6 Chapter 5

I sat on the barstool as I looked around the kitchen. It seemed surreal, as if the room were different somehow from the new information. My world was different and slightly off. It was not the same as it was ten minutes before.

There was shouting from the foyer and I heard a vase break.

"Why do I keep replacing that?" I heard Diana say as I left the kitchen to see what the issue was.

"This is bullshit!" Tak screamed at Humphrey. Arthur was gone and I could see Diana was afraid of Tak's reaction. "She's to be the fatted calf you offer up to the English!"

"British," I corrected. " Arthur is Scottish, not English. "

Tak looked to me unbelieving. "What the hell does that matter?!"

I shrugged. "Just wanted to clarify."

Shock had taken over me. It must have, I was too calm and content with what was happening.

"English or Scottish," Tak snapped. "He has no right to you and he will be challenged."

"Challenged how?" Diana asked chewing on her nails.

My stomach dropped and I started to feel emotions once more. "Tak, what did you do?"

He puffed his chest out, "I called for The Rite to be read and The Law to be dealt out."

Humphrey, Diana, and I stood with mouths gapping.

"You idiot!" I shrieked. " He could kill you! "

Tak rolled his eyes. "You underestimate me."

"When? " was all that Humphrey could ask.

"Tomorrow," Tak said simply. "when the moon is at its peak, in the country side. All the leaders will be there and I will declare Lilly as mine, with first blood. "

We stood silent. Tak took our silence as an escape and went up the stairs.

"Arthur will kill him," Humphrey stated the obvious.

"I have to stop this, " I whispered. "I cannot have more blood on my conscience."

Humphrey looked at me with sad eyes knowing the hard life I had led. It was not fair but it had been my life. Now that I had a way in where my destiny would go, I would prevent death as far as I could.

I grabbed my jacket and slipped on my wellies.

"Don't wait up," I murmured grabbing my keys and bag.

"Lilly, " Humphrey said as Diana escaped to the kitchen.

I turned to see the old native searching for his words. He helped me put my coat on and zipped it up for me in silence. Like a father to a toddler on the way to school. He fitted my hood over my head and tucked my hair in. He pulled me into his embrace.

"Be safe," he whispered against my head. I clung to him like a drowning man for air.

He let me pull away first and patted my shoulder. I gave him a nod and left the house.

When I arrived at HQ I was immediately let in and escorted to Arthur's quarters. I did not know where to begin so I simply let the words fall out.

"He's young and stupid," I pleaded with Arthur. "Don't do this," I tried to read his stoic face.

"He called me out publicly, " Arthur leaned his hip against his desk.

It was solid oak and probably weighed 300 pounds but Arthur moved it slightly when he leaned into it. I did not realize how massive he was until then, I did now.

"You will end up killing him," I said truthfully. " I know better than anyone what battle is like once your tongue tastes blood. You cannot stop yourself and you know I'm right. "

He rubbed his eyes. "What would you have me do?" He was genuinely asking.

"I get that this mating will solve a lot of problems," I began. "So perhaps it will solve this issue. I'll agree to your terms and we can make this official without pack knowledge. The Law cannot supersede another. He won't be able to declare his right to me if I belong to you legally. "

He seemed annoyed at the prospect.

"No," he stated.

"No?" I waited for him to explain.

"No," he said again. "I'm no going to play any games."

"This isn't a game," I snapped. "This is a man's life at risk."

"A gille," he corrected. He saw my confusion. "A boy," he explained. "He's a boy. A man would have thought before he risked his safety idiotically."

I could not believe what he was saying.

"It wasn't idiotic. He did it out of love and anger."

Arthur snorted in laughter. "No, he did it because his pride was hurt. He loves you about the same amount as you love him."

The truth hit me harder than I thought it would. I did not love Tak. Maybe I did once; but did I ever really know what love was?

He smirked knowing he was right.

"What makes you think I don't love him?" I put my hands on my hips in defense.

He approached me slowly, like a tiger stalking it's prey.

"Because you would not have come here tonight, willing to mate with me so easily, if you loved him." Perhaps he was right. "I'll see you in the morning to sign the documents and tomorrow night I promise not to do much damage to him." He excused me from his office.

I went to leave but then stopped short of the door.

"He saved me." I stared at the floor so I would not lose my nerve. "More times than I can count, he saved me. Perhaps I don't love him, I probably don't know what love is, but I know loyalty. And when someone saves a life, I assume that warrants loyalty."

A puddle had formed on the floor where I stood. Arthur did not respond but I could tell he heard me. So I left the old mansion with a sour stomach but a fool's hope.