks lost, glancing between his parents, obviously not knowing what to make of the situation. Alpha Briar, on the other hand, looks furious.
"Maxine," he addresses Luna Briar with a hiss, "shut up!"
She refuses to listen as she rushes over to Maxton, who's still on the ground, apologizing over and over again.
"She's my mate! We found each other in our 20s. This is blasphemy! I'm being framed! These lycans have framed me! They want my pack! I demand a trial!" Alpha Briar tries to deflect.
Corban turns to us with a raised eyebrow as if to say, can you believe this guy? May doesn't seem so amused either, as she simply looks at Luna Briar, who's a sobbing mess on the ground, weeping about how she never meant to lie to Maxton.
"There seems to be some pretty damning evidence here, Alpha," Corban says dryly. This infuriates Alpha Briar even further, and his nostrils flair. His eyes dart around desperately as if looking for someone to blame. First, he looks at Corban but seems to think better of it.
You don't like lycans but are still too scared to go against the prince, huh?
Then his eyes switch between Allistar and Kairos, but the sight of their dark, brooding faces also forces him to abandon them. His head swivels to the Pack Elders, but they're glaring him down, Florentine at their forefront, still rapid-firing questions at him. He looks at Luna Briar and Maxton the ground and his eyes set in stone as he seems to realize something.
His eyes settle on me with a glare. He raises a pointed finger in my direction.
"You!" He spits out, leaping over the table and advancing towards me. "You did this! You caused this!"
Anxiety wells in my stomach, and my body moves on its own. I do my best to ignore the shooting pain in my abdomen as I stand up and try to move towards the door. I'm in fight or flight mode. And against this angry Alpha? I'm fleeing.
It's all my fault.
The pain causes me to lose my footing, and I stumble forward. Right as I think I'm going to hit the ground, strong arms catch me and pull me toward a warm, solid chest.
Kairos.
"Just in time!" Cora cheers under her breath as he helps me regain my footing.
"Are you alright?" Kairos asks me softly, wrapping his hands around my shoulders. I nod and mumble thanks as I lean against his chest, breathing deeply as I try to calm the shooting pain in my abdomen. The need to flee leaves my body as the anxiety fades away. I unknowingly relax.
"You should've just accepted my son! If you accepted him, none of this would have happened!" Spit flies out of Alpha Briar's mouth as he advances like a raging bull.
Maxton leaps up in protest, trying to keep his father from advancing on me. Kairos gently pushes me behind him with one hand, nestling me into his back.
"My mate takes no blame here, Alpha," Kairos states firmly, his voice low but commanding. "It's in your best interest to stay away from her."
He keeps his hand pressed to my hip behind him, allowing me to rest my forehead against his back as I catch my breath. He's the only thing keeping me standing, keeping me breathing, right now. Alpha Briar slows down. Maxton is at his side, desperately trying to pull his father away.
Although his voice is steady, Kairos is angry. He's furious, and it's coming off him in pulsing waves. Allistar and Corban flank him at his sides. Cora and Sabrina join them. The five create a wall, separating me from my old packmates.
"That is my pack member and my son's mate! I'll do whatever I damn well please! I should kill the girl for all the damage she's caused! Maybe she really is a rogue! Framing me for all of this!"
Suddenly, the dominating auras of five furious lycans fill the room, and I realize they're furious for me.
"You will NOT touch MY mate!" Kairos roars with a hiss. "You participated in a mateless arranged marriage. You turned a blind eye to your pack members shunning their packmate. You raised a spineless fool who rejected his mate."
He's so angry, he's shaking.
"You will never lay a hand on her! If ever you so much as think about hurting her, I swear to the Goddess, I will kill you and every single member of this pathetic pack!"
Alpha Briar growls in response and Kairos' body tenses. The hand that was previously keeping me pressed to him goes back to his side.
He's going to fight him, I realize in horror. And Kairos will kill Alpha Briar.
I know he will. Not even an Alpha can stand against a lycan. And although I don't know the extent of Kairos' capabilities, I know he's unbelievably powerful. Without a doubt, he'll win.
As much as I don't care for Alpha Briar, I don't want his blood on my hands. I feel Kairos take a step forward so I fist his shirt and lean my forehead into his back.
"Please don't," I say softly. He immediately stills, his leg pausing mid-step. "He's not worth it."
His foot returns to his previous stance, and his hand presses against my hip again. I feel him nod. His arm reaches over and slightly coaxes me forward until I'm pressed against his side. My left-hand stays fisted against his back, but my right hand comes up to his chest. He keeps me nestled under his arm. I face Alpha Briar and the rest of the Rolling Woods pack once more.
"May," Kairos addresses the Royal Messenger, his voice back to his usual low yet firm tone. "It's time to finish this."
Alpha Briar seems to hate this as his nostrils flair again.
"Turned into a lycan's slut, now?" He sneers at me.
Kairos tenses, but I firmly push my hand into his muscular chest in an attempt to stop him from advancing. He seems to understand since he doesn't move, but his muscles remain tense. I draw comforting circles into his back with my other hand. His body relaxes slightly.
"Alpha Briar. You have been charged and are required to stand trial now. I implore you to heed this warning and come with me!" May commands, but he just looks her up and down.
"Oh?" He hisses. "You think you can command me? You think I don't know you? May Plyath? You'd done enough just by turning into a monster's slut but the Royal Messenger? Are you the king's whore, too, now?"
