The Lion And I

(3) Part 1: The Lion - Sworn Agreements

Celeste

To say I was anxious was an understatement.

I would never have guessed in a million years that Masuka's family would come for me.

Hell! I didn't even know about the signed and sworn agreement.

"That is something our father, Ulysses, agreed upon," Constance's voice cut the silence, an undercurrent of warning in her tone. "He is no longer alive. Pacts such as this are usually void once one of the original endorsers has passed and the agreement has not been fulfilled. That document holds no power here."

"Was not fulfilled!?" the alpha of the Ivanov pack scoffed in disgusted astonishment, his lips curling into an audacious snarl. He was of average size and stature. He had light skin, thin lips and light colored hair that was shaved close to his scalp. His eyes were a dark blue, almost black in color. "It was fulfilled! It was fulfilled when my son's blood was injected into your sister's veins! It was fulfilled when her blood was subsequently injected into him!" He yelled, his face growing red in agitation. He started pacing, throwing his arms around. I shrunk further behind Obsidian, wishing I could just somehow disappear.

I didn't want to go with them.

I prayed I wouldn't have to.

I prayed Obsidian's word, that his protection, was enough to keep me safe from them.

As the wolf's anger increased, I could see the demon guard protectively surrounding Constance shift closer as their hands rested on the hilts of their weapons. I was surprised how undaunted the wolf pack was faced by the demon guard, dressed in their daunting bone masks and black outfits with their long, hooded cloaks. Gabriel, who was one of the masked demons, stepped up next to Constance's right shoulder, ready to protect his mate at all costs as she diverted her attention away from the alpha.

While the wolf was ranting, Constance peered down at the document. Scanning it over. Her disregard for the alpha's growing temper and urgency of the matter upset him further. His yelling rant continued, but it was all a blur in my ears. The pounding of my heart, the panic that was gripping my chest, made it hard to focus on what he was saying. It was something that had happened when I was with Victor too, when he would go off on me and yell and scream and hurt me. My body and mind would just shut down. I would try to become as small as I could. I would turn as compliant as much as possible and just wait until the storm passed.

That's what was happening right now and I didn't know how to stop that tailspin.

Obsidian shifted until he was facing me and wrapped me up tightly in his arms. At first, I thought it would only make the suffocating feeling worse. I was having a problem pulling a full breath of air into my lungs. I was starting to hyperventilate. Surprisingly though, it broke all that tension in my chest free and I was able to pull a full breath of air into my lungs.

How strange.

"Breathe, bunty. It's going to be okay. Constance is just letting the alpha blow off his steam. He is like a dog with no teeth. All bark, no bite."

It sure didn't sound that way, I thought to myself as I peered around him. The wolves were all becoming agitated.

Suddenly, with a flash of brilliant light, Ickarous appeared in all of his archangel glory. His light blond hair was let wildly loose to frame his stern face. His large white wings flapped agitatedly before they settled along his back. Light colored clothing adorned his tall, muscular frame while his archangel's sword was strapped to his back. The archangel had met Constance back before she became The Phoenix and had helped her along her journey.

Immediately, the meadow became deathly still and silent.

Usually, an archangel's appearance meant danger and death. It was never a good omen to see one.

"Thank you for coming," Constance addressed Ickarous, her gaze moving to look at the wolf pack across from them instead of meeting the archangel's gaze. I couldn't help but look at the Ivanov pack as well and noticed their concerned, shocked expressions. I did have to say that it was rather satisfying seeing them unsettled.

"Of course," Ickarous's voice was clipped, as if he was annoyed at being bothered. We all knew better though. He was more than willing to lend a helping hand when it came to Constance, seeing as though she was The Pheonix of the Imperium Guard and was the one responsible for saving the world. "What is the matter I can help you with?"

Constance held out the parchment that had the written and signed terms for mine and Masuka's pre-mating engagement. "Will you take a look at this and determine if it is still viable?"

Ickarous's face pulled into a frown as he took the document and perused it.

I prayed he said no.

I wished with every cell in my body I wouldn't have to uphold an agreement I never agreed to. That my evil, vile father had done on his own selfish accord. I wanted nothing to do with Masuka's family. Both parties had suffered enough. I would rather die than make an untrue mate's bond with any of the wolves in Masuka's pack.

It wasn't hard, based on their aggression and silent volatile cues, they hated me for what had happened to their beloved eldest son. The one who had been destined to take over the pack as alpha when he came of age.

He had been destined for greatness.

Yet, he had been driven mad because of his connection to me.

He thought he was haunted by my spirit. To the world, I had died in childbirth.

He hated me.

They all hated me.

And how could I blame them?

I was responsible for his death.

That's what they would claim.

The worst scenario if I was forced to go with them would be for me to be forcefully mated to one of Masuka's family members. Then, I would be drugged and raped to produce heirs. Heirs that possessed the infamous Erickson controller gene. And who knows what they would do with the children I produced?

I had driven Masuka to the brink of insanity in my desperation for freedom and connection.

The best case scenario would be their vengeance for blood. An eye for an eye. They would demand my death.

"Hmm," Ickarous's voice hummed in the silence that hung in the air between the opposing sides. "While most of this blood agreement wasn't met, there were certain aspects that were." He stroked his chin in thought before continuing. "I do not believe the pact is one hundred percent viable, though we should review it. The magic within the agreement itself is not entirely broken." Which meant there was a possibility I would indeed have to be relinquished to Masuka's pack.

A triumphant smirk crossed the alpha's face as he held Constance's glare.

"This should never have been made," Ickarous grumbled to himself. "It is illegal." He stated rather matter-of-factly, his gaze turning to the alpha as if silently scolding him for such audacity to demand this agreement be upheld. "Though, since it was indeed made and the pact still holds, we will have to come to some sort of compromise."

I felt the rumble in Obsidian's chest as he growled quietly at the archangel's decision.

"What are your intentions with Celeste?" Ickarous asked, pulling the alpha's attention away from Cosntance.

"We would mate her with our youngest son, Mikhail." The alpha replied, emotionless.

"Hmm," was Ickarous's response to the rather short answer. "Lord Balrog," Ickarous called out, those light, golden-colored eyes of his looking straight at me, even though he had addressed Obsidian.

Grumbling under his breath, Obsidian tucked me under his arm and led us out into the open meadow. The wolves' gazes all snapped in our direction, almost surprised to see us there. None of them had known we had been there, watching and listening this entire time. "Ickarous," Obsidian addressed between clenched teeth, trying to appear polite, yet I knew he was frustrated by the archangel's decision.

"There is official council business with the Ivanov Pack," the archangel declared seriously. "Will you be able and willing to accommodate them while this issue is addressed?"

"I don't want this." Obsidian's voice filled my mind and I was startled by it. We hadn't exchanged blood and shouldn't be able to communicate telepathically yet.

"I know," Constance's soothing voice caressed both of our minds. She was connecting us so we could communicate without others hearing our conversation. I liked how she hadn't left me out of this little side conversation. Especially since it was my life on the line. "Ickarous believes he can make the agreement null and void since it was illegally made. He has to research it, because he doesn't want to accidentally do something that could harm Celeste."

Since the agreement was signed by blood, and was still in effect, the magic that was still tied to the document if it wasn't upheld by either party, could mean instant death to those who were tied to it. Which meant I could drop dead if I refused to uphold the blood agreement my father made with the Ivanov pack.

"And you want me to accommodate them in the hopes of what?" Obsidian asked a bit darkly. "I'm not necessarily one who wants to play nice when others are threatening to take away something that is mine."