Chapter 4

Chester's POV

It was the day after our mating ceremony. The entire Council of Wolves, including Nora and her family, were gathered in the court room to discuss the new turn of events.

I refused to look at my new mate throughout the court room session. I knew that if I did, the primal urge to whisk her out of the room would come over me again, and to hell with the Council and their annoying meeting if that happened. My body was already reacting just by looking at her, and I wanted nothing more than to be left alone with her.

She was seated on the other end of the long table, wedged between her father and one other Elder on the Council. I noticed the large space she left between herself and her father, noticed the way she played with her fingers as though she was nervous and scared shitless.

Her face was streaked with tears, and her eyes were downcast.

I hated to be the cause for her pain, but it had to be done. She was my mate, and there was no going back on that.

Her father, Elder Lyall, was on his feet and talking. 

"This is an abomination!" He ranted, eyes bulging with rage. "A travesty! How can one man be mated to two sisters? My first daughter Alina was promised to the alpha so many years ago. We had already paid her dowry only but a week or two ago! He has no right to go back on his word and get mated to the other sister!"

"That's alright, Elder Lyall." Jacob my beta who was sitting next to me, ordered. Then he turned to me. "Alpha Chester, do you have anything to say about this?"

Slowly I pulled my seat back and stood up. I could feel all their eyes following my movements, and I knew they were on the edge of their seats for what I would say or do next.

In quick strides, I crossed the room to Nora. She lifted her head and looked into my eyes, a confused frown on her face.

"Get up." I ordered.

Nora slowly stood to her feet. I grabbed her hand, then led her back to my own seat and forced her down on a chair right beside me. My hands slipped below the table and held hers, giving it a possessive squeeze.

Then I turned to Elder Lyall. "You were saying?"

Elder Lyall's eyes bulged out of his sockets as he struggled to control his rage. "Council, you see that? Do you see what he just did?"

I cut him off with my raised hand. "Elder, if you're so damn concerned about the dowry, it would be paid back to you in full—"

"I do not care about the stupid dowry!" Elder Lyall yelled, and the entire court room was thrown into a stunned silence. My mate was staring at her father, a shocked look on her face. I wasn't shocked at all—her father had always been an asshole who flouted authority, anyway.

Elder Lyall leaned forward on the table, waving an impertinent finger in my face. "You are going to get married to the older one, and that is final!"

The sheer audacity of his words forced a laugher from my lips. I watched as the anger in his eyes deepened with my show of amusement, then I leaned forward too, breathing my next words into his face.

"I would like to see what you want to do about my decision, Lyall." I growled, feeling a derisive smile creep up my face. "Because Nora and I got mated yesterday, and the bond is consummated already."

The anger fell off Elder Lyall's face, to be replaced by a temporary look of shock. The entire court room was silent as they all watched the showdown between us. Then a high-pitched wail punctured the silence like a pin on a balloon.

"No!" Alina wailed. She stood to her feet and immediately threw herself on the ground, her hands on her head. "Father, no! Look what Nora has done to my future!"

"Can you see?" Elder Lyall turned to the other members of the Council, gesticulating wildly with his arms. "Can you see the words coming from the alpha's mouth himself? Can you hear it? My daughter Alina will be disgraced and made a laughing stock for the rest of her life because of his misdemeanor!"

"We all heard what the alpha said, Elder Lyall." My beta spoke up. "Now, if you would please, take your seat."

I folded my arms and watched as the elder slowly took his seat, his eyes tinged with hot rage and bearing down on mine. Alina continued to wail, her sobs ringing in my ears.

"Isn't Nora your daughter too?" I asked out of the blue.

The elder's brow furrowed at my question. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nora, over there." I jerked my chin towards my mate, who was staring at me with an alarmed look on her face. "Is she not your daughter also?"

Elder Lyall sneered with ill-temper. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"You seem to be fighting very hard for Alina's happiness. Have you ever stopped to consider Nora's too?" I asked. "Is she not your daughter also? Will she also not be made a laughing stock if, say, I reject her and get mated to Alina instead?"

"That's besides the point and you know it!" The elder bellowed, already rising to his feet again. "You are only running away from your own faults and you have to atone for them. You're nothing but a heartless, ruthless—"

My anger sprang to the surface. "Say one more word from your mouth, and I swear to the Goddess that I'll morph on the spot and tear you to fleshy shreds!"

My threat carried around the room, ringing with authority like a tangible thing. Elder Lyall swiftly closed his mouth and fell silent.

"I have made my decision!" I raised my voice, addressing the entire room. I could feel all eyes on me as I spoke. I wanted my words to ring in their ears for months and years to come, wanted them to know that I would never succumb to the likes of Elder Lyall.

"Nora is my mate." I continued. "I chose her and made her mine. I have perfected our mating bond, and nothing is going to tear us apart. Not you," at this, I glared at Elder Lyall. "Nor any other person on this Council."

"But alpha..." One of the Elders seated spoke up. "Perhaps you should consider—"

"There is nothing to be considered." I declared. "Nora is going to be my Luna. Like it or hate it, take it or leave it."

"No!" Alina screamed in tears again. All eyes turned to her as she stood to her feet slowly, tears and snot streaming down from her face. "I was supposed to be the one! I was supposed to be specially chosen for the alpha! It was supposed to be me!"

I knew her show of tears was supposed to move the Council into some form of decision in her favour, but I couldn't care less. I never did care much about Alina. All through our months of courtship, she had been vain and shallow, never witty or introspective. Nora, on the other hand, had struck me with her beauty and her brains, from the first moment I'd seen her.

It was then that I had known that she was to be my mate.

Beta Jacob rose to his feet, facing the table. "Since the consummation happened with Nora's consent, then there is nothing to be done. Nora Farkas is Alpha Chester's mate."

After that pronouncement, everyone fell silent—Even Alina's sobs subsided. I glanced at Nora, who hadn't said a word throughout the entire session. Something in me reared up in holy anger as I stared at her vulnerable state. I would protect her from people like her father, as long as I was her mate. And with that last thought, I turned and left the court room.