Chapter 32

Chapter 32

“Do you really think it was a good idea to attack the smaller covens?” Jonas questioned, walking into the bedroom. Shamira did not seem to fully understand the consequences of her actions. Her back was facing the main door, while she looked out the window to the forest behind the palace. He could feel her anger rolling off her in waves upon entering the room.

“Yes. Yes I do.” narrowing her eyes as she spoke through gritted teeth. “That hybrid, Layana, has no right to come into my house and tell me what I am and am not going to do.” she continued seething, turning around abruptly as she spoke, arms crossed over her heaving chest. “How dare she come in here, unannounced at that, telling me I can’t move without her permission! Who does she think she is!” waving her hands about crazily when she spoke.

Jonas had never seen her energy move like spider webs out from within her before. Although ruthless and afraid of no one, he was becoming concerned with the shift in the rooms’ air. Shamira’s anger filtered through the room in the form of red energy. Jonas started to feel the heaviness of the energies’ thickness choking him.

“Calm down, Shamira. You’re not going to help our cause getting out of control. We need a level head if we’re going to win this.” Jonas, now trying to be a voice of reason, to sooth her outlash.

He was choosing not only his words, but also his movements carefully. Ready for anything and everything all at once. He knew she was unstable to begin with. Hell, he’s the one who raised her… he was mated to her. If anyone knew her, it was him. Right now? He was a little concerned for everyone in the palace as her energy continued to sweep over the walls, ceiling and floor, out the bedroom door.

“Don’t tell me to calm down, Jonas!” she yelled at him, turning a transparent shade of red herself. He just held out his hands in surrender.

“My apologies Shamira.” he spoke calmly knowing she was a ticking time bomb. “You are right. You have every reason to be angry, but! If we don’t do this with our emotions in check we will most definitely lose this… and big. Please my evil queen, relax just a little. Ok?” he watched her energy move back a little at his words knowing she was starting to hear him.

With his hands still out before him he slowly started to approach her with a sly grin on his face. “Tell me my evil queen. What would you like to do?” Still walking to her as he spoke just as he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her to him. The red energy surrounding the room had now dwindled down to a little smoke screen around only them. She had calmed enough for reasonable communication.

“I. Would like. To rip their heads off. Starting with the hybrid Layana.” saying, staring into his eyes. Every so often she would glance down at his lips and back to his eyes. He chuckled as she did so, pressing his lips to hers hungrily tightening the hold on her body. Soliciting a moan from Shamira as she wrapped her arms around the nape of his neck wrapping her fingers in his hair. A low growl evident from his chest at the reciprocation.

