Chapter 8

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~One year ago, Blood Lake

Right on time, Gwen knocks on my door.

"Come in," I call out casually, like I haven't been pacing around the room for the last hour, wondering how I'm going to talk to her without crying.

Gwen walks into the Blood Lake guest room, holding a pan in her hands, an apologetic look on her face.

"Oh, wow, a cake," I say weakly, feigning surprise. "You shouldn't have."

Really. She shouldn't have.

Gwen puts the pan on the bed. "Katrina, I just want to start off by saying how sorry I am. I swear, I had no idea that Leo was your mate."

Again, hearing his name, especially from her, feels like someone is twisting a serrated knife in my chest.

I force a smile. "It's fine, Gwen." A lie.

Tears well up in her eyes. "No, it's not Katrina. I swear, I'll never talk to him again. I can raise the child alone, I can-"

"Stop, Gwen," I tell her, grabbing her by the shoulders as tears spill down her face. "I already rejected him. It can't be undone. I don't want him. Keep him. Seriously."

Every word twists the knife more, and it feels like I can hardly breathe.

"Katrina," Gwen chokes out. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," I fake a smile. "I didn't really want a mate anyways. It's better this way."

A lie, to some extent, but also the truth. For reasons she doesn't know, for reasons nobody knows, it really is better that I stay alone.

At least she still has the chance to be happy with someone else.

Even if it was with my other half.

"He's going to ask you to move to Blue Moon with him and Mark you," I tell her quietly, and focus on making sure my voice doesn't crack. "Say yes."

"What?" Gwen asks in confusion.

"Don't let the child grow up without a father," I say lowly.

"Katrina..." Gwen's voice sounds strangled, and I can feel her pain, but can also feel her happiness at my words.

She really loves him.

And he loves her, too.

"Just... Give me time," I tell her. "Leave me alone for awhile. Both of you."

Gwen's face falls, but she nods. She's about to apologize once again, but if I hear her say one more word, I will kill her. Pregnant or not.

"Get out," I tell her, jerking my head towards the door. "Leo is waiting for you at your house."

I practically shove her out of the room, closing the door behind her.

I check the time, and see that I have two hours before I have to meet Alpha Killian and the Blood Luna at Blood Lake to discuss plans to kill the Moon Bitch.

Perfect.

I cry for two hours straight.

***

Current day

For the next few days, I get into a comfortable schedule of waking up, getting harassed by Killian, training with the circulus, getting harassed by Killian, having dinners with the circulus, and finally, getting harassed by Killian.

I stare at the package on my bed once I return from training. A white box, with a red bow wrapped around it.

It looks sinister.

I open it anyways.

Whatever is inside is wrapped in black tissue paper, but there's a card that reads:

For my favorite little Seer. Even if you are my only Seer.

Thank you.

Killian. Killian left the box for me. For some reason, that makes me want to open it even less. Knowing Killian, it's probably a sex toy.

When I unravel the tissue, it's a piece of clothing. Pulling it out of the box, I realize it's a gown.

Because today is the day of the Mating Gathering.

My stomach turns in anxiety as I put the dress back into the box. I could always back out. It's never too late for that.

There's always a chance that I don't see anything anyways, and having to face my former mate will have been for nothing.

But then I think of Jae. Who has not cracked once since her mate went missing. Who continues to train like nothing is wrong, talks about the missing wolves with precise calculating, not letting her emotions interfere once. I can See her misery, her anxiety, but she shows none of it.

I try not to get involved. Really, I do. Pack matters are ugly, messy, and tend to get even uglier and messier when I get involved. Futures need to play out the way they need to, the way fate demands. But I'm already here, and the sooner the mystery is solved, the sooner Killian will let me go home.

There's a knock on my door, and I remember that Layla, Maryn, and Jae made plans to come over and get ready. Apparently, Killian gave me the guest room with the biggest bathroom.

How nice of him.

I hate him.

Layla bounds into the room eagerly, blasting crappy pop music from her phone. She grabs my hands and starts dancing with me. "I love Mating Gatherings!" She squeals, twirling herself around.

"Is there anything you don't love?" Jae asks, but has a small smile on her face as Layla pulls her into the bathroom. Her and Layla are close, and Jae is extremely protective over her, despite their opposite personalities.

"You're on time today, Mar," I note.

Maryn grins, and whispers lowly, "Don't tell the others, but I'm only late to training because I hate it."

"We already know!" Jae calls out, and Mar laughs while dragging me into the bathroom too.

It takes about two hours for us to get ready, Layla taking over the majority of the primping. She's so... girly, I almost forget how deadly she can be.

I scowl when Layla tells me that Killian bribed her with $100 to brush my hair. Layla seems unbothered by my annoyance, and rips the brush through my hair while singing along to the songs with Maryn.

After our hair and makeup is done, we get into our dresses.

Layla is wearing a sheer soft pink gown with glittering gold jewelry on her neck, wrists, and fingers. Her brown hair falls in soft waves down her back. She looks like a fairy princess.

