Chapter 4

Elora

I returned to the house after two full hours of quiet.

When I walked in, I saw Liz picking up a tray of leftover peanuts and a glass of leftover liquor. It was easy for me to visualize my supposed father in space, thinking at what point his life had gone to hell. I was about to make a joke about it, but Liz gave me a pitying look.

From her expression, I knew she wasn't going to give me good news.

“Sorry to bother you, miss... Did you check the contents of your suitcase?” asked Liz. I frowned and shook my head. "I'm sorry to tell you that I had to open the suitcase because the dirt seeped all the way to the bottom. I took the clothes out to wash and dry them, but a lot of clothes were cut up."

“Shit,” I said between my teeth.

“I can bring you the suitcase with everything in it, and you can check it.”

I nodded, and Liz walked away, but I stopped her.

“Is there a maid's room I can stay in tonight?” I asked carefully, and Liz, bless her, nodded, no questions asked. “Take me to that room, and thank you for cleaning out my suitcase.”

“You don't have to thank me, miss; that's my job,” Liz said with a tremulous smile before leaving.

I sighed and waited a few minutes.

Liz returned with my suitcase, and I immediately took it.

Then she led me about 100 yards into the grove to take me to the service cabins of Beta David's house. She opened the door to the cabin where the Omegas slept. It was a nice, clean, simple place. It had at least about six rooms, and I could tell that two other Omegas were sleeping peacefully as we walked down the hall.

“You can sleep in the room next to mine; it has its own bathroom,” Liz said, and I smiled.

“Thank you.”

She nodded and walked back into the big house.

I surveyed the space and could see the cameras that were hidden. I denied that but didn't complain, just checked my suitcase, realizing that Denisse had cut off most of my clothes.

“Silly Omega,” I whispered before lying down to sleep.

The sun streamed through the bedroom window, and I woke up wearily.

I hadn't been able to sleep well, but I couldn't complain.

I got out of bed promptly and, half an hour later, walked to the main house.

I was ready to tell Beta David that I would not be staying over at his house; I had the phrase rehearsed on the tip of my tongue, but my intentions were interrupted by him as I tossed my tattered clothes into the proper trash compartment.

“What are you doing here?” asked Beta David.

I frowned and pointed to the trash bag.

“I'm throwing away the clothes Denisse cut up,” I said without hesitation.

The Beta opened his eyes, surprised, and I couldn't help but notice the mole we shared; it was a very familiar mark, a sign of our kinship.

“Lauren will buy you the things you need later,” he said, and I nearly scoffed. "Right now, we need to go immediately to the Alpha's house. We're running late for the blood test."

I was surprised that, of all the things he could have said, he only focused on one problem and swept the rest under the rug.

“But my clothes aren't right for—”

“That's the least of it,” Beta David said earnestly. “Come on, it's late.”

I nodded but didn't let go of my suitcase; after what had happened with Denisse, I didn't trust anyone.

I followed him, and he said nothing about the suitcase; he didn't even give me another glance. He pulled out a car key and pushed a button as we circled the house to go to the fountain. A luxury van immediately started up.

At that moment Theo came out of the house in his academy uniform, greeted his father with a nod, and ignored me. He got into a sports car, and I sighed. He was a first-rate cretin, and it was clear that maybe he had inherited it from his father.

“Get in the truck,” Beta David ordered. “Theo will follow us; Lauren is at the hospital with Tracy.”

He opened the driver's door and climbed in in a hurry. I opened the back door and tossed the suitcase aside before sitting down. As I finished putting on my seatbelt, Beta David sped out of his house.

From the anxious way he was driving, I knew he was nervous.

It's possible he thinks the blood test will come back negative, I thought wryly.

I pulled my phone out of my jacket to distract myself and checked my email inbox.

“How did you notice the cameras?” asked Beta David suddenly, and I looked at the man through the mirror.

“I worked in an electronics store and learned how to install those cameras, so I know how to spot them,” I told a half-truth.

He nodded and said nothing more, so I remained distracted with my phone until we climbed another hill and pulled up outside a property that was three times the size of his house.

The gate opened, the Beta kept driving up the hill, and parked outside what was a freaking castle. I looked at the property in awe.

“It's a small old-world castle; the Voelkel family has kept it for centuries,” Beta David said, and I nodded as I got out of the truck.

I saw guards everywhere.

Unlike their home, the security here was completely insane.

The Beta greeted all the guards and led me through a different entrance than the main entrance.

“I'll take you toward the meeting room,” the Beta said, and I nodded.

I followed him so I wouldn't get lost.

The place was not only gigantic, it was made up of too many passageways for my own good. Finally we came to a large wooden door, and when the Beta opened it, a creaking sound was heard. As we entered, I was fascinated by the room. It looked like a church of ancient humanity.

I looked up and saw several people there, but a gorgeous and imposing middle-aged couple stood at the front. From their auras it was easy to deduce that they were the Alpha and Moon of the Black Ice Pack.

When Beta David and I were in front, we bowed our heads in respect.

“So she's the girl,” the woman said and approached me with a friendly smile. “Welcome to the pack, Elara. I'm Luna Kate.”

“Thank you, Luna,” I said respectfully.

“I am Alpha Kaelen,” the man next to her said, and his face looked like someone else to me, but I was sure it was the first time I had seen this man. “It's nice to meet you.”

“Is everyone here?” asked Beta David anxiously.

“No, the spiritual advisor and our children are missing,” said the Alpha. “They will also witness the test.”

At that moment an older man, with graying hair, sharp frown lines, and wearing a white-colored cassock, entered the room accompanied by Theo.

He's the target, I thought with intrigue.

“Elara, this is Aldric; he is the spiritual advisor to our pack,” Alpha Kaelen said, and I bowed my head in respect.

The man frowned and looked me over from head to toe.

I was wearing jeans, leather boots, and a matching jacket that showed a white t-shirt with a bleeding heart on it.

"He doesn't like me," I thought wryly.

“Didn't you have even a little respect to come presentable before the council?” the elder Aldric asked, and I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

“It was my fault,” said Beta David. “With everything Tracy went through yesterday, I couldn't get Elara ready for today.”

“It's obvious coming from The Nothingness she's ignorant,” Elder Aldric said with disdain, and Theo smiled. “She needs a crash course in etiquette.”

Some people in the back couldn't hold back a chuckle.

I knew right away that the old man would be a pain in my ass.

The door opened again, and several footsteps sounded at the same time. I was going to turn to see who it was, but I held the old man's gaze. He was looking at me with revulsion, so I couldn't help but smile hatefully at him.

“Elara, meet our three children,” Moon said, and I turned around.

At that moment all the air left my lungs as I saw the man I interacted with the day before multiply by three. I gasped and shook my head in shock.

“I know, it's shocking to see them together because they are identical triplets,” Alpha Kaelen said with amusement.

“It's a pleasure, I'm Jayden,” said the one with the scar on his eyebrow, the jerk from the hospital.

“I'm Aiden,” said the one with the rose bushes, and I nodded.

“I'm Brayden,” said the one in the woods, the bold one who dared to correct my posture.

I took a few seconds to respond; a shiver ran through my body as I felt the gazes of the three of them on me.

“I'm Elara; it's nice to meet you,” I said with a husky voice.

Jayden smiled cheekily, Aiden frowned, and Brayden looked at me with intensity.

At that moment I knew the three of them would be a danger to me.

I had no idea how much.