Evolution’s chosen mate

Chapter 16

Lisa

I forced a small smile over my lips and wiped my eyes, trying to erase the evidence of my tears. Lacey waved me toward the door. I looked back at Rowan to see just as much reluctance in his eyes, making me rip my head forward quickly.

I couldn’t see that look on his face and walk out of the door in this moment, but that was the only choice I had.

Sydney’s hand landed on my back as Lacey opened the door and stepped out. Syd gently pushed me through the door, following after me.

I followed behind Lacey. I kept my eyes glued to the floor as I heard the elders’ footsteps quickly clicking toward us.

“We have been searching the garden for you. All three of you disappeared immediately,” one of the elder witches said, her eyebrow quirking as she took us in, her eyes judging.

I took a silent breath, trying to keep my heart rate normal and not alert any of them more suspicious than they already were.

“Moves like that do not look good for any of us. We are supposed to present ourselves as a united front at all events. What does it look like when the three of you, the power force, disappear together before we even discuss all of our rulings with the people?” an elder wolf growled, his face turning a bit red in his anger.

I clenched my hands tightly behind me, fear swirling in my stomach. There was no way they knew, but that didn’t stop the panic seizing my body.

I watched an innocent look spread across Lacey’s face.

“I’m sorry, elders. The people’s fear was just getting to us today. It hurts to see the packs we care about and work hard to protect look at us that way. We just needed a second to recoup before coming back out with you. We’re ready now and we can enter together.”

Sydney followed her lead immediately, dabbing away pretend tears as she muttered a short apology.

I still couldn’t speak. I just looked at them.

Their expressions seemed split between understanding and annoyed, but they didn’t say anymore as they led us back to the garden.

I went through the motions, smiled and nodded as everyone came up with questions, solutions, and ideas for the elders. None of it reached me, until…

“What if we held a large ceremony filled with all of the unmated werewolves this summer? Maybe some of our young will find their fated and if they don’t then it will give them plenty of options for a chosen mate. They can choose each other or even have a contest to pick the strongest men with the best genes who will make our next generation thrive. We could hold it annually and slowly rebuild our numbers.”

My stomach dropped as a man rushed all of that out quickly.

I watched the elder wolves’ eyes light up.

“Umm, why would only the men get to choose?” Lacey added immediately, but I saw a flash in the elder wolves’ eyes.

The man backed away immediately, realizing he had irritated Lacey, but the elder wolves turned toward us. The elder witches seemed intrigued, but not with the same gleaming excitement I saw in the wolves’ eyes.

“You know, that wasn’t a completely bad idea. It would ensure our numbers grew, and healthy pups come from the strongest men. We could completely rebuild with healthy, undamaged pups.”

Lacey sneered. “Damaged pups?”

The elder’s eyes widened, the scent of fear filling the air as he realized what he had said out loud.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. I just meant it’s not a bad idea. We can come back to that topic at our private meeting next week. We should call it though, let everyone get back to their normal lives until the next ball.”

The man hurried. As soon as he finished talking he began walking away, the other elders following quickly behind him.

Lacey huffed, and I could see the darkness swirling in her eyes as she watched their backs until they were completely out of view.

“It’s okay, Lacey. They are dumb. Their minds are still stuck in the old ways sometimes and they speak before they think. Your pups are perfect.”

She sighed softly, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.

“They are speaking of, where are those wild little critters? I think we should go see them before I have to go to work and see if I can help Mom with anything.”

“They are with Katie and Carly. I’m sure they are having a blast and in no hurry for me to come get them, but I am so let’s go.”

She said it with a small giggle slipping through her lips, and warmth spread through me at her excitement. I skipped happily beside her.

We arrived at Katie’s quickly to see Carly’s blonde curls flying in the wind as she chased after Katianna, Finnick running quickly after them. Their sweet laughter filled the air and shoved everything we were all just so worried about to the back of our minds, still there but hidden by their happiness.

“Mommy! Aunt Lisa! Aunt Sydney! Carly is gonna teach me how to do a cartwheel!” Katianna shouted excitedly as we made our way up to them.

Lacey laughed immediately, rushing forward and scooping her daughter into her arms before spinning her around.

“You are? Well, I definitely need to see that.”

Katianna giggled loudly, her tiny hands grabbing onto Lacey’s cheeks. “Carly already knows how! Finnick keeps falling over though!”

“I do not,” Finnick argued immediately before tripping over his own feet trying to prove his point.

Sydney burst into laughter beside me and even I couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my face.

For a moment everything felt normal.No council.No fear.No impossible mate bond threatening to change all of our lives.Just family.

My chest tightened softly as Rowan’s words echoed through my mind again.

Maybe impossible just means nobody has done it yet.

The bond stirred warmly beneath my skin at the thought, almost like it agreed.