Shadow of the Eclipse

Chapter 11.

River paused outside of Van's room. He let out a slow, heavy sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. To hell with the politics, he needed her to know. If she would just hear him out...she could be so stubborn.

"River?" a stern voice called from behind him.

He turned to see Silas staring at him with a look of warning. Silas tended to be overprotective of Van. It was a bad habit that had definitely gotten a million times worse since the incident in the woods. River rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Yes?" he arched a brow at Silas.

Silas glanced at Van's door. The lecture would have to wait. There was a matter more pressing that needed immediate attention. He motioned for River to follow him.

" You had better come with me." His tone made River uneasy. What now?

********

Van slowly made her way back to the pack house. Her mind drifted back to the...encounter...earlier with Jax. She felt her cheeks flush at the memory of his body so close, his lips on hers.

Her hand traced the spot where his canines had grazed. The marking spot. She knew it was the heat of the moment. There was no way Jax wanted her for a mate. And vice versa. And even if by some weird twist of fate that was the case, it could never be. Van shuddered as her fingertips ran across the scars at the nape of her neck. She was marked. But not in the wonderful way of a mate bond. No. This mark was not meant to celebrate love and commitment. It was a means of control, forced upon her by the Rogue king. A mark like this was not broken by merely rejecting a bond. Only death could severe the ties that held her captive to him.

Each day, she placed a special cream on it to camouflage it with her skin. So no one would ever know. Except Silas. He had shown her how to make the cream when he brought her to live with the pack. He told her stories of how his mother had taught him the recipe. And reminisced on the good times he had spent with his mother making it for members of the pack. It was a soothing ointment and a healing aid with the added benefit that it hid unsightly scars from view.

He never asked how she got the mark. And for that, she was grateful. But more grateful that he never mentioned it to anyone else. She often wondered if he deep down, he knew what it was but chose to overlook it....

She sighed heavily as the pack house came into view. But something was...off. Four black BMWs lined the driveway. The only person she knew who would bring an entourage that big was...

Oh no... She thought to herself. Please be wrong. Please be wrong.

She held her breath as she made her way up the final few steps and opened the doors.

"I'm sorry. We can not discuss these matters until Alpha Tobias returns." Van heard Silas say in a diplomatic tone. She stepped into the massive foyer and immediately felt underdressed. Before her stood none other than Anya Alden. Her golden hair was done in an elegant braid that draped over her shoulder. She wore a simple but classy powder blue chiffon dress. With heels that could impale a bear. Her emerald green eyes were locked on River. She looked like the princess she was. Her father and mother accompanied her as well as an abundance of their guards.

Anya was already hanging on River's arm, to which he looked more than annoyed. Alpha Antonio and Luna Amelia stood with Silas. The conversation seemed tense.

"Perhaps we should move this discussion to the study." Silas offered.

"No." Alpha Antonio said firmly. "I have already spoken with your Alpha. He is in agreement. They will be married in three days upon Alpha Tobias' return."

Van felt her heart drop. No... As if he heard her thoughts, River turned and saw her standing there. He looked pale, like he was going to be sick.

Anya squealed in excitement. "Oh I can't wait! Isn't this wonderful, Rivy?" She tugged on River's arm, but he did not turn his attention to her. Instead, he kept his gaze locked on Van. Anya followed his stare, and her excitement faded into contempt when she saw who had captured her bethrothed's interest. She looked Van up and down and scoffed.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." she sneered. "Did you hear the good news, Van? Our wedding has been moved up. I do hope you'll be less...muddy when you attend. Of course, that is, if you even make the guest list!" Anya taunted. River yanked his arm away from her in disgust and started towards Van. Van shook her head slowly and took a step back. She could not allow him to show disdain for Anya at such a crucial moment. The pack needed this. As much as it was killing them both. River stopped, understanding her silent warnings. His eyes pleaded with her. He didn't care what happened. He only wanted Van. To hell with the alliance.

Van nodded slightly, her eyes somber but stern, signaling for River to return to his place beside his fiancee. He sighed and looked back at Anya, who was obviously furious. She looked as if steam would come pouring out of her ears at any second. When he turned around again, Van was gone.

"Let's go, Rivy!" Anya's voice was distant to him as she gripped his arm again and lead him away. "We have so much preparation to do!"

*****

Van slammed the door to her room shut. She let her body fall back against it and slid to the floor. Hugging her knees to her chest, she let the tears fall silently. Van wasn't ready to lose her best friend. Often, she had wished that the betrothel would be called off. She knew River wished the same thing. And only hours before had felt it in the passion of his kiss. But now his fate was sealed. Once he married Anya, they would return to the Riverstone pack where he and his new bride would one day become Alpha and Luna. Van would never see him again. Anya would make sure of that.

Ugh, Anya. She had sensed the special bond between River and Van the first time they met. Which sparked her hatred of Van. Anya made it her mission everytime she visited to make Van's life miserable. To say Van hated Anya in return would be an understatement. Loathe entirely was more like it. But she knew better than to play into Anya's petty games. Anya was like royalty and Van was a stray who had been taken in, at best. Going toe to toe with Anya (though she knew it was no match) would result in a severe punishment for Van. She had seen it happen before. Anya enjoyed baiting those she saw as beneath her and even more so enjoyed watching them be punished for defending themselves. And sometimes when they had done nothing at all. She was pure evil hidden behind a pretty face.

A knock sounded on the other side of the door. Silas. He had a signature tap, a code they invented when she was a child. A way to communicate that only they understood. She tapped back 3 times, granting him entry, and scooted out of the way of the door.

He stepped inside and sat down beside her.

"Hey kiddo." Silas said gently as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

"I'm not ready." She mumbled into his shoulder.

"I know-" Silas was cutoff when there was a pounding at the door. He and Van jumped to their feet. Silas swung the door open and was met with a guard, covered in blood.

"Sir, you need to hurry. The prisoner escaped!" The guard said between gasps for air.

"Dammit! What happened?!" Silas raced out of the room, Van followed close behind. They hurried down the stairs and out of the packhouse with the guard leading the way. He was explaining what he knew to Silas when he suddenly collapsed in a heap to the floor. Van dropped beside him and felt for a pulse. She looked up at Silas in shock.

"He's...dead." She gasped.