Chapter Eight
The following morning I felt like a different version of me, the me I use to be before imprinting on Iris and playing nice for a year just to be duped. I had a smile on my face as I got dressed and so far I had successfully ignored Iris’s phone calls and texts.
I walked to the Council Headquarters again and this time the man behind the counter just waved me through and I took the elevator up to the nineteenth floor again. Natanya stood on the other side and welcomed me to the Council.
“Good morning, Alpha Woods, Miss Catherine is in Conference Room One awaiting your arrival,” she said like we hadn’t done a few inventive things last night.
“Thank you, Natanya,” I said as she showed me to the conference room.
“Miss Catherine, Alpha Woods is here to see you,” she said as I followed her into the room.
She gave me another smile and then left us alone. Catherine was standing by the windows looking out over the city of New York and I could tell she was very nervous.
“Good morning, Catherine,” I said.
“Morning, Alpha,” she replied before turning around.
“Please call me Damon, I wanted to check in and see how you are,” I said to her.
“I feel out of my depth,” she said.
“Why don’t we go out for breakfast, some fresh air will do you good,” I said to her.
“Thanks, I’d like that,” she said.
We walked for fifteen minutes and I offered her my arm when the crowds became too much for her. We walked to a diner and I chose a table in the back. I waited for her to order first and then handed the menus to the waitress.
“I’m sorry for just ripping you away from your pack,” I said to her.
“He really wants me to get rid of this baby,” she said softly.
“It’s not up to him, it’s your choice, the Council will follow my recommendations and the penalty I’ve already imposed on him,” I said to her.
“And what penalty is that? They haven’t really told me anything, only that I’ll be going to a new pack,” she said looking slightly afraid.
“Winston’s penalty is maintenance for you and your baby until the child’s eighteenth birthday, relocation to a new pack is because they wanted to order you to have an abortion so that he would be free to carry on like he wants,” I said to her.
“Why does it feel like I’m still the one getting punished?” she asked me.
“Do you like being an Omega? Did you like working like a slave for minimum wage in that pack? Did you like Winston just using you?” I asked her.
“No, but it’s the only life I’ve ever known,” she said to me.
“And now you’re free, Catherine, with the monthly income you’ll get from Winston you wouldn’t have to work as an Omega anymore, you can do whatever the hell you like in a new pack,” I said to her.
“Won’t they have questions about why I’m there suddenly and pregnant and single?” she asked me.
“They might,” I said to her.
“I don’t know what to do,” she said to me.
“I have another option for you, a bit controversial,” I said.
“I can’t live alone amongst humans as a lone wolf,” she said.
“You could come and live with my pack,” I said to her.
“But you’re not wolves,” she said.
“No we’re not, but nobody will judge you and there’s nowhere you’d be safer than in the Enforcer pack,” I said to her.
“You’d do that for me?” she asked.
“Catherine, what happened to you should never have happened. If you do decide to come with me and take my oath, I promise that you’ll live the life you deserve, Omegas are employees, not slaves, people apply for jobs. You could live in the packhouse or in your own house and I’d treat your baby as one of us and if it’s a boy I’ll train him myself because he will be the heir to the Goodwin pack,” I said to him.
“What?” she asked me.
“It doesn’t matter whether you and Winston are mated or not, he fathered a child, an heir, do you understand what I’m saying to you?” I asked her.
“The ultimate revenge,” she said as she looked at me.
“Yes,” I said to her.
“Thank you, Alpha Damon,” she said as our food arrived.
“You will find that as your pregnancy progresses that your wolf will become stronger because of the infused Alpha genes you’re carrying, this will also change your status since you carry an Alpha child,” I said and she smiled at that.
We ate in silence as I observed her. She had a lot to think about but I couldn’t detect any malice in her, even with everything that happened to her, she didn’t hate Winston, she was angry yes, but no hate and that was exactly why I wanted to help her.
I paid the bill and we started walking back to the Council building as she hooked her arm into mine again. I went up with her in the elevator and we stood in the reception area as she turned towards me.
“I want to thank you for everything Alpha Damon,” she said.
