CHAPTER 30
1667 Words
The sun shined through the small spaces between Elise’s curtains, landing softly on her blankets.
It was warm, but the room still felt a bit cold.
She lowered her blanket below her face and opened her eyes in slow motion, while blinking because of the light.
Her body ached in places she hadn’t felt before, although it was not a bad ache, it just the kind that came after something… different.
Something like what happened in her room last night.
She smiled as she remembered the events.
She turned on her side, pressing her face into the pillow, and that was when she noticed.
Kai wasn’t there.
His side of the bed was still warm though.
She could still smell him, he always had the scent of fresh trees.
He smelt like home.
For a second, her chest tightened and she started overthinking.
What if he left because he felt that they shouldn’t have done that?
Or that he made a mistake and that they did too much?
What if…..
The door creaked open gently.
“I didn’t want to wake you,” Kai said softly, stepping in with two mugs in his hands. “But I brought tea.”
Elise sat up slowly, her heart calmed a little.
She judged herself silently for her overthinking.
She rubbed her eyes and reached for the mug.
“Ginger?” she asked.
“Of course,” he replied, sitting beside her. “You like it hot and light, right?”
She nodded and gave him a small smile, trying to push her overthinking away.
Kai looked fresh and clean.
He was already dressed in a black T-shirt and beige joggers.
His hair was slightly wet.
He must have gone for a run or maybe washed his face, Elise thought as she analyzed him.
“I just needed to breathe,” he said, like he could read her thoughts.
“Not because of you and not in anyway because of last night, just….everything else.” He continued, because he knew Elise was an overthinker, not that it was a bad thing, but he felt the need to reassure her.
Elise stared at her tea cup, unsure of what to say.
“You regret it?” she asked quietly.
Kai turned quickly to face her. “What? No—Elise, not at all.”
He leaned in, his voice low and gentle, “last night meant something to me, Infact it meant everything, a lot, actually. I’ve never felt that kind of connection before.” With anyone.
“My wolf has always wanted you, Elise.” And I felt the happiest last night.
“The happiest I had felt in weeks, Elise.”
She looked at him, more like stared at him.
She could see the honesty in his eyes.
She then let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding.
“I was scared you’d disappear,” she admitted.
He laughed under his breath. “Never! You’d have to kick me out.”
Elise smiled at him.
They both sipped their tea for a while without talking.
The silence wasn’t heavy, just quiet and easy.
Then Kai broke it.
“Lucien said Elder Kion wants to see us, this afternoon, at the council room.”
Elise’s shoulders dropped. “What now?… More judging?”
Kai shook his head. “I don’t know, Lucien just said it was official, he also said he didn’t know the details.”
Elise rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.
“Can’t we just stay here in this room and pretend that the world doesn’t exist for a while?”
Kai smiled, resting his cheek on her hair.
“I wish, but we both know the world doesn’t work like that.”
“I hate it,” she muttered.
“I know.”
She paused, then asked, “Do you think they’ll ever trust me?”
Kai didn’t answer right away, instead, he pulled her a little closer before replying, “I think they will… they’re just people who are scared of what they don’t understand, but in my opinion, I’ll say… trust grows, let’s give it time.”
Elise looked up at him. “That sounded like a quote.”
He grinned. “Yeah, I think I read it in a book or heard it somewhere, but I promise, I mean all of it.”
“I believe in you, Elise, at least, that has to count for something.”
Before Elise could say anything else, someone knocked hard on the door.
“Elise!” It was Aunt Thea’s voice, loud and sharp. “You’re needed downstairs. Now.”
Elise groaned and rolled her eyes. “She practically lives here now, and she always knows how to ruin the moment.”
Kai chucked as he stood and grabbed both mugs. “Want me to go with you?”
She nodded. “Yes, please.”
Elise got up, wore a sweater, and slipped into the nearest pants she could find.
Her hair was in a messy bun, but she didn’t care.
Kai opened the door, and they stepped out together.
