29. Acceptance

The reaction to the simple answer was enormous. Ghor was on his feet snarling so loud everyone on the outer ring leaped back into the wall of the hut. She jumped and moved back a bit, hand gripping her mates’ tightly. She didn’t understand what was going on, but she could feel the anger in his voice. Her ears were ringing with the volume at which he projected. The Alphas shifted forward, seemingly without thinking, to put themselves between the furious elder and their newest sister. Farrel was in front of her in a flash, blocking her view of the scene.

Some words word exchanged in that guttural language, then Caleb turned and scooped her up into his arms in his haste to be away. Directly in his wake, Farrel followed out of the hut. She buried her face against his chest as he took her away from the hut and the crowd. Emmalyn was shaking again. She had so many doubts and fears running through her head. She thought she made the best decision she could for them, but what if she was wrong? They did not stop until they were far from the crowd pressed around the hut. With the noise behind them faded, Farrel let out a barking command, and the Beta stopped in his tracks.

She felt Caleb stop and turn and felt the larger arms of Farrel wrap around her. Emmalyn shifted hands, being slid from Caleb’s arms into the Alpha’s. He held her tightly against his chest, pressing several kisses against her lips. She kissed him back, putting her hands on both sides of his face as she looked at him.

“You’ll be with him tonight. If you are not ready, tell him no. He’ll listen,” he whispered, tenderly brushing his fingertips across her cheek. “Caleb and I will be hunting... to give you privacy.”

“Farrel, please… did I make the right choice? I was trying to think of you and Caleb. I didn’t know what to do.” She said, still worried she had let him down again.

“You made the choice best for everyone, not just us, Emmalyn,” he assured her; dropping a warmer, lingering kiss on her lips.

His tongue nudged, seeking entrance, and slithered inside to taste the sweetness of her while he had the chance. She smiled at him. A single tear of relief broke free and slid down her cheek. She kissed him eagerly, her tongue moving out to meet his as he held her. Emmalyn let all her worry and guilt go as she relished the first contact she had with him in so very long. She had missed him more than she could have imagined and hoped he could understand how much he meant to her. He lapped gently at her tongue, teasing it before he reluctantly broke the kiss.

“You do not know what an honor it is for an Elder to plant a pup in anyone. Once they receive the title, they do not take a mate.”

When he kissed her, she whimpered softly. She nodded her understanding, not sure why they would want to give her an option if it was such an honor. She would have to remember to ask later once it was over. Or, perhaps, she would ask the elder himself.

“We’ll miss you tonight,” Caleb said quickly, reaching his hand up to squeeze her arm. “But we’ll be here for you afterward” “

She looked over at Caleb and smiled at him. She leaned towards him to give him a soft kiss on the lips as well.

“It is only for tonight, then?” She asked softly. “I will get to come home to you tomorrow, right?” She asked,

Emmalyn worried the Elders would keep her from them until she conceived. The two males exchanged a brief, wary glance before Caleb shrugged. The two of them looked at each other. She wished she understood better what was going on in their heads most of the time. She was happy that she wouldn’t be kept from them. That would seem like hell to her.

Farrel slowly lowered Emmalyn to her feet; his unpainted fingers idly brushing through her hair. She was relaxing a bit because of the way Farrel combed his fingers through her hair. It always calmed her and set her at ease.

“You won’t be a prisoner, my mate. They left tonight for both of you. Tomorrow you can return to us...” As Caleb’s words drifted off as Feral growled in irritation.

“We can’t fuck you until it’s certain you carry his pup,” he said bluntly; deciding to give it to her straight.

Farrel thought she deserved to know the facts as much as she deserved to know how unhappy he was with that stipulation. By Caleb’s sigh, he didn’t seem happy with it either. She nodded a bit in understanding. They wanted to make sure that the child she would bear would be the elder’s.

“I understand.” She looked between them again. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I was trying to do what was best for us as a family. I love you both so much.” She said, fresh tears threatening.

Farrel was the one to reassure her this time. Caleb’s attention was back towards the hut as people were now flooding out and hurrying back to their homes, still speaking in hushed whispers about the events that had unfolded. Farrel kissed her softly, then slid his arms around her waist, caring little about the ceremonial markings on his skin, and hugged her tightly. Maybe they knew she needed Farrel’s strength this time. She hugged him as tightly as she could, not caring that she was getting his paint on her. She kissed him the one time, then twice before he pulled away.

“Do not be sorry, Emmalyn. It was the right choice. Mikael will be good to you. If we weren’t confident of that, we would have demanded to be banished instead. We would protect you against everything, even them,” he breathed as he pressed one last kiss to her cheek, then pulled away. “Go to him now. With our blessing.”

Emmalyn felt better knowing that she had their blessing and she hadn’t let them down. She nodded once, mouthing the words, *‘I love you both’* before she turned and walked back to the hut. People gave her odd looks as she walked back alone. Some were of peaceful acceptance, others were outright hostility, and others had a look that almost spoke of pride. Emmalyn’s eyes were only on them for a fleeting moment before she found Mikael.

She stopped when she was in front of him, her hands clasped before her. She looked into his eyes when she spoke, as she still drew her strength from Farrel. By the time Emmalyn reached the hut, the entire crowd had dissipated. All that lingered were Mikael and Toren. Ghor had long since gone off to hunt to take his fury out on his meal rather than his own pack. At her approach, Toren smiled warmly at her, moving forward to grasp one of her hands, then covered it with his other large hand. A gentle but firm gesture of greeting.

“I am ready,” she said softly, a slight smile touching her lips.

“You will be a fine addition to Peratuth,” Toren said lightly.

The powerful tone has now gone from his voice. He sounded normal. She couldn’t help but like Toren. His warm, gentle hands encased her tiny one and his words were heartfelt and genuine. “Thank you, Toren,” she whispered, smiling warmly at him. His silent reassurance to her was a great help. Two of the three elders didn’t frighten her, Ghor did. She was relieved that she didn’t have to face him right then. The elder squeezed her hand gently to reassure her, then quickly released it. He murmured a few words in that odd language then strode away, leaving her alone with Mikael.

The Elder Alpha’s eyes searched her face; studying the truth behind her words before he nodded. She seemed ready. Silently he offered his hand to her and waited for her to accept it then turned to lead her towards what was the second-largest hut in the village. Second only to the massive council hut. She took Mikael’s hand as he offered it to her and walked silently next to him. She looked around the village in the dying light of the day, trying to get her bearings. The huts here were simply amazing and so much better than the blocky, closed-off houses she was used to living in. Everything seemed to revolve around being open to nature and each other.

The interior was two floors, though it was entirely open from the main floor to the three lofts with their balconies overlooking the village center below. Around back in its own secluded area was a small pond, the bathing pool, and a sitting area that rested above a steep cliff down into the forest. Inside the large community room of the Elders’ hut, Mikael finally stopped and waved a hand around.

“The main floor of our home is used for social gatherings. It’s open to the entire pack for their use. The upstairs, however, is off-limits to anyone but us. As is the sanctuary behind the building.”