Chapter 15 Kai Helped Out
Elara stood up fast, putting herself between Adrian's bed and Mandivus's men, her wolf rising with a protective fury that made her hands shake.
"Get out," she said.
"That's not very friendly considering Alpha Swathi has been searching for you for two years," the man said, taking a step closer.
"You have cost him a lot of resources tracking you down, and then imagine his surprise when he hears about a shooting at this address with a two-year-old boy involved."
"You did this," Elara said and her voice came out low and dangerous. "You killed Sarah and Marcus."
"We needed to send a message about the consequences of running from agreements," he said. "Alpha Swathi is a reasonable man but he doesn't appreciate being made a fool of."
"There's security cameras in this hospital and you just confessed to double homicide," Elara said.
The man smiled. "I confessed to nothing, just made observations about unfortunate events, and besides, who's going to believe the word of an exiled omega working under a false identity?"
He moved toward Adrian's bed and Elara grabbed his arm, her nails extending into claws as her wolf surged forward.
"Touch him and I'll rip your throat out," she said.
"Violent threats in front of witnesses," the man said, glancing at his companions. "Not very smart."
The door opened and Kai walked in carrying two coffee cups, taking in the scene immediately—Elara with claws out, three strange men surrounding a hospital bed with a child in it.
"What's going on?" Kai asked, his voice dropping into Alpha command that made even Mandivus's men pause.
"This is a private pack business," the lead man said. "So it doesn't concern Silvercrest."
"Everything in my presence concerns me," Kai said and set the coffee down, moving to stand beside Elara. "Who are you?"
"Representatives of Alpha Mandivus Swathi from the borderlands," the man said. "We're here to collect what's owed to our Alpha."
"Nothing is owed to your Alpha," Elara said.
"A child was promised in exchange for protection and medical care," the man countered. "A debt was made and then you ran, that's theft."
Kai looked at Elara and she saw questions forming in his eyes but before he could ask them she stepped forward, getting in the man's face despite him being twice her size.
"Tell Mandivus that if he comes near my son again I'll go to every pack in the region and expose what he does in the borderlands," she said. "The illegal fighting rings, the trafficking, the forced matings, all of it."
"You have no proof," the man said.
"I have two years worth of proof," Elara lied. "Documents, recordings, witness statements from people he's hurt, and I'll give it all to the authorities if he doesn't back off."
It was a complete bluff because she had nothing except her own testimony, but Mandivus didn't know that and the risk alone might be enough to make him reconsider.
The man studied her for a long moment. "Alpha Swathi will want to hear this directly from you."
"Then tell him where to find me," Elara said. "But if he sends anyone after Adrian again, if he even looks in my son's direction, I'll burn his entire operation to the ground."
The man smiled coldly. "Bold words from someone who's currently wanted by the law for identity fraud and working illegally under a false name, one phone call to the authorities and you lose everything including custody of that boy."
"Make the call," Kai said and pulled out his own phone. "While you're at it I'll call the hospital security and the detective investigating the double homicide that happened tonight, I'm sure they'd love to know three men connected to a borderlands Alpha showed up at the victim's emergency contact's location."
The man's jaw tightened but he gestured to his companions and they backed toward the door.
"This isn't over," he said to Elara.
"Yes it is," she replied.
They left and Elara's legs gave out, dropping her into the chair beside Adrian's bed while her hands shook from adrenaline crash.
"Start talking," Kai said. "Who was that and why does a borderlands Alpha think he has a claim on your son?"
"It's complicated," Elara said.
"Uncomplicate it," Kai demanded. "You're working in my house under a false identity, you have enemies from the borderlands, and you just threatened to expose criminal operations, I need to know what I'm dealing with."