Chapter Fifty-Two
Graham sent his knuckles into the punching bag with a satisfying thwack. He kept his pace, pounding into the bag with quick jabs. He’d spent his entire morning filling out forms and signing requests. It was his least favorite part of the job. Now, he was working out, honing his strength and keeping his muscles loose for the upcoming challenge. Not that he was worried.
He’d been told Stuart was sobering up, practicing against anyone he could get his hands on, even Jensen. It brought a smile to his face as he thought about how good it would feel to pummel that face tattoo until it was unrecognizable. A tattoo that didn’t belong to him in the first place.
A sheen of sweat coated his body as he continued to pummel the bag with his fists and his legs. The alternative music blared in his ears as he focused. He felt every muscle expand and contract in his body. Then his fists met resistance. He stopped punching and flexed his fists as he noticed Lucien holding the bag for him with a knowing smirk on his face. Graham took the earbuds out of his ears and walked away.
“Not looking for a sparring partner today, Pup?” Lucien mocked.
Graham chugged his water and started to unwrap his wrists. “It’s not necessary,” Graham finally answered.
“A cocky one, aren’t we? I saw your dueling partner Stuart working with Jensen this morning.”
Graham smirked. “Some of us need the practice while others have work to do,” Graham responded with a cool look. He didn’t trust Lucien. The man was too old, too cunning, too hard to read. Plus the stunt he pulled with Catherine the night before still simmered below the surface. Graham crossed his arms and leaned back against the table. “Is there something I can help you with?”
Lucien walked around Graham’s gym with his hands behind his back and a curious expression on his face. “Why haven’t you marked her yet?” he mused, casting Graham a quick glance to gauge his reaction.
Graham kept his face impassive. He decided to tell the truth, because he had a feeling Lucien already knew. “Jensen commanded it.”
Lucien chuckled. “Good ole Jensen, huh? Always trying to play God. Or…” Lucien turned to face Graham. “Is he trying to stop the Goddess?”
Graham sighed. “What are you getting at?”
1:1:|:|: ཀ ན ལ ས མ་་གྲགས་དེ་
“Have you considered why Jensen hasn’t allowed Catherine into the pack or why he won’t let you mark her?”
“He wants to force my hand to become Beta.”
S
Lucien puckered his lips. He took a few steps over to Graham, feigning interest in some resistance training equipment. “And you think if you become Beta he will suddenly give you permission and welcome her with open arms?”
“He won’t have a choice. As Beta I can welcome or banish who I please. As for the marking, we are working on that ourselves,” Graham said, interest piqued.
Lucien stood only a few feet away from Graham now, rocking back and forth on his heels. “Hm, do you not think his reluctance has to do with the other scent she carries?”
Graham’s body locked up. He stood straight, squaring up to the old lycan. “Catherine is mine.”
Lucien held his hands up in surrender. “I never questioned that. But… someone did get their little fang into her before you, didn’t they?” Lucien stepped even closer. “Dominic DeAngelo sure loves to play the long game.”
Graham’s hand shot out and gripped the lycan’s throat. Lucien smiled, not making a move to defend himself. “I’ll decapitate that fucker’s head and rid the world of him once and for all.”
“And what about the other’s who will come after him, Pup? Hm?”
Graham’s brow furrowed. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“There is a reason her father doesn’t want to acknowledge her. There is a reason he doesn’t want you to mark her. And it has nothing to do with you being
Beta.”
“Fucking spit out what you want to say, or leave. I have no time for goddess-forsaken riddles!” Graham spat, releasing Lucien with a shove that sent him back a few feet.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Lucien chuckled. “Only because you asked so nicely, dear boy, and because I find this whole situation a refreshing change of pace in my 672 years of living.” Lucien gave Graham a look as though he were about to explain how the sun rises to a six year old. “Catherine is gifted by the moon goddess.”
