The day of the official announcement finally arrived. Pack leaders from around the country came to the palace.
Kaid had the warriors set a round table. He wanted the meeting to feel more like a discussion rather than an order.
Rich and I sat on his left hand side; Lord Sterling on his right hand. He listened to the leaders' concerns and complaints, addressed each of them by name, and never once raised his voice. Since I rarely attended this sort of meeting, I almost forgot the noble leader that he was. The other Alphas deeply respected him and his advices. They wanted to be on his side.
By the end of the meeting, Kaid stood up and made his announcement, "My fellow Lycans and Werewolves, I believe a decision has been made. It was tough weighing all our options and challenges, but I wanted this decision to be ours, not mine. After a deliberate consideration, we finally have come to a unanimous conclusion: We pledge to support Alpha Snow and his Luna in their quest to put a stop to dark sorcery. Dark witches and their covens are our common enemy, so let's put our differences aside and show a united front."
"We have also seen the possibility of moles, spies, and drawbacks," Kaid continued, "Neutral packs which chose not to come today might come to you later inquiring your stance. Most of them will come to me, but in the instances where they come to you, simply state your opinions. Don't force your decision on them. Let them decide on their own."
I saw the Alphas nodded in unison.
"Now, Lord Sterling is going to distribute a letter for you to sign as a pledge to our allegiance. Afterwards, you may stay for lunch, or go back to your territory. May the Goddess protects us all," Kaid ended his long speech.
"May the Goddess protects us all," they all stood up and chimed.
——–——
Most of the commotion had dispersed, and I found myself longing for fresh air. I went to the balcony and exhaled in relief as if I had been holding my breath.
I saw Rich went to the garage, probably to drive somewhere.
"I've been looking for you, my Lady," Kaid took me by surprise. He placed his hands on the small of my back.
"Yes, my King," I faced him and saw how weary he was, "You look like you need rest. Trust Lord Sterling to finish up."
"Care to accompany me?," Kaid asked.
"I'd love to," I smiled and took his arms. We walked back to his estate in comfortable silence.
Once we entered his room, Kaid spoke to me quietly, "Do you have anything to say, Trinity? It's just you and me now."
"Not really, I just wanted to make sure you actually get some rest and not end up reading or working even more." I stroked his arms tenderly.
"To be honest," he threw himself on the sofa and groaned, "It really took a toll on me having to scrutinize their faces one by one. Had to match their words to their expressions. Well, thankfully most of them were true to the pact." Kaid massaged his brows.
I sat next to him. "I did have ample time to study their faces, and I thought they were half expecting you to announce more than just the pledge," I teased him.
"Indeed! They were looking for cues — any hints — that explained my relationship with Alpha Snow and Zara, and how I ended up wedged right in between," he chuckled, "and more..."
"What do you mean more?" I asked, feeling suddenly nervous.
"They were waiting for me to claim you...," he stared at me, "as my Luna."
"Ahh, am I, though?" I sneered.
"You could very well be. But for now, I cannot risk your safety. Being a Luna has its own consequences, and I wanted to keep you safe," his voice sounded deep and more serious, "When the time comes, I will ask for your hand properly, and make it official."
I offered him a tentative smile.
Kaid sensed my apprehension, "Are you still concerned about....Zara?"
"What if I am...?" I felt cornered by my own feelings.
"What can I do to earn your trust, Trinity?" Kaid ask very softly.
"I just thought that you might need more time. If it were me, I'd surely need more time..." I unknowingly placed my hands on his thigh. I heard him swallowed hard.
"Do you actually have an on/off button somewhere on your body?" I abruptly flipped his hands, raised his arms, and pretended to check his sides for any switch button.
He laughed, caught my hands and held them tight, "Trin, love, you're making me go crazy!"
"Tell me why you chose me, Kaid," I decided to just say it out loud.
"Do you need to hear it?" Kaid asked.
"Yes, I do," I replied quietly.
He pulled me into his embrace and rested his chin on my head. He went silent for a moment, and then spoke carefully, "Trin, I deeply apologize that my journey of finding a mate had made me forget what we already had."
"I did need more time," he continued, "It took me 10 years, and one more year of pure agony to understand my own feelings for you."
I choked back waves of emotions.
"I have loved you deeper than I originally intended. I was such a fool for not realizing it sooner. I have loved you before, and I love you now." Kaid opened up a well of emotions I had never felt before.
"I think the universe made you look for her because she could be the key to making things right," I finally managed to squeak.
"Yes, right, the curse!" Kaid raised his head and looked me square in the eye.
"No, no, not just that. It helped me see what I could've lost, Kaid, I could have lost you," I confessed.
He pressed his forehead on mine. I nudged the tip of my nose to his, inching closer to him. I subconsciously bit my lower lip trying to hold myself together.
"Don't do that," Kaid growled, "Don't tempt me."
"What?" I asked.
"The way you bit your lip is giving me wild ideas." His voice suddenly rough and raspy.
"Try me," I teased him.
As if on cue, he kissed my forehead and moved to the tip of my nose. His lips grazed my lips ever so slightly, and his nose brushed the nook of my shoulder, inhaling my scent. I felt a shiver down my spine; Kaid's presence undeniably spurred something deep within me.
But before he could do any more damage, we heard Lord Sterling knocking on our door. "Kaid, you have visitors."
Kaid cleared his throat and answered, "Okay, coming."
I smoothed my hair and my dress, looking flustered. He whispered to me, "We are not done."
"Duly noted," I didn't know what else to say. He chuckled at my answer, took one look at me, and bursted into laughter. I was as red as a tomato.
Lord Sterling coughed loudly on purpose.
"Okay, okay! We're coming!" Kaid called out. "Come with me, let's go meet them quickly and get this over with," Kaid extended his hands to me.
I took his hands, stood up, and elbowed him playfully, "Why did you laugh?"
"Oh, God, Trin, I think a whirlwind of emotions got the better of me," Kaid laughed again, not letting go of my hands. I smiled and let him lead me outside.
This man really is something, Maxine muttered in my head.