Chapter 69: Chapter 69

69. A Triquetra If I could take away all her worries I would. Night has fallen and we’re in the woods where she had decided to hold this gathering. She’s planning something and although I don’t know the details, I’m worried about her.

She’s dressed in a white simple dress, and nude-coloured sandals and her hair is open. She’s wearing soft make- up and no jewellery but something about her tonight looks extremely alluring and even ethereal. She is a beauty, one that nothing can compare to, and her amethyst eyes are vibrant.

The symbols on her arms from the henna stain have faded, but they are still visible, and she keeps looking at them. I don’t miss the fact she’s holding the book that contains the little information regarding the Blood Born.

She’s going to do something tonight, but when I asked her, she simply said she knows what she’s doing and to trust her.

I’m worried she’s keeping too much inside. She’s been on the brink of breaking down a couple of times but she’s pushing through. I’m just going crazy, worried that something will happen soon, and it will be the final nail in the coffin for her and it ends up being too much for her. I don’t want her to break down because she’s doing far too much.

It’s windy tonight, but the moon is glowing through the trees. I like the night, the feel of nature around me, the rustle of the wind through the leaves and the smell of the earth beneath my feet.

This is where I feel most at peace. The perfect night for a run. I look around the trees. I had settled for sweatpants and a t-shirt, but there’s clearly many here in suits and formal attire…

The glances I’m getting are filled with curiosity, nervousness, and even fear. It’s a little amusement and I bring forward my wolf, letting my eyes glow in the night, and I almost smirk when they step back.

Scared of their own kind, pathetic.

“Zaia.” That voice makes my amusement vanish and I turn when I see Atticus pull her into his arms for a hug. My eyes blaze once again, and I let my aura surge around me.

His eyes snap up to mine and he smirks, his demeanour turning colder as he slowly moves back.

“Alpha Sebastian, it’s been a while.”

“Alpha Payne.” In the fucking ass. “It sure has.” He smirks and nods as Zaia looks between us, clearly not sure about how things are between us. I am tempted to punch that cocky look off his face, but for her, I decide to let him keep his teeth.

He still has his hand on her shoulder, but I’m satisfied when she moves away. The urge to crush it was extremely appealing. Zaia places her hand on my arm and smiles gently at Atticus.

“Best behaviour, please. The both of you,” she whispers to us both. “We’re not children that we are going to start hitting one another, Zaia.” Atticus smirks. Of course, he’d say that, knowing that I want to break his damn pretty boy face.

“No, but I’m not against a one-on-one match with you, so I can take you to the brink of death, or better, unalive you entirely. I’m totally for that.”

As predicted, it takes Zaia a moment to comprehend what I mean, and her gorgeous amethyst eyes widen.

“Sebastian!” she scolds, appalled, as Atticus chuckles. “Don’t worry too much about him, Zaia, he’s just jealous of our friendship,” he says, leaning closer to her and fucking brushing her hair back. She smiles at him again, but I hide my irritation instead, placing my arm around her shoulders loosely.

“Oh, absolutely not. I mean, clearly, even with all those years together, that is just how far you got. Still in the friend zone.” I taunt him.

Atticus’s smile vanished and I smirk. If that’s how he wants to play, then so be it. “Bastien behave.” Zaia scolds, “This is not the time for macho behaviour.”

I don’t miss the jealousy in his eyes, and I can’t help but smirk. “For you, of course. As long as I’m repaid.” I wink at her. She gives me a look before she pulls away and my gaze dips to her breasts.

She’s beautiful… her smooth, supple cleavage is on display, her breasts begging for some attention, and I’d happily give them all the attention they need…

Hugh clears his throat behind me, and I turn to him smoothly. He is pushing Valerie’s wheelchair. “A little discretion, Alpha Sebastian? Please do have a little shame.”

“I don’t really have any,” I respond as Zaia blushes before she looks at Valerie. Looking at her now, you can tell how thin she has become.

She’s wearing a peach dress, but the time spent immobile in bed means it’ll take time before she can walk again even if she was given physio whilst in a coma. Her body and muscles are far too weak. Zaia crouches before her, cupping her face.

“You look beautiful, Val.” She says softly.

“Thanks… So do you, Zaia.” Valerie replies. She’s been uneasy and has only been comfortable around Zaia but she’s hiding something… I just don’t know what.

I’m certain she knows something, although she says she doesn’t. She just needs a little time, time we don’t have.

“May I have everyone’s attention?” Zaia calls out. The chatter dies down as everyone turns to her.

She’s nervous, her heartbeat has quickened, and it makes me wonder exactly what she’s planned. I don’t miss the way one of her guards nods. Is he in on what this is about?

