My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 26: In Danger

Kael

"Lord Kael, you seem distracted." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Alpha Eredith sat behind a worn oak desk that had served the generations before her. Gray hair pulled back in a severe bun, weathered face marked by decades of leadership, and eyes that missed nothing. Her wife, Sienna, sat beside the table. Quieter, gentler, but no less perceptive.

"I was merely observing," I replied, turning away from the window. "Your territory runs efficiently as usual."

Eredith smiled, then stood up. "Efficiently, yes. Prosperously?" Her mouth twisted at the corners as she stepped out from behind the desk and approached me. "That’s another matter."

I sighed, folding my arms across my chest. I glanced out the window to the twin hills in the distance. Eredith’s pack never failed to make my job easy, and I appreciated her effective management for that. But her neighbouring pack was another matter.

They and another were the only ones constantly creating border disputes and resources allocations. All that had died down after I took over as Supreme Alpha, but it seemed they needed a reminder.

"These next few weeks are going to be a bother," I growled.

Eredith chuckled and took hold of my arm, looping hers through mine. I raised my eyes to the ceiling, but decided to let the old woman have her way.

"Come. Please, walk with me." She glanced back at Sienna. "Will be back, my darling."

"Let me guess. Clearwater?" I asked as we got out onto the verandah overlooking the wide expanse of her garden.

She grimaced, pointing out to the distance. "They have been encroaching on the neutral zone between our packs. They haven’t touched the border markings yet, but they have been hunting within the neutral zone."

I frowned. "For how long as this been happening? You could have sent a correspondence. And isn’t this something you could handle without my intervention?"

Eredith grinned. "Of course, I did. I am merely notifying you of it."

The hidden meaning behind her words were not lost on me. She was ready to turn this into a full-on territory war. Disputes were fine, but I would rather not deal with that blowout at the moment. Clearwater pack was stubborn. They had already answered for their repeated misdemeanor, and for them to now start going back to their old ways was beyond ridiculous.

’Their senseless Alpha needs to go.’

"I will deal with it," I said, gently unfolding my arm and shrugging off hers. "You documented each incident?"

"Thoroughly," she drawled. "Witnesses, scent trails and markings. They are there for you to see. And I left some wolves camped in the area to ensure they don’t fully clean up their traces."

"Good enough"

We turned a path and came into full view of her daughters seated together on a stone bench, the older one teaching the youngest something from a scroll.

My jaw ticked and I could already feel the annoyance creeping in.

Which was odd. Eredith’s antics have never annoyed me this much.

And I knew why.

The young girl looked up and her eyes brightened as she got to her feet. "Lord Kael!"

"Ula dear, please give us some privacy. Your questions will have to wait till dinner," Eredith shushed her youngest away as the older daughter stood up and offered a short bow.

"Supreme Alpha Kael."

I had seen Eredith’s other daughters, including the youngest, but not this one. She apparently had Eredith’s sharp features and Sienna’s gentle demeanor.

"Lord Kael, please, allow me to introduce our third eldest, Rhiannon."

"Just how many of your daughters are you going to shove in my face?"

This woman had tried with her first daughter, and thankfully she was just against her mother’s interference as I was, perfectly content with taking over as Alpha of the pack.

Her second was conniving and did a very poor job hiding it.

And this one...

I eyed her.

She looked like she didn’t want to be here.

My wolf stirred with an irritation I shared. "Again with this."

"Oh, Lord Kael," Eredith chuckled with a wave of her hand. "This is the last time, I promise. But she is impressive. She has been managing our western patrols and has been the brain behind solving the Clearwater—"

I cut her, my voice stern as I faced Eredith. "As impressive as that is, I am not in the mood to be bothered with this."

Her expression did not change, and she merely clapped her hands together, the smile still lingering on her lips. "Of course, of course, Though you must admit, an alliance between our packs would strengthen both our positions. You’ve rejected every suitable match presented to you over the years. Surely—"

"Forget about it."

The words came out just as hard as I had intended. A tone I had only ever used with her during our first meeting. Eredith’s eyes widened slightly, and Rhiannon looked like she wanted to disappear through the floor.

I wouldn’t blame them for their reactions. I hadn’t strongly rejected her suggestions over time.

I sighed. "I understand you, but I have no interest in any union anytime soon. I will let you know when I am ready."

Which would be never.

They visibly relaxed.

Alpha Eredith smiled once again. "Now that is just splendid. I—"

Every part of my being bunched up with tension at the foreign sensation I felt.

It was faint. Barely perceptible, but it felt wrong. So very wrong.

The sensation was overwhelming. Bitter. Agonizing. Horrid.

My wolf surged forward with a snarl that reverberated through my skull.

"Mate! Mate is in danger. Now!"

"Lord Kael?" Eredith’s voice seemed to come from a distance. Muffled, constrained, scared.

Just like she was.

I could feel her pain, her fear, her anguish.

Something was hurting her.

Someone was hurting her!

My face twisted in rage. "What is Tow doing?!"

"Lord Kael?"

Every fiber of my being wanted to go back.

’Still, I can’t just abandon my duty and rush—’

"Give me the command. One word. Just one word." My wolf snarled.

I didn’t think. Didn’t hesitate.

"Go."