Chapter 67 Mate Bond

Chapter 67 Mate Bond
Kael’s POV

Eurielle is mad.
She cackles even as she writhes, choking under my grip.

“Dare you deny it, Kael?! She is the reason you refuse to marry me. No other eason exists. That homewrecker slave you brought in has ruined you beyond imagination!"

“That’s enough!” a snarl leaves my lips unbidden and she is flung away from me. She stumbles, her blonde hair disheveled as she falls on her knees. Her eyes are red-rimmed, body shaking, face red.

“I have tolerated you for as long as possible due to our former friendship. It seems you do not respect that,” I slowly make my way towards her, body shaking with rage. This is the first time in a long while i have felt such a way
The last time, and times before that, have ended in blood and carnage.

My muscles shift, the desire to rip and tear coursing through me. I watch her coldly.
Perhaps she sees something in my eyes as she rises to her feet, shifting backwards frantically. I cannot help a small smirk pulling the corner of my lips upward.

“H-how can you do this to me, Kael?” A tear slips down, rolling down her cheek. “I have loved you for years. I returned for you. I wanted this for us. Power. An alliance.”

“You use foolish words to defend your own selfish actions,” I chuckle. “Do you believe me as foolish as your betrothed? He was the former Beta of the Redmoon Pack wasn't he, before you helped to kill him.”

She flinches, as though I have dealt her a heavy blow.

“Untrue. Lies,” She mutters, shaking her head slowly. “You listen to rumors that make no sense.”

“Oh?” I tilt my head. “And the rumors of your betrothed catching you in bed with his Alpha are rumors too? He’s mated, therefore you can only be his woman behind the scenes, can’t you? His dirty secret.”

She shivers, her eyes igniting in a blazing glare threatening to sear the skin off my bones.

“You don't believe me.” She murmurs. “You never have.”

“All I have done,” I reach my hand out, fingers grazing her cheek. “Is give you enough rope to hang yourself with. Too bad you do not have enough patience.”

Eurielle’s mips curl up into a smile, pain and hurt mingles with anger and frustration. Whether she has had feelings for me, I do not care to know. What I believe is that she is ultimately a selfish being with no good intentions for the Ironfang Pack. Whatever she wishes for, serves only herself and the Redmoon Pack.

“I should have let Xena drown that girl properly,” Eurielle breathes. I freeze.
Drown?
My mind connects the dots. All fingers have pointed to Eurielle’s tribute as a suspect for Luna’s near-drowning incident, but only now do I understand fully. Not only did Eurielle condone it, she likely gave her mad tribute the idea to do so, to force Luna out of the competition.

My mind whirls.
But before I can make any move as intense anger crashes against me in a tidal wave, I hear a growl from behind me.

“You,” Rowan makes his presence known. I nearly lose my temper at him too, but this time he is not targeting me for Luna’s sake in his misguided efforts. He targets Eurielle, cornering her. “You nearly had her killed!”

He is controlled. Barely.
I mirror his internal struggle.
I, too, wish to kill Eurielle for those insidious words.
But I have to hold myself back.

Today is not the day.

“What does she have to do with you too, Alpha Rowan?” Eurielle realizes Rowan is infuriated by her previous words, and she loses her cool once more, pointing a finger at him and then me, laughter manic and edged at the corner of her lips. “You both are getting up in arms about some bitch who should have died by now!”

Rowan is not one for superfluous words. He reaches for her and I see in that second he would snap her neck without care. I block his path, holding his arm back.
His muscles strain against my hold.

“This is not the time for this, Alpha Rowan–”

A roar emerges from his lips.
“Let go, Alpha Kael. That is the only kindness I will show.”

“You forget your place,” I snap and shove him backward. It’s only enough to make him stumble for a split second. I stand protectively between Eurielle and himself, raising a hand to stop his momentum. Rowan’s pupils are dilated, and fixed blankly forward. He is ready to kill. “That’s enough, Alpha Rowan. This is my pack. I shall handle this.”

“What,” he sneers at me. “Like you handled many other things before? Like you stopped that girl from trying to drown my mate?!”

“I respect your position, Alpha Rowan,” I emphasize his name with an anger not directed at him. It is all I can do to keep myself from breaking. “You would do well to respect mine. The treaty and Council laws must be kept.”

At that he blinks slowly
Council law: No Alpha may pass judgement on another Pack’s territory without the absolute permission of the Pack’s Alpha.
Council Law: A guest of a Pack, allied or not, must be treated with courtesy.
Council law: Any crimes committed by a guest in another Pack’s territory must undergo a full trial before passing judgement.

These laws are not often followed, but now I have no choice. Representatives of the Council are currently being hosted at my Pack.
This puts me in a difficult, rather impossible position.
Alpha Rowan is no fool’he recognizes it too.

“Very well,” he straightens, but his hands remain stiff by his side. “Handle it as you see fit.”

I nod, and with one call, guards approach.
“Send Lady Eurielle to her room,” I ordered the guards.  My voice is cold, clinical. “She is not to set foot outside under any circumstances. She is not to receive visitors, or news from the outside world.”

Eurielle struggles, but her face remains pale as she is carried away.
“You will begin a Trial,” Rowan states rather than ask.

“After the banquet and the full moon,” I nod easily. This, we both agree on.

Rowan looks at me, his eyes searching for something.
“You love her,” He doesn't ask this either.

My brows furrow. How can I respond to that?

“I don't know,” I finally say. It is an admission, but also an out. I do not presume to know how the mate bond affects the Alpha of the Nightfang Pack, I only wish to maintain a semblance of alliance between us. For now, our goals are allied, not just towards our packs and region’s safety, but also towards Luna.
…