248

Logan’s POV
It took a bit of persuasion, but Theron eventually stepped in to assure Lia that he could manage the remaining appointments on his own. Lia appeared puzzled by the idea that she needed to come with us, but one look from Oberon-his classic don’t-question-your-father expression-was enough to silence any protest. She rolled her eyes but didn’t push further.
As we neared the Elder Council House, Elder Keziah was already on the porch, waiting for us.
“Keziah!” my brother and I greeted in unison, each placing a kiss on one of her cheeks.
“There are my boys!” she beamed, drawing us into a warm embrace. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten me, but then I saw you coming.”
“Elder Keziah has the gift of foresight,” Liam explained to Lia and Oberon, “she often sees things before they happen.”
Lia’s eyes widened, clearly taken aback by the revelation.
“And at long last, you’ve brought your beautiful mate to meet me,” Keziah said with a hint of playful scolding. “I’ve been seeing flashes of her for months, but not a single one of my visions came close to doing her justice. You are absolutely stunning, my dear.” She extended her hands toward Lia, who stepped forward to accept the greeting.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dahlia.”
“Thank you, Elder Keziah,” Lia replied softly, her tone gracious. “I’m happy to meet you too.”
“Oh, just Keziah, please. No need for formality. Goddess knows these two never bother with it,” she teased, tilting her head toward us.
Her attention shifted to Oberon. “And you must be Beta Connor-her father.”
“A pleasure, ma’am. Please, call me Oberon,” he said, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. I could’ve sworn I saw the faintest blush rise in her cheeks.
“Well, let’s all move into my office. There’s much we need to discuss.”
We followed her inside, and with every step I took, the nerves began to churn more violently in my gut. I could feel Liam was just as tense-our bond made that crystal clear. He took Lia’s hand and led her to the small sofa in Keziah’s office, pulling her down beside him and leaving space for me on her other side. He knew our wolves wouldn’t tolerate having any distance between us.
“Well,” Keziah began, settling into her chair, “since I already foresaw that none of you gentlemen would bother explaining the true purpose of this meeting to poor Dahlia, I suppose I’ll have to be the one to break the news.” She gave us a pointed look, then softened as her eyes landed on Lia. “And I suggest none of you interrupt until I’m done. Dahlia, dear, you may speak up whenever you wish.”
Lia looked startled, her mouth parting slightly. “Wh-what?” she stammered, turning to Liam first, then to me, and finally to her father. Her expression said it all-she felt ambushed and betrayed.
“I’m truly sorry you feel blindsided, child,” Keziah said gently, stepping in before anyone else could speak. “In fairness to them, I did advise that this conversation wait until we had more information. So if there’s anyone to blame for the secrecy, it’s me. Please, let me explain.”
Lia gave a small nod, giving Keziah silent permission to continue.
And so, Keziah began to unravel the mystery-speaking of the Celtic Wolf, its animistic nature, and the rare empathic abilities it possessed. Both Lia and Oberon listened in silence, stunned by each new revelation.
Of course, Keziah couldn’t explain it all without referencing our suspicions-and that meant recounting the shared experiences Liam and I had described to her. As she did, I kept my eyes fixed on Lia, gauging every flicker of emotion on her face.
If I hadn’t witnessed it myself, I wouldn’t have believed it possible for someone’s skin to turn that shade of crimson.
“You… When I… At the same time?” she sputtered, her voice barely above a whisper. “Oh Goddess, kill me now.”
The last part she muttered to herself, dropping her gaze to her lap and refusing to meet our eyes.
“If it helps at all,” I leaned closer, speaking softly into her ear, “we didn’t realize it was linked to your… activities at the time.” I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She tried to pull away, but I held on.
Keziah then confirmed that Lia’s wolf bore the Triskelion mark and turned to Oberon for insight. He admitted that he’d seen the mark but never understood its significance.
Finally, Keziah concluded by emphasizing the urgent need to locate someone within Lia’s circle who had the knowledge to train her.
“What if that person is no longer with us?” Oberon asked, his voice thick with grief. “What if… it was her mother?”
I saw the way Lia blinked back tears, and the heartache etched onto her father’s face.
“If we’re unable to find that person, we’ll face that challenge when the time comes,” Keziah said, offering what comfort she could. “Still, I don’t believe that will be the case. My visions aren’t always perfectly clear, but I’ve glimpsed Dahlia using her abilities. That tells me she will be trained. Without that guidance, her gift could become more of a burden than a blessing.”
Her words left all of us uneasy, but her confidence in Lia’s future gave me a sliver of hope.
“I’m an only child, and both my parents were lost… as were my wife’s,” Oberon said quietly. “There’s only one person I can think of-Dahlia’s aunt. My wife’s sister.”
“But Daddy,” Lia said, her voice barely audible, “Keziah said the Celtic Wolf is Irish. Mama was Spanish.”
“You’re right, ” he murmured. “Your mother was Spanish, at least by heritage. But her parents-and her sister-were not.”
Confusion crossed Lia’s face as Oberon took a deep breath and continued.
“Your mother’s father-your grandfather-was next in line to lead his pack. He met your grandmother on her eighteenth birthday and claimed her immediately. She was the daughter of a neighboring Alpha, an ideal Luna in every way. But three years later, when the time came for him to assume leadership, your great-grandfather refused to pass him the pack.”
“Why?” Lia whispered.
“Because your grandmother hadn’t yet given him a child,” Oberon explained. “Your great-grandfather insisted he reject her and choose a new mate who could bear him an heir. But your grandfather refused. He loved her deeply-enough to walk away from the pack. They left Ireland and moved to Spain to build a new life together. And when they still couldn’t conceive, they chose to adopt… a beautiful Spanish girl with long, curly hair and the most mesmerizing blue eyes.”
