All Chapters of ELDER'S BLOOD : Chapter 31 - Chapter 37

Elena's point of view.Vanda leads me into a modest, one-story building that, while simpler than the pack members' homes, is comparable in size. Inside, the main room features a long table surrounded by chairs. The occupants are already seated, their gazes fixed on us as we enter.“For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her, this is my mate, Elena,” Vanda announces confidently. “She’ll be joining us today.”I receive a series of polite nods, which eases my nerves slightly.Vanda pulls out a chair beside the head of the table and gestures for me to sit. Once I’m settled, he takes the seat to my right.The door opens, and Charle steps in. He freezes briefly upon spotting me but quickly recovers. “Luna, welcome,” he says with a respectful tone, moving to sit on Vanda’s left. “This is a pleasant surprise.”“This morning, she decided to accompany me as I go about my schedule, including today’s meetings,” Vanda explains. “I thought it was an excellent idea.”“I agree whole

Elena's point of view.I shower before dinner, dressing quickly with the bedroom doors shut—Vanda is in the study. As I pull on my pants and tug a clean shirt over my head, I reflect on the day. Vanda takes his leadership seriously, as expected, but seeing him in action gave me a clearer understanding of what he deals with. I hope there will be opportunities for me to join again, especially in discussions like the one about the war earlier.Once I’m done, I head downstairs. Ben is likely in the kitchen, so I plan to help with dinner.From the top of the stairs, I hear the front door burst open. I descend a few steps and see Alex in the foyer, half-dressed in only shorts.“Vanda!” Alex yells, rushing into the living room near the study.I hurry down the rest of the stairs, and as quickly as Alex vanishes to fetch Vanda, he returns with my mate, both moving with urgency.“What’s going on?” I ask, stepping closer to touch Vanda’s arm.He turns to me as Alex bolts back outside, leaving th

Elena's point of view.The clatter of pots and pans greeted me as I entered the kitchen that morning. Ben stood at the stove, wearing borrowed pajamas and cooking breakfast.He glanced over his shoulder at me. "Morning. The Alpha's already eaten. He's in the study with Charles and Alex. I figured I'd make something since I wasn’t sure when you’d wake up. There’s plenty if you’re hungry." He paused, flipping something in the pan. "After this, I’ll stop by home to change before heading to the gardens. I’ll be back by lunchtime.""Is Elizabeth here?" I asked, rubbing my chilled arms."She came in for a bit but left to get soap for the laundry. Hungry?""Yeah," I admitted. "I’ll be back in a minute. I want to check on Vanda. I think the attacks are weighing on him.""No rush," Ben replied with a kind smile.Leaving the kitchen, I headed down the hall, past the stairs, and into the left living room toward the study. Vanda’s, Charles’s, and Alex’s voices carried through the open door."The

Elena's point of view.The rest of the night, I'm embroiled in our mate bond. Every time Vanda touches me, I have to withhold my blush and wipe the fresh memory of what we've done out of my mind. Over dinner, my attention is so shot that I hardly hear Ben say he'll be leaving tomorrow for four days to visit a friend's pack, thankfully, neither Kane's nor Alpha Walter's. He's definitely chosen such days on purpose, however. With the mayhem of constant attacks, he must be yearning for normalcy.Each time my distracted thoughts win, and merely making eye contact with Vanda has me giddy and shy, he simply smiles, waits a moment, and then asks me something unrelated so I might find some relief.---Hours before the sun rises, Vanda rubs my upper arm in short strokes, waking me up. I stir and slide my arm over his chest."Don't go," I mumble.The bed is the perfect temperature and perfect softness; it tries so hard to lull me back to sleep."I have to get ready to meet Alpha Walter's men at