Bullied Mate Of The Lycan Kings
Chapter 151

Lily's pov

"You'll be alright, babe. I promise, okay? Tell her, Rhea" Chelsea said, the two of them watching me as I stared at my reflection in the mirror, wearing a simple black dress with matching black pumps, my hair in a high ponytail. "Everything will be fine, Lily. I'm sure you're just going for formality sake." Rhea added and I turned to give them a smile that didn't reach my eyes. It couldn't.

My nerves were jittery, my hands shaking and I couldn't tell if I was nervous or excited.

Today is the day we replace out the council's verdict on Cade. I had my shaky hands behind my back as I nodded at them and headed out to where I was sure everyone else was waiting for me.

Mariah had returned this morning, days after she had left and had briefed all of us on the state of affairs. Apparently, Victor had not lied about Gold Crest being untouched, even though it was closest to the borders and Night Shade had received the most damage from the attack.

The protectors of the wards had been slain by insiders, defectors who were working with hunters before the hunters proceeded to try to break through the wards.

But fortunately, the damage to Shadow cove as a whole was minimal and the situation had managed to be contained before any further damage could be done. For now, there was a curfew out to ensure that people were not on the streets and the cleaning unit had started working on clearing the weapons and damaged property off the roads and streets.

As she had given us the entire report, her words sounding almost like she was reliving the incident, all I could think about in that moment was that my mother was safe, but underlying that momentary gladness about her safety was immense worry because was this it? Were we really safe now? It all felt like the calm before a storm? Why did it feel like something worse was coming?

Today, we were heading to the Council headquarters where the Elders were going to give their verdict on all that had happened, including Gold crest's betrayal and how we would move forward from this as a community.

I spied Cade as he was led out of the house and into a separate car, dressed in a suit and he managed to give me a small smile before he climbed into the car. Seeing that he was not in chains made me hopeful that no matter what happened, it meant that Cade would be spared for the crimes of his mother.

"You're riding with us, duchess," Zac said firmly, opening the door to the back seat for me and holding out his hand.

I giggled, taking his hand, warmth spreading throughout my body when he pressed a soft kiss to the top of my hand.

"Thanks, Zac," I said, slipping in, laughing harder when he tried to join me but Aiden shoved him out of the way and climbed in instead.

Zac rolled his eyes and groaned something along the lines of needing some love before he got into the passenger seat.

Aiden promptly wrapped his arm around me and lifted me up and onto his lap, carrying me like a baby. "Don't be nervous, baby. I'm sure they're just curious."

"I'm not nervous about me or us. I'm nervous for Cade."

The entire mood in the car turned somber at that.

"The council is always fair," Aiden reasoned gently.

"Like they were fair with my father?"

Zac inhaled sharply and the car swerved to the right, Ren losing his focus for a second.

Aiden stiffened, guilt flashing across his eyes. "That's not what I meant, Lily."

My shoulders slumped, my eyes softened. "I'm sorry. I know, I've just been testy since I found out the truth. Cade won't deserve any punishment he gets."

I noticed the boys share a look and I narrowed my eyes wondering what they were trying to communicate with each other.

"Let's just hope the council will be lenient," Ren said, his gentle eyes replaceing mine in the rearview mirror and I relaxed against Aiden as I felt his warmth and strength rush into me through our bond, communicating back my love and gratitude to him. Aiden rubbed my arms and breathed into my hair and I looked up at him, marvelling at the stardusts in his eyes., "I meant what I said, you know. I don't want you beating yourself up whenever I bring up my dad. I don't hold the slightest grudge towards you." He visibly relaxed at that, heaving a relieved breath and nuzzling my hair. "I know, princess, I know. But god, I needed to hear that."

Throughout the car ride, I fought the urge to pull at my hair or fiddle with my dress, my entire body a bundle of nerves. The reason was because naturally, I wasn't supposed to attend this meeting but the elders had specifically requested my presence, along with my mates. I had no idea why but was surely not because they wanted to see our faces, right?

