Chapter 82: THE MESSAGE

Diego's POV

“What do you want, Leo?” I let out the moment I swung the door open. “You can't convince me anymore than….oh.”

I put a pause to the rest of the words that I wanted to say, at the sight of the person on the other side of the door. It wasn't Leo, but a servant instead.

“I'm sorry, alpha.” She bowed, her voice tiny. “But I have a message from the council….”

“Again?” I cut her off with a snarl. “What the hell do they want this time? They just sent…”

“They want to see you now, Sire.” Her voice was so tiny I could have easily missed it if I didn't listen properly. “That's what they asked me to deliver to you “

I was stunned, temporarily, but I didn't let it show. I blinked back a couple of seconds, and before long, forced myself into composure.

“Sure.” I cleared my throat after a couple of seconds. “I'll be there soon.”

She curtsied, before disappearing down the hall like a concept that didn't even exist. I wasted no time as I headed back into my room. As I fixed my appearance up, I couldn't help but wonder what the council wanted to talk about.

It was one thing for them to summon me at all, and it was another that they moved our meeting time sooner than later.

Why the change? What the fuck had happened, what the fuck had come up so bad and important that it had to be discussed now?

I didn't have the answer, but something whispered in the back of my ears that I wasn't necessarily going to like it, and every part of me agreed with it. Unfortunately.

With one last glance at my appearance in the mirror, I made my way towards the council chambers. The hallway echoed with each step I took, and without thinking or even wanting to, I found myself heading in the direction of Kali's room.

It wasn't a long walk from where I was, so I arrived in no time. I debated going in, and while I was still contemplating, a guard appeared in my line of vision.

“Hey.” He turned to me immediately, and gave a deep bow. “Is she awake?”

“The guest?” he glanced at her door. He must have figured I was staring at him, because he turned to face me almost instantly. “I think so. She hasn't come out of her room yet, but I've been hearing voices and movement…”

“That's good.” I quipped, cutting him off. Without waiting to hear any more of what he had to say, I headed back in the direction I came.

I cursed under my breath as I headed back towards the council chambers. I was already late, and still, I just had to go check up on Kali.

Great, just fucking great.

Luckily for me, I arrived in no time, not that it mattered anyway. At the end of the day, I was the Alpha and they ultimately answered to me. The council chambers weren’t just cold, they were designed to make you sweat. Tall ironwood chairs lined the upper platform like thrones, casting shadows that loomed over the center floor. I hated this room. Always had and always would.

The first thing I caught sight of were the four figures waiting for me, each one of them seated like their bodies had been sculpted alongside the thrones they sat on

“You called?” I said to no one in particular, and as expected, they all turned towards me. “I wasn't expecting an official meeting until tomorrow.”

"You were due tomorrow," Eldric Thorn was the first to speak. He was gray bearded and sharp eyed, and he watched me as if I were already disappointing him. “We're aware.”

"Plans changed," Mara purred. Mara Vellin, had her legs crossed and with a smile carved like a dagger on her red painted lips, she looked absolutely dangerous.  "As they tend to when you delay the inevitable."

I stayed silent at her words. It was better for them to speak first. That way, they would dig their graves themselves, and I would be able to dodge whatever traps they thought they had up their sleeves.

"The pack is thriving.” Caelum Reeve spoke next. He'd always been as calm as a pond, and with his fingers steepled beneath his chin, you would think he was gentle, or at least kind, but I begged to differ. “Trade routes are secure. No border disputes."

"And yet no Luna," And Sylara Drenn, the last of them all, cut in. Her violet eyes pierced through my skin like she knew all of my thoughts in her hand, but I knew better. “Why's that?”

There it was.

"We've discussed this," I said, measured. "Stability comes first, and A Luna now would simply divide my attention."

"No, Alpha.” Mara laughed softly. “ A Luna would double it. You're playing king without a queen."

"And a child," Eldric added,his tone like a slap against someone's rough cheek. "We need an heir, a pup, someone to carry on the legacy"

“I understand your point quite well, Eldric. I clenched my jaw. "An heir slows things down."

"Or it grounds them." Sylara spoke again. “don't you think so?”

“No.” I looked between them, pulse hammering. "You think this is about bloodlines? This isn’t the old age. I don’t need a womb to lead."

“Oh really?” Mara tilted her head. "And yet you've already brought one in."

“I don't know what you're talking about….” I trailed off as realization dawned on me. It was like a slap to my face, and a small part of me almost wished I didn't understand it.

“What?” The air went still as my gaze snapped to her. "What are you talking about?"

"The outsider.” She smiled like a cat toying with its meal. “The girl. Kali."

I said nothing, even though the one thing I wanted right now was to pour out my heart and soul. Instead of speaking up again, I waited to hear what they had to say.

"She's not one of ours.”Eldric's brows lifted. “She's not vetted, neither is she bound to any of the members of our pack. But she eats our food, sleeps in the accommodation we offered her…."

“We?” I scoffed out loud. “it's only been a couple of days, and it's only temporary.”

"Is it?" Caelum murmured. “I like to think there's something more.”

"We don't care who warms your bed, Diego.” Mara leaned forward. “But don't mistake a stray for a mate."

Even at that moment I didn't speak. Every bone in my body begged me to snarl, to shift, to tear something apart. But I held it in, and clenched my fists at my side instead.

"She's nothing to me." Sylara watched me too carefully as the words slid past my lips.

"Then discarding her should be easy." Caelum added. “Right?”

"I'll handle it." I stared at them. “I'll see to it that the right thing is done.”

"Good," Mara said. "Handle it before someone else does."

The message was clear, even if I didn't want to admit it myself. I could be in denial all I wanted, but all that was going to do, would be to hurt Kali.

Without so much as another glance in their direction, I turned on my heel and walked out before I said something I couldn’t take back.

The hallway outside the council chambers was colder than it had any right to be. My hands were fists at my sides, and I barely noticed the guards standing afar off.

I wasn’t sure where I was supposed  to go next from here. Maybe to the yard, maybe to punch something until I stopped feeling like I was losing control. But fate, cruel, knowing fate, had other plans.

I had barely rounded the corner at the east wing, when I bumped into someone. Not just anyone, but someone who looked like she'd been eavesdropping and was slowly trying to escape without being caught.

“Kali?” I let out, in equal parts shock and anger. “What are you doing here?”