The Call Of The Mimic

Chapter Four!

I ran down the halls knowing that I was going to be late for the dinner. I skidded down the halls almost falling to the ground a couple of times as I turned corners to find the dining hall. Guards sucked in deep breathes as I toppled past them barely catching onto their arms. I took a sharp left sliding on my bottom across the floor and I took the door that I needed to go through.

A short man with a curled black mustache and balding head peeked through a crack of the door with brows furrowed. He looked down his nose at me with the roll of his eyes before he pulled the door completely open. Everyone sat around the large, deep wooded dinner table, all eyes on me. I gave a nervous laugh as I jumped to my feet wiping off the dust that I swept up with my sliding.

I carefully walked over to the dinner table with a slight bow of my head before taking a seat at the farthest end. At the head of the table sat Journee with Tobias on his left and his mother, Jazleen, on his right. My breathing was rushed as I tried to catch my breath from all the running I had down. I looked to either side of me seeing my mother gawking at me like I had ruined the whole dinner. I widened my eyes at her with a shake of my head.

“I’m glad you could make it,” Journee’s voice cut through the thick air that was slowly suffocating me.

“I apologize for being late,” I bowed my head once more. “I was exploring your city,” I took a double take a Tobias barely catching his eyes staring at me.

“No need, I hope you enjoyed your time,” Journee gave a kind smile that met his eyes with kindness.

“I did actually, I’ve always loved the trees,” I gave a smile back, but he wouldn’t see with my face covered.

“The trees?” Tobias chimed in with his brows c****d.

“Mhm,” I shook my head trying not to look at him for too long.

“Did you get a chance to see the training grounds?” I felt like it was starting to get hot in the room, like he was trying to reel me in.

“Mmm,” I squinted my eyes like I was trying to think about it. “I didn’t actually, I’ll have to check it out tomorrow,” I voice was shaking, giving away that I was lying.

“I can show you if you’d like, I know you’ve always liked training,” Tobias laced his fingers together in a smirk.

“Tobias,” Jazleen seethed from across the table while Tobias shrugged his shoulders.

“Tyra is actually a very well trained warrior,” my father decides to speak up on my behalf. “She would actually like to attend a couple of your training, if you’d have her?”

“Women aren’t allowed on our fields,” Journee cuts in softly. “We like for them to be as safe as possible, they tend to the children and stores in town.”

“What a shame,” I shook my head in pity for the women that would lose their lives if they were invaded by someone more powerful.

Everyone got silent staring at me while I draw stars on the table with my fingers. I glanced through my brows a couple of times trying to shake the awkward feeling like I should say something more. There was nothing more that I could think of to say, it would only offend the Volkov family if I continued with my reasonings.

“Uhh, shall I introduce my table of counsel members?” Journee tried to take the pressure of me making me smile that his kindness.

“That would be great,” I nodded my head in agreement looking to each person.

“This is my beautiful mother, Jazleen,” he grabs her hand with a light squeeze.

“Oh, they know me,” she tried to act modest as she flicked her hand at him with a smile.

“My brother and war leader, Tobias,” he holds a hand out to point to Tobias. “This is Melina next to Tobias, she is our assassin. One of the only females that was taught to fight in our pack.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” she bowed her head.

Her straight blond hair hung on the back of the chair. Blue eyes that were light like the ocean, deep and beautiful. She was beautiful with her olive green dress that seemed so plain, but complimented her skin and body so perfectly. Two straps wrapped around her neck in a single knot to hold the dress up. Brown beads were sewn under the bust with hanging charms of feathers. I couldn’t help but to look down at myself and see that I could never match her beauty. When I looked back up Tobias was staring me down with his head c****d to the side like he was trying to analyze my thoughts.

“Pleasures all mine,” I cleared my throat in an attempt to swallow the jealousy.

“This is Greyson, you met him early today,” I recognized the man that tried to show me to my room. “He is my sentinel, he has lots of knowledge of this pack and is very beneficial to us all here.”

“Nice to see you again,” we both bowed to each other.

“And this guy down here is Dimitri, he is my beta and long time friend, I’m sure you remember him from school.”

“Of course, how could I forget Dimitri,” I forgot who Dimitri was. Not a single memory passed through my mind of when I could have seen him or heard his name.

“It’s good to see you again too, Tyra,” he seemed like he remembered who I was, only making me feel worse.

His dark brown curly hair, deep brown eyes, even his skin shade was darker than the pale skin everyone else had. How could I of forgotten someone that stood out over anyone else here. I was slightly embarrassed, but also relieved that no one questioned me. My eyes drifted across the table as the awkward silence had swept back through the room like I was missing something.

“Oh, right,” I spread my fingers out on the table remembering what I was supposed to do. “This is my mother, Sloane,” she tried to hold my hand with a smile, but I quickly pulled away. “My father, Phoenix,” he bowed his head lightly with a small smile. “And my Beta, Beckett, but I’m looking to replace him.”

