Chapter 80: 80-My Aim Is My Mate
Haiden:
The minute that was announced, I felt all the stress in my body start to release. But it was the look on William Stark’s face that made me the happiest.
He began to shake his head instantly.
"No, no, no, no, no. I cannot go and stay there. I’m an old man. How do you expect me to survive there?"
As he began to beg, Clementine started to laugh.
"Just like you sent me to survive there. Come on, you’re an Alpha. You said I wasn’t a fighter, yet you sent me there. So you’re a fighter. Come on, you’re better than any woman. Why can’t you go and survive there?"
It was the way she was speaking. I had so much confidence in her. She didn’t even cry one bit while her father was being punished. That’s how I knew that man never deserved to be a father or an Alpha.
"William Stark, it seems like you are also a proud crusader."
I laughed even while tears were forming in my eyes. I was finally getting justice. He began to clench his jaw.
"And you know what? Maybe we’ll come across your body someday in the North. Don’t worry. We will definitely celebrate your death in the best way possible."
As soon as I said that, I put my hand around his neck and lowered my face into his.
"And if I find you alive, you better believe it will be the worst for you. So just pray the minute you land there, you die," I said before I pulled back.
I had done my part. I wanted to kill him right then and there. But the humiliation and punishment he got were perfect for him. He began to beg and sob until his eyes landed on Clementine again.
"My daughter, you will come find me and save me right in the North."
He had the nerve.
Now everybody was watching Clementine, because they weren’t afraid to admit that the father had been brutal to her. And then, in a very dramatic and stylish way, Clementine stepped forward and tilted her head.
"Of course I will look for you. It is my job, remember? I’m supposed to find and slay the monsters," she said, clicking her tongue while her father’s eyes widened.
"How can a daughter hate her father so much?" he began to scream.
But at this point, the council had brought in the warriors. I guess everybody was afraid I would lose my temper and end him here and now. Him being naked was just the cherry on top. He looked like such a pig.
Then came the nail in the coffin when one of the 19-year-old girls said something.
"The Alpha has such a tiny wee-wee."
Everybody burst into laughter. The Alpha quickly hid his face, but then he had to hide his dick as well. It was just a mess, the way they were dragging him around, showing him to everyone before finally taking him away.
The pack members had started to wander off. The Alphas had begun to leave. The council gave me a gentle pat on the back, but I guess there wasn’t much they could do for me anymore. I was a crusader. That was my life now.
Once everybody left, it was just us crusaders in the same dark room. The same dark room where my sister was probably tortured for days before she passed away.
"I will leave you here with the others," Clementine said, trying to walk away.
I held her hand. I understood why she wanted to run away. She was probably thinking I would hate her because she was the daughter of that man.
"I was wrong," I said.
She turned to look at me.
"I was. You were right. I was taking my anger out on you because I couldn’t take hold of your father. But thank you. Thank you for reminding me. Thank you for always fighting me back. I’m so glad you were here with me tonight. It all would have been impossible without you, Clementine. You know you’re a true crusader, right?" I said to her, watching her smile a little, though there were still tears in her eyes. Not necessarily for her father, but because the monster was finally put away yet our lives were ruined forever.
We were just crusaders. We could celebrate all we wanted, but at the end of the day, we will go back and face the monsters, and not live a normal life.
"I’m glad justice was served, Haiden," she started. "And I think it will change a lot between us."
The minute she said that, I watched Troy and Yorick step closer to us.
"And by that I mean, at least we will be able to perform our missions without hating each other."
I did not expect her to say that. I thought maybe she would talk about our mate bond. But since she didn’t, I couldn’t either.
"Yeah, right. Of course," I said. "I hope you will forgive me for my past actions, the bullying and everything," I uttered.
The way she nodded, I could tell she was lying.
"Come on, be honest, Clementine," I insisted.
The other two were just standing around us, awkwardly.
"I can forgive you, but don’t expect me to forget. It was a lot for me too, Haiden. And although I understand what you’ve been through was way worse, I guess everyone decides for themselves what is a lot and what is not," she said and I agreed with her. Sadly, that’s why I couldn’t say anything either.
"Anyway, we should head back to our room. Tomorrow will be another big day. We will talk about what will become of my pack," Clementine said.
And I guess in other situations, she would have been declared the Alpha of the pack. But she couldn’t be. She was just a crusader now, just like the rest of us.
"Okay," I said.
She was the first one to walk out of the room. Now it was just the three of us.
"We are glad that you got justice for your sister and mother. The look on that Alpha’s face was hilarious," Troy started.
"Dude, don’t even get me started on how he shivered when somebody called his dick small," I noticed Yorick was clenching his jaw, almost like he was pretending to laugh.
"What is it, Yorick? Speak your mind," I said. He turned to face me, and with a smile on his lips, he said,
"Don’t expect me to be okay with the fact that you can have Clementine as your mate."
I did not expect him to say that. It came out of the blue.
"Why not? You don’t own her," I said, reminding him they had briefly dated for one month, and it ended horribly because those two messed her up.
"Haiden, I didn’t want to talk about it tonight, because it’s a night of victory for you. So don’t push me into saying something that would upset you. Which it shouldn’t, because apart from the mate bond, there was nothing between you two. Nothing was ever supposed to happen between you two."
I didn’t understand what Yorick was trying to say before he walked out again.
"What is up with him? Is he possessive over Clementine or what?" I asked Troy, who shrugged.
"I don’t know. It’s like the minute everybody sees she’s so gorgeous, they just change their views about her. I always knew her. I was the only one who befriended and treated her nicely, regardless of how she dressed." Troy’s comment made me raise my eyebrow at him. He was doing the same thing Yorick was doing, just in a more subtle way. And to think they were talking about my mate like that. I was not happy.
Well, I guess they were underestimating me. My past trauma was over. I got justice, so I was supposed to move forward now. And with the Moon Goddess already gifting me a mate, and that too in the academy, it must mean something. So while I didn’t respond to Troy or Yorick, I was confident in my mind about what I was going to do next.