Page 62 of Called By Fate

Almost, I reiterate, knowing Reed is listening to my inner monologue, and he chuckles in response.

"Ugh, someone tell the trio I love them," I say around a mouthful of another bite. The table shakes from the force of my mates’ combined growls, and I look up from where I'm shoveling in my divine meal, only to realize what I said. “Not literally, you fucking cavemen. I'm only thankful for their foresight for thefood.”

Vin stops suddenly as if realizing what he’s doing then clears his throat and nods in agreement. “It was thoughtful of them,” he admits, and the others concede. It’s so nice to see Vin completely unburdened like this and not weighed down by some fucked up duty or blackness crawling through his veins because of me. He looks happy and healthy, and he cooks for us because hewantsto. Not because he has to.

"It was," Kaos says, forking down his own meal. My mates could give me a run for my money in a food eating contest, that’s for sure.

"It's nice to have people like them around, period," I confess. "For so long, it was Ash and I against the world, so long I'd forgotten what having a family—people who utterly support you in every aspect of life—was like." My heart pangs at the thought of Ash, and I sigh, placing my fork on my plate, which draws my mates' attention to me. They know how much I love food so if I’m stopping, it’s serious.

"What's wrong, Pet?" Elian asks, watching me with those emerald eyes of his. The mask he normally wears is gone this morning, although I have a feeling it will come back when he goes out to take care of business today. The real Elian is for our eyes only.

I rub my necklace for comfort and decide to come right out with what’s bugging me. “I’m worried about Ash,” I admit. “Has there been any word on her whereabouts or how she’s doing?”

He shakes his head. “I'm sorry, but no. The Elders must be holding her close because there hasn't even been a whisper of her anywhere. I even asked the trio for their help.” He rakes his fingers through his sex-mussed hair. “I thought I’d be able to find out her location by now.”

I sigh, having figured as much but hoping all the same. “It infuriates me that they still have something of mine in their grasp. And her poor parents…”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Sadie,” Reed says softly, taking my hand in his. “She made her choices.”

“I know, but she was my best damn friend, my family, and for some reason, I miss her despite what she chose to do,” I say quietly.

“She doesn’t deserve you,” Dante snaps.

They’re still pissed at her for her actions, but I keep coming back to not knowing if I would’ve done things differently if I was human and it were my parents or Skylar on the line. I was supposed to protect her from shit like this, and I failed.

Kaos’ eyes soften like he can sense my inner turmoil. “We’ll get her back, don’t worry,” he says, taking my other hand from his position on the other side of me. Dante huffs, but nods. I’m grateful for them and their understanding, even if they’re still angry.

I decide to pick my fork back up and eat because I know the guys won’t finish without me, and my sad bullshit isn’t fair to them. Plus, it would be a shame to let Vin’s cooking go to waste.

"What's on the agenda for today?" I ask, trying to distract myself.

“Matilda needs my help on some policy shit,” Reed says with a sigh. I know he’s been having to handle a lot lately assuming his new role as King. “I'm trying to abolish some of my father's ridiculous rules. Unless someone is directly attacked and has to defend themselves, there will be no more fighting. I'm also getting rid of the rule that shifters and Light Weavers can't mix. We may not have treated them like the Night Weavers did, but we also didn't do anything to help either."

And that reminds me. “There's something I've been wondering, Vin,” I say out loud, turning my attention to my shifter. “What are the Night Weavers holding over the shifters? Elian once said something about a life debt?"

Vin sighs and rubs his temples. "To understand the whole story, I have to start at the beginning.” He pushes his plate away and settles back in his chair. “The story has been passed down for generations. Like a story we tell each other at pack meets around the campfire. They say that shifters were once wild and free. We lived in packs and roamed wherever we wanted.

“Until some of the packs decided to band together to help strengthen our numbers. That pack grew and grew until almost every shifter had joined forces, but it was mainly a verbal agreement. Then one day a powerful shifter emerged, and he became our Alpha, the Alpha of all Alpha's."

My eyebrow raises. "So must have been really powerful then?"

“He was,” Vin agrees with a nod. “So much so, he convinced every shifter to join his pack. By doing so, my forefathers had to share blood with him, that way the bond was stronger. Everything went well for many years it seems. The story says that things changed when the Alpha's mate was captured and taken right after he found her. That poor man had been searching and searching for his equal and when he finally found her... she was ripped away.”

Anger eats at me, but I don't say anything so he can finish his story.

"He went on a rampage and was desperate to find his mate. So, when the Elders offered a deal to find her and bring her back... he did the unthinkable and accepted. What he didn't realize is he was damning us all to a life of servitude. He thought he could kill the Elders after getting his mate, but it didn't work out like that."

"Oh Goddess, Vin. That's awful. I can't imagine," I whisper.

“The shifter community turned the Alpha into a villain. He became the reason for the shifters' oppression. Chose his mate over his people when the choice should have been different. But after having met you…” He fixes me with a searing look. “I don't think I could've made a different choice.”

"Vin..." I breathe.

“No,” he says. “I'm serious. I'd do anything for you.” The look in his eyes tell me he means it too.

“We all would,” Kaos agrees, and for a moment I’d forgotten the rest of them were here.

I shake my head. "No, not at the expense of others, right?”

---