Leighton

55. No choice

Piper

I went for a wander to clear my head. It was unnerving to have someone able to access your emotions. It was like there was no hiding.

I could see how devastated Peter felt at how he had made me feel. He seemed much better at blocking his emotions than I was, but I guessed that would come. It did help reassure me a little that I could feel his emotions and that his desire for me was strong.

He hadn’t brought up the subject of when we would leave so I decided to search for Jackson so I could have an idea as to when we would be leaving.

He was deep in conversation with Oliver when I found him.

“I don’t want to any more than you mate..but” Oliver stopped when he clocked me.

“But what ?” I asked.

“Nothing.” Oliver exchanged a look with Jackson who sighed.

“But we don’t have a choice.” He looked almost defeated. I had never seen him like this.

“I wondered when we would be leaving ?” I asked. I decided I didn’t want to press either of them, the less I knew the better so I had even less to make me want to stay.

“Not as soon as I would like. Don’t worry, we won’t leave without you.”

“I thought you weren’t staying?” My heart sank I wanted out of this place, like yesterday.

“Plans have changed. Unless .. what do you know about the Elite ?” Jackson asked me.

“Jackson!” Oliver exclaimed.

“The Elite ? What’s that ?”

“Never mind.” Jackson looked disappointed.

“I’m going to catch up with my father.” Oliver told Jackson. “See what you can find… discreetly.”

Without another word both alphas just walked of in opposite directions, like I was invisible. I stood for a moment, pondering this new turn of events and trying not to be too depressed about it.

“You chose surprisingly quickly.” A voice called out from the shadows and Ara stepped forward her eyes trained on my mark.

“You shouldn’t be here. Jackson will kill you if he sees you.”

She chuckled. “I’m not that easy to kill little wolf.”

Still staring at my mark she added m, shaking her head “Why am I not surprised, you wolves and your mates.”

I ran my fingers over it. “You should leave, if they find out you are plotting against them…”

“Who says I’m against them ?”

“You, you offered to remove…” I didn’t want to say it out loud, I was ashamed that I even considered it.

“How do you not know I wasn’t testing you?” Her face and tone gave absolutely nothing away. I had no idea what side she was on.

“Why would you test me ?”

“The King believes if we had one traitor there may be more. A smart person looks at who has most to gain.”

“And so, oh wise one, now you have established that’s not me who does ?”

She stared at me for long enough. “That my friend is the million dollar question.”

I think friend was a stretch, but to be fair I felt quite lacking in those right now.

“Ara, what is the Elite ?”

Her eyes widened at the reference. “What do you know of them ?” She asked.

So they were a thing. “Nothing. But now I’m guessing there is something to know.”

She relaxed at those words. “No one knows if they really exist.”

“How is that ?”

“I don’t think it’s a closely guarded secret is the correct term, but rumour has it there is a training academy for wolves, but not regular wolves.”

“Why haven’t I heard of it? What’s so special ? Is it like elite training ?”

“First of all, we don’t know it actually exists. It’s all rumours. Scare mongering probably, but I don’t think it’s anything like your elite training.”

“You sound like you know more than you are telling me.”

Ara huffed and sat down on a nearby bench, the castle was littered with them.

“Okay so rumour has it that there is a secret academy for wolves of alpha blood. But once in you can’t leave until you graduate or die. Those few that do graduate are called the Elite . These wolves are like a special army, blessed with gifts.”

“like I have ? How do they get gifts”

“Not quite like you. They use ancient magic, remember your history, very few silver wolves remained pure, so a lot of alpha wolves probably have some silver wolf in their pedigree. If you believe the rumours it said wolves have to submit a vial of their blood when they apply.”

Ara had been very informative, I found myself wondering how she knew so much.

“How do you know so much?” I asked her.

“Why don’t you ask your mate ? In fact where is he? I didn’t think you lot left each other’s side once you started biting” She stood up and dispersed into the shadows again.

She managed to make marking sound awful, barbaric even and I was glad when she left. I was missing Peter already so I headed back to find him, following his scent back to the small office near the King’s.

He stiffened as he smelt me when I entered.

“Hey.” I said softly. He stopped what he was doing to look at me. He hadn’t been happy when I excused myself earlier but his stare softened slightly when he looked at me now.

“Feeling better?” He asked, a tinge of bitterness lacing his tone.

“I just needed some space. It’s been a lot to process.”

“I’m afraid the rest of us don’t have that luxury Piper.” I told tell he was holding back, and I hung my head not really wanting a telling off. He turned back to his papers.

“Well at least we will have less to do when we go back to Elite training.” I ran my heads up his back, the sparks settling me even though he didn’t respond. Looking over his shoulder there was a map with places circled on. Some places I had never heard off before.

“What’s this ?” I asked.

“Possible allies.”

“Possible?”

“These Kingdoms, they are ruled by gold wolves. Most of which probably will help if asked, depending on what they think we can do for them. These packs are strong, a bit like some of your packs back home. Silver Oak etc. again they might help.”

“What about these.” There was two packs circled in different colour.

“We don’t want to ask them, the price is too high.”

I had a bad feeling when he said that.

“Have you heard the stories about The Elite.”

Peter didn’t respond but I picked up and increase in his heart rate.

“They, they aren’t stories.” He said finally.

“Great. They do exist. If they are some super fighting force can’t we ask them for help.”

“They won’t help us.”

“You don’t know if you don’t ask.”