I glance at Jai who also looks confused. He gives me a small shrug before his eyes return to Valerie.

She has completely ignored him, and I know he’s trying to keep his crap together.

“Thank you, everyone, for coming tonight on such short notice, as you all know I will be leaving tomorrow for the Dark Hollow Falls pack, but I am still to be the future Alpha of this pack.” Her voice rings in the night sky as she’s awarded with complete silence. “Now I know that everyone is wondering the reason behind tonight’s rendezvous, so I won’t keep you in suspense.”

She looks at Hugh, who is watching her with concern. “Do you know what this is about?” He asks me.

“When we’re alone, we are too busy doing other stuff to talk about such matters.” I can’t help but say, he glares at me, and I smirk. “No, no clue.”

“A long time ago, the Goddess of the moon made her creation, werewolves, men who under the moon would shift into magnificent wolves.” She begins walking, looking at the people who encircle us. She has their attention, but I’m not sure where she’s going with this.

“They manifested, able to shift at will, and soon they travelled across rivers and mountains, settling into their own packs. A race, superior to man, a race blessed with speed, smell, hearing, and the ability to heal faster than any human could possibly wish for. This gift, this blessing to shift, was not appreciated as it should have been! We began to feel ashamed of our true form! The blessing of the goddess!”

Her aura swirls around her, her eyes burning orange, and even I feel it. The people watch her with a mix of fear, awe, and admiration.

“Then what did we do? Over time, we tried to blend with civilisation… we began to settle away from our packs…. We began to dress and behave like common humans. Why? When we are superior? We stopped training our young to be at their best, to protect our packs if the need ever arose and above all!

We stopped shifting!” Her voice rings in the air as she turns and points at me.

“Alpha Sebastian King, he is given the title of The Black Beast because he is in touch with his werewolf side! Making him superior to every other werewolf… alpha or not. If you cannot shift, then you cannot manifest the gift bestowed upon us by our goddess, who I’m surprised is still blessing us when we don’t deserve it.”

She takes a breath before continuing.” It’s time everyone remembers where they come from and who we are!” “Or there will be consequences.” The guard says. Zaia glances at him and to my surprise, she nods.

What’s going on? It doesn’t sound like Zaia, she’s… harsher, and her words have ruffled the feathers of a few visiting alphas. I scan the crowd, seeing mixed reactions from them all.

“What is the point of this conversation, Alpha-to-be Zaia?” One of the women asks. Zaia turns to her.

“To remind you of where we come from, it is my duty as a Blood Born to call our people back on the path that we should walk. A reminder that as werewolves, we need not try to fit in with the humans so desperately that we forget who we are!”

“The Blood Born?” Someone says. “That’s a myth, that they will walk this earth and end our kind,”

someone else whispers. How the fuck did people know this, and I had never heard of it?

“Is it a myth? Then please explain why I am before you, with the mark of the Blood Born upon me!”

Zaia says. She moves her dress a little, showing her mark on the side of her sweet, supple boob.

Focus. “As am I…” Atticus says, stepping forward he shows the mark on his ankle and I frown. I don’t like him and so I don’t trust him.

“He-he… he said I am too,” Valerie says, looking around the crowd as if almost fearfully. “I have a mark on my scalp he said.”

Who is she on about? Zaia looks concerned as she walks over to Valerie. “Who?” she whispers gently, but Valerie shakes her head. Hugh, who is standing behind the wheelchair, looks down at her head as Zaia leans over her.

She tries to reach for her hair, but her arm gives up and instead, Zaia begins moving her hair around, trying to find it, before she stops and stares at the back of Valerie’s head.

“It’s there,” she whispers, sounding stunned. Atticus and I both move forward, but Atticus gets there first. The moment he too touches her head, a glowing triangle forms in the air above them, making the crowd gasp in shock.

It illuminates the night sky in a brilliant golden light, all three of their eyes blazing. Atticus eyes burn green, Valerie’s turning grey and Zaia’s blaze orange, as one they turn to the triangle above them, their marks burning vibrantly.

“The Sublime Triquetra is complete.’ An unearthly whispery voice fills the air, making everyone scan the surrounding darkness before many drop to their knees, cowering in fear.

I see the guard look confused as he stares at the Triquetra. I glance at them, seeing Atticus smile; so, the bastard is on this side…

Great. I would have enjoyed finishing him off. I’m yanked from my thoughts when I feel a chill rush through me, and I sense something is behind me.

“The wildcard… look to the moon… forgive me… ‘the voice murmurs. My heart thumps as I spin around. There’s nothing there…

I scan the crowd, but no one else seemed to have heard it…. is it only me who heard that? I’m about to ask the others when pain shoots through me and I feel a stinging jolt electrocute my entire body, bringing me to my knees…