Chapter Thirty
Months later…
“I can’t believe our first ‘year’ is done.” Wendy collapsed onto my sofa as we all shuffled into my living room.
“I know. It’s been insane. But at least they are giving us a week of being class free before we start classes again.
” Hanna stretched out onto the floor and groaned as she rolled on my thick fur carpet.
“Next time you nest, come to our place, please.” She laughed as Wendy threw a pillow at her.
She tucked it under her head. “What?” She turned onto her side, staring at the rest of us.
“You’re telling me you aren’t super jealous of her fur lined, super comfy everything?
” She laughed as Micca curled up on the other half of the sofa and Toya lounged on the love seat.
She pointed at my chair. “Look at that thing!”
I smiled as I settled in, and the contented purring of my wolves came back to me. “It’s honestly great.”
She huffed and crossed her arms. “See.” The rest of the girls laughed.
I looked around, and it blew my mind, seeing the difference.
All of them had built muscle. All of them were more confident than when we all started.
“I don’t think I ever said this to you, but I’m super thankful to have met you.
” I smiled as they all turned to me. I opened my mouth but Micca waved her hand.
“None of that. It sounds like you’re gearing up to say goodbye or whatever and that’s not happening.
First, you are stuck with us until this time next year or longer.
And second,” she paused. “I’m happy I met you guys, too.
” She looked around at all of us and smiled.
“You guys are my best friends and I don’t think I could have met anyone as badass as the four of you anywhere else. ”
There were a few sniffles around the room, and then a pillow was launched at Micca.
“You are a bitch.” Hanna wiped at her face.
“Today is supposed to be a good day. We just finished our exams and then you two come in here and act like someone’s dying.
” There was another sniffle. “I hate you both.” I snorted out a laugh.
“You love us,” Wendy laughed as she tossed another pillow. There was a weighted pause, and then pillows were flying in every direction. Laughter and the thumps of our pillows filled the room until a heavy knock pulled us back to reality. Everyone froze.
Toya looked at me. “Who’s that?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea.” I walked to the door and cracked it open. “Hello?”
“Hi Amy.” Sterling gave a tightlipped smile and a small wave.
I opened the door fully and smiled. “Hey Sterling. I haven’t seen you in weeks.
How are you doing? How’s your mate? Your pup?
” I raised a finger. “Before I forget.” I ran away, leaving a very confused man on my doorstep, and ran to my room.
I had been waiting for him to come back.
I grabbed the gift bag and ran back to the door.
Stuffing it into his hands. “Here.” I smiled.
Sterling stood with a giant gift bag in his hands with his mouth dropped open. “Amy…you didn’t have to.”
“Of course I didn’t. But I wanted to.” I smiled.
“I wasn’t sure if it was going to be a girl or boy, so I got gender neutral colors.
I hope you and your mate like it.” All the girls came to the door.
“We all went out together and picked up the stuff. If there are doubles you don’t need, we left the receipt in there so you guys can exchange things. ”
Sterling’s face lit up, and I noticed a small tear. “Thank you, girls. Really, this is going to make Zay’s night.” Everyone gave him a quick hug and then disappeared, leaving us alone at the door. “But this isn’t why I am here.”
“What’s up?” I leaned against the frame as he readjusted the bag.
“I was just about to go home, as my relief is here, but…” He trailed off and scratched his head. “Jora told me something.” He paused. There was a crackling over his radio.
“Sterling. Are you upstairs?”
He held up a finger and then reached for his radio. “Yeah Jorah, what’s up?”
“We have a visitor…actually two visitors for Alpha Amy. Since you are already upstairs somewhere, can you go to her place and let her know?”
“You can just tell me where her apartment is and I can go myself.” I froze as Brandon’s voice crackled over the radio.
“We can go together.” A second voice crackled over the radio and the girls were at my back again. Sterling gave a quick yes and then put his radio away.
