NADIA SIMPSON
"We didn't have a choice. The place you assigned to us to stay was a mess. We had to find something to do about the dumpster before coming here," Maxwell responds.
I am not able to concentrate on anything they are discussing because my gaze is set firmly on Asher.
My mate.
Since I haven't rejected him, the mate bond was still there. Although not as strong as it should be, its existence can't be denied.
It made various questions run through my mind as I watched him.
Doesn't he feel it too? Can't he feel the connection? Is he ignoring it? Am I the only one feeling it? Why doesn't he want me? What did I ever do to make him hate me so much?
His signature blank look is clouding his face, making it harder for me to decipher his thoughts or anything that is going through his mind. I so badly want nothing more than reaching out to him and touching him. Feeling his creamy skin on mine and tasting his lips on mine.
I shake my head violently, feeling crazy for having such sexual thoughts for a man that would have killed me if his wolf let him. A man that rejected me without even getting to know me.
Guilt also gnaws at my stomach for betraying Maxwell. Maxwell has been the one by my side since I got beat up by Asher's men. If not for Maxwell, I would have died and wolf animals would have eaten up my remains after I became unconscious in the forest.
Maxwell has shown me nothing but love, care, attention, loyalty, friendship and most importantly, he has given me more than enough reasons to trust him. But yet, I can't fully reciprocate the feelings due to the mate bond. If I had accepted Asher's rejection, I might not be feeling this way but he made sure I didn't.
"There are rules that govern this pack. And for every rule, there are punishments. You broke one of the rules and now, you have to face the consequences." A man I'm guessing is the beta announcing, cutting off my train of thoughts.
I know what they are doing. They want us to leave. They are trying to make sure we are as uncomfortable and feel as insecure as anyone can feel so that we should leave their pack for good.
I looked around, assessing the environment and the people who had all gathered for the initiation ceremony. They all stared at Max and me with so much hatred that I wished the ground would open up and swallow me.
I don't understand why they hate Maxwell so much when the real villain is there, enjoying his life and acting like a good pack leader.
If Asher is truly the bad guy, why are they not afraid of him and avoiding him at all cost. Why don't they look oppressed and ready to kick him out of the position that he forced his way into.
Shouldn't they be happy that Max is back to save them from the hands of their leader?
When a mother hides her child when I look at them, my suspicion rises. Am I misunderstanding things? Didn't I get what was happening right?
"Wolfsbane. As a punishment for coming late, you both have to be tortured by wolfsbane and then, the ceremony can continue. Don't worry, it won't kill you, just scrape your body a bit."
The beta isn't able to control his laughter after the last words. He laughs so much that he almost falls off his seat.
I could tell he is a joker but nothing about the situation is close to being funny. They want to pour wolfsbane on us as punishment for coming late to a meeting. That is just pure evil.
Panic grips me as I imagine everything that would go wrong if they go through with their plan.
I doubt you would survive it if wolfsbane is poured on my body.
I am not like any regular werewolf. Due to the amount of torture I have faced in the hands of my former pack, my wolf is weak and abnormal. She only functions when she wants too. Sometimes, once a year.
Sometimes I think my wolf is dead and gone until she speaks like she did yesterday, which is always the only proof that she is still alive.
I haven't shifted for as long as I can remember.
I can't heal as fast as every normal werewolf is supposed to heal. I don't have ultrasonic hearing like I should. I can't smell it like every werewolf can.
I am just like a regular human being except for the fact that I have an animal inside of me that is almost dormant.
Wolfsbane is like acid to werewolves. It would cause a lot of damage and if care isn't taken, the person would die. They didn't want to kill us, so they only wanted to spray on us but that spray can kill me since there is no wolf to help me heal.
As if reading my thoughts, Max comes to my rescue and once again, I am so grateful to him that it almost brings tears of joy out of my scared eyes.
"You can't punish us for coming late to the pack gathering. We are not officially a member of your pack yet which means that we are not yet subjected to any rules placed in the pack. After the initiation, we can be treated like regular pack members."
A sigh of relief escapes my mouth and I send Maxwell a grateful smile but the feeling is only short lived.
"You are right. In that case, let's move to the next stage. For any one to be initiated to our pack, they need to display their strength and agility, which would determine if they would be accepted into the pack or rejected. As you know, this pack is the strongest and most dangerous pack in the world. We are a constant target to enemies. Everyone here must be strong."
Shit! How the hell am I supposed to prove my strength when I don't even have a functioning wolf?