"You did what?!"
My tone remained calm, though I couldn't believe what Charles had just revealed: they had outvoted Damon as pack leader and Alpha male, and Charles had taken his place, with the rest of the pack in agreement.
We were sitting in the kitchen at our new, large table, surrounded by the rest of the pack, who had arrived a little while ago. The table had a unique, asymmetrical half-circle shape. Adam, Wulfe, Charles, and I occupied the flat side, while the rest of the pack formed a half-circle, allowing them to see the four of us.
"This was the right thing to do," Alaric declared, his voice surprisingly sharp. "We were fools for not stopping that farce sooner, and, as usual, you ended up paying the price. No buts or ifs, this is happening, and it stays."
I was taken aback by his anger, which seemed directed at Damon. Charles had explained the original plan, how it had gone wrong when Mariella took over, and how Damon was too weak to prevent him from handing the Salvatores to her. Now, it was too late to change any of that; this was simply my new reality.
Murdock then spoke, "Damon ordered most of us to fuck everyone but you. He was convinced that making you a 'cunt' was the best way to unleash your rage. Originally, it sounded logical, but I see now it was utter bullshit, and I am sorry I was weak and didn't protect you."
I blinked, about to respond, but Magnum cut me off. "Don't," he said. "Don't even try to defend him to us, Hummingbird. We will fix your rage; it's all over the place. You need some physiotherapy in bed as well as in the gym. And this time, no lust-filled Salvatore is turning this plan into a Mariella worshipping party."
His tone was strict as well, and I nodded. They were clearly furious, and I had been suppressing my own thoughts on the matter, knowing that it would only ignite my rage. I desperately wanted to start my life anew in this wonderful house.
I had a few plans to make new things. Instead, I was going to get some physiotherapy in bed, and lots of it. It wasn't only the males who were angry; Shadow had been cursing nonstop for ten minutes after Charles told us the original plan. Mimosa was quiet, but the way she gripped her fork made it bend.
Katherine muttered a string of unflattering expressions about Damon and the other Salvatores, and even sweet, innocent Elena focused on expressing her opinion about Mariella in a very explicit way. Therefore, none of us was happy, and it would take considerable effort for us to get our frustration, rage, regret, and whatever else we were feeling under control so that our lives could be fun and wonderful again.
I took a deep breath and tried to sound reasonable. "Just because he yielded doesn't mean he's accepting this. He and the Salvatores are strong, and this might tear everything apart, despite what he did to me..."
I didn't have time to finish my sentence because Colin spoke, grabbing a dossier and throwing it in front of me. "You don't remember, as Wulfe took it all away, but read that, really well, and then try to tell me that damn bastard didn't deserve to be demoted."
I furrowed my brow and opened the file. There were pictures, of course: my eye hanging out, me lying on the floor of the gym, Damon beating me up. These were taken from security feeds. Then there were lots of medical notes, very explicit, stating my state with minute detail, including my vitals and prognosis.
I was silent because it was horrible, truly. I could feel my rage responding, waking up like a volcano, and I felt like my eyes lit up with pure fury. No husband, no mate would ever beat one they would love this badly, tests were showing just how much sedatives he had dumped in my body from my sedative organ, my neck had deep burns, almost hitting my pheromone glands as he had blasted my collar full on, stopping me getting to my rage.
Wulfe took my hand, using some kind of spell or his powers to push my rage down, and Charles did too. He was now my protector, and his power surrounded me with pure love, a needed care, calming my rage even a bit, until I got some kind of grip. They were right: Damon was a bastard, a shithead, and he was no alpha male, no pack leader, and not my mate, not right now.
I attempted to calm my rage by focusing on my surroundings, noticing subtle differences in the kitchen. The first thing that caught my eye was the countertops, made from unakite and strawberry quartz; they were lighter than the dark grey stone ones in the original Chicago house. Furthermore, the cabinets were crafted from some exotic wood.
