World of Madness

Devon's POV

It was a hot sunny day, the sun's bright rays filtered in through the opening in the blinds as I sat on the mahogany Table, glancing over the well furnished office.

Jack was seated on his office desk, while I sat on his table. Glancing through the documents he had sent to me on my phone, the words blurred away from my vision as I drifted off into thoughts.

I watch as Jack's mouth moves open and shut, as he gives me the report of the recent raid we had just quashed. I put on a mask of concern on my face, like I was paying attention to what he was saying.

However I was lost in thoughts and couldn't hear a word that escaped through his lips, every corner of my mind was consumed with thoughts of Sarah. 

Every breath I took brought back the memories of the time we spent together, and how it was abruptly cut short as we were separated by death.

I now feared falling asleep, as I was sure to be met with Nightmares of Sarah's death. The nightmares were more frequent than they used to be, it was as if the moon goddess herself was trying to tell me something but I couldn't decipher her message.

The dreams could be a way of trying to inform me of my new mate. My new human mate. Why the moon goddess had decided to pair me with a human was something I couldn't understand, but who am I to object to the will of the moon goddess.

My wolf is still mourning our loss of Sarah, it still feels too soon to have another mate. Yet being in her presence yesterday felt so wonderful, I had almost forgotten how powerful it felt to be reunited with one's mate. 

All I had as a reminder were the brief dreams that were fleeting as they quickly turned into nightmares. I guess I should count myself lucky to experience the real thing after such a long time. The moon goddess doesn't bless just any wolf with a second chance mate.

"Devon, Devon! Are you even listening to me?" Jack said, snapping his fingers in my face having finally caught up to the charade of attentiveness I was displaying.

I ran my fingers through my face, as I tried to recompose myself back into our conversation.

"Yes I was, I was just thinking of our next course of action."

Jack's face contorted in disbelief,

"That's a lie." I shook my head. I'm opposed, not willing to admit that he was right.

"No it's not, I'm being serious."

Jack arched his brows inquisitively,

"Okay, then what's the last thing I said." I let out a sigh, raising up my hands as I gave in to his persistent nature.

I arched my brows in confusion as I tried to make sense of what he could have possibly said, but I couldn't think of anything, I decided to guess.

"Um, you said. There were some rogues, in search of hospital supplies."

Jack laughed, jokingly hearing me across the shoulders.

"Wrong! Dumb ass!"

"Fine you caught me, I wasn't listening."

Jack smirked cockily,

"I knew it. I was giving you the suspect list we've compiled for the last attack we just squashed and you were doing that dumb thing you do when you nod your head like a weirdo."

I laughed at his banter,

"Print it out and send a copy to my study, I'll get to it when I'm in the right frame of mind." A look of concern flashed through his eyes,

"What's bothering you!"

A met Jack's concerned gaze, I knew he meant well but I wasn't sure if I should tell him about Sarah. He might not take the news of me having another mate so we'll.

Jack has always been one who stuck to the rules, he wouldn't be able to keep this a secret. He'll surely go blabbing to the Elders the first chance he got. 

I looked away from his gaze,

"Don't worry it's not important." Jack on the other hand wasn't buying it, he shook his head in objection. 

"You are thinking about it instead of trailing the wolves that attacked us, it's clearly important. What is it?"

"Come on bro. Let's just drop it, it's nothing really. Just been lost in thoughts, been thinking about Sarah that's all." I lied, although technically it wasn't a lie as it has some truth in it.

He kept pressing on refusing to back down until I told him what it was. He was good, and knew exactly when I was lying. 

After what felt like eons, I was finally ready to give in. I sighed,

"I met someone, my mate." Jack's jaw dropped, his eyes widened as he stared at me in shock without blinking.

Jack finally blinked as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Wow! Why would you keep that to yourself? That's good news, like it's wonderful really." 

He was right, it's indeed good news. After being alone for so long it was good that I finally had someone to join me, and share life with. No more lonely days and haunting nights.

A breath escaped my lips,

"Yeah! That's true, to be honest I'm thrilled to have a new mate. I didn't know I could feel this way about someone again, I was sure I was doomed to be alone forever."

A look of excitement grew on Jack's face,

"Yeah! The priests would be glad too, we finally have a sacrifice to put an end to the curse."

My heart dropped when I heard it, regret immediately washing over me. Why couldn't I keep my big mouth shut? Now I had put another person's life in danger, just like I did with Sarah. 

I turned my gaze,

"Do not tell the elders about this, I'm not sacrificing Sarah." Jack's face puzzled, 

"You can't be serious. You of all people should be looking for an end to the curse."

Every council meeting, every public meeting I was always reminded of my curse and how I brought affliction on the pack. The elders were on my neck, hungry for bloodshed as a means to appease the curse.

I wasn't buying it, how could I be cursed? My pack was doing well, what curse could I possibly be bringing upon us when the moon goddess clearly favored us. 

I shook my head in objection,

"I don't want more innocent blood shed, curse or no curse." 

Jack stretched out his hands, as he tried to bargain with me to reconsider.

"Look, I get it. She's your mate, you don't want to lose yet another mate. How about this; you get married to someone. Anyone it could even be a human, we'll sacrifice that stranger to break the curse and you can get married and be happy with your new mate."

I cringed inwardly at the thought of randomly killing a strange woman for my own benefit. I was right, I shouldn't have told Jack about her. He was a good guy but was a stickler to the rules and was willing to go to any extent to free me from the curse and because of that, now she was in danger. 

They would no doubt want to sacrifice her to put an end to this curse. She was human after all, they wouldn't think twice before killing her. 

Human life meant nothing to them, it wasn't long ago they were massacring any human their paths crossed with. I was going to protect Rachel, at all costs.

I slapped his hands away, and roared angrily.

"I said no blood shed, human blood or wolf blood. NO MORE BLOODSHED, NO MORE SACRIFICE!"

Jack sprang up from his seat, now yelling with me,

"You can't disregard the customs of the Alphas before you. We must put an end to this curse, once and for all Devon."

Jack and I glared at each other, I scoffed.

"I'll find a way to put an end to the curse myself. One that wouldn't require innocent bloodshed." 

"Stop being so stubborn, you have to put the needs of the pack first. It's of utmost importance to deal with this first, the moon goddess doesn't hand out second mates to just anyone. She led you to your second mate so you could get rid of this curse once and for all!" Jack yelled, now coming threateningly closer to me.

I stormed out of the room, leaving him standing there, a look of disbelief etched across his face but I couldn't care less.

I made my way out of his office, storming angrily down the hallways of his house as I grumbled angrily to myself. 

I was done with the elders, always looking for blood shed for one superstitious belief after the other. I wasn't having it anymore.

All the sacrifices I made didn't stop me from losing Sarah, how then could they still be helpful. I must find another solution. Who knows, a different solution would probably help me live freely with my new mate. Rachel. 

I wasn't going to bring her into the world of my madness like I did with Sarah, I was going to sort everything out first. I'll get to the root of this curse before we can be together, I refuse to mourn yet another mate.