Chapter Forty-Seven

ASH

They made their way to the large dining room, the scent of the feast that had been prepared that day wafting through the halls.

The noise from the dining room rose, conversation and laughter creating a constant din from behind the door.

He stopped several paces away, turning her to face him, needing to discuss her parentage sooner rather than later, and what she wanted the pack and council to know about it.

“Key, I’ve been meaning to ask you… Right now I am the only one that knows the full truth about who you are.”

“Yes, I noticed you glossed over it when you informed the pack about what happened,” she answered.

He continued. “I just need to know how comfortable you are sharing that information with the pack, and with the council when they arrive.”

She nodded thoughtfully, considering her answer. “I’m sure you will have to tell the council, but we don’t need to mention anything about it until then. Will it help or hurt your case?”

Ash sighed, not sure of the answer. “It is hard to say,” he told her. “It gives context to the abduction, but also makes me appear careless for not protecting you better, which will not help matters.”

She opened her mouth quickly, obviously about to protest his words, but he placed a finger gently on her lips to stop her. He couldn’t bear to hear her say it wasn’t his fault when he knew it was.

“However,” he continued, “your claim to Levia could give enough reason to not depose me as alpha. It is possible the idea of expansion will appeal to them. But the pack lands are already vast, and they may not see the need.”

“All things considered,” he finalized, “I don’t think it will make a difference in the end, so it is entirely up to you.”

She looked up at his face. “I think we should tell the council, and the pack can find out after the decision is made. Maybe the council will feel it makes me worth the transgression.”

Her eyes flashed sadly as she evaluated her worth.

“Hey now,” Ash said, rubbing a hand up and down her spine. He tried not to focus on the bones that were so easily felt on her thin frame. “You are more than worth it. Never think otherwise.”

She smiled and kissed him softly, taking his hand and turning back to the dining room door. Ash squeezed her fingers softly and reached for the handle.

As Ash and Keyara stepped into the room, conversation cut off suddenly, and everyone stood to greet them. He paused right inside the doorway, taking time to glance at the faces that greeted him.

There were just a few notably absent pack members, and they seemed to be mainly from the older generation.

There were a few strained faces, but he was relieved to see the majority of his pack seemed to have recovered from the shocking news earlier in the day.

“You may be seated,” he told the crowd, nodding at them and tugging Key lightly toward the head table at the far end of the room.

KEYARA

The dining room had long tables running down the length of the room, elegantly lit by the many chandeliers that hung from the ceiling.

They cast a warm, flickering glow over the room. At the far end of the room was a smaller table turned to face the others, and she saw Jill was seated there, an empty chair next to her.

Ash pulled out a chair next to Jill, holding her hand as she sat, before taking his own seat next to her. She smiled at Jill, glad to see she would be close enough for conversation.

“Where’s Luca?” she asked Jill, as she placed her napkin in her lap.

But as soon as she and Ash had taken their seats, servers began to move through the crowd, starting at the head table, filling the bowls in front of them with a rich, creamy soup.

Jill murmured her thanks as the server moved on before turning to Keyara to answer.

“He and his father left soon after the alpha made his announcement to alert the other council members,” she said, dipping her spoon into the soup and taking a small bite.

“Not all of them are within range of the link, and they need to travel a bit to get close enough to inform them.”

Keyara frowned at the reminder, though she had already known it would unfold rapidly once they arrived back at the pack. She took a bite of her own soup, not quite knowing how to respond.

Ash was chatting to Mateo who was seated on the other side of the alpha. He was alone, and Keyara supposed he did not yet have a mate. She and Jill chatted about light topics as they ate their soup.

Key thanked her for the clothes she had gathered for her and learned Jill had sewn most of them herself, maintaining her old job as a seamstress for the pack.

The next course was chicken, roasted with garlic and other herbs. The juice of the chicken oozed out as she cut it, and she was sure she had never tasted anything so delicious.

After only a few bites she was full, still recovering from the prolonged fast she was forced into during her transformation.

Her plate was soon cleared, and she waved off the next course when it came around, instead taking small sips of her wine to keep her hands busy.

The taste of this wine appealed to her more than the one she had tried back in the room; it was much sweeter. She felt Ash’s gaze on her and turned to take in his frown.

He leaned down close to her ear. “You need to eat, love,” he told her quietly.

She rolled her eyes at him playfully as she answered. “You worry too much, Alpha. I ate my fill, I assure you.”

He nodded, though his eyes were still hesitant, and turned back to his conversation with Mateo.

By the next course, her head was beginning to feel fuzzy from the wine. Her glass seemed to never empty, thanks to the attentive servers, and she wasn’t sure exactly how much she had consumed.

She set it away from her, accepting what was being served. It was the apple pie the chef in the kitchen had promised to make for her, and she leaned close to the plate, taking in the delicious aroma of cinnamon.

She ate every bite, even though her stomach was so full she felt as if it would burst.

She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand, her full belly combined with the effects of the wine making her drowsy. She felt Ash’s arm snake around her shoulder, giving her a light squeeze.

“Come, Key,” he told her. “Let’s make our exit.”