Chapter 87

Chapter 87
Hayessteps back, hislycanretreating, leaving him in thescrapsof his shredded clothing, hisbackheaving up and down as hestaresinto Leandra’s
eyes.
She looks upathim,shock and fear alloverherfaceassheclaspsherhandoverthemate mark on her neck. Johannes chuckles to himselfasIstareat my beta in equal parts surprise and disappointment.
“Well,IguessIwon’t be neededafterall,” Johannes says, sounding disappointed.
“Why would you…” Leandrawhispers,searching his silentfacefor ananswer.
He stumblesbackastepand then turns his forlorn face to me,likehe can’t believe what just took place.
“Fuck,” I mutter,draggingmy hand down myface.
“I’m sorry,”Hemurmurs.“I don’t know what cameoverme.”
“Yes you do,” Igroan. “Sheisyour fucking mate and your lycan thought youweregoing to lose her,so he took action without you.”
“No,” hesays, takingatentative step toward Leandra. “No, it was a mutual decision. I panicked. I haveneverpanicked before and I thought… I wasworriedI would lose you forever.”
“Itwasasimple compelling trick.” I remind him but he doesn’t lookatme, instead he stares at Leandra, who ispressedagainst the wall white asa
sheet.
“Can you forgive me?” He whispers to her, tilting his head. She skirts her eyes to me for a brief moment and then back at Hayes.
“Why did you do it? You were the one that fought accepting me for so long? I didn’t think
wanted me- you
19
“Him compelling you is an invasion of your mind and ability to control yourself. Itfeelslike what lily did to you all over again but with a differentspecies. I couldn’t let you do that again, not when you are just finding yourself again.” Hayes rushes out to explain, licking his lips to wet them.
He makes a fair point, one I hadn’t openly thought about or expressed due to the nature of my desperation. But Hayes is right. I was asking her tostepback into the very thing she had finally escaped. It wasn’t fair, even if it is used to save my Colette.
“I agreed to it this time.” Shesays, and he shakes his head.
“Youagreedout of guilt.”
“I want to help,” she retorts, and he sighs.
“Then let me help you do it.” then he drops to his knees, inching closer as he takes her hand in his and his other on her waist. “Finish the bond,acceptme fully.”
Shefurrowsher brows and then looks around the room and back down at Hayes.
“This issweetand all, but am I needed or can Igo?” Johannes says with afakeyawn as he rolls hiseyes.
“Leave,”Itellhim with aglare,and he grins before he saunters off. Caspian gives measmall nod as he follows suit and I step up to my brother and his halfacceptedmate.
“Willthis work?”sheasksme,worried. “IfIacceptand mark him, will you be able togetwhat you need from me?”
I seethepangofguiltand hurt inHayes‘faceashe turns to look at me.
“It iswrongofmetoanswerthisin any way other than telling you that youaccepta mate bond because you want it, notbecausesomeoneneedsit. Icannottellyouwhat to dobecausewhenitcomesto my mate, I am selfish and I will sacrifice your happiness forherlife.”Iadmit.
“Lookatme,Lea,”Hayessayssoftly.“Ihavebeenastubborn asshole and I am so sorry.And I shouldn’t have done what I did, but I seeitallsoclearlynow,Iwantyousafe.Evenifweareatodds,yoursafetyis more important.”
“Doyouthink youcouldloveme? Not rightnow,notyet, butoneday…?”Shewhispersshyly, droppingherotherhandfromherneck.Hayesstands, moving hispalmto her cheek as hecupsherface.
“Yes.”Hewhispers.
Shereachesoutand grabs hisface,turning his neck to theside,and I lookaway,lettingthemhavetheirmoment, but I don’t go far.AsmuchasIwant this tobetheirchoice, I nowhaveno option buttocapitalizeon ittohelpussaveColette. I keep mybackto them forseveralminutesbeforeIhearHayesclearhisthroat.
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Chapter87
“Areyoufinished?”Iaskhim, mybackstill turned.
“Fornow.”HesaysandIspintolook at them. Theyareboth shy about their new bond, looking like anewcouple,asLeandra blushes butwearsadetermined look.
“Iwould liketoofficially become a member,alpha.” Shesays, bowingherheadrespectfully.
“Doyousweartoprotectyourpackand our kind with your life?”Iask her and she nods.“Asthe mate of the Beta, his responsibilities,if he is not able oraway,will fall to you toexecutein hisplace.Areyoucapable?”
“Iam capable and willing.”She responds.
“Then Iacceptyou into our pack andasasubject under my protection.”Isay,bowing my head in return. She gasps in shock, her eyes going wide before they flash,and she grins, placing her hand over her heart.
“Howdo you feel?”Hayesasksher and shegiggles.
“Ifeel…accepted. Like I am finally home.” She whispers looking at him giddily.
I clear my throat and she blinks at me before giving a curt nod and her demeanor changes. She braces herself, bending her kneesasshe waits for my alpha command.
“Itwill be bestifyou try not toresist. The alpha command can feel strangeatfirst,butifyou are willing to share the information, it won’t feel like you are being forced into anything,asit’s your choice.” I tell her and she nods.
“I have nothing to hide.”
“Leandra,show me your lycan.” I command her.
Herhead snaps back and her arms fly out. Hayes takes a step to the side, watching closely as her bonescrackand her skin changes. It looks like afirstshift, one where she is in serious pain, her cry breaking through the large roomasshe falls to her knees.
Herlycan reveals itself, looking right at me before bowing in acceptance of me as it’s Alpha.
“I willaskyouyes or no questions.Answertruthfully.” I instruct and she growls in acceptance.
“Do you have any memory of when you were being controlled in your form?”Iask and her lycan nods yes.
“Didyou travel in lycan form often?”
Another head nodyes.
“Did you kill any other lycans orwerewolves?”
Shedropsherhead in shame,looking directly at Hayesasshe nods her headyes..
“It’sokay. Youarenot to blame for what you could not control.” I tell her gently before continuing. “Did you stay with all the others whowereunder Lily’s control?”
Insteadofshaking her head, shegrowlswith a simple nodyes.
“Wasit the sameplace?”Iaskand again,herlycan nodsyes.
Imovecloser,trying to think of how toaskwheretheywereso I can gather an idea of if the others are at this mountain and apartof this ambush that will be waiting forme.
“The mountain?”Iask,and Iseethelycanprocessingbefore tiltingherhead to the side, confused. “Unblock the memories fromyourother halfsoshecanseethem.”
Thelycanblinksatmebeforebowing itshead. Afterafewmoments,itroarsand turns back into Leandra,a panting, naked ball on the groundas
she shakes.
Hayes is on her in asecond, wrapping her in ablanketandscoopingherup in his arms. Shesweatsprofuselyasshereachesaroundhim, pulling him close.
up
and
wraps
herarms
“I seeitall,feelallofit,”she whimpers.
“The memories?”Iask,and she nods intoHayes‘neck.
“Everything,allofit. I knowwheretheyare,whattheywantto do with thepacktheyarecontrolling. All of it…”she whispers,tearsswelling in her
eyes.
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