Elaris POV
For the past five years, I had not only worked on myself to become Dr. Elara Virelle, the most sought-after doctor in the world, but I had also worked on my nerves.
Even though the private jet was rolling to a stop on the private terminal, even though I was returning to the very place I once called home, and to the very men I had sworn to forget, my nerves stayed just fine.
Or perhaps I thought it did. I shrugged, rising from my seat.
My whole body exploded with a strange dose of adrenaline as the jet door opened, and the scent of Moonbloods hit me like a wall.
I wore a long ash-gray coat over a fitted black dress, my heels clicking softly against the metal stairs. My hair, now tinted dark, fell over my shoulders in sleek, silky waves. Sunglasses hid my eyes, presenting me as the calm, controlled, and untouchable woman I wanted to be seen as.
I blinked to ensure my contact lenses were still in place. Not that it mattered anyway. I had changed my face so I could return, but I still couldn't risk Karl and Torren recognizing me through my storm-grey eyes. Though that was unlikely.
The deep blue lenses should do just fine, I concluded, and I walked towards the receiving party—a couple of deltas lined up at the entrance to the terminal, all tensed and stiff, and all in uniform.
Just like I expected, Karl, Torren, and Darius didn't come along. Good. I grinned to myself. It makes it all very interesting. Just the right stage for the drama I had planned.
Two of the Deltas approached and bowed. "Dr. Virelle. We are here on behalf of Alpha Karl and the entire Moonblood pack. We will escort you to the manor," one of them spoke, offering a smile.
I stopped walking. Slowly, deliberately, looking up to face them.
"No," I muttered. The word was soft, but it cracked like a whip.
They stiffened, watching me with confusion clogging their eyes.
"I didn't fly across the world to be collected by hired hands," I said coolly. "If Alpha Karl and his godforsaken brothers want me, then they can come get me themselves."
One delta attempted to patronize me with a polite smile. "Alpha Karl and the Alpha princes are… very busy—"
"So am I." I took off my sunglasses. "Yet here I am."
Silence fell like an impossible weight between us.
Behind me, my security team shifted, covering me like a wall, reminding them that I was not alone, and definitely not powerless. I wasn't the same woman from five years ago. I was now Dr. Elara Virelle, the most sought-after doctor in the world, and the greatest asset to any pack that manages to employ my services.
I was bigger than the Moonblood pack, and I intend to let them know that. My plans dictated that I accept the Moonblood deal, but I still need them to know I had better options.
"Send the alphas a message," I continued. "They either come for me by themselves, or I leave. Then Moonblood can explain to every other pack why they lost the Miracle Doctor."
The deltas looked at each other in panic. When I turned back for my jet, one of them came running towards me.
"Wait, Dr. Elara. Wait!" He was screaming, running over to me.
I nudged my head to the side, to Alex, the head of my security team, to let the man through, when the team pushed him back from getting close to me.
The delta ran to my front, bowing his head low. Panic strung tight on his face. I would have thought he was seriously constipated if I didn't know the situation.
"Can you please wait, Dr. Elara. My men are already trying to contact Alpha Karl and other Alpha princes, and I am sure they will be coming to receive you soon."
I forced a stiff smile. "Until they come, I'll be in my jet waiting," I said. I glanced at my watch, more for exaggeration than anything else. "And tell them not to take too long, I have somewhere to be in an hour should our negotiation not work out."
I walked past him then, his huge breath of relief following me as I continued back for the jet.
I threw myself into the seat by the aisle, and I relaxed into the plushness and luxury while I waited, watching through the windows as the clouds drifted beyond the runway, and as the Moonbloods deltas scrambled about.
Now that I was going to see everyone again. I wondered what it was going to feel like, I wondered if I was ready to see my mom and Dad, to see my mates.
It been two years since I had seen Darius after he'd left to prepare for my arrival today, which included announcing my fake death to his brothers, and the pack, presenting false proofs to back up the claim, and pretending to mourn me.
Still, after two years apart, I wondered what he looked like now, just like I wondered about Dad and Mom. And then, there was Karl and Torren. I wondered how the bond would react to them. I had kept my wolf under wraps with my healing abilities, but as a healer, even I know how powerful an unbroken mate bond can be.
My thoughts tried to drift to caring about Karl and Torren, what they would look like now, how they fared for five years without a mate, how…
Hell! I shook my head. I shouldn't bother about them. I should hate them, despise them for hurting me, for rejecting me…
The loud screech of tires on the tarmac scrambled my thoughts. Through the windows, I watched as a Rolls-Royce parked at a safe distance from my jet.
A slow, creeping feeling that I couldn't name crawled into my blood, over my skin. I followed eagerly as the brothers dropped carefully from the car.
Karl Moonblood came down first, just as imposing as I remembered. He had on a three-piece suit that blended so well with his big, athletic body, it seemed like a second skin. Like always, his face was expressionless, like something carved from stone.
Torren dropped beside him, sharp and wary. The rugged of the three. His sandy brown hair was more tousled than I remembered, but his sharp green eyes were the same, mischievous and innocent.
And then—Darius.
My heart stuttered, just once. Finally, I was seeing him again. The only man who dared to choose me. My wolf screamed with excitement at his presence. I quickly shut it down before its scent was picked up by the others.
Darius was the only man I was glad to see. But according to the plan, we didn't know each other, and we had never met before today.
The brothers walked down to the jet, and Alex pushed the door open for them to step in.
Karl was first. His strong, domineering gaze arrested me immediately. And I held it, unflinching. He had a subtle way of asserting dominance over people with just a gaze. Darius had warned me about that trick and taught me how to beat him at that game.
He bowed his head slightly. "Dr. Virelle. Moonblood is honored by your presence," he said, tone clipped, expression cold. His displeasure was evident.
"Good," I said, my voice smooth as glass. "Because I am very selective about where I lend my talents."
I refused to cower under Karl's intense gaze. If I did, I would lose the first round.
My eyes slid to Darius, and I watched his lips curve faintly before being quickly replaced by a bland, placid look.
That smile, no matter how brief, was all I needed to uncoil the tension in my muscles and mind. He was my anchor.
Torren leaned out his hand, "Torren Moonblood, Dr. Virelle." He greeted with a gentlemanly smile.
I took his hand whilst still seated, pushing back the slight surge through my veins at our brief touch. "I believe you know who I am already. If you don't, I wouldn't be here." I said.
Then I gestured to the seat around us. "Take your seats, gentlemen, and let's discuss business. Whatever you say will determine if I still have another stop at your rival pack in the next hour or not." I said, throwing a leg over the other.
Karl stared down at the seats, and then at me, his lips thinning, brows narrowing with calculations. Eventually, he dropped into a seat, an oily grin staining his face.
He hated not being in control, but even a man like him knows when he's beat. I hoped to pass that message much more clearly to him during our negotiations.