[JER]
"We warned you against that Clarkson girl... You invited death to the doors of Sicario... Even Ajuoga, the same warlock you had killed, warned you about Malika. Look at what is happening now.
"Death has broken the doors of Sicario and it's claiming even the children. Is this the Sicario you wanted for your people? Is this the Sicario you wanted to make known to the realm?
"You are a shame to all the Alphas of Sicario, Jeremiah. We really shouldn't have let you take over the Alpha position," another elder said and Jer could feel the room closing in on him. They couldn't abandon him, not like that, right?
There was just no way that they were blaming the misfortunes of this pack on the woman he had loved right? It was not within any reasonable boundaries and Jer was getting irked.
"That's my wife you're talking about. I don't care what you say about me, but another word against my Luna, and I will march you out there myself and let the invaders kill you. Don't tempt my fury, old man," Jer threatened.
"How else can you explain this situation then? They obviously came because they knew we had a Luna who couldn't even lift a sword. With Sicario and the entire house Sicario dead there is no one capable of holding them back and even you know it.
"Our once-powerful pack was pushed seven ranks below what it was last year. We are clinging on number nine on the list of the strongest packs. If that doesn't make you wonder what went wrong, then you are crazy.
"I want no part of this dumb meeting. I would rather pick up a sword and defend our home than listen to you," the elder said, before he walked out of the meeting.
He was followed by a few more elders who were not pleased with how the situation was currently. It was only then that Jer saw the magnitude of the mesh had been in over the years he had failed to keep up with the tradition and keep everything the same.
Instead, he had focused on Malika and Malika alone, sure, he wasn't ever going to leave his woman, but then he couldn't let her be blamed for all of this.
He would tell the elders that his wife wasn't the reason death was known at their doorstep for the third time in just two years.
"Save them and I will owe you my life," Jer said to the warlock who just smirked at him.
She had heard that statement one too many times and finally, she was already used to it. This man had come to her one too many times, only to disappear on her like there was anyone who could be better than her in the art of magic.
"You chose Ajuoga over me. I warned you but you didn't listen. Tell me, Jeremiah, how did it go with the elders? Did they tell you that your Luna was the reason death was at your door?" the warlock said and Jer turned to her with disapproval on his face.
He was going through enough already and he didn't need to deal with this woman too.
Jeremiah had been getting enough shit with the elders and if she wasn't going to help him out, then she didn't need to be taunting him about the only choice I had ever been sure of.
He had genuinely fallen in love with Malika and if they made him reject her, he would reject them instead. That woman was his, no matter what anyone said.
Oh, Jer.
"I see you're here to laugh at me. Excuse me while I try to figure out how to get out of here and save my people," Jer said to the warlock who just laughed at him like he was way too late.
However, even if he was, if she managed to open the pack house doors, he would be able to get most of the innocents in the pack house and save them from the invaders. It was hectic, but it was worth trying.
"If I help you out, what do I get in return?" the warlock asked like she hadn't heard him the first time, and he stared at her disbelievingly. Of course, he should have expected this. No one ever really helped him out without asking for something.
Jer knew it was a dangerous proposal, but what else could he do now? He had people dying out there who needed him to stand up for them and he needed to find his Malika.
"Whatever you want, but you must not touch Malika. If anything, you must protect my Luna, only then can we have a deal. We both know how strange and demanding your requests can be, especially since the last one got me killing Eniola."