CHAPTER 31
1674 Words
There was a long, stretched silence after Elder Kion said, “That is enough.”
Like everyone was still expecting something to happen.
Maybe they were still panicking, Elise wasn’t sure.
She stood frozen in the circle, her chest rising and falling as if she’d just ran a mile.
Her palms were still glowing faintly, like the light was still contemplating on wether to stay or leave.
She looked at her palms, wondering how to quench the light.
She almost didn’t know how to put it on, not to talk of putting it off.
The warrior she’d just faced had taken another step back.
His expression was unreadable, but it wasn’t mocking.
If anything, he looked… fascinated by the lights flickering on her plans.
He looked at Elise with respect.
Elder Kion walked slowly to a pavement close to the circle where Elise and the warrior were standing.
The other council members stood with him, whispering amongst themselves.
Their eyes stayed fixed on Elise.
“She’s able to control the light,” one of them said.
“I don’t think so, can’t you see how the light still flickers in her hands?…. Seems like she doesn’t even know how to put it off.” another added quickly, scoffing like it was dangerous to be hopeful of the “light” as they all termed it.
“She didn’t attack, she only defended. That signifies something, yunno” a woman on the left side of the training grounds said aloud.
Elder Kion didn’t speak right away.
His eyes were locked on Elise.
His gaze was very sharp and he stared at her like he was watching a wild animal that might run or tear down the walls.
Kai stepped forward before anyone else could speak.
“You all saw her,” he said in a loud and clear tone.
“She didn’t lose control, she didn’t try to hurt him, she didn’t even try to win, instead, she just showed you who she is.”
Kion finally turned to look at Kai.
“And who is she, Alpha Kai?” He asked, his voice sarcastic and loud.
Kai ignored the mild laughter that echoed in the room at Elder Kion’s sarcasm.
“She’s the girl who was cast out for being different, the one everyone feared just because they couldn’t understand her.”
“She’s the one you refused to teach but expected her to obey, and even admist all these, evsn though she was afraid, she still faced you all with nothing but the power she barely understands.”
“She didn’t come to harm any of us,” Kai added. “She came to be seen.”
That sent the crowd quiet as they started to think about what he said.
Elise slowly stepped out of the circle.
Her legs were tired, but not just from the trial.
She felt every bit of emotion… relief, fear, and something close to pride.
She looked at Kai, his eyes were locked on hers like he was holding her up or even hugging her without even touching her.
“I’ve seen enough,” said one of the councilmen, folding his arms.
“Whatever she is, she’s not harmless, although, she’s not dangerous either.”
Not yet, at least.”
Elise flinched a little at the word “not yet.”
“She’ll need guidance,” another elder added.
“She’s freshly picked, who’d guide her on something they don’t know?” Another said in reply to the previous elder.
“She’s a threat!” someone else muttered.
“We don’t know what else she’s capable of.”
“She’s not a threat,” Kai said sharply.
“She’s a person, a pack member…. And whether you all like it or not, Elise is my mate.”
Kion raised his hand, signaling for quiet.
“We are not here to decide her fate. At least, not today,” he said.
“This is just the beginning.”
Just then, Elise felt her body burning up.
It was the feeling she felt when she wanted to awaken her powers, but it was more intense.
It was hot and blazing.
She blinked fast and looked down at her hands again.
That glow faint from before was now brighter and warmer.
Too warm and the brightness kept on increasing.
Her hands felt like she had been shocked, she shivered.
Like something inside her had been accidentally switched on and now couldn’t shut off.
“Kai…” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
He stepped forward instantly, brows raised with worry across his face. “What is it?”
“I… I don’t know,” Elise said.
Her breathing getting faster, her heart palpitating as she staggered to the side, clutching her chest tightly.
“It’s like… it’s burning.”
The council murmurs started again, but this time it was worry, not judgment.
They were scared and some of them started moving backwards a little.
Kai reached out, holding her shoulders.
“Elise, try to breathe, focus on me.”
But Elise couldn’t.
