The Witch and the Wolf

Chapter 8

Elyndra deflated, “I do not have a mate. I was rejected and he chose another,”

Killian was shocked, rejections were rare. “But he still marked you?”

“Yes, he still marked me,” she couldn’t look at him. Would she ever get over the pain remembering brought?

“But - I mean how -“ he was at a lost for words.

“I don’t know how he marked me when he never intended to stay. Perhaps he lost control, I’m not sure,”

“Do you mind? Telling me? Perhaps that will ease the pain you are holding on too? Both my mate and my alpha say I am a great listener,” he smiled softly and put he cup down and gave his full attention.

Elyndra felt strange, and she frowned. She was not used to this, especially so much kindness in one day. She continued slowly, unsure why but feeling the urge to let it out, “I was 16 when I made the connection. He had already known for three years. I had managed to find him alone one day in woods, I don’t know if it was fate or chance. I walked up to him, and asked why he didn’t say anything, why he didn’t lay claim,” she looked at him and all he could see was a broken teenage girl, hollow inside. He reached her her and held her hand, “He said he couldn’t understand why the Moon Goddess would pair him with someone so inferior, I was nothing without a wolf. My beta blood meant so little even my parents could care less so why should he? I remember my silly response,” she squeeze his hand as she squeeze her eyes shut, “The Moon doesn’t make mistakes, we are meant to be, she choose us to be together. He laughed at me,” she opened her eyes and stared at the fire as she reached up to her mark with her free hand.

“The wind came out of nowhere and it happened so fast. I think he smelt my scent. I was watching him leave when he suddenly transformed and jumped on me. I couldn’t stop him, he marked me. He left me there, bleeding and crying and heartbroken,” she pulled her hand away and curled into herself.

“The next day he made it official with someone else from the pack. Then they marked each other a year later,”

Killian had no words. He was heartbroken for her. She was still a wolf, there was still a bond. How could someone do that to their gift from the Goddess? He asked her carefully, “What happened? When they marked each other? You were still marked weren’t you?”

She was quiet for a long time before looking at him. She whispered, “I almost died,”

His wolf came forward and he kneeled next to her, “Elyndra, we’re so sorry that happened to you. Truly, I have no words,” he wiped the tears from her face and held her tightly. He was angry that someone could do this to another.

Elyndra truly thought she was over this; she had spent so much time crying over this, over be rejected, over not being wanted. And why, why did she feel comfortable telling Beta Killian her story? She should have sent him away.

After a few minutes she pulled away and apologized, “I’m sorry, it was an incredibly rough day and I’ve been more emotional than I normally. I won’t know if I can help you and your mate until I meet you both. You’re souls are tied and therefore the way to help may be tied,”

He looked at her, “Thank you. Truly,”

She smiled and he returned it. She sent him off and as he got in his car he called Caelum.

“How did it go?” Caelum was never one for pleasantries.

“Okay. She said she needs to meet Lucy before she can determine anything,” Killian hadn’t driven away but something told him to drive by the diner she mentioned. It was brief, but something pulled him and he followed the feeling.

“There’s something else?”

“I don’t know. I have this strange feeling, I dint know how to describe it. But theres a secret lingering here, in this pack,”

“Do we need to come earlier than scheduled?” Caelum stared out his office window. Concern filling him.

Killian pulled up to the diner. He didn’t understand, it was trashed. The windows were busted, the inside dark. Killian slowly got out of the car and scanned the area.

“Stay on the phone for a sec,”

“Killian? Where are you?” Caelum’s jaw clenched. He didn’t appreciate him going somewhere alone with no back up.

“A diner,” he had walked inside. It was quiet and dark. He walked to a spot in the middle, strange this was the only cleaned spot. He sniffed and smelled cleaning chemicals. “Alpha, there’s something more going here. I just don’t know what,”

“We’ll be there in two days,” Caelum hung up the phone. He trusted his Beta with his life, if he was concerned he would be too. He would wait til morning to talk with Ethan.