31. The Dictate Of The Council

*A/N: The chapter is going to be a little lengthy*.

**MAEVE**

“Little human,” Xander whispered with his mouth seductively hovering over mine. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”
*Shocked*.
That was the only word that filtered through my head right after Xander spoke the words while I was still reeling from the force of orgasm. The echo of his fingers was still down there while I felt his words unravel my words.
*Did he just…?*
Was that the proclamation of love?
I would not know, for I rarely loved or be loved. The feel of his hot breath caressed my skin, but it was his dark, lustful gaze that tingled my senses. In hindsight, Xander was, perhaps, the toughest man you could read, and yet the way he has exposed his passion left me breathless.
“You…love me?”
It was only when I said those words did I feel utterly stupid. And Xander’s husky laugh only confirmed it. The rich, deep, and masculine laugh that vibrated within me as well.
“Who else can I ever love than my mate?” He kissed me once again, peppering his touches along the collarbone. The trail ended over my breasts as I heard a low-slung growl before he advanced to nip the beaded nipples.
*Fuck*.
My head was swarming in lust and adoration, and given the way my heart was beating within my chest, I was absolute that Xander could hear them just fine. Maybe, that’s what he wanted. To speed up my heartbeats.
“Ahhh.”
The heady dose of pain and pleasure coursed through my veins like thick opium, driving me almost insane with need. The damned werewolf was a tease, too. He swung between nipping my breasts and rolling his tongue over the beads to make me suffer under him.
The paradox of him, still clothed, while I laid naked and writhing under the might of his erotic torture, was an absolute thrill. With every passing second, I started coming closer to the edge, only to be dragged back.
“Xander, stop teasing me,” I almost growled back in frustration.
“Well, kitten, I have something better.”
In a flash, he swung his legs around and flipped me on the bed. I was lying chest down, and that was only when he truly turned a little savage that he always was. It was like someone took an animal out of the jungle and put in the clothes of a human. What a fine reality it was!
Two big paws grabbed my waist and yanked me on my knees that immediately lifted my ass higher. And before I knew it, a smarting smack landed on my left ass cheek. I almost buckled before he spanked the other cheek.
“Oh, my god.” I moaned, almost titling to the side from the unexpected sensation.
“Yeah, you like it,” he observed before I could vehemently deny my stance. “And you liked it before as well.”
Shame and desire filled me. It was beyond me to be attracted to pain like a moth to a flame, but when the ache morphed into a delicious carnal need, it added fuel to the fire between my legs.
As if the damned werewolf could read my mind, two of his fingers slid down the crack of my ass and into the dripping channel.
“Is that so, my little mate?” He teased, smearing moisture all over my exposed ass cheeks.
“Please, please…” I begged as wantonly as possible, pushing out for more and giving in the animalistic need to be taken right then and there.
“You beg well, my love,” he regarded, still toying with the drenched lips. The sound of a metal zipper invaded my senses, and as I craned my neck for a better view, the throbbing head of his manhood was at my entrance.
“There will be days, I will make love to you, my little mate,” he said with a husky voice. His hand banded around my hips, adjusting my body against his. “And there will be days when I will take you like this.”
What I did not realize was his hand snaking around my belly and reaching for my clit. “Fuck, fuck…” I whimpered as my entire body came alive with turbulent sensations. And at the same time, his cock speared through my vagina.
And how true and delicious was his savagery.
Every noise he made, every grunt he emitted was like that of a vicious king taking on his spoils of war. My vision began to blur with every brutal thrust, and no matter how much I willed my body to get used to the rhythm, it just could not. It was almost hypnotizing.
“Kitten, I want you to cum with me,” he groaned. He must have felt the tremors, the way my body prepared to explode under his hand, and his cock buried deep to the hilt.
“No, no, no…” I shook my head as forcible as I could. There was no way I could hold myself for him to come when he was tweaking my clit and ravaging my clenching pussy.
“Oh, yes, you will,” he said with finality.
Xander retreated his hand from my clit and that small moment of relief was all I had before something else struck me. A finger touched the tight whorl at the back, and before my muscles could reflex, it penetrated half an inch into my ass.
“Bear down, my love,” he crooned. “I promise it wouldn’t hurt.” The rest of the words drowned behind my mind as my body fought to accommodate the intense sensations.
The dichotomy of agony and ecstasy was unimaginable. I could no longer feel my arms or legs.
Xander alternated between pain and pleasure until my body was entirely exhausted by his ministrations. All I heard was “come” before the nerve-wracking orgasm swept over my body.
The man devoured me.
I collapsed against the bed as my body could no longer be balanced on my knees with Xander laying down by my side. An illumination sheen of perspiration coated his skin and glowed under the lights. “Damn…” he sighed. “I could fuck you for days and never get enough of you.”
I allowed myself to get lost in the fantasy and tucked into his arms. There was no way to find out how long we stayed there, almost motionless, and listened to each other’s heartbeats and ragged breaths.
“Xan?” I murmured, almost like a whisper. “You asleep?”
A sound rumbled from his chest. “Nuhuh.”
“I need to tell you something.” I paused as his eyes slowly opened to lock gaze with mine. “*I love you, too*.”