My eyes snap to the Royal Messenger as I connect the dots. May's face darkens.
Plyath? Was she Icarus Plyath's original wolf mate? And she turned into a lycan for her lycan mate? How does Alpha Briar know?
Alpha Briar is uncharacteristically quiet. I look back at him.
There's a large, clawed hand wrapped around his throat, and his eyes are wide with fear.
Allistar.
How'd he get there so fast? He was just next to us!
He's standing behind him with a sinister smile.
"Hmmmm? What's this?" Allistar hums out. His dark purple eyes are glowing. Black, veiny streaks appear beneath the skin under his eyes. His clawed hand grows, the tips pressing against the Alpha's throat dangerously.
The entire room is pin silent.
"Plyath? How do you know Plyath, Alpha?" He questions, his mouth coming up to his ear. Alpha Briar gulps.
"Shunning. Mateless arranged marriage. And now treason. You have quite the record, don't you?" His hand tightens around the older man's throat as his smile drops. "Not to mention, you threatened my packmate."
Alpha Briar lets out a choking sound.
"I'll take over this one, May. All individuals with ties to Plyath deal with me," Allistar says to May, without taking his glowing eyes off Alpha Briar. She nods.
"Take him away," He calls out. Four lycans, two males and two females, suddenly stride into the room.
Where did they come from?
They're wearing matching black cargo pants with black tunics and matching jackets.
Enforcer uniforms.
"Where should we take him, sir?" One of the female enforcers asks.
"The Lycan Palace," Allistar answers with a nod of respect. He turns back to Alpha Briar, the same dark smile gracing his lips. "I'll see you soon, Alpha."
"Yes, General, sir!" All four soldiers salute Allistar before taking Alpha Briar away.
That makes Allistar a Head Enforcer.
No wonder he's so powerful.
Allistar watches in silence as Alpha Briar is dragged away, his expression cold, unreadable. Not a flicker of emotion crosses his face. His claws retract, and the dark veins beneath his eyes fade, but a faint, eerie glow lingers. He stands like a statue carved from obsidianâunyielding, lethal, and unmovedâa predator who does not need to bare his teeth to command fear. No one dares to move.
Except Sabrina. Who easily breezes to his side and latches onto his arm with a smile.
"Good job!" She says cheerily.
He instantly melts at her touch, his previous cold eyes filling with adoration as he gazes down at her. He presses a kiss to the crown of her head.
"This trial is concluded. We will confer with the remaining Pack Leadership to determine the next course of action. All other members of the Rolling Woods Pack are dismissed," Cora declares, embodying the grace and authority of the princess she was born to be.
Her voice breaks the spell on everyone. Slow murmurs travel across the room as wolves gather their things and leave their chairs. Everyone obediently files out of the room, but their eyes never leave me or the lycans. Maxton drags his feet to his mother, who's still crying silently on the ground, and helps her up. I can't tell if she's crying out of fear, shock, sadness. It might be all three.
Cora, Corban, Allistar, and May introduce themselves to the Pack Elders and Beta Matthias and begin engaging in heated discussion. Sabrina stays at her mate's side, drawing comforting circles into his back.
Blessing recovers from her previous shock and storms out of the room, not without glaring at me.
Surprisingly, my parents let her go. Unfortunately, though, they make their way towards Kairos and me.
"Hazel, please. We need to talk to you," my father pleads with me. I look them in the eyes, but a sharp pang in my heart has me firmly turning my head away.
I can't even look at them.
It hurts too much. I don't know how to talk to them. Anxiety swells in my stomach once more.
"Hazel, please. So much has happened. I don't even know where to start," my mother tries. I don't respond.
"Hazel, honey," Dad reaches a hand out to my arm, but Kairos pushes it away.
"Now is not the time. She does not want to talk to you," he answers for me. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I lean my head into his bicep and squeeze my eyes shut as a way to say thank you.
"She's my daughter! You have no right to-" My mother starts angrily.
"No, you have no right," Kairos cuts her off. "You failed her."
Those three simple words force their mouths shut, and they look at me with regretful faces.
"That's why-"
"She'll speak to you when she's ready. Now is not the time," Kairos cuts them off again as he starts leading me away. He pauses before looking at them again.
"And I have every right. She's my mate. It's my job to protect her from anyone who hurts her."
Word Count: 2316 words
PHEWWW WE MADE IT YALL
Sorry the wait time was a bit longer for this chapter!! I had a lot going on this week!
But imagine my surprise when I open Wattpad and realize this book is at 2k reads????????? omg?????? thank you???? hello new readers???? whats up?? how are you???? i hope youre doing well????
i edited this chapter but idk if i edited it well because i did it at work lol. so if there are any mistakes, mind your own business!!!
just kidding lol please let me know in the comments. I tried my best to upload this as fast as I could but I fear it may have come at the expense of the quality??? idk I didn't read it over as much I'd have liked to!!! I hope it all makes sense!!!! and isnt to choppy!!!
anyways HOW ARE WE ALL FEELING ABOUT THIS?? THIS IS A VERY PLOTTY CHAPTER. i knowww im always like plot this plot that yeah yeah but worry not, we're super close to seeing more of kairos and hazel's relationship. and more of her parents!! this is not the last we see of them!
side note i love allistar and sabrina :,) i actually have an entire story thought out and planned for them as well!! but gotta finish this one first ;)
please remember to vote and comment!!!
i hope you have a wonderful day jaanis!!
love, libahrary