CHAPTER HUNDRED THIRTEEN
Vincent pov
As I walk down the corridor, I can't stop thinking of the consequences that may come our way. I can't lose my mate; no matter what they say, I just can't. But since the news made the rounds, I've been buried with phone calls, letters, and emails from all over the damn continent. Since Enya is the first human-wolf hybrid to survive the law, everyone wants to know if she has any abilities like ours, if she can shift, or if she has a wolf. I can't answer any of those questions because I don't know myself.
Enya tightens her grip on my hand. At first, I didn't think she'd go along with this plan, but as always, she's with me.
Yesterday we had a huge fight, all because of me and my carelessness. I couldn't think straight, the possible consequences were the least of my worries, and somehow, she understood why I was so paranoid. But that's a thing for the past; today, we are on a mission.
"Whatever happens in there, remember I love you," Enya whispers as we approach the massive door of the hearing room.
A lump forms in my throat; I can't utter a word, so all I do is nod. I wish I could tell Enya how madly in love with her I am. I wish I could tell her I'd do anything, everything to protect her, but emotions are too high right now, and no one needs an Alpha having an emotional breakdown. Little by little, we are getting closer and trusting each other more, but every time I have to screw something up, or there will be other obstacles in our way. I wish our lives were a little easier.
The guards open the door for us, and we walk in, hand in hand, our heads held high. As soon as we appear in the sight of the others, a wave of whispers erupts. I can see Angela and her wannabe Alpha of a mate near the Council of Elders. Of course, they have to be here, or they could risk losing the pack they've been mistreating for so many years. If it turns out that Enya is Blade's daughter, the pack is hers.
We stop near Angela, and though she thinks I don't notice it, I see the dirty looks she's throwing at my mate. I clear my throat and announce. "Before the hearing begins, may everyone present be my witness: I will behead Luna Angela if she so much as looks at my mate again. The dirty looks are a personal attack, and I won't tolerate any disrespect towards myself or my beautiful Luna. May that be a warning to everyone in this room, including the Elders. I didn't come here to fuck with a bullshit attitude. Do I make myself clear?" My voice echoes off the walls, and a deathly silence overtakes the entire room. I may be relatively calm and definitely a fair Alpha, but I can't say the same for my wolf. We are opposite sides of the world- I prefer peace and quiet, while Damian is a true ruler of chaos and destruction.
One of the Council members rises from his seat to speak up. I couldn't imagine that I'd hear one of them speak again, but they are full of surprises. Oddly enough, I don't see their speaker either. I assume this is supposed to be a closed hearing. "We agree with the statement and warning Alpha Romano just voiced. No matter who the woman is, she is still Luna of the pack, and she shall be treated as such. The Council won't interfere in any fight that might break out in this meeting room, and neither will our guards. Everyone has heard the warning; the rest is up to you - whether you survive or not." I didn't expect anyone to agree with my statement, but I'm glad they did.
While the Council agrees with me, it's clear as day that Angela is not going to back down, and she's quick to speak her mind. "With all due respect, Alpha Romano has already killed my only child; of course, I look at him and his mate with nothing but hatred. I'm sure many in this hall can relate to my situation. I can't bear to be around these two, for it's their fault that I had to bury my child. My daughter didn't deserve what they did to her! I demand justice!" I knew she'd bring up the subject of Allison, but her whole family knew the brat had it coming. If she didn't ignore every warning in her way and let her survival instincts kick in, Allison would still be alive. Well, to each their own. Allison was a person who should have feared the person she was becoming because that was her biggest downfall.
The Council member shakes his head; I think I see a slight smile on his lips. I take a look at Enya; she holds her breath and bites the inside of her cheek. I wish she didn't have to be here. The stress isn't good for her, even if she isn't pregnant, but we still don't know yet, so I'd rather avoid the possibility of having issues along the road. For a moment, I'm too focused on my mate, but soon someone speaks up and brings me back to reality. "With no respect at all, we have already watched the video footage Alpha Romano sent in. You see, Luna, every action has consequences, and it so happens that your daughter has attempted to sabotage not only the relationship with Alpha and his newly discovered Luna but also the lives of the entire pack." I glance at the Council member right when his gaze turns to Enya, but thankfully, there's no hatred whatsoever. "Here, we don't look at who this woman might be or her past; we follow the law, and it's dispassionate for those who break it. Your daughter committed far too many crimes. Alpha Romano was merciful longer than any of the Elders could be, so the discussion of your daughter ends here. The Council has voted in favour of Alpha Romano." All the men nod their heads in agreement. Thank the Moon Goddess that's out of the way, and I don't have to deal with more shit coming from that side of the family anymore. I hate that my father married Angela; I hate that he was involved in their evil plan, and they took him away from me. One day I will get my dad back, and then, I want to see who has the last laugh. Something tells me it won't be Angela or her bastard of a mate.