The council headquarters was a giant skyscraper located at the heart of Shadow Cove, smackdab in the center of the city and it was my first time ever walking into the building.

Taking in a deep breath as I stepped in, I took my time to immerse myself in the surroundings. The floors were dark polished marble while the walls and ceilings were eggshell white.

At the center was a water fountain that looked up to the glass ceilings that was positioned above it, allowing the sun rays to illuminate it. The building looked untouched by the hunters and rebellion and I wondered if that was intentional or just pure luck. As we approached the elevator, Mariah stopped in front of me.

"We'll meet you upstairs, boys. I would like to have a word with Lily." She said to my mates who looked very reluctant to part with me just as I was with them, but Mariah wasn't asking for their permission.

She was a Luna through and through, not used to being denied and she looked like she wanted to talk about something serious too so after much hesitance, I nodded at them and Ren whispered through our bond to tell them if I needed anything while Aiden pressed the button closing the doors, an adorable scowl on his face.

Leading me to the front of the fountain, she offered me a seat on one of the benches not too far from it and didn't waste time beating about the bush.

"They're probably going to tear you to pieces up there," she said without preamble. "I spent quite some time trying to convince the members of the council that you are not a danger to Shadow Cove. I honestly believe that but you must also play your part in ensuring that the others believe it. Do you understand what I am saying?

I winced because I understood perfectly what she meant.

My powers that I was still learning to control.

Dahlia had struck again, killing one of the newly recruited soldiers that Mariah had returned with from the borders, someone she had no reason to distrust but who Ren had discovered upon her death while searching her memories that she was a part of the Rebellion. Even though Mariah had been impressed by my abilities, I had seen the way she eyed me worriedly when she found out that I had not even been in control of my actions, that I couldn't control Dahlia.

I opened my mouth to try to make an excuse, to tell her that I had been training with the guys, a story that was quite embarrassing because I had not initially planned to ask for their help, sneaking out to use the gym until my meltdown with Chase and they offered to train me.

I wanted to tell her that for the past few days before she returned, I had been endurance training with Ren, core training with Zac, strength training with Aiden and sparring with the girls, but I knew that it didn't matter if at the end of the day, Dahlia was still in control.

I knew that it would take a while before I could take on anyone twice my size thanks to my lack of training from birth unlike my peers but I was getting quicker and stronger on her feet by the day and although the boys were nice to me when I sparred with them, I was more focused on getting better rather than just beating them. All of which wouldn't matter if Dahlia still kept doing as she pleased.

"I'm not stupid, I know that there are some sympathizers among the council siding with the rebellion and who knows how many of them are really on Cynthia's side, but you have to understand that in here, we follow due process." She sighed, taking my hand. "Your wolf can't act out of control and take lives however she pleases. In here, that's all it would take to start a war. Do you understand, Lily?"

I nodded, hoping Dahlia gets the memo and keeps her claws in. "Thank you for speaking for me before the council and for letting me stay at your place." I smiled my gratefulness. "I will try my best to keep Dahlia under control. The last thing I want is to cause more problems for Shadow cove." I answered and when she smiled and pulled me in for a hug, my eyes widened in surprise because it was the last thing I expected from her.

Pulling back to smile at me, she patted my hair.

"I should be the one thanking you, dear girl, for not bearing any ill will to my family even though you have every right to, considering how we had treated your father and your family in the past but more importantly, thank you for giving my son the will to live again." "Zac?" My heart clenched, my curious piqued.

I always knew that the nonchalant happy-go-lucky image he exuded was only a mask to conceal his real emotions...

NO, not a mask... An armour.

"You know what he is, right?" She asked, tilting her head.

I nodded. Zac was part vampire, part werewolf turned by a girl he once loved.