“Sterling…” Toya wrapped her hand around my own. “Why are Nina and Brandon looking for Amy?”
He swallowed. “Probably because of the announcement going out tomorrow…The king,” He looked away. “The king is going to announce he’s looking for candidates for a chosen mate by council.”
I felt the world fall out from under my feet and I staggered back. Only Toya kept me upright. I knew he was going to do this. I just didn’t think it was going to happen so soon.
“You have got to be joking.” Wendy cried.
Hanna and Micca both growled, and I saw Sterling wince. Not in submission, but just from the ferociousness of the two. They sounded like they would kill someone. “Tell us you are lying, Sterling.” Micca’s voice was low, and I didn’t have to glance to know her wolf, Muse, was very much present.
Sterling looked away again. “I’m not sure. Jora just told me. But the king made a statement that there was going to be an announcement tomorrow. And I figured you should know.” I nodded.
“Don’t let them up. I’ll come down in a minute.” Sterling nodded, grabbed his bag, and left. But I turned to my friends. “I have to go check my email and my phone.”
Everyone nodded, but Toya followed me back into my room. “If there isn’t an email or text, or voicemail from that fucking man about this, I will kill him.”
I gave a tiny chuckle because, in this moment, it was all I could muster. “Let’s just see.” I booted up my computer and then grabbed my lockbox and grabbed my phone.
There were three missed calls, a text and a voicemail. I read the text first.
Rowan-Please check your email. ASAP
I showed the phone to Toya, and her eyes darted across the screen. “Hey. At least he isn’t stupid.” She swiped the notification from the top for the voicemail. After I entered my passcode, his voice rang out.
“Hey, Amy. I…fuck. I don’t know what to say to you, or how to say it. I’m going to be making an announcement tomorrow.” I heard a knock, a knock on the door and then the sound of his phone hitting the table. Toya’s eyebrows shot up, and she looked at me.
“What’s going on?” She asked, but then we heard the door open and both of our attentions snapped back to the phone.
“My king.” A soft voice called out, and I felt my stomach clench.
Rowan’s voice was deep when his answer came out. “Did I tell you to enter, Verity?”
I heard the soft click of heels on the wood floor in his office and then a soft chuckle from the woman, who was apparently named Verity. “No, but I didn’t think I needed to ask to enter my mate’s office.”
His growl was swift and savage. “You are not my mate. You have never been my mate.”
“But I will be.” Her voice was sultry, and it was coming closer to the phone.
"My potential mate candidates will be chosen by the council, and then by me. Whether you are even in the running is up in the air."
Toya grabbed my shoulder and I slapped my hand over my mouth. “Goddess.” I whispered, as my world tilted once again.
Verity scoffed. “I’m the best candidate.”
“Who says?” Rowan shot back. “You are an elite warrior, I will give you that, but it doesn’t mean you are the best option for my mate.” We heard a fist slam into his desk, vibrating the phone there. “If there were any Lycans alive, you wouldn’t even be in the running.”
Toya gasped and pointed at me but I just shushed her. “Good thing there are no more Lycans.” Verity’s voice dropped low and something hit the floor. There was some rustling of clothing and then a gasp.
“Did I give you permission to touch me? Get up off your fucking knees and leave my fucking office. Only my mate will touch me, and you are not her.”
“Yet.” Her voice now held venom.
“Get out.” His voice dropped low and the call disconnected after his words.
“What the fuck was that?” Toya looked at me but I just shook my head.
“I don’t honestly know.” I threw my phone down onto my bed and grabbed my laptop, opening my email and finding one email marked urgent from Rowan.
Hey,
The council has been pushing these last few months for me to begin the process of finding a mate. And I put it off as long as I could, but I can’t any longer.
Every time I say no, there is another attack on a pack. Whenever I give in, it gives us a little more time to figure everything out.
I figure I can start the process and hopefully they will get bogged down with applications to go through that. It will give us at least six more months before I have to date these women.
