The Change (Fated Series: book1)
Chapter 34 - Peas in a pod

“Blue Moon and Northern Hills have held a grudge against each other, and raided each other’s territories long before I was born. I grew up with the stories, the mentality of it all: we are good; they are bad. But if you look beyond all the pettiness, it has always been about the Southern valley. I’ve held it for thirty years!” Stevens stated with pride.

Northern Hills advanced into the unoccupied borderline lands which belonged to no pack, and served as separation between packs. No-man’s land where rogues could freely shift, roam and inhabit.

“It was no-man’s land. They had more wolves, they needed land. Blue Moon didn’t. And it wasn’t even mine to rule. I figured better them than Rogues, yey? It was all good until they started raiding my valley. First for hunt, then for mates. I could still understand that. Hell, you are not really yourself until you mate! But it never stopped there. They advanced further, merging with the existing families in the valley. So we thought, let’s put the feud behind and unite. Peace – that’s what we all wanted. Allegiance. Such utopia!” Stevens spat on the ground. “The Reverhill girl was just born and Aaron was four. If they were truly mates, I didn’t see why not to merge the packs. We had thirteen good years! Years of peace and flourish. Then Anja turned and they met, only for the feud to resurface as they were not Fated mates. How could I possibly deny my own flesh and blood the ultimate happiness I have grown to know in the arms of my own true mate? I couldn’t do that to another, especially to my own blood. I didn’t approve of the arranged mating.”

Marcus remembered hearing about the fallout between the packs. It was usual for two packs to stipulate an allegiance in the hopes that the children of high ranking members could be true mates. The children would grow with constant contact and eventually might decide to choose each other as Chosen Mates, forever forsaking the Goddess’ choice. It was rare for that to happen though. More often than not such mating alliances only served to postpone the conflicts for a decade or so. It was a political move. And there was always the chance for the pups to be True Mates. You never knew until they turned. There was a whole science behind trying to foretell a mate. Most of the calculations were purely based on the raw power in the bloodlines of the possible mates. High ranking wolves mated within the higher ranks, while the low ranking wolves more often than not, found their Fated amongst themselves. But then there were the exceptions as well, where an Alpha true mate would be a lower ranking female, who with the proper nurturing developed into a true Alpha-mate. Marcus could still remember the shock on Emma’s face, when they first met. He smiled as the memory of one of the happiest days of his life, which surprisingly did not bring the usual bile in his throat. And that was because of a certain brunette who was waiting for him in his Pack House.

“War was imminent. I couldn’t turn to Rover Grove for help. After all Grey was on a dead-bed and his pack was in worse shape than we were! You, my boy, you were my hope. You were young, newly mated. Strong. If I had you as an ally, the chips were going to fall in my favor. Everybody knows that Riley would follow you through high waters and hell. With you, not only would I get support from Blackwood, but ensure Moonlight would not stab me in the back. I needed one ally and a neutral party in my flank to withstand whatever Veron threw at me.” Stevens explained.

The way that Stevens portrayed the events painted Marcus and Blackwood as their Savior. And that irked him. After all, it was no secret that Marcus and Riley were inseparable. They were force to be reckoned with. However Marcus could not imagine Stevens in his pride, reaching out to a Neighboring Alpha for help him until he exhausted all means. After all, what incentive could he provide for Marcus to accept such a union? Marcus begun to wonder why didn’t he reach out to Pack Law instead.

“Pack Law?”

“I pleaded my case in front of them. I still think that informing them was the first mistake I made. Veron Reverhill assembled his troops and declared War, faster than I could take off my boots after my Capitolia trip!” Stevens was outraged.

Marcus was inclined to believe him. Northern Hills had indeed declared war surprisingly fast. The only question remaining was, did Pack Law sanction it because of the case that Stevens made, or at the insistence of Northern Hills? Marcus hated the stacking coincidences in Steven’s story. Unlike other Alphas who needed absolute proof of guilt before they interfered, Marcus had adopted a new doctrine: reasonable suspicion required an investigation. Only that way, he could meticulously weigh, value and judge all the facts. Experience had told him, wherever you searched, you were bound to encounter a skeleton or two.

