Chapter 5 - Owen
The council chamber has never been as dark or depressing as it is right now.
I keep my head down, listening to the echoes of their reprimands as all of them talk at once. The meeting started in a fairly orderly manner, but quickly turned into an absolute shitshow.
Are they going to let me speak?
“It’s beyond unacceptable!” Darla’s voice rings above all the others. “We agreed to wait and attempt to complete the ritual properly, and you… you went and bound that… that—”
Darla chokes on the word, and I look up, slowly raising my head so I can level my gaze on her.
“That what?” I ask, taunting her. When her cheeks blush red, I have to stop myself from grinning, knowing how fast the meeting would go to absolute hell if I actually revealed how little I respect her.
Or any of them, really.
“The binding ritual is not to be taken lightly,” Sylvie says.
“The ceremony—which was done for Rhys and Sadie—is to be completed in front of the council for full ratification, but the one you performed is only supposed to be used in extreme circumstances, to seal a union between a pair immediately when it was for the good of the pack.”
“I believe those details have been satisfied,” I answer, trying to keep my voice somber. “It was an emergency, and I just made the call as best I could at the time.”
“You followed your cock,” Thorne mutters, muffling the last word.
“Why you wolves continue to get taken in by humans is utterly senseless to me,” Darla says, her voice harsh. “After years of controlled breeding, you think you can just run off and waste your energy on these disgusting genetic failures.”
“I know the law,” I say firmly. “And unlike Rhys, I’ve never broken it. I’ve remained true to my lineage. What I need you to understand is that after the spell was performed, I felt a mystical pull towards Trina, and I feel I acted almost outside of my own will. As if this was meant to be.”
“And it is,” Neville says, looking dreamily up towards the ceiling. “The future laid out before us is a beautiful one, where we can finally flourish and grow.”
“You are an old fool!” Darla snaps. “We prospered quite well without humans up to this point.”
“Did we?” Neville asks, and Darla turns away in disgust.
“Is there anything else?” I ask.
From the looks on their faces, I know there is, but continuing the conversation is pointless.
“If it turns out that this was the wrong path, it will be very difficult to undo what you have done,” Rafe says. “Be considerate of that.”
“I will,” I say. “Contact me if you wish to discuss it further.”
I turn and leave before any of them can stop me. Even though I know it’s a horrible thing that the effects of the curse haven’t lifted even slightly, I am pleased the council members are slow enough that they can’t rush to follow me.
If there had been some improvement, they wouldn’t have had anything to say; it would be obvious I’d done the right thing. At this point, I’m questioning my own sanity, and I have no clue how to defend my actions.
I drive straight to the museum, hoping to talk to Trina or Sadie. I’m surprised to find all of them out front, and as I approach, the air seems to grow heavy, as if a storm is about to break loose.
Looking at Trina’s face, I don’t think that’s far from the truth.
The girls respond to me immediately, and the flirting takes me off guard. When my words come out a bit short, I soften them up with a smile and take off my sunglasses, raking a hand through my hair as I do.
Lacey practically drops her pants on the spot, and Robyn’s jaw almost hits the ground. The funny thing is, when I reveal I’m there for Trina, and she confirms we’re an item, it only excites the girls even more.
The sisterhood, alive and well. Good to see.
I make it Trina’s choice to take my hand, but offer it in such a way that it would look odd for her to refuse. As we walk up the path away from the museum, I keep her hand in mine so she’s forced to walk beside me.
“Okay,” she says as we turn the corner. “They’re well behind us now. Do I have to keep holding your hand?”
“It might look weird if you don’t,” I say, just a bit teasingly. “Anyone could see us. We should put on a good show.”
“I’ll give you a good show,” she mutters.
“What?” I ask innocently.
“Nothing,” Trina answers. “Look, I need to go back to my place to grab some things. You really can’t expect me to move to your house without bringing any of my belongings.”
“I suppose that’s fair,” I agree. “I’ll take you over there now.”
“I don’t need your help,” she protests.
“I don’t care. I’m going to make sure you don’t take off again.”
Trina’s mouth twists as if there’s a curse poised on her tongue, but she doesn’t speak it. “Fine,” she mutters. “Let’s go.”
I walk her across to my car and head towards her place. Trina keeps her face turned away, her arms folded across her chest.
Talk about closed body language.
“Did you have a good day?” I ask, feeling hopelessly inadequate, but not having anything else to say.
“It was great, except for being uncomfortable in someone else’s clothes, and knowing I was going straight home to my kidnapper after.”
Anger spikes in me, but I hold it back, letting my feelings simmer under the surface as I try to suppress my irritation.
I know stuffing my feelings down isn’t healthy, but it’s got to be better than screaming.
By the time we turn onto Trina’s street, I’m beginning to seriously doubt my decision from the night before. I left the council in a bad way, came straight out here on a whim, and I bound her to me immediately, without any advice from someone else.
I should have asked Sadie, at least. Have I made a terrible mistake?
When we reach the house, Trina gets out and slams the car door hard enough to make the frame rattle. She strides quickly up the path, and I follow along, thinking how different this place looks in the light.
Last night, it was magical. Now it looks like an overgrown, neglected cemetery.
“Thankfully, the door blew shut,” Trina says as she reaches the porch. “I was afraid I’d find it wide open—since I left without locking it,” she adds, emphasizing the last words.
“Yes, I agree that wasn’t my finest moment,” I reply.
She looks over her shoulder, her expression a mixture of astonishment and disgust. Even though she’s pissed at me, I can’t help but admire the shade of her eyes.
