I wish to shelter her...

       When they all got inside and had taken a seat in the golden polished big wooden chairs, Celeste knew Elyzhn became their rivals not just because they were werewolves but because the Kingdom was thriving, prosperous. 

       The pack house was elegant with its high walls and architecture. Beautifully carved etched on the walls made Celeste itch to run her finger over it. 

       "Aren't you early, my son?" A gruff voice sounded from the hallway where everyone was seated. The girl had excused herself in the kitchen to make them something to drink.

        Seha and Ayz shot up from their chair, when Celeste looked up Seha was already on the newcomer. He must be the pack leader and Seha's father. 

      The man wasn't that old, but still, the wrinkles did a great job at fanning over his forehead and under his eyes. But the man looked powerful, mighty, and… dominant?

     A smile curled his pale pink lips as he closed his hands around Seha, in the next second Seha was pulling away, beaming at the leader as he untangled his arms around him. 

      The man gazed at Ayz's way with the same smile that cast toward Seha tugging at the corners of his lips. He reached out a hand to pat Ayz on his shoulder and said, "Long time no see." 

       "Yeah, I was out in the town, duty calls." He winked at the man with a wide grin plastered on his mouth. The man smiled wildly, squeezing Ayz's shoulder that was under his palm, and turned. 

      Celeste's mouth suddenly went dry as the man's intruding eyes fell on her. Eyebrows crumbled making the lines on his forehead prominent when his eyes cast down on her, the same way the girl's did. And now Celeste knew the reason why.

      He twirled his head and looked into Seha's eyes. They stood eyes locked for a few seconds as if they were talking through their eyes and then, the man turned back toward Celeste.  "So, who did we get here?" He asked, and she knew that wasn't a question directed to her. 

      So she waited until the mates said something, but none said anything. The man drew his eyebrows up his forehead before putting out a hand before her, "Kelen." he introduced. 

        "Celeste." She gulped. 

        Kelen nodded his head tiny, but she was sure she gazed a smile on his lips and it stayed for a few seconds before he continued, "I apologize for my sons forgetting their manners of introducing themselves when they meet someone."

       Both the men's heads were hunched between their shoulders, lips pressed in a thin line. 

      "Now, tell me, who are you?" He demands but no ounce of arrogance dripped from his words.

      Celeste hated the invisible rock that lodged in her throat that always made its presence known in a situation like this. It didn't matter how hard she tried to swallow it down, it stayed. 

      With a quick glance at Seha and willing herself to say the words that play loop in her head, she opened her mouth. "A refugee."

       Kelen tilted his head a little to the side, then nodded again. "I see." His eyes traveled to the mates again, "Where did you get this refugee?" 

        "From the Elva" Seha blurted out. 

       Elva? 

        She looked at him, eyebrows hunched in confusion. Seha met her eyes, then nodded as if he read her thoughts. "The forest is called Elva." He provided.

          Oh. 

          "A refugee from?" Kelen carried on.

     "She is not a refugee, father." Ayz butted in, to Celeste's utmost horror. What was he thinking? Earning her a death sentence?

       Kelen's lips fell into a frown, "Not a refugee? Why do you have to lie the first thing?" His voice was cold and low which sent the same cold shiver down her spine. 

         What has she done?

      "It is my fault." Seha's voice cut through the stiff air of the hallway, sparking a tiny hope inside Celeste and she hated it so much. 

      Seha's face was void of any emotion or expression, it was stoic as he stared at his father. 

        The said father cocked his eyebrow at him as if to demand an explanation. "I told someone she was one, on the way here. I didn't have any other choice. The last thing I want to do is give the people a scare." He ended with a pinned sigh. 

       "And why would it scare people if you tell them who she really is?"  

      "It's because who she really is, is unknown. I saw her laying on the forest ground when I went to hunt this morning, she was sleeping." 

      It was just Seha talking, his words and voice filling the air of the cold room. And Celeste didn't remember when she started to hate the cold.    

        She stared at him as he went on and on about how they thought of her as a threat. How she could potentially be a threat. How she needed to be taken to the palace. Celeste bit down on her bottom lips hard, trying to fight off the hurt that was born in her heart.  

        Its root twirls around her lifeless heart and squeezed. Her jaws shut. 

       How come she was so fooled to think Seha might help her? She should have killed the hope the moment it sparked her insides.

          She should have, but it is too late to do that now…

        "But I wish to shelter her here and give her some time to open up, maybe she just goes through some horrible things we don't know. I wish to give her a chance before taking her to the palace." 

         What?