The hallway was unusually quiet.
Some pack members passed them, avoiding eye contact.
Others looked curious and stared but didn’t speak.
Downstairs, Thea stood with two council messengers, arms crossed like she’d been waiting forever.
“What’s going on?” Elise asked.
“You’ve been summoned,” one of the messengers said.
“The council wants to see you now.”
“Both of us?” Kai asked.
The second messenger nodded.
Thea gave Elise a look, something between worry and suspicion.
“Try not to cause more drama.”
Elise ignored her and started walking.
Kai followed closely beside her.
Neither of them said much until they were close to the council room.
“You okay?” Kai asked.
“No,” she answered honestly.
He reached over and gently touched her back. “I’m here.”
They entered the room together.
The room was already filled.
Elder Kion sat at the center, the rest of the council beside him.
Elise read the room a little.
No one looked angry, but no one looked welcoming either.
Just serious.
“Elise Thorne,” Kion said, his voice deep and calm. “You are not here to defend yourself, not today.”
Elise stood straighter.
“You are here,” Kion continued, “to be tested.”
“Tested?” she repeated, confused.
“Yes,” he said.
“The Alpha believes there is something powerful in you, something that could help us.”
“But I and the council believe that it would do more than help us, it most definitely would harm us. We don’t know yet, so today, we’ll find out.”
Kai stepped forward. “If you’re going to test her, test me too.”
Kion raised a brow. “You are not the one they fear.”
“I’m her Alpha and her mate,” Kai said firmly. “I don’t stand behind her, I stand with her.”
Kion nodded slowly. “Very well, you may observe, but Elise must stand on her own.”
Elise looked at Kai, then back at the council.
“What kind of test?” she asked.
“We have arranged a small trial,” Kion said.
“You’ll meet a trained warrior in a protected arena, you are not expected to win, only to show what you can do.”
“I thought you said I wasn’t here to defend myself.”
“You’re not,” he replied. “You are here to be understood.”
The room was silent.
Elise took a deep breath. “Okay.”
Kai gave her hand a squeeze. “You’ve got this.”
She followed the messengers down the hallway and out into the training field.
There was already a circle drawn on the ground with white chalk.
Several council members were already seated under the shade of a canopy stationed nearby.
The warrior she was to face stood in the middle of the ring, a tall, muscular clearly experienced middle aged man.
Elise’s heart pounded.
She wasn’t ready for this.
She didn’t even know what part of her powers she could control.
But there was no turning back now.
She stepped into the circle.
“Begin,” one of the elders called.
The warrior stepped forward, he didn’t attack yet, he just watched her.
He was testing her, just like the council said.
Elise raised her hands slowly.
Her body tensed, her breathing heavy.
Everything and everyone around her faded as she focused.
She tried to listen to her body, to the energy she felt inside her.
That small flicker of light she always felt in the back of her chest.
It responded.
Suddenly, the wind shifted.
Her hair moved with it.
The warrior blinked and took a step back.
Elise didn’t move.
The ground vibrated, just slightly, but enough to make everyone glance at their feet.
Kai stood at the edge of the field, watching, his jaw clenched, arms crossed.
Elise didn’t know how she was doing it, but she wasn’t scared anymore.
Not right now.
The warrior charged forward.
Elise dodged quickly, her body reacting faster than her brain.
She rolled to the side, landed on her knees, and raised her hand.
A burst of light shot forward, not strong, but bright enough to startle the warrior and stop him in his tracks.
She stood.
She glowed, only faintly.
Like moonlight.
But it was there.
The warrior bowed his head slightly and stepped back.
The elders stood slowly, murmuring among themselves.
Elise looked at her hands, still glowing.
Then at the council.
Then at Kai.
He looked proud.
Amazed.
He was practically grinning with his arms still crossed.
“Enough,” Kion said, walking forward. “That is enough.”
Elise didn’t know what to feel.
But for the first time, maybe ever, she didn’t feel like a mistake.
She felt… powerful.
- Writer