Last night, it was too dark for me to really notice, and I’d never looked at her closely before, but being near her now, I can see they are shimmering, blue-green pools. Like a bay in the Caribbean Sea.
“I won’t be long,” she says, turning around so fast that her long, honey-blond hair swishes around her like a silk curtain. She walks up the hall, and I follow closely.
“I can help,” I say, pausing in the doorway.
“No,” she says, getting out a suitcase. “I don’t want you going through my underwear.”
“For fuck’s sake, Trina—”
“No!” she snaps. “Stop trying to control every single goddamn thing that I do! Get out, Owen.”
Chastised, I slink back to the living room, taking a look around to see if there is any furniture or other items she might like to bring.
The living room is just a tiny space, with a few books, a small TV, and a comfortable-looking chair.
The kitchen is directly adjacent, so I go through to see it’s just as sparsely furnished.
The dishrack only holds one cup, plate, and set of cutlery.
It strikes me that Trina has been utterly solitary for a long time, but the lack of furniture or personal items signifies freedom, not detriment.
When I hear Trina in the hall, lugging her suitcase, I immediately go to help, but she waves me away.
“I’m not quite done yet. I’ve got another bag to pack. Just stay out of my way.”
“Just don’t jump out a window,” I snap. “Again.”
She frowns at me and puts her hands on her hips. “That would be silly, wouldn’t it? I mean, you tracked me with your wolf nose or whatever, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then running would be pretty dumb.”
“I think you’re capable of some pretty dumb things.”
Trina’s face flushes bright red, and I realize my joke came out like an insult. “Wait—” I say, but Trina raises her hand, looking away and shaking her head.
“Wow,” she mutters. “Fucking wow. You kidnap me, force me into marriage, and now you’re calling me dumb.”
“That’s not what I meant—”
“Well, that’s what I heard.”
“Look,” I say, trying not to yell. “Do you need or want any of this stuff? I can get someone to pick it up if you need it.”
Trina pauses for a moment, looking me up and down as if I’ve set a trap. “Everything in the kitchen is just generic,” she says. “It doesn’t mean anything to me. But I want those books.”
“Okay. What about the chair?”
“Oh, it can stay until I get back.”
It takes a moment for her words to sink in, and I shake my head a little. “Wait. What?”
“The chair can stay here until I move back in.”
“I got your meaning,” I say, my voice rising as I cross the room towards her. “I just don’t understand your thinking. You’re married to me now.”
“Without consent!” she says with exasperation. “I don’t imagine, even for a second, that this is going to be a permanent arrangement.”
“Stop,” I say, raising a hand. “I thought you understood about all of this—”
“I do,” she answers. “Sadie told me today.”
“Then surely you must know—”
“What I know is this!” she yells. “I got forced into this against my will. With all the shit I already have to deal with, I seriously did not need this, too! That being said, I feel genuine compassion for the sick people in your pack, and I will help you if I can.”
“Thank you,” I reply, relief rushing through me, so powerful it raises the hairs on the backs of my arms. “Now, should I get this chair moved or—”
“Did you just hear me?” she snaps. “I said I’d help, but I’m not staying with you. You have to let me go after a solution is found. Do you understand?’
“I—”
“I promise I won’t try to run away again. I understand the seriousness of the situation. But I deserve to have my life back after it’s done.”
I let my gaze roam around the room, taking in how simple and spartan it is. I know a lot of people would argue that this is poverty, but I can feel that to Trina, it’s simply all she needs, and it means a lot to her.
There’s still one big, huge problem.
“Trina,” I sigh. “I’m getting the feeling Sadie didn’t tell you everything.”
“What do you mean?” she asks, watching me with wary eyes. Her body is poised as if she’s about to run again, regardless of what she just said.
“Did Sadie tell you what the deciding factor was in healing the Silver Valley pack?”
“Their marriage,” Trina responds, her brow knitting in confusion. “I don’t know, something about her magic, and their union… what exactly are you getting at?”
“Sex,” I say.
Her face colors red again, and this time, I watch the red flush creep across her cheeks as the sapphire and emerald in her eyes flash in time with her fury.
“What the fuck,” she growls. “What did you just say to me?”
“Things didn’t start to unfold for Sadie and Rhys until after they had sex.”
“Didn’t they have sex years ago to make Cassie?” she counters.
I shake my head. “That was before the ceremony and the ritual. It was the consummation of that bond that unlocked Sadie’s powers and healing for the pack.”
Trina stares at me, her cheeks still flushed red, but the rest of her face paling. “Do you really think I’m going to believe that?” she asks softly. “Is that the best you can do to try and wrangle sex from me?”
“I’m not trying to,” I sigh, putting my face in my palm. “Seriously. Ask Sadie.”
“Oh, I will. This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard, and I can’t wait to hear Sadie laugh this off and call it bullshit.”
“It’s not.”
“We’ll see,” Trina says. “But if it turns out sex is what’s needed to heal your people, we'd better find another solution, because I’ll make damn sure you never use my body for your gain.”
“It isn’t like that—” I begin, then stop, trying to find something meaningful to say that will reassure her.
This must have come off as the clumsiest pass in history, I think with regret.
“I can see exactly how it is,” Trina says, turning to go back down the hall. “I’m going to finish packing. You rack your brain searching for another solution, because you’re not getting into my fucking pants—no fucking way.”
I watch her go, not knowing if I want to scream at the top of my lungs, cursing her name—or if I want to kiss her so hard and deep, it changes her mind.