"Have you forgotten you were the one who denied her in front of the entire pack? Took a new mate and had her banished from the pack!" a voice countered.
"It was for the pack! I did it for the unity of the pack!" he argued, trying to convince himself.
"Deal with it then!"-The voice disappeared.
Alexa got up and started pacing the room. "She's hiding in that small village." She muttered.
"We will have to smoke her out then." She said, the idea igniting a smile conclusively that as her final decision on this matter.
Thane was quiet but he didn't like the idea. "Did you have the book in sight?" he asked the soldiers instead.
"No Alpha, but we believe she's still in custody of it." They responded.
"Good. Until we decide on what next to do, don't breath a word of these to anyone!" He instructed.
Alexa turned to him, her jaw dropped slightly at his pronouncement. What could be his reason for keeping this a secret?
The soldiers bowed once more and saluted, making their way out. The metal doors roared shut as the guards outside pulled it's heavy handles along until they locked in on each other.
"Why?" Alexa asked immediately the world was shut outside.
"Why what?" Thane asked, unsure of what she meant.
"Why do you want them to be discreet about her whereabouts?" She questioned. "Don't tell me the rumors are true."
"What rumors?" he asked feigning naivety.
"Was she your mate after all?" she kept asking.
Thane got up angrily. "I don't know what your aiming at but I'm only concerned about the fate of the innocent people living in that small village. They deserve a place in the world after all. Do you not care about people?" he immediately turned the tables.
She could tell he was being defensive.
"Is it really about the people Thane? Or you want to sneak into that hell hole just to see her." She grimaced with disgust in her tone. "She was your mate, wasn't she?" she questioned again.
"She wasn't! now stop being accusing. There's no prove that the both of us were ever mates!" he cut in.
Alexa was mute. Fine. She'll play by his rules just this one time. She still needs to win the full acceptance of this new pack for her plans to work.
"Very well then." She looked away and walked out of the court room.
Thane walked towards the window and looked down at the library just beneath him.
The full moon shone brightly and he felt the urge to turn and let out a howl.
What he carried inside was guilt and it was heavier than any luggage.
Thinking about how he treated her, he made her cry, he hated himself for it.
Flash back of the days he spent with her down there at the library consumed his mind. The way they used to play around the library together. Her laughter flooded his senses…
He sighed, he missed her.
Even though he knew he couldn't be with her from the very beginning. The least he wanted was to make every second of their time together unforgettable. He wished he had the courage to tell her then about his selfish plans of giving her up… but all that doesn't matter now. He has a beautiful Luna who's choice he made to bring unity to the packs.
Satisfied with his accomplishment, he believed he made the right choice.
Work before pleasure—a voice chanted behind his mind.
He closed his eyes as if bidding her memories goodbye.
Whatever the case is, he needs the book back to show his members that he is worthy of leading the pack but most importantly also, he needs Mirabelle alive.
*THE HIDDEN VILLAGE*
I sat outside just under the bright glowing moonlight, staring up at the glowing dark sky…
There was a time I and Thane would go missing in the library.
I had my insecurities and had curled up to one side, searching for some kind of assurance that he would always be with me. I was just an ordinary librarian and he was the most feared, the head of over a hundred wolves-the Alpha.
"What if the pack doesn't accept me as your mate?" I had voiced out my fears one evening after we had made love and were just laying around nude.
Thane turned to me. The moonlight partly shone on my face as shadows took the corners and made my tan skin dazzle.
"I love you Mira, that's most important." He said caressing my hair.
"Then why can't the whole pack know about us? I want them to know I'm yours and you're mine, that we're mates. Fated mates." I retorted.
"There is no need for the rush, Mira." He said calmly. "In due time it will all be sorted out." He assured me. "For now, I don't want you to be bothered about such thoughts, come here… let's just have our moment and enjoy what we share while the world slips away." He nudged on to kiss me.
"But I'm not comfortable having to be seeing you in hideouts. Why are we hiding when we're old enough to make our choices?" I had pressed on.
He exhaled deeply. Taking his face close to hers he held her chin with both his hands and looked into her eyes.
"I understand my love and I want nothing more than what you want but understand that we have to be careful. Else, we may not stand a chance."
I nodded, I believed him. I was foolish to think since his heart was with me, his mind was too and that one day he would grow past that phase and eventually stand up for me—even if it meant going against the pack.
I must've been delusional to ever think an Alpha would choose a low life like me.
I didn't meet his standards, he was sure ashamed of me. Denied me in front of the council and made a spectacle of me in front of his new bride.
He also agreed for me to be his new mate's maid. What nonsense?!
I don't want to believe it but I'm beginning to think he never loved me.
This wound still laid fresh in my heart… and I don't think I would ever get to forgive him.
I heard heavy footsteps behind me as it pressed against the dry leaves breaking them apart.
Who was there?
I turned to the direction of the sound, my chest pounding fast as I looked long and deep into the woods.