DELONIX [COMPLETED]

Chapter 74

| NICHOLAS' POV |

"Guys, calm down. I'll be fine," Red reassured her friends, attempting to alleviate their worries as we waited for the elders to arrive. Deep down, I knew this day would come-the day they discovered Red's existence. However, I hadn't expected it to happen so soon, not when I had just claimed her as my own.

"You won't be, Red. The elders fear hybrids, especially after the Dark Lord's reign. And now that they know Guardian Jayden is your uncle and Mr. Caddel is your mate, they'll be against you," Avery explained, her words holding undeniable truth. The elders had always harbored a deep fear of hybrids, be it low-level creatures like elves and faes or the more powerful ones like wolves and vampires. With the knowledge that the very thing they feared was right under their noses, who knew what they had planned for Red?

"Who could have told them?" I asked, my hands clenching tightly in frustration. "I haven't breathed a word about your existence to anyone except my beta."

"I don't know anyone around here," Ana chimed in, holding my mate's hand.

"I don't even bother looking at people here," Avery added with conviction, her expression backing her words.

"What about Xavier?" Red turned to me, mentioning his name. The mention of him stung, knowing that she still cared for him. I understood it wasn't romantic, but their connection bothered me nonetheless.

The Chambers of Chances were now surrounded by guards, armed to the teeth. I knew I couldn't fight them all and whisk Red away from here, as much as my protective instincts screamed at me. Leaving the academy would expose us to the clutches of the Dark Lord and Morgan, and that was a trap I wasn't willing to fall into.

Everything was completely messed up.

"I don't think he would do that. He was always the curious one, so why now? Why would he suddenly switch sides?" Red pondered aloud. Even though I had always wanted to break that boy into pieces, his sudden change of allegiance would be strange. And even if he did want to betray us, he would have aligned himself with his father-the Dark Lord.

It was ironic how the person I despised most was the son of the person I wanted to kill the most.

"Nicholas," Red's voice interrupted my thoughts, and I focused on her. She forced a smile, but our bond revealed her true emotions, and it tore at my heart.

"Come here, love," I whispered, pulling her into a hug. The happiness I had felt when she accepted me as her mate had been crushed by this turn of events. Suddenly, a guard with an irritated expression cast a disapproving gaze our way. I groaned inwardly, my eyes darkening as Reyes-the wolf within me-yearned to tear the guard apart.

"Nicholas," Red's voice echoed through our bond, calling for my attention.

"Yes, love," I replied, mustering a smile for her.

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to try out our bond. I also wanted to talk to Reyes first, but hearing your voice in my mind is really nice," she blurted out through our connection.

"Yours is nice too," I responded, a warmth spreading through me.

"The elders have arrived," Red abruptly pulled away from me upon hearing the announcement. Reyes cried out, wanting to hold her once more, but two guards had already taken her deeper into the room.

A door swung open from the other side, revealing the elders as they made their entrance one by one. Elder Carl, whom I had always despised, walked in with a smug expression on his face, his eyes locked on me as he took his seat at the high table.

My hands tightened.

" Nicholas, calm down, we don't need more drama right now, Red needs us," I sighed heavily, brushing my hair utterly confused and furious about everything. Reyes was right, I need to be there for her now.