Her body was trembling, her hands glowing brighter now.
The glow was no longer like the soft moonlight, but like a small sun lived inside her, begging to break out.
The warrior she’d just sparred with took a few cautious steps toward her. “Should I—”
“No!” Kai said, his voice sharp as he held an arm out protectively.
It was too late.
Elise let out a sharp breath, and the power inside her surged.
It wasn’t controlled anymore, it wasn’t a gentle flicker like before.
This was wild and dangerous.
A bright light exploded from Elise’s body, spreading out like a wave in every direction.
The ground started shaking as the light merged with the wind.
A thick dust rose in the air, and there was a loud sound in the room as one of the wooden posts nearby broke in half and flew back towards the Lucien who hurriedly dodged it.
The warrior was thrown off his feet and hit the ground hard on his side.
He groaned loudly in pain.
He wasn’t badly hurt, but his shirt got ripped at the shoulder, and he winced when he tried to move away from the ground.
Kai rushed forward, blocking Elise from the others as a protective instinct kicked in.
“It’s okay!” he called out.
“She didn’t mean to, she’s not in control!”
Council members stood up in alarm, their claws starting to pop out.
Two guards stepped forward, but Elder Kion raised a hand.
“Stand down!” he commanded.
“Everyone, stand down!”
Elise dropped to her knees.
Her eyes were wide and almost shining, but her body wobbled like she was too weak to stand.
Her lips were shaking, and her hands were trembling a lot too.
And then…
Everything went still.
The light faded from her hands like it had never been there.
Then she collapsed forward, her body hitting the dirt with a soft thud.
“Elise!” Kai shouted, dropping beside her.
She wasn’t bleeding.
She wasn’t even visibly hurt.
But she was out cold.
Completely still.
Kai lifted her gently into his arms, brushing her hair back. “She’s burning up,” he muttered.
The council looked frightened.
Elder Kion stepped closer, frowning. “What was that?”
“An outburst,” one of the elders answered.
“That wasn’t controlled, it was instinct.”
“She could’ve done worse damage,” another added.
“But she didn’t,” Kai said, holding Elise closer. “Even then, even when she lost control, her power didn’t try to kill anyone. It just… needed out.”
Elder Kion’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if weighing a hundred thoughts at once.
Then he turned to one of the healers standing nearby.
“Get her to the packhouse infirmary, quietly with no whispers.”
“The last thing we need right now is public rumors.”
The healer nodded quickly and ran off to make preparations.
Kai stood up with Elise still in his arms. He looked at the council again, his voice quieter but still husky.
“This is what happens when you corner someone with power they never got a chance to understand, you push them, you test them like they’re some weapon you can measure… and then act surprised when the weapon makes a mistake.”
He was angry.
He didn’t wait for a response.
He turned and walked off the training field, carrying Elise in his arms like something fragile and precious.
The council watched in silence, not one of them able to meet his eyes.
As they passed the gate back into the packhouse, some pack members stood frozen near the porch, staring.
Kai didn’t say a word to them.
He took her straight into the healer’s room and laid her gently on the bed.
The healer, a middle-aged woman with greying hair and calm hands, immediately started checking Elise’s pulse, temperature, and breathing.
“She’s okay,” she said after a few minutes.
“She’s exhausted, drained, but she’s stable.” She added, still checking Elise.
Kai pulled a chair beside the bed and sat heavily, elbows resting on his knees.
He looked at Elise’s face, still, peaceful, but pale.
He ran a hand down his face and let out a breath he didn’t even notice he’d been holding.
“She’s going to hate herself when she wakes up,” he said quietly to the healer.
“She shouldn’t,” the healer replied softly, mixing herbs in a bowl.
“Power like that, it comes with weight and even fear.”
“If it’s make you feel better, what I saw out there wasn’t violence. It was panic, in my opinion, she was overwhelmed.”
Kai nodded. “Yes she was, and she’s been holding it in for too long.”
He reached out and gently took Elise’s hand.
“I’ll be here when she wakes up,” he murmured.
- Writer
