42. The Blood Promise

**XANDER**

It was a little difficult to concentrate on my hyper senses when the pain throbbed like hell and, with my own heart beat went into overdrive. Needless to say that Maeve was equally shaken to the core.
I pressed her trembling body to the uninjured side of mine and tried to look around. It was a little challenging to locate the attacker as well as maintain our cover. All the time, that anxiety rushed into my mind. I tried my best to block out the thoughts and channel my strength in getting her out of the woods - alive.
“Xander…who is it?” she whispered. I noticed the flush of her cheeks were gone, replaced by a stark paleness.
“No idea…” I gritted, trying hard to keep the pain out of my words. But it fucking hurt.
Maeve took the scarf off her neck and quickly pressed over my wound to block the bleeding. Maybe I was high on pain or the fact I enjoyed watching her worry for me - either way, the stability returned slowly.
“Maeve, I would need you to pull it out,” I wheezed, breathing hard. I would want to take Maeve out of this place, but I didn’t know what awaited behind the cover. My human body was useless in these circumstances as I could not turn back into my wolf with the arrow still lodged into my shoulder.
“Are you crazy?” She gasped. “That’s not how it is done! I could really nick your blood vessels. The area needs enough pressure to—”
“Shh, relax,” I breathed against her lips in an attempt to calm her down. And then I said softly, “My love, I will heal on my own. You just need to pluck this thing off. Can you please do that?”
Her eyes frantically bounced between the wound and me as she finally grasped the difference between the numerous trauma patients she has handled and a man who could turn into a wolf.
“Let me try,” she said shakily as her nimble fingers reached to touch the arrow.
“Yeah, like that,” I encouraged. “Hold it tight and pull it out in one yank. Okay?”
“Okay.”
I could totally count on her expertise as she followed the instruction to the letter. In one hard yank, it came off, oozing blood.
“Ah,” I grimaced and then rolled my shoulder a little. It still hurt, but not grave enough to prevent me from turning.
“What about the bleeding?” Maeve asked.
“It will stop. Shifter wolves heal much faster than humans, so the internal damage is not that fatal. Besides…The arrow does not seem lethal.”
I looked around once again, inspecting any movement or approximate danger. Surprisingly, there was none. Everything fell silent as the woods were back to its normalcy.
It was only then my eyes fell on the blue stain on the arrow. I picked up and brought it near my nose to inhale. And as expected, the earthy, nauseating smell was still lingering on its surface.
It was no ordinary elixir, but the one curated for only the witches. To keep them to sleep for a long, long time.
If anybody wanted to kill a wolf, they would at least use the wolfsbane and not the elixir, which puts a witch to sleep. This potion was useless against our blood. And at that moment, two things became crystal clear in my mind.
One, the stake wasn’t for me but for Maeve.
Two, somebody wanted her alive.
“What is it?” Maeve asked, her tone marred with concern. She was still under the impression that the arrow was for me.
“It’s just the hunters,” I said, pulling her body extremely close to mine so as to shield her completely. “Let’s move out of here.”
I slipped out of my clothes, handing them to her, and shifted. As the senses grew sharper, my wolf was more alert than ever in escorting her out of the woods and unharmed.

————-

But something else awaited us as we made our way to the pack house. Having just shifted back, my lingering sharp senses were on high alert. Which was why I had picked up his scent from a mile away.
Instinct gave away to caution as I quickly put Maeve behind my back and shielded her with my body. Clueless, she gave me a questioning look before her eyes dragged in the same direction as mine was fixed.
His stance was as solid as mine, save for the dirty blonde hair and eyes cut in slits. Kade was a few years older, although the sun lines around his eyes would disagree with his age. Rumour has it; once upon a time, this man fell head over heels for a woman until the cruel fate snatched her away. And Kade was forced to choose a Luna through political unison. The misfortune changed this man, so much so, he defied the Goddess at every turn and challenged her chosen destiny every chance he got.
“Alpha Xander,” he acknowledged with a smirk. “Your timing is fortuitous.”
I matched his smile with a lethal version of my own. “Alpha Kade. What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”
Kade was about to say something when my brother’s fierce eyes zeroed on the wound.
“It’s nothing. Just a scratch,” I dismissed and slowly took Maeve’s hand and led her towards my Beta. “Blaize, can you take Maeve inside?”
A silent understanding passed through us as he gave me a knowing nod, taking Maeve with her.
Kade lifted a brow quizzically as I gestured him in another direction. “Let’s talk in the Chamber. This way please.”
The Chamber of Alpha, earlier presided by my father, now rightfully belonged to me. Most of our official transactions and plans were executed here and away from the pack members. By the Old Laws, it was the duty of the Alpha and his chosen Beta or Betas to pass on the information as and when needed.
Pushing through the heavy oak door, I assume the seat at the table while Kade sat across mine. “It does not look like a scratch though,” he said, pointing at the wound.
He does not let things go now, does he?
I smirked. “You must be aware that every Alpha has enemies. Sometimes, fools just get lucky.”
“I am quite aware of that, believe me. But mine are special.” His tone was laced with the same sense of superiority and resentment, as I have seen at the Council Hall. “Do you know why?”
“I assume they are, given you are quite proficient in choosing them.”
He shook his head as he chuckled. “No, no, Alpha Xander. They are special because none of them are alive. I don’t remember a single wolf who has risen against me and lived to tell the tale.”
I slowly placed my elbows on the table and leaned forward in a warning. “Careful, Kade. Your arrogance on my land is unbecoming now.”
“Imagine, how betrayed I must have felt when your father, the then-Alpha of this pack, made a deal and broke it,” he sneered. The silver glow of his eyes showed how impatient his wolf was. “Imagine how humiliated my sister must have felt when she was rejected from a union she was promised.”
“Unfortunate circumstances,” I remarked. “Our destiny and our mate is decided by the Goddess. And if she is willing to have a different union, I am sure she has plans for your sister as well.”
The mere mention of doomed destiny irked him. “Unlike your pack, you do not entrust our entire political well being to the Goddess. But I will still abide by the Council and the Elders. And for that reason, I am here to declare my decision.”
His spine straightened haughtily as his voice went an octave higher.
“I challenge you, Alpha Xander to come and fight for the honour and rights of your pack. Should I win, the Council has promised me half of your pack lands and your position.”
Finally, the cat was out of the bag.
Kade has come here with the sole intention to challenge my position. As a leader, he did not even have the decency to wait for a full moon for the challenge. Perhaps, watching me crumble would be the greatest of his pleasures.
Only one he would not achieve.
“And should I win?” I questioned.
The snort was tell-tale. “Half on my pack lands and my position, but that’s highly unlikely.”
I was in no mood to waste words on a vindictive man when my mind was already riddled with Maeve’s safety and the pack’s future.
“I accept your challenge, Alpha Kade,” I declared. “In the name of honour of my pack, my family and my mate. I have been chosen to accept this destiny and I will always lead my pack, even at the cost of my blood.”
“Impressive,” he praised sardonically. “We will see about that. This time, I want the Blood Promise from this pack.”
He took the old parchment scroll with the seal of the Council and slid towards mine. Taking it from him, I slowly unfolded the script.
There was, in ancient font and ink, the sacred Blood Promise. One that makes any pact between the Alphas or the packs irreversible. Nodding, I took out the holy dagger and cut a slit on my palm, letting the blood drip on the scroll. Kade did the same.
A corner of my mouth lifted up. “May the chosen Alpha of the Goddess win.”
“May the best Alpha win.”

______________________________
***Thank you so much for reading my story. :) ***