Jaden’s POV
It had been a week since Rihanna’s demeaning visit to Black Hills. None of the Alphas dared to speak about it, out of shame for their defeat. Speaking of it would likely cause a riot with Silver Pack A great number of slaves had been deployed to Silver Pack to help rebuild and stay.
As an ally, I had sent Jake, along with some warriors, to help her man out her pack house. Within a week, her pack had amassed a greater size than Blue Fire Pack, even though Blue Fire had been the smallest pack since ancient times. Rumors suggested that Blue Fire and Blue Bloom were contemplating merging under one name to avoid being overthrown by Silver Pack.
That young lady was gaining respect and striking fear in the Alphas, but not in me. I intended to support her as her mate and co- alpha.
“Mate? Tsk,” my wolf sighed. He found it hard to be ignored by his mate, so he pretended she wasn’t his.
I had experienced being ignored countless times and didn’t mind waiting a while longer for my soulmate. “Would she have been better off as a broken girl haunted by Chris’s rejection?” I asked him.
I wasn’t sure which was better–having a broken Beta under Black Hills as a mate or having a rebellious rogue–turned–alpha as a máte. Either way, Rihanna had changed her fate for the better. Anyone would be impressed.
The maid beside me cleared her throat, snapping me back to reality. glanced at her and smiled. It was a habit whenever I stared at nothing for too long.
“It’s cold already. Just pack it up,” I said, leaving the dining table.
She pouted and began clearing the dishes.
“At this rate, you won’t have the strength to train the warriors,” my wolf mumbled, referring to my lack of proper meals in days.
“Should we pay Rihanna a visit and see how the building is progressing?”
“We should go to Jake,” he countered.
Had he given up on his mate? I doubted it. The moment he saw her, was sure he’d be excited again.
“You know me,” he sighed, agreeing with my thoughts. I smirked as
walked into the courtroom.
Of course, there was business to handle. The table was filled with complaints and, unsurprisingly, threats,
Since Rihanna’s preferential treatment of me last week, many death threats had been sent by other Alphas, warning me to betray her. I bet even Chris would be biased against me, annoyed that his ex–mate was favoring me.
It would surely infuriate him to know she was now my mate. He’d feel replaced, even though it wasn’t my fault he was blinded enough to reject her. Either way, I’d keep the mate bond undisclosed until she accepted it.
“Alpha!” someone called the moment I sat down to review the reports. Ralph hurried in, stopping in front of me before bowing.
“Reports and rumors are coming from Black Hills… they’re really bad” he said.
I looked up, unrolling a scroll in my hand. “What is it now?”
1/3
He blinked multiple times before inching closer. “The Luna is missing, he revealed, his voice hushed. “And Alpha, Your Silver is being blamed for it.”
My eyes widened. Unconsciousl I crushed the scroll in my hand. Realizing this, I let go and rose to my feet.
“Make sure that rumor doesn’t circulate around my pack,” I ordered. As allies, we should protect that secret until it was confirmed.
“It hasn’t been announced yet. No one is sure. Only warriors who know of Your Silver’s visit speculate she took the Luna,” Ralph
added.
My mind returned to Rihanna’s comments about Sasha, where she’d laimed to feel no jealousy over her selection as Luna. I doubted she’d say that if she harbored ill intentions.
“I plan to visit her today and speak of this. I doubt she had enough me to meet us, beat the princess, and steal the Luna,” I replied.
“Meet us?” Ralph frowned. “Why are you downplaying all she’s done” he demanded, folding his arms.
I sat down, sensing an outburst was coming.
He began. “First, you, Jake, and Jonah didn’t tell me she was a young girl-”
“She isn’t. If she’s Ray’s twin, then she’s 21,” + corrected.
Ralph paused, absorbing the information, and then nodded.
“Even so, I wasn’t aware of her gender. And she humiliated us and other Alphas and got away with it. Then you sent Jake to help her?”
“What should I have done? Chase her after being injured by her silver? Chris let her go himself,” I countered.
“We shouldn’t support her then. She hurt us,” he said quietly.
“Don’t forget she saved Jonah twice. She’s under the Black Hills kingdom and declared us allies. We should act accordingly,” I said firmly.
Ralph’s gaze remained uncertain. “I can’t shake the feeling that you either have an ulterior motive or you’re trying to win some favor by helping her,” he muttered.
I met his gaze and smirked. “You’re getting better at reading me these days.”
His eyes widened. “So I’m right? Which is it? Ulterior motive or a favor?”
“Figure it out,” I shrugged. “I’ll be visiting now. Take care.”
I walked past him toward the door. He sighed, dropping into the chair I had vacated. “It’s definitely an ulterior motive. What favor I could he want from that rogue?”
I smiled as I exited. Actually, I wanted a favor from her. One that would make her indebted to me.
She’d need it too, as a new Alpha who might not have secured her rank yet. With her enemies multiplying now that she was no longer in hiding, it would be easier to strike.
I secured a bundle of clothes to my leg and shifted into my wolf form. After notifying the border warriors, 1 sped past the border toward Silver Pack.
