𝙴𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚙𝚜𝚎𝚍

Chapter Nineteen

The moment we walked in Alpha Randel's study the air thickened as a slight tightness grew in my chest. Luci's hand took mine as she squeezed me snugly, then her head snapped to face the floor against her will.

"If an Alpha has to force his power of submission on his pack at all times, then what a weak Alpha he must be." I thought. Alpha Volkov did not even try to force any of us in the hall into submission as he passed by, and even allowed me, a Mutt, to look him in the eye. Very telling, even if it was a brief encounter.

I slowly shifted my eyes up to find Alpha Randel seated at his elegantly carved desk. Two whiskey glasses sat atop it, one half full as if he had just poured himself another, while the other sat empty. Even with my poor since of smell, I could tell it was Alpha Volkov's, as his beautiful scent still lingered in the moodily lit room.

"Lord Wuldruf." Alpha Randel greeted sternly, while I listened as my father slightly bowed. My eyes were still fixated on the empty glass, tracing the smudge left by the brooding man's lips.

That was until my skin felt lit aflame. "Miss Eliza, it is good to see that you have recovered so. . . quickly." I curtsied immediately, only allowing my eyes to look no further than his chest.

"Thank you, Alph-"

"However, it is unsettling to say the least." He continued over me as if I had not even spoken at all. "By what manner of witchcraft or dark ways did you manage this impossible recovery in such short time?" His aura started to act like it was trying to choke me, yet it was to no avail.

"By the grace of the Goddess, Alpha." I smiled back at him, "For she visited me in a dream."

His attempts to scare me did not work as his hold on me was very clearly shallow. Though it seemed as if he had realized that when I heard Luci hit the floor.

"Luci!" I turned towards her when his voice caused my skin to prickle.

"You dare think me weak?!" He slammed his fists on his desk, shaking everything on it and nearly knocking over his glass of, now partially spilled, whiskey. His eyes glowed a pale yellow as his wolf's voice overlapped his, "Just because I cannot force you to your knees with my power does not mean I cannot do it at all."

One of the large wolves that stood watch outside the study, who had somehow managed to enter without a sound, grabbed me by the back of my neck and shoved me down with unnecessary strength.

"H-" Luci struggled to force through her teeth, "Her. . . back."

I turned to look at her, as she struggled to sit upright. The veins in her face started to show as she fought hard against his hold on her. Father had been brought down on one knee as he fought his own battle with glowing eyes. Though his was to keep Elix at bay.

"What?" He snapped to look at Luci, forcing her to wince before he relaxed his submission hold on her.

"She does not lie." She labored, trying to catch her breath. Resisting an Alpha's hold is one of the most excruciating things a wolf can do, and for her to have even gotten a single word out was a feat in its own. "The Goddess marked her after healing her wounds. The proof is right there on her back."

I felt the wolf holding me down shift his weight, then tense up.

"Such heresy will not be suffered if this claim of yours turns out to be false." Alpha Randel commanded; his fangs still slightly elongated from his wolf partially taking over. "I'd have you all jailed for suggesting the Goddess would waste her time on such a useless creature, but the laws of our King demand I take all blessed claims seriously."

I watched as a bead of sweat started to make it's way down his aged face while he reached for his whiskey glass. His hand slightly trembled as he tossed back the rest of the brown liquid.