I disregard the stares that follow me toward that cottage on the edge of the village, their judging eyes boring into my back, my legs shaking harder with every step I take and the more whispers I hear on the wind. My knees threatening to buckle and...
We trudge to Dawn's cottage with Alexa tucked under the rogue's arm and I can feel Dawn's tension.
"Shower is that way." Dawn tosses some clothes at the rogue and Alexa, Dawn and I sat heavily on the sofa.
"Dawn..." Alexa whispers his name and he takes her in his arms in a heartbeat. He holds her while she cries and I just stare at them.
Alexa pulls out of Dawn's embrace when the scent of soap fills the living room coupled with a low growl.
"Shut it!" Alexa growls as Dawn vacates the seat next to her and joins my side. The rogue takes it upon himself to continue warming the seat next to Alexa.
"What's your name?" Dawn asks with a forced smile.
"Alpha Deacon Silverlight. But just Deacon to you." He says and looks at Alexa like she's god's gift to mankind. "My pack is four hundred miles to the west of the mansion and we have eighty members excluding my fallen." Deacon says and his voice waivers at the word fallen.
I growl when I scent him and Dawn places a hand on my arm making me calm down somewhat. Dawn answers the door when he knocks and returns to my side. In came Harlem and the former King and Queen.
"Alexa, I see congratulations are in order my daughter." her mother states and her father glares at her mate.
"Shooting me with that look changes nothing." Deacon spits and Alexa's father scoffs good-naturedly.
"I know, pup." He says making Deacon growl and Alexa rubs his arm for a second to calm him down.
"Well let's get everything out of the way so that we can prepare for my daughter's mating shall we." The former Queen state and Alexa sneers.
"I am no daughter of yours." Her mother looks hurt for only a second before she regains her composure.
"You might have rejected us but I am King, Alexa. And I decree that you get mated as fit for a princess in my territory so just accept that." Harlem grits and Alexa grinds her teeth together.
"Fine." She growls and her mate places his arm around her shoulders.
"I will send decrees to every pack and territory in the morning. You can speak to my secretary if there's anything in particular you need." Harlem says directly to Deacon and the other Alpha nods.
"Now as it pertains to the envoy that will be accompanying you back to Silverlight." Harlem pauses. "I have not chosen anyone as-"
"Dawn and Micaah." Alexa cut across Harlem's speech.
"What?" Dawn's jaw is on the ground and he slowly turns to look at me and I shrug.
"Wherever you go, babe." I say and I can feel Harlem's distaste at me calling Dawn babe. I could care less.
"Well... um... sure." Dawn stutters and I lace my fingers through his in a show of support. Harlem's irritation is palpable but I really don't care right now.
"Can you send my stuff over here?" Alexa asks and her mother nods with tears in her eyes.
"I never thought I'd see the day you get mated. Congratulations, Alexa." Kerissa sways her hips into Dawn's home and his fingers tighten in mine as she sidles up to Harlem's side.
"And to a rogue no less." She smiles with malicious intent.
"Yea, well at least he's My mate." Alexa shoots back making Kerissa's smile wilt.
"What are you doing here?" Harlem grinds out and Kerissa resumes her fake megawatt smile to her chosen.
"I came to support you off course, baby." she drawls and Harlem shakes his head at her.
"And where's my pup?" he asks and an annoyed look passes over her eyes.
"It's sleeping-"
"She has a name, Kerissa. It won't kill you to say her name and not refer to her as 'it'." Harlem growls and Kerissa whimpers at the power he is radiating. His parents and Alexa cower. Only I, Dawn and Deacon sit with our spine straightened. My spine will never bow to an Alpha such as Harlem. He deserves hell. He deserves to rot before he dies. To drag his limbs and crawl on his belly for forgiveness for what he has done.
Dawn stiffens at my side at their bickering. All eyes shoot toward Kerissa who looks down at her feet, shame in her very stance.
"She is your flesh and blood too, Kerissa. She was born from my seed and your womb. Her disability does not make her any less than mine. Just as your blatant rejection of her does not make you any less mine." Harlem seem as though he is tired of saying these words to his fraudster mate.
"She is a mistake." Kerissa whispers and Harlem snarls grabbing the bitch by the neck and lifts her off her feet. He is partially shifted, claws digging into Kerissa's flesh without drawing blood. Fangs dripping and glistening.
"Never. The only mistake I made was thinking you would be a good mother but you don't have a maternal bone in your body!" he spits as he tossed her aside. "Go home, Kerissa. Go!" he roared and she holds onto her neck already bruised and tears in her eyes. Kerissa runs with her tail between her legs and it takes everything in me to hold back my sadistic chuckle at them both.
Pathetic. He chose someone as shallow and detestable as Kerissa to mate and impregnate.
"So um..." Dawn began. "Micaah and I will begin preparations to leave with Deacon and Alexa while you guys prepare their mating." Dawn says and I nod.
"Alexa and Deacon can stay with me until the chosen time and day." Dawn says and Harlem looks at Dawn with an expression I can't decipher. I don't like it either.
"Okay. So um... can ya'll leave?" Dawn asks as nicely as possible.
"Oh yes. Alexa, I will be by once I begin the preparations." the former Queen says and grabs both her males by the arm and drag them out of Dawn's cottage.
"So that happened." Alexa mumbles and Dawn and the she-wolf share a laugh and Deacon and I stare at each other seemingly baffled.
"Who is taking care of your pack now that you'll be here for a bit?" I ask Deacon and he glances at me.
"My Beta. He's been groomed to take over should anything happen to me so he'll be fine for a few weeks." Deacon says and I nod.
"Good." I return his nod.
"Micaah, can we go to my mom's?" Dawn asks and I nod to him. He took my hand and we walk to Willa's house. It was then I remembered Wren. Shit, I don't know if Wren would want to stay here or go with Dawn and I to Silverlight.
Dawn explained everything that happened to Willa and Wren and my brother frowns hard for a second. "I want to stay with Willa." He says and I nod even though he can't see it.
"I can't leave this pack." Willa states and Dawn nods too.
"I know." He whispers. "I'll visit and you could visit too until we're back in a few months." Dawn reassures his mother.
"I'm sticking with Willa, guys. No offence Dawn but your mom's cooking is life." Wren grins and I smile.
"You like your belly too much, pup." I say and ruffled Wren's hair a bit while he smacks my hand away blindly.
Willa makes dinner and we take some to Dawn's cottage for the four of us to share. We eat in relative silence and retire to Dawn's bedroom after Dawn warns Deacon that he should wait till their mating night to touch Alexa sexually making the poor girl go beet red before Deacon assured us that he won't ever disrespect his mate.
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