by SJ Hayslett
"Tell me the conversation that took place between her father the day before the attack." Reed wanted to rip the head off of Councilman Lawrence's shoulders.
"She speaks the truth." The witch said after Evony let a whimper escape her throat. Almost immediately once the witch had started on the intrusive procedure, the tingles changed quickly from tolerable to a hot annoying heat in her head. It almost felt like knives were slicing open her brain like Hannibal Lecter was going through her brain. Evony tried her hardest not to make a noise, to silently endure the pain since she knew that Reed would be going crazy wanting to protect her.
"Her father gave her permission to stay in Blood Moon on the condition that once she completed two years of schooling at Harvard, she was to return home to marry Alpha Alex Daniels." The witch's voice sounded otherworldly while she was in her trance.
"Xerxa, show me the attack." Lawrence demanded of the witch, but even she was objecting.
"Sir, transmitting a memory is even more intrusive than what I'm doing now. I don't know what will happen to her." The congregation began to murmur at how unjust it was.
"DO IT," Lawrence said unmoved.
"No! I was there for the attack," David Wesley stood up from his seat. His daughter clung to him tightly in his arms as he pleaded with the council to let him take Evony's place. It wasn't right for them to treat her this way, not when she saved so many lives that day.
Evony could hear the pack objecting and others calling to take her place. She could also see Councilman Lawrence sitting there unwavering as even the fellow council members told him this was ridiculous. But there was no way Evony wanted anyone to go through this for her. And there was definitely no way she was going to allow there to be a gray area in her testimony. She looked up at the witch, Xerxa and brought her hand to Xerxa's wrist. "Do it," she commanded through clenched teeth.
Evony's face scrunched up in pain as she could literally feel the splicing going through her mind, as if they were moving forward in time in her memories, searching for the right scene.
Xerxa's head flung back as she transmitted the memory on the ceiling. Her eyes lit up, as she was now the "projector." Above everyone watched as the group was running through the territory. They saw how the wolf, now known as Eduardo Romero had attacked Evony unprovoked, Reed was livid when it became obvious that she had shifted into her human form.
Xerxa's mouth opened but it was Evony's voice that sounded.
"Silver Fang listen up! I will kill every single one of you if you come to this pack once more. Whether you're ordered to do so by my father or not, will not matter. Go back to my father and tell him that anymore rescue attempts will be ill-fated to anyone he sends for me. LEAVE NOW!"
The entire meeting hall was silent as Xerxa repeated everything that was said that day in the woods. Reed was proud of his pack as they stared at their Luna in awe without even knowing she possessed the title.
Finally, Xerxa lowered her hands from Evony's head, "I cannot go any further." Evony slumped out of the chair and had it not been for Xerxa catching her, her body would have fallen to the floor in a heap.
"There must be more! Go in again!" Councilman Lawrence commanded but Xerxa looked back at him like he was insane.
"It might kill her. I will not."
"Councilman Lawrence what exactly are you looking for?" Garrett asked from his seat. Just like Reed, he couldn't stand that Evony was going through this for her father's petty obsession.
"He said-" Lawrence started when Evony's weakened voice cut him off.
"Let me guess. He got to you somehow and told you to keep looking for something? I already told you he's playing the council for fools. How did he even know to get you Councilman Lawrence?"
If she wasn't so tired and weak, Evony would have smiled at how Councilman Lawrence floundered to come up with a plausible story. As it was it took a lot for her to even keep her eyes open.
"Councilman Lawrence," Casper rose from his chair and pointed to the disgraced alpha. "You are to be reprimanded in the cells until the high council will review your case." He looked back to Evony as she tried her best to sit back up in the chair alone. She nodded to Xerxa who looked too apologetic for Evony, to let her go. "In the case that Alpha Morris has brought against his daughter I find the charges reprehensible, and I drop all charges."
The majority of the congregation cheered for Evony. They way she had defended Blood Moon from her own pack was exemplary and they loved her for it.
One of the twins, Connor it seemed, went to pick Evony up in his arms so that the chair could be cleared away. Reed refrained from growling at his enforcer for the simple fact that Evony was just not strong enough to stand on her own. Instead, he resisted from gathering her in his own arms by watching Xerxa as she helped escort Councilman Lawrence into a cell.
"SETTLE DOWN!" A third member of the council spoke up with his alpha voice and the entire meeting room silenced themselves, and reclaimed their chairs. "There is still one more item to discuss before we depart, and I'm sure you would like us out of your territory as much as I would like to return to mine."
There was some grumbling of ascent from all of the members of the Blood Moon pack as they agreed with the councilman.
"Thank you Councilman Silbra." Through hooded eyes, Evony watched as another sheet of paper was handed to Casper. He looked over whatever was printed on the sheet and then handed it off to Silbra.
"In accordance of council law, a pack may not be lead by an unmated alpha for no more than five years. Alpha Reed Nelson, you've applied for a total of two extensions to this law, and the last of which will expire this Sunday. Have you named your mate?"
"No," Reed calmly replied with a smirk on his face. He tried not to look over at Evony, but couldn't help but to check on her. Reed just made sure that his eyes didn't linger on her for long.