Apply. And get every female you know to apply.
Rowan.
Toya finished reading the email, as another came in. This one marked personal. “I think this one might have more of an explanation.” She pointed to the notification, but I was still frozen where I sank onto my bed when I read it. He had to date these women. What about me?
I heard a soft sad howl from the darkness of my forest where Nix had taken up residence in my soul.
She hadn’t come out in a long time, and Megan only appeared periodically.
They left me alone to deal with everything.
And while I can kind of understand, I was growing resentful of my wolves.
I was already cut adrift by my father. I had pulled away from my mother to sell my sadness.
Her sadness. Rowan was doing his part and then there was us.
So divided, they refused to come out any more.
We were supposed to be planning our next steps and I couldn’t even speak with them.
I shook my head. I had let them pull away because, obviously; they had things they needed to deal with that they didn’t want to share with me just yet, but I was at the end of my rope.
I pushed myself to approach the forest edge, and I called back to my two wolves.
Enough is enough. I don’t know why you guys pulled away from me, but you left me alone to deal with all of this myself.
The silence was answer enough. I pulled my magic closer to me since it was the last thing that I had.
You are letting a man come between us. Again. I screamed and then I turned away.
“Ouch.” Toya jumped back from me and my eyes snapped open to her.
“What’s wrong?” She flinched back from my hand and pointed. I looked down at my hands to find sparks dancing between my fingers. “I hurt you?” My voice was hollow.
“It was an accident.” Toya came back to my side. “I’m fine. I just wasn’t expecting it.”
I closed my eyes and shook my head, pushing my power away to its grove and giving it a quick goodbye. I appreciated it, and I didn’t want to offend it and lose it, too. “Sorry. I just…” I shook my head as I felt a frustrated tear well up.
“What is going on, Amy? You haven’t been yourself in a while.”
“Nix and Megan pulled away the last night Rowan was here.” I wiped at the tears on my cheeks. “They see everything I’m dealing with, but obviously whatever they are dealing with is more important because they left me alone for a man.” I could hear the bitterness in my voice, taste it on my tongue.
“Maybe they just needed to pull back and figure things out.” Toya was trying to be helpful but I snorted.
“Has Taz ever been so wrapped up in her own feelings that she refused to talk to you? Has your wolf pulled away so deeply that she refused to emerge even in the safety of your own mind? Megan comes out every month or so to say a word or two, then slinks back, but Nix? Nix has been gone for six months.” I flopped back onto my bed.
“I’ve been alone for six months. And I get it.
We all need space. But when is it going to be enough? ”
“Oh Amy.” Toya came over and wrapped me in her arms. “Why haven’t you told any of us?”
“Because I didn’t want you guys to pull away, too.
I didn’t want to be that girl that doesn’t have a wolf.
” I pulled away enough to look up at her.
“I’ve lived that life. Last time I had Nix’s voice, but I wasn’t able to shift.
Now I’m able to shift but I don’t have the actual wolf.
” I crumpled into her arms. “And shifting is becoming harder.” I said the last words as a whisper.
My truth, I didn’t want to face. “Since Nix and Megan had pulled away from me, every time I shifted, it hurt more and more. The damage I was doing to force the shift was painful, and it lasted longer and longer. After today’s training session, I was in so much pain I actually had to ask Sterling to get me some willow bark capsules to make it to my exam. ”
“Amy…you know we can get addicted to that stuff.” I just nodded.
“I had no other way. I couldn’t move.” I put my head in my hands. “I ran home in wolf form because I struggled to shift yesterday. And today, today my leg got stuck.” Toya gasped.
“What are we going to do?” Toya held me close, but I pulled away as my main phone rang out. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and answered.
“Hello?”
“Hey Amy…it’s Jora.” I closed my eyes.
“Yeah Jora, what’s up?”
“Alpha Nina and Brandon are still waiting down here to see you.”