Chapter 124: Unwanted Guests 1
Chapter 124: Unwanted Guests 1
Lucian’s POV
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved when I saw Keith with Emerald. It was an unspoken weight lifted from my shoulders. Seeing him with his second-chance mate meant Scarlett’s ties to him were finally severed in a way that felt complete.
There was no lingering possibility of her returning to him, no unresolved tension to haunt us. I silently thanked fate for orchestrating this turn of events and promised myself I would never again say or do anything to push Scarlett to the point of leaving us. It was a vow I made in the quiet of my heart, one I intended to keep.
I chatted with Keith that day, animated and genuinely glad to see him alive. I was grateful for his survival and for the chance his strength and experience gave us in the fight against this new Nikolay. For once, I allowed myself to feel optimistic, even if only for a moment.
That night, we held a banquet in Keith and Emerald’s honour, officially welcoming them to Redcape. For one evening, we all chose to set aside the looming threat of Nikolay and focus on the company we shared. It was a rare respite, and the laughter and camaraderie around the table reminded us of what we were fighting for.
Three days later, the elders arrived in Redcape, summoning the three of us—Lucian, Maxwell, and me—for an audience. Their timing couldn’t have been worse. Although Scarlett wasn’t afraid of them, I could tell she was uneasy.
She masked it well, but the crackle of energy radiating from her betrayed her thoughts. The elders had let her down before, and we had let her down too. I would never forgive myself for what they did to her under our noses. If Elsa hadn’t told us what would become of the elders, I would have eradicated them myself.
Our parents had left the elders as guides for us, a safety net to ensure we would have mentors after their passing. It had been a well-intentioned plan on their part, but it had backfired spectacularly.
Instead of guiding us, the elders clung to their power, convinced they were superior and determined to maintain control. They resented interference and were more interested in dominance than in actual leadership. It was infuriating.
As we prepared to honour their summons, Scarlett sat quietly in the living room, her posture tense. The faint hum of her magic in the air was impossible to miss. She was reliving her past experiences with them, I could tell. I walked over and sat beside her, pulling her close.
“It won’t happen a second time, Scarlett. I promise,” I said firmly.
She turned to look at me, and for a moment, I saw worry flicker in her eyes. She wasn’t afraid for herself—she was afraid for what her anger might bring out if they pushed her too far.
“You should join us,” I said, trying to sound reassuring. “After all, you’re Luna. You have every right to stand beside us.”
She shook her head, a small smirk playing on her lips. “I’d rather stay here, so I don’t incinerate Tasha and Timothy,” she said dryly.
I couldn’t help but laugh at her honesty, and the tension between us eased slightly. “Fair enough,” I replied. “But if you change your mind, we’ll be glad to have you at our side.”
Scarlett nodded but remained seated, her energy still humming faintly. I knew she trusted us to handle the elders this time, but I also knew she would always carry the scars of their betrayal. This time, we wouldn’t let her down. Not again.
“You know Timothy is my relative,” I said to Scarlett, raising an eyebrow.
She nodded with a small smirk. “I figured as much. You have some features in common,” she replied teasingly.
I scrunched my nose in mock disgust. “Don’t tell me I look like a bitter old man.”
Scarlett laughed, the sound a soothing balm to the tension I felt. I leaned in and kissed her, drawing strength from her warmth, readying myself to face the insufferable elders. As I pulled back, Maxwell’s voice chimed in from across the room.
“Don’t worry, Scarlett; those elders won’t know what hit them,” he said with a wink, earning another laugh from her.
“Left to me, there wouldn’t be any elders left,” he said with mock seriousness. “But Elsa said fate has something in store for them.”
Clay kissed her forehead before we all stepped out of the apartment, leaving her behind to avoid unnecessary confrontation.
As we crossed the threshold, our expressions hardened. The humor and warmth we’d shared with Scarlett faded, replaced by resolve. None of us had any patience for the nonsense the elders had surely come to stir up.
The reception building was already bustling when we arrived. The elders had gathered, as expected, but so had several others—our betas, gammas, and key members of the pack. The sight immediately set me on edge.
“What is the meaning of this?” I asked, my voice sharp as I stepped into the hall. I didn’t bother hiding my irritation. As far as I was concerned, the elders were long past their usefulness, and I owed them no courtesies.
Tasha stepped forward, her demeanor as haughty as ever. “We’ve come to discuss domestic matters,” she said in a clipped tone. “That is part of our charge according to the act your parents signed into law before their passing. Due to the nature of the discussion, we require key members of the pack as witnesses.”
Her smugness was infuriating. I felt a flash of heat ripple through my body, and for a moment, I imagined flames erupting from my fingertips. It was wishful thinking, but the desire to incinerate her was tempting.
Clay, Maxwell, and I took our seats, ignoring any pretense of respect. The three of us sat back, our postures exuding authority and thinly veiled anger. Whatever the elders had come to discuss, we weren’t in the mood for it.
Tasha didn’t waste time. “What is this we hear about you bringing the Vladislav woman home?” she began, her voice laced with disdain. The hall fell silent, all eyes on us.
“And how is that any of your business?” I shot back, my tone cold and unwavering. Tasha’s mouth tightened, clearly offended, but before she could respond, Timothy spoke up.
“It is a domestic matter, so it is our business,” Timothy said, his voice deep and steady. “That woman is not fit to be Luna of the North.”
“And whose opinion is that?” Maxwell asked, his voice calm but dangerously sharp.
“The opinion of the Northern Elder Council,” Timothy replied, his tone self-righteous.
I couldn’t help but laugh, a dry, humorless sound that echoed through the hall. Tasha’s face darkened, but she pressed on.
“That woman is tainted,” she said, her words venomous. “Although she is your fated mate, you didn’t gain joy or magic from the bond. Then we learn she was poisoned and murdered at the settlement, only to go and be with Keith Harold of the West. Where is your sense of duty? Your sense of pride? Your integrity? What sort of example are you setting for the people?”
Her tirade hung in the air, but before I could respond, Clay’s voice cut through the tension.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said, his voice steady and filled with quiet fury. “You speak of duty, pride, and integrity as if you have any claim to them. Yet here you are, dragging a woman through the mud based on assumptions and half-truths. A woman who has endured more pain and sacrifice than you could fathom.”
Clay leaned forward, his gaze locked onto Tasha, daring her to interrupt.
“Well, you only have yourself to blame for everything that has happened,” he said, his voice sharp like a blade slicing through the heavy tension in the room. “You’re lucky we didn’t charge you with treason.” His words hung in the air like a storm cloud, and I could see the shock in her wide eyes.