It was Marcus who spoke first, finding himself with an inner turmoil, as his loyalty to both his family and his Alpha threatened to collide. "Elijah, you must tread carefully here. For one thing, Isla won't let you abduct her daughter without a fight."
"If she decides to oppose me, then she will find it's a fight, she will lose." he seethed bitterly. "I will not lose her now, she is coming home with me!" Elijah snarled, straining to keep his voice from revealing just how much anger he was feeling at this point. He felt that no-one could now stand in his way. Enough was enough, he needed her, and damn the world to hell if thats what it would take, but he would have her.
"And my own personal objection aside to that comment, but Eli, I can one hundred percent promise you. that Colt would never forgive you for harming her mother. It would kill any hope you have of mating with her, stone dead." Marcus spoke, trying to rein in his own temper at the underlying threat Elijah made to a woman he may not have seen for about two decades, but who he still considered a second Mother.
"Eli, he is right mate." Zachary spoke now, trying to break through to his Alpha and best friend, with logic. "The Luna will not tolerate harm to those she loves. All you would succeed in doing, is consolidating the distance between you, and most likely cause her to shut down from you altogether. You would lose her."
Elijah was sitting still other than murmuring in a low pitched growl when Marcus continued.
"It would also likely bring a war to our door, Alpha." he stated. "Uncle Kalvin will not tolerate harm to his mate not to mention the kidnapping of his daughter." he explained.
"And?" Elijah questioned, failing to see the problem. "We are the most powerful wolf pack in the country. Why are you worried about a lone wolf, how could he, expect to go against us?" he scoffed, his vision still clouded by anger and pride.
"Because, Eli," Zachary chimed in, desperately trying to instill a sense of reason to his Alpha. "Kalvin Merrier is not just any lone wolf. He has contacts in every pack, as well as every shifter group in the Northern Hemisphere. Not to mention the contacts he has with the human military. Oh, and not forgetting he designed our security system of course. He is the one man in the world who could come against us and not just win, but annihilate us." The Beta warned, his concern growing.
"I should point out that, you would also be without your Gamma." Marcus added causing both men to look at him astounded, as he leaned against the door to the kitchen. He knew Marissa would understand if he chose to leave their pack over this, so he felt confident in his ability to lay his cards on the table with honesty.
"You would turn traitor on me, over a cat and a lone wolf?" Elijah snarled dumbfounded, his shock at the revalation from one of his most trusted friends immobilizing him momentarily.
"No. Not a traitor, because by choosing to protect my Luna's family, those who she holds closest, I would not consider myself a traitor Alpha. She is your mate. She is pack. As are those she loves." Marcus shrugged, as if it were obvious.
"He is right Eli." Zachary added, choosing to throw his lot in with the pack Gamma, rather than turn on someone he already considered part of his pack. "You will have to go through us both, before we let you hurt her, physically or emotionally." Zachary added solemnly.
"Hurt her? Are you mad?" Elijah bellowed, in awe. "I would never harm a hair on her head. She is my mate. I will protect her with my dying breath if it comes to it"
"And what do you think hurting or starting a war, with her family would do then Eli? Because it ain't going to fill her with the joys of fucking spring!" Zachary stated, finally getting the message across to his stubborn Alpha.
Elijah grunted his response out, "So, then what exactly do you suggest I do?" he asked bitterly.
"Talking as one who is already mated." Marcus spoke, " Don't treat her like property. Women really don't like that. Trust me and save yourself the scars I have to prove it. Also, you should cancel the real estate agent, mate." Marcus answered, as Zachary went and collected three beers.
He returned and handed them each one as he added, "Probably a good idea since legally speaking you have no actual rights to sell the place."
Elijah groaned while gladly accepting the beer in one hand and scrubbing his face with the other. He took a long swig as Zachary spoke again.
"Besides Eli, just because she doesn't like you is no reason to try and take out Isla. Her cooking alone makes her a goddess among mortals " he joked patting his stomach. "I haven't eaten so well in an age." he said with a cheesy grin.
