Unforgivable

Sage was frustrated. Sage was angry - not that it was unusual. Sage was lost. And above all Sage felt helpless in front of Mara. He was unable to capture her attention or create any emotion in her and it was driving him crazy! Not daring to interact with her anymore, he watched her from afar. Aaron had played the spy for a few days but Mara had quickly dismissed him. Fortunately Aaron always gave him feedback from his father. Mara would only deal with him and refused to even discuss the pack with him or his parents, claiming that the three of them had some work to do on themselves. As the Alphas and Luna of the pack they were in the best position to help her!

Mara annoyed him to no end! And yet, Sage couldn’t help but want her as a mate. Was he so stupid to keep hoping when she showed no interest in him? Perhaps... But it was just stronger than him. He couldn’t fight the attraction he had for her and what she meant to him: his only chance to find happiness. The only one he would ever be able to love. As cold and distant as she was, her heart belonged to him. If only he could find a way to create a reaction in her! Any reaction but just something.

A week after taking power Mara made combat and self-defence training mandatory for all pack members between the ages of 10 and 70. At the same time she warned them that anyone who did not participate would be punished. This worried Betas Steeve and Aaron as well as Alpha Sloan who asked for a private meeting with Mara and Orion. Sage joined the meeting.

“What kind of punishment do you want to impose on my pack?” Alpha Sloan demanded of Mara as soon as the door to his office was closed. He was too concerned for his members to be disturbed by the fact that Mara was sitting in his seat. Orion at his back.

“I’ve noticed a lot of things falling apart around here. The nursery is gone, the playground is unsafe, and I’m not even talking about the shabby state of the hospital. Yet your finances are good. How is this possible? Mara inquired in return.

“We are short of manpower. There have been violent attacks on our last few sites and people are afraid to come back. But that doesn’t answer my question.” Alpha Sloan replied.

“It does.” Orion declared.

“I don’t see how?” Alpha Sloan retorted.

“Given the hostility of your pack towards us, a good number of them will not follow my order which means I will have the manpower needed for the rehab work.” Mara explained calmly as aloof as ever.

“So that’s the point of all this?” The Alpha asked.

“No, your pack is under-trained and with the threats hanging over your heads, they all need to be able to defend themselves and protect their own. We’re just taking advantage of this to kill two birds with one stone.” “Mara explained.

“Now, if you don’t have any more questions, please leave I have work to do.” Mara dismissed them.

Sage didn’t want to leave her just yet. He had taken advantage of the exchange between her and his father to observe her. She was beautiful but so small - smaller than average for a she-wolf - that she looked fragile. And with Orion standing behind her, ready to neutralize any threat to her, she looked even more defenseless. At the same time, she was completely detached from her own emotions, which made her unreachable. She was completely destabilising him. Reluctantly, Sage left the office and followed her father and their two betas into Aaron’s office - which was the farthest from where Mara and Orion were.

“How did she get access to information about the pack’s finances?” Alpha Sloan questioned.

“No idea because it wasn’t us who provided it to her.” Beta Aaron answered.

“She is more resourceful than we thought." Beta Steeve remarked.

“What do you think of her and Orion?” Alpha Sloan asked him.

“I don’t trust them, but it seems like they are really trying to help the pack.” He replied.

“And why does she meet with Violet twice a week?” Sage asked in turn.

“She claims it’s to help her get over the past. Violet has, in fact, accepted her help to move on.” Beta Steeve asked, not surprised that Sage knew about Violet and Mara’s meetings. Everyone in this room knew that Sage wasn’t leaving Mara even though it was from far.

He sighed and added, “She’s right though. The pack needs to be better trained.”

“I know...” Alpha Sloan agreed.

“What are we going to do?” Beta Aaron asked.

“For now, nothing. We’ll let them do it. I have every confidence that you, Steeve, will warn us of any suspicious behaviour by either of them. Also do the training schedule, you’re in a better position than them to do it in a more efficient way for the whole pack.” Alpha Sloan stated.

A few days later, rogues attacked again. They stole food and robbed the town bank. Mara and Orion went there - accompanied by Beta Steeve, who never let them out of his sight - to see the damage. Mara asked him on the way about the patrol routine. She and Orion wondered how the rogues could intrude so easily.

“Call Julian. We need him.” She ordered Orion, who nodded before walking away and pulling out a phone to call, this Julian surely.

“Who is Julian?” Beta Steeve asked her as she watched Orion walk away.

“A hybrid, half werewolf, half wizard. He’s going to help us strengthen the borders of the territory. It’s time for these attacks to stop!” She explained before walking away to chat with the bank teller who was robbed.

The poor young lady was still shaken by the violent attack she had just suffered and Beta Steeve was surprised to see the gentleness and kindness Mara displayed in talking to her. Beta Steeve watched her speechless as she showed compassion and understanding for the pack members. He sensed through the pack bond that her gentle demeanor reassured the present members. He would have never guess that she was able to display a so warm behavior. For the first time he saw the potential Luna in her. Did Mara have two faces? If only he knew...