The Other Part of Me

Braden

Braden was fuming. He walked through the mansion, dragging Elsbeth by the arm behind him. He needed answers and he needed them now.

He noticed the questioning gazes from the wolves as they made their way through the mansion. Let them look. He was fucking livid. He walked outside the building and stopped to think for a moment. He needed to have words with Elsbeth but he didn't want the pack to overhear.

It was the middle of the afternoon, there would be members inhabiting all areas of the grounds. If he'd had his office, he would have dragged her in there for the confrontation, but even now that Cassie likely wouldn't be returning to it as a bedroom, he didn't want to risk her listening in.

His only option was to lead Elsbeth away to one of the open fields behind the mansion.

"Braden, why are you pulling me this way?" She asked. He felt her resist, but he pulled harder.

When they were far enough from everyone, he pulled her in front of him, finally releasing her. "Why the fuck did you send Cassie into rogue territory, Elsbeth?"

She frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Lake Reva! You sent MY MATE to Lake Reva for your supposed rash cure," he grabbed her arms and inspected them thoroughly, one at a time. "There was no rash, was there?"

Elsbeth placed her hand over her heart. "I had a rash," she defended. "Amaya's healing abilities cured it," she was quick to respond.

"Don't lie to me!" He growled.

"I'm not," she said calmly. "Your half breed was going out for the day. I figured she wouldn't mind grabbing some mud from the lake." She smoothed her hair. "Considering she made it back in one piece, obviously she didn't get near rogue territory. You know first-hand those rogues are merciless. If they had smelled her, she'd be dead by now."

Although that was true, he could sense Elsbeth was being duplicitous.

She made direct eye contact with him. "Don't get me wrong, if rogues had gotten to your half breed, I wouldn't be in my room crying right now, but she's here, and unfortunately, she's safe and sound."

"You dare speak that way of my mate?" He yelled. "Moon Goddess gifted her to me to be my Luna, and you speak of her with such contempt? This borders on treason, and you know the punishment for this offense is death!"

She smoothed the other side of her hair. It unnerved him how calm she always looked, even now as he mentioned charging her with treason to the pack.

"Those were the old ways, Braden. You don't abide by the old ways."

She was right. He hated that she was right. When he had grown and had the means to revive the pack, he didn't bother bringing back an Elder Council as he strongly suspected they were the catalyst in the end of their line due to their closed mindedness. "I'm warning you now, Elsbeth, if I hear you speaking ill of her one more time, I'll resurrect the old ways just for you."

Elsbeth snickered. "You know what's funny?" She crossed her arms and looked at him. "You speak to me of treason, but what would you call it if she murdered your pup in her womb?"

"This isn't the time for games, Elsbeth" he muttered.

She stared at him with coldness in her gaze. "I went to see the oracle from my old pack," she informed him.

He knew of the oracle, Magdalena. It was said she was much favored by Moon Goddess as her predictions always came true. Goddess help him, he didn't want to hear but he couldn't help himself. He stared at her without saying a word. "She will conceive, her acts will end the life in her womb." Elsbeth recited. "That's what Magdalena told me, verbatim." Elsbeth came up to Braden's face. "Seems to me that if you want to truly reap what gifts Moon Goddess plans to bestow upon you, maybe you'll need to keep a closer eye on your little interloper." Having said that, she turned and left.

Braden looked at her walk away, but his thoughts were consumed with the prediction. He breathed a sigh of relief knowing he and Cassie had used protection each time they had sex.

He was about to return to training, when Andrei spoke to him, "Braden- there's something you need to know about me and Evangeline."