Oberon’s eyes shimmered with warmth as he spoke of his late wife, and Lia’s tears spilled over, falling freely as she listened.
“I never knew,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“By the time you came along, her parents had already passed,” he explained gently. “She rarely spoke of them.” He paused before continuing. “A few years after they adopted your mother, they were shocked to discover she was pregnant-naturally, after all that time. Just months later, your Aunt Calliope was born. They raised both girls in Spain until their teenage years, then made the move to America and joined the Midnight Moon Pack. So you see, your aunt carries Irish blood. She’s the only one I can think of who might help.”
Lia’s voice cracked as she replied, “But… we haven’t seen her in over five years. Not since before Mama…” She trailed off, the word left unspoken. “Do you even know how to reach her? What if she doesn’t want to help me?”
“I still have a few contacts at Midnight Moon. We keep in touch here and there. I was told Calliope returned to Spain years ago but has since come back. I think I can find her,” he said thoughtfully.
Lia’s expression turned from uncertain to overwhelmed. “And in the meantime? What am I supposed to do with all this? It feels unreal-like my head is going to explode.”
“I understand,” Keziah said calmly. “Believe me, I know how overwhelming this is. But try not to dwell on it too deeply right now.” Lia blinked at her as if Keziah had just grown a second head. Keziah lifted her hands in mock surrender. “I know, it sounds absurd. But you’re surrounded by unanswered questions, and trying to solve them all at once will only lead to frustration-and that kind of stress could be dangerous, especially with a power you haven’t yet learned to control.”
“But I’ve been in stressful situations before,” Lia argued, brows knitting. “Nothing ever happened.”
“That was before you met your fated mates,” Keziah said with soft conviction. “Mates are sacred to our kind-gifts from the Moon Goddess herself. And in the life of a special wolf, their role often holds even more significance. You were given two mates, two protectors. The Goddess has a reason for that. The moment your bond was sealed, something was triggered in you, Dahlia-something ancient and powerful. Even if you didn’t feel it at the time, it awakened your gift, and now it’s growing stronger every day.”
Liam leaned forward, curious. “Is that why she can command me? Are her powers affecting us too?”
That caught both Keziah and Oberon off guard.
“What?” they exclaimed in unison.
“Yesterday, during training,” Liam began, “we were sparring. She had me pinned-not for long, nothing I couldn’t get out of. But then… her wolf told me to stay down. The moment she said it, I felt it. Like an Alpha command-it rolled over me like a wave. I couldn’t move. I was frozen until I tapped out, and then she released me.”
Even Keziah looked stunned. Every gaze shifted to Lia, who seemed more mortified than anyone else in the room.
“I didn’t know what was happening,” she confessed, her voice small. “My wolf told me afterward what we’d done. She said… she asked the earth’s spirit to help hold him down.”
“Well,” Keziah said slowly, “that was unexpected… but it makes sense. If Selene has chosen you for a divine purpose, she would ensure no force-not even your mates-could prevent you from fulfilling it.”
Lia appeared lost in thought then, her expression shifting as if some forgotten memory were surfacing. Liam noticed it too.
“What is it, Angel?” he asked, voice low.
“I’m not sure,” she said after a pause. “Maybe it’s nothing. But when I was unconscious, during my fever… I had a dream. At least I thought it was a dream. I heard the Moon Goddess. She told me to rest-that she had big plans for me. I figured I was just delirious, but now… I don’t know. Maybe it meant something.”
Keziah nodded, her voice gentle. “I think you may be right.”
With that, the meeting drew to a close, though our minds were anything but settled. My wolf stirred anxiously inside me, his concern for our mate making my own nerves fray at the edges. I could feel Liam mirroring my unease through our bond. We both needed to keep Dahlia close-to ground ourselves, and to ensure she felt safe.
As we walked back to the pack house, her hands stayed firmly in ours. The gesture wasn’t just for her comfort-it was also for ours. Holding her, even in that small way, reassured us that she was still with us… at least for now.
At the front steps, Oberon came to a stop and announced he needed to return to Crystal Moon. Lia pleaded with him to stay a little longer, but he convinced her that the sooner he went, the sooner he could reach out to his contacts and, hopefully, her aunt. He promised to call as soon as he had news. Reluctantly, Lia let him go, clinging tightly to him one last time before watching him drive off. As soon as his car disappeared down the path, Liam and I ushered her inside.
Dinner was already underway, and none of us had eaten since breakfast.
“Let’s get you fed, little wolf,” I murmured, nudging her gently toward the dining room.
At our usual table, I pulled out the chair beside mine and guided her into it, dragging it close until our thighs touched. I wanted to pull her into my lap, to hold her fully, but I knew doing so would only stoke the already ever-churning rumor mill. Liam sat on her other side. He didn’t crowd her, but he kept her hand in his beneath the table, refusing to let go.
The three of us ate in silence, each of us lost in thought. Around us, the rest of the table carried on as usual-loud, lively, unaware of the weight hanging over us. Or maybe they noticed and simply chose not to comment. Either way, we ate quickly, eager to retreat somewhere quieter where we could begin processing everything we’d just learned.
“Movie night in the common room?” Bastian offered.
“It’s been a long day,” Liam declined before I could. “We’re going to call it a night early.”
Nikolai grinned knowingly, clearly jumping to the wrong conclusion. I didn’t correct him. What could we even say at this point?
After bidding everyone goodnight and urging them to have fun, we made our way straight to the Alpha floor. When we reached Lia’s room, she walked inside without hesitation, not bothering to check if we were following-she simply assumed we would be.
And she was right.
The moment the lock clicked into place behind us, we all exhaled together. It felt like we could finally breathe, finally let the weight of the day slip from our shoulders.
At least for now.