Chapter 22 22
Aurélie POV
“Thank you, Théo. Escort them to the main living room I won’t be long. Offer them a drink until I arrive?”
“Very good, Alpha.” His voice brushed through my mind before the link faded.
Roughly ten minutes later, I had sorted through most of my emails, leaving only a few pack accounts to finish later. With my mind somewhat clearer, I stepped out of my office.
Voices drifted from the living room Théo’s calm, measured tone and a deeper voice that had to belong to the visiting beta.
“Alpha!” Théo straightened when I entered.
“Thank you, Théo.” I turned to the Saint Wolf beta and offered a polite nod. “Welcome, Beta.”
He didn’t respond. He didn’t even move. He stared at me as if someone had snapped his world in half. A sharp throat-clearing from Théo jolted him into motion, and the beta scrambled to his feet.
“Alpha my apologies. I didn’t realize…” His eyes flicked over me again, trying to piece together the impossibility of a female Alpha standing before him. He was shorter than most betas I’d met, but something about his build suggested speed and precision an agile fighter rather than a powerhouse.
“Not many do,” I replied, my tone warm but firm. “I trust your journey wasn’t too difficult?”
Before he could answer, the sound of running plumbing echoed from down the corridor. His mate already making herself at home in the bathroom.
“No, not at all. And I’m… ah… sorry, I’m staring.” He flushed a deep red, his mouth still partly open.
“You are,” I said with a faint smirk, “but it’s fine.”
It was something I would have to get used to this moment of disbelief that came with being a woman in a position the world rarely allowed women to hold.
“I’ve been Alpha of Darkvale for four years now. Fortunately, I’ve been able to keep my identity hidden until now.” I offered him a gentle smile just as light footsteps approached from the hall.
“Alpha, do you need me to stay?” Théo asked quietly through the link, pulling my attention toward him.
I shook my head. “No, everything is fine. Thank you, Théo.”
And then the footsteps stopped.
A soft gasp cut through the room.
I turned ready with a polite greeting only for the words to lodge in my throat.
Standing there was Élodie.
She looked different older, softer, steadier somehow but it was undeniably her.
“Aurélie?” Her lips shaped my name, though the blood pounding in my ears drowned out her voice.
“Aurélie… is that you?”
“Élodie?” My own voice felt foreign.
“Oh my goddess…” She clapped both hands over her mouth, eyes wide with disbelief. “I thought you were dead.”
Her words snapped me back into my body, my spine straightening instinctively.
Yes. I’m sure they did.
“Very much alive, Élodie.” My response was cool, controlled, as I gestured for both of them to sit.
“Alpha?” Théo’s voice brushed the edge of my mind; he had paused at the doorway when he recognized her.
“Ensure the boundaries are secure,” I ordered through the link.
He left immediately.
“You two know each other?” her mate Beta Simon asked, attempting to break through the heavy silence pressing on the room.
“Aurélie was the Luna… before I met you.” Élodie’s gaze flicked to him before they slipped briefly into a mind-link.
“Oh.” His brows lifted in understanding.
“How long have you two been mates?” I asked, pushing the conversation forward. Anything to avoid the memories clawing at the edges of my composure.
“Two years,” Simon answered. “I met Élodie at one of the Bloodnight yearly events. The Alpha King wasn’t happy to lose her.” He smiled proudly at her, but she couldn’t look away from me.
At the mention of the Alpha King, my fingers curled around the armrests of my chair.
“Luna…” Élodie leaned toward me gently.
“Here, I am the Alpha, Élodie.” My tone sharpened. “This is my pack. And let me remind you of the agreement between myself and Alpha Quentin.”
“Yes, Alpha we will not reveal your identity. As promised,” Beta Simon said quickly, reinforcing their commitment.
“Simon…” Élodie whispered his name with unease.
“Beta Simon,” I said briskly, “why don’t I give you both a short tour? Afterward, we can discuss the alliance further.” My voice held an icy edge I would not entertain my past any longer. Élodie being here already placed my pack at more risk than they could ever comprehend.
“Yes, that would be ideal. Alpha Quentin asked us to review your facilities.” Simon’s tone shifted to match my professionalism, sensing clearly that the topic of the Bloodnight Pack was unwelcome.
Élodie, however, remained seated for a moment longer, hands resting on her knees as she breathed slowly, still struggling to collect herself.
“I’ll show you our medical wing first,” I continued. “Several packs in our alliance send their expecting mothers here. Our facility is fully modernized and highly trusted.”
I had barely finished speaking when I heard the familiar sound of small feet pounding down the hallway Delphine and Dominique, racing toward us with all their usual unstoppable energy.
And suddenly, the past and present collided in a single breath.