There were others who she assumed were Alphas based on their ornate clothing, tattoos, and prideful faces. She noted one was a female. They were all seated in large, wooden chairs.
Rem stared at Ronan, eager to be near the familiarity that was him, even finding a comfort that he would be here. She wanted to go sit next to him, to ask him to take her back to Nia.
As they were guided over, the clouds moved out of the sun’s rays, stark lighting casting many shadows.
"Be seated next to the Alphas that brought you here. On folded knees," an Elder commanded.
Rem didn’t have to be told twice as she held her breath and neared Ronan, his eyes falling from hers to the chainmail. He sat in the middle of the Alphas, and she chose his right side as she knelt down next to him, remembering the empty seat to his right was for a Luna.
Leaves tumbled over the stone plaza when the wind scooted them along. Rem placed her hands in her lap, eyeing the trees that were fashioned to embody a sanctuary, as if the goddess herself sprouted it out of the Earth for such a purpose.Please, goddess, if you are real, don’t let them hurt Oliver. Do whatever you need to, as long as he lives.
It wasn't long after that that Josie was brought out, her eyes red and puffy. She took the spot next to Rem, which was already tight with another Silver there. She belonged to the female Alpha, it seemed, along with the girl named Shia.
Rem scooted closer to Ronan to make space. Her shoulder touched his wooden chair, the heat of his body radiating into hers, her cheek leaning in with little thought as she wanted to get closer to his warmth.
She watched the hypnotizing rhythm of Ronan tapping his fingers, fixated on how rugged his hands were. They were the opposite of hers, which only ever worked with food or clothes. Looking up his arm, she spotted a white scar that started at his wrist and reached his elbow. Plenty of others were etched into his skin, faded with time.
Ronan was like a prime hunter, captivating women of all ages. She recalled Hugo, remembering how she'd always run to greet him with fresh bread. She had even daydreamed of him taking her away with him, something he had suggested once.
That was so far away now.
Something rotten rooted in her stomach when thinking about Hugo. Where he would once kindly smile and thank her for the bread, no doubt his eyes would become murderous, perhaps even opting to shoot her full of silver bullets or arrows.
All over something she couldn't control.
He might even try to kill Ronan, someone who had only helped Rem. And who would she defend, if it came down to it?
The sound of someone singing a slow, haunting melody pulled her out of her thoughts. Elders walked through the tall trees, their red outfits stark against the green, singing as they moved.
Ronan raised a hand to lightly caress his chin, and Rem listlessly followed the movement. In a quick glance, her eyes went from his face to his chestnut hair that was tied back in a low bun, a few loose strands in his eyes.
He slowly blinked and looked down, the smallest raise of his scarred brow acknowledging her. A strike of nerves struck through her body and she quickly straightened her shoulders, facing ahead, rapidly tapping her fingers on her thighs.
She heard him move, lowering her gaze to slightly glance his way, registering that he leaned down. “Easy,” he said to her in English. “Calm.”
She gave a weak nod, an involuntary smile spreading on her face. Forming white-knuckled fists, she steadied her breathing.
This is for Oliver. For yourself. For gran, who would no doubt tell me to cast my fear aside, as the Alpha was watching.
Rem smiled to herself, wondering what her gran would say about Ronan. Right away, she figured her gran would tell Rem to do everything in her power to claim that male. Not only for Oliver, but for her own future.
The singing stopped when the thirteen Elders moved towards the Silvers with small wooden bowls in their hands, placing them in front of each of them. Rem stared at the bowl placed before her. It was full of a creamy liquid, and she thought she smelled something that reminded her of roots.
Ronan clenched the arm of his chair when Rem heard the clearing of a female’s throat.
Looking up, she saw that an Elder remained before the group and every vein in Rem’s body flowed with an icy dread.
It was Fiona.
17
CHALLENGING FIONA
R E M
Rem wasn’tthe only one utterly shocked to see Fiona; Ronan gripped the arm of his seat, glaring at her through furrowed brows with eyes devoid of any warmth.
Fiona addressed Rem with a kind voice that went against everything she knew of the witch. “Good to see you, Remara. I was invited out here by her majesty herself. I am glad to join you in such a monumental part of your life.”
