Zara’s POV
“Do you suppose they know?” Levi mind-linked me nervously as we walked into the council meeting room.
I was not sure what the urgent meeting was about, and my father did not give me any details when we were told we needed to attend.
My eyes swept across the well-known room. I have accompanied my father to a few council meetings before, but this was the first time an urgent meeting was called.
The room itself appeared like a courtroom, but it was somewhat scarier due to the lingering scents of strong wolves who had all gathered together.
There were forty-five chairs on the panel, arranged in four rows of ten, with a row of five chairs at the top designated for each of the selected Silver Blessed Wolf pack elders.
The elders would constantly cast you indignant looks, as though they were trying to figure out if you were lying to them.
Even though two Silver Blessed packs had merged years ago, all five seats at the top were always occupied.
The fact that one pack had two head seats at the top was obviously unfair to me, but my father assured me it was the best. He clarified that, despite the merger, the Silver Paw and Silver Tail Packs were unable to reach a consensus on selecting a single council member and that there should have been an unequal number of votes in the end. It was therefore decided that a presenter would continue to serve on the council, one from each of the five blessed packs.
Every pack on the 40-seat panel below had an elder member on the council.
Below was where we would sit, along with the other Lunas, Alphas, and ranks.
The council’s primary goal was to protect the wolf packs from any impending danger or conflict. I guess there was news of a direct threat-were the vampires or witches involved in any sort of plot?
“Know what precisely?” I responded to Levi’s question.
“About us not marking each other?” He asked.
“I do not think so,” I answered as I trailed behind my dad towards our chairs. “You and I are the only ones who know.”
Levi gave a nod and stopped asking questions. Since he was formally regarded as the next Alpha of the Silverado Pack, he was required to attend his first council meeting.
Many ranks from various packs had already filled the room; I had recognized the majority of them from our recent mating ceremony.
As my father passed his close allies, he grinned, held out his hand, and greeted the Alphas. Levi continued the act as we descended to our seats, following my father’s lead.
“This way,” my father called, pointing to the front seats.
We took our seats and patiently awaited the arrival of the council so that we could begin the meeting.
“There are a lot of packs here,” Levi commented.
My dad sank his teeth into his jaw and nodded. He appeared to be upset about something, possibly even furious.
“Every pack appeared to have been invited to the meeting. I am not sure why they felt the need to include every pack. This is something we could take care of on our own.” My father muttered bitterly under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest, and reclined in his chair. “We are strong enough to defend ourselves.”
“It seems like your father is aware of the purpose of the meeting,” Kaya remarked.
“Seems so,” I replied absentmindedly. I had more depressing issues to attend to.
Have I understood correctly? Did my father just mention that everyone was invited to the meetings?
“Dad, you said every pack?” I felt my throat tighten as I asked.
Levi knitted his brows, perplexed by my tense tone.
“Yes,” he muttered, getting agitated. “That was not really necessary.”
My heart skipped a beat when his words sank in.
I did not even need to look back at the entrance to know that he and his Beta were standing at the door. His powerful aura seemed to be sucking the air out of the room.
I closed my eyes, shivering as his intoxicated scent of honey and vanilla reached my nostrils, sending Kaya into a tailspin.
“Mate!” She shrieked and scratched to let out. “Mate is here! Go to mate!”
“Calm the f*ck down!” I snarled. “You will reveal the truth! Do you have a death wish?”
With a sigh, Kaya gave in.
I suddenly had trouble focusing and concentrating, and my mind clouded over as Nicolas’s scent enveloped me.
Ah, heaven!
Nothing but heaven!
I was unable to get enough of it.
“Good morning, Alpha Nicolas,” Levi’s contented voice chimed in my ears. My eyes snapped open, and I noticed Alpha Nicolas and his Beta standing a couple of feet away.
Was he planning to take a seat beside me?
Was he trying to tempt and test my endurance?
“I presume that this seat is not taken?” Alpha Nicolas asked with a calm demeanor, but for a split second, his eyes went black. His wolf must be on the surface, trying to take control.
“This is going to be fun!” Kaya purred, and my heart hammered in my chest.
“Uhm, no,” I stuttered nervously. “N-n-not at all.”
“Excellent,” he uttered, settling down beside me.
I felt insignificant next to him, and he looked even more handsome up close.
Sparks were erupting from where his massive arm was rubbing, creating some friction against my bare arm.
“Oh, girl,” Kaya mused. “If he were between your legs, can you imagine how much better that friction would feel?”
“Not now, Kaya!” I hissed. “You are not helping the situation!”
Kaya laughed, taking pleasure in my uneasiness.
“That is what you get for not claiming our mate,” she said.
“You got your wish,” I growled at Kaya. “Now he is seated directly beside me!”
“Only he came to you,” she snorted. “He is so bloody attractive. My only desire is to put my paws on him and lick him.”
If Kaya persisted in her lustful comments about Nicolas, how in the world was I meant to maintain my composure?
Alpha Nicolas turned his head, and I could feel his gaze burn down on me.
“Are you jittery in your seat all the time?” He asked.
I raised my head to meet his eyes and narrowed mine. I had no idea what he meant.
“Your leg,” he said, gesturing to the minuscule space that separated us. “You’ve been rubbing up against me.”
He bent his head down to my ear. I could feel his warm breath fanning the side of my face. I shiver and close my eyes, drawn inward by his hypnotic presence. I could feel my fluids seeping into my panties.
This man. This wolf. This Alpha. Even though he has not touched me yet, he already possesses such immense power and control over my body.
“If you continue doing that,” he said in a low voice. “I might not be able to control my wolf, and I will not stop him from marking and claiming you here and now in front of all these wolves.”
My eyes jerked back at him in shock. His blue eyes were lustful and mischievous.
He knows! I had no doubts about it. But how?
I took a deep breath, swiftly shifted my leg aside, and crossed it over the other.
Alpha Nicholas was about to continue, but someone interrupted him by tapping the microphone, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Saved by the microphone,” he chuckled stiffly. “That’s got to be the first!”
“All rise!” A relatively young wolf ordered.
The council members walked in and sat down.
After we took a seat, an elderly person approached the podium. He was the same person who performed Levi and my mating ritual.
“Lunas, Alphas, and other ranks,” he said, clutching his glasses up his nose. “I would like to express my gratitude to you for attending the meeting.”
The wolf’s eyes swept over the other wolves before settling on me. He looked angry, maybe even disappointed, with a drop of worry. I felt a chill go down my spine.
Goddess, was this meeting called because of me? Does the council know?
“We have received word that the Red Howl Pack has declared war on the Silverado Pack.” The Elder was blunt in his announcement.
Whispers and gasps filled the room, creating panic among the pack.
If only I had known that the rumors of war among the packs would excite a different kind of war between Alpha Nicolas and me…
****