Chapter 146
Chapter 146
Liam POV
My mate was settling back in her room in the pack house. My wolf was angry with me over the conversation we had just had with her. No amount of telling him to calm down would work. He was pissed.
“She has every right to be upset with you,” he hissed, his eyes flashing dark obsidian as he eyed me with disgust. “You didn’t even have the decency to tell her about Delia or any others and yet expect different from her. Not only that but you treated her terribly just now he growled” pacing back and forth inside my mind and looking as though he would very much like to strangle me.
“She was overreacting,” I growled back. “So, what if Delia tried to bring up the past? The past is the past,” I told him.
There, that should be enough to satisfy him. I felt pleased with myself but my wolf was nowhere near finished yet. He was still furious with me and I could feel the anger that was surging inside of him, causing me to wince.
“Not when it affects our mate,” he snarled. “How would you feel if the same thing happened, but you were in her shoes? You would be pretty angry right now and upset. Can you blame Fiona for feeling the same way? She has no friends or family here and you’ve basically abandoned her,” he snapped.
Fiona had left her family back at the pack but it was no great loss. However, my wolf was not making things easy for me and refused to let me off the hook. I digested his words and then realized everything that he had just said was the cold hard truth.
I felt slightly remorseful as I was forced to acknowledge that he might be right. I had not only snapped at my mate for having a reaction to Delia but then left her to fend for herself in the pack house. I ran a hand through my hair, wondering if it was too late go to back and apologize. My wolf sighed and rolled his eyes. His tone was dripping with condemnation as he answered my silent question.
“I would let her calm down before I attempted to speak to her, “he snapped again.
I felt him put a mind–block up between us. I had well and truly angered him then. It wasn’t the first time he had done this to me but it had been few and far between since he had done this last. I gave a grimace and then looked up as Thomas came into the study, his eyes narrowed. I glared at him. He still hadn’t given me a reasonable explanation for what equaled him abandoning me back at the other pack, but I suspected it had a lot to do with drinking and a loose woman. He refused to tell me. That was enough of an indication. Gods, he could be a manwhore sometimes! So much for a trustworthy Beta! He tended to think with his cock before his brain. I had a feeling that he was remorseful for his actions but it didn’t make things right. I had half a mind to throw his sorry ass in the dungeon as punishment and if he hadn’t been my best friend, I would have done exactly that. He’d been warned if it happened again then friend or no, I would be doling out the consequences to
him.
“Alpha Liam.”
Thomas’s tone is respectful. I raise a brow, unaccustomed to him speaking with me so nicely. Perhaps he was trying to make up for his past mistakes by being cordial or overly civil. I wanted to laugh but quickly flattened my lips, not wanting to give away the fact that I wasn’t as angry with him as before. Let him stew for a while.
“What is it?” I asked dismissively, carefully eyeing the mounds of paperwork awaiting me and wondering how long it would take me to get through it all.
He hesitated. “It’s Delia,” he said finally, his lips flattening in displeasure as I looked up at him sharply.
Delia? What the hell was that little bitch up to now? Wasn’t it enough that I had warned her? Was she blatantly disrespecting my authority?
“What about her? She’s supposed to be staying away from my mate” I said tilting my head and peering at him intently. “Don’t tell me she’s doing something stupid like spreading rumors about Fiona,” I growled.
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14:00 Thu, 13 Mar
Chapter 146
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“No, but she’s certainly spreading disharmony around the pack. It’s already gotten spread around that your new mate has no wolf and people are beginning to question why you would take her as your luna,” he explained looking fretful.
“It’s none of their business” I exploded. “Since when has my life become fodder for the pack? It’s in my best interest to have my mate. Since when did I allow anyone to make decisions on my behalf or speak down about me?” I demanded frostily.
Did the pack think I would allow such behavior? Was I being too lenient with them?
“Maybe if you were to make an official announcement, it might cool down some of the members. They are concerned about their safety and none of them know Fiona personally, remember,” he pointed out calmly.
“They should know my judgment well enough” I scowled feeling defiant.
This was one of the last things I wanted to deal with. What the hell was wrong with these people?
“It’s a new member of the pack and she has the power to punish those who she feels are doing wrong. They are nervous. What if she misuses her power? You know how that can happen in other packs. I mean, wasn’t she mistreated by her sister Celeste back there? It’s a prime example of what a luna could do to an omega or pack member. They just want reassurance” Thomas said quietly.
It was an adequate explanation but not enough to cool my fury as it continued to rise inside of me.
“They are interfering in my business” I snarled, slamming a hand on top of the desk and slightly cracking it from the force.
Damn. Now I would have to get a new one. I felt frustrated as I stared down at the slightly broken desk. I had let my temper get the best of me.
“The safety of the pack and its members is everybody’s business,” Thomas countered back knowingly.
Shit, he was right. I might be the Alpha of the pack but it was my job to ensure each and every member’s safety. I let out another breath, feeling older than my years. Thomas looks sympathetic. My Beta knows me too well. I stare at him, narrowing my eyes as he continues to observe me quietly.
“Set up a meeting then. I’ll make the announcement and introduce Fiona at the same time. That is” I winced “if she’s forgiven me for earlier.”
Thomas does not ask what the argument was about and for that I am thankful. I feel as though I have made a serious error when it came to taking care of my mate and that I am about to eat crow for what I have done. It’s the only way I can think of that she might be willing to go ahead with tomorrow’s meeting. I had a feeling she was not about to forgive me so easily.
“I’ll do that now. Maybe” he pauses and then sighs. “Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing to get her something nice to wear for it? I couldn’t help but notice she doesn’t have much in the way of luggage and clothes. A good first impression” he winked at me, “could do wonders.”
How astute of him. He had been eyeing my mate and her things. I felt a wave of possessiveness shoot through me and then I realized the truth of his words. Fiona did not have much and it was my duty to provide everything she needed. A dress was a small thing in comparison and the thought of her dressed up, only made me feel as though she would be even more attractive and beautiful. I would have to keep a close eye on the male members of the pack, I thought resentfully.
૨,
I nodded slowly at my Beta. “That’s a good idea; Thomas have somebody find her a dress for the announcement,” I told him.
He nods again. “As for Delia?” he prompts
“For now, let’s leave it. I want to see how far she’ll go trying to hurt my mate. Fiona isn’t just some damsel in distress, and I want to see if she can speak up for herself. I will protect her” I added darkly “but part of me wants to see just what my mate is capable of.”
Thomas leaves the room, and I rub my chin, deep in thought. If Fiona could gain some confidence now that she was away from her terrible family, the pack could very well find itself surprised when I brought her out tomorrow.
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