Cade
Zeke, Hyde, and I stood at Micah’s back with our arms crossed as our mate sat in front of four council members. I wished we were still back in our room. I hadn’t wanted to get up that morning when I’d woken with Micah in my arms. Even with Hyde pressed up to Micah’s back and Zeke snoring softly behind Hyde, I was still content with all of them in bed.
I would have liked more time and to have taken Micah up on his offer to suck me off, but we’d received a text early from Sebastian, telling us part of the council had arrived to speak with Micah.
Now the lot of them were just staring at Micah, and it was starting to piss me off. By the look of Hyde’s scowl, I wasn’t the only one annoyed at their whole attention on our bonded.
Sebastian, who sat at the end of the long desk, cleared his throat, and thank fuck it took their attention from Micah. “Micah, the council has been informed of everything that happened and would like a word with you.” He pointed to the first man who looked to be in his fifties, but looks were always deceiving when our kind was concerned.
I already knew who the council members were from my studies and with Dad, knowing the pack had to deal with them from time to time. Micah could possibly know as well since he was smart. Still, Sebastian went on to introduce them, and our mate sat back in his seat more. “This is council member Arthur Scott.” He pointed at a woman next. “Councilor Tiana Keld. Councilor Metric Young. Councilor Don Jule.” When Don, the youngest member of the council, winked at Micah with a smile, my upper lip rose, but it was Hyde who Zeke and I held back when he growled.
Don laughed. “Sorry, fellas.” Even his Australian accent got under my skin. He sat forward. “Do you know that the talk in these halls is that Micah here is weak? So I have to ask, how can we believe he’s as strong as he is. He might be cute, but I’m seeing a waif of a boy pretending to be a grown-up.”
Hyde, Zeke, and I all went to tell him what a fucking asshole he was being to our mate when Micah looked over his shoulder and shook his head. “It’s fine,” he whispered. Though I was sure most of the people in the room would have heard him.
“Huh,” Don grunted. “Not going to stand up for yourself, little boy?”
Sebastian sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Don, enough,” he bit out. He waved a hand to the last person. “Micah, this is Councilor Preston Palko.” The door opened, and another person stepped in.
“Sorry I’m late.” He smiled warmly at Micah. “Hello, Micah. I’m Prime Silverstone. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He sat at the other end of the table.
“Ah, um, hi. Hello, sir, ah, Prime Silverstone,” Micah managed. Zeke and I shared a grin.
Fuck, he was cute, and I knew without looking at him he would be blushing.
Don laughed loudly. “This—” He pointed at Micah. “This is the person who took down that many people? I don’t believe it.”
Fury had my bond fritzing out in my chest. I could see by Hyde’s glower he was imagining all the ways he’d kill Don. Zeke also had his hands fisted at his side, probably thinking how he’d like to wrap them around Don’s neck.
“Don, I swear to everyone here, if you don’t stop goading my students, I’ll kill you myself,” Sebastian clipped.
The Prime frowned at Don.
Don chuckled. “Sorry, mates. Just not seeing it. From what I’ve heard, he’s pretty pathetic.”
My panther and I snarled together, and Hyde took a step forward while Zeke’s hands lit with fire.
“Who is bonded to all three at his back,” Councilor Metric said, stilling us when he shot a glare Don’s way.
Wait.
The way they looked at each other was suspicious, especially when Metric’s glare quickly faded.
Were they testing our bonded?
“Yes, you may not be in the council chambers now, but you can still show some respect, Don,” Tiana said with a huff.
Don hummed. “I don’t know, Tiana. The only good thing I see is their looks.” He tapped his chin. “Maybe I could take them all out for a test drive between the sheets. They might even like getting a little rough like I do. Especially the shifters.”
In a blink, Micah’s powers rose, and he stood, resting his fists on the table, leaning toward Don.
“Micah,” I tried. They were testing him; I could see it now how they all watched him. Only Micah hadn’t seemed to work it out. He was acting on a threat to his bonded.
Fuck me, but that shit was hot.
“You do not go near my bonded.” He lifted Don easily and pressed him into the wall. “I don’t care who you are.” A chair lifted and shattered. The legs to it sharpened and floated right for Don. “No one touches them.” He pressed the pointed ends into Don. One at his throat, two at his temples, and one over his heart.
“Next time….” Don struggled to get out, probably from the pressure of Micah’s power. “Someone else is being the guinea pig.”
Zeke, Hyde, and I reached out to Micah, laying our hands on him. Micah’s glowing white eyes flicked to Sebastian. “Another test?”
Sebastian’s hands shot up in front of him as he smiled. “Not my idea this time. I told them not to, but they didn’t listen.”
Micah harrumphed and crossed his arms over his chest as he dropped his power. The weapons fell to the floor just before Don did.
“I don’t appreciate tests that threaten my bonded in any way,” Micah told the room. Under my hand, Micah stilled before he turned to the Prime and dropped his gaze. “I’m sorry for the disruption and acting out.”
