Page 14 of Owned by Four Alphas (Silverthorn Alphas #2)

When Selena crept into the grand hall, eyes red and skin pale, Elian had to fight the urge not to run to her there and then and sweep her away. But as she took her seat between Malek and Ronan with a fortifying breath, hands cradling her stomach, he stopped himself.

There were too many enemies around the table, their gazes wicked, hunting for any sign of weakness. As it was, they looked at her with critical intent, their lips curling slightly, their displeasure clear.

Elian and Kaelen had worked for weeks to get these people into a room together. It could not go wrong. Ordovic was there, loud and brash, with some of his most ardent and stupid supporters. Fae delegations from other courts. Several dragon nobles with lineages suitable to pose a threat to Kaelen’s throne.

None of them wanted Selena to rule. All of them had to be reminded of their place.

But the situation was delicate. Gathering them all together was meant to show the strength and unity of the pack, instilling a healthy bit of fear. But when Malek and Ronan’s flaring scents were enough to tip even a human off that they were furious at Selena’s state, it was inviting skepticism.

Elian, draped casually over his chair in his typical expensive silks, a lazy grin painted on his face, secretly agreed.

He hated seeing his mate so upset, so withdrawn. For weeks she had barely emerged from the library, all that fire and wit he loved so much fizzled out into exhaustion and melancholy. Even now, her gaze was faraway and dejected, her knuckles white and shaking from gripping the fabric of her dress above her stomach.

Ronan placed an arm around her shoulders, murmuring something into her ear. She bit her lip, shaking her head, offering him a small, watery smile.

The wolf’s scent spiked in anger, his yellow eyes flicking over to Kaelen with narrowed suspicion.

Kaelen met his gaze with steady, uncompromising authority.

Elian sighed. At this rate, it would be an all-out war between Kaelen, Ronan, and Malek. Elian supposed he’d have to get involved too, if only to convince Ronan and Malek to back off for just long enough that he could finish his plans.

Kaelen’s actions, harsh as they were, kept their mate safe. And Elian needed her safe and sheltered while he was carrying out his…research.

It was a delicate project, involving more than one unsavory figure. But if he figured it out, it would mean absolute power for Selena. Then, she could do as she pleased. Including putting Kaelen firmly back in his place.

The dragon stood, his shoulder-length red hair tied back from his face, his signature curved blades at his side. The room fell silent.

“Welcome, everyone. We thank you all for making the journey here to discuss the human threat with us today.”

Ordovic snorted, and Ronan snarled at him.

Flicking a blond curl out of his face, Elian observed the rival alpha. As massive as Ronan, with shaggy black hair and a vicious sneer, he was every bit the swaggering threat Ronan had described him as.

“Forgive me, Kaelen,” Ordovic said, his eyes flicking to Selena. Elian’s jaw tightened. “But I rather expected that the queen would be making the address today. After all, isn’t it her job to lead on such matters?”

All eyes in the room flickered to Selena, and she shrank further into her chair, her scent spiking with unease. Kaelen’s amber eyes, distinctly shadowed, lingered on his mate’s form before turning back to Ordovic.

“As I’m sure you can see, the queen is approaching the final weeks of her pregnancy. It is a demanding process, and she has not been sleeping well as a result. I will speak in her place.”

Selena chewed her lip, her shoulders tensing. Malek tapped a claw against the wood of the table, his other hand resting on her thigh. Ronan pulled her closer. The threat was clear. Ordovic averted his gaze, but his grin only widened.

“Of course, dragon, we all know how hard pregnancies can be to such young, delicate omegas like your mate. It seems unfair to give any responsibility at all to one such as she.”

A few murmurs spread, and Elian shifted in his seat. He hadn’t expected Ordovic to show his teeth so soon.

“If you were such an expert on an omega’s pregnancy, Ordovic, perhaps you’d also know to guard your tongue around her mates.” Iveir, Kaelen’s general, spoke with easy charm, but there was frost behind his words.

“I don’t know, Iveir,” said another dragon, a powerful noble named Egais. “After all, the humans threaten us all. We should expect swift, decisive action. Dedicated, unclouded judgement.”

“While I would normally agree,” Ordovic’s teeth were sharp, “we all know what sort of leadership you’re suggesting, Egais. I’m surprised a known member of the Order of Theldir was invited to such a gathering.”

Elian didn’t miss Selena’s sharp intake of breath.

“I invited him,” Elian said, letting his goblet of wine dangle from his fingers precariously. “After all, the humans have shown they aren’t afraid to mess around with ancient magic they couldn’t dream of understanding. They already went after the Forest God’s power. What’s to stop them from hunting, say, a fire god buried deep beneath a mountain?”

“Perhaps they should release him.” Egais’s eyes were fiery and dark. “That might teach them a lesson about meddling in affairs that they have no place being a part of.”

Elian laughed, loudly and boisterously, drawing the critical looks of several in the room. “Oh, Egais, I didn’t know you were such a comedian!”

“You don’t think he should be released?” Egais countered, his tone carefully measured.

“I’m not going to dignify that with an answer,” Elian replied, “but I find it hilarious that you think the humans should have no involvement whatsoever in dealings of ancient gods and magic. After all, Theldir would slaughter them all. Perhaps they need reminding of the power we protect them from.”

