Chapter 129: 6

I stare down at my palm, and my heart shrivels. Is my life really that

worthless to these people? I grew up around them. Just because I don’t have a wolf spirit, they would have let me die? Just because Willow voluntarily went to the human police station, her father tried to kill me?

When I look up, Mary’s eyes are wet, and her lips are trembling. “I should’ve checked my messages. I’m so sorry, Alice. When I think about what could have happened—”

I try to smile at her and fail. “It’s fine. I’m alive, right? Nothing bad happened.”

She hugs me tightly. “I don’t understand this pack sometimes. You’re the nicest person there is. You don’t deserve this.”

Slowly, I wrap my arms around her waist, holding on to her. I need to hold on to somebody. I always try to stay upbeat and positive, but at times like this, the deepest, darkest thoughts within me rear their ugly heads.

When Mary pulls back, she looks at my palm once more. “How did—I’m still surprised you managed to get here in time. Did anything happen on the way?”

I’m about to shake my head when I remember the man in the woods. It was such a brief meeting, though, on account of my running away with my tail between my legs.

“I ran into somebody,” I murmur, tracing the scar in the center of my palm. “He was a shifter, but he wasn’t from our pack. I’m sure of it. He didn’t know that I didn’t have a wolf spirit. He was—” I wet my lips, remembering how my body reacted to him. “He was kind to me. He was very handsome, too. I’ve never met anybody like him.”

As soon as I mention that part, I feel the heat crawl down my neck. I don’t know why I mentioned it. Mary studies me, her brows raised now. “What was his name?”

I avoid her gaze, shrugging. “No idea. But he wrapped something around my hand. It’s in the garbage there.”

To my shock, Mary digs out the piece of cloth from the trash can. She studies it for a minute, and then her eyes widen. “No wonder. It’s a healing bandage.”

“A what?”

She glances at me. “It’s a piece of cloth enchanted by witches. White witches. Healing bandages are rare. They’re usually used in battles by soldiers—and not just any soldier. We learned about them during our training sessions, and I know how to identify them.”

“So, it’s a healing bandage,” I say hesitantly. “But my wound wasn’t healed.”

“No, it wouldn’t heal you,” Mary agrees. “The only way I can explain how this works is that it stops the flow of poison, or it stops the wound from getting further infected. It’s witch magic mixed with our healing magic.

Like I said, these are very rare. I’ve never seen one in person.”

“Shouldn’t Edith have been able to identify it?” I ask, mystified.

Mary shakes her head. “She must not have been paying attention. She probably just took it off and threw it away. The magic in it is very faint, but I can sense it. You’re a lucky woman, Alice. Meeting that shifter was fate.”

“What kind of shifter would be able to get his hands on such a thing?”

“A dangerous one,” Mary replies heavily. “If I were you, I would stay away from him. He must be someone from the Wolf Kingdom. They’re the only ones who have contracts with white witches. You must have met a royal soldier.”

Her words render me speechless. The Wolf Kingdom is ruled by the royal family. The fighters who serve them are referred to as royal soldiers, and they are known for their brutal nature. From the way the man I met was creeping around, he clearly hadn’t wanted to be discovered. If he had been in a different sort of mood, would he have killed me?

I let out a shuddering breath. It seems I escaped death twice today.

“Don’t think too much about it,” my friend reassures me. “What’s done is done. You are alive and well. Let me patch you up here, and I’ll take a quick break. We can go for a walk.”

Mary is a gifted healer, and I am sure that once she comes of age, she will be promoted to a senior position. She’s a year younger than me, so probably next year.

Once she’s done with me, she walks me out, asking, “It’s your birthday tomorrow, isn’t it?”

“Seems to be the case.” I fiddle with the small box in my pocket. “Let’s do something together. Do you have to work?”

“No, it’s my day off.”

Mary latches onto my arm. “Let’s get you a dress for the mating gathering.”

“I’m sorry, the what?” I feel confused.

Mary smiles. “You’re going to be twenty-two! Next week is the mating gathering at the royal palace. All eligible females are supposed to attend. You just have to be of age.”

I stare at her. “You’re kidding me, right? I’ve never heard of anything like that.”

Mary stops and faces me. “You don’t have a choice, Alice. Attending the mating gathering is mandatory. All eligible male and female shifters from each pack have to attend so that they can find their fated mate. It’s not that big a deal. The party only lasts a day. You get to stay at the palace. It’s really nice.”

“How do you know?” I ask her suspiciously.

Mary gives me a secretive grin. “My sister attended hers two years ago. I was allowed to go with her. I had to stay on the sidelines, but I saw her find her fated mate. It was so fascinating. My now brother-in-law stepped forward, and this red thread formed around his finger. It snaked its way around the ballroom floor till it found my sister, and then it formed a ring around her finger.”

I feel uneasy. “But I don’t have a wolf spirit, so I’m sure I don’t have to go. There’s no way I would be invited.”

“You can check the list sent by the palace,” Mary tells me. “If your name isn’t on it, then you don’t have to go. But it will be. The list is already up. Willow is also going.” Her voice lowers to a whisper. “She’s been going for the past couple of years and hasn’t found her fated mate. Rumor is she’s eyeing the prince, but he has never made an appearance.”

The glee in Mary’s voice is infectious, and I smile. “You’re ignoring the part where I can’t possibly be eligible, Mary.”

My friend scowls. “So what if you don’t have a wolf spirit? Just go, have a good time, stuff yourself with all the fancy food, and then come back. It’s a party. So, go party!”

The idea of being surrounded by so many shifters looking down on me is terrifying.

“What if I don’t go?”

Mary pauses, her voice serious. “Don’t do that. You might get in trouble. The palace doesn’t like its orders being ignored.” She loops her arm through mine and begins walking. “We’ll get you a dress. A nice one. And shoes. They’ll be my birthday gift to you.”

There’s no point in arguing with her. I never thought much about fated mates as I was growing up, once I realized it was never going to happen for me. But now, I’m wondering, “What happens if the two fated mates don’t like each other?”

Mary moves her shoulders in a quick shrug. “It has happened before. The whole idea of fated mates is that the two individuals are best suited for each other and complement each other, but there are times when the mates don’t like something about the other, so they reject the bond. There’s nothing stopping someone from choosing another mate.”

“What if they choose somebody else’s fated mate?” I ask curiously.

Mary glances at me. “Again, it has happened. My mother told me about it once. When she attended the mating gathering, one of her friends rejected her fated mate for another male. That wolf shifter also had a fated mate, but he decided to go with my mother’s friend instead. They’ve been together for over forty years now. It’s more common than you’d think.”

My lips curve in a sardonic smile. I guess the only thing I’ll be doing at the party is eating. Although I doubt my name will be on that list.

However, just ten minutes later, as Mary and I stand in front of Alpha Black’s office, where the notice board has the list pinned to it, I feel my heart sink. My name is indeed on the list. And so is another name.

Cyrus Black.

Alpha Patrick Black’s only son and one of my worst bullies. This is not going to be a fun party.

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