Chapter Twelve
Blake took his mother's hand and led her into a room in the house. The idea of mating the Fae princess repulsed him, and he didn't want to let his frustration and disapproval become obvious.
"Mother, I still can't do this," he said,
His mother, on hearing that, glared at him in displeasure. "What are you saying, Blake? This is the only way."
"We could find another way." Blake suggested.
"Didn't you hear me when I said this is the only way?" she snapped at him.
"Mother, I can't mate with the Fae princess. I just realized it would be an abomination," he said.
"Like we've discussed already, nothing is better than compromise at the moment. I am well aware that we and the Faes are different creatures. It is obvious that we have nothing in common, but we can put our differences aside, and do this, for the sake of our pack, your pack." She held his shoulders.
Blake turned and held her shoulders, then shook her. "Mother, I still think that this is a bad idea. Please, reconsider." He pleaded.
Blake hoped she would change her mind, but with the look she had on her face now, he didn't think that would be possible.
"Son, you have to listen to me. I am your mother, and I would never let you go astray. I am doing this for you, for us, and for the entire pack. This is what you must do as the Alpha of this prominent pack. The Fae Queen is the closest to the Witch Queen."
"Let me remind you that the Witch Queen is the same person who killed my father!" He snapped, trying his best to keep his anger at bay.
It was a repeat of the same conversation they had the last time. Blake had woken up irritable and totally not in support of the matter, even after concluding the other day.
His mother sighed and brought his hands down from her shoulders. "Blake, you are the Alpha. You have to do this. Yes, we all know that the Witch Queen killed your father, but this is something you must do. The late Alpha is also my husband. I'm sorry, but this is where the only solution to our victory and safety lies."
"By forming an alliance with the friend of an enemy?" Blake asked. He was disappointed.
"What is wrong with you, Blake? Why the sudden attitude?" She snapped.
"Because we are making a very terrible mistake. I don't want to marry her, okay? I told you about that prophecy, but you are throwing it away like a piece of rag," Blake said. He was trying to be cautious here, but his mother wasn't seeing his point.
"Because it is a piece of rag, and should be treated as such. Words said by witches shouldn't be taken seriously. Your father told you not to trust them. Why are you making a big fuss about it?" She snapped.
"It sounded so serious, mother. We have to tread with caution, please. What if the Fae Princess is the two faced mate the prophecy was talking about?"
"I have had just about enough of your nonsense! I am your mother, and you will do what I say. Nothing is going to stop you from getting married to the Fae Princess. You were the same person, lamenting about not finding a mate, and now you have an opportunity, but you want to throw it to the wind. I won't let that happen. You're mating her, and that's final!"
"Mother!!"
"Meet me in the meeting room when you've wiped that look on your face off," she said, and without waiting for him to say a word, she stormed out of the room.
Blake looked around the room and ruffled his hair. He didn't get why his mother wasn't taking his words seriously. He had a bad feeling about all of this, and each time he thought of this arranged marriage issue, the dying witch's prophecy came to mind.
"What do I do?" He muttered. He tried to think of something, but nothing was forthcoming.
He decided to go back to the meeting room. After that, he would think about something. He faced the door, turned the doorknob, and dragged his feet to the meeting room, and composed himself immediately as he walked in through the door.
"Oh yes, Alpha! You are finally here. We have been waiting for you," Elder Pete said as he saw Blake enter.
Blake faked a smile and sat down. "I am here now."
"That is good. We were waiting for you to get here before we can finish everything," Elder Larry said.
Blake glanced in his mother's direction, but she looked away. It was then he knew that there was no way out of this for him. He only sighed and gestured for them to move on with the discussion.
IVY:
Ivy was thinking of something else while Meredith kept talking about the outfits they were going to wear on the day of the festival. She only nodded continuously to make it look like she was following, when all she could think of now was how to carry out her plans. Of course, it bothered her about the Alpha getting betrothed to the Fae Princess, but she wanted to focus on what is really important now.
