ELIJAH
My day had started pretty normal.
I dropped Leo's toy train and walked over to meet Anderson, the pack doctor, who was now gathering up his equipment.
"Anderson" I turned around to look at Leo, to make sure he couldn't hear me "What do you think? When do you think he would be able to talk?"
From his expression alone, I already knew what he wanted to say and it wasn't good news.
He simply shook his head, not wanting to add salt to the injury. Disappointment washed through me as I walked him out. Every time he paid a visit, I had always hoped that he would give me good news, that he would talk real soon.
Ever since Liam, my former Beta and his father passed on, he had been like this.
Leo was his father's son and the only thing Liam held dearest to his heart. Their bond was so strong that when Leo realized that his father wasn't coming back from the war like other men, he fell ill.
To make matters worse, Jane, his mother, left him because she wasn't able to cope with his illness.
Leo had no one to care for him so I took him in as my son. Not just because he was alone, but because Liam was my best friend and confidant. This was the least I could do for him so he could rest in peace.
By the time I got back to the room, Leo was already in bed so I crawled in with him and patted him to sleep. That was all he ever did. He played with his toys a bit but most times, he just slept.
It bothered me because I didn't want him to grow up alone. I may not be there all the time and I wanted him to have people around him to be there for him.
The door opened and Hazel stood in the doorway with her hand over her mouth. She signaled for me to come outside and I shooed her away. Slowly crawling out of Leo's bed, I made sure he was asleep before shutting the door behind me.
"What is it?" I met up with her in the drawing room upstairs.
She crossed her hands against her chest and pushed herself off the wall. She gave me a once over and I already knew there was something in her mind. I just couldn't guess what.
"You haven't given me an answer to my question."
I racked my brain but couldn't seem to even remember what the question was.
Hazel wasn't my beta officially, but she does everything a beta would. And she did it good.
"You said you were going to think about what I said." She sounded exasperated.
It still didn't ring a bell.
"You. Getting. Married. Again." She stressed each word.
I rolled my eyes and held the door handle.
"I was never married before. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be doing something important."
"Okay, wait." She grabbed my hand. "This time around, it's not just for me. Listen, things aren't looking good with the wolves from the White Crescent Pack. If we want them to actually sign the treaty, then we need a Luna."
"White Crescent doesn't have a Luna." I pointed out in a know it all tone.
"But at least, the Alpha has been married. Listen, just think about it and this time, try to do something about it."
Deep down, she knew that I wasn't going to do anything about it. Not now, not ever.
"Elijah, you-"
"I'll think about it, on one condition." Her smile fell. "How about you find your mate first?"
She burst out laughing.
"I'm not like you, Elijah. We're not in the same situation. Besides, men are trouble. I'm fine the way I am."
We both laughed and as she walked away, I actually put some thought into what she said.
Maybe Leo needs a motherly figure to finally talk.
"Finally, you're speaking a language I can relate to."
Of course, it would take a topic like this that would get Aiden to finally show his ugly face.
Aiden is family, and like every family, he is the most annoying of all.
He had been one of the supporters of Hazel's campaign to get me another mate but no matter what they did or planned to do, their plans won't work.
"Forget it, it's not going to happen."
Right now, my primary and only focus was Leo. The only thing that would make me so happy was to see him talking, nothing else.
"But just think about it. If you find a new mate, you'll be happier. Leo would have a motherly figure which every child needs and you'll be able to sign the treaty with White Crescent."
I ignored him because it was the only thing to do. The moment he started his rant, he would never shut up. I had never met a wolf that talked so much.
"Elijah, just-"
"Forget it, Aiden. Just drop it. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not interested in being with someone else? Have you forgotten so quickly what Emily did or have you forgotten what Jane did to Leo? The way she abandoned Leo just like that? You can't possibly expect me to forget all that and move on!"
The memories were still very fresh in my head. The pain, the way I felt when Emily left me, the countless days that I tried begging her to come back. The horrible days after she left, how hard it had been for me to pull myself from that darkness. No, I couldn't possibly move on.