*******************

In the morning, I was already dressed and putting on my earring when Xander entered the room. “Maeve, if you would choose stay back…”
“No,” I quickly cut him off. “I am not backing down from something that started with me in the first place. Xander, I am not afraid of these big bad wolves.”
A mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes as he took my hand and kissed the back of it. “You surprise me at every turn.”
I only wish so.
Xander and I, along with his father, brothers, and a few crucial members of the pack, were going to meet the Council where the woman, Janelle, was supposed to bring her grievance to the Council. It was already decided that none of them were going to reveal my true psychic identity, but revealing my human identity seemed to be the greater risk.
But there was no way Xander would risk himself for me alone.
The Council was situated a few kilometers away as we drove there well after the morning light. Apparently, shifter wolves were not morning people at all.
Xander and I entered the room, my finger interlocked with one another as the sparse crowd murmured. Across the room, there was a wide platform where several members were seated. Among them was Esmeralda, who nodded in regard when my eyes met.
“They are the Elders,” Xander whispered into my ears before I could voice my question. Within a few minutes, their positions became clear.
“The Council may begin.”
A man with overly tanned skin stood up. “We have a petition from Alpha Kade from the Fire Hound Pack who claims that he has been cheated and lied upon. According to the treaty made with Alpha Lucas of the Night Pride, his sister was given to be betrothed to Xander. The son of Alpha Lucas.”
A host of people turned to us as Xander’s father, Lucas, stood in regard. “I have my reasons, Elders,” he announced in a regal tone.
Another man came into full, dressed as royally as possible. He was as tall as Xander, only a few years older, and a visible frown etched all over his features.
“That’s Kade,” Blaize whispered audibly to Xander, who only gave a terse nod.
“A treaty of one pack to the other is as sacred as the full moon,” Kade voiced. “And not only was I betrayed but disrespected in their territory. I am well within my right to call for a retribution. I demand justice!”
A small murmur broke out before Esmeralda spoke out. “Alpha Lucas, we would like to hear your side as well.”
Lucas spared a glance at Kade, half-displeased. “It was nothing but a miscommunication, although I would agree that the little fault was on my part. As we all know that my elder son, Xander, is going to assume the position of the alpha after me and by that power, I wanted him to take a mate who would eventually be crowned as the luna. Elders, I was unaware that my son has already found himself a mate before this union was conceived.”
Suddenly, a woman stood up, and it took me less than a second to identify her. Janelle.
“Forgive me for interrupting, Alpha Lucas and the respected Elders,” she said, although there was nothing but contempt in her voice. “I am Janelle of the Fire Hound Pack. We have no qualms that the political union was nullified by Alpha Lucas, but we vehemently protest that the negligent behaviour of the Night Pride would cost our tribe very dearly. This woman,” her bony fingers pointed at me, “…who claimed to be the mate of a wolf, is actually a human.”
Loud gasps and resentment broke out. It was clear that my humanity was some sort of abhorrence to their clan. But Xander quickly grabbed my hand and squeezed in encouragement.
“Xander, is that true?” One of the Elders asked him point-blank. “The woman you claimed is a…human?”
He nodded absolutely, still holding on to my hand. “Yes. I agree that Maeve is a human. But she is also the chosen gift of the Moon Goddess.”
“Dishonourable!” A member of the Fire Hound Pack roared.
“There is no dishonour to regard the wishes of the Moon Goddess!” Xander claimed. “And I can challenge any wolf to contradict that our Holy Goddess is erroneous.”
Another wave of murmur rose before Esmeralda raised her palm in the air.
“Silence, please,” her soft but firm voice echoed. “We would request every one of you to calm down and assume your seats.” Her eyes turned to us, warm and considerate. “Xander, what makes you so certain that she is your mate?”
It was clear that she had already thought this through.
“Maeve has the power to talk to my wolf. She is the only one - the only ever female - who has agreed and appealed to the spirit of my wolf. I would not have brought her among my tribe if I was not one hundred percent sure. She is, indeed, my true mate.”
Kade immediately shook his head in protest. “It is not uncommon that shifters have mingled humans, but a mate? For centuries, there has never been a wolf that has been mated to a human. Then how do we believe that you are not lying to us?”
“This is the truth,” Xander said with pure conviction and turned to face the Elders. “I have enough evidence to back my words, and I would humbly request if the Council would close this matter.”
“Nonsense,” Janelle rebuked. “How could we forgive when he has put the whole lot of us in trouble? Exposing ourselves to a human has consequences. What if she jeopardises our tribe?”
I have had enough of this woman now.
Yanking at Xander’s hand, I barked at her. “I would never do that to Xander! I would never do that to anyone!”
Her brother, Kade, snickered. “Only time would tell what a grave mistake you are.”
Xander was about to rip him a new one before one of the Elder intervened. “Alpha Kade, we appreciate your concern but at that same time, we have to consider the will of the Goddess.”
“Besides, we have witnesses who have agreed that Maeve could indeed converse with the wolf,” One of the members of the Night Pride advocated. “And as we all know that no human could ever have such a power. Perhaps, she is gifted.”
Janelle was quick to retort. “Then Xander has the obligation to inform the Council. And he has done no such thing. Is that the normal rule for the wolves?”
The woman seemed to be out on a mission against us.
Few of the Elders whispered among themselves before turning to the Fire Hound Pack. “This matter is clearly an exception that we have not anticipated. In the name of the Holy Goddess, peace, and prosperity among the tribe, the Council would require some time to adjudicate the matter. We will resume tomorrow and conclude the dispute.”
The small crowd began to disperse as my eyes landed on the woman, Janelle. Whispering something to her brother, she abandoned the seat and advanced towards the door.
This was the chance, the only chance when I could figure out what exactly she wanted from Xander. There was no way it was about being rejected or my involvement.
“Where are you going?” Xander asked instantly the second I abandoned my seat.
“Just a minute, I will be back.”
And before he could stop me, I was already trailing behind her through the corridor.