SWNOVELS Chapter 23
Chapter 23 I sat at my vanity, brushing my hair. The bracelet Jeremy had given me stuck out of my jewelry box. I reached over and brushed my fingers across it. I wasn’t sure if Blake would allow me to be part of the negotiations. I didn’t even know what I would say if I saw Jeremy again. It had been nearly 24 hours since Blake demanded an answer. We hadn’t heard from Jeremy or Alpha Al yet. Knock Knock. I was pulled from my thoughts. “C-” my voice cracked in my dry throat. I swallowed a few times. “Come in.” Blake opened the door and entered my room. I smiled when I saw him but the look on his face was serious. “Is something wrong?” I asked, standing up. “The Moonery Alpha just arrived and I have a guest who would like to see you,” he said, his face remaining an emotionless mask Blake stepped aside and Jeremy appeared behind him. He took a couple of steps into my room. His face was pale with purplish bags under his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. “Jeremy.” I gasped. I brought a hand to the base of my throat. “Nora,” he said stiffly. “I’ll leave you two to talk,” Blake said. He nodded to me and backed out, closing the door halfway. I was surprised that Blake left me alone with Jeremy. He’d voiced his disapproval of Jeremy before, and said that I shouldn’t waste my time on him. Apparently, he had more urgent things to worry about than hanging around and being domineering toward me. “II–how are youhave you been?” I asked. I rushed over to my bed and started making it so my room didn’t look so messy. “I’ve been better,” he muttered, crossing his arms. I felt his eyes follow me as I moved around and tidied things up. “I wasn’t expecting you to come all the way here. I knew your father would but…” I trailed off. “Why are you doing this, Nora? You really hate me that much?” Jeremy’s tone was firm and smooth. He wasn’t glaring at me. but instead, maintained a professional demeanor. “This isn’t about you,” I said, shaking my head. “Then what is going on? The Lycan King has declared war on Moonery. This is all because of your liesAnd from what I can rell, he’s done so at your bidding,” Jeremy shot back. I sighed and rubbed my hands on my thighs. I headed back to my vanity and started to organize and reorganize the makeup and cosmetic products just as a way to keep busy. “How did you even go from being an exile to the Lycan King’s queen?” he continued. The last time I saw you, you were being exiled to the Rogue Zone. It is a long way to come being the wife of the Lycan King.” he continued. “I don’t need to explain myself to you, Jeremy. You turned against me, and everyone I knew and loved betrayed and exiled me. It isn’t your place to question what I do with my life now.” I crossed my arms and glared at him. “And this war. Is this your way of getting back at me? You’re trying to make me pay by having your husband declare war on Moonery?” he asked, arching an eyebrow at me. “I’d never expect you to be the one to do this.” “What did you expect?” I questioned. “Did you think that we’d see each other face to face and all would be forgiven? Do you even know what that ‘interrogator‘ did to me in the dungeons? I screamed for help. for you, for days and you ignored me.” I sighed and shook my head. I really didn’t want to get into the past with him. “You brought this on yourself. Nora. You leaked information and got Gavin killed, or have you forgotten?” Jeremy countered with a scoff “I’m not doing this for retribution. I just want my wolf back. Remember on the day you were going to announce our mate bond and suddenly, you couldn’t feel that connection to me? It is because my wolf was stolen. Getting her back is all I care about. If you help, then this war doesn’t have to happen.” I arched an eyebrow at Jeremy, challenging him to deny me. Sighing. Jeremy looked down and relaxed his shoulders. “How can I help?” he asked. “You can start by confronting Helen about why she stole my wolf and our mate bond.” Jeremy looked at me and snarled. “How dare you accuse her. She’s never done anything but be sweet and kind to you. She’s done nothing wrong. “Before that day, you never thought twice about her, you never considered her anything more than a friend of mine. Don’t you think that’s odd?” Jeremy shrugged. “No. You were always jealous of Helen. You always bullied her and picked on her. She’s told me the truth. about everything, including the letters. I realized that I never knew you at all.” His words stung like a knife in the heart. I turned away from him as tears pricked my eyes. Even when confronted with logic, Jeremy trusted Helen more than he trusted me. It hurt so much knowing that my oldest friend and the male that was supposed to be my mate chose to believe the woman that had betrayed us both. “Helen isn’t the problem here. You are. You are the one that betrayed me first by letting Gavin get killed,” Jeremy accused, his words crashing into my back like a heavy wave.
