Alpha Divided (Alpha Girl Book 3)

Chapter Eight



We snuggled together on Dastien’s couch to wait for the news. I started working on a tub of H?agen-Dazs pralines and cream and tried to focus on the TV—currently a mom was yelling at her toddler as she teased the shit out of the little girl’s hair. Poor kid. Dastien cuddled me to his side and absently rubbed my shoulder. I’d been pacing his cabin for the first hour, but it started driving him batty; thus, the ice cream and reality TV therapy.

Then the knock came, and all other thoughts vanished from my head.

“Come in,” Dastien said.

I sat up and put the nearly empty container on the coffee table.

Mr. Dawson stepped through the door. “A decision has been reached. It’s time for you to come back outside.”

I reached for Dastien’s hand and he squeezed it. It’s going to be fine, he said through the bond. You’ll see.

The walk back to the bonfire felt like a funeral march. No one said a word. Forest sounds that were usually so peaceful and relaxing suddenly felt suffocating. My breathing was heavy, and it wasn’t because I was walking fast.

A thick silence greeted us as Dastien and I stepped into the circle. Everyone sat completely motionless.

Maybe it was because I was so used to my visions and being flooded with too much information, but all that silence and quiet made me antsy. The calm before a storm.

I hated it.

Dastien jumped back onto the stone and then reached to pull me up. Last thing I needed to do was look like a klutz in front of everyone. They were already here to judge me.

Mr. Dawson stepped forward. “I want to start off by saying that the original calls for the Tribunal—Tessa’s loss of control when confronted by Imogene and Dastien’s breaking of our laws—have been totally dismissed.”

Thank God the pack wasn’t made of total morons. If I got in trouble for that after everything Imogene had done, I really would’ve lost it.

“We’ve had a heated debate and are almost evenly divided on what we should do regarding Luciana’s claim,” Mr. Dawson continued. “The complication that the witches brought forth—their wanting you back and willing to go to war over it—has been divisive among pack members.”

I nodded. How could it not be? I didn’t like the idea of the pack having to fight for me either.

“However, most agreed that you two should be together. We understand that Dastien lost control only because he met his mate. No one is faulting him for that, but we can’t let a war start because of it.”

That wasn’t something I wanted either. But what did that mean? I clenched Dastien’s hand tighter.

Sebastian stepped up. “We’ve come to a decision to appease the witches. For a period of one lunar cycle, you, Teresa Elizabeth McCaide, will live on coven lands. You will have no contact with Dastien—”

“No.” Dastien’s voice was so harsh I jumped. “I reject this. I will leave this pack. Go lone wolf—”

Gasps rang out. I wasn’t sure what being a “lone wolf” meant, but from the reactions, it was obviously a terrible idea.

“Dastien. You will wait to speak until I’ve finished.”

“No.”

I squeezed Dastien’s hand. Calm down. We have to know what we’re up against.

Dastien stared down at me, his eyes two glowing orbs of yellow. It wasn’t him talking anymore. It was the wolf.

“No one takes my mate from me.”

I don’t know how I knew, but right then—it was like my life flashed before my eyes. If I didn’t get Dastien to calm down and agree to this, he’d destroy this pack. They were nearly evenly divided. Among the ones that had mates, the desire to keep us together had to overshadow the desire to keep the witches satisfied.

The pack would fight. Fear leading some. Love, honor, and tradition leading the rest.

The witches would come. It would be war, and the pack would be too weak to defend itself.

Visions of blood and death flickered behind my eyelids, but they moved too fast for me to pick out the specifics. All I knew was that we were about to head down a terrible path. Really, really bad.

I let out the breath I’d been holding.

While I’d been out of it, Dastien had started yelling. Others were shouting back.

“We’re asking for a bit of leeway with you.” Donovan’s clear blue gaze met mine. “I know it’s a lot to ask—”

“No! Would you ever let someone separate you from Meredith? Let them take her away?” Dastien stood up and leaned over Donovan. “She won’t be going anywhere.” His face contorted as he slowly began to shift. His jaw popped and expanded. Fingers lengthened into claws. It was a grotesque sight, and it hurt to look at him.