Jae wears a long black dress with a high neckline, her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and her lipstick the color of blood. She looks deadly, yet still gorgeous.

Maryn wears a white dress, nearly as white as her skin, and her dark eyes and hair, which is piled on top of her head in messy curls, look even even darker contrasted against it.

"Ooh, that dress is to die for!" Layla squeals, clapping her hands. "That no good mate of yours can suck it."

I told the circulus about Leo, about my sister. They deserved to know why I would be avoiding Blue Moon tonight.

I look down at the dress from Killian. It's a dark red, the same shade as my hair, low cut with thin straps, and there are two high slits along my legs. Bold, but I shouldn't be surprised since Killian was the one who picked it.

By that standard, I was surprised there was any fabric at all.

Maryn and Layla leave the room, their arms interlocked as they continue singing badly to the music, but Jae stops me.

"Thanks," She says quietly. "For doing this. I know it's not easy."

I give a fake smile. "Whatever it takes, right?"

She nods once, and we go downstairs, where the men of the circulus are waiting.

Killian, who was previously sitting on the couch, teleports right in front of me. "Nice hair," He smirks, reaching out to touch my straightened hair. I scowl, smacking his hand away.

"Be a shame if you lost that hand," I warn. I have a dagger sheathed high up on my thigh. The idea of using it on him is appealing.

Killian shrugs. "Been there, done that. I've learned how to be just as effective with one hand," He says salaciously.

"Killian, we're going to be late," Gabe calls out, frowning at his watch, always obsessed with timing.

He sighs. "Fine. The rest of the unmated wolves are outside, let's go."

"We're teleporting there?" I ask in surprise. That seemed like a lot of people to send through a portal. Could Killian really be that powerful?

"I get carsick," He winks.

"All the more reason to take one," I mutter, and he rolls his eyes before heading out of the house.

"You look nice," I tell Kage, and straighten his tie as he blushes, making the shadows swirl around him even darker.

Layla grabs a grumbling Knox by the hand, twirling as she drags him out the door, and the rest of us follow.

Killian has opened a large portal, and wolves are stepping inside, each of them holding hands with another to tether them from getting sick.

"Shall we?" Killian offers his arm once the last of the wolves step through.

I roll my eyes, but take his stupid muscular arm in mine.

"In case if it wasn't obvious," He says quietly before we step through. "You look stunning."

"Whatever, let's go," I mutter, and we traverse through the in between until we arrive at the doorstep of Iron Claw.

I untangle my arm from Killian's and take a deep breath. Maryn squeezes my hand reassuringly. "You got this," She whispers.

Killian opens the door, not bothering with knocking, and walks in like he owns the place. Maryn and I make a beeline for the bar, while the rest of them scatter.

Maryn and I drink, talking to some wolves from Blood Lake. We flirt, and I make a few innocent touches, but See nothing of relevance. We're about to move on, when I sense her.

"Katrina?" Gwen asks in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

I wince, and turn towards my sister. Mar looks like she wants to punch her, and I give her a warning look.

"I'm here on business," I answer shortly, having no intention of telling her that I'm here with Crimson Shadow.

"I see," Gwen says, her eyes shining. "It's good to see you. You haven't visited yet."

"I've been busy," I say drily. Maryn rolls her eyes and mutters something under her breath.

Gwen's eyes flash to Maryn in annoyance before looking back to me. "I like your dress," She offers.

An arm wraps around my waist, and since I See nothing, I know who it is.

"Stunning, isn't she?" Killian gives Gwen a blinding grin.

Gwen's eyes widen. "Alpha Killian! I didn't know you knew my sister."

"Oh, I know Katrina very well," He says, his grip on my waist tightening. "Don't I, darling?"

I glare at him as Gwen's mouth drops. Maryn smirks, snickering as she takes a drink from her glass.

"I see," Gwen says in shock, shaking her head slightly in disbelief. "Well, it's good to see you, Kat. I hope you come by soon."

She reaches out for a hug, and Killian drops his arm. As her arms wrap around my neck, I get a vision.

Gwen, holding her son, Wyatt. But in this vision, her stomach is rounded. Leo kisses her on the cheek.

Gwen is pregnant again.

I pull out of her embrace abruptly. "I have to go," I practically snarl, stalking away to find somewhere private. Probably to cry, maybe to punch a hole in the wall.

Killian chases after me, and grabs me by the wrist. "Katrina, what's wrong?" He asks in concern. "What did you See?"

"Leave me alone," I hiss, snatching my wrist away and darting off.

I stop fleeing when I reach a balcony that I know is empty. I shatter my wine glass in my hand, and throw the stem of it off of the balcony and into the night. I hope it hits someone.

Gwen or Leo seem like a good target.

But what right did I have to be mad, really? They fell in love before they met me. Whatever Gods above know how fucked up the mating system is. I told Gwen to be with Leo. Rejected Leo immediately. Obviously they were both going to move on with their lives.

"Katrina? Is that you?" His voice calls out.

And I'm mad. Mad I didn't See him coming. Mad I didn't see any of this coming.

I turn around to finally face my mate.

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