Chapter 26 Shifting
ADRIANA
When I first approached the office door, everything was completely silent. I was just about to go for the handle when I suddenly heard his voice.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!”
“Alpha, I really have no idea. We just received word that—”
“I know exactly what you received, Aiden! I heard you loud and clear the first time. What I’m asking is how the hell can he say something like that?! All because of what? His pride was hurt?!”
In all the time I’d been here, I’d never once heard Elijah raise his voice at anyone except Hannah so it shocked me.
Should I just leave and come back later? I didn’t want his anger accidentally transferred onto me. I’d only come to ask if I could take Leo on a walk around the grounds, and right now with him in this kind of mood, he’d probably react the same way he had that first time I’d met Leo.
“Donald is really getting on my absolute last nerve, and he’s going to get exactly what’s coming to him.”
What were the actual chances that this Donald person was my father?
“Just try to stay calm, Alpha. It’s only a rumor at this point. We’re not even completely sure it’s true.” That was definitely Hazel’s voice.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s just gossip or not, Hazel. The real problem is that now everyone thinks I’m some kind of troublemaker. And that does not sit well with me at all.”
I could hear his heavy footsteps pacing back and forth across the room.
What exactly was going on?
“What did you actually do to him that would make him spread rumors like that?”
“Why does it automatically have to be something I did, Aiden? Why can’t I be the one who’s offended for once?”
I heard someone trying to suppress a laugh. I knew immediately it was Hazel.
“That doesn’t sound like something you’re even capable of experiencing. You’re the Lycan King, Elijah. Being offended isn’t really in your nature. Angry, proud, stubborn… you can definitely be all those things.”
If this were back home at my old pack, my father would have had their heads removed for speaking to him that way.
Someone suddenly walked past me, and I hadn’t even noticed. I could feel eyes boring holes into the back of my head.
At first I thought it might be Hannah, and I was already dreading having to interact with her. I really wanted to keep listening to this conversation.
Fortunately, it was just a guard, and he wasn’t there to scold me or tell me to leave.
“Is the Alpha currently available? I could check for you if you’d like.”
“Oh no, no, no. It’s completely fine. He’s in the middle of a meeting, so I’m just waiting out here for him.”
He bowed respectfully and walked away, leaving me there continuing to eavesdrop on a conversation I was certain I wasn’t supposed to be hearing.
“If anyone should be offended here, it’s me! I went to his pack and witnessed one of his daughters literally trying to murder the other one. Being the decent person that I am, I intervened to help her, and he threw me in a dungeon and threatened to have me beheaded just for being there! I should be the one who’s furious that the bastard is apparently a key member of the Antil Cult that’s been terrorizing my kingdom!”
He was definitely talking about my father. I actually slapped my hand against my forehead in frustration.
Why did that man always have to embarrass me like this? What had he done this time?!
“So what’s our plan here? Are we actually going to give him the war he’s apparently asking for?”
War? That’s what my father was trying to start?
“The bastard is spreading lies that I kidnapped his daughter, and now the wolves are going to unite against me. Do you think I have any choice in the matter?”
All of this just made me even angrier. How dare he act like he actually cared about me or anything that had to do with my wellbeing?
I didn’t even realize I’d opened the door until I was marching straight toward Elijah.
“Is it true? Did he actually say that about you?”
He looked completely lost for words.
“Elijah, did that man… Did he really claim that you kidnapped me? And now he’s threatening war? What is he, completely insane? How dare he?!”
He didn’t respond immediately, and I knew I’d completely caught him off guard with my sudden entrance.
“Adriana, I need to apologize. You weren’t supposed to hear any of that conversation.”
“But I did hear it. So tell me honestly—are you actually going to fight him?”
I knew he was considering it. The fact that my father was involved in that awful cult made it nearly impossible for Elijah to remain neutral when faced with these threats.
“He’s still your father—”
“Screw that. He has never, ever been a real father to me. He’s Lisa’s father, not mine. He’s never cared whether I lived or died, he’s never once wondered about my wellbeing or safety, and now all of a sudden he’s declaring war against the only man who actually stood up to him and rescued me from that complete misery?”
I’d been staying here for almost two full months now. It had been such a long time since I’d actually felt like a real person again.
Elijah came around to my side of the table where I was standing. There wasn’t much space left between us at all. I looked up to meet his eyes.
His hands settled on my waist, and somehow that simple touch managed to calm down my burning anger.
“What do you actually want me to do about him?” His voice softened.
He needed to fight back against someone who would truly deal with my father properly. The man didn’t deserve any mercy whatsoever.
“Deal with him however you see fit. He wants a war? Then give him exactly what he’s asking for. Show no mercy.”
He didn’t say anything in response. The way he was staring at me made me wonder if I’d somehow said something wrong.
He pulled me into a tight hug, apologizing that all of this was happening because of me. He didn’t need to apologize for anything. That stupid excuse for a father was the one entirely at fault here.
“So what did you originally come here to ask me about in the first place?”
As I opened my mouth to respond, a sharp, stabbing pain suddenly shot through my stomach, causing me to double over completely.
“What is it? Are you alright?”
I couldn’t respond to him because I didn’t understand what was happening to my body.
It felt like someone had stabbed me with an invisible knife and was continuing to twist it deeper and deeper.
“Ah!” The pain intensified in seocnds and I collapsed to the floor, clutching my stomach tightly.
I was beginning to sweat profusely and my entire body felt like it was burning up from the inside.
Elijah immediately dropped to the floor, kneeling down beside me.
“What’s happening? What’s wrong?”
I couldn’t speak. I could only look at him desperately, hoping he would somehow give me an answer to that very question.
I noticed his eyes go wide, then he said the words I never thought I would hear.
“You’re shifting. You’re about to shift for the first time.“