He spoke slowly, and with each word he reached out to the dark shadows cast by the flickering fire and the dying rays of sunlight through the arched windows. Subtly, carefully, he fed and grew them, watching with satisfaction as one by one the preening alphas around the table started to notice, looking at him with flickers of fear.

“A…demonstration of what will happen if they try to test us.”

“Is that what this is, Fae lordling? A demonstration ?” Ordovic growled, recoiled from the curve of a shadow licking at his cheek.

Elian’s grin turned savage. “Not a lordling anymore, mutt.”

“Elian,” Kaelen’s voice was like the crack of a whip, and Elian shrugged with mock innocence as the shadows retreated back to their natural form.

“As my packmate claims, we do not only have a duty to protect ourselves from the humans. We also have a duty to ensure we can live side by side with them. Enough blood has been split,” Kaelen said. Selena’s eyes widened at his words, her lips falling open slightly. As if noticing her scrutiny, Kaelen turned to her, his face set with grim resignation, even a bit of hurt at her surprise.

Elian rolled his eyes. They had barely spoken in weeks, let alone sat down to have deep intense discussions about their political stances. His stomach clenched slightly with discomfort. Did Selena really think Kaelen would want to wage war on the species she grew up with? Her mother’s people?

The chasm between them was almost painful.

“That’s a noble claim,” said Ordovic, “except your people have not been the ones defending our Realm from the humans. That has been our responsibility for centuries. It is our people who have bled and suffered at the Silverthorn Kingdom’s determination to conquer everything in their path.

“Is it your Realm, Ordovic?” a Fae, Theodas, said. “Forgive me, it’s been rather a long time since I studied the geography of territories, but doesn’t your clan hail from the Second Realm to the North?”

“We also border the Silverthorn Kingdom,” Ordovic snarled, “And I’ve recently witnessed firsthand just how close the border in the First Realm is to collapse. I’ve been patrolling it myself.”

“Patrolling territory that is not yours?” Theodas said, rubbing his chin, “Isn’t that considered a slight in some shifter cultures? Of course, I’m not an expert, even with subject matter so…simple.”

Elian fought back a groan. Theodas had been as close as a friend as two in their situation could be for centuries. They had practiced the art of manipulation, deception, and courtly intrigue together, sharpening their tools against one another. On more than one occasion they had even allied together against other nobles.

They had also spent a not insignificant amount of time gallivanting about the forest together looking for wolves to wind up. Theodas was one of many Fae nobles who had expressed disgust at opening the gates of the Marble Halls to the shifters. Dragons, they could tolerate, as their own regality echoed that of the Fae, not to mention a shared penchant for savagery dressed as manners.

The wolves were a different matter altogether.

“What’s your point, Fae?” Ronan growled.

Theodas grinned in delight, “Oh, no point at all. I just want everybody here to be entirely clear on the level of protection we can expect from…you people.”

“List here, you poncy, arrogant, little shit -”

“Silence!” Kaelen snarled, baring his teeth at Ronan. Ronan’s answering growl almost shook the table.

A table that Elian was tempted to bash his head against. United front. That had been all he asked. That they presented a united front.

Selena withdrew further into Ronan’s warmth, and Malek shifted closer to her, his hand rising to guard her stomach. Kaelen’s eyes flickered to their mate’s movement, and his jaw tightened.

“I think, perhaps, we’re getting a little distracted,” said Elian. “After all, the point of this meeting is to decide whether or not to launch an offensive attack on the Silverthorn Kingdom. The queen believes, and I agree, that we should not resort to violence. Let old Dorian wither and die in his castle a hundred miles away. He’s human. In the blink of an eye he will be nothing but dust.”

“Until another rises to take his place,” Egais said, his eyes flashing with fire. These dragons and their fire. “Damien may be dead, but Dorian has other sons. Sons that are eager to prove themselves. The humans have forgotten precisely what it is they’re dealing with. We should launch an attack and remind them. Reestablish the old territory lines of the First Realm. Restore it to its proper glory before the Breaking.”

“The humans are not defenseless,” said Iveir, his wrinkled brow furrowing. “There are even reports that some magical beings of the Fourth Realm to the south are allying with them. Would we risk war with another Realm?”

“Cowards and traitors,” Ordovic spat. “We can gut any fucking lion or centaur that is weak enough to bend the knee to a filthy bunch of human swine.”

“Need I remind you,” Kaelen hissed, his muscles bunching, “that your queen is human. Show some respect before I rip your tongue out.”

“Better you than one of Dorian’s soldiers,” snarled Ordovic, his skin rippling, his scent spiking. He was losing control.

Malek shifted beside Selena, his eyes darkening.

“Is that a threat, wolf?” Kaelen replied, his voice dropping dangerously low.

“Perhaps it is. What are you going to do about it?”

Elian placed a hand on Kaelen’s arm before he did something stupid like shift into a dragon in Elian’s ancestral home. That would not end well for anyone. Even though Elian had to admit, it would be mightily satisfying to see Kaelen bite Ordovic’s head clean from his shoulders.

“You can’t fight the Silverthorn Empire.”

Selena’s voice cut through the air, clear as glass.

Elian’s gaze jumped to her, and she gave him a small smile before rising to her feet. Kaelen looked torn between attacking Ordovic and rushing to her side, whereas Ronan and Malek remained calmly sitting on either side of her, their eyes narrowed and watchful.

“My lords. Welcome. I have some things to say, if you would hear me.”