Elara POV

I stand around indecisively when Axel and Kane walk to Elder Anton at the end of the ceremony. I watch as the three whisper, but their body language screams anger.

What am I supposed to do now?

People are still glancing curiously at us. I can feel their eyes on me, and it is fucking humiliating to be openly discarded as second choice.

“We could trade her for Alice.” Axel’s words float towards me, and my stomach dives. I am not a cow to be traded for a handful of magic beans.

“Fuck no,” Kane hisses in disgust. “No one deserves to be with Greg and Lucas.”

“You’re right, I know,” Axel sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I don’t want to place Elara in harm’s way. But we cannot let Alice go home with those monsters.”

Kane shifts his weight, looking at the pack members still standing around. Silently, I pray that whatever he decides to do will not upset the elders and make things more difficult.

The elders had been given ultimate power, saying that the Alphas' egos, heated tempers, and rash decisions led to the Great War. The idea was that the elders were older, wiser, and more even-tempered since they did not have Alpha blood flowing through their veins.

So, while Kane and Axel might be upset about today and the elders’ decision, they did not have any control over it and could not go against them. The only thing Kane and Axel had control over was the day-to-day leading of the pack.

“Elara,” Kane barks, and I jump in fright, staring at him wide-eyed. “Come with us.”

My heart beats like a drum as I slowly walk towards them. Honestly, if I had a choice, I would be running for the hills. I am petrified of the unknown.

Kane and Axel’s eyes roam over me, and I can swear they are mind-linking, because they look at each other, then at me, and then out into the distance.

What the hell?

I will not allow them to intimidate me, I decide determinately, pulling my shoulders back and staring at them.

Axel nods once, and Kane walks toward the people still in the town square. Axel follows, indicating with a jerk of his head that I should come, too.

“Members of Constantine.” Kane addresses the crowd, his voice booming. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned towards him. “Until a thorough investigation has been conducted, and we can conclusively determine that a new mate will be safe in their care, Gregory Bjorn and Lucas Spindler are hereby forbidden from claiming a new mate.”

Kane POV

The crowd gawks at me as if I had lost my mind, but they are either too scared or too polite to say anything. Not that I give a rat’s ass - I must protect Alice at all costs, and this is my only recourse.

“This is absurd!” Greg bursts through the crowd, rage shining in his eyes as he meets my gaze. Luke is not far behind, his hand wrapped around Alice’s wrist, dragging her behind him.

The aggressive manner he handles her aggravates me, and I let loose a low growl.

“You have no right,” Luke protests, but immediately lets go of Alice.

“I’m well within my rights to protect a member of this pack from possible harm,” I cross my arms over my chest and widen my legs. “And I’m well within my right to open an investigation into members of the pack.”

“What are you going to do with our mate?” Greg spits the words. “The elders gave her to us. She’s ours.”

“She’ll be kept safe,” Axel cuts in. “With us.”

“No fucking way!” Luke yells. “You will not take our mate away from us. Especially since we all know your history with her.”

Alice stands on her tiptoes, peering around Luke’s shoulder, her eyes filled with gratitude. I will not let harm come to her, and I will figure out a way to make her ours.

“Alpha Kane,” Anton steps forward and stands in front of the crowd. “This is completely unacceptable.”

“Pack protection is not within the Elders’ power,” I smirk. “It’s at my discretion, and I’m simply doing what I must to protect a valuable member of our pack. Certainly, the elders will understand the need to protect one of our viable she-wolves.”

“This is not about that, and you know it,” Anton’s nostrils flare with anger. “You’re playing with fire, Alpha Kane.”

“Oh, really,” I raise my eyebrows. “Tell that to the two mates they already had. You’ve been handing out multiple mates this ceremony like candy, and now you want to squander a she-wolf on them. It doesn’t matter what you think this is about. Until you can find a law that negates my ruling, it stands. Gregory and Lucas will not be mated to anyone until our investigation is complete, and that’s final.”

Anton glares at me in silence, and I know he is trying to figure out his next move, but there is none. Not right now, anyway. I am sure he will find something, but it will not be today, and that is enough for now.

We do what an Alpha should—protect our pack members from being hurt. I glance at Alice; she looks relieved. But somehow, I’m more eager to see how Elara will respond.

Then I notice how upset she is, and it almost makes me want to hug her and comfort her.

But I restrain myself, forcing back that crazy, reckless urge.

Elara POV

No. Fucking. Way.

Rage, embarrassment, and denial rush through my veins. This cannot be happening. First, I catch that slut with Mason, and now she is coming home with us. Show me one person who would be happy with this arrangement. Other than Alice. She is smitten like a kitten, holding Kane’s hand.

A hand brushes across my arm, and I look over to see Mindy standing beside me.

“It’s going to be okay,” she whispers, smiling at me. “I know this is wild, and I’m sure you’re confused, but it’s all going to be okay.”

“Mindy,” I throw my arms around her. Guilt consumes me when I realise I have not even noticed who she is mated to. “I’m so sorry, I’m so caught up in my own shit that I didn’t even consider what you’re going through.”

