Chapter 17 Mila
SEVENTEEN
MILA
Mila stirred against Cade’s chest as the morning light streamed through the large windows of his bedroom, her body aching from a restless night spent tossing and turning despite the warmth of his arms around her.
Every time she’d closed her eyes, Zarik’s words echoed in her mind like poisoned arrows.
The mate mark on her neck pulsed faintly, responding to the turmoil of her emotions as she replayed his insult over and over.
Sure, she wasn’t a wolf shifter—she couldn’t shift into a massive beast or howl at the twin moons or command a pack with primal authority.
But her ancestors had walked alongside wolves, and had been protectors and guardians to shifters long before the worlds separated.
That same strength flowed through her veins, even if she hadn’t had proper training in Ice Mountain politics or combat techniques.
I’m not weak, she thought fiercely, her fingers curling against Cade’s bare chest. I may be human, but I carry wolf guardian blood. I’ll train harder than any shifter has ever trained, and I’ll prove that bastard wrong.
Cade’s green eyes opened slowly, immediately focusing on her face with the intense attention that never failed to make her pulse quicken.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.
“Though judging by those emotions surging through our bond, you didn’t sleep much better than I did. ”
She pressed her hand against his muscular chest, feeling the strong rhythm of his heart that had become her anchor in this chaotic new world. “I keep thinking about what Zarik said. About me being weak because I’m human.”
His jaw tightened instantly, and she felt his wolf stir beneath the surface—a dangerous, protective energy that made the air around them crackle with electricity. “Zarik is a fool who mistakes brutality for strength. He has no idea what real power looks like.”
“But what if the council agrees with him? What if they take one look at me and decide I’m not worthy to be a queen?”
Cade shifted to face her fully, his hands framing her face with gentle authority. “Then they’ll learn exactly why my father’s bloodline led the council for generations.”
His fierce conviction sent warmth rushing through their bond, but anxiety still knotted her stomach.
“Speaking of the council,” Cade said, his tone shifting to the commanding register she’d learned meant royal business, “you need to be formally introduced to them this morning. Since we’ve completed the mate bond and I’m the new High Sovereign—assuming I don’t lose the duel later—they need to meet their future queen. ”
Future queen. The title still felt surreal, like trying on clothes that were too big and hoping to grow into them. “Even if you lose the duel, I’d still be queen of the Ice Moon pack, right?”
His eyes flashed with something predatory and absolutely certain. “I’m not losing that duel.”
The raw alpha energy radiating from him sent heat pooling in her, but she forced herself to focus on the day ahead. “I should go get ready. What’s the protocol for meeting a council of ancient wolf shifters who probably think I’m a liability?”
“Just be yourself,” he said simply, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. “That’s all you need to do.”
An hour later, Mila stood in front of the full-length mirror in her guest suite, smoothing down the sapphire blue dress she’d chosen from her new wardrobe.
The color brought out her eyes and complemented the silver gleam of her mate mark, but she couldn’t help but think that she was trying too hard to prove herself through appearances rather than actions.
Stop it, she told herself firmly. You belong here. Your ancestors walked these lands before Zarik was even born.
When she met Cade in the grand foyer, her eyes darkened at the sight of him—his flawless charcoal suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and powerful frame, his dark hair that was perfectly styled, and his crown that sat on his head with natural authority, making her wolf-guardian blood sing in recognition.
“You look stunning,” he said, his green eyes heating as they traveled over her figure. “The council won’t even know what hit them.”
Martin appeared beside them with military precision, nodding respectfully to both of them. “The car is ready, Your Majesty. The council is assembled and waiting.”
As they walked to the royal vehicle, Mila felt the weight of what lay ahead settling on her chest. The council building loomed in the distance—an ancient structure situated near the mountainside, its crystalline spires reaching toward the vast blue sky.
“I’m just a human,” she whispered as they settled into the back seat, her hands trembling slightly despite her best efforts at composure. “How can they ever respect me?”
Cade’s hand covered hers immediately, his touch warm and reassuring. “Once they learn about your ancestral lineage to the Ice Moon pack and Nova Aurora, they won’t question your right to stand beside me. Your bloodline has been protecting wolves longer than most of theirs have existed.”
Mila wanted to believe him, but doubt gnawed at her as the council building grew larger through the car’s windows. “I’m not so sure that will change their minds if they’re all convinced I’m weak like Zarik is trying to make everyone believe.”
“Then we’ll prove them wrong,” Cade said, his voice carrying that alpha certainty that made her stomach flutter. “Together.”
The car pulled up to the imposing entrance of the council building, its ancient stone facade carved with wolf symbols that seemed to watch their approach. As they stepped out onto the crystalline walkway, Mila felt the full weight of centuries of tradition and power crushing down on her.
This is it, she thought, straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin with determination she didn’t entirely feel. Time to show them what a wolf guardian’s descendant can do.
Cade offered his arm, and she took it gratefully, drawing strength from the solid warmth of his presence. Whatever happened in the next few hours, they would face it as mates—equal partners in a bond that transcended species and tradition.
“Ready for this?” he asked, his green eyes fierce with protectiveness.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she confirmed, even as her heart hammered against her ribs.
The ancient stone corridors of the council building seemed to press in around Mila as Cade guided her deeper into the heart of shifter politics. Her heels clicked against crystalline floors that had witnessed centuries of pack negotiations, territorial disputes, and bloodline ceremonies.
The massive oak doors to the council chamber stood before them, carved with intricate wolf symbols that seemed familiar to Mila somehow.
Cade paused, turning to face her. “Remember, you are my mate. My equal. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise.”
