Chapter 27: Caution

August suddenly felt light-headed. Marius was released? The earth swayed beneath her slightly, and she felt Greta take hold of her arm.

"Graeme, he will not go near the girl as long as she is not a threat," Pearce stated.

"Is he not subject to the same laws that you yourself uphold?" Graeme was seething.

"He has served this council well during your absence, Graeme," Auden replied bitingly. How could Graeme respond to that? They were right. He had left. He was reaping what he had sown in this very room.

"While I understand Marius's freedom may bring anxiety, you must not leave the territory. Not until we know more," Andreas said. The other elders nodded solemnly. "We also urge you to consider the gravity of our suspicions and refrain from…" he paused, his expression darkening, "… from marking her."

"Excuse me?" Graeme growled.

"In so doing, you give her a substantial amount of sway, Graeme. In this pack but also in the lycan community at large. Surely, you can imagine how grave the consequences may be should our suspicions prove correct. We imagine this is what the alyko are after. Your Alpha blood and your unwavering allegiance," Andreas explained.

"You think I can be, what… punked into experiencing a mating pull?"

"Perhaps it is time to proceed with more caution in regards to destiny. Let me ask you this, given your apparent shift in attitude regarding that which is divinely designed," Andreas started, "are you intending to take up the rank of Alpha in this pack?" All ears seemed to perk up to this as members shifted and straightened in their seats.

Graeme did not respond. It was not a question he could answer definitively one way or the other. To say he was intending to without an invitation would not only be an insult to the council and the elders who had filled the absence of an Alpha, but it would necessitate immediate moves that Graeme was not prepared for.

But to say that he would not take up his rank would be akin to acquiescing to the elders' decisions, which had not been fully revealed yet. Bringing up a theory regarding witches was beyond strange, and it seemed to hint to something ominous looming beyond their carefully draped veil.

After running this through his mind, Graeme finally said, "Perhaps since Miss Cady and I will be here for an indefinite period, you can provide me with council duty in addition to mere advising so that I may assist with these concerns. We can go from there."

This had the other council members in the room murmuring, and some seemed pleased by the suggestion, nodding their heads in agreement. Andreas's eyes narrowed.

"The elders will discuss the matter and get back to you," he replied. "In the meantime, keep us informed about any changes in the girl's status." After saying this, he rose from his seat, giving the signal that the meeting was over.

Greta, August, and Graeme turned to exit out the same door on the ground level from which they had entered. Once the door closed behind them, Graeme grabbed August's hand and spun her around to face him, pushing her up against the wall in the same breath. Her eyes went wide.

Both of Graeme's arms were braced against the wall, trapping her between them, and he leaned close enough that she could feel him trembling in anger. His dark eyes were glaring into hers in such a way that she was immobilized with fear. Had she done something wrong? Graeme must have realized his mistake, because he squeezed his eyes shut as tension visibly raked his body.

"August," he started, his eyes still closed tightly, "I'm sorry, but I need to mark you right now."

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"What?" Her mouth went dry again. She swallowed hard and flattened herself against the wall as if she could sink into it and away from him. "But everything they just said…"

That was apparently the wrong choice of words, because Graeme hit the wall next to her, causing her to jump.

"What they said is bullshit," when his eyes opened again, they were clouded with rage. "Don't touch me, Greta," he growled to his sister behind him without turning to look at her.

"You're scaring her, Graeme," Greta replied.

"We should all be scared. You heard them—they're talking about witches again! The only way I can protect her is if I mark her," he snarled, glaring at the floor below. "Which is precisely why they don't want me to do it."

August was holding her breath without realizing it until her lungs pained, and then she slowly pulled in shallow breaths. She was dizzy. Not only did she not understand half of what was said in that insanely intimidating room, but this man who she had associated with safety and warmth up to this point was terrifying now cloaked in this new threatening aura.

"Not like this, Graeme," she heard Greta say.

Graeme let out a frustrated groan without meeting August's eyes. He reluctantly pushed himself off the wall. "Take her straight to the car. I'll meet you at the treehouse," he barked before disappearing up the stairs in what seemed like one leap.

Greta watched him retreat before approaching August.

"I'm so sorry. It's a long story, but it's nothing to do with you," she said to the visibly shaken human. "Can I hold your hand?" Greta asked, unsure now about how August would react knowing Greta's abilities. August nodded in stunned silence like a little girl, and Greta led her up the stairs and down the hall before stopping in front of a door.

"Why don't you go in there and collect yourself for a moment," Greta offered, gesturing toward what turned out to be a hall bathroom.

August went in without a word, locking the door behind her and bracing herself against the pedestal sink that stood inside. 'What have I gotten myself into?' she wondered, looking at the small black and white floor tiles. 'But I didn't ask for this.'

The room and the questions and the words that were spoken, particular regarding witches and other creatures, were turning over and over in her head, and she rocked back and forth slightly before looking up at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't even recognize her own face anymore. The contacts Greta had her wear were irritating her eyes, and now tears began pooling there, which made them redder. She turned the water on and splashed her face, attempting a semblance of calm.

After taking a few deep breaths and drying her face, she went back into the hallway. Strangely, Greta wasn't there, so August walked toward the main staircase of the house and descended it slowly, looking all around for the bouncing, peachy hair. She didn't see her anywhere, but others were still roaming around and visiting. The space and energy vaguely reminded August of the quad on campus, and she hoped she could slip through invisibly just as anyone could at Eliade.

But this wasn't Eliade, and as normal as the people here looked, they weren't human college students. One-by-one they went silent upon catching the sight, or maybe the scent, of the human in their midst. Some were eyeing her suspiciously while others looked curious. Trying to avoid their questioning eyes, August went straight out the front door and onto the deck, looking left and right for Greta. Where in the world did she go?

When August turned around to look back inside, a solid chest blocked her way.

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