Souls Entwined

Chapter Three

Chapter Three
Elle's POV

A hard knock against the car window woke me up the next afternoon, and I felt, more than heard, Kaden's laughter as he fluttered velveteen fingers through my hair. 'Welcome to a week of bureaucracy.'

'Sounds like hell.' I said it as a grumble in the back of my chest, my eyes flickering to catch the perpetrator in the window.

'We're ready to go.'

I groaned, careful not to rub my eyes, avoiding smudging my mascara. I was already going to walk into the hotel lobby as the only human, and I didn't want any more unwanted attention on myself. 'You know, I can't stop picturing her as the only girl in our first year of high school to complete a Bobby Davis dare.'

Kaden's face twisted in confusion. 'He wasn't in your year.'

'No, which is what made it even more memorable.'

'She's good at her job, Elle.'

'I know. I just don't like it when she calls me Ma'am.'

He snickered, 'You'll get used to it.'

'I don't want to get used to it. Can't I just tell them to call me by my name?'

'Sure, you'll be Luna in a couple of weeks.'

'It'll be an honorary title. Your Aunt will still be entitled to the position.'

'That won't always be the case.'

'No,' I tensed, unbuckling my seatbelt. 'It'll just be until I agree to the mating ceremony.'

'Elle.' With a taut tone, he reached out, his fingers grazing my wrist as I pulled myself from the car.

We'd been dropped off at the front of the hotel, and I wouldn't ask how long we'd sat in the cul-de-sac as I'd slept. But as I looked around, I noticed the long line of cars behind us and another three in front of us moving to delve into the underground parking, letting me know it hadn't been long. We would have sat in traffic, and Fallyn would have been waiting for us at the hotel.

She'd left an hour early and hadn't stopped with us to get breakfast. I knew from the hotel staff flanking her sides that she'd spent the morning conversing with security and updating the staff members who managed the welcome.

'I hope the drive up was pleasant, Ma'am.'

'Cut it out, Fallyn.' I muttered, watching as Kaden followed after me, a half-beat behind. 'We took advanced English together, for goodness sake.'

'Sorry, Ma'am, but it's my responsibility to lead by example while on duty.'

'Of course.' I held my hands behind my back, gripping one wrist as I pressed my lips into a thin white slash.

Now visible to everyone around us, I had the upper hand, narrowly avoiding whatever Kaden would have said. I already regretted the snarky comment. It wasn't his fault.

'I've explained the conditions to the hotel staff, who are willing to accommodate our needs. However, my discussions with the council's board were not so productive. In regards to conference meetings, they have pulled rank. They are not prepared to allow me to sit in on them, and there's talk about whether they'll even let Ms Clarke attend.'

Kaden nodded. We had known it was a possibility. 'I have already scheduled a meeting for tomorrow morning to discuss the matter.'

'The lobby is secure, so I think Ms Clarke and I should move to the waiting lounge while you and Alpha Delossa check in.'

'Sounds good.'

My head was spinning with the way they were talking over me, apprehension balling in the pit of my stomach. Fallyn swept the heavy hotel doors open, guiding me through them and away from reception.