CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

A thousand red roses and two white roses adorned the five boxes that housed the presents that were settled on the ground. The ribbons were yellow and the moubius strip that was bowed at the top of the boxes gave the presents a taste of luxury.
Avyanna set down the letter after reading the little message on it: "A little reminder of what our days in the sun felt like. From Thomas." She set down the letter with a wide smile on her face and opened the boxes. She held the loose end of the bow that held the first box and pulled it gently, loosening the bow and causing it to drop effortlessly on the ground like a feather would drop from high ground.
She took off the lid that sealed the box and set it down. In the box was a luxurious perfume that smelled of frankincense and the primal scent of wolfsbane. In the second box was a knife that had a green serum in it. The knife was the one that Thomas and Avyanna crafted together when they were kids. The green serum came from the plasma of a flower that they two discovered on one of their many adventures as kids. Avyanna couldn't believe that Thomas still kept the knife.
Avyanna unwrapped the third box had and took the lid off it next. In the box sat a large rusty syringe that had the blood of a dying Alpha in it. A note was attached to the syringe and it read: "Do you remember when we came upon this discovery?"
"May the moon goddess see this. I cannot believe that Thomas kept all this after all these years." She whispered to herself as she put down the syringe and proceeded to open the fourth box.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Baron's voice hindered her from opening it, making her pause for a moment.
"Uh, yes. Why wouldn't I? These gifts are from the heart. It is so obvious that he remembers me and what we shared after all these years?" Avyanna said gleefully as she slowly pulled the yellow ribbon that tied the fourth box.
Baron glanced at the name on the letter that Avyanna put down and said, "This Thomas who is he?"
"He's an Alpha of the Ash Band pack." Avyanna said to Baron but her focus and full attention was on the present that she unboxed; a negligee that was permanently scented with an ancient leaf that heightened the powers of a werewolf.
"You cannot accept these gifts. They are obviously from a boy who is yet to grow and forget about his childhood days." Ericson said as he saw the revealing negligee that another Alpha male had gifted to his choosen mate.
"I will accept the gifts dear husband." Avyanna retorted as she moved to unbox the last present.
"No! You will not!" Baron's voice was loud enough to take away Avyanna's interest in the present.
She stopped and looked up at him, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't accept gifts that you have not thought to give me in a long time?"
"Because... " Ericson paused, "Because I said so." Avyanna's words haunted him at that moment.
"You say a lot of things dear husband." Avyanna was trying her best to not be too insulting to Ericson because of Baron's presence.
Baron, on the other hand, boiled in anger and jealousy in the depths of his soul. His inner wolf troubled him with maniacal thoughts.
"Look at what another Alpha is doing for your mate!" His inner wolf, Roy said gruffly, "You are less of the Alpha you were and you are losing ownership of yourself. You are not in control."
"I am in control!" Baron screamed to himself, coming in between the brewing argument between Ericson and Avyanna.
"Excuse you." Avyanna turned to Baron after tackling Ericson, word for word, "In control of what?"
"Nevermind that! Are you sure these gifts are appropriate for you. They do not seem like your style. I reckon a lady like you would like a ..."
"I love them all. Everything here, I like it." Avyanna said, paying no attention to Baron as she opened the last box.
In the last box was a wig. Not just any wig but one forged by the best hair stylist in Thomas' pack, and the wig was unique and exquisite and it matched perfectly with Avyanna's skin tone.
"You don't think that it is funny for man to get you such things?" Ericson asked distastefully at the present.
"No. It's funny but I like it." Avyanna was pissed at Ericson's temper and decision to make her do something she didn't want to do, but she didn't let any of that get to her. She simply focused on the gifts that made her happy and smiled to herself, thinking of Thomas. Avyanna had no idea that he was still fond of her after such a long period of time.
"You see that smile? You could never make her smile that way. Only her childhood friend." Roy said gruffly. "Shush." Baron said in an attempt to pacify his inner wolf but again Avyanna heard him.
'Is everything okay my Lycan King?"
"Yes. Splendid!"
"If only you would get this Thomas guy and make him disappear, then all your problems would be solved." Roy said.
Baron grew so envious of Thomas, he didn't even realize it yet but he was already plotting evil things to do to Thomas.
Just as the trio stood; Avyanna happy, Ericson torn between choices, and Baron jealous, Nancy flew into their midst and knelt before Avyanna, pretending not to see the mistake.
"Eric please can I have you for a minute? I need to tell you about something that is urgent.
"Your Omega wants you my Alpha King." Avyanna responded mockingly.
"Can't it wait?" Ericson asked Nancy. But as he looked into her eyes, he saw that his mate really needed him at that moment so he just lifted her up from the ground.
Ericson grabbed Nancy by the arms, and walked her into a room where they could communicate effectively.
Meanwhile, Avyanna looked at Baron and said, "Let's go to my office so we can discuss our plans, moving forward. We do not have time to waste." She turned and searched around with her scouting retinas for a nearby maid. Seeing one she said, "Please take all these presents to my chambers."
As the maid carried it up to her room, she led Baron into her official desk.
"What other requirements do I need to be able to divorce my husband? Because at this point, I don't think there is any going back besides you've seen most of the things with your eyes today and that should explain my condition better to you."
"Are you divorcing your husband for the betterment of the pack or for your selfish interests at hand?" Baron asked.
"How can you ask me such a question after everything I have told you and the things you've witnessed yourself today." Avyanna was taken back by Baron's question.
"I just wanted to clarify that to understand that I would not be working with a self centered ally."
"Whatever I am doing, I also have my reasons and I beg you to respect them as well. Thank you."
"Fine." Baron raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Shall we discussed other things?"
"Most definitely Avyanna."
The duo discussed about their plans but it was mainly Avyanna doing all the talking. Then she paused and looked at Baron after she noticed that he had not been paying attention.
"Earth to Baron! What is wrong? Is something bothering you?"
"Who is the Alpha Thomas to you?" Baron asked in a calm tone. He didn't even know when the words flew out from his mouth. He was still hiding the fact that he was jealous whenever it came to her.
Although Baron had intentions of telling Avyanna the truth, he didn't want it to be in such an atmosphere.
"He is a childhood friend."
"Well, I am not comfortable with seeing you get too intimate with men while we are working together."
"What do you mean?" Avyanna inquired.
"I am saying that I don't want to see you with any man while we are working together."
"And why is that?"
"I have my personal reasons as well." Baron concluded.
Avyanna grew vexed as she listened to him talk. She wanted to argue his statement but she held herself back from uttering a word.
"This alliance will only last for a while, when I get what I want, the Lycan Alpha won't mean anything to me again and I will be able to do as I please." Avyanna said those words in her mind but deep down it felt like it wouldn't just end there.
A devious look formed on her face, which stretched her lips apart.