Chapter 75
Chapter
Seventy-Five
Idug around the back of the closet, smiling as I pulled out the gift that Sabrina had gotten me after she found out I was pregnant.
Pulling it over my button-up, I pulled it down.
It felt weird going into public like this after all this time.
Still, they were having everyone come to the main Council building that was near the university.
Heading down the stairs, Marcus looked as if he were arguing with Laila. He turned, and his eyes widened. Leaving Laila mid-sentence, he came over to me, pulling down on my sweater vest.
“I missed seeing you in these.”
“They are the best way to hide all this.” I motioned to my front. “With a long coat, it shouldn’t be that noticeable. Though I wish I had cut my hair.”
Marcus shook his head, pulling my braid over my shoulder. “No. I think this is fine. You look amazing.”
“Marcus seems to think he has priority over you taking him to the city.” Laila pouted, putting her hands on her hips. “I was his protector, and I carried him more than you have!”
“He’s my mate and I’m actually warm. We are lucky that there hasn’t been any snow yet. That doesn’t mean it isn’t cold.”
Laila threw her hands up. “I can shield him from the wind!”
I walked past Marcus, patting Laila on the head. “Sorry, Lai. If Marcus will take me, then I’ll always choose him. As much as I love our flights.”
“Are you hungry?” Candice handed me a mug of tea, and I nodded.
“Always. You know that.”
Eating the potatoes and bacon, I listened to everyone chatter about nothing. Everyone seemed on edge, and I got more than a few glances at me. Right now, it hadn’t hit me yet that Marcus was actually letting me go. I was nervous, but probably not as nervous as I was going to be later.
The front door opened, and Eva stormed into the kitchen in her full-goth-witch look. She looked ready for a fight or summoning a demon. She cracked her knuckles.
“We get to let them feel the hurt before, right? I’ve got my brass knuckles with and without spikes.”
I laughed as she caught my eye, and I saw them sparkle. She knew what I needed. Marcus and Laila growled at her, but I kept laughing. After that, the looks like everyone was waiting for me to break stopped. Marcus loomed around me, though, being overly protective.
Everyone seemed to be ready as I finished packing snacks Candice made for me. Beau came in and ushered everyone out. Tyson was already in his dragon form, and I had to crane my neck back to see him fully.
“He’s so big. There is no way that he’s not full grown.”
“As a fire dragon, he won’t get much larger, but you’ve seen Eva. She is full grown and really we are looking at how large Laila might be.” Marcus handed me his clothes for my backpack.
I stepped back as he shifted and shook out his wings. He lowered and helped me get up onto his back. Settling down, I held on as he pushed into the sky. My coat flapped around me in the wind, but it felt too good to close it.
Will you get as big as Ty?
Most likely. I might be a little bigger since size seems to depend more on the level rather than the type.
It made sense considering how big I was. I could easily tower over Alphas, despite not being packed solid with muscle like they were. Marcus didn’t wait for anyone else as he shot through the sky. His body warmed the surrounding air, and I felt myself melting against him.
I wonder if I could take a nap on you. I could just lie out on your scales.
Not while I’m flying you don’t.
Running my hands over his scales, I wondered if he would give me a full-size scale to hang on the wall. Though that might be weird, we could put my paw print in the middle and then maybe Kayla’s thumbprint or something around it. Do something like that with every kid. Just as a family thing.
Flying back to the city, we didn’t pass over the old house.
There wasn’t anything left to see, but Marcus sold the land there to someone.
We were actually landing next to the Council building, a zone that they allowed just for meetings.
It would only fit one dragon at a time, so we would need to hurry once landing.
Coming into view, my hands tightened slightly. Marcus must have felt it because he slowed down. We passed over the university, and I looked down at it.
You okay?
Yeah. It’s just…weird. Everything here is the same, but I’ve changed so much. A burst of smoke left him and I slapped his scale. You can’t let out fire over here! You’re going to get us into trouble.
He dropped a little more, circling over the tallest building in the city.
Behind it was a large area to land, almost like a helipad.
It was actually kind of funny since it had all the lines like it was a helicopter landing zone too.
The ground shook a little as Marcus landed, and he tucked his wings in.
I let him help me a little more than normal as I slid down and stepped down his legs to the ground.
Shifting, Marcus grabbed me and moved me off to the side before pulling out his clothes and putting them on. He shook out his jacket, donning his full three-piece suit. I reached out and brushed down his front, adjusting his collar a little.
“It really is as if we’ve gone back in time.”
“We could go to Angelino’s while we are here.”
Smiling, I shook my head. “We don’t have enough money right now to be indulging my appetite at Angelino’s right now.”
