Gabriella’s POV
“For your sake, I won’t lose the war. Just trust me on that, alright?” Nicklaus reassured me, sensing my heavy guilt.
I couldn’t find the words to respond; my guilt and worry overwhelmed me.
“I sent Mateo to handle the situation, and it went relatively well, although my pack is somewhat divided. But that’s normal; Mateo left the pack without hesitation to save me,” Nicklaus continued.
The mention of Mateo saving him caught my attention. “Wait a minute, ‘save you’? What happened that you needed saving?”
“It’s all in the past, so don’t trouble yourself over it,” he replied, attempting to brush off the topic.
“No, I want to know. Please tell me what happened.”
“While you were sleeping, I was ambushed and injured. Jessica arrived just in time to rescue me.” The mention of her name ignited a pang of jealousy within me.
“Jessica is a witch?” I asked, my curiosity mixing with my jealousy.
“Yes,” he confirmed. My heart tightened; I understood he didn’t have romantic feelings for her, but I couldn’t help my emotions.
“What happened to Mateo, then?”
“He never arrived here, and we lost his scent, making it difficult to track him down. I’ve been worried sick, but the same day I was planning to tell you, Estella fell ill,” he explained. The pieces fell into place; he hadn’t wanted to burden me further when our daughter was unwell.
My pity for him deepened, and he continued, “We found some of his belongings and lost his scent again, making it hard to locate him at the moment.”
“Oh my, I’m so sorry. What do we do now? How can we find him?”
“I received a call from my pack members. The enemy left a message demanding that I surrender, or they’ll kill Mateo.”
“What? Why does everyone seem to be throwing around the word ‘kill’ lately? Is it some sort of trending phrase I missed?”
He looked at me, confused. “What do you mean by people using the word ‘kill’?”
“One of the elders suggested that we sacrifice our daughter to seal Dedusa away for good.”
“What?” His eyes blazed with anger, and his expression turned deadly serious.
He roared with anger, his frustration and worry evident in his demeanor. I tried to calm him by touching his face gently, saying, “It’s okay, love. Our daughter is safe, I promise you. Margaret is addressing it at the meeting. Just try to remain calm.”
His fiery gaze gradually subsided as he nodded, allowing me to hug him for comfort. “Why is everything falling apart like this?” he questioned with a tone of despair.
“I understand how overwhelming it is, but instead of dwelling on the problems, let’s channel our energy into finding a solution. Together, we can figure this out,” I reassured him, trying to bring a sense of focus.
“What’s our plan now? Estella needs us, Mateo needs us, and the pack needs us too,” he implored.
“Estella’s solution will come from Margaret. Once the meeting is over, we can discuss it with her and gather more information. As for Dedusa, I’ve learned a bit more about her from the book I found. It seems her motivations are rooted in her past experiences,” I explained.
“Tell me more,” he urged, and I proceeded to share the details with him, shedding light on Dedusa’s heartbreak and pain.
“This nightmare will come to an end. I’m sure of it,” he said, hugging me tightly to comfort me.
“But what about finding Mateo? You’re not seriously considering turning yourself in, are you?” I questioned, my concern evident.
“Facing my enemy might be part of my plan,” he responded calmly.
I pushed him away slightly, my frustration boiling over. “Selfish much? How could you even suggest that? What about me? What about Estella?”
He tried to assure me, “I’m a strong alpha, and I won’t give up without a fight. Have faith in me.”
“No way! We will find another way, there must be a solution that doesn’t involve risking your life,” I insisted firmly.
“Alright, I hear you. I won’t consider it as the first option, but if we run out of choices, I might not have a better alternative,” he reasoned.
I interrupted him, determined, “We won’t let it come to that point. I promise you.”
Just then, one of the witches approached us, diverting our attention. “Margaret requests to see both of you under the big tree,” she informed us.