Chapter 307: Chapter 307 Let Me Cook
The silence that followed was almost suffocating. For a fleeting moment, I could hear only the faint crackling of the torches mounted on the walls. The elders’ faces turned pale, their eyes wide with disbelief as if they had just seen a ghost rise from the ashes.
"You..." one of them began, his voice trembling with disbelief. "You were supposed to be dead. You threw yourself off the cliff."
"Indeed, I did," I said softly, my eyes never leaving Elder Dominic’s. "But death had other plans."
A ripple of murmurs filled the room. They whispered among themselves like frightened hens, words blending into one another:
"Impossible,"
"Unnatural,"
"Cursed." I almost laughed.
Damon looked at me as though the world had stopped spinning. His lips parted slightly, his chest rising and falling faster than usual. His gaze softened, a glint of awe shining in his eyes. It was as though he couldn’t decide whether to reach for me and pull me into a hug or remain in his chair.
"She... she’s Ember?" Theo stammered, blinking rapidly as if I might vanish if he looked away.
"Last time I checked, yes," I replied dryly, folding my arms.
The elders, however, were far from pleased. The shame that initially flickered across their faces was quickly drowned by the same old poison... pride and prejudice.
Elder Marek slammed his hand on the table, his bony fingers shaking. "This is absurd! How could you, Alpha, bring this Fae back among us after what she did to the pack?"
"After what I did?" I arched a brow, a bitter laugh escaping me. "You mean after you cornered me, mocked me, stripped me of dignity until I had nowhere left to go but the cliff?"
The room went still again. I didn’t raise my voice, yet every word struck like a blade.
Elder Dominic looked away, guilt flickering across his features for a brief second before pride took over once more. "You were reckless, girl. You brought shame upon yourself. The Fae blood in your veins made you an abomination. The pack only did what was necessary to protect its own."
"Protect?" I scoffed, my lips curling. "Funny how you call cruelty protection. You made me your scapegoat, your entertainment, and when I broke, you called me weak."
Damon clenched his jaw, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "Enough," he warned, his voice sharp but quiet.
But the elders were far from done.
Elder Marek rose to his feet again. "Alpha, listen to reason! The Fae have always brought disaster. Have you forgotten what they did to your family? The death of your mother? The fire that destroyed your home? That was the work of her kind. And yet, you bring one of them into our midst... no, worse, you claim her as master."
Damon’s expression faltered for a moment. Pain and guilt flickered in his eyes, but it wasn’t over what he said, but what he made me go through. He slammed his hand against the table. "I said ENOUGH! One more word, and you’ll have your head rolling!" His growl rumbled across the room, instilling fear in every living creature.
I tilted my head, smiling faintly. "Let me cook, Damon, I’m not done."
His eyes locked with mine, and I gave a knowing smile. His expression flickered between trusting me and handling the stubborn goats on his own, but he chose the former and sat down. However, his body was tense as if he was ready to launch at anyone who dared to cross the line.
I turned to face the elders, after giving Damon a reassuring smile. "It seems even after all these years, the great Elder Dominic and his followers still cling to the same tired narrative." My voice dripped with amusement, though my hands trembled slightly on my lap.
"You talk about what the Fae did, but you forget who stood between your pack and the flood that nearly wiped out your precious territory. Who rebuilt your homes when the storm hit? Oh right, the last time I checked, it was me."
Elder Dominic’s lips parted but no sound came out. His eyes softened for the briefest moment, his guilt plain for everyone to see. But his pride held firm. "You did offer your ingenious help, but back then your fae blood was hidden," he said stiffly.
I chuckled, low and humorless. "Hypocrites. Every single one of you."
Damon’s eyes darted to me, pride mingling in his gaze. He leaned back, watching as I put the elders in place. At first, he thought he had to step in, but seeing I was handling things, he decided to leave the stage for me.
I straightened my back, letting my tone turn sharp. "Let me remind you all that whether you like it or not, I am Damon’s mate. And there is nothing... read my lips, absolutely nothing, you can do about it."
The words left my lips before I could stop them. I had only meant to mock them, to see their old faces twist with outrage, but when I saw Damon’s expression, his eyes widening with stunned joy, the corners of his lips curving into the faintest smile... I immediately regretted it.
’Don’t look too happy, mutt. I said that to spite them, not because I’ve accepted you.’
But of course, his chest swelled with hope anyway.
The elders erupted again, their voices overlapping. "Unacceptable!" "A Fae cannot be Luna!" "This will bring ruin upon us all!"
I had heard enough.
I rose to my feet, the movement slow but deliberate. "Unacceptable?" I repeated, my tone dangerously calm. "You think your acceptance matters to me?"
The torches flickered. A chill swept through the room, and the air began to hum with raw energy.
"I will be your Luna," I said, my voice low but resonant. "And every single one of you will bow before me. I am no longer the helpless omega girl you tormented. That girl died on the cliffs the day you pushed her there."
A sudden gust of wind swirled around the chamber. The elders clutched the table desperately as the cyclone howled through the room, rattling the windows and shaking the walls. Loose papers and maps scattered across the air like startled birds.