The Prime waved it off. “The councilors acted on their own. If they had come to me first, I would have told them not to try it.”
Don stood, straightening his clothes. “We had to see what his triggers would be.”
Sebastian snorted. “If you’d have listened to me, I would have told you his triggers were focused on his bonded.”
“Which is understandable,” Prime Silverstone said. “Our bonded are to be protected at all costs.”
Micah eyed him and finally relaxed. We dropped our hands and moved back a small step. Our mate looked over his shoulder to smile softly at us. I winked back.
My bond vibrated in my chest, warming me, comforting me, happy in the knowledge that Micah was all right.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I said, “Can we get down to business?”
The Prime looked to me and then to Micah’s other mates before he stared back at Micah. “Micah, I would like to hear your side of the story first. As I’m sure the councilors would as well.”
Micah nodded and cleared his throat. He shifted on his seat and glanced at his glass of water on the table as his knee started bouncing. Zeke and I both moved at once and took a chair on each side of him, taking his hands. Hyde stepped close, laying a hand on his shoulder. Micah relaxed instantly and gave us a grateful smile.
He took a deep breath and told them everything that had happened. He didn’t skip over any part or leave out Abet’s involvement.
The Prime nodded as he leaned back in his chair and looked to the councilors. It was Metric who spoke first by saying, “Your story matches up with everything the Readers got from the minds of those captured. Jonathan”—he snarled out the name—“has always been scheming. Though, we didn’t expect him to be behind the deaths of some important people.”
“It makes sense now that we know he was looking to become the next Prime,” Arthur said.
Tania scoffed. “He would never have made it to that position. He was too greedy.”
“He could have if he kept Malcolm around,” Metric added.
Micah tensed from hearing his father’s name. “I’ll never be anything like him,” our bonded whispered into the room, his eyes toward Prime Silverstone.
The Prime smiled softly. “We know, Micah. You don’t have to fear that. For one, your bonded will ground you. Two, you didn’t kill anyone during your attack, not even after everything that happened to you.”
Preston leaned forward, resting his arms on the table and clasping his hands. “Micah, where is it you see your future?”
Micah glanced at the three of us. “Living with my bonded on pack land. Maybe doing some computer programming from there.”
Arthur laughed. “You have a significant amount of power, Micah. You could go far in life. Even become a Prime. But all you want to do is to live with the shifters and work on computers?”
Micah straightened. “Yes. I may have this power, but I’ve only ever wanted to live a peaceful, happy life. I know I can do that with my bonded.”
Arthur waved a hand my way. “Your Cade will become the next alpha. He’ll be seen as a status above you, and you don’t care?”
Micah scrunched up his nose. He looked to me and back to Arthur. “Why would I?”
The councilors and even the Prime chuckled.
I looked to Sebastian to see him grinning like a proud father.
“Cade,” Don called. “You realize your pack will be sought after because the alpha coupling will be the strongest it has ever been. Many will come for protection.”
I nodded. “I understand.”
Don met Micah’s gaze. “It means the peaceful life you’re looking for won’t always be possible.”
“I’m not foolish enough to believe all my days will be spent in harmony. There’s always ups and downs in life. No matter what comes our way, with the four of us, we’ll be able to handle any situation once we’ve gathered all the information needed to see how we approach a problem. We won’t lead blindly. Pack comes first.”
Prime Silverstone clapped. “Well answered, Micah.”
Preston tapped the table. “Micah, I know Jonathan hasn’t painted a pleasant picture of the council, but I assure you we are nothing like he ever was.”
Micah shrugged. It would be hard to believe Preston, after everything.
Preston smiled. “It’ll take time, but we do hope that one day you’ll trust us. For now, I have an offer from Agent Umbridge. He’d like to know if you’d ever consider joining the Interspecies Law Enforcement. I oversee them, and I can honestly say we could use someone like you on the team, Micah.”
For a split second, I worried he’d consider the idea. My bond reacted, starting up in a nervous flutter.
“Thank you for the offer, but no. My place is here with my bonded while I finish my courses, and then with the pack.”
“Your bonded could come. They’re a force to be reckoned with on their own. With all four of you—”
“No,” Micah blurted and flushed. “Sorry, but, ah, no. It’s safer for them here. We might have some trouble, but nothing like the special forces would have to deal with.”
Micah would be a wanted man for the things he could do. My gut twisted at the thought of all the attention on him as my bonded within the pack. I especially didn’t like the thought of being even more public within the council or special forces. At least the pack would have his back, as would we.
“We agree with Micah. He’ll be safer within the pack too,” I told the room, and Zeke nodded while Hyde grunted.
Preston bobbed his head. “I understand. Only, if there is ever a situation where special assistance is needed, would you consider lending a hand?”
