Chapter 4
1199 Words
ELARA'S POV
Kade moved closer and the mate bond pulled so hard I had to grab Luna's bed to stay standing.
"You need to lower your walls," he said quietly. "Stop blocking the bond."
"I don't know how," I admitted.
"Yes you do," he said. "Just stop fighting it."
It's sounding very easy for him to say.
But Luna made another awful sound and Kai's breathing was getting worse. I turned and looked at them, turning helplessly on the bed. Oh my dear babies!
I closed my eyes and found that wall I'd built five years ago.
The one that kept the bond locked away where it couldn't hurt me.
And I started tearing it down.
It hurt.
God it hurt, like ripping open a wound that never actually healed.
The bond came rushing back and suddenly I felt everything.
Kade's guilt.
His terror.
His absolute certainty that these were his children and he'd do anything to save them.
"That's it," Kade said. "Keep going."
Golden light poured out of him, brighter than before, and power moved through the bond between us.
"Put your hands on Luna," he said.
I did and the second I touched her the power flowed through me like electricity.
Luna gasped and her eyes flew open, glowing silver.
"Mama," she whispered.
"I'm here baby," I said. "We're fixing it."
"Damon," Kade said. "Put your hands on Kai."
"I'm not part of your bond," Damon said and I could hear the pain in his voice.
"No but you love him," Kade said. "Use that."
Damon hesitated half a second before putting his hands on Kai's chest.
More golden light poured into Kai.
"Elara I need more," Kade said and he was sweating now. "Pull from the bond."
I reached for that connection and pulled.
The power surged and Kade stumbled.
"Too much," he gasped. "Try to control it."
I didn't know how but I tried and suddenly silver light was mixing with the gold.
"Your wolf," Raine said. "Elara she's awake."
My wolf pushed forward and she was strong.
Way stronger than before.
"The curse is broken," Raine said. "You're not an Omega anymore."
"What am I then," I asked.
But before she could answer both twins gasped at the same time and their eyes stopped glowing.
Luna started crying normal tears and Kai reached for Damon who grabbed him immediately.
"I got you," Damon said and his voice cracked. "You're okay."
I pulled Luna into my arms so tight she squeaked.
"Mama I can't breathe," she said but she was smiling a little.
"Sorry baby," I loosened my grip. "Does anything hurt?"
"No," she said. "Just tired."
"Me too," Kai mumbled.
The lights faded and suddenly I couldn't stand anymore.
Kade caught me.
"Easy," he said. "That took everything out of you."
"I'm fine," I lied.
"You're not," he said. "Look at your aura."
I didn't know what he meant until Raine made this shocked sound.
"Silver," she said. "Pure silver."
"What does that mean," I asked even though part of me already knew.
"It means you're a Silver Alpha," Kade said quietly. "The first one in a hundred years."
The room went silent.
"That's impossible," I said.
"So are your prophesied Lycan twins," Kade said. "But we've got two right here."
Luna was already asleep in my arms and Kai was out cold against Damon.
"They need rest," Raine said. "All of you do."
"I'm taking them home," Damon said and stood up.
"They're staying here," Kade said. "Under my protection."
"They're coming with me," Damon's voice went hard. "They're my kids."
"Our kids," Kade corrected. "And every pack within a hundred miles knows about them now, they're not safe."
"They're safe with me."
"Are they?" Kade asked. "Malachi already tried once and that was before he knew what they were."
Damon's jaw clenched but he couldn't argue.
"The hearing's in three days," Kade said. "Until then they stay in neutral territory with guards from both packs."
"Fine," Damon said even though he clearly hated it.
"I'm not leaving my kids," I said.
"You'll stay with them," Kade said. "Obviously."
"So will I," Damon added.
"And me," Kade said.
Three days.
Both of them.
I looked down at Luna sleeping in my arms and felt my new wolf stir.
She was awake now and she was strong and she was mine.
But something felt wrong.
The bond with Kade was wide open and I could feel him constantly now, his emotions bleeding into mine.
And my wolf kept pushing toward him even though I didn't want her to.
"Elara," Raine said quietly. "Your eyes are glowing."
I looked up and caught my reflection in the window.
Silver eyes staring back at me.
Not just glowing.
Burning.
"What's happening to me," I whispered.
Kade stepped closer and his eyes were gold and I felt the pull between us get stronger.
"The Silver Alpha gene doesn't just make you powerful," he said. "It makes you unstable until you learn to control it."
"How long does that take," I asked.
"For most Silver Alphas?" He looked at me with something like fear in his face. "Years."
"I don't have years," I said. "The hearing's in three days."
"I know," he said.
The door slammed open and Marcus Thorne walked in with a bunch of pack elders behind him.
"Well well," Marcus said looking at me with way too much interest. "A Silver Alpha and prophesied twins all in one family, how interesting."
"Can you please leave us alone," I muttered
"I don't think so," Marcus said. "The Council needs to verify the children's bloodline and the your new status before the hearing."
"The hearing's in three days," Damon said. "They can wait."
"Actually they can't," Marcus pulled out some official looking paper. "According to pack law, any wolf who undergoes a rank transformation must be tested and registered within twenty four hours."
"You planned this," Damon said.
"I planned for every possibility," Marcus said. "Now, Miss Winters, you'll come with us for testing."
"I'm not going anywhere," I said.
"Then you'll forfeit your claim to the children," Marcus said simply. "Pack law is very clear."
"He's right," Raine said quietly. "If you don't register the transformation they can claim you're unfit to be their guardian."
No.
No no no.
"I'll go with her," Kade said.
"You're not allowed," Marcus said. "The transformation must be verified by neutral parties only."
I looked at Damon who was holding Kai and couldn't leave.
Looked at Kade who apparently couldn't come.
Looked at my babies who were sleeping and safe for now.
"How long," I asked.
"The testing takes six hours," Marcus said. "You'll be back before they wake up."
Six hours away from my kids after everything that just happened.
But what choice did I have?
"Fine," I said and handed Luna carefully to Raine. "But if anything happens to them while I'm gone..."
"Nothing will happen," Kade said. "I'll guard them myself."
"So will I," Damon added.
Marcus smiled and it made my skin crawl.
"Excellent," he said. "Shall we?"
I followed him out the door and tried not to think about how this felt like a trap.
- Writer