“Hey?” Beck sat up straight with furrowed brows and a frown.

“If you can’t walk down a hallway without being scared of the guards, then I need someone new,” I chuckled lightly.

“That’s not fair, they were mean looking,” he squinted his eyes at me.

“Well get it together, I can’t have a b***h leading next to me,” I heard Jazleen gasp from across the table.

“Where are your manners, Tyra?” My mother ground her teeth down in disapproval.

“Oh, whatever, she’s heard the word before,” I slouch back in my seat as a few chuckles filled the air.

“Shall we get to what we are here for today?” My father clears his throat to set the clambering.

“Awe, yes, I’m sure we are all aware of what we are doing here,” Journee sits up in his chair. “Let’s get food in here and then we will continue.

Journee claps his hands together as nine waiters all wearing black and white file into the room. Platters of food are placed in front of us with the most delicious smell wafting out. The servers pull the lids off bowing as low as they could before exiting out of the room quietly. Food piled on food towered on my plate of all different kinds. Meats, cheeses, fruits, and pastas, it all looked amazing to my eyes, but I was afraid to pull my face free to eat.

“Take your mask off,” my mother tries to whisper quietly to me, I only glare at her for her suggestion.

“Anyway, like I was saying before,” Journee adjusts his napkin on his lap before picking up his fork and knife. “Of course Tyra would be moving here after we settle our agreement,” I start to choke on the air around me.

“Excuse me?” I pick up my fork to poke a grape. “Why would I move here?”

“I assume your parents spoke with you,” I could see the color drained from his face at my harsh words.

“Mmm,” I looked at them both before I looked back at Journee. “Not that I’m aware of,” I shook my head.

“They have set up an arrangement for our marriage?” He looks at my parents now in confusion of what was happening.

“And when did this happen?” I c****d a brow feeling the air catch in my throat as I forced the words out.

“Tyra,” my father reached out to grabbed ahold of my hand.

“No,” I twisted the fork in my hand and plunged it into the table. “You have made a grave mistake father,” I glared at him while other around looked down at their plates.

“It’s for your own benefit,” he pulled his hand back slowly to anger me anymore.

“For mine, or for yours?” I felt betrayed, they had gone behind my back to settle a deal with a family I didn’t like. “You dare to keep a secret from your Alpha?”

“Alpha?” Tobias chirped looking at Journee.

“I gave Tyra the title five years ago,” my father looked over at the brothers. “I hadn’t told anyone about it.”

“You have damned me to not find my true mate,” I could taste the venom oozing through my words.

“You don’t have a mate Tyra, you know that,” mother blurted a secret of mine wouldn’t just cost me my pack, but my life.

“Sloane,” my father’s voice became deep with anger for her even saying it out loud.

“I’m confused,” Journee sets his civil ware down. “You gave her the title, didn’t tell her about the arrangement, and her mate died?”

“Tyra is a mimic,” my mother let the words slip from her teeth like it was nothing.

“Sloane!” My father pounded his hand on the table in anger.

“They were going to find out when they realized that she doesn’t shift,” she leaned across the table in anger.

My vision became blurry as I looked at all the faces around the table. Tears brimmed my eye lids seeing their eyes bulging from their heads in shock. They were disgusted with me, I could smell the fear coming from them as their pores leaked the scent. Journee sat still like he didn’t know what to say, glancing at us from across the table. Beck looked down at the ground trying not to get involved. My eyes locked onto Tobias that was staring at me intensely. I felt the tears starting to slide down my cheeks along with the tingling sensation that I was trouble.

“Tyra?” My father tried to touch me, but I was locked onto Tobias.

He didn’t look like he was scared, or making fun of me, it was pity. My eyes slowly slide to my father, everything moving in slow motion as I digested what just unfolded. I glanced back over at my mother with the same concern sweeping her features. I hated her, I hated her from what she had just done. She would never be able to fix this, it was broken and I no longer cared for the way she felt.

“Tyra?” I heard the faint sound of my father’s voice more.

“You just killed me,” I whispered out so slowly.

“Don’t be so dramatic Tyra,” my mother’s words broke something inside of me. I couldn’t hold the rage the rolled into my soul.

“You just killed me!” I screamed grabbing the knife I had and flung it across the room into a guard that was standing against the wall.

Other guards hit the floor as the people at the table ducked their heads with squeals. I pounded my fist to the table looking at each person with complete resentment. I hated them, I hated them for being normal and I was stuck running for my life. I didn’t care if they were afraid of me, I wanted them to be afraid.

“What have you done Tyra?” My father scoots from the table to help the guard on the floor bleeding onto the wooden ground.

“You act as if you can’t heal,” my chair scraped across the floor as I pushed myself free. “You have taken my option to marry, you have exploited my privacy, and you have disrespected your Alpha, most importantly, you have lost your daughter. I want you all to leave and to never come back again,” I turned on my heels and walked out of the room.