Pack Ties, Blood Lies

Chapter 40 - Quite the Enigma

Melting out of hollows, like cheerful ghosts, the runners began to usher us in various directions. Sorted by pack, rank, and gender, the crowd was soon swept away to various allocated rooms.

I was being ushered towards one of the bridges that spanned the river when the hairs on my nape began to rise.

I immediately turned, my body knowing even before my mind who strode behind me.

The Elders were marching my way, flanked on one side by my father and Luna, and the other side by James, Anna, and Jack.

The heavy thrum of power that pulsed around them was impossible to ignore and wolves cleared out of their path without question.

My mouth went dry, and my palms began to sweat.

It was time.

I felt faint as they stopped beside me.

Edda smiled, suddenly drawing me in to a tight hug. "You poor thing." She said softly. "You have been through more that most wolves could handle."

Her eyes were assessing as she looked over every inch of me. Even taking the time to walk in a slow circle to ensure she had assessed all angles.

She shot a look at my father. "And she really battled a wolf, unshifted?" The disbelief in her voice was unmistakable.

Julian nodded sagely. "Multiple times."

Alden had still not spoken. I glanced at him curiously, wondering if maybe he was mute? His eyes twinkled with something like amusement for a brief second, before his impassive expression returned.

I was starting to feel uncomfortable in my role as a zoo-exhibit to the high and mighty when the Luna surprised me by speaking. "My apologies, I hate to rush you, of course. But as you said, she has been through an awful lot. Is there anything you can do to finally put an end to it?"

Edda smirked, looking more like a mischievous teen than our High Luna. She threw a dismissive shrug to Hazel and shook her head. "Nope."

No one moved or spoke for a second. My heartrate was doing it's best to outdo any race of it's life.

I felt a wave of disappointment flush though me, deflating me at the same time as it settled on my chest like a lead weight.

I was stuck like this. In this limbo of confusion in my own mind.

Julian finally recovered. "But... Nothing?" His disbelief seemed to be speaking for him. "You are the most powerful pair of our kind... and you are telling us that there is nothing that can be done?"

Edda's smirk widened. "No, Alpha Row. I am saying there is nothing we can do." Her eyes flashed with mirth as she skipped to my side, lightly pulling back my hair to reveal my mark.

"I'm right, aren't I?" She asked me directly. "You never sealed the deal?"

The whole party save our Elders seemed to suffer a strong dose of mortification at her comment, serving only to encourage her glee that little bit more.

"I knew it." She exclaimed triumphantly. "Half a bond has its own kind of whiff."

She spun to face Jack, whose gaze I had been carefully avoiding until now.

"Is there a problem?" She demanded of him, making him look the most uncomfortable I've ever seen him.

He shot an awkward glance at his parents and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah no..."

Edda sighed and glanced between us in clear exasperation. "Then get to it. You are risking our safety... and quite likely her sanity." She peered at me again. "You have fangs, correct?"

I nodded. "I do... But I didn't when we... Ah... When I was marked."

I couldn't help but feel very exposed, having this conversation not just in present company, but in the middle of what had just been an extremely busy walkway.

I squirmed as my words clearly provoked even more intrigue.

"Quite the enigma. We can discuss this more at tonight's event." The low, gravelly voice of Alden came as somewhat of a shock after his long silence. He captured my gaze again, a slightly sympathetic smile twitching the very corner of his lips. "Forgive us. We will leave you to settle in. I'll have a runner show you to your accommodations."

Edda huffed a little but didn't object. Sending one last parting sentence over her shoulder as they left us. "Don't go consummating anything just yet. We can decide what is for the best once we know all the facts."

Another raging blush lit my face.

A conversation with the Elders about my fangless sex life. Just peachy.

...And I'd been worried about Holly's first impression.