“How would he be so organized? Unless, he was warned in advance! I waited for you and when you finally showed up, I begun to hope again. After you suddenly left, I lost the valley. Tell me, if I had anticipated the strike, wouldn’t I have increased my own fucking chances of succeeding by summoning my troops and asking you to bring in your Fighters? Why would I take out Emma, if any half-conscious wolf would know that you would high tail it back to her side? One assassination and they managed to take you out of the field and make Moonlight neutral. I looked into Emma’s death. If only I could prove Veron was behind it, then you would see the reason and make me convince Pack Law. I couldn’t replace much of what happened that morning, but I found a connection between Alpha Grey’s attack and Northern Hills.” Stevens proudly announced.

Marcus was intrigued. After all the gibberish Stevens managed to somehow make relevant to his story, he finally spilled the piece of information which made him ultimately ask for this stupid audience. Marcus could finally do his due diligence and check out if the story held true. If it was then Marcus wasted six years in fruitless ghost chase, while the real culprit mocked him.

“Who?”

“Elder Matthews,” Stevens replied. “He orchestrated everything!”

“Bold accusation. What proof do you have?”

“Have you ever wondered what happened at the Elder’s High Council discussing the mating of one Juliet Grey?” Stevens smirked. Marcus rolled his eyes. This was becoming more irritating and time consuming than he had estimated. Marcus was losing patience and Stevens was running in circles trying to convince him of his innocence.

“How is that relevant?”

“Elder Matthews was very passionate, advocating for Grey to mate with Oliver Reverhill in order for their troops to join against me should you choose to support me. Don’t you replace peculiar the timing of his failed attempt of union between the packs and Emma’s death? There were barely 48 hours between Beta Harris Horton speech in suggestion for Brandon for such mating and the assassination.” Stevens grinned and Marcus quickly tried to regain his composure. “I’m telling you, boy, Oliver Reverhill still holds a grudge against the Hortons. You must have crossed paths with him during your visit in Rover Grove. Or was Miss Heinsfeld enough of a distraction to obscure that detail?”

“So to summarize it: Everyone is out to get you because of a stupid valley?” Asked Marcus and when Stevens nodded eagerly, Marcus coldly continued, “You’re paranoid.”

“And yet I am still here,” Stevens deadpanned. “You should heel to my advice. Look into it.”

“If THEY are as powerful as you make them out to be, what makes you think pocking their lair will bring me any good?”

“I’m your arch-enemy. When I die they’ll look into you and believe me they’ll frame you,” Stevens raised his voice as Marcus turned on his heel, making his way away from the paranoid fool. “Which is ironic, having in mind that you were what... two weeks away of orchestrating my farewell party on your own?”

Marcus took a deep breath and turned around, “How?”

“The rogue who left me with my parting gift,” Stevens eyes trailed down his left side and silver poisoning, “was more than happy to gloat about my impending doom. When my Interrogator worked on him for a day, he volunteered your assassination plans in exchange for a quick death. By the way, I am flattered. You spent so much time on an insignificant player like me. You’re quite resourceful. I am impressed,” Stevens admired Marcus dedication. “Using a Pack Official for your alibi is a bold move!”

“Damn it,” Marcus whispered. Stevens referenced a new detail that was just worked in the plan with Rifkins arrival. He wasn’t pissed about Stevens knowledge of it. It pointed to a security breach.

“You should clean your house. It’s infested,” Stevens chuckled at his own joke. “Bugs, moles, back stabbing bitches…”

“What are you implying?”

“It’s a Horner’s nest! I didn’t ask you for an audience in the middle of nowhere, because I ached for a breath of fresh air. Damn it, this weather is affecting my back! Did you by any chance drive here?” Stevens asked hopeful.

Marcus debated whether or not to give him a ride.

“If I give you a ride close to the pack House, would you get to the point faster?” Marcus asked irritated at himself for being so easily persuaded to help out an Elder Alpha.

“I knew I should have approached Vanessa. She understands of a good story-telling,” Stevens huffed and followed Marcus who started for the parked vehicles. “You could always try to beat it off Brandon. I hear that you were quite thorough.” Stevens chuckled at the mention of Alpha Brandon.

“Ask your future brother-in law.”

“What does he have to do with all this?”

“He attended that meeting.”

