Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate by A E Randell
Chapter 63 The Goddess Gifts
The faintest flicker of doubt crossed Tomas’s face as he glanced toward where Esmerelda held Ann. It bothered him that Ann wasn’t showing more resistance to this confrontation.
If she didn’t have a mark, then surely she would be struggling more.
No… this had to be a ploy to lull them into a false sense of security. A false display of overconfidence to distract them and confuse them.
That was it. That was all that was happening here. The priestess couldn’t be wrong. Esmerelda had been instrumental in uncovering the Alpha’s lies and she would be rewarded richly once this was all over.
Tomas laughed disdainfully as he approached Adam and peered at his face through narrowed eyes before he pulled his arm back and released his fist at full f0rce into Adam’s face.
Adam’s head snapped to the side as he felt the burning sensation spread across his face. The humiliating jeers from the wolves behind Tomas ignited a cold fury in his stomach and for the first time in years, he felt his wolf stir.
He shook his head slowly at the wolves protecting the Omega’s and a calculative smile spread across his face at Tomas’s triumphant grin as he turned his back on him. “Stop playing with her Esmerelda and show them.” he barked impatiently.
Esmerelda smirked as she dug her fingers p@infully into Ann’s jawline, her fingernails sinking into the delicate skin of her face as her head was f0rced to the side at an unnatural angle.
“I’m going to have fun destroying you after this you little b*tch.” Esmerelda whispered viciously as she took hold of the rolled neck of Ann’s sweater and pulled it downwards, revealing her neck to the Pack members a*s*sembled around them.
Esmerelda’s face froze as she pulled the neck of Ann’s jumper downward and gasps of shock rippled around the room.
The silver outline of Adam’s mark was imprinted clearly on the pale skin of her neck, just above her collarbone.
As her grip loosened on Ann’s face, Ann turned her head slowly to stare mockingly up at her as a slow smirk spread across her mouth.
“No! It’s… it’s not possible!” Esmerelda stuttered in disbelief, shaking her head as if she could deny it with merely her words.
“Oh, but it is possible.” Ann murmured quietly as Maeve’s strength and fury surged through her.
“No! There is no way!” Esmerelda protested loudly, her voice rising rapidly as she realized her mistake, hurriedly getting off Ann and backing away fearfully.
Ann chuckled as she stood as elegantly as she could and dusted herself down, smoothing her clothes as she did so and calmly walked towards her, her steps slow and deliberate.
“The goddess gifts deserving wolves with second chance mates, Esmerelda. Do you know nothing of our history? Of our origins?” Ann smirked as continued slowly towards the woman who was stumbling backward over chairs in an effort to get away from her.
Ann’s eyes glowed brightly as Maeve stared furiously out from her eyes, sitting side by side with Ann as they advanced towards their prey.
Esmerelda’s former bravado seemed to have dissipated as the low murmur of wolves rippled against the actions of Tomas and Esmerelda, now calling for their punishment at the audacity of their actions.
The wolves restraining Adam had hurriedly let go of his arms and backed away with hasty apologies, prostrating themselves on the floor before him and baring their necks as a sign of their complete submission.
Adam said nothing as he glowered at the stunned and shaking figure of Tomas before him, now standing alone as his former conspirators rapidly abandoned him and moved from his side.
Allen raced to Adam’s side, panting and out of breath as he screeched to a halt beside him.
“I’m sorry Alpha, I came as soon as I heard, I was grabbing the paperwork for the meeting this afternoon and when I heard, I was stopped outside of the corridor. They wouldn’t allow me to pass. If I…”
“Enough, Allen.” Adam said coldly. “Secure Tomas and the Elders that supported him in the cells below. Actually, any of the wolves that supported them..secure them too. I want to take my time questioning them.”
Adam’s eyes never left Ann as Allen nodded curtly and began directing the guards and conveying their orders.
Adam watched her stalk carefully towards this familiar yet not familiar raven-haired woman they called Esmerelda.
He was curious as to how she would handle this, and why she hadn’t resisted before.
She looked beautiful as she pursued that woman in front of her calmly and with a sophisticated elegance that he hadn’t seen before in the midst of a hunt.
The energy she exuded was calm yet held the promise of violence, and the fire in her eyes was both chilling yet burned with a furious heat that even his wolf stirred slightly at.
What power must this daemon magick hold to make him feel this way about a woman that he contracted as a safeguard for his own life as well as his Pack’s longevity? The wolves and Omega’s that had stood in Esmerelda’s path as she hastily retreated moved clear with furious growls, their eyes burning with anger as she passed, and lowering their heads respectfully as Ann stalked past them, her gaze focused solely on her quarry.
Eventually, Esmerelda’s back hit the wall and she looked around her frantically for a way to escape, but there was none. She was entirely at Ann’s mercy in this moment and she screamed in outrage internally.
Ann drew level with her and stood only centimeters away.
If she wanted to, she could end Ann’s life here and now, but that would also result in her own demise and she couldn’t afford that. There was still so much to do.
“Didn’t I tell you that you were making a mistake?” Ann said as she stared at her with an emotionless expression, her tone flat and cold as she swept her eyes over her.
Esmerelda composed herself and sneered. “You’re a fraud. You’re not his true mate! There’s no way!” “It would seem his mark on my flesh suggests otherwise.” Ann answered dryly, narrowing her eyes slightly.
“Then it’s nothing but a trick! You faked it!” Esmerelda hissed furiously.