Chapter 24: Chapter 24
Elara POV
I ran back home as fast as I could, my bag of clothes clenched between my teeth. Not because I am afraid of M&M looking for me, but because I do not want anyone to learn about Braden.
If the High Council kept vampires from us, there must be a good reason. And something tells me that if they found out I knew, I would be in more trouble than my “mates” were willing to rescue me from.
I dive behind a tree, shift back and get dressed. I went to Braden with hope, and I am returning with frustration because we did not have enough time.
“Where have you been?” Monroe rushes over to me, grabbing my arm painfully.
“For a run,” I yank my arm free, glaring at him. “It’s not like I broke a law or something.”
“Next time, you must report to us before leaving the mansion,” he huffs.
“Says who?” I raise my eyebrows. “Did my mates give you a direct order to track me?”
“No, but ...”
“But nothing,” I cut him off. “I’ve done nothing wrong, and until I do, you don’t need to reprimand me for anything.”
“I’m not reprimanding you,” he huffs. “You’re being summoned. That’s why we’re looking for you.”
“Please,” I roll my eyes. “My mates can wait until I’m ready to see them.”
“It’s not the alphas,” he clears his throat. “It’s the High Council.”
I fight to keep my composure as my stomach dives. Do they know about Braden? How and when and ... oh, fuck me.
I nod, take a deep breath and steel myself before walking towards the mansion. My heart catches in my throat when I see who is waiting for me in the foyer ... Elder Anton and a tall man in a pure white robe.
A High Elder.
I had never seen one in person before, but I knew they wore white instead of the High Council’s traditional black.
Shit.
“So,” the High Elder’s eyes glide up and down over me. “You’re the one who is causing all this trouble. And the one I’m here to take care of.”
Flabbergasted, I gape at him. What is that supposed to mean? Is he here to help me or permanently get rid of me?
“Take care of me?” I shriek when I finally find my voice. “You mated me off to two shifters who don’t give a damn if I live or die as long as they get to claim the she-wolf they actually wanted.”
“You should be taking care of them,” I continue, heat creeping from my neck to my cheeks as the words tumble out. “They’re the ones who spat in the face of your whole mating practice and got us all into this situation.”
“Miss Montgomery,” The High Elder clears his throat, but I am on a roll.
“And while you’re at it,” I interrupt him. “Why don’t you take a closer look at those so-called practices of yours and ask yourself why you ever allowed something like this to happen in the first place!”
I was not just angry about being mated to Kane and Axel, I am also angry that we are in the dark about the Great Wars, and the other creatures who walked among us.
“Shut your mouth, girl,” his voice booms, and I shrink back until my back is pressed against the door.
I shrink back until my back is pressed against the door. His icy, grey-blue eyes flash as his wolf surfaces.
“You are not a Luna,” his voice drips with disdain. “And you are barely even a mate. The only purpose of she-wolves is to produce pups and support your mates. So shut your mouth and remember that.”
We march straight to the entryway to meet the High Elder.
“What the hell?” I mumble when I see the High Elder tower over Elara, jamming his bony finger in her face.
Hot rage courses through my veins at the sight, and Elara’s fear rolls off her in waves. Deep inside me, Hunter claws his way to the surface, eager to get his paws on the man who is berating Elara.
“Ah, yes, here are your mates,” the High Elder says in a cold voice. “Perhaps they will put you in your place.”
“She’s in trouble,” Axel says, and a cold knot twists around my chest.
“No shit,” I reply.
Propelled by our wolves and our own overwhelming desires to protect her, we march straight up to the High Elder and step between him and Elara.
“Can we help you?” I ask, advancing on him and forcing him backwards, further away from Elara.
“If you have a problem with our mate, Elder,” Axel’s voice is stone cold. “You can take it up with us first.”
I turn to face Elara, and she looks at me wide-eyed.
“Get your bitch in line, Alpha,” The High Elder steps towards us, his voice a low warning growl, and it is enough to snap me out of my thoughts. “Her behaviour is improper for the mate of an Alpha.”
He glances over at Elara, and she grabs my arm, squeezing it tightly.
“If you don’t get her under control,” the High Elder continues. “Then you will be to blame.”
“You motherfuc ...” Elara steps forward, but I throw out my hand, catching her before she can piss off the High Elder even more.
“I wouldn’t say that if I were you,” I whisper.
“What are you talking about?” she looks confused. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Holy shit, did you hear that, too?” I mind link Axel, but I can feel his heart beating crazy just like mine.
“Yeah,” he replies. “What the fuck?”
We did not claim Elara like we did Alice, so why can we hear her inner thoughts?
“Elara, can you hear us?” Axel asks the question I am wondering, too.
“Elara,” I push my thoughts straight to her. “Elara, can you hear me?”
Her expression remains confused as she looks from me to Axel.
“So, that’s a thing, I guess?” I say, before turning back to the High Elder.
“High Elder, why are you here?” I ask sternly. “To flex your power by intimidating a she-wolf who’s never bothered you?”
“I’m here because this is highly unusual,” His pale face reddens. “A pair of shifters haven’t taken a second mate since ...” He halts abruptly and clears his throat before continuing. “This is rare, and we must discuss how this will work.”
“Since when?” Axel hisses. “Anton wouldn’t say what the loophole was for, and now the High Elder refused to say when it was last used. These assholes were definitely hiding something.”
“With all due respect,” I say through clenched teeth, irritation burning off me. “We’ve got it under control.. The mating was successful, what else is there to say?”
Except it was not because we could not hear Alice, but we could hear Elara’s thoughts. But the council does not need to know that.
“I know Elder Anton has expressed some hesitancy about your double mating,” the High Elder continues. “But I think this could open a lot of doors for our kind.”
“We think this kind of mating could be part of all of our future ceremonies,” Anton steps forward.
I suddenly sense a hum vibrating around Elara that I am surprised to recognise it as anger immediately. I am used to this kind of connection with Axel, but with a she-wolf I did not claim?
“But because this is new for all of us,” Anton continues. “We must be close by for any necessary damage control. Which means we are going to be very involved in the process.”
“The process of what?” Elara demands, rushing forward with wild eyes. “Are you going to sit there in the corner watching while my mates fuck me?”
“Not now, Elara,” I take her gently by the arm.
“See?” The High Elder waves his hand at Elara. “This is why you need our supervision.”
“You have a sister, don’t you, Elara?” the Elder looks at her, and I catch her now too familiar scent of fear, “It would be a shame if something were to happen to her because you couldn’t comply.”
“Your threats aren’t necessary,” I growl, reaching for Elara’s hands as she trembles beside me. “Tell us what this is about. Why have you changed the rules?”
“It’s simple,” the High Elder smiles. “We want our Alphas to have more offspring and therefore a higher likelihood of producing stronger wolves. Alice is expected to provide pups to Kane and Axel.”
The High Elder turns to Elara, and I swear his lips curl into a smile. “But so are you, Elara.”