"Have you named your successor?"
"No."
"At this time are you prepared to name either your mate or your successor? Also, you may keep in mind, that if you are not prepared, your successor will be determined by the Alpha Trials that will be conducted by the council in thirty days. So say you?"
With baited breath, Evony watched the members of Blood Moon as they nervously looked to their alpha. As far as they knew he had not met his mate and now the future of their pack was up in the air. Blair's musings didn't escape Evony's notice either. She saw how Blair smoothed down her hair and brought it all to one side of her neck. Blair stood up and slithered her way to the front of the crowd.
Evony muscled up some energy to have Connor put her on the ground and stand on her own two feet. She absolutely hated feeling weak when she was supposed to show strength for her mate and new pack.
"I am prepared to name my mate." A collective gasp went through the meeting hall, including with Councilman Casper. Evony wasn't sure what that meant, if anything. Reed stood up and made sure that everyone could hear him, "I NAME MY TRUE MATE, EVONY JAYMES MORRIS AS MY ALPHA FEMALE AND LUNA OF THE BLOOD MOON PACK."
Evony tried to walk towards Reed. But as her vision darkened to black and she felt her equilibrium spread into a dizzying tilt, all she could think was 'tried' was the operative word.
Chapter 14
"Good morning," Evony heard the sweet, deep voice of her mate and her eyes flickered open for good. She stretched her aching body and was surprised that despite her body and brain feeling like she was run over by a truck, she felt good. Being woken up by just the voice and sight of Reed helped as well.
Reed opened the door to his bedroom, balancing a tray of breakfast, which he almost dropped the moment her eyes opened to his. He couldn't help but get lost in the beauty of her soul; at least that was what it seemed he was staring at.
"Morning Reed," she offered him a smile, which only got bigger when she noticed the plate of French Toast, sausage and fruit.
Reed chuckled, "I see you're happier to see the food more than me." He came further into his bedroom and placed the tr
ay across her lap. He sat on the edge of the bed and was in awe at how much syrup she drowned the fried bread in.
"Don't get jealous. You're always hot, but food will stay hot for only so long."
"You think I'm hot?" Reed wiped a dab of syrup from the corner of her mouth before her tongue could dart out and get it.
"Don't fish for compliments, it's not cute." Evony continued to eat the rest of the food on her plate. Reed chuckled as she deadpanned and continued eating. Once she was done with her food, she washed it all down with the glass of orange juice and set the tray aside. "So what's on the agenda for the day?"
"First, you're gonna hop in the shower, the council wants to meet in about forty-five minutes to continue. Then, I'm going to take you somewhere quiet and we'll talk to decompress what happened these past two days." Reed got up from the bed and walked over to the other side so that he could kneel in front of her. "I just need to know that you're okay. How do you feel?"
The sincerity of his question nearly floored Evony as she looked at his face. She cupped his cheek and let her thumb rub back and forth against his skin. The tingles from the skin-to-skin contact revved her whole body up and she wanted to feel more.
"I'm fine Reed. A little stiff, but it's to be expected after being mentally prodded by a witch. Nothing a hot shower can't cure." Evony leaned forward and pecked a small kiss on his nose. When Reed rose up to stand, Evony's hand fell from his cheek to his wrist and she held him in place.
"I want you to mark me, before we meet the council."
"Babe are you sure?" Reed's wolf was practically howling for control and Reed was ready to give him control.
"There's little need to wait," Evony stood up from the bed and held onto Reed at his waist. "You've already announced to the pack that I'm yours, and my father has made it perfectly clear where I stand with him. I want this." She whispered the last part, and if it wasn't for his sensitive hearing, Reed might have missed it.
They leaned into each other, neither denying the kiss that they knew they wanted. Evony felt self-conscious that she hadn't brushed her teeth yet for the day, but the moment that her soft lips met his, there wasn't a single thought beyond needing more.
Without breaking the kiss, Reed walked her back to the bed and laid her down, falling on top of her. Evony reveled in the deliciousness that his weight on her caused as he began layering kiss upon kiss along her jawline. His lips trailed to the juncture between her neck and shoulder and Evony felt a rush of shivers that surged throughout her entire being as he began teasing her with his tongue and teeth.
"Do it," she moaned and Reed wasn't sure if it was her demand or her moan that sent him over the edge. The pressure of his teeth piercing through the skin was painful, and just when she was ready to cry out in pain, it gave way to pleasure. Warmth filled her being as the magic of the bond formed between them.
Evony felt his love, the love that the moon goddess had destined for her, through the bond. She cursed herself for having Reed mark her before the council meeting when all she wanted to do was give herself totally to Reed. Her hand reached to his nape, pulling him closer to her, holding his head in position. Just as she felt his love, she began focusing her love to him, knowing that he was experiencing the same thing she was. They were finally joined, and she could feel his presence in her head.
Once the bond was fully formed, Reed began pulling his teeth from Evony's neck and planting several small kisses and licks to help heal the process faster. With each touch of his lips, both Reed and Evony felt the tingles of contact and the shock of the bond. Bolts of pleasure furiously made its way through their bodies from the bond.
