Payment To the Alpha
Chapter 39

Avery's POV

"You were going to shift and risk harming your Luna; now you can shift and face your Alpha!"

James said in a loud growl.

All of us stood there, gasping. I held my hands over my mouth, not wanting to scream. I knew that James wasn't the one being put in harm's way, yet I was worried about him getting hurt.

But Michael, Michael was only worried about his mate, he didn't have any ill intentions, he shouldn't get hurt because of it.

"James," I said in barely a whisper, but I got no reaction. I knew he heard me, but he refused to take his eyes off Michael's. He wasn't going to break eye contact.

"James, he was just worried. He didn't mean to cause me any harm." I tried reasoning with him.

"Yet he almost did." He growled angrily.

"Please, don't do this." I don't know if I would believe myself with how weak my voice sounded. In my head, I sounded a lot stronger.

James turned his head, and there and then I knew that no matter what I said or did, it wouldn't change his mind or his actions. I nodded my head and took two steps back.

"SHIFT!" Blade roared, forcing a shift upon Michael, and that he did. His bones were breaking, his wolf was surfacing, and his canines were showing. A loud growl came from his wolf the second he had sifted, but why isn't James shifting?

Michael's wolf looked around the room, not in anger but in pain. He then looked into the eyes of his Alpha, and I saw why there was no need for James to shift. Michael's wolf bowed his head and bent his front legs to where it looked like he bowed. He had his tail tucked between his legs, and his ears were pressed back.

Michael's wolf was submitting. By only looking into Blade's eyes, he knew he had done wrong, he knew who was in charge, and he knew he defied his Alpha.

James' eyes were going back to his normal blues, his chest wasn't puffed out, and his shoulders were relaxing.

"Face me." The wolf rose to his paws once again and raised his head. His tail was still between his legs, meaning even James' aura was affecting him. The wolf then faced my way and started walking towards me. I felt small compared to a werewolf, but not afraid. Not now that James was here, at least.

He came up to me and bowed his head. As his head was bowed, he looked up at me, playfully and I couldn't help but giggle. Then, he nudged his snout at my hand, and so I raised it and started petting him. I never knew werewolves were so big on cuddling.

After a while, he went back to stand in front of James, Alex threw him a pair of shorts, and with a slight head bow, James indicated that Michael could shift back.

James threw him the shorts, which Michael quickly got into and then took his stance, awaiting further orders.

"Don't ever put your luna in harm's way again, or you know the consequences."

"Yes, Alpha." Michael saluted but stayed in his spot,

"Are you okay?" James asked me, and I walked up to him and grabbed his hands in mine.

"Yes, Alpha." I responded, however, more in a mocking way than Michael had. James laughed, and I believe I heard I snicker in the back. He knows I'm funny. He just won't admit

"Michael, I will talk to Sofia, but I can't tell you that she will be set free. There are things going on now that are beyond your understanding, things that must be dealt with caution, so for now, just hang tight okay?" I said in my most confident tone as I looked at Michael,

"Yes, Luna." I cringed at the word. I'm still not very okay with being called Luna, but I guess I'll have to get used to it.

James dismissed Michael, and he, Amanda, and Chase went on a run to blow off some steam.

"I believe you owe me a walk." I took James' hand, and he led me out of the room. I giggled at the memory of when I had told him that. The fact that we're going to the same place only makes it so much more wonderful. But as we were leaving the room, I made eye contact with Alex, and the way he was looking at me broke my heart, he knew something was up, and the realization hit me, why we're going to the clearing and what I have to do when we get back.

Alex's stare was so intense that I had to look away, I looked down at my feet, and the knot of guilt in my stomach grew larger. I had to bite my tongue to hold back the tears. He will understand. They all will.

"So, where exactly are you taking me?" James asked after we had walked for fifteen minutes,

"Don't you remember from the last time we walked here?"

"We're going to the clearing." He said in a knowing tone. He was smiling, good.

When we reached the clearing, the sun was starting to set, but there was still plenty of light around us, I had asked Elisabeth earlier to set out a blanket and a picnic basket by the lake, and she had. It looked perfect and romantic.

"You did this?" James asked me in shock. He went and sat on the blanket and opened the basket right away. "Is it so shocking to think that I did?" I felt the frown on my face and the sass in my voice, but I felt a little offended by the amount of shock that he portrayed. I had my hands on my hips and stared at him while he put a handful of grapes in his mouth and then looked at me.

