“I should kill you, you know.” Lukas all but whispers. “It's what my wolf wants. What Zeus asks of us so that our reign cannot be questioned.”
“I know.” Mum replies holding her chin high.
“This is your way out of that.” He smiles like he's impressed with his own idea. “Drink this. Lose your power and I will take Krista to be my mate. All will be as it should be.”
Alistair's voice is soft in my mind.
“He thinks it's permanent.”
I glance at him as a realise his plan. After everything he's done I shouldn't trust him but my gut says differently. Gaia's message replays in my head.Fall into the darkness to find the light.I tug gently on my mums arm. She looks at me and I give the slightest nod I can manage. Trying to convey the confidence that I really don't feel myself.
Her mouth tightens but she nods.
Lukas smiles as he passes her the glass vile. She drinks the small remainder of liquid in one go. Lukas smiles triumphantly as he takes a seat by the fire, picking up a bottle of cider as he does. The pack follow his lead and so do my mum and I. He passes a drink to everyone then holds his up in a toast.
“To Carter and Caleb!” He exclaims.
Chapter 22
The following couple of hours are tense. No-one speaks. My mum and I went to get up to head inside a while ago but Lukas shot us a glare that had us sitting back down. If it wasn't for the nervous energy filling every muscle in my body I would have passed out from exhaustion ages ago. Mum is empty of emotion. Like she had to turn it all off to stop from being consumed by it.
I knew the moment the poison took hold of her. Her eyes widened and her fists clenched at her sides before she leaned closer into me. Being cut off from nature is like losing a part of yourself. It's lonely and leaves you feeling like a deer in headlights. Today has been a nightmare. Physically, mentally and emotionally. I've kept the walls around my bond to Alistair open but he's been quiet. Watchful. Noting every one of Lukas's movements. He's assessing him. Waiting for his next move.
Hades left his son here intentionally. But why? Did he leave him for the pack to finish off or was that last comment to him an order of some kind?
A slight rustle in the trees overhead draws my eye and I catch a glimpse of the Strix hiding in the branches.
“Does she have a name?”I ask Alistair down the bond.
“No.”He replies sombrely.
“Why did Hades leave you here?”I ask tentatively.
He sighs down the bond.
“Despite my failures, my task is the same.”
“You're to take me and my mum to the underworld? To what? Feed us to your dad?”I hiss angrily.“Looks like you've failed again considering your half dead and stuck in a dog crate.”
“There's more to this than you know.”He glances at me for a split second. Then to the house. “The house was in good shape when you got here wasn't it.”
It's not a question and I blink at the subject change.
“So what?”
“I think I deserve a thank you that's all.”
“What?!”
“I hired a team to fix it up and maintain it on the chance you would return to your family home.”He states nonchalantly.“A 'thank you Alistair, my true love, you're so amazing and sexy' would be nice to hear.”
The audacity!
“You know what?”I growl.“I've decided if I get my powers back I won't heal you. I'm not going to stay with Lukas and I won't be your Dads prisoner.”
“What about being mine?”His voice is velvety smooth and heat coils in my stomach at his sultry tone.
I push down the wave of anticipation and shoot him a glare.
