Heartless Angels

Chapter 40 – Sophia

Chapter 40 – Sophia

The second

second I told him that she was here, I see his eyes light up like a freaking Christmas tree.

“I want to see her. Now I want my mate now.” I’ve never heard that much command in someone’s voice. And I can see it in his eyes. How much Levi loves Oakley. How much he needs her. And how much pain he is in because of what he did to her.

“That is up to the council to decide, I say. I already know what they’re going to decide. They’ve given him the right to know where she is, there’s no doubt that they’ll let him see her based on what they’ve decided.

The problem is that’s a huge sl*ppery slope. If they know who is in the training it’s only a process of elimination as to who is in the Elite 10. My mind is already trying to figure out how I can either change their minds or hide Oakley’s position in the Elite 10 training. Maybe I can say that we kept her on as a chef or a maid. We do that sometimes for those that don’t have what it takes but had to cut ties with their old pack for whatever reason. I quickly mindlink Ethan and let him know what’s going on and to scrounge up some clothing from the helpers.

“Haven’t they already decided? Oakley isn’t part of the Elite 10. She is still just a trainee. I can see her. As her mate, I have a right to see her!” Alpha Levi’s eyes burn with determination. He isn’t going to like when I tell him that he’s wrong.

Luckily, Head Historian Isaac takes that job from me. “Actually. Alpha Silver, you have won the right to know where she is, not to see her. We don’t even know if she is definitely a trainee. She could be kitchen staff or helping with endurance training. Correct me if I’m wrong, Commander Knight, but if someone had a particularly bad experience in their old pack that pushed them here, they are offered a position here at the castle.”

I n od, thanking the Goddess for Isaac. I’ve always liked him and now I know why “That is correct, Head Historian.” I turn back to Alpha Silver. “And if anyone deserves to have shelter after what they went through, it is O a kley M o on.”

abe

Alpha Levi sends me a glower that would set me on fire if it were possible. Not my fault he f ucked up as bad as he did.

*Excuse me, Head Historian Isaac, but I believe my son may be right. All of our arguments have been saying way it would be important for mates to see each other. It’s why we’ve all voted the way we have, Former alpha Silver responds

“In one way, yes. In one way, no,” Head Historian Isaac says, enigmatically. “We decided that he has a right to know where she is. We did not say that he has a right to see her.”

“What’s the difference?!” Alpha Levi fairly shouts at Isaac

I have to stifle a grin. That is not the way to get what you want in a council meeting

Though Head Historian Isaac responds in the same bland voice as before, the glint in his eyes is none too kind. Alpha Levi would do well to reel it in a bit. The difference is that we said that you have a right to know where she is. We did not say that you get to see her. You can use this to call or write her so that you can finish the rejection. She very obviously doesn’t want you as her mate. Tell me, Alpha Silver. When exactly did she reject you? Before or after you beat her nearly to death?”

I hear Alpha Levi trying to stifle a growl at the reminder of his interactions with his mate. “Before,” he confirms through gritted teeth.

Head Historian Isaac nods. He turns to look at all of the assembled alphas before he speaks again. “Yes, we have decided that Alpha Silver has a right to know where his mate is and now he does. But now we must decide if he is entitled to see his

mate. If anyone in her family is.”

I

It’s only then that I happen to look at Oakley’s family. They look afraid. If I had to guess, they were worried that Alpha Levi’s

temperid

Old cost them their ability to see their sister and daughter. Smart wolves. Not smart enough to see the treasure that

Chapter 40 – Sophia

they had right in front of them, but still smart.

Bradley, the father, and ex-mate of Elina, Oakley’s mother, is stone faced, his anxiety only betrayed by the grinding of his teeth. James, the twin brother Oakley was closest to, shows all of his anxiety. His face, his eyes, even his posture as he sits forward so far on his seat that he’s almost squatting in midair exudes his anxiety. And then there’s Jack, the one that came to find her. The one that saw her jogging the other morning. His alert gaze follows every part of this proceeding, showing how much he cares about the end result.

up?”