"He's always in so much pain with himself, his mind, his wolf," she said and snatches of memories floated to mind at her words. Memories of Zac yelling at himself- no, his wolf, chiding him, restraining him. "When he first got turned, he'd keep screaming at the top of his lungs, how the only thing he wanted to do was kill everyone in sight and drain us of our blood, and for a newly turned one, he showed great restraint."

"We soon realized that the only way to keep him sane was to get him drugged up in small doses as we tried to rehabilitate him back into society and he got addicted to the drugs and even when he was discharged, he wouldn't stop chasing high after high.

"He was a drifter, never stays home, never stays in anywhere for too long really. I knew all about his party favours, the drugs, the girls. I tried to get him to take therapy seriously but it never really worked. I was terrified that one day he would not replace something to keep him high and would finally decide to quit living."

My hurt dropped. I was almost ashamed to admit that I didn't know... Unlike Ren, Cade and Aiden, I knew their pasts like the back of my hand.

I never had that conversation with Zac... I Loved him, I knew I love him, his blood flowed in my veins and I would give my life for him in a heartbeat... yet, details of his past were uncharted territory for me. Everything I know about his past was told to me by someone else.

"I'm grateful to you, Lily," Mariah said, drawing me out of my reverie. "He's happy and alive in a way that I didn't think was even possible anymore. You might not understand what you've done for him or me or my family, but I'm grateful that you walked into his life." My eyes watered and I smiled, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders by her approval of my relationship with her son.

"Let's go get this meeting over with, I guess." She said, standing up and leading me back to the elevator.

As we entered the boardroom, I paused at the door, taking in the entire place. The seats were arranged in a semi circle. There were thrones for the Alpha and Luna of the four founding packs and behind their thrones were seats for their constituents which usually consisted of their betas, gammas and zetas.

In addition to that, twelve Elders chosen by unanimous votes, usually consisting of the oldest and wisest werewolves in each of the packs were also in attendance and it usually was their judgement that was final, sometimes superseding even that of the royals. As I looked at their faces, I prayed that they would be merciful towards Cade. That's the only thing that would loosen up the knot in my stomach.

Aiden was lounging in the throne meant for the Alpha of Night Shade and I chuckled, my heart swirling with pride at his unrepentant audacity but the rest of the council didn't replace it so funny.

They looked horrified at his action and I understood that it meant a complete disrespect to Victor who by virtue of being Alpha was supposed to be on that seat since he hadn't relinquished the title to Aiden.

Night Shade and Gold Crest's constituents were eerily absent, so besides Cade and Aiden who sat in their respective corners, their entire sections were empty.

However as I sat beside Mariah, I realized that everyone's attention was now on me. I received a variety of stares, some curious while others were fearful and repulsed and I steeled my spine, looking away. The last thing I needed was to become bothered by it and unintentionally set Dahlia off who I was sure was itching to go on a killing spree but was swallowing her pride and rage like a good little wolf to avoid getting me into any trouble.

If I had any doubts that she only wanted what was best for me, she was doing a good job of clearing it up.

Ariel's smile from where she was sitting on her graceful throne at the head of the table designated for Silver Moon pack, Ren and Irwin flanking her sides made me relax a little and I returned her smile, happy that at least I had some allies in this place. The commotion in the boardroom quickly died down as one of the elders started speaking, calling the room to order.

It happened all of a sudden. I started feeling hot, itchy and uncomfortable, like the room was on fire. Trying to search if the air conditioners were working with my eyes, I felt my heart rate speed up and realized that I was terrified. No, not me. Dahlia was.

Dahlia was never scared of anything, infact everyone in this room was probably frightened of her, so feeling her fear made me want to follow the urge to pick myself up and place myself in the opposite direction of it.

My ears were ringing, panic, shooting my heart rate, my palms sweating and the urge to leave started getting stronger, almost like Dahlia was screaming at me, yelling for me to run.

I couldn't make sense of why or what she was terrified of until I heard the doors open and the royals from Night shade walked into the room, Victor Vanderbilt leading them.