Knotted By The Three Feral Alphas

Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Lord Varak’s Offer

She looked up, eyes wide. "It felt like pushing air. Did I do it right mom?"

"Yes my love, you did," I said, keeping my voice steady for the watching pack. "And we will practice controlling it so it never hurts anyone by mistake."

Thorne slid off the bench and approached, his small face thoughtful. "I knew he would fall. The ground felt wrong under his foot before he stepped."

He pointed to a soft patch of dirt. "There. It gives way when pressed hard."

Elara reached out and touched the boy’s scraped elbow. The redness faded under her fingers, the skin smoothing as if hours had passed instead of seconds. She smiled up at me. "All better now brother."

"Thank you sister." Thorne smiled and hugged her.

The pack murmured. Some stepped closer with open curiosity. Others hung back, expressions guarded.

I gathered my three children and led them inside before questions could multiply.

In the quiet of the royal wing I sat them down and explained again what lived in their blood. Gifts, not curses. Tools to protect and build, not weapons to fear.

That evening the kings and I gathered in the council chamber after the children slept. Maps of fields and trade routes lay open on the table, but our talk turned to the morning’s events.

Darius traced a finger along a harvest schedule. "Lila’s shielding saved that boy today. Thorne’s sense of the land already helps the farmers. Elara’s touch heals what healers take days to mend. These abilities strengthen the pack and that is exactly what we need right now after the war to help us rebuild Frostfang."

Kane leaned forward, scarred hands clasped. "They also mark the children as different. Some elders whisper about old blood rising again. We train them openly or risk fear growing in the shadows."

Rylan paced the length of the room. "Open training means outsiders will hear. Southern traders already ask too many questions about the heirs. We cannot hide them forever, but we control how much the world sees and protect them as well."

I rubbed my head where a headache lingered from the long day.

"Hmm, fair enough but we teach control first. Discipline before display. Lila shields only in practice until she masters it. Thorne learns to speak his insights in council, not on every walk. Elara heals small hurts under supervision. They grow up proud of what they carry, not afraid of it."

The discussion stretched late. We weighed tradition against necessity, protection against freedom. The bond between us carried the shared weight of decisions that would shape three young lives.

By the time we retired the plan felt solid. Controlled growth. Careful guidance. A pack that saw the children as future leaders, not threats.

The following week brought visitors from the south. The Ironvein delegation arrived with wagons heavy in iron tools and dyed cloth. Their leader, Lord Varak, rode at the front, tall and broad with sharp eyes that missed nothing.

He dismounted in the bailey and offered deep bows, his smile smooth as polished steel.

"Frostfang stands stronger than tales suggested," he said, voice carrying across the yard. "We come seeking honest trade and stronger ties between our peoples."

I received them in the great hall with the kings at my sides. Lila stood beside me in a simple but well-made tunic, Thorne and Elara on either side.

The visitors watched the children with polite interest that felt anything but casual. Varak’s gaze lingered on Elara a moment too long when she offered him a small stone she had polished herself.

We shared a formal meal. Conversation flowed around trade routes and mutual defense against distant raiders.

Varak spoke well, praising our harvests and the order we had restored. Yet beneath the words I sensed calculation. His questions about the children came wrapped in compliments but probed too deep.

That night after the guests retired, the kings and I met privately. Darius’s jaw stayed tight. "He wants more than grain. His eyes tracked every move the twins made."

Kane nodded once. "Ironvein has grown rich on mines and blades. They see opportunity in gifted blood."

Rylan’s hand rested on his axe. "We watch them close. Trade fairly, but give nothing that cannot be taken back."

I looked toward the nursery where soft breathing carried through the door. The children slept unaware of the new currents moving around them. Their powers had begun to show, small sparks that could light the way or burn everything down.

We would guide those sparks carefully.

And we would watch Lord Varak even more closely.

The keep had found peace, but peace carried its own sharp edges. New alliances brought new dangers, and our children stood at the center whether we wished it or not. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

I touched the leather cord on my wrist and felt the weight of every choice ahead.

**************

The great hall filled with the scent of roasted venison and fresh bread the following evening.

Lord Varak sat at the high table, his manners polished as the iron blades his people forged. He raised his cup to our harvest and spoke of mutual benefit between Frostfang and Ironvein. His words flowed smooth, yet his eyes kept drifting toward the children seated beside me.

Lila ate with careful dignity. Thorne asked pointed questions about southern mines. Elara stayed quiet, watching the visitor with that focused stare she used on injured animals. I kept one hand near hers under the table.

After the meal Varak requested a private word in the side chamber. The kings flanked me as we moved. Once the door closed he wasted little time.

"Your heirs carry remarkable gifts," he began. "Word travels far. Elara in particular shows a healer’s touch. Ironvein has skilled teachers who could nurture such talent safely. I propose fostering her with my household for a season. She would learn refinement and bring greater strength back to your pack upon return." fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

The suggestion landed like a stone in still water. I felt the kings tense beside me. Darius’s good hand flexed at his side. Kane’s jaw tightened. Rylan shifted his weight like he wanted to reach for his axe.

I kept my voice even. "I’m afraid we would have to reject your offer Lord Varak. Elara stays with her family. Her education happens here under our guidance. We value your trade, Lord Varak, but we do not trade our children."

He smiled, though it failed to reach his eyes. "I understand my queen, but it is a temporary arrangement only. Alliances grow stronger through shared blood and knowledge. Think of the benefits for her future."

Darius spoke first, tone cold. "Her future is here. With us."

Kane added nothing aloud, but the storm in his gaze said enough. Rylan’s grin held no warmth. "We protect our own. Always have."

Varak inclined his head, gracious on the surface. "Of course. I meant no offense. The offer stands should you reconsider."

We returned to the hall where music had begun. I watched Elara across the room as she approached a lame hound near the hearth.

The dog whined softly. She knelt and placed her small hands on its injured leg. The animal relaxed almost immediately, tail thumping once. The limp eased as she worked. Several guests noticed. Varak’s gaze sharpened with open interest this time.

I moved quickly, drawing her away before more eyes could linger. "Well done daughter," I whispered. "But we keep such things private for now."

She nodded, trusting, but the damage was done. Varak had seen. His delegation watched our family with renewed calculation as the evening wore on.

Later in our chambers the kings and I spoke in low voices while the children slept in the next room. Darius paced near the window.

"He wants her bloodline. Not just alliance. The way he looked at Elara when she healed that dog told everything."

Kane stood by the hearth, knife in hand though no blade needed sharpening. "We cannot let them take any of the children. Even for a season. It opens doors we cannot close."

Rylan sat on the bed edge, fists clenched on his knees. "I say we send them home tomorrow with clear terms. Trade continues, but no fostering. No visits. Frostfang decides its own future."

I sat between them and let their presence steady me. The bond carried shared anger and fierce protectiveness.

"We refuse politely but firmly. Then we watch every move they make while they remain under our roof. Elara’s gift stays hidden from outsiders going forward. Lila trains her shielding in private sessions. Thorne learns to guard his insights until we trust the listener."

The discussion stretched deep into the night. We weighed risks against the need for strong trade. Iron tools meant stronger plows and weapons. Southern cloth and spices improved life inside the walls. Yet none of it mattered if it cost us our children’s safety or freedom.

By the time we slept the plan felt firm. Polite refusal. Heightened vigilance. Continued guidance for the children’s abilities in controlled ways.