When Love Bites (LokixReader)

Chapter Twenty-Six

(Eva's Pov)

Fergus called a meeting. Which, on its own, may not be that great of a concern. But this happened just hours after strangers arrived to the gates bloody and bruised, nursing a beta rogue just a breath away from death. And for something to kill a werewolf?

The town whispered about this new threat, most standing about in human form during their arrival. But Eva wasn't so fortunate. She had just returned from one of the hunting parties when she caught the end of a familiar scent hiding in the wind.

Y/N.

Y/N's blood.

Eva ran after the scent, coming face to face not with her best friend, but what was left of her enemies. Mercenaries. As they demanded to speak to Fergus, not giving a fuck about calling him by a title. Because they had been screwed with and lied to.

"You said she would give up the moment she caught our scent. You said she would be too afraid to-"

Fergus growled, as the beta who confronted him let his anger float by without a care of his artificial status. Pack rules didn't bind rogues, and for mercenaries? They couldn't care less about what grievances this fake Alpha had. "Not here."

"Really?" The girl scoffed, different from the Stephanie who had appeared almost three weeks ago now. Fergus granted the rogue sanctuary, and had taken her away to brief him on the situation. Eva never managed to hear their conversation.

Neither this one, apparently, as the Alpha promised compensation for their silence if they would only talk in private. But Eva couldn't allow this. Not again. Not if the last discussion in privacy led to these assholes being hired.

It couldn't be. Fergus hiring werewolves to hunt Y/N? Fight her? Drag her kicking and screaming back here?

So Eva followed as close as she dared, staying in wolf form in hopes to better eavesdrop from a distance. "Alright, what happened? Where is she?"

"She demanded a challenge." One of the betas snapped, "And she defeated our best."

Fergus slammed his hand against the table. "Then why didn't you all try? She isn't that strong! I am the one who made her that way!"

They growled. "Then by all means, maybe you should fight her. But you lied to us. She's not some inexperienced pup- she's well past maturity. Give us our money. We're done."

Eva waited, straining to hear what was going on in the silence. The Alpha heaved a breath, controlling his anger. But his voice spoke with a new idea, "Just... before you go, tell me what you learned. Where is she? Are any of the effects starting to take place? How is my little Alpha taking to life with the humans?"

The betas stopped their exit, presumably already paid. "She's doing just fine." They started walking back out, "With the human Avengers." They left, and Eva watched from her place aside the building as they headed for the medical wards. But she wasn't concerned with them. Not anymore.

The Avengers?

Eva didn't know much, but she knew that if Y/N had found her place with them, she was doing well. They had a high status among the mortals.

"Shit!" Fergus cursed, sweeping his hand across the desk. The knickknacks and papers atop it clattering to the floor. He stomped from one side of the room to the other, as Eva heard a ruckus of things moved about. Then everything stopped.

Until his voice called, weary and desperate with as much dignity he dared to use. "Get me Connor."

Who in Fenrir's name was Connor?

With the rogues away from the building, Eva dared to tread closer. Sneaking just under the window of the Alpha's office. It should have been Y/N's now. She should be ruling this pack, instead of being hunted by it. No one else agreed with Fergus's actions, but given he was the acting Alpha, no one dared to defy him either. But everyone could tell that he was starting to care a bit too much about this.

Unfortunately by the time she approached, he had wandered to another part of the building. Too many walls in the way for her to hear the words spoken in confidence.

Then today. The meeting. As the town gathered to hear what other lies Fergus managed to cook up. Eva stood near the edge of the pack, weary what else could happen.

"I hired the rogues to search for our lost Alpha." Fergus spoke, "In hopes that we could talk and find a path to peace. That... is not possible anymore. Y/N attacked those under my protection in cold blood."

Lies.

"So I have taken greater measures for our defense."

Did the pack really believe this? Y/N, the girl they all knew and had accepted to be Alpha just over a month ago. To now be so violent that she must be "dealt with"?

Eva had heard their conversation. But everyone knew her position on all matters related to her best friend. The pack wouldn't believe some hunter over their Alpha.

"He is to be trusted with any information he asks for. But do not get in his way. You should all be well versed in your manners around an Alpha."

What?

Fergus calmed the crowd as they slowly understood his message. "I have reached out to a friend of mine, Alpha Connor. He very well may be our best hope against Y/N."

Oh shit.

Oh shit.

This couldn't be happening. Everyone was surprised when he hired the mercenaries.

But an Alpha?

The crowd burst in an outroar. An Alpha? Besides Y/N and Fergus already? Fergus wasn't even a real Alpha. No wonder he was enlisting another to truly face off against Y/N. The pack couldn't believe it. This couldn't be happening.

Questions arose from today, and those that should have been answered a long time ago resurfaced. Why did Y/N leave? What exactly happened? Why did she suddenly hate the pack? Did Fergus not yield his right to lead?

The Alpha didn't answer. He didn't provide. He lied, and repeated the story he created the moment Y/N didn't show to her crowning. She was the enemy. She betrayed them. She couldn't be trusted.

And from all this, Eva realized something. The truth would never be able to help in time. Her knowledge would do nothing if Y/N was dead before she could fix this.

Eva needed to warn her.