Chapter 100
Chapter 100
Ellie POV
“Hello, my babies,” I cooed, rocking the twins in my arms. “Mommy has missed you more than you could possibly know.
“How do you even hold them both at the same time like that?” Lance asked, amused. He was standing against the wall near the door, watching my little reunion with a fond smile.
“Lots of practice,” I replied. “Say hi to your uncle Lance, boys p>
He pushed away from the wall and came to stand beside me.
“Look at their little faces,” he said softly. “I’ll never get over how tiny they are p>
“But they’ve grown so much since you visited last,” I pointed out.
“They’re still tiny,” he said, reaching to touch their chubby cheeks. “Are you okay p>
“Of course not. I hate being away from them,” I said. I couldn’t hide the quiver in my voice, so I didn’t try.
“I know.” He put his arm around me
y.”You don’t have to do this for Nolan’s sake. You can stay here p>
“It’s not for his sake,” I replied. “It’s for the packs. Silver Fang and Moonstone. If I cause drama between them right now-
“I know. Things are fragile politically. But that’s not your responsibility, Ellie p>
“It is, because I have the ability to help. To make things more stable for everyone. I owe to these two to make sure they have a peaceful world to live in p>
Lance sighed and tightened his grip on me. “You’re too good to others and not nearly as selfish as you should be,” he said.
There was a teasing tone to his voice, but it was undercut by the serious expression on his face. I couldn’t help but smile at him. He knew how hard this was for me, and the fact that he had arranged this short visit so that I could hold my boys meant more than he could possibly know.
Lance and Cassian were keeping me sane through this. Without them, I wouldn’t have the strength to deal with everything that needed to be done back in Silver Fang.
“I’ve never been very good at being selfish p>
“I can teach you, if you want p>
Nolan POV
The council chamber had emptied almost as quickly as it had filled, leaving only the lingering echo of arguments and tension in the air. My wolf was restless, pacing behind my ribs, heart hammering with thoughts I couldn’t quite shake.
I should have been relieved. The alliance with Moonstone had survived, at least outwardly. And yet… there was something gnawing at me.
Alaric remained behind, arms folded, watching me with an unreadable expression. “You realize,” he said slowly, that there are consequences to actions taken in secrecy. We all make mistakes, Nolan. That doesn’t mean we aren’t bound to repair them p>
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I crossed my arms, jaw tight. “I get that. But I still don’t understand why you, or your son, would care so much about Ellie. She isn’t one of your people, as far as I know. Why go to such lengths p>
Alaric’s eyes flickered, just the slightest shift, like he was weighing how much to reveal. “Some bonds are older than the ones you see. Sometimes… family matters more than circumstance p>
I tensed. “Family? What does that mean p>
He leaned back, deliberately evasive. “It’s not for me to say, Nolan. Some things are meant to remain private. Trust that our interest in her-well, it is genuine, and protective, nothing more p>
Protective. Genuine. The words didn’t sit right. My wolf bristled, instinct screaming caution, warning me that something in Alaric’s tone was layered, something I couldn’t see.
I tried to press further. “That’s… vague. Are you saying she’s connected to your family somehow p>
A memory came to me suddenly. There were rumors that Alaric’s daughter, believed
to have died in childhood, was alive somewhere. Could it be possible that Ellie was that long lost daughter?
The thought stole my breath for a moment. Was she an alpha’s daughter all this time? It would explain their immediate affinity for her and their odd behavior during their time in Silver Fang.
Alaric’s lips twitched, just the faintest edge of a smile. “I’m saying nothing further. The rest… will reveal itself in time, if it needs to. My advice is to focus on the here and now, Nolan. Your wife is back. That’s what matters most p>
I swallowed, irritation flaring. “Focus on her? That’s easy to say when I haven’t even seen her in p>
The words caught in my throat. The door was open, giving me a clear view down the corridor. I could see Ellie and Lance making their way back.
My chest constricted at the sight: Ellie slipping quietly down the corridor, Lance by her side, his arm steadying her. His hand rested on her lower back, guiding her, comforting her, like she was the most precious thing he’d ever held.
I saw the way she leaned into him slightly, not out of obligation, but the kind of trust that came from years of relying on someone to keep you safe.
My stomach twisted. I denied the implications immediately. Lance? Falling for her? No. That was impossible. Not my brother.
He was too wild, too unrestrained to want anything steady. He didn’t do relationships with labels; he didn’t do long-term. He wouldn’t want… whatever this would mean. My mind scrambled, rationalizing, inventing excuses for what I’d just seen.
Ellie had been through enough. She needed care, support, and someone to stand
by her while she figured out her next steps. Lance was simply… dependable. That’s
all.
And yet, even as I tried to convince myself, the edge of jealousy refused to dissipate.
Alaric’s voice pulled me from the thought spiral. “You see, even you, Nolan, can be… blind to the obvious. You worry about outcomes, and you assume intentions. Sometimes, it’s not about desire-it’s about duty. Do not misread loyalty for affection where none is intended p>
I gritted my teeth. “Duty, sure. But what if it’s more than that p>
He didn’t answer, only gave me a measured look, an almost amused patience that made my blood boil. “You’ll know when you need to know p>
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I wanted to press him harder, demand answers, pry into every secret they were holding about Ellie. But the council room, the open space, the shadowed corners- none of it was a private place to interrogate an alpha like
Alaric.
And more than that… I couldn’t risk scaring Ellie. Not now, not ever again.
The sight of her with Lance-soft, quiet, trusting-was making my heart race. It shouldn’t have affected me. Not after everything. And yet it did.
I forced myself to take a deep breath, running my hands down my face. “Fine,” I muttered. “We’ll deal with it later. Focus on keeping the alliance intact p>
Alaric inclined his head, satisfied. “Wise choice p>
I lingered a moment longer before walking into the corridor towards Lance and Ellie. They didn’t change their position, didn’t act like there was anything to hide. That should have comforted me.
But my wolf my instincts… they were screaming that this was only the beginning. And whatever games or secrets were swirling around her, I would uncover them. One way or another.
Because no matter what, Ellie was mine. My mate. And no power in Moonstone-or in my own pack-would convince me otherwise.
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