Charles explained that they originated from that specific special forest, stating, "These came from that forest; Adam scoured a lot of wood from there. These tables are also made out of wood, each one a different species, more or less, and they are fortified with magic."
I nodded, feeling that this made the place even more like home. I had already begun planning some decorations. A huge, stark-white fireplace dominated the living room, and the wall behind it was equally white. I knew I wanted to put something there, and I had just the thing, but it would have to wait until I could better manage my rage and unleash it in a controlled manner, avoiding becoming Salvatore's victim.
The mere thought of his name made my blood boil, and once again, I had to redirect my thoughts. Hmm, the plates were new, a dark red with silver insides—very fancy. But then again, Adam and Charles always used fancy plates, believing they were meant to be used.
Observing the blend of old and new, I realized that few of our pack members would understand just how much this all meant to me, and I wasn't sure if I would ever tell them. Maybe they shouldn't know every damn thing.
We ate many dishes, and the food was placed in the middle of the table for everyone to reach—well, not exactly everything. Charles, Colin, Adam, Wolfe, and the others were still making sure I ate what I should, not what I wanted, meaning fewer carbs and more meat.
Right now, I had meatballs made out of pheasant and wagyu, covered in suet, making them far from traditional. My pasta portion was small, and there was more wagyu in the form of thick steaks, as well as small cubes rendered in butter and thickened, which was quite damn yummy.
Tim spoke next, his voice laced with bitterness. "Do you know what it's like to be forced to fuck random girls? I know they were supposedly yours, or Mariella's, but knowing you were trapped in that goddamn cage, drugged and possibly untouched for days…and all the while, he forced us to worship Mariella."
His tone dripped with disdain as he continued, "And she's not so nice after all. She talked, oh boy, did she talk, about how much she needed this more than you, about how you don't respond to lust, but with irritation, about how Damon's plans would work. And then, as she worked on those Salvatores, she badmouthed you, spewing all kinds of shit, how you're emotionally stunted, a monster, and how this would set you back a lot. She needed the Salvatores, her saviors, and those fools just went along with it."
Tim was visibly upset, and I couldn't blame him. After all, Damon had a plan, but as usual, he'd been too weak to think clearly after Mariella spread her legs. And so, the plan was ruined, and I was the one suffering.
Lepard chimed in, "I told him, I told him time and again that the easiest way to piss you off is to deny you an orgasm, to make you squirm. But no, Mariella heard it all and made you sound like a damn ice queen. I hate her, I must admit, I really hate her, and that's just a fact."
I nodded in agreement. "It seems we all have issues to unload, and the best way to do that is in bed. I'm all in. As soon as my rage clears enough for that kind of therapy, bring it on."
Mimosa added, "We're all in, too. No more drugged sex, being used like dolls. We want to dominate you boys, see which one of us will be on top."
Katherine smiled too, and it seemed our near future would be something straight out of a porn film, at least some of the time.
As I ate, I continued to observe my surroundings. The windows now had new curtains, dark grey in color and woven with shimmering golden strands that seemed to move. Then, I realized it was fae fabric, woven by the fae and thus somewhat alive.
I smiled, remembering a few pairs of fae shoes I once owned. They were alive and temperamental, prone to biting my toes if I walked somewhere they disliked. Yet, they kept my feet warm and dry, regardless of the weather. I found an eerie similarity to Doctor Strange's cape in the films. Even though that was fiction, with fae fabric, it might very well be true someday.
The food was wonderful, and I felt a peace of mind I hadn't experienced in a long time. Lost in these random thoughts, Magnum's sharp voice pulled me back to the present as dessert was rolled in.
"Okay, now we need to focus," he announced. "I know I'm not the pack leader, but I am an organizer, and here's what we're going to do."