Angela stares at the Council in disbelief, but just like the two-faced snake she is, she has no problem changing her behaviour in a matter of seconds. She pretends to dust off her dress and clears her throat. "I understand, but I'm not going to stop fighting for what's right. It's not only me who stands against Alpha Romano; it's also my mate and our pack." Angela is acting far too high for the situation she's in. If only the damned woman knew why she and her mate were summoned, I doubt she would act as high and mighty. Oh, how I love her feeble attempts to assert dominance and take control of the situation.
"Are we talking about the pack we could hand over to the rightful heir?" The Elder turns to Angela and raises an eyebrow.
The pure shock on her face is so enjoyable; I wish I could take a photo and carry it with me wherever I go. Whenever I'd be down, I'd take one look at the photo and feel happy again. Angela gasps and takes a step towards the Council. A guard jumps in front of the Elders to keep the woman away, but she doesn't seem to mind. "There is no rightful heir; Blade had no children," as expected, she doesn't sound happy. Well, neither would I if I'd bought a damn pack, abused my power, and someone found the long lost heir to that same pack.
At this point, I admire the Elders and how calm they remain while a crazy bitch rages in front of them. "We have reason to believe he did. Besides, we invited the former Luna; she should be joining us shortly." As the Elder speaks, I pull Enya a little closer to me- perhaps that will help her feel better and understand that no one here will try to get to her. If they do, I'll cause a massacre before the Elders could blink.
"This is outrageous! We paid a hefty sum of money for that pack; no one can take it away from us! Even a bastard child!" Despite thinking that Angela would be the only idiot to object to the Council's words, her fool of a mate quickly jumps to her and stands by her words. Of course, he's concerned. The idiot will lose little of what he has left once he loses the pack. Not that I care.
Before anyone from the Council could stand against the moron's words, everyone's attention is caught by an angelic voice. I know who it is; I couldn't forget the woman even if I wanted to. "There is no bastard child," she announces as she walks past the rows of people sitting behind us. "There is a rightful heir, our daughter. We gave her away- Blade loved me too much to kill the fruit of our love. Within minutes of the birth of our beautiful baby girl, he gave me a choice, a luxury no other woman has. Either our child had to be killed, or we gave her away to live among the humans, completely unaware of the world hidden in the shadows." She stops behind us. I can still feel the aura of power that has always surrounded her. No human has such an aura, so I assume she gained it as soon as Blade marked her.
"Welcome, Luna," all of the Elders rise from their seats, place a hand on their hearts, and bow. In this way, they pay their respects to the widow of a great Alpha.
"Oh, stop it, Adam, I'm no longer Luna. The day my beloved Blade died, so did the title I held for him." She laughs, but everyone can catch on to the bitterness she's trying to hide behind that happy laugh. I remember how over the moon in love she was with Blade, so I'm not surprised she's still mourning his death. Poor woman.
One by one, the Council members sit down until only one is left standing. He bows again. "My apologies, Melinda. Could you tell us the name of the child in question?" The entire room falls silent, eager to find out the answer we've all been waiting for. Our fates will change depending on what she has to say.
"Of course, I can." She walks past us without looking at those present; as a true Luna, she knows where to focus her attention. Since only the Council addressed her, she doesn't look at anyone. "Blade chose her name- we named her Enya. Blade wanted her to carry his legacy, even if she didn't know about it. Our little girl, the one who has flame in her heart. Oh, and a birthmark of the same flame behind her ear, Blade was especially proud of that because our girl carries the bloodline of the Inferno Tribe." Every word that crosses her lips drips with pride. Though this woman, or her deceased mate, were never a part of Enya's life, she's still incredibly proud of her child.
The Elder points his finger at Enya, and she immediately grips my hand so tightly that the blood circulation stops. "Melinda, please look at the young woman at Alpha's Romano side. Do you know her? Or do you recognize any features?" Melinda turns on her heel, and her eyes immediately lock onto Enya.
She takes a step closer, and that's my cue to step aside. Enya doesn't want to let go of my hand until Melinda whispers. "It's you," tears form in her eyes as she opens her arms for Enya and adds. "You look just like your father." Those words were enough for Enya to force herself into the arms of the woman she met for the first time. In the arms of the woman, she thought was dead a long time ago- her mother. "My baby, you're so grown."