Ella gathered Henry, Philippe, and Gabriel just after lunch, careful not to hint at her motives. She invited them to her suite for a chat before they returned to their duties. Philippe, her personal guard, would have been there anyway, but Henry and Gabriel's arrival, and their realization that this was a group discussion, immediately alerted them to something unusual.
"What's on your mind, Ella?" Henry asked, moving to sit beside her.
"I need a favor," Ella began hesitantly, knowing her request wouldn't be well-received. "And I need this conversation to remain between the four of us, regardless of your decision."
Philippe stiffened, and Gabriel's sharp eyes scrutinized her face. "You're asking us not to tell Dominic?"
"Yes," Ella insisted, the words tumbling out. "I have good reason. You all know what happened in my hypnosis session, the questions it raised about my past, how unprecedented it all is, and how the recalled events suggest powerful forces at work." She took a steadying breath. "You also know how seriously people are taking these rumors."
The men exchanged wary glances. They were among the few shifters in the palace who didn't treat her like a divine savior, but they couldn't have missed the whispers, the worshipful gazes, and the gifts showering her from the pack.
"This is bigger than finding out who my parents were or why I was given up," she continued fervently. "If that were all, I wouldn't mind waiting—I didn't want to do this in the first place." She paused, laughing at the irony.
"What exactly are you asking, Ella?" Gabriel inquired, sounding genuinely curious rather than cautious.
"Dominic doesn't want me to have any more sessions without him—for good reason. The baby and I will cope better with him present, and he'll be there if things get difficult," Ella acknowledged. "But it will also stress him far more than it does any of you, because we aren't bonded. Dominic can't protect me from my past, and he already has enough to worry about without his wolf going berserk because of my bad memory."
"That may be true, but this argument won't hold water with us, Ella," Gabriel replied, though a softness in Henry's eyes spoke volumes to Ella. "You are Dominic's Luna, and interfering with a wolf's mate—let alone an Alpha's—is forbidden except in cases of abuse. None of us would feel differently if it were our own mate. You're trying to protect him, but that would be a disservice to his wolf. It's the Alpha's duty to bear the brunt of the stress for his people; he has the strength. He'll feel worse if you do this without him than if you wait and let him support you."
The wolves sat with arms crossed, wearing identical brooding expressions. Ella changed tack. "Fine, let's not make it about Dominic. We can't afford to wait, regardless of our wishes. If the people are right—if things are as they seem, and the Goddess's servants hid me and bound my wolf to fulfill a prophecy in this war—then there's no time to waste. We need answers before we plan a large-scale invasion, maybe even before striking the alliance.
"Depending on what we find, the secrets in my past might change our view of our opponents and our entire war strategy. It would be folly to proceed with incomplete information. We owe our people everything we can to bring Damon down, and if I'm part of that, there's no justification for delaying." She shrugged. "Dominic isn't the only one with a duty to put the people above his own needs. If I'm to be their Luna, I have to do the same."
The men looked more uncertain, exchanging resigned glances that gave Ella hope. They knew she was right, even if they didn't like it.
"What about the pup?" Henry asked, raising a final objection.
"This baby survived my first shift—hours of terror and agony that should have killed him. He survived the memory of my bound wolf," Ella reminded him, touching her round belly. "I hate upsetting him, but he's his father's son. He's strong and healthy, and I don't believe anything could be worse than what he's already overcome."
"And you?" Philippe asked, piercing her with a knowing gaze. "Your stress is worst for the baby. Isn't it worth waiting for the best circumstances?" Ella's stomach flipped. Philippe worried her most, knowing her torment from the first session. However, she couldn't do this without him, as he was constantly by her side. She'd sought Gabriel and Henry's help primarily to give Philippe permission to defy Sinclair.
Silently begging Philippe not to reveal her nightmares, she said, "Do you think it's less stressful to flounder in the dark, unsure of what might be in my memories that could change the war, unsure if some unknown demon lurks in my consciousness?" she retorted. "Reliving painful things without my mate is difficult, but not as difficult as thinking I might ruin our chances of winning this war."
She looked down at her belly, wincing. "I love Rafe more than anything, but we're talking about millions of lives—millions of children whose parents love them as much as I love my son. Aren't they worth the risk?"
Philippe narrowed his eyes. Henry and Gabriel looked grave. "We'll need to think about it, Ella," Gabriel sighed. "And whatever we decide, I don't think we should keep it from Dominic."
"He'll stop it before it begins," Henry interjected, surprising Ella. "She's right. When he makes up his mind, there's no changing it…and it's partly my fault he's so against this. I wasn't easy on him the first time…but that was before I understood what we're dealing with." He sighed. "I'm not saying I like it. I agree it's in our interests to pursue this sooner, but I don't approve of sneaking around behind my son's back."
Thoroughly scolded, Ella dropped her eyes. "I know it's wrong. I'll pay the price to my mate. He'll be furious, but if it helps the pack, it will be worth it. The stakes are too high." She murmured, "Besides, this is my life—I have a right to find out where I came from, and no one can dictate that, not even Dominic."
Before they could respond, Roger strode in, looking grave, followed by Isabel carrying baby Sadie. "We have a problem," Roger announced. "The daily shuttle from the continent never arrived. Damon may have compromised our refugee operation."