Although Nyell was somewhat accustomed to being the center of attention, the various gazes the elders threw his way were nevertheless unpleasant. Some were curious or filled with excitement while others were suspicious, if not outright hostile. There was an apparent disparity between the three main factions composing the council, making it easier for Nyell to guess who belonged to which. The loyal, neutral, and backstabbing factions each had their own way of reacting. Of course, some stayed stoic and didn't reveal their inner thoughts, but it gave him an overall idea of the situation, and boy, did he pity Allen. It seemed like a third of the elders were part of the power-hungry faction.
"Take a seat," Allen's voice drew his attention toward him, and Nyell stopped eying the elders. Instead, he took a look at the 'chairs' and grimaced. Even if they were beautifully carved, they were still made of stone and had no backrest. These things, which he thought were no better than torture devices, didn't appear too comfortable.
"I'd rather stay up."
"Alright," Allen smiled and didn't insist, sitting in his designed seat around the round table. "I have a few things to address today, but I guess we should start with the trial of Fated Mates first. The sooner we get that out of the way, the earlier we can concentrate on more important matters."
Nyell could hear some elders mutter that his existence was of the utmost importance, more than any other issue. He had to stifle a snort at their nonsense. From what he knew, the sea was behaving like a toddler throwing a fit, and many of their people suffered and even died because of it. Yet, their chief's mate was more important than that? What a load of bullcrap. Their people's lives should always be their top priority.
'No wonder Allen is so distasteful of the elders,' Nyell thought as he glanced at the man. Doing so made him catch sight of his upright back and the loosely braided hair that fell over it. An idea soon popped into Nyell's mind, and a mischievous grin curled up his lips. Since he was already standing, he very naturally moved behind him, acting like a backrest for his mate. With gentle movements, he pushed the braid over Allen's shoulder so that it wouldn't get caught between their bodies and get pulled down. Afterward, he crossed his arms over Allen's chest, bringing him closer until his back was comfortably plastered against his chest. His grin then deepened like a contented cat.
These kinds of possessive acts toward one's mate were an everyday occurrence in the werewolf society, as mates usually had this tendency to cling to their partner. Still, it seemed like the elders hadn't expected Nyell to show off his possessive side toward their chief in their presence. Neither did they expect Allen to allow it without so much as flinching. The distrustful or shocked gazes of some elders were priceless and helped appease the disdain churning in Nyell's stomach. As long as he could entertain himself in such ways, he should be able to rein in his temper and not lash out. They were so easily offended that it was somehow comical.
"There is one full moon in two nights," Jawe opened his mouth after a moment of silence. "It should be enough for the trial."
"Right, there is," Allen nodded. "We'll do it then."
This ceremony didn't involve two full moons, only one. Since the cycles of the moons were not synchronized, it could take years before two full moons appeared at the same time, giving birth to what people called 'the purple moons' as the two moonlights reflected against each other. Such a phenomenon happened a few weeks ago. Lapis had come to fetch Allen at first so he'd be home in time for these rare two full moons and conduct the ceremony of the Lovers of the Moons. Now, it had passed, and this ceremony couldn't happen anymore. Jawe's words were a reminder of that, among other things. It seemed like the disloyal faction was hell-bent on blaming the tribal chief for not going through with it and thus putting off their chance of appeasing the Lovers. Their tribe would suffer even more as a result. Or so they'd say. Allen could already tell what kind of rumors they had been spreading around in his absence. How cute.
"Aren't you supposed to ask for my opinion, too?" Nyell clicked his tongue, making the elders frown in annoyance. He could tell what they were thinking, probably something along those lines: even if he's the chief's mate, it doesn't mean he can't act this discourteously! This rude little thing should be bowing and showing his neck in submission, not talking back.
"Why?" Allen leaned his head against Nyell's chest, lifting his eyes to peer at his face from below. Even from this unflattering angle, his face was a piece of art. Allen might be a beauty, but Nyell was also beautiful, though in a handsome way. "I know you'll agree, won't you?"
'If it were up to me, I wouldn't,' Nyell thought, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at Allen's honey voice. In the end, he shrugged and responded sweetly, "I guess you're right. There's no way I could ever tell you no."
The lovey-dovey act had the merit of putting some of the elders even more uncomfortable. A few didn't seem to know where to look, averting their eyes or coughing slightly. Allen's affectionate words and gestures were too much to take, leaving them at a loss. This wasn't the chief they knew! Again, Jawe doubted his previous thought. Perhaps the man standing behind Allen genuinely was his destined mate. But if so… Seeing how important he was to him, maybe they could use his feelings to their advantage in the worst-case scenario. His existence might not be so bad after all.
"My Lord," Abby raised her hand, drawing everyone's attention to her. "It just occurred to me that we have yet to be told anything about your fated mate. I'd like to know his name so that I can address him accordingly."
"If you have something to say," Nyell smiled coldly, "talk to me instead of my mate, and I'll gladly answer your question. I'm not some accessory."
"…I'm sorry," Abby, although startled, quickly apologized. "It was not my intention to exclude you. It was rude of me."
In reality, Nyell was all too aware that although he was the chief's mate, his status was limited to that. As a good mate to a tribal chief, he should be staying in the shadows of Allen and let him handle everything, even regarding himself. It was considered disrespectful for him to intervene this much, especially with the council. However, Nyell didn't give a damn about customs. He certainly wouldn't act as the subservient in the relationship. In any case, they seemed to be both dominant, and others would have to deal with it. He also had a hunch Allen wouldn't like it if he suddenly started to act timidly and bow his head just because of their bond. The same went for him.
Still, Abby appeared to be on the loyal team, and he shouldn't make things too difficult for her. If she had been a backstabbing liar, it would have been another story, though. And it's not like he could judge right now, as he was about to lie with a straight face, just as he had planned with Allen.
"Apologies taken," Nyell nodded before consenting to answer her question. "My name is Nyell, and I'm a warrior from the Sun tribe. I'm in my mid-twenties and orphaned. Thanks to my upbringing, I don't know a thing about shaman practices, so I hope you'll forgive my shortcomings in this area."
At first, the elders sucked a deep breath when they heard his name, but many heaved a sigh of relief after hearing from which tribe he hailed. It was not from the Black Moon tribe, meaning he could not be the 'Nyell' who had been causing trouble for them for years. If he had been, all hell would have broken loose around the table. Nyell truly was a common name, and no suspicion was aroused. Since he was a warrior from the Sun tribe, it also explained why he could dispatch the guards allocated to Jawe with so much ease. The Sun tribe was the second-best warrior tribe in the jungle, even if they came short in every aspect compared to the Black Moon tribe. Still, they were recognized for their fighting prowess.
Little did the elders know that their chief had wiped out a big chunk of their best warriors a few weeks prior. They had teamed up with Karen, the corrupt shaman from the Black Moon tribe, and paid a heavy price in the canyon. A dozen bodies had been left to rot and be scavenged by beasts. But that was better left untold.