“You’re welcome any time Catherine, you have my card now and if you ever need anything, call me,” I said to her.
“I would like to take you up on your offer,” she said and I smiled.
“I’m glad to hear that, I’ll make the necessary arrangements and we’ll probably leave New York by Friday,” I said to her.
“I’ll be ready by Friday,” she said and walked down the hallway and turned around the corner.
I turned and caught Natanya looking at me as I nodded and pressed the button for the elevator again. The Council wouldn’t be happy, but there wasn’t much they could do about it. My pack, my rules. I felt good as I walked down the sidewalk and kept walking past the hotel where I was staying.
I walked around for hours and by late afternoon I was almost back at the hotel when I spotted a bar across the street. The music was lively and I wasn’t ready to be alone in the quiet hotel room yet. I sat down at the bar and ordered a drink.
I listened in on the human conversations and the things they found important seemed so trivial to me, if only they knew what realities existed right under their noses, they’d realize that life was precious. A man took the empty seat next to mine and turned to look at me.
“Hello, Damon,” he said.
“Have we met?” I asked him. I was usually good with names and faces but I didn’t know this man.
“Not yet but I know all about you,” he said.
“I doubt that,” I said to him.
“You’ve been looking for me, so I thought I’d introduce myself,” he said.
“Wilson,” I said and he smiled at me.
“Congratulations on your acceptance ceremony,” he said as my knuckles whitened at the tight grip on the glass.
“What do you want?” I asked him.
“Not much, although I was a little pissed off when you killed my Beta,” he said.
“Edward wasn’t much of a challenge,” I said to him.
“Pity he didn’t kill you the day he killed your father,” he said.
“Why don’t we take this conversation somewhere more private and we can have a heart to heart,” I said.
“I’m not that stupid, Damon, I know exactly what you’re capable of although I have to admit I was surprised at how quickly you got there,” he said.
“So what’s the point of this whole conversation, because I will find you and I will kill you,” I said to him.
“Doubtful, but you’re welcome to try,” he said with a smirk.
“Ready when you are,” I said as I glared at him.
“Just one more thing before I leave you in peace. How does it feel knowing your pretty little wife was fucked senseless by a rogue?” he asked me.
Without thinking I had him pinned against the wall and my claws were extending from one hand that gripped his shirt as my arm held his throat against the wall.
“You wouldn’t want to make a scene in front of humans now, would you, Damon? Think of the consequences as an Enforcer, your reputation. It was too easy to disguise his scent, my son, Scott, though did have his fun with her. She thought they were in love, so pathetic, but then again, it turned out great for me when you two imprinted, who would’ve thought, the great Alpha Damon is stuck with second hand goods,” he said and pushed me away.
“You’re dead,” I said as he walked past me and out of the bar.
I pulled money out of my wallet and left the bar but his scent had already faded. I walked across the street and back to the hotel. My face had remained stoic but my actions spoke for themselves and he knew that he’d hit a weak spot with that comment.
It had to be true, she’d said Scott as well and that killed me. She loved him and they had just used her, I wasn’t sure yet to what end, maybe to get to Jared because he was a Beta but I had upped the stakes for them when I imprinted on her and claimed her as mine. A wife I couldn’t bear to touch.
“Hello,” I answered my phone without checking.
“Finally, do you know how worried I’ve been?” Iris asked.
“I’m fine,” I said to her.
“When are you coming back?” she asked me.
“Friday,” I said.
“Damon I know you’re hurt but you don’t understand…” she began to say before I interrupted her.
“I understand enough. I can’t talk to you right now,” I said to her as a knock came at the door.
“I love you,” she said and I ended the call.
I walked over to the door and opened it much to my surprise. “I see you brought a friend,” I said to Natanya as she pushed past me holding another woman’s hand and walked into the room.
“This is Cynthia, my girlfriend,” she said as they started kissing each other and undressing.
“Are you playing with or just watching?” Natanya asked me.
“Definitely not watching,” I said as I started to take my shirt off. This was a whole new level of excitement as they reached the bed naked and both of them turned to look at me.
“What the hell,” I said as I took my pants off.