“WHAT?” Marcus asked and grabbed for Stevens’ scuff.

“Exciting, isn’t it?” Stevens smirked. “Gives a new meaning to family.”

Alexander Heinsfeld

@Blackwood PackHouse

“I met my True Mate and he’s Pack Law.”

“No shit,” Alex rasped.

“Oh, yes, big shit,” Juliet agreed.

Alex did not know how to comfort Alphas, but he knew how to welcome important news such as these. He quickly stood up and poured whiskey into two glasses, handing her one and brought his settee closer to hers with the bottle in toll. He took a gulp and as the liquid burned its way down his throat he finally asked:

“Who?”

“I don’t know his name, but he has a long scar down from his left ear,” Juliet’s finger trailed down on its own accord over her own skin from her left ear to her shoulder, “and wears one of those curvy swords.”

“Saber. Blue eyes, black hair?” Alex corrected and completed her description.

“What’s his name?” Juliet asked, looking up from the rim of her glass.

“Jonathan Graves,” Alex responded. Then an unsettling silence befell them.

“That bad?” Juliet prompted.

“No. It’s just…. He’s been through a lot,” Alex started and then shook his head. “It’s his story to tell.”

“Well, apparently he is not much of a talker because when we met he flat out tried to command me to accept or reject him.” A small smile tugged on Juliet’s lip at the memory and how he had then dominated their kiss her. She took a deep breath to steady herself. “I don’t know what to do.”

“He’s a hard nut to crack open. What I can tell you is that he is blunt to the point of rudeness, but he is a loyal and tough son of a bitch. He’s sort of a legend in Pack Law,” Alex continued.

“Anything else?”

“You should really talk to him,” Alex continued.

“You’re not of much use,” Juliet exclaimed and Alex rolled his eyes.

“Who told you his name, young lady!” Alex playfully scolded her.

“Young lady?” Juliet laughed. “These last couple of years were…. I feel so old and tired, definitely not young,” Juliet admitted and then emptied her glass. Liquor courage was needed if she was to be by Jonathan’s side.

Nessa

In Cameron’s car to go to a pharmacy

Nessa hoped Cameron was good at multitasking. He was taking the turns at speed, and often spared her pointed cold glares in the rear view mirror. Nessa would have laughed at his seriousness, had it not been for Michelle who was nibbling her nails in frustration to her left and Nicole who was sitting on her right, aimlessly looking through the window. If he continued to drive like a mad man, Nessa was sure the motion sickness she felt would eventually become overpowering.

Travis had taken the front seat despite Nessa’s vigorous protests. Apparently, mating after the marking meant a lot more to weres than Nessa’s experience suggested. Travis had explained to her that only then would she be able to boss him around, until then he had orders to follow. Cameron shook his head.

“I knew you’d be trouble even back at your apartment!”

“Don’t deny it – you prefer hanging around us than being stuck at home with your paperwork,” Nessa teased right back.

“Busted,” Nicole chuckled.

“What happened in your apartment?” Michelle asked. If Nessa was able to take her mind off the story to save what was left of Michelle’s nails, Nessa would consider it her good deed for the day.

“Cam came to rescue Marcus after he admitted to me he was Alpha Ned,” Nessa left a lot of the details out.

“I still can’t understand why Alpha Ned, but not Alpha Marcus? It doesn’t make sense,” Michelle argued.

“My point exactly,” Nessa exclaimed and Cameron shook his head.

“Alpha Marcus Edwards. Alpha Marcus or Alpha Edwards. From there on shortly, Alpha Ned. It’s not so out there,” Cameron replied in defense of his Alpha.

“Emma enjoyed calling him Ned. It kind of stuck,” Travis shared. Nessa’s eyes widened at the realization that even from beyond the grave Emma had a string around Marcus’ heart. It stung. Cameron quickly punched Travis in the arm.

“She has the right to know and understand why the Alpha is not a peach to be around, man. Dancing around the subject would not do either of them any good in the long run,” Travis pointed out.

Nessa reached out between the front seats and touched Travis on the arm that was just insulted.

“I appreciate your blunt honesty.”

“Blunt,” Cameron emphasized, causing Travis to look at Nessa.

