Chapter 7

Jayden

Theo didn't come home, but Brayden's informant's summary was detailed.

Aiden looked for more information among other witnesses willing to talk about it, and when he returned, he was furious. Normally he didn't bother with Theo; the two of them had a very good relationship. They had been friends since they were little and worked very well together.

I didn't tolerate Theo because he was a jerk.

He used to have a certain moral superiority that unhinged me.

So when we grew up, I distanced myself from the common friendships I had with my brothers. I discovered at a very young age that most of them were too much of a bootlicker for my own good.

It was all rooted in fucking interest, and Theo fit that mold, although he did show some brains and sanity at times.

Lauren and Tracy were worse.

The Beta's wife was overbearing, dismissive, and thought she was important because of the power she had.

Tracy was an exact copy of Lauren; that's why she always sought attention from one of us, although her goal was always to get Aiden in her clutches. Her ambition drove her to be a damn tick, and for that reason alone I couldn't stand her.

The only decent one in that family was Beta David; he was a caring, loyal, and intelligent man, but manipulable. His wife and children did with him what they wanted. That's why I considered him a weak link in the pack.

My brothers thought differently, but that didn't surprise me.

Just imagining what Elara must go through alone with Lauren bothered me.

So I wanted to know more, and during breakfast I asked my mother about her. My progenitor was surprised by my interest, but seeing that my siblings also wanted to know more, she answered without hesitation.

"Elara lived her whole life in an orphanage. She was educated there until she turned 17. She lives in The Nothingness, so we don't know more than the fact that she has had several jobs that have provided her with enough money to have a small house in the woods, away from everyone," my mother said, and I raised my eyebrows.

The girl who confronted me didn't seem to be a hermit, but I found that tidbit of information fascinating.

“Not just anyone has a house in that area,” Brayden said, impressed.

"No, but I guess that speaks to the fact that Elara is a working girl. She works hard, and it's a very good trait," my mother said admiringly.

That was a strange thing to witness in her.

Mom was an amazing woman, but her past before she bonded with my father and had us was not something known to everyone. Mom had been orphaned at a very young age and had to live in several family homes until she came of age, and it was at one of her many jobs that she met my father.

The rest was easy to deduce, and I could better understand why my mother showed so much sympathy to a helpless girl.

Your mother is more empathetic than you, and you're the one who handles emotions, said my wolf Jax mockingly.

“Is that why you want us to give her a chance?” asked Aiden calmly.

“Yes,” said my mother without hesitation. "The girl hasn't done anything wrong; she's shown she's trying hard and is disciplined. Living here could help her improve her situation."

I saw my siblings right away.

It's going to be easy to get Mom to agree to what we have in mind, Brayden said over the mental link.

“I just hope the blood test isn't a problem,” I said calmly.

My father arrived, he gave my mother a kiss, and he sat down to eat quickly; then they both left to attend to the witnesses for the blood test. Just then old Aldric arrived; seeing us, he smiled at us and sat down at the table to eat.

“It's good to see you two not arguing,” the counselor said humorously, and I laughed.

“Really?” I asked sarcastically, and Aiden threw a loaf of bread at me; however, I caught it quickly and ate it in three bites.

“Sometimes you're a summer dream,” Aldric said before eating. “You know what happened to Tracy; it's already gossip in the public domain.”

“I've always thought she was unstable,” I said before taking a sip of my coffee. “Trying to get everyone's attention because someone shows up is cowardly.”

“She really did attempt suicide,” Aldric said in horror.

“Let me question that,” I said calmly. “I think she's so dumb she took more pills than she planned, and that's why she ended up in the hospital.”

My wolf chuckled, Aiden frowned, and I saw Brayden hold back a smile.

My brother, the equanimous one, was the only one capable of seeing what I saw in Tracy.

“That's not funny!” said Aldric. “Tracy is a girl who is hurting, afraid of rejection.”

“Lauren and David adore her; she's never going to be rejected, unlike David's real daughter,” Brayden said calmly, and Aldric frowned. “Even you can't say that's a lie.”

Aldric said no more; that meant he doubted Elara.

The counselor was a funny man, but he had certain purist thoughts that made me puke. Occasionally he would let them out, but my parents cleverly shushed him.

