The council chamber was heavy with the scent of dominance and distrust. Twelve elders sat in a crescent, their sharp gazes fixed on the tall figure at the center.
Kael stood with his hands in his pockets, the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. "You asked for a bride before the deadline," he said, his voice smooth as glass. "I didn't just find a bride. I found my mate."
A ripple of murmurs spread across the room. The word mate carried weight in their world—it was sacred, binding.
Elder Varun, his silver eyes narrowing, leaned forward. "And this… mate of yours… is from which pack?"
Kael let the silence stretch before answering. "She's not from any pack."
Confusion flickered among them before realization struck.
"She's human?" Elder Mira's voice rose with disbelief.
"Fragile," Elder Dorian spat, as though the word itself was poison. "A human cannot bear the weight of an Alpha's bond. They break."
Kael's jaw flexed, but his voice stayed calm—too calm. "She won't break."
"You're risking your position—your legacy—on a weak outsider!" Varun slammed his fist on the table.
Kael's eyes darkened, Draven's presence pulsing beneath his skin. "Weak?" His tone was a quiet warning. "My mate is mine. You wanted me married. Now I am—end of discussion."
The elders exchanged glances, some bristling, others calculating.
"This will not end well, Alpha Kael," Dorian said coldly. "Mark our words."
***
Morning light spilled into the room, brushing against the white sheets where Evelyn sat curled against the headboard, her eyes still swollen from the night before.
The door opened without a knock.
Kael stepped in, a silver tray balanced easily in one hand. Eggs, toast, tea—simple but warm. He set it on the table beside her bed, his movements precise, controlled.
Her brows drew together. "Why are you bringing me breakfast?"
Because she needs it, Draven's voice pressed against his mind. She hasn't eaten. She's ours.
Kael kept his tone casual. "Eat. You'll fall sick if you don't. That wouldn't help the people you care about."
Her gaze flickered to him, sharp. "I just need my nanny. And Lily."
He leaned slightly against the dresser, arms crossed. "Who are they?"
She looked away, pressing her lips into a thin line. Silence was her answer.
His jaw tightened. "Eat, Evelyn. She hesitated, then pushed the tray toward herself, her hands trembling slightly.
"A lawyer will be here tomorrow. So We'll sign the marriage contract."
You really think I will sign a marr....
I will pay for Lily's surgery' he cut her
She sat there still shocked. "how do you know lily and how do you know she needs surgery"
Let's just say " I know everything"
And why should I believe you?
I stand by my words" For the first time, his eyes stayed on hers longer than a few seconds, searching, calculating. Ours, his wolf growled again, more insistent than before.
Deal!
Hours later, Lucien strolled in without invitation, smirking' you took breakfast to your mate "Well, well… the almighty Alpha of Bloodfang, feeding a woman. I should frame this moment."
Kael shot him a flat look. "Humans are too soft. They cry too much. It's… annoying."
Lucien chuckled under his breath. "And yet here you are."
My mate forced me to do it".