Chapter 3
1196 Words
Almost Taken
“You should come with us,” the councilwoman said. The words echoed like a verdict already decided.
Katelyn felt Daniel’s body tense in front of her, her whole crumbled as they requested for her. She felt the heat of him, the barely restrained violence in the way his wolf pushed forward.
The Council members stood unmoving in the doorway, their silver cloaks catching the bathroom light, their expressions carved from stone.
Daniel’s voice was calm, too calm. “On what grounds?”
The woman at the front stood tall, her sharp gaze piercing and ageless, earning her the notorious title of the Female Devil.
Revered and feared by Alphas across the globe, she was celebrated for her unwavering commitment to justice, never having lost a case.
As she stepped inside, she didn’t bother waiting for permission; the air crackled with tension.
Steam swirled around her like a living entity, yet she remained unfazed by the oppressive heat, embodying an authority that demanded respect.
“Violation of Decree 17,” she said evenly. “Unregistered mate bonding with an Alpha heir.”
A silence fell so heavy it pressed against the walls. Daniel didn’t look back at Katelyn. He didn’t need to.
“Be specific,” he said. The woman’s eyes shifted to Katelyn.
“This girl carries a restricted lineage. An omega, she was ordered to remain unbound until formal review.” Katelyn’s stomach dropped, so they knew. “And you…” she pointed at Alpha Daniel. “Not only mated her but plans to make her your Luna, yes or no?”
Daniel’s father appeared behind the Council, his face tight with restrained fury. “This is neither the time nor the place.”
“It is precisely the time,” the woman replied coolly. “Before the bond progresses beyond control.”
Daniel finally turned his head slightly toward Katelyn, beyond control. His jaw flexed.
“What exactly are you implying?” he asked.
The Councilwoman clasped her hands behind her back. “We are implying that your wolf has already accepted her.”
The air shifted. Every wolf in the corridor felt it, the subtle undercurrent between them. The way Daniel positioned himself instinctively in front of her. The way Katelyn’s scent carried his.
Daniel didn’t deny it. He couldn’t. “And if it has?” he asked. A murmur moved through the watching pack members.
The woman’s gaze sharpened. “Then the bond must be tested.”
Katelyn’s breath hitched, heart pounding. “Tested how?” No one answered her. Daniel did not like the silence.
“What does ‘tested’ mean?” he demanded. The woman’s eyes remained fixed on him. “Separation.” The word struck like a physical blow to Alpha Daniels torsos.
Katelyn’s pulse spiked, her heart rate rose and Daniel went completely still. “For how long?” he asked.
“Long enough to determine whether the attachment is instinct… or defiance.”
Daniel gave a humorless laugh. “You think I don’t know the difference?”
“We think,” she replied evenly, “that young Alphas mistake desire for destiny.”
That did it. Daniel stepped forward, slow, deliberate, dangerous. “My wolf does not make mistakes.”
The Council members stiffened, “Neither do we,” they all said in unison.
Katelyn grabbed his wrist by instinct before he could step any closer. The contact sparked subtle, but enough to stop his actions. She was scared he could see it, she could feel it, but she needed to be the calm one, two wrongs can’t make a right.
The Councilwoman saw it. Her eyes darkened slightly as she whispered softly, “It has already rooted,”
Daniel felt it then, not just the bond, the fear, Not his but that of Katelyn’s.
He turned to her fully for the first time since they had entered. “Did you know?” he asked quietly. Her throat tightened.
“I already told you that I knew they were watching,” she admitted. “I just didn’t think they would act.”
“That’s not what I asked.” He nearly shouted. Her silence was answer enough.
Something shifted behind his eyes, not betrayal, understanding.
“You should have told me,” he said.
“And what would you have done?” she shot back softly. “Will it automatically stop?” He didn’t answer.
Because they both knew the truth.
The Councilwoman cleared her throat. “This is no longer a private matter.”
Two guards stepped forward. Daniel’s wolf surged violently this time.
“Touch her,” he said lowly, “and we’ll see whose decree holds here.” Gasps rippled through the hall.
His father stepped in sharply. “Daniel.” The warning in his voice was unmistakable. “Defy the Council now, and the consequences would be irreversible.”
Daniel’s breathing slowed, measured, controlled. He looked at Katelyn. Really looked at her, Fear, strength, guilt, resolve.
He understood then, if he fought tonight, she would pay for it later. So, instead of attacking, he made a choice.
“She goes nowhere,” he said calmly.
The Councilwoman raised a brow. “You believe you can overrule us?”
“No,” Daniel replied. “I believe you won’t drag a pack member through a corridor full of witnesses and call it justice.”
The silence was deafening, he continued, voice smooth and cutting. “If you want her, summon her formally. In the daylight. Before the pack. Not like thieves in the night.”
The accusation landed. Even watching the wolves shifted uncomfortably. The Councilwoman studied him carefully.
“You are playing a dangerous game, Alpha heir.”
“I learned from watching you,” he restored. The Silence stretched, Long, Tense. Finally, the woman stepped back toward the doorway.
“Very well.” Relief flickered in the air, briefly. “Tomorrow at sunrise,” she continued, “Katelyn Hale will appear before the Council.” Her gaze moved to Daniel. “Alone.”
Daniel’s expression didn’t change.“She does not stand alone.”
“She does if you wish to remain Alpha.” She threw back
The threat was quiet, absolutely. The Council began to turn. But before stepping out, the woman added one final sentence.
“If the bond is confirmed… one of you will be required to sever it.”
Katelyn’s heart stopped, Sever, not tested, examined, severed.
The doors closed behind them. The party music outside had stopped completely. Jocelyn's birthday, long forgotten.
No one spoke. Daniel didn’t move for several seconds, then slowly, he looked at her. And for the first time since they arrived, he didn’t look angry. He looked afraid, not for himself, but about what tomorrow would demand.
“You should have told me,” he said again, softer this time. Katelyn swallowed. “I was afraid.”
“Of them?” She shook her head.
“Of you.”
That hurt more than anything the Council had said. Sunrise was less than eight hours away. And neither of them knew knewWhether they were walking into a hearing.
Or a goodbye.
- Writer