He looked around at all of us, and I nodded, giving him the floor. "Despite what happened and where we are now, we still have work to be done. First, rage control. I know Mimi isn't the only one struggling with this, and Wulfe, Adam, and Charles will work with you all on that. And then, my hummingbird, you get to be the teacher."
I furrowed my brow, as this was not my favorite role. I had planned on getting back to work, focusing on fleas for a change, but it seemed he had a different plan for me.
He continued, "The Hive. You will teach everything about it, create exercises, and also work with Colin, Adam, and Charles on those pheromones. Mimosa and Shadow will join you on that as well. It's something we all must learn, but you will be the first to teach us."
Frowning, I responded, "Pheromones take time. I can try with the Hive, but I have no freaking clue what you need to know."
Wulfe chimed in, "Lessons, my unicorn. We will create scenarios, incorporate magic, and everything else. You will use the Hive and show us how you do it, and we will ask questions, and learn."
Katherine added, "You can be sure of that. I have a list of functions that I need to learn to use the Hive, so we are all giving you lists of what to teach us, and then you get to create the lessons."
I rolled my eyes and conceded, "Fine, whatever, but it's not so easy."
"We are not looking for something easy," Elena snapped. "We are looking for the skill to understand, to know what the fuck to do when something like that happens next time."
I smiled, realizing just how upset she was and how hard it had been for them. She was right; it was my duty as alpha female and as pack leader to teach, to prepare us, and to give us the skills and knowledge for future events.
Yes, Charles was nominally the pack leader, but I knew I could override him anytime I wanted, a fact I wasn't going to stress.
This smug little thought of mine was quickly exposed when Wulfe said in a soft tone, "And yeah, Unicorn, Charles is the pack leader, with me and Adam backing him up. So, if you have any little idea of being the actual pack leader, think again. We are not as easy as Damon was, and we certainly are not easily distracted either. You have power, yeah, but can you take us three out, and the boys too?"
Lepard smirked at me, and I rolled my eyes, thinking, *Fine, let's play by the rules then*. I would be a good little mate, a good alpha female, and not try to overtake the throne – not yet anyway, after all, patience is key.
It was just my alpha side being restless, seeing herself stronger than Charles and wanting to show him. I even had a few inspirational ideas about throwing Charles under me, making him sweat and plead while I held the reins.
But then again, there was Adam, Wulfe, Magnum, and more. I was just one female, and if I were too seductive, the males would surely make *me* plead and beg... not a bad idea either.
I mean, my life has been one damn rollercoaster. First, I had a perfect six months in Australia on our horse-riding trip, getting so much love and so many promises that have now turned to dust, so many wonderful nights; I felt so much love, and it all feels like another lifetime. And then the holiday after that – sure, I had some time of my own, but then number two came in, whisking me away to Monaco and fucking my brains out, sanctifying that whole house.
It was magical, and now utterly gone. I bitterly thought that it wouldn't surprise me if Mariella ordered a deep clean or even a renovation of the Monaco house, making sure no sanctification was evident. But then again, Damon is no longer the pack leader; Charles is.
My dilemma was whether to keep Monaco sanctified or allow it to be cleaned. Charles could be very possessive, and now that he had full rights over me, perhaps I should simply let it happen, let it go.
It was in the past, and most likely never to happen again, so why bother? Why should I, Mimi Salvatore, an alpha female, a triple alpha at that, cling to the past as if it were some kind of safety net?
As I looked around me, I realized that I was, in fact, hanging on to the past, and this house was the most blatant evidence of it. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Perhaps some things in the past should be left in peace. But maybe, just maybe, there was always something that needed preservation, something to cherish and remember.
It was time to focus on the here and now, and perhaps truly embrace my role as an alpha female and a teacher, a role that Damon never allowed me to have. However, who knows, maybe this was one thing that was meant to happen.
I simply had to go with the flow once more and let life show me the way, because it's true what they said in Jurassic Park: life finds a way. The way might not be what we want, but it is what we have, and I simply had to accept it.