Chapter 62: Elowen’s Surprising Move
The heavy doors of the war council chamber burst open without warning. Two royal guards stumbled in, dragging a cloaked figure between them. The hood fell back to reveal Princess Elowen; her elegant features composed despite the rough treatment. Her lavender-and-steel scent cut through the room like a blade, carrying layers of ambition, confidence, and something sharper...calculated risk.
The triplets rose as one, golden eyes narrowing. Seren’s claws flexed instinctively beneath the table, her wolf bristling at the sudden intrusion of their ambitious sister.
Elowen lifted her chin, meeting their gazes without flinching. "Brothers. I come under the flag of parley, not as enemy. At least... not today."
"Remove her," Kael growled, already half-shifting, dark fur rippling along his arms.
"Wait." Aeron’s voice cut through like ice. He studied Elowen with narrowed eyes. "Speak. Quickly. Before we decide whether to throw you in the same cells where Castor’s traitors rotted."
Elowen smoothed her gown with graceful hands, though her scent betrayed no fear...only cool assessment. "I have spent the last weeks consolidating power among the noble families who resent your... unusual arrangement. Many still believe a single ruler is needed. They hate the idea of three alphas sharing a throne almost as much as they hate the thought of northern savages burning their estates and claiming their daughters as spoils."
She paused, letting the words settle. "But they hate foreign conquest even more. Magnus’s march threatens everything. I have gathered pledges from seven major houses and twelve lesser ones. Their troops, their gold, their spies. All ready to stand against the north...if we work together."
Theron’s shadows lengthened around him. "And what do you want in return, sister? The crown you’ve always coveted? A knife in our backs the moment Magnus is dead?"
Elowen smiled thinly, her eyes flicking briefly to Seren. "I want a place in the new power structure. Negotiated. After we defeat Magnus. I will not accept exile or a minor title. I offer an alliance now; my forces join yours at the river plains. In exchange, we discuss my role once the north is broken. Joint rule has its... complications. Perhaps a regency council. Perhaps a formal partition of certain territories. We can negotiate terms that satisfy all parties."
Seren’s enhanced senses caught the subtle notes beneath Elowen’s words: ambition like spiced wine, calculation like polished steel, and the faint sour edge of deception. Elowen was not lying outright, but she was holding back. The princess truly hated the idea of northern conquest more than she hated her brothers’ triumvirate, at least for now. But the moment the threat passed, betrayal would be inevitable.
Kael’s laugh was bitter. "You sent guards to shadow us in the catacombs. You plotted to remove Seren so you could ’guide’ what remained. Now you want us to trust you with troops at our backs?"
"I never wanted you dead," Elowen replied coolly. "Only... manageable. The bond with your human...now wolf...made you unpredictable. But Magnus makes you vulnerable. We need every sword. Even mine."
Aeron leaned forward, voice deceptively calm. "And if we refuse?"
"Then I withdraw my support and let Magnus weaken you further. Perhaps enough that I can step in as the saviour afterward." Elowen’s gaze flicked to Seren again. "Or perhaps I let him take what he claims is his. A changed wolf would make a powerful symbol for his cause."
The bond flared with protective fury from the triplets. Seren felt her own wolf rise in response, a low growl building in her throat before she swallowed it down.
The room descended into tense debate. Loyal nobles argued against any alliance with Elowen, citing her past schemes. Newly rewarded houses saw the practical value; her pledged troops could double their strength at the ford. Theron’s informants confirmed her claims: several resentful families had indeed rallied to her quiet call, united by fear of northern invasion.
After long minutes of heated discussion, Aeron raised a hand for silence. "We accept the alliance. Fragile as it is. Your forces join ours at the river plains under joint command. No independent manoeuvres. Your troops answer to us. After Magnus is defeated, we negotiate your position. Betray us during the battle and there will be no mercy, no matter our blood tie."
Elowen inclined her head, a small smile playing at her lips. "Wise. I expected nothing less."
Kael’s claws scraped the table. "One condition. Seren remains under our direct protection. You do not approach her without our presence."
"Agreed," Elowen said smoothly, though her scent carried the faintest trace of irritation.
As the council adjourned to formalize the pact, Seren walked beside her mates through the torch-lit corridors. The bond hummed with shared wariness.
"She will betray us the moment it benefits her," Theron murmured. "The alliance is paper-thin."
Aeron nodded. "We use her while we can. Her troops give us numerical parity with Magnus. But we watch her every move. Theron, double the shadows on her people."
Kael pulled Seren closer, his arm a solid wall of protection. "If she so much as looks at you wrong on the battlefield, I will end her myself. Blood or not."
Seren’s new wolf senses picked up the undercurrents even in their private conversation: the triplets’ love and protectiveness wrapped around a core of steel. They did not trust Elowen, but they recognized cold necessity. The kingdom needed every advantage against the northern storm.
That night, the fragile alliance was sealed with formal scrolls and witnessed oaths. Elowen’s forces, already camped discreetly outside the capital, began moving to join the main army. Messengers rode out to coordinate the defence at the river plains.
Seren trained late into the evening with Kael, her shifts growing smoother, her control sharpening under pressure. The knowledge that Elowen’s eyes were now on her made every lesson feel more urgent.
As midnight approached, a scout burst into the royal chambers, face ashen.
"My lords, my lady...Elowen’s vanguard has arrived as promised, but Magnus has accelerated his march. His main force will reach the river plains by tomorrow night instead of three days. And... there are reports of northern scouts already making contact with some of Elowen’s pledged houses. Whispers of side deals."
The bond tightened with suspicion.
The alliance had barely formed, but cracks that Magnus would surely exploit were already showing.
