Chapter 85
Eleana just glared at her sister.
“And if he has a child from love?” She asked her.
“Then it would be broken.” Marie said. “He would gain his heart. But I assure you, it was he who wanted this. Not you or anyone else. He decided by himself p>
“And what about the fact that you’ve changed him?” Eleanor asked him. “What about that? I met him on the floor, already changing into that thing p>
“It was the consequences of his actions.” Marie said it without even twitching. “I warned him there would be consequences. He said he wanted them regardless p>
“He needs something if he is going to turn into a monster.” Elena said. “I know what he turned him to. You know what he was turned into, but he doesn’t p>
“Like I said, it was a price for him to pay, and he willingly accepted it. You know no one can receive a hex from me unless willing.” Marie said.
“How can I stop it?” Elena asked. “You better tell me p>
Marie shook her head. “No, I can do it. I don’t know if there is any way that he can be healed. He is a warrior who would defeat his enemies; that’s all that matters most. I gave him something to subside the pain and transformation. It’s not a cure, but it will be managed p>
“You’re going to pay for this.” Elena warned.
“I’m here because of you.” Marie informed. “You have nothing to say or do. Get out p>
Elena had nothing to say to her sister; she just looked at her in disgust and said, “That little girl that I knew—I don’t know what happened to her p>
And she left.
As she headed to her horse, she heard breaking and shattering and knew her sister was destroying the place in a rage.
She got on her horse and went on her way.
When she got to the pack, it was already almost sundown.
She went straight to Xaden’s room.
As expected, he was up and already getting ready for the feast.
“Elena.” He said it, looking surprised. “What’re you doing here? When did you get here p>
She turned to Erik, who was standing beside her. “Could you please give us a minute p>
Erik nodded and left the room, and then she turned to Xaden.
“How could you be so foolish?” She demanded. “How could you p>
“What are you talking about?” He asked her.
“You went to Dale Magic to heighten your wolf powers?” She asked him. “You did that p>
He groaned and strolled to the window.
“How could you be so stupid?!” She asked angrily.
“I asked you for help, yet you turned me down p>
He snapped. “What did you expect? Someone else helped me p>
She gave a bitter chuckle. “Really? Do you think what you received was helpful? I found you on the floor, almost fully transformed. You don’t want to know what would have happened to you if I didn’t arrive just on time p>
“I was fine.” He snapped.
“Now you don’t get to snap at me!” She pointed his beautiful brown, slender fingers at him. “You don’t! You’re my son! I raised you as my own! And I raised you in the best way I could! This is not how I raised you p>
“I wanted revenge for my family!” He said.
“And I told you you deserved revenge, but if you must have revenge, you must have it as a true Alpha. Not some coward who runs behind some witch who performs dark magic!” She said. “You have no idea! I have no idea what you’ve done! You think you made the right decision but haven’t even begun to understand anything p>
“It’s my life.” He said.
She shook her head. “It’s not your life. Especially not when our desires are intertwined with those of others. You know this because I told you p>
She walked up to him and grabbed him by the arms, even though he was way taller than her and thirty times more huge.
Nonetheless, she shook him fervently. “What have you done?” She begged. “You gave up your ability to love? To have children? Why p>
“Because I don’t want anyone to have leverage on me, okay?” He sparked.
She jumped in fright, and then he sighed.
“I know what happened to my parents. My family. My father was not able to save us or be at his full wolf potential because of us, and he still lost us. I don’t ever want to be in that position.” He told her.
“And what about the people you love? Erik? The members of your pack? The ones who are loyal to you? What are they just collateral damage?” She asked him.
“I don’t love anyone. But I care. Very much.” He said.
“What about me?” She asked him. “You loved me as a child. I raised you like my own p>
He said nothing, and then he pulled himself free from her. “I can never love anyone p>
Elena started to wonder where she had gone wrong in raising him.
What she had said wrong to him had made him this way.
“It wasn’t your fault.” He said it as if he were reading her mind. “It was a decision I made for myself p>
“The blade wouldn’t do anything.” She said. “You can’t use it to manage yourself. You need to get out of this. There are things at hand that you cannot understand. They are at play, and I will not stand by and watch you be a pawn.” She said.
“I made my decision.” He said. “I’ll be more careful from now on p>
She watched him put on the rest of his clothes for the mid-rite ritual.
The feast.
“Will you stay with me for the festival?” he asked her.
She held her arms and said, “I’ll remain and leave after. But you’ve disappointed me p>
“Marie deceived you.” She said. “She is not good. I promise you. Nothing from her can ever come good p>
“I will have my victory.” He said. “That’s good enough for me p>
And with that, he picked up his sword and strolled out of the room.