Chapter 24: Getting My Head In Order

"We made our way there as fast as we could, but we didn't make it in time." His voice falters. "The assassins had already done away with the wolves that were shadowing you."

He pauses for a second, a second that felt like an eternity to me.

"By the time we got there, we found Darius amongst the assassins, and, he had already killed... your brother...and, your mother." He pauses again, and this time, I actually needed it.

Hearing all this is a knife to my heart, repeatedly.

I lack the strength to speak, but I force a whisper out of my lips.

"why?" I ask, desperately seeking the answer.

"Your pack Abigail, your pack, has the incredible Instinct, to reach within any person. And do a number of things, most people say the power of the Charon pack is limitless."

"And that is why Darius had us killed off like rats? Because of some fairytale?"

I get up, walking away from Elias, so he won't see the tears flowing down my eyes.

"But it's not a fairytale Abigail, you saw what you did. You brought your friend to life."

"That, that was just...she wasn't dead."

"No, she was."

"How are you so certain?" I turn to him, feeling rage boiling within me, now replacing my grief. "Because that wolf told you so? A wolf from the same pack that murdered my family? And, how can you even be working with someone that tried to kill me?" I feel my claws growing even in this mystical realm.

"First of all Abigail," He rises. "I was not aware of what she tried to do to you, and I swear she will be punished for her actions. But..."

"But." I call him out.

"But, we are partners of interest. After they did Darius' dirty work, he wanted them wiped out too, no witnesses. Now they want revenge."

"Oh, and therefore their sudden change of heart makes everything better right?"

"I never said it did, I haven't forgiven them for what they did," He makes his way towards me, but I again keep a distance between us. "...but as of now, we have a common enemy, and we need all the help we can get if we are to make Darius pay."

"Pay, you want to make him pay?"

"I do, he hurt the people I care about, and now, he's hurting you. My mate, of all the people, you Abigail, are my mate." He inches towards me, and this time, I don't step away.

He leans in and caresses my face.

I sink into him, and I start to cry again.

"How is it I'm alive Elias? Why am I alive?" I barely say, as my voice breaks with each word.

"That is your doing. I don't know how, but, you linked your soul, with his."

"I don't, what do you mean?"

"I mean, whatever happens to you, happens to him."

With that one word, everything falls into place, but yet...

"How could I do that?"

"It is the Instinct your pack possesses."

"This Instinct, Darius killed my family, and attempted to kill me, because he saw us as a threat, right?" I raise my head, searching for his eyes.

"Exactly, after he learned of your pack's existence, he wouldn't stand for it. The new and ambitious alpha would not let anything or anyone get in the way of his rule."

"How could he have done such a thing?" I sink my gaze once more.

"What do you expect? He's Darius." He says, and a part of me wants to explode, it wants to tear Darius apart, make him pay for everything he has done to me.

But how could I? I can't even protect Rosemary.

Except.

"You said you want to take Darius down." I meet his gaze again, fury bubbling in mine. "What can I do to help?"

Elias smiles, a smile that manages to alleviate half of the pain bellowing in my heart.

He raises his hand to caress my face, and like a cat, I sink my head into his hands.

His hands that always lights a fire within me.

"I have to be the worst mate ever." He says with an ironic look in his eyes.

After he filled me in on the plan, the connection between the totem broke, luckily for us, we had everything out of the way in time.

I try to process what he had told me exactly, but I don't know if I'll be able to pull it off.

Pain, hatred, and anger have become me, I don't know if I can be near Darius without trying to claw his eyes out, let alone do what Elias is asking me.

He really is the worst mate ever.

But, he is one I wouldn't trade for anyone else.

I wished we could have spent more time together, after everything I learned today, I would have at least liked some form of alleviation for the turmoil within me.

But I couldn't even have that.

I leave the balcony, feeling a bad chill sink into my bones.

As I stroke my arms when I head towards Rosemary, and make my way into the bed.

My head runs rampant in every direction.

I try to steady my thoughts, but they refuse to listen.

I think about Elias, the plan, Rosemary, Harry, my pack, my Instinct, and Darius.

The last thing I think about makes my skin crawl, and my blood boil.

And that is an understatement.

I hate him, I hate him with every fiber of my being, but I can't, I have to not hate it, or at least act like I don't.

But if I pretend, he will find out, he can tell when people are lying.

'You don't have to worry about that.' Elias' words return to me.

He promised me that he would give me an item like the totem that would negate Darius' lie detection Instinct.

I wonder to myself how such a thing could even exist, but then I squeeze the totem, and I choose to believe Elias.

And I chose, to hide my emotions, at least for now.

Because if I cannot bring myself to be near Darius let alone pretend, I will never be able to make him fall in love with me.