Chapter 41
Erica
GrantandIheadedthrough the woods quickly. We knew it wouldn’t be long before someone realised that he was gone, or that there were enemy wolves on the territory’s border. We had to pass close by the pack houses on the way to the meetup point beyond the plunge pool, and everything in me screamed at me to turn back, find Liam. Everything except Ana.
I could already tell that she was getting quieter, and that she was being pulled back to the cage. But she wanted to get free, and she knew Jasper was a strong enough Alpha for it. She told me she had been partly responsible for my confusing feelings around Jasper, his power called to us, and that she would continue to help me feel better about what I had to do.
We made it to the top of the waterfall, and I made my way down the little path as quickly as possible without slipping. We had just hit the little plunge pool meadow when I heard the alarms. I stopped dead and looked at Grant. It hit me straight in the heart and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Liam was on his way.
Grant grabbed my hand and pulled.
“Come on,” he hissed, “we don’t have much time.” He pulled me towards the back of the space and between a gap in the rocks that you would never have seen if you didn’t know it was there. The gap was small and I could tell that a wolf wouldn’t fit through, and lasted for about five feet before opening up again into some more woods and the edge of a clearing. The clearing had three or four cars in it and standing in front of them waiting as we came through, was the Alpha himself, Jasper Blackwood! He watched me with a big smile on his face, as I walked towards him.
“Erica, my Queen,” he said in a smarmy tone. “You look beautiful.” I felt my stomach flip as he reached out and pulled me into his chest and buried his head into my neck. He stiffened as he breathed in my scent and lifted his head. His eyes met mine, and he looked furious.
“Why?” he whispered and then looked at Grant.
“Why is your smell all over my queen?” He let go of me and turned to face Grant, who shrugged.
“She needed to get close to break me out.”
“And then he kissed me,” I let out, not so accidentally, and smirked at Grant. He looked at me in disbelief.
“Low blow,” he grunted. Jasper growled before backhanding Grant hard. I gasped as Grant crashed into a tree before crumpling to the floor. He pulls himself up almost straight away.
“Still worth it,” he grinned and winked at me. Jasper growled again.
“Mine!” he snarled and then turned to me, grabbing me and pulling me into him again and brushed his lips against my ear.
“Mine,” he said again and I can’t help the shiver that crawls down my spine. Someone coughed, and I looked up to see Kieran, Jasper’s Beta, standing there.
“Boss,” he said, “we are going to have company very soon,” and Jasper growled, but let me go and turned to him.
“Fine, get in formation,” he commanded and Kieran lifted his hand and suddenly the clearing was a whirlpool of activity as Shadow Night warriors descended from nowhere. Without counting, there must have been around twenty of them, one I recognise as Verity’s father, Grayson Thompson, leading them.
Jasper turned to me and smiled. “Now my dear, it’s time for your loyalty oath,” he said and I looked at him open mouthed
“Here, now?” I exclaimed, and he nodded.
“I need to ensure you are serious before I can take you home,” and he lifted my chin with his figures, “plus there is a vital part that you won’t be able to become my Luna without carrying out first.” My blood ran cold and even though I always knew it had to be done, I still wanted to avoid it.
“And if I agree, and agree to the mate bond, you will have the curse removed, right?” Jasper nodded.
“Yes, as soon as we have completed the bond, I will have the curse removed from your precious Alpha,” he spat the last part. “Once I have you, I don’t need anything else, my darling.” He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips, not taking his eyes off of me. I closed my eyes and nodded in agreement.
“Okay,” I said. “Let’s get this over with.” Jasper grinned with a wicked glint in his eyes. He half turned his head and nodded to Kieran again, who then came and stood by us. He smiled sadly at me.
“Nice to see you again, love.” he said before producing a dagger.
In his clear northern Irish drawl, he spoke.
“Erica Hallows, you stand here before the Alpha Jasper Blackwood of the Shadow Night pack, who bears witness today. What say you?” I felt tears dropping down my cheeks as I said the words.
“I, Erica Hallows, renounce my link to the Silver Stone pack and seek acceptance into the Shadow Night pack.” I felt the snap of the connection to the pack and a series of howls went off beyond the rock, and my stomach turned at the sound.
“Do you vow to be loyal to the Shadow Night pack, placing the safety and concerns of the pack above all others?” Jasper asked, his eyes on mine. He looked excited, like a kid who was finally getting the toy he wanted on Christmas day.
“I do.” I whispered, and he nodded. Jasper then took a silver-coloured blade from Kieran and sliced his hand.