She sighed when she remembered her activity the other night. Ivy scratched her head in an attempt to think of what to do when Meredith, who had been talking for some time, realized that this lady in front of her was not paying attention at all.
"Ivy!" Meredith screamed.
Ivy gasped in shock and stared at Meredith in disbelief.
"Why did you yell my name like that? Gosh! You scared me," she said, holding her chest to calm her racing heartbeat.
"I have been talking close to ten minutes, not knowing that you weren't even listening to me." Meredith complained.
"I was listening to you, Meredith." She defended, but Meredith was not convinced.
"Really?" Meredith rolled her eyes.
"Yes..." Ivy nodded.
"Okay. If you really were listening to me, what was the last thing I said before screaming your name?" Meredith asked, smirking at Ivy, whose facial expression changed immediately.
"You... um... you said... something about..." Ivy stuttered, looking like a child caught stealing candy. Meredith burst into a fit of laughter.
"Oh, my gosh! You need to see how you look right now. I thought you confidently said that you were listening to me. Now tell me why your words got stuck in your throat." She laughed again.
Ivy laughed too. At least she tried to say something. She wasn't going to tell Meredith anything, anyway. The lady was just too curious, and she wouldn't do her the favour of satisfying that curiosity.
"Fine! You caught me." She sighed.
"Uh-huh, so since you blanked out, while I was saying something important, tell me what you were thinking about," Meredith said.
Ivy cleared her throat. Here came the question she has been trying very hard to avoid.
"It is something personal," she said,
"I'm a girl like you." Meredith tapped her shoulder.
Ivy pressed her lips into a thin line. "A girl like me? I don't think you would like that, Meredith." Ivy had muttered only to her hearing.
"I'm waiting!" Meredith beamed at her.
Ivy ran her hands through her hair. The only way she could get out of this was to use a strategy she was really good at. Escaping an explanation by bringing up an important topic of discussion.
"Hey, Meredith! I've been meaning to ask you something," she said, making her voice sound exciting.
"What is it?" Meredith asked, returning the excitement.
"You're an expert in training newly turned wolves, right?" She asked, even though she knew the answer already.
"Not really, but I can help you with the little I know, since we are friends." Meredith smiled.
"Thanks." Ivy smiled victoriously. Her strategy had worked. "When will their wolf surface?" She asked again.
"It depends on the kind of wolf you'd turn into. The wolves in each individual differ. It all boils down to adaptation. You and I can start training on the same day, but you might adapt before I do, and your wolf may surface before mine. Something like that." Meredith smiled.
"Wow! How about shifting for the first time? What does it feel like?" Ivy asked.
"Trust me, you do not wanna know," Meredith said.
"But, I want to," she said. She had been curious about what it felt like, although she wasn't sure if she would even be able to turn, talk more of shifting. Either way, she wanted to know everything about it.
"Why don't you wait so that you can experience it by yourself? Telling you now would be like giving you spoilers, right?" Meredith cooed.
"And you think I'm a cub to buy that? Come on, tell me already. I heard that it is very painful," Ivy said,
Meredith chuckled. "You're acting like a kid. About that, it is painful for others, but I assure you it wasn't painful for me," Meredith said,
"Now that's a lie," Ivy said and Meredith laughed.
"Trust me, it wasn't," Meredith said.
Ivy stood up and dusted her pants. “We'll see about that. Why don't we go to the pack house?" She suggested.
"The Alpha's house?" Meredith stood up too.
"Yeah. I want to visit that beautiful garden again." She smiled.
"Okay," Meredith said, and they headed in that direction.
Ivy's aim wasn't to just visit the garden alone. As far as she could tell, the meeting room window and backdoor was close to that garden. She could recall the first time she came into the pack, she had sat down there and heard everything that was being discussed. She was going to repeat the same thing today and know the outcome of that meeting.