“I’ve asked. And trust me, we don’t want mixed up in then.” He said this with such finality I opened my mouth to question him and found myself closing it quickly. How had he met some mythical wolves.

“You’ve met them?” I finally said, when I clearly couldn’t let it go even though it was obvious he didn’t want to talk about.

“The King sent me on a mission to track them down. I did and let’s just say it didn’t go well. They are dangerous wolves and they have no respect for royalty.”

I didn’t think that was particularly a bad thing, it wasn’t like I had ever met a royal wolf until recently and the Prince hadn’t really left a good impression. I saw Peter frown as I forgot he would have an idea what I was thinking. At least I wouldn’t have to deal with his love for royalty for much longer. Once we were away from it all I’m sure his views would change.

“I’m not sure how much longer Jackson plans to stay, but with all this worry off attacks I was hoping we could leave soon anyway”

Peter went quiet. “About that, the King wanted to see us, well you. They have been trying some spell to stop the King and he wanted to see if you could help.”

I didn’t even want to know, I just wanted to leave.

“You told him we were leaving though ?”

His silence said it all and his block was up when he finally replied.

“It wasn’t a request.”

“He can’t order us about.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest as Peter turned to face me. I watched as his eyes roamed with appreciation at what it did to my cleavage.

“He can.” He said simply. “But he doesn’t need to. It’s an honor to be asked to help.”

Was he actually serious ?

“What if it’s dangerous?”

“I won’t let anything happen to you. Besides once you are carrying my pup you won’t be able to help. You should be proud they thought you strong enough to help.”

“What exactly is my role here ?” I asked him. “Generally speaking if we had stayed here.”

“You are my mate, we serve the King. Which means doing as we are told. Until you have pups and then you will stay with them, and look after Estelle’s once she has them too.”

“That’s not happening.” I hadn’t thought about pups, I hoped I would have some eventually but I wanted to still be involved with elite training too. I knew it was possible I was pregnant already as Peter had stated his intentions clearly and in my mates induced stupor I hadn’t even thought to argue.

“What do you mean?” Peter pinned me with a state, clearly annoyed I was questioning him.

“I’m not a babysitter. Obviously I’ll look after our pups but I’m not staying stuck at home while you do, whatever it is you want to.”

“If you think I’ll be letting the mother of pups fight, you are clearly mistaken Piper.”

“Will Estelle have to stop fighting ?”

“She’ll be Queen, of course not.” Peter said like I was an i***t.

“So she is allowed but I’m not?”

“No you’re not. I’m not discussing this anymore. We will be late.” With that he grasped my arm, a little too tightly but he released slightly as I winced.

He marched me in silence along to the King’s office. The King was in conversation with someone as we arrived so Peter knocked on the door and stayed outside.

“It’s started already I can feel …”.

Peter cleared his throat, alerting the King to our presence.

There was a moment of silence before he told us to enter.

“Ah, Piper. Yes. I have a very important task for you.” The King said as I entered his office, surprised to see Ara standing in the corner.

“What sort of task? I asked, Peter squeezed my arm at my disrespect. “Your majesty.” I forced out.

“Well young shewolf. It seems we are in need of another gifted wolf. Ara here will take you down to her spell room and start immediately, you have some catching up to do.”

“What if I don’t want to help you.” I ignored the right grip on my arm.

“Piper. This is not negotiable.” Peter growled in my head.

“I mean, your majesty. How dangerous is this task?” Peter wouldn’t put me in danger, surely that would pull his head out of the King’s royal ass.

The Kings exchanged a look with Ara. “Not dangerous, my dear. Ara, if you will take Piper and explain.”

Ara smirked and curtsied at the King.

“Follow me” She said simply to me.

“Peter, come and have a look at this plan. I’ve value your input. The King spoke to Peter, ignoring me. Peter pretty much pushed me in the direction of Ara and ran to the Kings shoulder like a puppy.

I didn’t have much choice but to follow Ara out.

When we arrived at her Spell room she clapped her hands together.

“So, you don’t have much time. We need to teach you to release your power to Iris. She’ll be here soon.”

“I’m not giving up my power.” I said horrified.

“You’re not giving it up, Iris will look after it. Think of it as a loan.”

“What if I say no ?”

“I wouldn’t advise it. The King didn’t take well to those that question him. And it won’t just be you that he punishes.”

The King seemed to respect and dare I say love Peter, there was surely no way he would harm him ?

I knew I wouldn’t take that chance, damn this bond.

“Drink this. It will help.” Ara handed me a potion.

“Remind me why I should trust you again?” I paused with the potion halfway to my mouth.

“Because I know your secrets.” I held her stare and there was flicker of something I couldn’t read. I felt foolish trusting this witch but if it came down to her word against mine I honestly didn’t know who they would trust.

Knocking it back, the potion didn’t taste too foul.

“Okay. Concentrate on your power. I want you to feel it in your fingers.”

I didn’t quite know how to do that but I thought back to when Estelle and witches helped me properly access it for the first time. I felt shockwaves it at my fingertips, waiting to be released.

There was a rushing in my ears, and the room fell away. I could hear the beat of my heart, louder but slower, like everything was in slow motion. The beat started to pulse and for the first time I felt like I could control it. Just as I went to use it there was a blinding pain in my head.

My hands few to head and the world span. I heard Ara’s calling to me as my wolf screamed in pain before I was engulfed in darkness.