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He looks as if he already has one foot in the grave, and his skin reminds me of moth-eaten silk. His complexion would make Casper the Ghost jealous, with its transparency, every vein prominent beneath his skin, to go with the white hair barely hanging onto his scalp. Werewolves age way slower once hitting adulthood. When we moved to the city, Eli told me Stiles was one hundred and eighty-three years old, and he fucking looks it.
“Alpha Axton,” Elder Stiles says, stepping into the room with hands clasped before him.
“Elder.” I nod respectfully.
He sucks in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Neutral territory, son,” he says, letting those words sink in.
“He swung first.”
“I know, but we have rules for a reason. Neutral ground is a safe place for packs to convene. Alpha Derrick was being removed from the council, not just for Elena’s involvement with you, but because of the punishment he bestowed on her, and now you must be punished for your part.”
Eli stops and sits back.
“We own most of the city now. You can’t remove my title or sanctioned land,” I tell him.
Elder Stiles shakes his head. “Not my intention. This city has been run by us for decades, by the council, and I appreciate your desire to, as you young ones say, ‘get with the times.’ My son has been saying the same thing for years.
“So, after much deliberation, we don’t want the punishment to extend or ruin your chances with the council. You still hold your rights and title within the city and will lead the council, but justice must be served. It doesn’t look good if the council members aren’t punished for their indiscretions, Alpha.”
I nod, relieved I won’t have to challenge the other Alphas to keep the title.
“So, what’s the verdict?”
“Twenty-one day suspension, the land tax on your recent purchase shall be doubled, and you can’t take on your title in the council for those twenty-one days. You can elect to appoint someone on your behalf to fill the spot until you can move into the official title. You can appeal the decision, but twenty-one days isn’t that long, Alpha,” he says, motioning toward Eli.
I look at Eli. He nods quickly, but I know expecting him to step into my role as Alpha for the next twenty-one days is a big ask. However, I can still pull the strings, but only from the sidelines for now, not in public.
“I accept,” I tell him.
Elder Stiles bows his head. “We’ll handle all the legal processes upon your return. All council meetings have been suspended until then, Alpha.”
“What about the vampire issue? Is that meeting still not going ahead?” I ask him.
“It isn’t an issue here yet. Surrounding cities, yes, but no sightings here. If one is made before that time, it would be a matter of emergency, and rules will be overturned in that
case. And you have fourteen days to pay for the title change-over.”
“It’ll be paid by morning,” Eli tells him.
“Very well. Beta Eli. Alpha Axton,” he says before leaving, and I sit back as the door closes.
“I was honestly expecting a worse punishment.” I admit. Eli raises an eyebrow at me. “Really? You are the head of the council in twenty-one days. Would you want to piss off the man that controls the city? I expected worse, honestly, especially after what Khan did in there.”
Once Eli is satisfied with his patch job, he finally allows me to leave. Khan is still a little butthurt about being suppressed by the sedative darts I had to pry from my damn ass. However, he is excited to be heading back to our mate.
Once we arrive at the hospital, though, my men stationed there are in complete disarray as they race around the premises, making me wonder what is going on. I curse the sedatives when because they’ve stunned the mind link temporarily, and I look at Eli to see what is going on. He stiffens, knowing something I don’t, as we enter utter chaos.
The guard stationed at the end of Elena’s ward looks around nervously before his shoulders drop. “Alpha, we have come across an issue.”
Eli grabs my arm and growls at the man. “You didn’t think to use the link or fucking call us over this?”
“We thought we would find her. She couldn’t have gotten far,” he retorts.
“What are you talking about?” I ask them, my heart racing, knowing this has something to do with Elena.
“After her ultrasound, she went straight back to her room; she never left. I saw her friend leave, but she was in the room. I checked on her half an hour later, and she was no longer in the room.” He cringes and staggers back as Khan overrides the wolfsbane burning in our system and snarls a growl at him.
“I’m sorry, Alpha, but I think our Luna has run away.”