“He might be rough around the edges, but he loves you. I have never seen him displaying affection so openly to anyone, including Emma, as he does with you,” Travis continued. Nessa smiled.

“Thanks, Travis.”

“Hate to spoil this moment for you, but SEAT BELT, VANESSA. NOW,” Cameron roared at her.

“Yes, mother!” Nessa mocked and squeezed Travis’ shoulder reassuringly, before she seated herself back in her spot, strapping her seat belt pointedly for Cameron’s sake. “I didn’t realize you are just as big road hazard as Nicole!”

“Hey, soon-to-be-mated Luna! If you want to be a-mated-Luna some day, you better stop bitching for my driving. It’s perfectly safe. In fact, I’m very offended. I might consider giving you a tussle since your Guardian here won’t be able to interfere,” Nicole teased her in their usual banter. Travis chuckled at her recognition of his presence.

“Is that the first time you ATE APPLES together?” Michelle winked at Nessa, making her blush and successfully interrupting Travis’ gleeful laughter.

“Yes, and it was not the only time,” Nessa whispered as her cheeks blushed, causing a wolf whistle from Nicole. Nessa grinned judging my the level of discomfort of the two men in front, she had overshared. She leaned forward, without unbuckling her seat belt, “Don’t tell me you two are innocent babes?”

“You’re scaring them, Nes,”Michelle commented.

“Permanently scarring their young, docile minds,” Nicole offered and then continued jesting on Nessa’s account. “You know, after you and Ned, you are quite uninhibited! Can’t wait to read those steamy scenes in the sequel!”

“You just spoiled the sequel for me!” Cameron pouted wondering why did he have to pray for adventure away from paperwork?

Marcus

(At southern ridge with Alpha Stevens)

“What are you going to do?”

“Have a conversation with Alexander,” Marcus snarled.

“And by conversation, you mean a beat down. That’s rather blunt,” Stevens nodded his head. “If he is involved, you would tip them off. We should move covertly. Maybe if I speak to Vanessa…”

“You are not going near her,” Marcus snapped at him.

“Of all of the Pack Officials that could have been sent to investigate you, you get the one that has history with your mate? Cherry on top, her brother is under his command. I might be old but it seems the coincidences keep on piling up,” Stevens replied and then continued seemingly uninterested. “Instead of beating the living shit of her Fated mate, her loving dear brother decided it’s the ideal time to make his ascend in the hierarchy of Pack Law? No recommendations whatsoever! Relying solely on the Heinsfeld blood? And how convenient for him to appear when his sister has the reining Alpha wrapped around her finger?”

“I don’t like your implication. Nessa has never been interested in me as an Alpha. Hell, she didn’t even know my title or name for a long while.”

“That be as it may, everything seems to neatly stack up. And where do you get such precision of occurrence of events?”

“Elaborate planning.”

“And what with inconvenient leads such as the Horton boy?” Stevens asked. “They tend to disappear or how did you put it… meet an unfortunate accident!”

“This conspiracy would have to go way beyond Rifkin’s head to be this… finely tuned.”

“The amount of resources invested in it only shows the scale of the influence and the ripples of aftereffects,” Stevens continued. Marcus rolled his eyes and Stevens shortly continued. “The Hortons manufactured a mating that ultimately led Vanessa to you. Your experience makes you even more respectful Alpha. Pack Law never intervened back then, and now they have to save face. They will sanction you to take me out, which is fine if everything stops there. But it won’t. It’s just a phase for them. They get rid of me and appease you. Now you wouldn’t want the additional territory so when you replace out I already passed the Alpha title to my son, you’d be relieved. But they wouldn’t. They’ll either replace a way to make you at odds or use other means to take Aaron out. Without an Alpha Blue moon will have to be dissolved or assimilated. Neighbouring packs will be asked to help. And we go back to full circle, Northern Hills and Rover Grove stand to benefit the most. Again. It can’t be a coincidence.”

Marcus didn’t like the implication one bit.

“Then a few years pass and if it comes to an Alpha Challenge for whatever reason or even a Choice mating, Rover Grove will ultimately fall to Alpha Reverhill. If Pack Law doesn’t stop him, he could easily bring back the Monarchy!”

Marcus began to regret ever taking this meeting.