“I can handle it, little wolf. It would be worth it. Especially if we are moving to the lair. We won’t have the chance to come back for a while. Not if I can stop you from flying so much.”
My lips pursed. “You’re lucky I love you more than I love flying.”
“I am indeed.”
He gave me a swift peck on the lips as Beau rushed over to us with Lauren. Tyson was next, followed by Eva, Laila, Peter, with Dean bringing up the rear. I didn’t realize he was coming, but Eva told him she might get into a fight at the Council’s headquarters, and I think he came to hold her back.
We rounded the building, and I ran up to Sabrina, hugging her. She hugged me tight before passing me off to Mike. He hugged me tight and then reached down, squeezing my hand.
“Are you ready?”
“I don’t know if I really understand what is happening. I don’t think I’ve comprehended it yet.”
Nodding, we headed up with everyone into the Council’s building.
I didn’t know what I was expecting, but it looked like every other courtroom I had seen on TV or the one I had been to that belonged to the city.
The ceilings were high, with Art déco walls and art.
There were a few statues littered around, but not a single one did I recognize.
We had to all go through metal detectors, which seemed silly, but I let it go. Putting my backpack on the belt, I walked through with no issues. Everything that was on me was currently leather or a crystal, which didn’t go off on the detector. Another guard ran a wand over me, but waved me forward.
Turning, I watched as Marcus took off a few items before unnecessarily taking off his glasses and his crystals.
The air got thick as his presence filled the area.
He smirked as the guard struggled. His belt set off the sensors, but he was able to show that’s all it was.
Putting everything back on, I shook my head as he walked over and wrapped his arm around me.
“That was mean.”
“It was just a warning.”
Since we had a full procession, by the time everyone got through, there was someone waiting for us.
She was tiny, at least a few inches shorter than me.
I guessed she was about the size of Eva without her platforms on.
Her foot tapped the marble floor, waiting for us.
Sometimes she would scroll through the tablet she was holding.
“Alpha Alford?”
Tyson stepped forward, putting his watch back on. “That is me.”
“Yes. We will be downstairs today. Please follow me.”
Tyson took point, Peter behind him walking hand in hand with Laila. Sabrina was slightly in front of me, walking next to Marcus. Mike was just behind me with Eva and Dean in the rear. We wound through the building, and it seemed larger walking around it like this than it did from the sky.
We turned down two main hallways until there was a staircase down.
The woman leading us didn’t stop as she scurried down the stairs.
It got darker the lower we went, and it turned from Art déco into a very medieval-looking building.
I wondered if they just built this place on what was an old castle, or if this was a design choice they made when building.
I leaned back to Mike. “Shouldn’t you not be down here? Aren’t you on a wanted poster or something?”
Mike chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’m wearing glasses. They will never know it’s me.”
Snorting, I covered my mouth as Mike winked at me. It was hard not to laugh. His hand rested on my shoulder, and I took a breath. As we took longer to go down, my nerves were getting the better of me.
This was it. Dylan would die. He would really be gone. His crazed obsession with me would finally end, and I wouldn’t have to worry about him coming after me. No one would know where I came from other than the ones I trusted. Marcus glanced back at me and flashed me a smile.
I can feel you through the bond.
Sorry. I just…didn’t want to shut it off. I think I need the connection to you right now more than anything.
His face softened before he turned and continued down. That only makes me feel a little better that Mike has his hand on my mate this entire time.
I snorted again, and this time the woman leading shot me a glare. Mike’s hand tightened, and he covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.
We reached the bottom of the stairwell, and it looked like a completely different building. She opened a large stone door, standing to the side.
“This isn’t some field trip. If you can’t act like an adult, maybe you should go back up the stairs. Otherwise, you may enter. Your seats are on the left-hand side. Please sit and wait for the Councilors to enter.”
“Thank you.” Tyson walked into the room after nodding his head.
The woman glared at me as I walked up, and I couldn’t help myself. Blame it on the hormones. Stopping in front of her, I kept my face blank.
“You’re absolutely right; this isn’t a field trip.
” Her smug look made me press further. “I’m about to see the Alpha who used his position to abuse and rape me.
” The color in her face drained. “So excuse me if I find some solace in my family being around me and letting out some nerves.” I gave her a sickly sweet smile.
“Maybe you shouldn’t treat this like you’re a museum director. ”
Stepping in, Mike was breathing through his nose, trying to laugh. Marcus had waited for me, and his eyebrow rose. His hand crept around me and tucked me into his side.
That was rough, little wolf.
I pouted. She started it.