Home in your hold...

     "We are not!" Kellen's eyes widen the slightest.

      Celeste shook her head, "You really are, Alpha. But who am I to hold a grudge against you for that? You gave me a place to stay for more time than I expected, and never asked me, nor accused me of anything after you let me live here, never even doubted my purpose. For that, I thank you." A smile graced her lips, even if it was sad, it was still there as she said, "I will always be indebted to you and your people." 

         Kellen's mouth stayed open, he clearly wanted to say something but he seemed like he couldn't form words as he watched Celeste, disbelief written all across his face. 

        Celeste rose to her feet, chair screeching behind her. "Cel, no! It's not what we wanted to talk about." Hesse's fingers latched onto her wrist as if she was scared that Celeste would spring out of the door. 

       Her eyebrows knitted together as she cast her eyes down the Alpha. 

    "There are other options than to eradicate you  from the pack, Celeste." The man with dark hair said. 

       "I can see what I can do." Kellen voiced. 

     "You can take her to the Palace, I'm afraid that's all we can do, Alpha." The same man spoke. 

      Celeste's jaw clenched, heart, dropping to the pit of her stomach. Dread washed over her. "No!" 

         "No?" The man sat on the chair on the left to Kellen leaned forward, elbows propped upon the table top and a victorious smile etching its shape on his lips. "Can you tell me why, Lady Celeste? Are you scared to go there because you hide something deep underneath your skin?" 

         Celeste swallowed thickly, her mouth felt like it was filled with raw sand. "Or… are you perhaps a witch?" 

      A gasp reasoned in the eerily silent courtroom. Celeste's eyes widened and she felt the way Hesse's fingers tightened around her wrist. 

       "Enough, Jordan!" Kellen exclaimed as he sent daggers his way. And the man almost curled into himself at the sharpness of Kellen's words and voice. 

        "I was just—"

       "You can't disrespect my guest." 

      "Guest? If I remember correctly,  she's a refugee, at least that's what you and your son said." The other man perched up.

       Kellen's jaw ticked, and his eyes had the slightest of golden hue to them when he said, "She was but now, she's one dear to us." 

         "But let me tell you, we will take her to the palace as soon as we can. Phin, When do I have the discussion with the Alora's Alpha leader?"

       Phin's eyes fell on the papers before him, he reached for one and stayed quiet for a moment, humming as his eyes wanted on the writing. "In three days, Alpha. And also, you are void of any significant conferences in the span of these two days." 

       "That's great. We're going to The Palace tomorrow morning." 

      Celeste watched as Jordan opened his mouth to say something, his eyebrows drew down in displeasure.  But then Kellen's eyes cut to his and to the other whose name still remained unknown, "You two will be accompanying us on the journey."  

      "But if we start our journey tomorrow morning, we will only reach there the day you have the discussion with the neighboring pack leader," Jordan said finally. 

       "I will see what I can do." 

        "But—"

   Kellen slapped a palm down on the tabletop. "You are dismissed!" 

      "Okay, Alpha." The man next to Jordan said, nodding his head as he pushed the chair back with the back of his legs and stood up. Jordan followed his lead, curtly nodding Kellen's way before ambling for the door. 

        Kellen fell back on his big white chair, head thrown on the headrest of it as a sigh left past his pale pink lips

         "I'm sorry." Celeste breathed, her voice so small just like how she was making herself look at the moment. 

     Kellen straightened up in his chair, shutting his eyes for a brief moment before opening it again, looking straight through Celeste "For specifically what are you apologizing for?" 

        "For causing trouble to you." 

        "That's ridiculous,  Cel." 

       Celeste pressed her lips into a thin line, fingers curling tightly on her satin gown. 

        "Don't worry about it too much. I'm sure it will go well, I will try my best to have the King give the word to let you stay here. You will live here, with us." Kelen's words are sweet like honey, soft like cotton and they did everything they could do to bring tears of gladness to Celeste's eyes. 

       Kelen stood up from his seat and walked toward her, a soft smile on his lips. Celeste met him halfway as she threw herself into his embrace, breathing in his rainy scent that had become home to her in these last few weeks. 

      The sound of someone clearing their throat cut through the otherwise quiet room. Celeste tilted her head on his chest, her eyes landing on Hesse standing before her chair with her hands crossed against her chest. 

        "I doubt if you love her more than your own blood and flesh, Father." Celeste saw the way Hesse's lips twitched into a smirk as the words left her. She laughed wetly, eyes falling shut when Kelen palaces a hand on the back of her head. 

        "Probably." Him opening his hand for Hesse to join in their embrace was not ideal to his words at all. Nonetheless, Hesse squeezed beside Celeste.