I blinked my tears back. I knew seeing Jeremy again wouldn’t be easy but this wasn’t what I had expected. “I can’t help you. But for the sake of our former friendship, I hope you’ll stop Blake from following through with this war,” he said. I whipped around, glaring at him. “You’re going to ask a favor of me, based on our former friendship, but I can’t expect the same from you?” I threw my arms up in the air. Jeremy took a half step back and held up his hands. “You’re taking this too far. Nora” “I’ll do what I can to stop Blake but I’m not going to give up my wolf. If Helen is really responsible for stealing her, she has me as an enemy now. When I get my wolf back, I’m expecting a big apology from you. I pointed sharply at Jeremy. “And now your true colors are coming out,” Jeremy accused. “Helen isn’t even here and you’re threatening her through me. You’re nothing but a bully and a liar!” I was stunned by Jeremy’s words. I couldn’t speak. I could barely breathe. It was like a boa constrictor had wrapped its b*dy around mine, squeezing me until the air left my lungs and keeping me frozen in place. “That’s enough!” Blake’s voice came through the cracked door. He pushed it open and came up behind Jeremy. Quickly, Jeremy stepped to the side and held his arms up, ready for an attack. Blake snorted and came to my side. He put his arm around my shoulders. In any other situation, I would have protested but Blake was the only person that believed my story. He was the only one willing to help. “You can’t come into my home and insult my queen any more than you can threaten to banish her from your territorywife. She’s done nothing to you or your floozy of a mate,” he growled. “Excuse me?” Jeremy asked, gawking at the both of us. “Jeremy. I’m telling the truth. I hope you realize that someday. Not just because I want it but I hope you realize it for your sake and all of Moonery. If Helen did this to me, what else is she capable of?” Now that Blake was here, I kept my cool. I’d felt so out of control before trying to convince Jeremy. Blake’s presence. reminded me that I did have someone who believed me and he was the most powerful man to have as an ally. “You said you’d do what you could to stop the war,” Jeremy said, his eyes flickering to Blake. “And I have no doubt that she will. However, my interest is in protecting Nora and helping her recover her lost wolf. I will do that, regardless of who stands in my way,” Blake grunted before I could respond. “You haven’t won, Nora. Just because you have the Lycan King on your side, it doesn’t mean you’ll ever be more than a spy and a traitor. I shrank against Blake. Jeremy’s words were getting harsher and fresh tears stung my eyes. I brought a hand to my face, trying to conceal my tears. A tremble shot through me.. Blake squeezed me with his arm and then released me, approaching Jeremy with a growl. “If you don’t want your entire pack and your sorry excuse for a mate wiped off the map, leave my territory, now!” Blake demanded, throwing his arm out to the side. Jeremy sniffed and nodded. “Oh, and Jeremy, don’t go too far. I’ll be keeping a close watch on you. This is far from over,” Blake threatened again. “I agree, this isn’t over yet,” Jeremy said. He turned and left. Blake followed after him. I grabbed a tissue from my vanity and dabbed at my eyes. I saw the bracelet Jeremy had given me, sunlight glinting off of it. And it’s as if something inside of me shifted at the sight of it. I snatched the bracelet from my jewelry box and ran after them. Blake had several armed guards following him as they made sure Jeremy left the castle grounds. I caught up to them. “Jeremy! You forgot something.” Jeremy turned when he heard his name and I threw the bracelet at him. In the air, it caught the sunlight and flashed brilliantly. Jeremy’s brow creased and he reached out, catching the slender piece of jewelry. He held it in his open palm for a moment and I saw his eyes soften. It was like seeing that bracelet made him remember why he’d given it to me in the first place. My heart pounded as it felt like we all stood there motionless for hours. “Time to go, Jeremy,” Blake said, breaking the silence. He snapped to the guards and they headed down the front steps in a line. A wall of armor and weapons. Jeremy turned and rushed down the steps to a car that was waiting for him. I could see the silhouette of someone else in the back seat. Probably Jeremy’s father. As he ducked into the car, I thought I saw Jeremy tuck the bracelet into his pocket but I wasn’t sure. “Nora.” Blake murmured my name, taking my hand. “I’m fine.” I insisted, pulling away from him. I wasn’t fine. I was anything but fine! The knife Jeremy had left in my heart still stung. I ran from Blake, finally letting my tears fall.