I glanced down to Micah, who scraped his teeth over his bottom lip. “I won’t agree yet. But if something like that does happen and you’ve considered all actions, I’ll examine the situation to see if we can help. But I’ll never allow me or any of my bonded to be used in any way. If you’re asking for one, all of us go.” He frowned and quickly added, “But I’m not saying we’ll be able to. We have the pack to think of first.”
His thoughtfulness of the pack showed what an outstanding and good-hearted person Micah was. Without a doubt, under my father’s control and later mine, I knew my pack would welcome and respect Micah.
“I think it’s best we table the idea of us helping the council or the special forces for now. I have another question. What will happen to Jonathan and his followers?” Zeke asked.
“Also, have you heard of anything about Abet?” I added.
Hyde growled low. Yeah, I hated the fact Abet had broken Micah’s bones, but he’d also helped Micah, going against his own father. I wanted to punch him but also, for Micah’s sake, make sure he was okay.
Metric nodded. “Jonathan and all who helped him, even the mercenaries he’d hired to attack the school, will be going to jail for a very long time.”
Tiana shifted in her seat. “In fact, their powers will be stripped, and I doubt they’ll see the light of day again. Not after everything the agents have found at Jonathan’s house.”
“What was the mercenaries’ mission?” Zeke asked.
“To start with, distraction. Halfway through their plan, they received a call from Jonathan’s daughter, Lucia, ordering them to kidnap the elemental belonging to Micah. But a few sought to kidnap more powerful students who could be easily controlled.”
Micah stiffened. “No one was taken, right?”
Preston quickly reassured our bonded with “We caught them all before they left the area.”
I glanced at Sebastian. “How did Lucia and the mercenaries enter through the protective barrier?”
“Lucia never expressed or thought of any ill intent. Since she convinced herself she was only helping her father, she didn’t see anything wrong with leading Micah into a trap.” His lips thinned. “A guard, who was under a spell the barrier didn’t detect, took down the barrier for the mercenaries. I’m to blame for not considering those things in the first place. Honestly, it was naïve of me, but I’ll make sure it will never happen again.”
“It’s not your fault, Sebastian,” the Prime said. “We all try to think the best of people, and no one was to know the woman who placed the spell on the guard worked for Jonathan.”
Sebastian shook his head. “I’m just thankful no one was killed or taken.”
“Yes, you must be proud of the professors and students you have who protected the school.”
Sebastian nodded. “As for Abet.” He looked to Prime Silverstone, who nodded. “They’ve found him. He’s confessed to his involvement, but also other matters his father had ordered him to do. He’ll be sent to a detention center while the councilors figure out if they should remove his powers or not. After, no matter the decision, he’ll come back here under the careful watch of myself and the other professors to finish his schooling and then work here.”
“He saved me,” Micah whispered.
“We know this, Micah.” The Prime nodded. “We’ll take that into consideration when we make our final decision.”
“His father controlled him. I’m sure he didn’t mean anything he did.”
“Micah, I promise you we’ll find everything out before his verdict.” Prime Silverstone smiled. “It shows what a good man you are, Micah, fighting for someone who assisted in your abduction.”
Micah shrugged. “I just know what it’s like to have a terrible, controlling parent.”
Some offered sympathetic smiles. When the Prime stood, the councilors followed. “We must get back to business. Thank you for your time, Micah. I wish you all the best for the future you’re reaching for.”
“Thank you, Prime Silverstone and councilors.”
Further goodbyes were said, and when they walked out of the room, Micah rested against my side. I kissed his temple, saying, “I know I’m drained. How about we go back to our room?”
Micah sighed. He shook his head and glanced at Sebastian. “What does Tanika know?”
Shit. Of course he’d be worried about his friend. But she hadn’t yet run to Micah, so I suspected she didn’t know much.
“The only information she’s had was that the college was under attack, and I asked her to stay with the younger students in the library. She’s back in her room now but stressed because she hasn’t heard from you. I told her you were fine, and you would speak to her when you can.”
Micah frowned. “She must be out of her mind.”
Zeke pulled Micah’s hand up and kissed his palm. “Then let’s go speak with her.”
When we all stood, I suggested, “How about we see how she takes things, and then, if you’re up to it tomorrow, we can all go to pack lands?” My phone had been blowing up with questions from Mom, checking we were all right. Dad would have told her we were, but I’d quickly texted her that I was fine, which she followed up with: I don’t care about you. How’s Micah?
Micah smiled up at me. “I would love that, and I’m sure Tanika would like a distraction.”
“Oh, don’t worry about classes or anything,” Sebastian interrupted with an eye roll and smirk.
Hyde grunted.
Zeke grinned. “We won’t. Besides, I heard through the grapevine you’re canceling classes for the next few days for cleanup.”
He waved us off. “Be off with you then, and good luck with Tanika, but also the pack.”
“Thank you, Sebastian,” Micah said. “For everything.”
He dipped his chin. “Always.”