Page 112 of The Secret Mate Society

"You haven't eaten in a week," Patrick chimed in, concern lacing his words."Alpha or not, you can't keep going like this."

"I'm fine," I lied, my voice flat.

A heavy silence filled the room.I could feel their worried glances, their helplessness.They wanted to help, but there was nothing they could do.Nothing anyone could do unless Ageratum decided to reappear with answers.

"The Council wants to meet with you," Trevor said carefully."They've been patient, but?—"

"Let them wait," I growled, my hands clenching into fists against the windowsill."I don't care what they want."

"Calder—"

A knock at the door interrupted whatever Trevor was about to say.We all froze.It was sharp, deliberate, nothing like the casual way my pack members usually announced themselves.

I turned slowly, my heart beginning to hammer against my ribs.Trevor and Patrick exchanged glances before Patrick moved toward the door.

"Wait," I said, my wolf suddenly alert, sensing something."I'll get it."

I crossed the room in quick strides, my hand trembling slightly as I reached for the doorknob.I didn't know what I was hoping for or expecting, but when I pulled the door open, my breath caught in my throat.

Ageratum stood on my porch, his crimson eyes unreadable as always.And he was alone.

“The Elder Council demands your presence,” he said, cool and unfeeling as usual.

“Where’s Ethan?”

“Alpha Thorne,” he repeated.“The Elder Council demands your presence.Now.”

“Not until you tell me?—”

Ageratum rolled his eyes and grabbed my wrist.But before I could pull it away, I felt a sudden yank at the base of my spine.One moment I was standing in my doorway and the next I was standing in the center of a large circular room made of white marble.A raised balcony surrounded me on all sides punctuated by thirteen ornate thrones.And each of them was filled, a figure in white robes staring down at me.

The Elder Council chambers… I’d never seen them before.

I stumbled slightly, disoriented by the sudden transportation.My bare feet found purchase on cold marble as I steadied myself, very aware that I was still naked and covered in dried blood from the barn.The Council members stared down at me from their thrones, their faces hidden beneath white hoods that seemed to drink in the light.

"What the hell?"I muttered, spinning to find Ageratum had materialized beside me."You can't just?—"

"Silence."The command came from the largest throne directly in front of me.The voice was ancient, layered with power that made my wolf instinctively lower its head."Alpha Calder Thorne, you stand before the Elder Council to answer for your crimes against our kind."

My heart was still racing, but not from fear."I don't care about my crimes.Where is Ethan?Is he alive?"

A ripple of whispers passed through the Council members.I could feel their judgment, their disapproval radiating down at me like physical weight.But I didn't care.Nothing mattered except knowing if my mate had survived.

"Your human," another voice said, this one female and cold as winter frost, "is the reason you have been summoned."

My chest tightened."Then he's alive?"

"That remains to be seen," the ancient voice replied."The demon was able to stabilize him, but he knows far too much of our kind.This interrogation will decide whether he lives or dies."

Relief and terror warred inside me.Alive.Ethan was alive.At least for now.

"I need to see him," I said, taking a step forward before Ageratum's hand clamped down on my shoulder, holding me in place.

"Possibly," the icy female voice said, "after we have made our judgment."

"Judgment?"I looked up at the hooded figures, my jaw clenching."I killed the rogue.I saved my mate.What more do you want?"

"We want you to understand the severity of what you have done," a new voice chimed in, raspy and old."You bonded with a human without permission from The Secret Mate Society.You exposed our existence to him.You allowed him to gather evidence about our kind spanning years.These are capital offenses, Alpha Thorne."