30- Lust and Secrets
POV Edric Eldoria:
“How, Edric?” Aldren cut in, ignoring our silent offer of war, speaking for the first time, sounding worried.
He was the only one who understood the magnitude of what mating meant to me. My oldest and most trusted friend among the alphas of the packs.
I pressed my lips in disdain.
“As I said, it just happened.” I laughed, running a hand through my hair. “My people were in need of a... queen. She’s a beautiful wolf, pleasant, and submissive enough for me,” I lied.
Lunara was many things, but submissive wasn’t one of them. Maybe she had been once, but that was no longer the case. She irritated me, provoked me, and challenged me whenever she could.
I was certain that earlier, when she had so docilely agreed to my refusal of her presence at the party, it was because she had some plan. And deep down, very deep down, I felt that plan was to destroy my things.
Aldren narrowed his eyes slightly, turning them into small slits.
“Well, that is very good,” said one of the elders, the eyeless one.
I turned my gaze to him, ignoring Aldren, who tried to read between the lines.
“It was about time you found a proper mate.”
I nodded, swallowing with difficulty.
“And we want to meet her,” said the one without ears.
My heart sped up in my chest. I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm.
"It’s obvious," I agreed, smiling. "Lunara will love it."
Fuck, I would kill the she-wolf if she did anything to embarrass me or contradict me in front of them.
"I’m also eager to meet your omega, Edric," Sullivan teased, smiling with disdain.
"If you’re so interested in a mate, Sullivan, why don’t you find one for yourself?" I gestured, drumming my finger on my chin as if thoughtful. "Ah, my apologies, I forgot you have a fetish for killing them."
He stood up from the chair in a sudden movement, towering over us. His eyes glowed golden.
"Sit down right now, Sullivan," ordered one of the elders, pointing to the empty chair. "I already said I will not allow provocations in my house. Behave like men, not animals."
Reluctantly, Sullivan let his body fall back into the chair, never breaking eye contact with me, lips curling in a low growl, baring his fangs.
Aldren shook his head in silence, disapproving of our behavior.
"Is there any more information you wish to share?" asked the earless elder, waiting.
No one said a word. Silence stretched across the room.
"No conflicts?" asked the eyeless elder. We remained silent. "Good, then that’s it. Edric, we would like to meet your mated companion at another time."
"Of course," I agreed.
"Meeting adjourned," announced the earless one. "You may head to the feast of lust."
I stood and bowed my head, bidding them farewell with respect. I heard the sound of Sullivan’s, Konrad’s, and Aldren’s chairs as they followed suit.
I advanced toward the opposite side of where we had entered the council chamber, heading for the adjoining room where the feasts were held.
They were planned by Aldren, but hosted in the elders’ territory because it was neutral ground. Every month, on the first full moon night. That way, wolves had the chance to find their destined mates, since they might belong to other packs. They were forbidden to wander between territories, so the feast was their only opportunity.
"I thought you wouldn’t take part in the feasts anymore, Edric, now that you’re married," Konrad remarked on my right, quickening his pace to keep up.
"I’m mated, not dead."
"Is your she-wolf here?" I clenched my teeth.
"No."
"And does she know what this feast is about?"
I stopped walking and turned to him, narrowing my eyes. Konrad was the thinnest and shortest among us five.
"Since when do you care about my private life, Konrad?"
He shook his head, muttering no, and took a step back.
"I don’t care, but I hate disrespect toward the symbolism of mating. It’s such an ancient, important, and unique ritual."
Sullivan and Aldren watched everything from behind in silence. I tilted my face, hissing harshly:
"Then find an omega to mate with, and your problem will be solved."
He blinked, looking stunned.
I turned toward the double doors, ready to enter the feast.
A castle servant, dressed in a dark tunic that covered his face, pushed the doors open for us.
The candlelight from the chandeliers hanging around the room cast a subtle glow, leaving the place dimly lit. Wolves wandered back and forth with drinks in hand.
The smell of excitement and sex flowed through the air, strong and intense. The only sounds present were side conversations and the moans of wolves fucking in the adjoining rooms.
I recognized some of mine as I moved toward the small stone bar at the back. I pulled one of the wooden stools and sat down.
Another servant, also wearing a face-covering tunic, approached me.
"Whiskey, neat," I ordered, rubbing my eyes, frustrated.
I didn’t need to turn to know who it was when the chair beside me scraped.
"I smell her on you, mixed with your own," Aldren commented, pulling a glass of liquor. "I don’t know how they didn’t notice the moment you entered the room. It’s strong."
I turned my head toward him.
"Newly mated wolves are supposed to smell like this." I closed my fingers around the round glass, lifted it to my lips, and swallowed everything in a single gulp. I gestured to the servant. "Leave the bottle here."
"What happened, Edric? The truth."
"Is my frustration that obvious?" I asked, grabbing the bottle as soon as it was placed in front of me. I filled both my glass and his, laughing. "And here I thought I was good at hiding my feelings."
"Not so obvious to others, but for someone who knows you well, like me."
I shook my head, fixing my gaze on some random object.
"I don’t know what happened," I confessed in a voice so low only Aldren could hear thanks to his sharp hearing.
"What do you mean, you don’t know?" He placed a hand on my shoulder and gave a subtle squeeze. "Since Catalina..."
"I don’t know," I cut him off, turning to him and stopping him from speaking her name.
"I know what mating means to you, Edric. So tell me the truth."
"This is the truth." He gave me a fleeting look. "Lunara appeared in my territory, in heat. I smelled her from afar, followed to find out what it was, and then..." I let the words die.
"Then what?" he pressed, looking around to make sure no one was paying attention.
"When I regained consciousness, we were mated."
He frowned and stayed silent for a few seconds, absorbing what I had confessed.
"Wait... you let your wolf take control?" I nodded, admitting silently. "What the... fuck! Has this ever happened before?"
"Not that I remember."
If it were up to me, no one else on the council would know the truth besides Aldren. Controlling our animals was the bare minimum an alpha should do. If they found out about this... lapse, they could question my strength as an alpha. And that was out of the question.
I took another sip of the amber liquor, feeling increasingly frustrated.