Page 35 of Owned By Four Alphas

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 ofleadershipyou’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? Ademonstration?” 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, littleshit-”

“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.

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