Page 57 of Captivated By Alphas 1, Fated (The Blood Moon Chronicle #4)
“Yes, but he’s vulnerable without protection,” Elder Matthews cautioned. “The traditional path would include pre-marking to provide protection while his powers emerge. But that requires his consent and understanding of what he is.”
“Pre-marking?” Tricia asked, confusion evident in her voice.
“A temporary claiming,” George explained gently. “A way for alphas to mark their mates for protection before a full claiming can take place. It creates a supernatural shield of sorts, making it difficult for others to harm or influence the marked mate.”
“It’s essential in Eli’s case,” Elder Matthews added. “Without a pre-marking, he’s completely vulnerable to Cravax’s servants. They’ll sense his awakening power soon, if they haven’t already.”
Jace’s panther surged forward at the thought, a growl building in his chest. Mark now, it demanded. Protect mate. NOW.
“That’s why we need to act quickly,” George agreed. “The three of you recognized Eli as your mate for a reason. A completed mate bond is the strongest protection we can offer him, but pre-marking would provide immediate protection while he comes to terms with his nature.”
“All three of us?” Adrian asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.
“Yes,” Elder Matthews confirmed. “The prophecy speaks of six vessels. Each must be protected by their destined mates—all of their destined mates. The power must be balanced.”
“And if Eli refuses?” Cole asked quietly. “He doesn’t even know what he is yet.”
Jace’s panther bristled at the thought, rejecting any scenario where their mate might deny them. But the human side of him understood the concern. Eli had been raised as human, had no idea of his true nature or the danger he faced.
“Then we tell him,” George said firmly. “Everything. The truth about his heritage, about the danger, about why you three have been drawn to him.”
“When?” Jace demanded, his panther pushing forward with impatience. After seeing Eli’s nightmare, feeling his distress, his protective instincts were in overdrive.
“Soon,” George replied. “But we need to be careful. If we overwhelm him with too much at once, he might run. And an unclaimed celestial feline on the run would be vulnerable beyond measure.”
“He’s going to be terrified,” Tricia said softly, her eyes filling with tears. “He’s our son in every way that matters. We’ve raised him, loved him, watched him grow.”
“He’s still your son,” George assured her gently. “Nothing will change that. But he’s also more, a rare and precious being who needs to understand his heritage, his power, and the dangers that come with it.”
“We owe him the truth,” Thomas agreed, his voice steady despite the emotion in his eyes. “After the Blood Moon, he was so broken, so lost. The nightmares, the panic attacks… it took years of therapy in Seattle before he could sleep through the night.”
Jace’s panther whined at the thought of their mate suffering, of the trauma he’d endured as a child. The beast pushed forward with protective fury, demanding they find those responsible and tear them apart.
Protect mate, it insisted. Heal wounds. Kill enemies.
“I remember when Helen first brought him to us,” Tricia said, her eyes distant with memory. “He was so small, so frightened. Wouldn’t speak for weeks. Just watched everything with those beautiful eyes, like he was waiting for the next terrible thing to happen.”
“Helen knew we’d always wanted children,” Thomas added.
“Said Eli needed a family who would understand his uniqueness, even if we couldn’t speak of it.
We visited him in Seattle every weekend while he recovered, video called every night.
By the time he moved in with us at sixteen, he felt like our son in every way. ”
“And he is,” George affirmed. “But now he needs more. He needs to understand what he is, and why these changes are happening to him.”
“So what’s the plan?” Cole asked, ever the strategist. “How do we approach this?”
“Carefully,” George replied. “For today, let him enjoy his time with Paul and David. The family reunion is this weekend, and the estate will be full of extended family. Too many people, too many variables.”
“After the reunion,” Jace concluded, seeing the logic. “Once everyone’s gone, we tell him everything.”
“Yes.” George nodded. “And in the meantime, we increase security, keep him close, and prepare for what’s to come.”
“And the Shadow Harvesters?” Adrian asked. “If they’re targeting all six vessels…”
“We’ve already increased security around the estate,” George assured him. “And I’ll be contacting the Stones and the Sinclairs.”
“One week,” he conceded finally, his beast prowling restlessly beneath his skin. “After the reunion, we tell him everything. And then we pre-mark him, until he’s ready for a full claiming.”
“And we keep him close until then,” Adrian added. “One of us with him at all times.”
“Agreed.” Cole nodded. “I’ll upgrade the security systems today. Replace the compromised sensors, add new ones.”
“I want to be there when you tell him,” Thomas said firmly, rising from his seat. “Tricia and I, we’re his parents. He’ll need us.”
“Of course,” George agreed. “This will be a family matter, in every sense of the word.”
“Thomas,” Jace said, his voice softening slightly. “Your perimeter checks—does Eli ever join you?”
“Sometimes.” Thomas nodded. “He likes to help, especially after storms. Says it gives him time to think, away from the chaos of the house.”
“Be careful,” Cole warned. “If the binding is weakening, the Shadow Harvesters may already be searching. The storm could have been their doing—a way to mask their approach.”
“I’m always careful with my son,” Thomas replied, a hint of steel in his voice despite addressing three alphas. “I may not be a beta, but I’m still his father.”
Jace’s respect for the man increased. It took courage to stand firm in the face of alpha power, especially when that power was fueled by mate bond instincts.
“We know,” Adrian assured him. “And we respect that. We just want him safe.”
As they prepared to adjourn, Jace’s panther remained restless, pacing beneath his skin. The thought of waiting even a few more days to claim their mate, to keep him safe, made the beast snarl with frustration. But he forced it back, knowing that rushing Eli would only drive him away.
“We protect what’s ours,” he said to his cousins as they left the study, his voice low with alpha authority. “No matter what it takes.”