Reed smiled as he looked down at his mate, the gift that was planted in his life, as she looked blissed out from the new union. He inhaled the scent that enveloped them and knew he should move away as their scent was not only mingling with each other, but also with their arousal. It was beyond heavenly. He gave her one last kiss, this time needing his lips to touch hers once more, before pulling them both out of the bed. He led her to the bathroom, and started the shower for her.
"I already brought your bags and stuff into the closet. I'll be outside the door waiting for you." Evony nodded her acquiesce, and Reed kissed her on her forehead. When she was alone, Evony took a quick look at the already healing bite. With a loving caress, she turned to the task at hand of taking a quick shower and preparing for the second round of the council visit.
It was laughable but understandable that Reed had already moved her bathroom amenities into his bathroom. Like she had said earlier, Reed had already proclaimed her as his true mate, so the need for pretense was eradicated. She just hoped he wasn't headstrong to mate all the way. Despite her raging hormones while they were kissing, she wasn't sure if she was ready to go all the way with him. The only thing Evony was sure of was if she didn’t have doubts of whether or not she was ready, then she wasn't ready.
Evony turned the shower off once she had completely washed herself. There wasn't enough time to dry her hair properly, so airdrying was going to have to suffice. The large fluffy gray towel was enough to cause her to sigh as she wrapped it around her torso and walked over to the closet. There was no point for Reed to have hung the two outfits that she brought with her because she had only packed for the weekend. Her side of the massive closet space looked so pitiful compared to his side. Pitiful probably wasn't even an apt description. The only thing that Reed left in her bag was her underwear, and Evony wasn't sure if she should be embarrassed that he completely went through her things like that.
'Don't get mad, he was just eager to help,' Evony rolled her eyes heavenward when her wolf butt in. Evony could feel how smitten her wolf was with Reed and his wolf. But she couldn't blame her, they were pretty incredible.
Evony chose her long, blue and white maxi skirt and a white halter top, and quickly got dressed so she could join Reed.
They walked hand in hand down the stairs to the meeting room and Evony felt uncomfortable with the nods that she was receiving from the pack. It was possible that they were reacting to the joined hands or her display of solidarity at yesterday's council interrogation, but Evony was sure that the pack already sensed the union between her and Reed. She still wouldn't be able to mind link with any of them, until she formally joined the pack, but they would have felt their alpha adding an additional connection.
Being a were is so intrusive. Even when they have sex for the first time, the pack will know because their scent will mingle together on a permanent basis. As Evony mulled the thoughts of sex, she inwardly groaned knowing that her first heat was going to take place in a week since she was marked. The first heat always happened a week after marking, and it wasn't painful like in werewolf stories. Sure the nerve endings down below were firing at all pistons, but it was pleasurable, at least that was what everyone said. It would be three days of non-stop sex with Reed, why on earth would anyone find that painful?
Well...
"Thinking of me already?" Reed chuckled when he stumbled across Evony's thoughts. Evony could feel her face get hot when she realized that Reed was in her head.
"We have got to set up boundaries for this," Evony stated out loud pointing between the two of them, but her smirk and tone suggested that she was being playful. She had grown quite used to only having her wolf in her head for just the week, and hadn't realized that she actually enjoyed the quiet. But, being connected to her mate was something she would never give up.
And side note, she hoped that he wasn't confirming that he was big and their mating would in fact be painful.
They arrived in the meeting hall, and Evony was glad that the events for the day would be less formal than the proceedings the day before. Garrett and Reed took their seats once again, and those from the pack who wanted to join the meeting were in their own seats on the floor. Evony looked around and saw there weren't nearly as many people congregated as there was yesterday, but it was still a substantial amount.
"Ahh good, goo
d, good. I'm prepared to start the proceedings today," Councilman Casper seemed to enjoy the jovial mood he was in, quite the turnaround to how sour he seemed the previous day. Evony guessed that the formality of the first day affected everyone, including the council. "The other members have gone ahead to escort the traitor and I decided to stay back. Now shall we get started?"
Reed smiled when Councilman Casper looked around the room, not really requiring an answer from anyone as he quickly continued as if the pause was a formality.
"Alpha Reed, yesterday you declared your true mate, young Evony J. Morris, to be your Luna, does this hold?"
"It does." Reed stood up from his chair proudly, never taking his eyes from Evony.
Casper gestured to Evony to come forward from the crowd. She took a moment to look back at those around her and saw the smiles encouraging her to go forward. When she looked back at Reed, however, she didn't know why there was even a moment to hesitate. No, of course she knew, and it had everything to do with the doubt that crept in her mind that Blood Moon would not want her as their alpha female.
She shook her head from the discount and took the few steps towards Councilman Casper. She was born for this. She knew how to lead; she was a Morris for crying out loud. If something was to happen to her father, and she was unmated of course, she'd be the one leading Silver Fang. Being an alpha was in her blood, and she knew, just from the smiles alone, that she'd be a wonderful helpmate to Reed for the pack.
