Julie entered the breakfast parlour, and all voices hushed into a loaded silence. She, unlike most of the other inhabitants of the pack's main mansion, was entirely unaware of the developments of the day before.
"Good morning," she said, chipper as always. Awkward glances were traded and though she received a few muttered good mornings in return, she picked up on the tension hanging in the room. She paused halfway to her chair, her gaze darting around. "Did something happen?"
All eyes rested on Austin then.
"No, nothing," he said.
"Alright," Julie said. She sat down beside Austin, glancing around the table. "Why is everyone quiet, then?" There were seven people at the table and normally they made a lot more noise.
"Why indeed," Conall said. He sipped his coffee, smirking. It made Julie nervous. Nothing made Conall that happy but the prospect of drama.
Camden, one of the council members, rose from his chair. "Excuse me, I still need to finish preparing for the classes I teach today."
"And I need to prepare today's training," Archer, Midnight Moon's head warrior, said, too hastily stumbling up from his own seat. The both of them looked at Kyle, another council member, who stuffed the last slice of an apple in his mouth and got up, nodding.
"I'm drowning in paperwork, honestly."
With a sigh and a dismissive gesture, Ellis allowed them to leave. Julie had never seen the usually so composed council members flee any room in such disarray. Her eyes flicked up to Austin, who kept his gaze pinned to his plate. In fact, all three brothers seemed unwilling to meet her eyes.
The door clicked open and Caroline slipped inside the room. Julie noticed a suspicious glittering in the teenager's eyes. The girl was practically bouncing on her feet, staring at Austin with a distant look, that told Julie she was linking him. There was definitely something going on.
She leant forward and picked up the teapot perched in the middle of the table. She poured herself a cup and watched smoke trickle upwards. "How did Reconciliation Day go?" she asked, raising her eyes to Austin again.
"It was fine," Austin said.
"Austin..." Ellis' voice dripped with warning.
Conall set his cup down with force, drawing all attention to himself. "What is your plan here, Austin? Never tell her? She's not stupid."
"Shut up, Conall."
"He's right, you know," Carry said. "You have to tell her."
Julie dragged a spoon through her tea, watching the liquid slosh. "You found her, didn't you?" It remained eerily quiet around her and she let the spoon slip from her fingers, listening to the little tinkle as it hit the rim.
"Perhaps we should give them a minute," Ellis said, already getting up.
"But I'm hungry!" Carry said, slumping in a chair and grabbing a bun, setting her teeth into it to illustrate her point. "And I want to hear what happened!"
"I'm with Carry," Conall said. "I'm not leaving right when it gets interesting."
With a sigh, Ellis set himself back down.
"I don't want her," Austin said, looking up at Julie. "Nothing has changed."
"Everything has changed," Ellis said.
"Nothing has changed."
Julie wrapped a palm around her cup, the heat of it setting her skin ablaze. She brought it to her lips and took a sip. "So, who is she?"
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Destined for Disaster ✔️
المستذئب*Book 1 of the Destined Series* Every year, King Alder opens the doors of the Royal Prison for people to find, among others, their fated mates. Every year, Alpha Ellis drags his brother Austin there. Every year, the outcome is the same. Until one y...
