Pack Ties, Blood Lies

Chapter 42 - Fun Thieves

Instead, when I looked up, I found his soft gaze on my face. A small smile playing on his lips as he watched me joke with my friend.

Feeling a little self-conscious, I turned back to Holly just in time to see the Elders approaching our group over her shoulder.

A sudden frown furrowed Holly's usually cheerful face and she stilled. Her eyes widened, pupils dilated, and her skin lit with a slight flush. She scented the air with curiosity.

Alden quickened his step, arriving to us a meter or two ahead of Edda.

Holly spun to meet him. Their eyes locking and a shiver running through them both.

"Mate." Holly mumbled. A trace of fear lacing her words.

Shock fizzed contagiously throughout our small group. It was completely unheard of for an Elder to take a mate.

They usually cohabited platonically with the other Elder, giving up the idea or opportunity of a normal life and access to love interests.

The Point is so rarely visited that it would take a miracle to place a mate into an Elder's path in ordinary times.

But these were no ordinary times.

It made sense that in the bustling crowd, with the breeze from the sea, they had not scented each other earlier. Especially with Holly almost bathed in another man's stink.

Edda finally caught up, having witnessed the whole thing from the marching shadow of her colleague.

"Well now. Alpha Row's Pack has all the surprises." She murmured, tilting her head slightly to get a better look at Holly. "You're the one that was playing tonsil tennis with the big guy at the podium this morning, aren't you?"

I squirmed in mortification as the colour drained from Holly's face. A hand flew to her mouth, smothering a gasp.

Jack's rich laughter interrupted the silence and he moved to Holly's side, slinging a friendly arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry Holly. I wasn't a virgin when I met my mate either."

Her eyes widened in further horror, and I growled at the callous idiot beside her. "Jack! Not appropriate!"

Snorting Jack shrugged. "What? It's not the Middle Ages. You weren't a virgin when we got together either."

Edda was following our discussion with a wide grin. "Oh, how I've missed the drama of outsiders! It can get awful boring in here over the centuries." She nudged her frozen companion, snapping him out of his confused trance. "So? Are you going to accept the girl or not? We have a party to enjoy."

Holly stammered, tripping over words in a muddled garble that made no sense, shaking her head furiously all the while.

Alden closed his eyes solemnly and dropped to one knee. Taking Holly's hand in his own. "It would be my honour to accept."

Holly squeaked. Almost falling over as she jerked backwards. Jack caught her easily, setting her onto her feet and discretely twitching her dress hem to rectify an almost nip-slip.

I hid a smile. I loved that Jack was so free and easy-going. But I loved even more that he was genuinely caring and sweet. To almost everyone.

Alden was still in his spot on the floor, looking perplexed. "I don't understand. Do you not wish to accept me?"

Holly gulped, looking to me with wide eyes as if I could answer for her. When she realised that couldn't happen, she managed to turn back to Alden.

Dropping to her knees she bowed low and dropped her head to the side to expose her neck. The submissive gesture was a show of respect to his power but lasted mere seconds before she dropped procedure and grabbed his hands.

A tremor ran through her as his powerful aura mixed with their mate bond to electrify her senses.

"I don't know what this means for me. Will you give me time to think?" her words were hushed, almost obliterated by the music.

The scene hadn't gone unnoticed to the busy room and my eyes landed on my father, watching with unmasked horror from the side-lines.

Edda clucked her tongue, grabbing the forearm of both and pulling them to their feet as easily as if they were made of paper. "You have much to discuss. As do I with Charlie."

The two Elders shared a moment of silent conversation, eyes rippling with the only sign of their communication.

Nodding, Alder spoke. "Very well. My lady..." he turned to Holly, who turned again to see if there was someone else behind her. Seeming to realise, she gulped and returned his gaze.

He held out his hand. "Will you accompany me tonight? I believe we have a lot to discuss."

"As do we." Edda added, jerking her head at Jack and I and then over to an empty table.

I glanced at Holly worriedly, watching as she placed her hand into Alder's with no small amount of trepidation.

We exchanged nervous glances. The magic of the night suddenly plummeting back into the reality of the complexities of life.

I sighed and followed Edda. So much for the party. The fun thieves came way too early.