Chapter 47

Chapter 47

After spending a few days at the motel under Jim’s careful eye, the four of us finally began making our way back to Fullbright territory.

‘Do you suppose with Deborah and Lyle dead, and there being no heir, there’s still a war on?’ I asked Mason over the mind link as we approached the border after two days of sneaking through the trees to get to the border of Fullbright territory.

‘I hope not. I don’t know who would lead them,” Mason replied.

‘Perhaps we’ll find out, my father said, curling his l*ps back and showing his fangs as we came upon an encampment.

Wolves circled us from behind, but as I turned to face them, I saw they were wolves we knew. ‘Kate?” I asked. ‘Eddie?’

Kate and Eddie shifted, and so did we. “You’re here!” Kate cried, and ran straight to Shawn, launching herself into his arms.

“Alpha Hale,” Eddie said. “The armies of the Shadowmoon Pack have retreated. We were just packing up to go to the castle and leave the border for the usual patrols.”

“Excellent,” Mason replied. He clapped Eddie on the shoulder. “Good work, and it’s good to be home.”

back

“Alpha… we didn’t turn the forces back. In fact, they were about to overrun us, then… it was like they came out from under some spell. They were blinking and holding their heads. They looked at us like they didn’t even know where they were. Then they just… ran off,” Eddie continued.

“Ah. That would be Kora. She killed the Luna Regent, who also turned out to be a witch,” Mason said.

“A witch?” Eddie repeated.

“Yes. She put a spell on Oswald to get my father killed and everything. It’s a long story. Perhaps we should continue. it back at the castle,” Mason responded.

“Uh, sure,” Eddie said, bewildered..

rway

Mason, Eddie, Kate, Shawn, my father, and I, along with the remainder of the troops at the border, made our way back to the castle.

Luna Regent An nalise Hale was there to greet us, an anxious expression on her face. “Mason,” she said sternly, “you can’t just go off and abandon your pack because your traitor mate has run off against orders. If you weren’t Alpha, you would be most severely punished. As it stands…”

“As it stands?” Mason asked.

It seemed everyone but An nalise could sense the danger in his tone. “As it stands,” the Luna Regent continued, “Kora and the traitor Oswald Monroe MUST be executed for their crimes-”

“Must they?” Mason said co olly.

“Yes,” An nalise argued. “You must be a strong Alpha and show yourself to be not above our laws. They above our laws.” ·

vare

not

“Well, if we’re talking executions, shall we start with you, then?” Mason asked in a tone too low to be heard by anyone but the six of us who were standing closest to her.

“You did put Kora’s name on the spearhead list against my wishes. You pushed Giselle on me, who turned out to be an ACTUAL traitor. What am I to think? Were you in league with her?” Mason arched an eyebrow.

An nalise went almost purple with anger. “I most certainly was not! I had no idea she was a traitor!” She glanced around us. “Where is she?”

“She disappeared,” Mason said, “like the coward she is.”

“Are you telling me that one of the traitors killed a citizen of the Fullbright Pack without there having been at trial?!” An nalise gasped.

“Oswald never got a trial, but you sent Kora to the Traitors’ Cave just the same,” Mason pointed out.

I stared at An nalise, who was puffing with anger and felt my own rage building. She was the one who carried out the injustice of the Traitors’ Cave for people like Shawn and me.

“I will not have my decisions questioned like I am some child being brought to the headmaster’s office!” An nalise spouted. “You listen here-”

“No. No, I won’t listen. I’m finished with you, Mother. I won’t banish you, but I don’t want to see you again for a very, very long time, so I’d suggest you stick close to your rooms,” Mason seethed.

“I’m your mother!” An nalise protested.

“And you were wrong. Mason pushed past her, leading us into the castle.

“Oswald killed your father!” An nalise shouted after us.

Mason rounded on her. “Oswald was under the influence of a witch. But then you knew that. You’re the one who packed his things.

An nalise turned red, but this time not with anger. “It changes nothing.”

“It changes EVERYTHING!” Mason yelled. He stabbed a finger at the castle. “Go. Go to your rooms and don’t come out for at least a month. I’m going to try to see my way to forgive you. But I won’t blame my mate if she never

does.”

“There’s been no mating ceremony, An nalise scoffed. But then, she finally took a good look at my shoulder. “Mason! Mason, how COULD you?!”

“Mother, I’m going to count to ten…” Mason growled.

An nalise shook her head and gathered her skirts, running gracefully up the stairs. “You will regret this,”

“I doubt it,” Mason called after her.

After An nalise was gone, Mason turned to the assembled warriors. “There will be a formal mating ceremony tomorrow. Any of you who wish to help make that happen, I will be eternally grateful. I also… must apologize for the way things have been run up to this point. I am doing away with the Traitors’ Cave and will only accept willing soldiers from now on.”

A cheer went up.

“I’d like to add,” Mason said, holding up his hand, “that we owe a great debt of gratitude to Kora Monroe, my mate, who killed not only Alpha Lyle Shadowmoon but also the witch, Luna Regent Deborah Shadowmoon. Her curses will no longer pollute our land or our people.”

Another, louder cheer went up.

“I am formally pardoning Oswald Monroe for what he did while under the witch’s influence. He is a valued member of our pack, and our former Beta, and I expect him to be treated as such,” Mason went on. He took a deep breath and nodded. “That is all for now. Please, celebrate amongst yourselves. We’ve had a very big victory this week. And mourn the lost.”

Mason sn*ked a hand around my waist and turned us toward the door while the pack was still cheering.

“You really were born to do this,” I whispered to him.

Mason shrugged. “My mother taught me some things. But I like to think my father taught me this.”

“Don’t be too hard on your mother,” I said, sliding my hand over his. “She’s your mother.”

“Hmph,” Mason grunted. “Yes, and she did a lot of bad and questionable things. I’m trying very hard not to be ashamed of her.

“Your mother’s a good woman. Just give her time to adjust, my father said softly, patting Mason on the shoulder.

Mason pursed his l*ps but didn’t argue.

I leaned my head on his shoulder. “So, we’re having a mating ceremony tomorrow, huh?”

“That we are.” Mason said.

“Why so soon?” I asked.

Mason stopped, put his arms around me, and gave me a searing k*ss.

“Because I can’t wait to belong to each other a minute longer,” he said.