“It’s okay,” she smiles. “Your drama is way more than mine. Especially since it’s Alice.”

“Right,” I gasp, throwing my hands in the air. “At least you get it. I mean, look at her. All smiling and stuff while she knows I know she’s been cheating. She hasn’t had a single worry that I might tell, because they’re all like ‘we love you’ and stuff.”

I cut off my tirade and take a deep breath.

“But enough about me,” I smile. “Who’s your mate?”

“Not mate,” she smiles mischievously. “Mates. I also got two. Monroe Glade and Maxim Fulton.”

“That’s so great,” I exclaim, my heart leaping with joy. Monroe and Maxim were two of the High Guards for Kane and Axel. They live in the same house as the Alpha twins, in a different wing of the huge mansion. “You and I will see each other every day. Are you happy with your match?”

“They’re good, kind men,” she nods. “I’m a little nervous for tonight, but very pleased.”

“They’re sexy as hell,” she whispers mischievously. “I have to go now, but I’ll see you as soon as I can.”

We hold on to each other a minute longer before she steps back and walks to the two huge men standing behind her, staring at her with possessiveness and heat in their eyes.

I sigh sadly as I look at my mates. I wish they looked at me the way Mindy’s mates looked at her. However, my “mates” are currently cooing over Alice, comforting her and stroking her hair.

Fucking great.

I am doomed to share a life with two men who cannot spare me the time of day. Suddenly, my future seems lonely and miserable.

I bite back a growl of frustration. If only I could shift and run. Far away from here and this whole catastrophe.

Kane and Axel simultaneously lift their heads and look at me, and I meet their stares. There is so much coldness between us that I can practically feel the temperature drop.

“Nice,” my voice drips with sarcasm, and I cross my arms in front of my chest. “I see you finally realised that I’m still here.”

Kane’s nostrils flare, Axel grinds his teeth, and I sigh inwardly. Alice smirks at me, and it takes every inch of self-control not to shift and slice her open. As satisfying as it sounds, I am mated to the Alphas and will act accordingly. It is time for me to stop being some snivelling wisp of a girl and act like the woman I am.

“Your compassion for a fellow she-wolf is heartwarming,” I say sweetly, masking my discontent. “And while I appreciate your concern, might I ask what your plans are for your actual mate?”

Axel POV

I look at Kane, and I am pretty sure he is about to blow a gasket. Nobody speaks to him like that … well, except for me. But that is different. I am his brother, he is only five minutes older than I, and I have said worse.

I open my mouth to snap at her, but Elara’s scent wraps around me, and I lose my train of thought. I have never experienced a scent like this before, and my nose - and my wolf - do not know what to do with it. The scent hits me. Her red hair practically glows, just as fiery as her temper. Clearly, her seduction works.

By the look of confusion on Kane’s face, he is in the same boat. Alice tenses and wrinkles her nose. So, she smells it, too.

“She’s not coming with us, is she?” Alice looks up at Kane and bats her eyelashes. A move that melts him every time and has him bending to her every whim.

In the beginning, that move worked on me as well. But after a while, I saw it for the tactic it was. She does that every time she wants something from us. And one of us had to be immune to it to keep a clear head.

“I’m afraid there’s no other choice, love.” Kane sighs, shaking his head.

“But I’m going to be your mate,” she whines.

“I know,” Kane runs the back of his fingers down Alice’s cheek in a soothing gesture. “But we’ve rocked the boat enough today. Be patient with us.”

I look over at Elara, and the expression on her face is priceless. It is a mixture of what-the-fuck-am-I-looking-at and amusement, and I grin before I can stop myself.

I have to admit that she's adorable, and even those little freckles are quite special.

“Is there something amusing, Axel?” Kane asks.

“Something amusing?” I chuckle. “You mean other than this whole situation?”

“I don’t find any of this amusing at all,” Alice sniffs. She looks at Kane and turns her shoulder to me. “Can we go home?”

“She always lacked a sense of humour,” my wolf, Blade, huffs.

“Hush, Blade,” I reply. “She’s just upset.”

I sigh inwardly and shut him out. Lately, Alice annoys him with the tiniest thing. I tend to ignore him. Most people claim their wolves are insightful and know the deepest parts of them, but that is not the case with Blade. He is judgmental, never happy, and he hates practically everything and everyone other than Kane and his wolf, Gibson. Heaven knows what my life would have been like if I listened to Blade. I would be a virgin, for sure.

“Let’s get back to the house,” I suggest. “We can discuss everything there.”

“Agreed,” Kane pulls Alice against his side and leads the way.

“Seriously?” Elara plants her hands on her hips, gaping at Kane and Alice as they walk away.

Something inside me breaks a little. As much as I want Alice and not Elara, I cannot imagine being in her shoes right now. It strikes me how archaic and patriarchal the elders’ rules are.

But then I remember … it was the women who had started the Great War.