Theo arrived and greeted us.

“You're late for lunch,” Aldric said as he finished swallowing the last of his baked bun. “Come on, let's not waste time.”

Aldric didn't let Theo say anything else, grabbed his arm and dragged him outside.

I looked at my brothers immediately.

“Aldric is going to be an ardent opponent of Elara,” I said seriously.

“I don't think so,” Aiden said, and I laughed.

“Sometimes you're really dumb,” I said without a filter, and my older brother growled. “He didn't say his thoughts openly so as not to put himself out there, but it's clear he's going to be a pain in Elara's ass.”

Brayden sighed but nodded.

“Let's get going already; they must be waiting for us,” Aiden said as he looked at his watch.

We gathered everything up and left it organized for the Omegas.

While we were children of the Alpha, we weren't ungrateful fuckers.

On the way out a guard asked Brayden something, and my brother took a couple of minutes to explain, but I lost my patience, so I dragged him to the lounge, and we finally went inside.

Elara had her back to us, and we could see the look of arrogance Aldric was looking at her with. That was not good at all, but I kept my sanity. My mother made an introduction for her to see us, and when Elara saw us, she gasped in shock.

Her shock was very clear.

However, as the three of us siblings stood in front of her, I could feel the mates bond better; it was so strong and so bright it choked me. I could not stop admiring her. At the hospital I didn't detail her well, but at that moment I could see her silky hair, her full lips, and the same mole that David had.

She's gorgeous, my wolf Jax said, gawking.

I was the first to introduce myself to her, and when she said it was nice to meet us, I smiled cheekily.

“Let's get this over with,” Aldric said, and Elara looked at her father.

I could tell the Beta hadn't prepared her for the ceremony, so I frowned.

“Let's go,” my mother said, and we followed her.

We all took our seats; there we could hear Theo ranting about Elara. My father looked at him in annoyance, and it was then that he shut up.

“Bring the fountain,” my father ordered, and some wolves carried the fountain and placed it in the center of the altar.

Aldric recited a few words, and the water began to glow.

Elara looked at the fountain with fascination, and I smiled.

“Raise your hands,” Aldric said, and David and Elara did so without hesitation.

One of the wolves brought a magical lineage-tracing dagger to the old counselor and slashed Elara and David's palms. He did it quickly, then joined the palms together and dipped them in the water.

The source was irrefutable.

If the bond between Elara and David was strong, it would be colored a stunning green; otherwise, the water would turn cloudy. It was the proof that the DNA test turned out to be false.

There were no flaws there because it checked the lineages to the point of seeing the magical traits.

All of a sudden the water turned very green.

That made everyone start talking, and Theo cursed.

“I'm going to make his life miserable,” Theo whispered, and I restrained myself from roaring.

My father looked annoyed, as did my mother.

“This young woman is a full-blooded Mikaelson,” my father said. “She has a very strong bond with her father, and for that, she should be recognized as such.”

People murmured again.

“No,” said Theo. “I refuse to accept an illegitimate daughter into the family.”

Beta David frowned.

“You have no power of decision,” my father said and looked at David firmly.

“Elara is a Mikaelson,” Beta David said, and I smiled.

“She will never be my sister,” Theo said.

We all ignored him.

“Elara,” my father said, and she looked at him with respect. “You have a chance to belong here by blood; you drink to adapt to this pack.”

She nodded and swallowed saliva.

Aldric looked at her with annoyance but said nothing.

“She's not going to live at home,” Theo said, and Beta David looked at him sadly.

“She can live with us,” Brayden said. “If living with the Mikaelsons won't allow her to adjust, we should be good hosts and help her.”

“No,” Theo said and looked at Aiden immediately.

“I agree,” I said just to upset him.

My mother scowled at us but then looked at Aiden. He nodded, and so did my father.

“Elara, you are officially invited to live with us during your adjustment period,” my father said, and Theo left cursing.

Era was shocked but said nothing.

The people dispersed, and Beta David pulled her into conversation toward the other side of the room.

“Go with them,” my mother said to my father, and then she went to talk to Aldric.

She turned to look at us.

Nira, my name is Nira, said a voice that made my hair stand on end.

I looked at my siblings and realized that they had also heard the same thing I had.