“Yes, yes, her wolf and human self are intermingled so that her instincts are always above the surface and she is more one with herself. I also know she’s been able to shift since she was a child,” Graham said, wishing to get past the backstory he was already familiar with.
Lucien laughed heartily. “And her other gifts?”
Graham stiffened. “What other gifts?”
Lucien chuckled again. “Oh dear boy, your mate is so much more than you can imagine and it will all be revealed once you are able to sink your fangs into her,” Lucien said, illustrating his points by lengthening his own canines.
“You’re saying my venom will activate her gifts? What gifts?”
Lucien shrugged. “It could be many things. I have known a dozen or so with her gifts. One could teleport. Another could heal with a simple touch. The one before Jensen could light their enemies on fire with a single glance.”
“Jensen? What of Jensen’s gift?” Graham asked, fully invested in what Lucien said.
“Ah, Jensen, he keeps his gift quite close to his belt. Especially because it wasn’t revealed until after lovely Rebecca came along. You see, Jensen can turn any human into a wolf,” Lucien revealed with a large grin.
Graham took a step back and sat on the table. “So you’re insinuating that Catherine’s mother…”
“Was a human who Jensen turned and then impregnated after being mated to his dear luna. Hormonal teeangers, you know how they can be.”
O
“So Catherine…”
*Precious Catherine, a first generation magical entity. The first in hundreds of years. We all know how inspiring they can be,” he whispered, his grin growing as he alluded to himself. “I am sure you’ve scented the magic on her. How else could she resist me?” he taunted. Graham was too busy trying to connect the dots in his head to care.
“Dominic discovered this? How?”
Lucien shrugged. “A devious fucker that one is. He certainly thought he could claim her as his own but something stopped him. Divine intervention perhaps? Makes you wonder though…”
“What?” Graham asked, taking the bait.
“How ever did she escape him?” Lucien pondered.
“Why are you telling me all this?” Graham finally asked. “You are not one to openly confide in anyone unless for your own personal gain. What is it you
want?”
Lucien smirked. “I knew I’d chosen well, I do want something from you, Pup.”
“You can’t have her!” Graham bellowed, standing firmly and feeling his skin crawl.
Lucien laughed. “My mark would do us no good. Have you not been listening? You must mark her. No, what I want is from you.”
“What is it?”
“You.”
“What?”
“I am in need of a new second in command. The last has vanished into thin air and I have a feeling he’s perished. I need someone new who won’t get himself killed. Someone with a mystical mate would certainly be a plus. I could help her too, you know. Us originals must stick together and all that garbage,” Lucien said with a flutter of his hand.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Graham scoffed. “I’ll not leave my pack for yours.”
“Loyalty, another admirable trait,” he commended. “Stupid in this case, but admirable.”
“Whatever Jensen knows and isn’t telling me I’ll get to the bottom of. I will not carelessly throw away the sacrifice my father made for his alpha only to make the same sacrifice for another,” Graham declared.
Orange cream filled his senses and he turned to see Catherine opening the door to the gym with a plate in her hands and her apron slung over one arm. Her bright smile faded as she noticed Lucien. “I’m sorry, am I interrupting?” Catherine asked.
“Nonsense,” Lucien answered. “We were just wrapping up our discussion.” He turned to Graham and held out his hand. Graham hesitantly shook it. “Think about it. Perhaps after you’ve defeated the weakling and claimed what’s rightfully yours,” he said with a pointed look at Catherine. “You’ll see the light. I look forward to the challenge.”
Lucien sauntered off and paused beside Catherine. He whispered something to her so low that Graham couldn’t hear. Her expression turned to one of confusion. As Lucien walked out she turned to watch him go. Graham walked up to her and took her in his arms in a possessive grip. He tilted her head up and he tried to search her eyes for any hint of truth behind Lucien’s words.
“What did he say to you?” he asked.
Her lips pursed. “He told me he looked forward to seeing me at the challenge and even more to what I would be the day after.”
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Surrendering to Destiny
