Sixty nine

JASON

She shot me an incredulous look as she pistoned away from my penis. The light of the moon had been replaced by foggy mists that sizzled out of our bodies. I was angry too. Mad even. An infection was festering in her soul. The stench of the witch was very much there now. It was a wonder how I hadn't been able to sniff it out earlier. I had been betrayed. I wondered if she realized I knew her secret. I had opened myself up to her. I had given trust a chance and like my wolf and I had always inferred, Olamide had shattered it. What right did she have to be angry? She knew I was someone who had done terrible things. I was obnoxious and used to having my way. Those were the flaws in my person. The only gruesome thing that the goddess could have shown her. So ignoring the look of betrayal she shot at me with those doe eyes, I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her down the platform where eyes could not see us. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Valentine run the opposite way with Devin closely following suit.

"How is Candice..." I barely got the words out. The look of betrayal on Olamide's face faded and a spark of rage glinted. She swung at my face. It was fast. I barely had the time to deflect it so f course, she didn't miss. Her hands slammed into my face and a sting followed. In that moment of daze, She shrugged her hands off and dealt me a second slap that equally burned.

"You monster," She shrieked. "What did you do to my brother?"

"What brother..."

My response made Olamide stagger back with disgust. She let go of the mental block and continued. "He didn't matter, Did he? He didn't matter so much that you forgot him! Don't tell me of all the horrible things you have done, this didn't even leave a dent. I opened my heart to you, Jason. I truly wanted to start again. Maybe even share a new world with you. But you are a monster, Jason. I am kind of blessed that whatever deity paired me up with you was sweet enough to reveal the kind of nightmare you are."

Her mind didn't lie. Our completed bond allowed me to easily make a mental picture of the thoughts that ran through her mind. As I watched the frames, my memories of that accursed night seemed to come back. Devin had tied the vampire up and revealed the long tooth claimed he was Olamide's brother. The long tooth had been truthful but no joyous family reunion could ensue because he belonged to Lilith's harem. I had requested that Ginger wipe every memory of his sister to keep Olamide safe while also emptying my recollections of that night. I remembered it all. Suddenly, knowing that Candice was using my mate as a walking rejuvenation bank did not matter so much now.

"Olamide," I began. "I can explain. I did it to keep you safe."

"You do not get to pull that card, Jason." Olamide shot back at me. "I am not your property Jason. I am a living breathing creature that can make her own decisions. I don't need a man or a werewolf to make that decision for me. Do you know what hurts most? It's the fact that the one man I open up about my problems to is the same man who betrayed me."

I stepped forward to pacify her. Something about the hurt in her eyes broke my heart but as I closed in, I saw Olamide instinctively take a few steps back. Her eyes were glazed with tears and a reflexive gasp erupted from her when I didn't stop in my tracks. That was what made me stop. The fear in her eyes. It was identical to the ones I has glimpsed in her eyes the first night we met. It made me stagger back. Anger burned within me. The rage was not directed at my mate but myself. I could barely even discern why I was infuriated by my myopic actions. Why her opinion about me mattered. With a clenched fist, I racked my brain for the right words to say. Something to break the ice. Anything!

"Sorry to interrupt," A shrill voice pierced the chaotic atmosphere causing me and Olamide to turn in the direction the voice was coming from. A flicker of recognition immediately hit the moment I made eye contact. Only one woman would slay locks in Westworth. Yasmin Maplewood. I wondered why she was here.

"Ginger isn't here." I swiftly dismissed Yasmin so she could be on her way.

However, the witch seemed to have no intention of leaving anytime soon. She sauntered over to our circle and spoke. "I know."

"So why are you here?" I demanded. That question seemed to sprout a lot more when I thought about it for a minute. "How did you even get here? The ritual is exclusively for werewolves. It's not like the sentinels would just let you in." That last sentence did the trick. A blue glow materialized in Yasmin's hands and she tossed it in my direction. The blue flare gutted me right in the stomach and sent me flying across the field. I felt the wind harshly caress my face before my back crushed against the earth. I trembled as I tried to get up. My body buckled as I did so. By intuition, I looked at the edge of the platform where my people were supposed to be recovering from the heat. At first glance, it would look like a crowd who had just engaged in a mass orgy were passed out from sexual exhaustion but I saw it for what it was. A sleep spell. Magic with ill intent was not supposed to work on pack grounds. Ginger had... It instantly clicked. Why Olamide saw that memory and why Yasmin was able to do offensive magic on Crow territory. She had nullified this place of previous spells. I didn't know why she was doing this but considering there was someone that could get hurt around me, I treaded with caution. When I got back to my feet, I remained rooted to where Yasmin's magic had thrown me.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"Because you will not allow me to casually take your mate," Yasmin replied, conjuring another flare of blue.

"Yasmin, why— I don't understand. What would make you do this?"

Olamide stood frozen in a corner. Her body was trembling and she had her hands over her mouth to silence any whimper. The dominant thought that rushed through her nerves was survival. She willed her legs to carry her but they failed to yet again.

"I am doing this for my selfish self Jason. Your father, the late Alpha could not protect his pack members during his reign. There is a chance that I can bring the man I love back from the grave but I need the blood of your mate to do it." Yasmin replied, shooting another flare in my direction.

I managed to dodge that flare. I looked in the direction of Olamide and yelled, "Run!"

Another light of blue followed the one I had dodged, throwing me off my feet once again. I slammed my face into a tree and by the goddess, I felt my brain rattle. Thankfully, Olamide was running now. But my satisfaction wouldn't last. Shadows stepped out of the shadows. Men and women with ominous red eyes.

"Find her," Yasmin ordered the vampires and they immediately got to work. Yasmin then walked up to Jason. Kneeling towards him, she whispered, "Ad somnum"