Just the mention of her name made me feel a pang in my chest, but I quickly shoved it away. I was over this, over her.
I had promised myself after everything that I wouldn't waste my time with women ever again. I would never marry, or claim a mate. And this little plan they have to push me to do it isn't going to make me change my mind.
"Elijah, I didn't mean-" Aiden started but I cut him off sharply.
"Forget it." My tone was final.
He got the message that I wasn't in the mood. They both didn't try to speak again.
I still wasn't back to normal, after the unnecessary reminder of Emily and what happened with her.
I couldn't concentrate so I walked out of his room and went back to mine before changing my course and heading towards the door.
A run in the woods was the perfect thing to take my mind off all this talk that was annoying me.
Quickly changing out of my formal wear, I put on normal clothes and slipped into the dark woods.
They say you learn new things everyday but I never thought this was what the day had in store for me. Watching the way this wolf's so called family were treating her was eye opening. I never imagined I'd get to see a wolf treat their own child like this.
As I watched the way these people treated her, it drove me crazy because they were the ones who were supposed to be protecting her.
Lycans valued their children, they loved and died for them but it obviously wasn't applying to these people. They treated her like a slave not worthy to stand before them.
Her father just stood there in silence, not saying anything to defend her while the girl, Lisa, just kept feeding him with lies. What good father would stand still and watch as his daughter is hit by another man in his presence but he didn't even move an inch.
I would have ripped his hand off first for calling me a rogue, then for having the guts to raise his hand on her. But I couldn't blame him, he didn't know I was an Alpha.
But I was a King only in my Kingdom and by White Crescent rules, Adriana and I should be sentenced to death. This was one of the rules that was set to be abolished by the time we sign the treaty.
Both our sides have seen countless people get sentenced to death for falling in love and due to it being a rule that my father had passed with the Alpha of White Crescent at that time, I had no other choice but to honor it.
There was no way I was going to allow her to get killed based on a lie. I would protect her with my own life if I have to, because she's innocent.
Before I can open my mouth to speak, Lisa beats me to it.
"Dad, say something. She's just going to lie her way out of this situation. Sentence her to death right away!" If her father had a brain, he would see that Lisa was so desperate to get her killed and he won't fall for her tricks.
"Just stop it, Lisa! I can't do it!" I saw Adriana visibly relaxing. I felt so bad for her because all this was happening because I showed up "But you're not going to be free. Take them to the dungeons and lock them up! I'll deal with this in the morning with a clear head."
The dungeons? No way in hell.
"Wait, listen to me, you don't know who I am." The guards didn't listen to me, they just began dragging us away.
"Dad? Dad, please! You have to believe me! Please!" Her father turned his back on her as his daughter was being dragged away.
"Hey," I called for her "It's okay. This will soon be cleared up and we'll be out of here."
"This is my fault. I'm sorry, if you hadn't stepped in to save me, you would have been safe. I'm sorry for this."
My heart broke, hearing those words. I wanted to tell her that if given the opportunity, I would save her over and over again without thinking about it twice but I didn't. She shouldn't have to take on the pain alone.
Frantically, I searched my waist for my Kingship band but tonight in all the years I've been King is the first time I'm leaving the house without it. Just perfect.
"Hey wait, listen to me " I tried to reason with the guards but they didn't listen. "I'm the Lycan King. My name is Elijah Stormborn, you will be committing a big crime!"
They dragged us into a building with no light. I still couldn't believe I was getting arrested.
"It's okay. You don't have to lie." Adriana gently whispered to me.
I'm not lying! Why wouldn't anyone believe me?!
I needed to figure a way out of here. It wouldn't make sense for me to fight all these wolves on my own. There were too many and I would put Adriana at risk. I wasn't even hearing Ezra so it meant this wasn't a situation that I would need to fight in.
Mind linking was my only hope.
"Hazel, I need help. I've been arrested by White Crescent."
