Chapter 7 7. Come to Me

ELANA'S POV

"Why in the world do you need all these bags?!" Darius bit out, his jaw clenching tightly.

Elana watched from the window of the car as Darius' face grew redder each time the pack servants added more of Thalina's bags to the boot.

It was bag seven before she had lost interest. Now, that had to be bag number fifteen.

Shaking her head, her gaze returned to Darius, the corner of her lips twitching up in a smile as he pinched the spot between his eyebrows.

"But Alpha Deee!" Thalina cried, her voice high-pitched and annoying, "This is going to be a huge event!"

"I heard a lot of contenders carry much more than this. Trust me, I'll need all this by the time I'm to be selected as queen."

Darius tapped his foot on the ground, his posture stiff as he kept staring daggers at the bags, but remained silent.

"Hey!" Thalina called to a servant, her voice harsh as she stepped towards the pack house, "Carry that properly!"

Closing her eyes, Elana pressed her lips together, pushing back the urge to laugh loudly at the scene before her.

"You!"

Glancing up, she caught Darius' fiery gaze on her.

"Instead of sitting there, doing nothing," he snapped, his voice a deep growl, "shouldn't you caution your sister about this excessiveness?"

Shrugging, Elana glanced at the bags. "Sometimes, I wonder where she gets it from," she started, her gaze settling on Darius, "especially when she doesn't have the funds to buy all this stuff for herself."

"Must have been spoiled silly by someone, huh?" she added under her breath.

"That's beside the point!" He fired back, crossing his arms against his chest before stomping away.

Elana's lips spread into a smile, her hands wrapped around a cup of warm spring tea.

Raising it to her lips, she closed her eyes as she took a moment to inhale the sweet fragrance before taking a sip.

Hmm. Who would be so kind as to let him know it wasn't really the number of bags that was making him upset?

A chuckle slipped from her lips as she shook her head, "Shameless .."

"Did you say something?"

Her eyes snapped open as she turned her head towards the back car window.

"Not at all, Thalina," she answered, her voice cool, "Keep doing what you're doing."

Glancing at the other vehicles that were getting prepped, Elana zeroed in on Dorothea. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the girl limp towards another vehicle.

As if sensing something, Elana turned her head towards the pack house. There stood Darius' beta, his gaze focused solely on Dorothea.

Elana's hands formed fists as she studied the expression on his face: hunger.

'He had to have something to do with Dorothea's limping,' she reasoned, 'But would Dorothea ever expose him?"

"We're all set!" Darius called out, his voice booming as he marched towards the car.

"Let's go so we can make it for tonight's event," he added as he stepped inside the car.

Pausing at the door, his eyes widened as he looked at Elana, surprise flashing in them.

Elana arched a brow at him.

Had he actually forgotten she was going with them?

Furrowing his brows, he moved to the seat farthest away from her and sat down.

Elana merely stopped herself from rolling her eyes at his actions.

'If she had her way, she wouldn't be in the same car with him,' she thought, taking another sip of her tea.

Thalina followed, entering inside the vehicle, and without a second thought, settled beside Darius as the driver started the car.

"I don't get why the Alpha king had to push the date of the bridal hunt forward," Darius huffed after they had driven for a while.

"That must mean he is in great need of a wife," Thalina let out a giggle as she brushed her hair behind her ears.

Darius' jaw clenched as he ignored Thalina's words, "We have things to do! Why must he demand the presence of the leaders of each pack?"

"Just one of us is enough!" he added as he shifted his head, his gaze landing on Elana.

"You should have stayed behind, Elana."

'So that you can have your fun with Thalina?' Elana wondered, pressing her lips together. 'Not in this lifetime.'

"Then, I would be going against the Alpha King's orders," Elana answered.

"Still," Darius grumbled under his breath, "I don't think you're needed,"

"There must be a reason why he requested for the Alpha and Luna of each region to be present for the Moonbine Ceremony,"

"Moreover," Elana continued, her gaze landing on Thalina, "How could I leave my dear sister when I won't be seeing her for a while?"

"She isn't a baby," Darius huffed as he stared out the window.

The Moonbine ceremony. A one-week-long event at the royal palace before the bridal hunt officially begins. During which a temporary truce was announced throughout the whole continent.

Even rogue wolves couldn't stage an attack on any pack. It would only call for the complete destruction of any pack or rogue who disobeyed.

The ceremony usually required the presence of each regional alpha to attend while the bridal contenders were announced. So, Iin the past, Darius had attended alone while she was left behind in the pack.

This time, if King Cassian hadn't made it compulsory for both pack leaders to attend, she was sure that Darius would have found a way to make her stay behind.

Another thing had changed in this life, another fate was altered.

"Beta Joseph told me that you insisted on that maid of yours accompanying us," Darius started.

"Is that really necessary?" He asked, his voice laced with annoyance. "Surely, you can dress yourself up for one week," he chimed.

"I want her beside me, Darius." Elana replied, her hands clenching on her thigh as she struggled to keep her voice steady.

She was the Luna, and yet she had to argue with a beta just to have her way.

"Is that too much to ask for?" she asked, her lips curving in a small smile.

Darius narrowed his eyes as he watched her. "You've been different ever since you came back from your break. That attitude..."

"Darry," Thalina cut in, her hands on his chin as she pulled his face towards her.

'Oh thank the goddess!' Elana mused. 'She had no idea how long she would have kept up with the pretense. '

"I want to sleep.." Thalina murmured, shifting closer to Darius.

"Of course," Darius leaned back on the car seat, and offered his shoulder to her.

Elana shook her head at the scene before her.

Releasing a sigh, she shifted her gaze to the window, watching as the trees passed by.

Every day, for the few weeks she had returned, became more unbearable. The urge to poison them and get the payback over with grew more intense at their obvious disregard of her.

Who knew how difficult it would be to walk back willingly into a cage after having a taste of freedom?

'What was the King's decision?' she wondered as she bit the corner of her lips.

Resting her head on the window, she closed her eyes.

Maybe she would have her answer when they arrived in the North.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"Welcome to Tzafiron, The Northern Capital," a woman with a tight hair bun said as they stepped out of the car.

"Your bags will be transferred to your rooms at the Eastern guest hall of the King's palace," she continued, as she ushered them forward.

"Alpha Thatcher and his Luna will go straight to the grand dining hall where the ceremony is about to begin," she nodded to a young girl standing beside her.

"And the candidate for the hunt..."

Thalina stepped forward, "That's me,"

"You'll follow me," the woman finished and headed down another path with Thalina behind her.

"I'll show you where the other alpha's are seated," the girl muttered, her head low as she led them forward.

Glancing down at herself, Elana straightened her rumpled gown as they approached a huge door.

"Don't embarrass me, Elana," Darius growled from beside her, his voice low so only her could hear him.

"Better yet, keep mute while I talk with the other alphas," he added.

As they settled into the grand hall, Elana offered a smile to the two alphas and their lunas that were seated with them at their table.

It was already nine o'clock at night, and the hall was full. Yet, some pack leaders had not arrived.

Darius engaged the other alpha in a conversation while the lunas kept to themselves.

'That was great for her,' she thought as she glanced around, searching for him.

It had been three weeks since she'd last seen him.

Her spine tingles, the weight of a familiar gaze on her drew her attention towards the left side of the hall.

Behind a pillar at the far end stood a familiar figure that blended among the crowd. The surrounding noise faded to nothing as she focused on the figure.

Glowing eyes stared back at her, the hairs on her skin standing as her heart pounded within her chest.

"Elana," his deep velvet voice reached out to her, echoing within her mind.

'Come to me.'