"Well, did you?" He asked me with a raised brow and putting another grape in that big mouth of his.

"Wha," I started, but technically, I hadn't, and I couldn't lie. At least not a good one. I looked around the clearing, anywhere but at him, which probably gave me away.

"My eyes are here, love." He pointed at his eyes, and I puffed out some air before going to sit with him on the blanket. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me tighter to him.

"No, I asked Elisabeth to do it because I didn't have time." I said as I exhaled.

"Well, it was your idea, and it was a wonderful idea. Remind me to thank Elisabeth too."

He was looking down at me as I rested my head against his shoulder. I was looking up at him, I could never have enough of looking into his eyes, and then I felt the tears coming back, threatening to fall, so I quickly averted my eyes and looked over the little lake instead.

It was a little warmer today. The sun was still bright and shining down onto the lake, making those beautiful shapes, and how I wish I could be in this moment forever. But I can't, can I? Forever isn't measured in time. It is measured in the importance of the moment you are currently living, and this moment is truly important.

"What's on your mind?" I heard him ask. I was so lost in thought that I hadn't realized he was looking at me, but then I realized it wasn't the sun that was warm, it was the gaze of the man I love, it was his touch, his love. I looked back up at him and saw everything I needed in his eyes.

"James, I-" I licked my lips and leaned up, placing a soft kiss on his lips before retracting.

"I love you." His eyes lit up upon hearing my confession, and his lip drew up, making out a grin.

"Took you long enough." I gasped at his response and playfully smacked his arm, and scooted away from him, I stared at him with the evilest eyes I could muster up.

James scooted after me and grabbed my arm pulling me to him, a small scream came out as I hit his chest. He took his index finger under my chin and lifted it up so that our eyes met.

"I have loved you since the first time I saw you, and I will love for as long as we breathe, and after that, I will love you still." This time a tear did escape, but not one of sadness, but one of happiness, love, family, belonging, so many emotions all at once. James Knight was my forever, he was my forever moment.

James' POV

She loves me, she finally said it, and I feel like a kid. My heart has never felt this complete.

"I have loved you since the first time I saw you, and I will love for as long as we breathe, and after that, I will love you still. Always." I looked into her eyes as I made a confession of my own, one that I vow to keep always and forever. My mate, my love, my Luna.

A tear rolled down Avery's cheek and I kissed it away, I saw the happiness in her eyes. Just when I thought that everything was perfect, a lump of guilt started building up in my core. She didn't know the truth about the marriage, if there was any time to tell, now was it.

"Avery, there is something I need to tell you." I saw the uncertainty in her eyes, she was so used to hearing only bad news, and this time was no different, she was frightened.

"It's about why we must get married." I closed my eyes not able to look at her, I then turned and looked at the lake instead, so as not to turn back on what I've started to say.

"When you're parents made the deal to sell you, they wanted to make it certain that the deal went through, so they asked for a lock spell," I could see Avery through my peripheral vision, her eyebrows were furrowed and she was paying close attention.

"A lock spell is a spell where if the contract isn't held up to what the deal says, both parties will suffer. If we don't get married," I paused, not able to continue, not able to even think of the fact that she will die, I will die too but that seems minuscule in comparison to losing her.

"If we don't get married then what? What will happen?" Avery asked as she laid her hand on my arm, bringing me comfort.

"We will both die." She removed her hand and her mouth was open, she tried to speak but no words came out, I looked at her, she was panicking, I grabbed her hand in mine and cupped her face with the other.

"Hey Avery you need to breathe alright?" She nodded her head and started taking quick, short breaths.

"Slower, breath slower." And so she did, she started taking long, deep breaths and closed her eyes. She removed her hand from mine, the second time she does that and for some reason, it's really agitating. She dragged her hands over her face, and then placed them beside her on the blanket.

She bit her bottom lip and looked up at me, her eyes were big and doe and all I wanted to do was tell her that it's going to be okay but I can't.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked as I released a breath.

"I couldn't, I mean I, I didn't want you to marry me to save my life,"

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!" She yelled and I looked at her in shock for scolding me.

"OF COURSE, I'LL MARRY YOU TO SAVE YOUR LIFE, YOU DUMBASS, YOU THREATENED ME TO SAVE MINE, DID YOU NOT?!"

"Could you stop yelling, woman!?" Avery was now standing up and flinging her arms around as she yelled. I thought she would be upset, not mad.

