Mated to the Enemy

Chapter 7 - Try

— Jet —

My ears perked up at the sound of the bars to the holding cell sliding open, and shortly afterward the door swung in. Heart pounding, the small steps I heard approach reminded me of Danny, and I wondered if she was returning only to be disappointed when what I saw instead was Willow, the beta’s daughter. But I was confused about that, considering she said nothing about a sister, and from what I overheard while they were still in the room across from here… Danny was also the beta’s daughter.

It didn’t make sense. Wrinkling my nose I could tell they smelled nothing alike.

On the chance that I was right about them being sisters, I tried to keep the scowl off my face when she approached.

Inside I could feel my wolf stirring despite being suppressed by wolfsbane. Restlessness raged within me, needing to be close to Danny, but not wanting to run to her for fear of rejection. Sweat dripped down my neck, and I wiped at it. Damn it, I was still fevered trying to burn off the poison.

“I think it’s about time you told me your name after all these years.” Willow folded her arms across her chest, which normally I would have been admiring for their ampleness, but now I shrugged and turned my head to the small window with bars across it longing for someone else. My mate.

The Night Cloud pack that my dad joined after my mom’s death had probably moved on from searching for me, but the Black Pine… my mother’s pack. I shook my head. Most of them were slaughtered by fae, and the ones that survived were probably scattered throughout the region. They’d want to murder me themselves for abandoning them. I couldn’t return to them without honoring their sacrifices.

“Jetadiah,” I admitted. For so many years I had kept my identity a secret, and to have it all go away because I found a mate was frustrating. If I had stayed with Willow tonight she wouldn't have sent the patrol after me, but even thinking about being with someone else besides my mate made my whole body clench with disgust.

She smiled. “Was that so hard?”

“I hear you’ve stooped to ultimatums to find yourself a mate these days,” I quipped back.

Willow growled back. “It was fine the first two years to play around, Jet,” she tested my name on her lips and then continued, “but I want more now. You’re an alpha, you could become the next Alpha of the Blood Crest pack instead of Holden. Alpha Peyton’s alpha energy is slowly transferring to his son, he’ll be forced to step down soon. Do you have no ambition?”

Bones cracked in my spine, telling me that my wolf wanted out, but I didn’t even have to hold it back… the wolfsbane did that all on it’s own. My skin was slick with sweat, and I panted through gritted teeth trying to work through the sickness.

The she-wolf flinched at what I could only assume was my black eyes flashing at her in warning. Mocking my ambition was a slap to my pride, but my goals were bigger than leading a pack. I had no right to be an alpha without righting the wrongs of the past.

An image of Danny’s face flashed in my mind… I had no right to claim a mate without making sure she was safe. The fae were still out there, and the witches never caught the one that attacked out pack.

“I’m only going to say this once. I feel nothing towards you. With the goddess as my witness—”

Quickly, before I could finish my words Willow slapped her hands across my mouth. She would never have attempted such a thing if I were not poisoned, and I hadn’t thought someone would cover my mouth in an effort to stop me from rejecting them.

My canines protruded, and I pushed off from the wall towering over her letting what alpha energy I had access to roll off of me.

Willow dropped her hand quickly and backed away while diverting the conversation back onto me with a whimper, “Why now? After all these years? Is it her?”

There was venom towards the end when she said her, and I was taken back that it was that obvious that I had found my mate? That should have deterred her current actions, but she didn’t seem like she was changing course.

Stuck in this cell I couldn’t protect Danny from other she-wolves, this cell, I repeated the words as my brain tried to catch up with my surroundings. The door was open. I smiled, not wanting to spook Willow into running out the door and closing it on me once more.

Approaching slowly, I avoided taking my eyes off her, hoping that would keep her paying attention to me, and not the door.

“She is mine,” I found myself admitting involuntarily. “You will not harm her.”

Willow laughed nervously. “What is so special about her? She’s already got Lauren spraying her with his scent.”

I growled, cracking my neck to loosen up, and control myself.

His scent is probably all over her, masking her smell from me being able to track her. The thought was frustrating, and the only one I wanted to duel was him. I shook my head, I couldn’t stay here. Having a mate would change everything. How could I abandon finding my mother’s killer?

“Sit,” I put all my alpha command into the word, and she slid to the ground against the wall. It was more difficult to control a wolf from another pack, but she had already submitted to me on many occasions. Stumbling to the door, I leaned against the frame almost touching the silver from the cell bars. Using my alpha command while still fighting the poison took more out of me than I cared to admit.

I had to get out of here.

“They’ll kill you if you leave…” Willow begged for me to stay.

“They can try,” I goaded with a smirk.