56- Before Stone and Candlelight
POV Edric Eldoria:
"Perhaps Edric is right," Konrad interjected. "The girl must be stressed, facing many problems. The disturbing pursuit of the ex-fiancé, the guilt she must feel over the boy’s death..."
"Wow, but I would love to meet the female who… stole the grieving heart of our dear Edric," Sullivan hissed, popping another grape into his mouth.
Aldren rubbed his face.
"Bring her," he instructed, fixing his eyes on me. "You know she will come, one way or another, so it’s better that she arrive escorted by someone she knows — one of your acquaintances."
I pressed my lips together and nodded in agreement.
It was the elders’ unanimous decision: they would bring Lunara to the dinner one way or another.
"I will bring her," I announced.
"Excellent! We need to discuss how to contain the damage caused by the Eclipse pack," replied the eyeless elder.
"Until they reach my territory, it’s not my problem," Sullivan retorted. "Edric stole the girl from another — let him take his own battles."
"I don’t recall asking for your help," I hissed through my teeth.
"Good, because I’m very happy not to help." He smiled.
"If Alessio continues his attacks, the wolf could become a problem for all of us. He won’t rest until he gets the girl, and handing her over is out of the question — she is bound to Edric, and by wolf law she belongs to him and only him since the mating," Konrad fired.
"How dare he go against that?" Aldren murmured. "It borders on stupidity. No matter what agreement gave Lunara to him rightfully, it was broken the moment she was marked by Edric."
"Well then, I really want to meet this she-wolf. Two alphas dueling over her — that must be something special," Sullivan mocked.
"I understand your… insistence on meeting her, since yours is dead—thanks to you—you need to watch other people’s relationships to be entertained," I muttered, clearly irritated.
Sullivan’s breath came hard, mixing with a growl that left his throat.
"Behave yourselves, pups! We are at table and we do not tolerate insults and rebellion."
Irritated, I sent a message to Anton, commanding him to bring Lunara immediately and to warn her about what would happen and who she would meet. Then I put my phone down and began to pray, hoping she would be meek at that moment.
(...)
Lunara Grimwald:
My hands were soaked with sweat when I stepped onto the first step of the imposing stone castle. Anton had spent the whole walk telling me what I should and shouldn’t say.
The structure loomed over me, blocking the silver moonlight from spilling in front of me. I stared at the flickering flames of the torches raised on either side of the entrance. They trembled in the night breeze, as if nervous—just like me.
I stopped before the dark wood of the double doors and raised my fist, ready to knock. I didn’t even get to touch them; I didn’t need to. The doors were pulled aside, and a male wearing a black tunic that concealed his face stepped into my path.
The hood kept his face in shadow, letting me see only a piece of his pale chin. He was tall and thin. That was all I could see of him.
I swallowed hard. I wanted Anton beside me, walking with me, but according to what he’d told me, he couldn’t cross the border of Edric’s territory because of laws that forbade them from roaming between packs.
My heart hammered so hard it made me dizzy. I wasn’t… afraid, exactly, but nervous. So nervous, I feared I might vomit or pass out in front of them.
"Follow me," the male ordered.
I drew a deep breath, trying to place him — human or beast. He was a beta, from the soft notes of his scent. I nodded with a slight tilt of my head and went after him.
The smell of ash and old paper predominated, as if it belonged to the place. The same ancient stones that rose in the street formed the interior walls. Golden candelabras lit the long corridor where he led me.
From the number of burning candles, I doubted they used electric light. I knew some packs refused to adapt to modernity, living as our ancestors had and not surrendering to technology. These elders, whatever they were, were part of that group.
I rubbed my palms again on the black dress I wore, drying the sweat brought on by nerves and the heat from so many candles. I watched the uneven floor, flanked with chunks of stone. The whole castle was stone, looking far too ancient — old enough to carry centuries of history.
The scent of fresh meat reached me as we turned a corridor, and the light grew stronger. I heard the murmur of male voices, one rising above the others. My breath thickened, forcing me to inhale more deeply.
The beta stopped beside the door, hands clasped in front of his tunic. I followed him, blinking to adjust to the brightness.
A polished wooden table filled the center of the immense dining hall. On it, an abundance of dishes and hors d’oeuvres. Around it, several males. I pressed my arms to my sides, trying to hide my trembling hands.
Edric stared at me with a penetrating look; his pupils dilated, and silver blended with blue. He was worried — I knew it, not because I felt what he felt, but by the way the colors of his eyes mixed.
Beside him sat a brown-haired male with a light beard and clear eyes. He was strong and attractive and watched me with a certain… curiosity, his thick brows slightly arched. Across from them, an alpha with long brown hair flowing over his shoulders. He was large and muscular, his green eyes holding a subtle glint of irony, as if the situation amused him. Next to him, a blond male with light eyes and a slender body. Of all of them, he was the only one who looked at me with condescension.
Though their presence was commanding, it wasn’t what captured my full attention. It was the three men resting at the far end of the table.
I gasped slightly, holding my breath. They had pale skin, white as snow, and that skin was wrinkled. One had no eyes; another had no mouth; the third, no ears. They were identical except for their anomalies. They wore black tunics, the same as the omega who had led me.
Gods, this was a lot for someone who only wanted the safety of the place. A steep price.
"Oh, there she is," said one of the elders — the eyeless one — rising from his seat and extending his hand toward me. "At last, we have the pleasure of meeting our son Edric’s companion. It’s an honor, my dear." His voice was melodious.
A tremulous smile came to my lips. "Thank you," I murmured, half-breathless from the tightness in my chest. The last time I’d felt this nervous had been on my wedding day, moments before the disaster. I blinked and pushed the memory away.
"Sit, please. Take your place beside Edric," guided the other — the one without ears.
With a small bow, I walked deliberately to the empty chair beside the alpha of the Eldoria pack. I pulled the chair out and sat, everyone of their gazes scrutinizing me. I placed my hands in my lap and straightened my posture, upright, waiting.