"When do we have to get married?" She asked me as she took her place back on the blanket.

"Before you turn nineteen."

"That's only a few months." She gasped, and I nodded my head.

"Yeah, I know, but listen, I'm gonna talk to a witch I know and see if there is any way around this. Until then, let's enjoy every moment we get together." Something changed in Avery's eyes the second I said those last words. What is she holding back? Her jaw ticked as if she's biting it together to fight back something.

"Yes, let's do that." She snuggled in close to me and took my arm, wrapping it around herself. The gesture alone was cute as fuck. But what aren't you telling me?

We were looking out at the lake, and every time I looked down at Avery, she seemed so far away."

Avery's POV

I felt it every time his gaze was on me. The heat warmed my entire body, his touch filled me with life, and his eyes made me forget reality.

But you can't live in a fantasy forever, and if I keep looking into his eyes. I will never be able to do what I need to in order to keep him safe. To keep everyone safe.

"Hey James?"

"Yes, love?"

"What's you're fondest memory?"

He took some time to think about my question, I don't know where I was going with this, but I guess I was hoping it would bring him joy wherever it was.

"I was twelve. I was walking home from school with Alex, and on our way, we took a detour to see the warriors fight. We didn't realize how long we had been there, looking at them in awe, until my parents came out searching for us. Amber was fourteen at the time, and when she came up to us, Alex was going to act tough, like the warriors, so he tried attacking her, but my sister was older and had trained a fair share, so she beat him to the curb, not too violently of course.

My parents came, and we just played tough together, fighting, learning, laughing, and then they took us out to the village for dinner, and that night we sat up late as hell just watching a bunch of movies together." When he explained it, there was, of course, pain in his voice, but the love in the memory tramped the pain of the loss.

"Why do you ask?" I shrugged and looked up at him.

"No reason, I want you to think of the good times whenever things get rough. Think of the love and the happiness, and know that everything will be okay." He looked at me, and I think I saw his eyes brimming from unshed tears.

Baby, everything is going to be okay.

"Why does it sound like something bad is going to happen?"

"Something bad will always happen. Life isn't a garden of roses, especially for a werewolf, I have noticed. But in the end, they have this way of just working out for the better." I placed a kiss on his cheek and saw the smile I so longed for.

Alex's POV

My brother and Avery were out on their date. Before they left, when Avery and I made eye contact, I could have sworn that I saw guilt in them. Earlier, when we were talking on the bench outside, it did truly sound like she was saying goodbye.

I was in my room. I was changing so that I could hit the field for some practice before going to eat. But I was detoured when a subconscious need nagged within me to replace my sister.

I walked to her room and knocked on her door. When I was about to knock again, Amber swung the door open and looked at me knowingly. I wasn't the only one.

She let me in, and I sat down on the four-seat couch she had by the wall, facing her TV.

Amber came and sat beside me as she pulled her legs up under her and then a blanket over us.

"Have you been noticing anything strange about Avery?" I asked her, and she looked at me and then down at the floor.

"I mean, yeah, I guess, she was acting a little weird today, she declared her love and thanked me for everything, but I didn't really give it much thought."

"She did that to me too earlier, and she looked on the verge of tears, but I couldn't make out what it was. Do you think she's leaving?" Amber's head turned to me quickly, but she didn't look convinced.

"Honestly, Alex, I think that she's been through a lot lately, she's so young and she was tossed into this fucked up situation and this unfamiliar world and on top of that she's had a wizard bunkering in her head, I don't think she's leaving, I think she's lost."

"It's just, by the way she was speaking it sounded like a goodbye, not a cry for help." I was certain that Avery knew what she was doing, in one day she had made time to hang out with Amber, myself, and my brother. There was only laughter and happiness like she wanted one last moment with each of us. But when I explained that to my sister, she still wasn't convinced, and I hoped for everyone's sake that she was right. Because if she left, I along with everyone else would be heartbroken and my brother would tear down this entire country to replace her. We would lose our Luna.

Even though Avery wasn't offically the Luna, she somehow had that connection to almost everyone.

She was respected and loved.

"Don't worry too much brother, Avery just needs some time to come to terms with everything that has happened, and she needs time to adjust. Not many people would still stand strong after what she's been through, she's my sister, I would never let anything happen to her and neither would you and especially not James. She's protected and she knows that. Go get some rest, I think it will do you good."

Perhaps that's the problem. I thought to myself.