Chapter 36
I sat in my father’s grand hall, the tension in the air almost suffocating. My heart pounded as I waited for Alpha Jeremiah to arrive. My hands fidgeted in my lap, and I could barely keep still. I knew the moment he walked in, things were going to get heated. Jeremiah had never been one to back down, especially when it came to my father.
The massive doors to the hall swung open with a loud creak, and I held my breath as Alpha Jeremiah entered. He looked every bit the fierce Alpha he was—tall, broad, and radiating power. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on me. For a moment, I thought I saw something soft in his gaze, but it was gone just as quickly. His face hardened again as he walked toward us.
Behind him, his warriors stood tense, ready for anything. My father remained seated on his throne, his face unreadable, but I could see the flicker of old grudges in his eyes. They hadn’t spoken in years, not since the bad blood between their packs had torn them apart. But now, that didn’t matter. What mattered was the threat looming over all of us—the banshees.
Jeremiah stopped a few feet away, his eyes never leaving my father. “I’ve come for my mate,” he said, his voice steady, though there was an edge to it.
My father stood, his movements slow but deliberate. “She is your mate, Jeremiah,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “But she came here for help. And right now, she’s safer here than anywhere else.”
Jeremiah’s jaw tightened, and I could feel the tension rising between them. I quickly stood up, stepping between the two Alphas before things escalated. “Enough!” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “This is not the time for old grudges. You both know what’s happening out there. The banshees aren’t going to stop until they’ve wiped us all out.”
I turned to Jeremiah, my heart aching as I met his gaze. “Please,” I begged, “accept my father’s help. He’s willing to put the past behind if you are. Do it for your people, Jeremiah. They need you.”
For a moment, Jeremiah just stared at me, his expression unreadable. I could see the conflict in his eyes—his pride battling with the reality of the situation. Finally, he sighed and looked away, running a hand through his dark hair.
“And what is your plan, Alpha Alexander?” Jeremiah asked, turning his attention to my father. “I can’t just trust you after everything that’s happened.”
My father nodded slowly. “I understand your hesitation, Jeremiah. But this isn’t about us anymore. The banshees are back, and they’re stronger than ever. We thought we wiped them out years ago, but clearly, something has changed. If we don’t work together now, both our packs will fall.”
Jeremiah crossed his arms, clearly still not convinced. “And what exactly are you offering?”
“I’m offering my army,” my father said without hesitation. “My best warriors, alongside yours. We’ve faced these creatures before, and we know how to kill them. But we need to work together.”
There was a long, heavy silence. I could see Jeremiah thinking, weighing his options. His pride was like a brick wall, but I hoped, for once, he would let it crumble, just a little.
“Jeremiah,” I whispered, stepping closer to him. “Please. I know this isn’t easy for you, but your pack… our pack… they need us. They’re dying out there. We have to do something.”
His eyes met mine, and for a second, I thought he was going to refuse. But then, something shifted in his expression. His shoulders relaxed just slightly, and he let out a long breath. “Fine,” he muttered, almost begrudgingly. “But this doesn’t mean I trust him.”
“That’s fine,” my father said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I don’t need your trust. I just need your cooperation. For now.”
It was a small victory, but it felt monumental. The weight on my shoulders eased just a little, knowing that maybe—just maybe—we had a chance.
Jeremiah turned to me, his expression softening for the first time since he arrived. “You shouldn’t have run away,” he said quietly, his voice laced with frustration. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?”
“I know,” I admitted, guilt settling in my chest. “But I had to do something. You wouldn’t listen to me back at the pack. You were too stubborn. I couldn’t just sit there and watch everyone die.”
He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re going to be the death of me, Astrid.”
“Not if the banshees get us first,” I quipped, trying to lighten the mood, but the gravity of the situation hung between us.
My father stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Astrid made the right call,” he said. “And you’ll see, Jeremiah. This alliance is the only way we can survive this.”
Jeremiah glanced at my father, his lips pressing into a thin line. “We’ll see.”
As the tension in the room started to settle, I realized how close we all were to the edge of disaster. The banshees were already causing chaos, and if we didn’t act fast, it wouldn’t just be our packs at risk—it would be every wolf in the surrounding territories.
I turned back to Jeremiah, my voice soft but determined. “We need to move quickly. The longer we wait, the stronger they’ll get. They’ve already killed too many.”
Jeremiah nodded, though I could see the hesitation still lingering in his eyes. “We’ll leave at first light,” he said. “But I’m not taking orders from your father.”
“That’s fine,” my father said.
As the two Alphas exchanged a wary glance, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. This was far from a perfect solution, but it was something. And right now, that was all we had.
After a few moments of silence, Jeremiah turned to leave, motioning for his warriors to follow him. But before he reached the door, he paused and looked back at me.
“Astrid,” he said, his voice quieter than before. “Stay close to me from now on. I can’t protect you if you keep running off.”
I nodded, feeling a warmth spread through my chest despite everything. “I will.”
As he left the hall, my father placed a hand on my back, guiding me toward a seat. “You did well,” he said softly. “He’ll come around. He just needs time.”
“I hope so,” I murmured, sitting down and trying to calm my racing heart. “Because if he doesn’t, we’re all in trouble.”
My father sat beside me, his face thoughtful. “We’ll figure it out,” he said again, but this time, I could hear the uncertainty in his voice.
The banshees were coming, and time was running out. All we could do now was hope that this fragile alliance would hold long enough for us to survive.
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