Shackled

Chapter Seventeen

She stood on the porch, leaning against the railing as her eyes scanned the surrounding trees. There was no calming her unsettled mind, no convincing her that what she had heard wasn't true. Her parents had knowingly crippled her, knowingly kept her away from the pack, her people. To hear the Elders so calm in their admonition had thrown her for a loop.

The crisp forest air was soothing to her soul, but she remained on edge. She smiled, but there was no humour in it, her life had been hard, but this truth was even harder. She could hear steps approaching long before the opening of the screen door, she had assumed it would be Eli coming to comfort her, but by the pace and weight of the steps, she knew she was wrong.

"Nils, I presume?" She hadn't turned around, a great sign of disrespect towards the highly respected man.

"You're supposed to call me Elder Nils, my Dear." His voice was thickly accented but still couldn't hide the smile within his tone.

"And you're supposed to call me Alpha, respect goes both ways Elder." Though she was sure they hadn't lied – the Elder's weren't responsible for her isolation – she still felt bitter towards the high and mighty trio.

Nils' laugh echoed off the porch and into the surrounding trees, "Fair enough Dear, fair enough." She turned to face him reluctantly, his laugh had taken her off-guard. He was one of those people with an infectious laugh, of pure joy and without a hint of malice.

"Why don't you have a seat with me," he gestured towards the wicker chairs, "I've been told I'm a great listener."

She didn't want to, but as much as she said she didn't respect the Elders, she didn't honestly want to anger them either. They sat next to each other facing the woods, she felt it easier not to look at him, his eyes still unsettled her, like they knew too much.

"Tell me what troubles you, Child." It wasn't a request, and though Eden was reluctant she couldn't help but let the words spill from her lips. Tortured syllables strung themselves together to weave the image of her childhood. All her feelings of angst and sadness and bone deep misery poured out of her chest and into the air that sat between them. She spoke of the chains, the gilded cage she had been kept in for the greater good, and the betrayal that wracked her body now that she knew it had all been a lie.

When she finally finished, she felt out of breath, her chest was heaving and she only then noticed the salty tears that poured silently down her cheeks and onto her sweater,

"I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from."

"I have no need for your apologies, Child. I have a feeling that you needed that." His heavily accented voice was kind and unjudgmental, and somehow after all that, Eden felt lighter. "Now, why don't you go get some rest? It's been a long day for us all."

For some reason, talking to Nils gave her flashbacks to her grandfather. A man that led a pack of wolves as a stoic Alpha but was an absolute sweetheart underneath. She could faintly remember his embrace and the games he would play with her as a child. The two men looked nothing alike physically, but she sensed a similar kinship radiating from the powerful Elder. The familiar sense of acceptance was one that washed over her and for better or worse she could feel herself beginning to trust Nils.

She nodded towards him gently and then made her way indoors, leaving him to find his room on his own, she was sure he could manage. Her wolf was itching to be near Elijah, needing the warmth of his presence to calm her down and allow her to rest. She headed for his office, knowing he'd be there stressing over what had gone down earlier that evening. Sure enough, that's where she found him, head in hands.