Chapter Twenty-Four.

Leon

"Mate?" Elder Diaz asked breathlessly. In a flash, Bella's eyes brightened again and she shrugged.

"Everyone is saying we're mates." She said casually and all we could do was gape at her.

"How did you throw him so easily?" One of the Alpha's asked and Bella pointed towards me.

"Daddy makes me take self-defense classes." She said and my eyes widened subconsciously.

What a sly little devil she is.

"Step away from your mate, Wolf." Elder Carter said and I frowned.

"Why?" I asked, pulling Jennifer closer to me.

"Just do it!" He commanded and my wolf whined as I slowly obeyed. Jennifer gave me a panicked look

but I gave her a reassuring smile. As soon as I left her, Elder Carter ran over to her in a flash and titled her head to the side. That's when I realised he was examining my mark.

The other four Elders joined him as well and suddenly Elder Francis gasped.

"Impossible." He breathed out. I felt a sense of anxiety take over me and I rushed back towards them.

"What's going on?" I asked but didn't get a reply. Elder Diaz turned towards the crowd.

"Leave us! The ball is over!" He commanded and all the Alpha's and Luna's left reluctantly, mom and dad were sent away as well when they tried to stay. The warriors picked up Blake's unconscious form and I instructed them to take him to the dungeons. So it was only nine of us, the Elders, Xander, Bella, Jennifer and I. Elder Edgar kneeled down to Bella and Xander's height.

"Tell me the truth, both of you. Have you shifted?" He asked softly and Bella gave me a subtle panicked look before shaking her head. Jennifer and I held our breaths.

"I'm human." She said quietly and Xander also added. "I haven't shifted."

Elder Edgar frowned. His head suddenly turned towards me and then an understanding look came on his face before he looked back at the kids.

"We aren't going to harm you, little ones. This is something that we truly need to know." He said and Bella shook her head.

"I... No." She said quietly. Elder Edgar frowned even more.

"You don't believe me. It's understandable. How about this, we all, us Elders, we give you our solemn promise that we won't harm a hair on your head. Or anyone whom you love. An Elders promise is eternal, little one." He said and Bella looked up at me in question.

What he says is true. Something must be up if he's giving them an Elders promise. They rarely do that. My wolf said and I sighed in defeat.

"It's alright. Tell them the truth." I said to Bella quietly. Jennifer grabbed my hand in protest but I gave her a look that said 'Trust me.'. She nodded, visibly swallowing a lump in her throat. Bella gave me one last look before nodded, looking down.

"I'm a werewolf." She said quietly.

"I have shifted." Xander said and took Bella's hand in his. "And we're mate’s." He continued and Elder Edgar's eyes widened.

"Is her father a werewolf?" Elder Jones asked and Jennifer and I shook our heads.

"Human." We said quietly. The Elders eyes widened.

"The humans werewolf child..." Elder Francis said under his breath and we frowned.

"Are you faster than most wolves? Stronger? More agile?" Elder Carter asked rapidly and Bella and Xander nodded without a word.

"Your mate..." Elder Carter said to us slowly. Jennifer and I exchanged confused looks before looking at him in question.

"What?" Jennifer and I asked together.

"She's a werewolf. Not just a werewolf. She's the descendent of the original werewolf." Elder Diaz

said, his face neutral. Jennifer and I froze.

"That's impossible!" Jennifer said but then I felt the gears in my head turning.

"No... It's very much possible." I said quietly and Jennifer turned towards me in shock, her eyes questioning me. "She's a complete copy of you... And then that whole 'grandma' thing... It's very much a possibility." I said and Jennifer's eyes widened.

"Only a hint of a werewolf gene was needed to make your child a werewolf." Elder Jones said.

"The man did. We did DNA tests on his blood to see how is Bella a werewolf." I said quietly. Jennifer stayed silent because I had already confessed to her about it.

"Who trains them?" Elder Diaz asked.

"Casper and Frank." I said but they shook his heads. Elder Carter started pacing, his hand running through his hair.

"It's not enough. We'll be sending trainers for them." He said and I frowned.

"What is going on!?" I demanded and their heads snapped up to me.

"There is a prophecy, Wolf. In which you two," Elder Edgar pointed towards Jennifer and I "And these two are mentioned." He finished but I frowned.

"A prophecy? There hasn't been a prophecy in centuries!" I said and they shook their heads.

"Another was there but we all thought it's rubbish since it mentions a werewolf child whose parents are humans." Elder Francis said and Jennifer froze beside me.

"What does the prophecy say?" Jennifer asked in a whisper. Elder Francis sighed.

"When the humans werewolf child meets their mate,

Then know it is time to decide the fate.

Good against evil, the battle still goes on,

But their fight in the battle shall end it for eons."

Elder Francis recited but we stood still. I felt a little confused.

"Good against evil?" I asked and they nodded.

"Packs against rogues. It's time to finish the rogues once and for all. They are our key to victory." Elder Diaz said. Jennifer stepped up, suddenly, her eyes wide.

"They're just kids! They can't fight!" She protested and the Elders nodded.

"Not now. We have found some clues that suggest that they won't be needed in the battle until one of the mate’s is eighteen." Elder Diaz said and Jennifer's shoulder sagged in relief.

"Then we still have a long way to go. But why did you point at us?" I asked. Elder jones sighed.

"That mark on your mate’s neck isn't normal. It's the mark of a royal wolf." He said. I froze in shock but then snapped out of it.

"But we never had royal wolves." I said with a frown, feeling more confused than ever.

"No, we didn't." Elder Edgar said in agreement. "But the first wolves were royals in the human world. The title just got passed on once the true parentage of a wolf was discovered long ago. The rogues wanted the royal wolf for themselves, so the family has been in hiding for generations."

"Until now." Jennifer and I breathed out and he nodded.

"Until now." Elder Edgar said in agreement. "Your identity will be kept a secret until it's time for the final battle to take place." He said and we nodded. Elder Jones clapped and then rubbed his hands together.

"Now that this is taken care of, I think it high time the pups were in their beds. We bid you all goodnight." He said and the other Elders nodded before leaving us.

"I want to forget this night." Jennifer said as she sat on the edge if the bed, her eyes downcast towards the floor. I sighed and then moved over to her. Sitting beside her, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her to me, my hand came up and cupped her face.

"It's going to be alright, sweetheart." I whispered as I caressed her face softly. Her arms wrapped around my waist as she cuddled into my side.

"I can't imagine Bella being in a war..." She whispered and I sighed again, rubbing my hand on her arm.

"Me neither, but these prophecies are never wrong." I said and she sighed.

"Make me forget this night, Leon." She whispered and I frowned.

"What do you want, sweetheart?" I asked, looking down at her confused.

"Make love to me." She whispered and I felt my breath leave me. My eyes widened as I tried to make sure that I heard the words right.

"Sweetheart, what..." I trailed off, not being able to continue.

"I'm ready to take the next step." She whispered but I shook my head.

"No. Sorry, but no. You're just in shock. I don't want you to regret anything in the morning." I said and she looked up at me. She pulled away and got up. To my further shock, she moved her hands to the ends of her shirt but I grabbed her hands. "Don't." I said softly.

"I won't regret anything, Leon. I... I love you."