Feral Lust (Feral Souls Series - I) (18+) [Currently Editing]

thirty-seven.

"Was wanting to meet his human friends of this import in such dire times? This is not acceptable behaviour for an Alpha-to-be. How can Elliot act so brazenly?" The Luna, Greta whispered harshly in Celeste's ear, "couldn't you have stopped him? This can taint his reputation amongst the members of the pack who, at this time, need him to act like a leader."

Celeste was beginning to tire of her misplaced concern, or was it anger? She could hardly tell with her changing mood, constantly invading thoughts and her worry for the mate who was AWOL at the moment; both physically and mentally.

So she did what she did best. She snapped.

"Right now, what these people need is for the traitor to be found and for appearances, Xavier is with the doctor, so it is us on whom the morale of the people depends. He hasn't gone there to party, Luna. He had to check on them after all that had happened in the past," she glowered at Greta a moment longer, "you should at least have that amount of faith in your son and trust his decisions. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some people to talk to."

With that said, Celeste left her soon-to-be mother-in-law standing agape.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ

The boy was good at hiding. It took Elliot some time to locate his whereabouts. Hidden beneath a self-dug and tactically camouflaged burrow, Elliot heard rather than saw the boy's movement.

He had no idea whether the boy's mother had survived or not, but Elliot had done all he could have. Now, all that was possible was to protect the kid.

"Boy," he whispered as softly as he could muster, "I am here to take you somewhere safer."

For a moment, all was quiet. Then he heard shuffling and another moment later, the boy's head was peering over the branches and mud.

"Is my mom okay?" He looked at Elliot with innocence in his eyes.

"I gave the bad boys a good beating, kiddo," Elliot deftly dodged the question. That explanation seemed to be enough, for the kid nodded then extended his arms towards Elliot. Taking the signal, he picked the boy up in his arms.

A weird kind of feeling overcame him.

Calm paired up with possessiveness and the certainty that he had to do anything and everything he could to protect his kind from getting killed. He hadn't, Elliot confronted himself as he walked back to the pack with the kid, been brave enough to do the right thing since the beginning, even if it meant getting killed or losing. But now, he would leave no stone unturned to throw Malcolm off his feet.

And it would all begin with capturing the traitor tonight.

Elliot arrived at the pack-house all ruffled. Having a child covered in mud in his arms didn't help either. The excuse that Callahan and Celeste had made on his behalf was that Elliot had to check up on Lea's family due to which he had left the house during such trying times. Xavier hadn't questioned or doubted this excuse because he knew how important Lea had been to Elliot; however, it did flare up a flicker of jealousy inside Celeste. Now, when Elliot had come back, Xavier was brimming with questions.

"Callahan, Dominic, stay here and keep a lookout," Xavier commanded the two of them with a meaningful look then beckoned Elliot and Celeste to follow.

"Son," he greeted while they walked, "it would seem that we have much to discuss."

"Yes, Dad," Elliot answered.

As soon as they were in Xavier's sitting rooms, he started, "what's going on? And who is this child?"

"Th-this..." Elliot stuttered, but as the pup hid his face in the crook of Elliot's neck, his arms tightened and resolve strengthened.

"I am sure my mate must already have told you that I had gone to meet Lea's parents to see how they were faring and if, after Lea, any other incidences had taken place."

Xavier's shoulders softened by a notch. He nodded.

"How are they now?" He asked.

Elliot had him exactly where he wanted. Albeit he hated taking undue advantage of his father's faith, he didn't have any other choice.

"They are fine. It seems Malcolm had only hurt them before so as to get back at you."

Xavier nodded, "it still does not explain the child."

"When I was on my way back," Elliot explained, "I heard that a town nearby had been attacked by a group of humans who could run faster than anyone had ever seen. I knew these weren't any ordinary humans but vampires. I couldn't leave the townspeople to their own devices, Dad." Although he was lying, the emotions welling up inside of him were all real. His heart cried for all that was being done to them and of what part he was playing in this ugly scheme.

"As soon as I got there, I saw that the carnage was too big to salvage anyone but then this little boy found me and asked me to help his mother. I didn't even stop to think and before I knew it, I was fighting the vampires." He breathed in deeply as now what he'd recount would entirely be true, "I didn't have it in me to leave him alone there. The risk of vampires attacking again was too big to take a chance."

"So you brought him here," Xavier's voice was still stern. Elliot nodded and gulped.

"Where's his mother now?"

"Safe but unconscious in her house. I left her a note hoping she'll find our pack once she is well enough."

Suddenly Xavier smiled at his son and the amount of pride that radiated from his face left Elliot speechless. He hated himself more at that moment. Celeste met his eyes knowing what was going through his head and stepped closer to him, squeezing his arm.

With tears in his eyes, Xavier asked the two of them to get the child cleaned and rested, and brought him a burger to eat.

When Celeste got the chance to talk to Elliot alone, she took him to her rooms with the eagerness of a five-year-old.

The atmosphere changed as soon as they were alone, staring intently at one another. Being in her bedroom only turned up the heat by a few notches.

Before things could get out of hand, Celeste spoke rushedly, "I found something that can be exponential to us," she paused to breathe, "well, two somethings."

Elliot nodded for her to continue.

She took a step, getting closer to him.

Celeste told herself it was so that no one could hear them, but she knew her wolf better and it, right now, was a mess of lit-up nerves.

"Today, when I was interrogating the old members, I felt a weird sense of dangerous foreboding. 

When I pondered upon it a little more, I felt that it was your fear." She discontinued to let that sink in.

"My fear? As in you were concerned for my well-being?"

"No Elliot!" Celeste exclaimed happily, biting her lower lip, "it was your fear at the moment you realized that Malcolm was aware of our mate-bond."

Elliot's eyes widened, his mouth agape.

"You what?"

"Okay big guy," she squeezed both his shoulders, pressing gently to make him sit. "You should sit down and let me explain it to you." And explain she did. Like she had expected, Elliot was over the moon after listening to the entire account.

"Do you even know," he held his mate's hands, "in how many possible ways this soul-tapping can aid us? Cel, you've given me something that I had lost before." He looked intensely into her eyes as though looking right through her soul, "you've given me hope. Thank you so much!" He breathed deeply.

This heartfelt admission of his vulnerability and that smile did things to Celeste, becoming the reason for a turmoil inside her in a way that left her gasping.

Neither of the two knew who moved first, but in a matter of seconds, they were a mess of tangled limbs, roaming hands, and shared moans.