Shackled

Chapter Twenty-Two

A long time coming, I know! Here are E&E, back at it again <3

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The Elders were waiting for them. As the door to the conference room swung open without so much as a sound, a hushed silence fell over the four figures. No one had predicted this outcome; they had thought in extremes. Eden hadn't turned into a savage wolf and the fact that she was acting for all intents and purposes, normal, was a red flag in of itself. There was an overall sense of unease in the room, she knew there was nothing the Elder wolves hated more than uncertainty.

Nils gave her a look of understanding, his eyes filled with compassion, Dmitri was expressionless as Eden had grown to expect and Cynthia, the female, looked ready for an argument.

"This is uncharted territory." The female's voice was sharp, cutting through the tension in the room with precision. "Never before have we encountered one of our kind with such a feral wolf inside – "

"She can control it though." Eli cut in. 

The look he received in return was one of pure ice.

"For the moment, perhaps, but one instance doesn't prove anything. She may have held it back this time, but what about the next? It is our responsibility as Elders – and yours as Alpha – to understand the risks she poses to the pack."

Elijah's tone was laced with violence, "I don't like where you're going with this, Elder. If I were you, I'd watch your words?"

"Is that a threat? I would not toss those out so freely, remember who you're speaking to here, Alpha Elijah. We are sworn protectors of our species, and you, you are a simple pup next to us. Do not be so ignorant as to ignore the ticking time bomb that sits right next to you, mate or not. Do not be so arrogant as to think you can solve every problem, it's unbecoming, because you must face the fact that like it or not, she is just that: a problem."

Elijah was trembling as Eden stroked a lone finger down his forearm and to his palm, weaving her fingers into his,

"She's right." Her voice was soft, strained with the realization that taking off her chains had done what they had all feared, it had made her even more of a threat, even if it was only potential risk factor. In the wolf world, anything could happen. "Who knows what I would do if I got too angry and, God forbid, lost control. I wouldn't want to hurt any innocent people, any innocent pack, it's not worth the risk."

Cynthia nodded her head, for the first time since arriving at Westminster pack, she seemed to approve of Eden.

"Listen to your mate, Elijah, listen to reason."

"Where are you going with this? I don't see how this is helping us approach a solution. You say she could snap at some point; I get it - you're wrong - but I get it. You can't seriously be suggesting we keep my mate, my Alpha Female, isolated away from the pack, just in case. She's had that done to her once and I refuse, not only is it inhumane, but it would be impossible to pull off, she has family, she has friends. No."

"That is not what I was suggesting, Alpha. Though from what you are saying it sounds like you're willing to risk the lives of everyone in your pack for the chance for your mate to have," the word was spit out, "friends." Raising an eyebrow in an infuriating portrayal of superiority, "you can rest assured we will be noting that."

"Note whatever you want I don't care. If that's not what you were suggesting than what is?"

"Your mate knows exactly what I mean." Cynthia nodded over to Eden who sat staring at the scuffs on her white sneakers, eyes glued to anything other than Eli.