They are suffering. But is it anywhere near as much as they made Oakley suffer? I doubt it.

“Head Historian Isaac?” I interrupt. “May I read a few passages of The Goddess’s Word that may help clear some of this

“By all means, Commander Knight. Other than me and my fellow historians, your family would know of the Elite 10 better than anyone here.” Isaac sweeps his hands towards the collection of The Goddess’s Word books on the table.

I stand and move towards one of them and fl*p to the book of The Elite 10. “I would like to read from Chapter 2 of the book of The Elite 10, verses 10-17. All of my direct descendants will hear the call to come be a part of this elite fighting force. They may come because of unforeseen circumstances: a pack wiped out by sicknes s, a hurricane destroys their land, or their mate dies. They may come because they seek adventure or a better, more stable life for themselves. Or they may come because have forced them to me. In that case, I will take a ni g gling fear or doubt from their pack, their family, and their mate, and push it to the forefront of their minds. I will turn them against my descendant until they come to this elite force for comfort and a

sense of purpose. Though not all will be able to be part of the Elite 10, they all will make a difference to wolfkind and will need

to be pushed away from their families to come here:

“I believe this explains why, though it is obvious that Alpha Silver and Oakley’s family love her and want her back, the

Goddess forced them to dive into the anger and pain that they felt towards her, even if it was only a small drop. It is why she was forced to go through such hardship. The Goddess has a plan for Oakley, one that would not, could not be obtained in her old

pack. If she is to see them, to possibly go back with them, I don’t know that that plan will ever be realized.

“I would like to read one last passage to you, further in the same chapter, verses 30-35. “Each possible Elite 10, along with

the rest of my descendants, will have a set of choices. The first choice is to return to their pack, if it is still a viable choice.

There, they will thrive, changing the course of their pack for centuries to come. The second choice is to forsake everything from that first pack, their friends, their family, and their original mate, and to move on with my blessing and all of my love to a

second-chance mate. This second chance is one that they will meet in their time away from their original pack.”

I turn an look Alpha Levi dead in the eye. “Oakley has already met her second chance mate.”

Pandemonium reigns throughout the chamber. Alphas cry out, especially Alpha Levi’s father. Head Historian Isaac bangs his gavel. Spectators speak to each other in amazed whispers. I can even hear her brothers both let out loud curses at this

news.

But all of my attention is on the alpha that has been pitted against me this entire session. I see his mouth drop open, his eyes widen, his skin pale. He clutches his chest and I know that he must have felt Oakley and Ray together and is only now realizing what it means. How deeply in sh it he is.

“No,” he whispers, but I hear the pain in that one word as clear as day. He had thought he just needed to convince her that she should come back to him and give him another chance. He hadn’t thought he would be going against another male, one that

had only treated her with love and respect since they met.

Finally, the chamber quiets at the loud callings of Head Historian Isaac. “That’s it. We will make the determination in this case. This is something that is completely from The Goddess’s Word. All the historians and I will take a 15 minute recess to

discuss this and then come back.”

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Fifteen minutes later, the historians re-enter the hall. Everyone is completely silent as they take their seats. All but Head- Historian Isaac.

He remains standing and addresses Alpha Levi. “Based on the entire second Chapter of the book of the Elite 10, which outlines the qualifications of a member of the Elite 10 and the bonuses and responsibilities of being a descendant of the Goddess, we have made a decision. As Commander Knight has read, anyone who is a descendant of the Goddess has a choice, between their old mate and their second chance. We have decided that in order for Oakley Moon’s family and her mate Alpha Silver to see her, she will make that choice now. If Oakley chooses not to see them, then that will be considered a rejection. Alpha Levi will promptly call her and deliver the final part of the rejection and there will be no interaction between Oakley and anyone from her old pack ever again,

“But if she chooses to see them, she will at least give them the chance to say whatever they wish and then make her choice. That is our decision. Ms, Moon has one week to decide. Council adjourned.”

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