Page 40 of Outcast
What I’d realized while in his memories was that I wasn't the person he hated the most. That spot was reserved for himself for not saving his mother—for not even trying. He'd allowed me to hold him as her howls echoed through the forest until the other pack members came and took us away.
I was just a convenient and easy target for him to funnel his emotions towards. It was easier focusing that anger on me rather than forcing himself to work through the inner turmoil toward an acceptance of the fact that there was nothing he could have done. The fault laid solely with the Daimona.
But, the other part of me hated him for using me as a scapegoat for his pain for sixteen years, then denying our mate bond instead of using it as an opportunity to mend things. My mind remained at war on how to proceed, but my heart had already settled on a decision.
Why did I always carry a soft spot for him?Oh wait, because he's your fated mate, duh.
Seth's hand weaved itself into my own, and he traced small circles on the back of my skin.
My chest rose as I breathed deeply, resolve settling into me. I wouldn't give up on him, even if he had convinced himself that he’d made up his mind. There was a reason our souls were meant for each other, and I refused to accept that this rift was irreparable.
"Jameson," I called out softly to get his attention once more. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye but continued to rifle through papers. "Would you like to join us for dinner tonight?" My voice wobbled a bit, scared of his rejection.
His father's body went rigid, eyes narrowed and waiting with bated breath to hear his son's answer. Honestly, I was surprised he hadn't butted into the conversation to act like he could deny a mate bond once more.
A muscle ticked in Jameson's jaw as he turned to look at us. I could have sworn that a sliver of longing flashed in his eyes, before it was concealed behind his cold, unmoving mask of disgust.
"I could tell you about a million things that I'd rather do," he bit out. His lip curled at the end, somehow not detracting from his beauty in the slightest.
I wouldn't give into his ploy to anger me and set distance between us once again. That's what he wanted.
Shrugging indifferently, I forced a smile to my face as I said, "Okay, maybe next time.” He scowled in response and turned back to continue reading whatever was in front of him.
Slowly, the elders trickled into the room, finding chairs to sit in and forming a semi-circle around where I stood, ending the awkward silence that had filled the room. Milo's mouth gaped open like a fish at my kind gesture towards Jameson, while Seth looked at me like I hung the stars in the sky.
Staring out at the elders, I took note of how some appeared apprehensive of this situation. It surprised me to see a few kind faces in the crowd. The alpha rose from his seat, offering it to the last elder who walked into the room with her worn wooden cane. I hated seeing him do nice things—it detracted from the villainous person he was in my mind.
A woman in one of the first rows stood, her grey hair hanging to her hips in soft waves and the wrinkled skin around her eyes and lips betraying how often she smiled. Instantly, her energy put me at ease, and I found myself relaxing, letting the anxiety leave my rigid stance.
She spoke with an air of confidence and gestured towards me, "We are all here now. Please child, tell us what you have learned."
Chills spread over me at this daunting task. I didn't have a way to show them my powers, or to even shift right now, and none of them had witnessed my fight at the training yard since the alpha hadn't required the elders to come to many of the gatherings.
How was I going to convince them that there was anything special about me and that death was coming for the wolves?
Chapter Eighteen
Kira
Silence ensuedas the woman sat back down in her chair, giving me the floor to plead my case. No pressure or anything, just the weight of the shifters' entire existence as we knew it.
Gripping my hands in front of me, I surveyed the room while trying to figure out the best way to tell them my story. It really sounded like a made-up fantasy tale, and I needed to find a way to get them to open their minds to the idea first.
Maybe I'd work my way backwards.
Nerves racked my body as I struggled with the importance of their backing. The elders needed to accept me as Prophetess in order for the pack to accept me as anything other than the “human” I’d always been to them. We needed to come together as one cohesive unit in order to face what was coming.
"Anytime today, Kira," the alpha snarked from his corner in the back of the room, making me roll my eyes.
I saw a few elders roll their eyes as well, which made me smile and want to fist pump the air in excitement at our mutual annoyance. This was good, it meant their allegiance to him wasn't blind, and they saw his flaws.
"Thank you for your gentle encouragement, Alpha. I truly appreciate your support," I cheekily responded with mock politeness.
I moved my eyes across the crowd as I spoke, not quite sure where to focus, "I'm going to start this from the beginning, so bear with me. Have you all heard of the Dark Prophecy?"
A raspy voice piped up from the back, "Yes, of course. It is in the Cognitionis, meaning ‘knowledge’ if you are unfamiliar with Latin. The council has provided a copy of the Cognitionis to each pack since the creation of the council."
"Not like it's good for anything other than collecting dust," someone in the crowd mused, eliciting a few chuckles from the rest.