The doors swung open, revealing a cavernous chamber dominated by a circular table hewn from what looked like a single massive tree.
Around it sat figures that radiated such intense alpha energy that Mila’s breath caught in her throat.
These weren’t just pack members—these were the most powerful shifters in the Ice Mountains, their eyes gleaming with primal intelligence as they assessed her with varying degrees of skepticism.
King Zarik commanded attention from across the room, his imposing frame draped in midnight blue that emphasized his predatory grace.
Those glacial eyes fixed on her immediately, and Mila felt his calculated scrutiny like ice water down her spine.
He smiled—an expression that didn’t reach his eyes and held no warmth whatsoever.
“Gentlemen,” Cade announced, his voice ringing with royal authority as he guided Mila to the center of the chamber. “I present my mate, Mila Eldridge, future Queen of the Ice Moon pack.”
The reaction was immediate and varied. Several of the older council members exchanged disapproving glances, their weathered faces creasing with doubt. Whispers rippled through the assembled shifters like wind through winter trees.
“A human mate?”
“How can she possibly understand our shifter ways?”
“The shifter bloodline will be diluted...”
Mila’s cheeks burned as the criticisms washed over her, each word a needle of doubt piercing her newfound confidence. She straightened her shoulders, drawing on reserves of strength she wasn’t entirely sure she possessed.
King Thornberry of the Blue Moon pack, a silver-haired man with kind eyes, nodded respectfully. “Welcome to the Ice Mountains, Miss Eldridge. These are... unprecedented circumstances.”
“Indeed they are,” Zarik’s voice cut through the chamber like a blade, smooth and deceptively pleasant.
“Tell me, future queen,” he emphasized the title with subtle mockery, “what experience do you have leading a pack? Managing territorial disputes? Understanding the ancient laws that govern our kind?”
The questions hit like calculated jabs, each one designed to highlight her inexperience and outsider status. Mila felt her throat tighten as dozens of powerful gazes bore into her, waiting for her inevitable failure.
He’s doing this on purpose, she realized, seeing the calculating gleam in Zarik’s icy eyes. He wants me to crumble in front of everyone.
“I may be new to your world,” she began, proud that her voice remained steady despite the tremor of nerves in her body, “but I am not unprepared. I’ve spent my career in law, understanding complex negotiations and finding solutions that benefit all parties.
I will rule with both strength and compassion alongside Cade. ”
Elder Grimm, whose scarred face spoke of countless battles, leaned forward with obvious skepticism. “Pretty words, human. But can you protect the pack when rivals threaten our borders? Can you command respect from Alphas who’ve led for decades?”
The doubt in the room was suffocating. Mila felt small and ordinary compared to these magnificent beings who could shift into massive wolves and command supernatural power with a thought.
I don’t belong here, the familiar voice of self-doubt whispered in her mind. I’m just a paralegal from Massachusetts. What am I doing pretending to be a queen?
But then memory stirred—her mother’s voice on those long-ago nights when they’d sat together watching the moon. “You carry something special in your blood, sweetheart. Something ancient and strong.”
Mila lifted her chin, feeling warmth surge through the mate bond as Cade’s pride and support flowed into her.
“There’s something you should know about my heritage,” she announced, her voice growing stronger with each word.
“My maternal bloodline traces back to the original wolf guardians—humans who lived alongside and protected shifter packs before the worlds separated. We were companions, allies, and protectors of the ancient ways.”
The whispers stopped instantly. Even Zarik’s calculated composure flickered for a moment as he processed this revelation.
“The Lunar Veil line,” Elder Grimm breathed, his scarred features transforming with something approaching awe. “We thought that bloodline was lost forever.”
“My ancestors walked these mountains,” Mila continued, feeling ancient strength flowing through her veins like molten silver.
“They formed bonds with wolves that transcended species, creating partnerships that protected both our kinds. That same blood flows in me—it’s why I can sense the mate bond so strongly, and why I feel such a deep connection to this land and its people. ”
The chamber erupted in urgent murmurs as council members exchanged glances of recognition and respect. Even some of the younger pack members who’d been openly dismissive now looked at her with newfound interest.
Martin stepped forward from his position near the wall, his eyes warm with approval. “The ancient texts speak of the wolf guardians with great reverence. If Miss Eldridge truly carries that bloodline...”
“It explains everything,” King Thornberry said thoughtfully. “Why the mate bond formed so completely, and why she adapted so quickly to our world.”
Zarik’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, but his voice remained smooth as silk. “Fascinating ancestry, to be sure. But bloodline alone doesn’t guarantee capability. The challenges facing our packs require more than noble heritage.”
Before anyone could respond, Cade’s alpha energy flooded the chamber with unmistakable authority. “The council meeting is concluded,” he announced with finality that brooked no argument. “I have a duel to prepare for.”
As they walked back through the corridors toward the exit, Mila felt her heart racing. The revelation about her ancestry had shifted something fundamental here—she wasn’t just an outsider anymore, and everyone knew it.
I’m not ordinary. I never was. This is my birthright, my destiny—to bridge the gap between humans and wolves, and to show that love transcends species.
“You were magnificent in there,” Cade murmured as they stepped into the crystalline sunlight outside the council building. “I’ve never seen Zarik thrown off balance like that.”
Pride warmed her chest, but worry quickly followed. The duel loomed like a storm cloud, and despite Cade’s confidence, the thought of him facing Zarik in combat made her stomach churn.
“Promise me you’ll be careful,” she whispered, turning to face him fully. “I can’t lose you now that I’ve finally found you.”
His green eyes blazed with alpha intensity. “You’re not going to lose me, beautiful. I have too much to fight for now.”