Many records of that war have become somewhat blurred. All I know is that now, at this moment, the aftermath of that war has pushed this auburn-haired girl towards me.

Her small mouth opened and closed, asking what plans we had for her. To be honest, I didn't really catch what she was saying. That little mouth seemed magical, rosy, and kissable.

Then I heard Kane said, "We have to sleep together tonight."

Elara POV

“You want me to what?!” I gape at my mates. Surely, I heard wrong. We are standing in their magnificent office, but the luxury of first edition books and stylish interior is lost on me.

“We have to sleep together tonight,” Kane repeats.

“Are you kidding me?” I throw my hands hopelessly in the air. “Is Alice going to be joining us?”

My mates stare at me with clenched jaws and crossed arms. They are like two copies in different colours. Black and white and sepia. Kane’s hair is black like the night, making his blue eyes more prominent. Axel has the same eyes, but his hair is a light brown. Dear goddess, they are sexy. I want nothing more than to sleep with them tonight – and every other night.

But not like this, not under these circumstances. Not while Alice is looming over us. No way I am going to submit to these drop-dead gorgeous men just to be tossed aside like dirty laundry when they have their way, and she becomes their mate.

“Elara,” Kane’s voice is low and dangerous.

And there it is - the Alpha voice.

“No,” I cut him off furiously. “You will not use your Alpha voice on me to get me into bed with you. Not happening. You can use that shit on Alice when you get the Elders to mate her to you, but not on me.”

Kane narrows his eyes, and Axel raises his eyebrows. I know I overstepped because nobody gets to talk to Alphas like this. It does not matter what your status is, but I do not care.

A movement at the door catches my eye, and I see Alice peeking around the corner into the study.

Conniving little bitch, I look at her and hold her gaze. Her curious expression shifts to anger, and her eyes darken as her wolf emerges to the surface.

Well, fuck her. If she wants to eavesdrop, let her. She can stand right beside Kane and Axel, but I will not be silenced.

“I’m not sleeping with you and look like a fool after you’ve hoisted me off and mated Alice,” I continue. “Not happening. I have more self-respect than that.”

“If we don’t complete the mating, then we will have broken our laws, and …”

“And if we break the law, it’ll make it harder for you to protect Alice,” I cut Kane off. “Yeah, I get it. But that’s your problem, not mine. I’m happy to sit around and not be mated.”

If I were not fighting for my dignity, I would have found Kane’s facial expressions amusing. The rage and power radiating off him were sexier than anything I have ever witnessed, and to my dismay, I feel my panties becoming damp.

My wolf is in heat in a big way for these two. I heard how people talked about being in heat, but I had no idea what they meant … until now. The lust and desire puddling inside me is all-consuming, and everything inside me is fighting the urge to drop to all fours and rub up against them.

Nope. I cannot allow that to happen. I refuse to be anyone’s sloppy seconds.

“Elara, please be reasonable.” Axel steps towards me. “You know as well as we do that there are certain … uh, expectations that must be met. For everyone’s sake, for the sake of the pack. I know it feels a bit awkward right now, but please trust us. It’ll be okay.”

“Trust you?” I laugh humorlessly. “After you ignored and humiliated me in front of everyone at the ceremony.”

“It’s not …”

“Oh, please,” I cut off Axel’s protest, rolling my eyes. “Don’t patronise me. Let me guess. You’ll be sure to make it really good for me. Give me an orgasm or two, and everything will be fine, right?”

“Axel,” Kane growls, and it is almost a cliché how much his chest is heaving in anger. “I swear to the goddess, …”

“Oh, now we’re swearing,” I sneer. “That’s …”

“Shut up!” Axel snaps, silencing all of us. “For fuck’s sake, just shut up.”

Axel POV

Elara and Kane stare at me in silence. Watching these two bicker back and forth became irksome, and I snapped.

“This argument isn’t helping,” I say firmly. “We all know the score. If Kane and I don’t mate with you tonight, we will fail to uphold the laws set forth by the Elders. The very same laws we threw in Anton’s face to stop another she-wolf from dying.”

“I’m not doing it,” Elara shrugs nonchalantly, but I do not miss the hesitation in her eyes.

“Then you’ll be re-mated,” I reply sternly. “And we would never receive another mate. Wolves who didn’t mate with their she-wolves were held in contempt. After all, if men and women were allowed to refuse a mating by not mating, the whole system would fall apart. Therefore, punishments had to be dealt out for those who didn’t comply.”

“You saw Anton’s demeanour tonight,” Kane adds. “He’s a bastard, and if you’re to be remated… well, let’s just say they’ll mate you to the worst pair they could find. Even worse than Greg and Luke.”

Elara pales and slumps into the nearest chair. I cannot help but feel sorry for her. Threatening any she-wolf with Greg and Luke would be terrifying.

Elara crosses her legs, and her scent hits me right between the eyes.

“Holy shit,” I mind-link Kane, looking at him. “She’s in heat.”

“Fuck me,” he replies. “No wonder I’m so horny.”