Page 69 of His Impossible Elf Mate
“What about being Second? There’s already been talk. The alphas aren’t happy.”
From my place in the kitchen, I heard Axel’s sigh. “I knew there would be. Blake and I talked about it before. You will take over being Second—“
“What? Me? No!”
“Chase, we’ve been sharing the job since I started it. You know what needs done.”
“But—“
“No. You’re the only one who can do the job unless we pull Deke as Head Enforcer and promote an alpha for his job. That job needs an alpha, we can’t step in there, not that the enforcers would listen to an omega anyway.”
“Hey! That’s not true. Melody would. She’d get the betas onside.”
“Yeah, but I’d never have the alpha power needed to control unruly betas or alphas. They’d walk all over me. So you have to step in as Second.”
“Larken could be Head Enforcer.”
“Too much of an unknown. The other alphas don’t trust him enough to submit. Plus, do you want Deke talking to other packs?”
They both laughed, erasing the tension in Chase’s voice.
“Okay, fair, but you can’t just abandon me to the job.”
“I would never!” Axel said playfully.
Sounds followed of them rough housing. I feared for our furniture, so I entered the room. “Coffee?”
They both nodded and, thankfully, stopped their tussling. Chase rested his head on Axel’s stomach, seemingly happy to be petted by his twin.
I returned to the kitchen and found my phone, deciding it was best to return calls as I put together breakfast for us. Since he had called the most, I started with Ívarr, who answered my call quickly.
“Tearlach, is it true? Have you bonded to Axel?”
“I have,” I answered warily, picking up on his panic.
He let out a weary sigh. “Goddess help us. I thought it was a false rumor.”
“I’m afraid not. What is the issue?”
“My sources say parliament is deeply troubled by this news. They do not sanction this match. I hate to suggest this, my friend, but perhaps it is best you dissolve it—just temporarily, until you gain permission from your mother at the very least. It has weakened her rule.”
This was alarming news. My alpha side balked at the idea of ending my bond with Axel, even for a short time. At the same time my elven heart felt ashamed I had not gained approval from my mother. My shifter instincts would not allow the thought of it. I was at war with myself.
At the end of the day, it was disrespectful to her, and Axel, to go without her blessing. Despite having a shifter side, I was still an elf. She was still my queen.
“I will discuss this with Axel before I make any decisions.”
Axel was rational. I knew we could discuss it. There was likely very little we could do to fix this with parliament. They had been against us all along. My mother was the one who deserved an apology.
“As you should. Teagan suggests you visit the omega bear, Janet, before you do anything else. Janet often speaks for The Luna. Perhaps she will have an explanation that will satisfy parliament and prevent this situation from getting worse.”
“That is a good idea. Please, thank Teagan for me.”
We made our goodbyes and ended the call. This would not be an easy talk, but I knew he would have an idea of what we could do.
The cabin which housed the ancient omega bear was in the center of the omega area of the compound. Janet had joined the pack from the bear sleuth when they rejoined the pack and the Alpha retired to be closer to his children. Blake had decided to ensure Janet’s safety by putting her in the heart of thecompound where the other omegas could watch out for the blind elder.
As such, it did not take us much time to reach the cabin. Axel’s hand tightened on mine. Though he had agreed to temporarily ending the bond, I could feel his reluctance. Only my duty as prince to my people kept me from disagreeing with Ívarr’s plan. Axel had seen the wisdom in it, yet I had seen how it stung his fragile heart to even think of it.