“And you will, my evil queen.” he said against her lips as he barely pulled back from them. Only to devour her lips once more before moving them to the bed.

~~~~~~

“I can’t believe my mate is a hybrid.” Andrew said, wiping down his face with his hand before shaking his head. “How am I going to get her to speak to me when I can’t even see her? This is so frustrating.” Andrew was sitting on the edge of his bed talking to himself.

‘Maybe mate will come back.’ Rusty spoke up in my mind.

‘Maybe, Rusty. But I have a feeling she’s not too interested in us. I mean why cloak herself around me if she was?’ He was now starting to question everything he knew about mate bonds. His mate, not revealing herself or even trying to say something to him, was beyond frustrating. It was becoming infuriating. He had waited too long for his destined mate, to not be able to have her. “I need to find her, somehow.” he thought aloud to himself.

Laying back on his bed, feet dangling off the edge, Andrew closed his eyes, trying to make sense of everything. He must have fallen asleep, because before he knew it he found himself standing in the forest by the lake’s bank. The same spot he had found her. His destined mate. Only, little did Andrew know, he wasn’t dreaming.

“What? Why am I here? I don‘t remember going to the lake?” Andrew questioned looking around at his surroundings.

‘Rusty? Hey, do you know how we got here?’ He reached out to his wolf for help with some answers. Andrew could feel Rusty yawn and stretch before he answered back, ‘No. where are we?’ Rusty himself didn’t even realize they weren’t in their bed anymore.

‘Looks like the lake. Why would you come here?’ he questioned.

‘I didn’t Rusty. That’s why I was asking you.’ becoming slightly annoyed because his wolf was of no help.

‘Mate is here. She brought us here!’ Rusty exclaimed.

Just as soon as he said those words a woman with dirty blonde hair and copper eyes walked out from the brush they heard her in, the last time they were there. She gave the smallest of smiles to him, but it lit up his whole world. Andrew could feel his heart beat faster. His breath hitched just at the sight of her.

“Mate.” was all he could say when their eyes met. It was as if time stood still. Nothing around them mattered as everything faded away. Leaving the two of them standing there slowly circling the other in disbelief.

“It’s you.” Andrew whispered out. She just smiled. “You brought me here. Didn’t you?” he asked her, looking around at the place they were standing at. Again she only smiled and then nodded.

Taking a step closer to her, he reached out his hand to touch her face. To his surprise she let him, moving into his touch she closed her eyes and sighed.

“What’s your name, little mate?” he asked in wonder. She opened her eyes. The smile on her face had faded as she looked up into his.

“Why do you call me that?” Layana questioned his statement.

“Because you are my mate.” he lovingly answered. Rusty said nothing as they spoke. He was so excitedly shocked she was in front of them.

“But how do you know this? You do not know me?” taking a step back from him as she spoke her truth. Andrew felt a wrenching in his chest at the motion.

Layana fought the mate bond she was already feeling. Her past getting in the way of what was destined for her. She couldn’t just let things be what they were, otherwise everything she knew about mates would be a lie.

“I don’t need to know you, to know you are my mate. I can feel it throughout me. Deep down in my soul. I know I was made for you and you for me. Surely you can feel it too? Otherwise why would you search me out secretly?” He closed the gap between them. Reaching out, touching her face once more pulling her closer to him gently by the neck kissing her.

Layana gasped, with a futile attempt to pull away. Her body betrayed her, leaning in closer, kissing him back. Electricity shot through her body when a low growl escaped him, causing her abdomen to tighten in response.

Rusty tried pushing himself forward to mark and mate her right then. She was willing at that moment and he didn’t want to let her get away again. Andrew, on the hand, pushed hard to keep him back. ‘Not now Rusty. If you do it she will run and hate us forever. We need to be patient with her. Gain her trust and acceptance.’ Andrew tried reasoning with him. Rusty just grunted and growled, but receded knowing Andrew was right.

While Andrew fought with Rusty, Layana fought with Mayra. Mayra wanted full control so she could have her mate, but Layana was reserved about the whole mate thing.

“I. I was curious. I grew up thinking the mate bond was a heartbreaking experience that only left people in pain and misery.” She confessed to Andrew, lowering her head to stare at her fingers which she was fiddling with. Although she was not quite sure why.

Layana was a strong coven leader who didn’t need anyone to make her feel important. She did that all by herself. So why this man made her feel insecure, baffled her tremendously.

Andrew only smiled down at her. Using his thumb and forefinger, he lifted her chin so she would look him in the eyes once more. A tear left her eyes, making his heart break at the sight causing him to frown.

“Why are you crying? I belong to you as you belong to me. You complete me. Please don’t shed any more tears. My whole heart and being are now yours. I have finally found you after so many years of searching and I am not going to let anyone take you away from me.” Andrew placed her hand on his chest where his heart beated just for her. “Do you feel that?” Layana nodded her head at the question. “My heart only beats for you. Please, tell me your name.” His eyes pleaded for him as he spoke those words to her.

“Layana. My name is Layana… Andrew.” lowering her head again upon saying his name.

‘Layana’ Andrew thought to himself. “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.” he softly spoke again, a smile reaching from one ear to the next. “I am guessing you learned my name when you were visiting my pack the other day?” Andrew smirked, telling her he knew she was there. Her eyes grew a little wider before smiling back kissing him.

“I’ll take that as a yes, then.” He said against her lips when she finally pulled away.

Layana’s body tensed standing guard in front of him. Andrew also sniffed the air smelling something off causing Rusty to come forward pulling her closer in protection. A menacing protective growl escaped Andrew as Rusty pushed his way, causing Layana to look up at him, seeing his eyes had turned black.

His wolf must have come forward. She thought to herself.

Layana felt the air shift again, before realizing it was the covens. She had forgotten she requested their presence there earlier. Turning towards Andrew, looking him in the eyes, she touched his cheek and smiled.

“Everything is fine. They are part of my coven. You must go. Before they see you. I do not want any problems with them and you.” she said with genuine concern causing Rusty to look at her. Her breath caught when he dipped down and kissed her urgently.

Before Andrew or Rusty knew what happened, they were back at the pack house in his room laying on the bed like nothing had ever happened. “Layana.” he whispered to himself, his smile stretching from ear to ear as her name felt like home on his lips.