Elijah smirked, his anger having finally evaporated. "Fine, fine. I swear your food goddess will receive no harm from my hand, you complete moron." he sighed "I'm being an ass. I know I am, I just don't know what to do, I feel like I am taking two steps forward and then eighty back. It's like I'm going insane "
"Have you tried talking to her?" Marcus asked.
"Well, no shit Sherlock." Elijah responded "Of course I have tried to talk to her, but she just doesn't listen."
"Do you?" Zachary interrupted.
"What do you mean by that?" Elijah asked annoyed.
.
"I mean," Zachary started "It's well known to be your worst quality. You only hear what you want to, and normally its the worst bit of the conversation. Then you get angry Eli and ignore the rest."
Elijah humphed at his Beta. "Gee, thanks for you analysis Dr. Phil."
"I live to serve, Alpha " Zachary joked raising his beer in a mock salute.
Elijah flopped back onto the sofa and finished off his beer in one. He was focused on picking the label off as he tried to remember all that was said between him and Colt earlier, and not just the parts of the conversation that made him lose his cool.
Meanwhile, Marcus sat in the chair by the small log burning stove and cleared his throat, to get Elijah's attention.
"She was bullied as a child Eli." Marcus said.
Originally, Marcus had believed that it wasn't his place to talk about the young girl he remembered. The one that seemed to bounce everywhere she went, while bubbling over with a constant energy and her black pony tail bouncing behind her. She was his little cousin and like Asher and Harris her two oldest brothers he would come to her defence frequently in the old pack he belonged to.
He had changed his mind about sharing the information in the hope that it would help stay Elijah's desperate actions.
"Go on." Elijah zeroed in on his Gamma. Entirely focused on what he would say next.
"She was different. The other kids could tell. It was weird looking back, because they were so young. But the Alpha's son was the ring leader until Asher stepped in. I presume now his Dad was encouraging him." Marcus shook his head. "Colt has known aggression from the age of four Eli. I can't talk about her life after they left, because I don't know about it. But, I remember at least twice a day either myself or one of her brothers stepped in to defend her. Up until she punched Derek, the Alpha's boy in the face. he received a black eye. The next day the whole family was gone.
It took my folks three years to find out why. When they did, we left as well and joined a pack in Florida. We tried to find them but had no luck, until Uncle Kalvin came to talk to the Alpha about his pack security. It was a good pack. Almost as good as the one I'm in now." he smirked. "Anyway, Colt will have her reasons. You need to accept that she is entitled to them and talk to her. Get to know her Eli. You can be a charismatic bastard when you want to be you know. Show her you care." he shrugged.
"That's helpful Marcus, thank you." Elijah said honestly, while smirking at the veiled compliment.
"Okay, I'll ask since Eli is desperate to, but holding himself back to prove me wrong about what part of your speech he focused on." Zachary said, grinning from ear to ear. "Where is your old pack and when are we taking them out?"
"That's where you are wrong Beta." Elijah smirked triumphantly. "That job is already done. During my search we came across a corrupt little pack in West Virginia. Alpha Derek had challenged his father for the position and won. Then systematically abused everyone he could. I remember Marcus leading that charge with a particular zeal for revenge Now I guess I know why." he laughed.
"You got me. I always hated that little Fucker." Marcus shrugged.
"I will go over in the morning and talk to Colt. Or at least I will try." Elijah confirmed. "I have to anyway, my wallet and phone are still there." he shrugged. "And one more thing," he said as he rose to head up to bed. "If you two ever choose to object to my orders again, because I am being an ass and in danger of losing my mind, I will owe you one." he nodded walking away. "But don't let it go to your heads!" he called from upstairs.
Both men sighed in relief and sagged into their seats.
"Fuck, that could have been bad." Zachary said, rubbing his face.
Marcus nodded adding, "It ain't his fault. He has waited so long and even as a five year old, the Colt I remember was fiercely independent and always wanted her own way." he laughed. "They are so obviously perfect for one another now that I think about it."