Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Gideon thought how this was oddly specific. “If you want my help, I need you to stop talking in riddles.”
Petra glanced around, to make sure no one else was in the hallway, and then she spoke in a whisper, “I suspect that James and Cornelia are mates.”
Gideon blinked. The clumsy youngster from the Red Moon pack and a witch? He would pay for a ticket to watch that movie!
Well, James was not clumsy, but Gideon saw him nearly dropping a serving plate with sausages, and then choking on water, and staring at the plate with food and… Gideon didn’t have a good opinion of James.
“What makes you think they are mates?”, Gideon asked.
“Cornelia approached James last night, but he bailed because he didn’t feel it.”, Petra said. “Is there a potion or a ceremony that will tell James if she is his mate?”
“What’s with the urgency?”, Gideon grumbled.
“Cornelia will spend the day with some random warriors instead of with James. What if they are mates and this day apart draws a wedge between them? James will go to his pack soon, when will they meet next time?”
Mindy’s whole body was bouncing from excitement. “There must be something you can do so they realize they are mates.”
Gideon turned to Mindy. “What makes you think they are mates?”
“Because of Talia.”, Mindy said matter-of-factly. “She has the power to matchmake mates.”
“She does?”, Gideon asked with disbelief obvious in his voice.
“She does.”, Mindy confirmed with confidence. “Mates are popping up around Talia like mushrooms after the rain!”
Gideon was in a predicament.
He could deny Petra, but how can he disappoint his pumpkin-infused beauty when she looked at him with those sparkles in her eyes? But if there was a way to find out who is whose mate earlier than their wolves would allow it, everyone would be doing it. Did Petra come here to make him look incompetent in front of Mindy?
Gideon turned to Petra. “You said that James doesn’t feel the bond and that’s why he is keeping his distance from Cornelia. What are you expecting me to do about it? Force him?”
Petra shrunk when she realized that Gideon’s mood worsened, but she couldn’t give up. “I apologize. I know Cornelia is your cousin, but I saw them last night. James was flustered when he saw her. He is always calm and composed, but in front of Cornelia he was like a teenager who met his first crush.”
Mindy giggled. “Well, he is a teenager, and she is his crush. Maybe not the first crush but will be his last. We will take care of it.”
Petra’s eyes widened. “You will?”
Gideon turned to look at Mindy. “We will?”
Mindy smiled knowingly and spoke to Petra, “Your task is for James to not leave the packhouse before Cornelia. I will let you know when things are set. And make sure he doesn’t suspect anything.” She turned to Gideon. “We will need Maya’s help.”
Gideon was curious to find out what was on Mindy’s mind because it appeared that she had a plan. His mood dropped when he realized that this mate nonsense will cut into their lovey-dovey time. Ah, if he knew, he wouldn’t agree to stay in the packhouse!
In the study…
Marcy was sitting on a chair, and she looked at the other people present.
George, Dawn, James, Dayson, Talia, Maya, and Jaeden.
She could understand that Maya and Jaeden were there as Dayson’s Betas, and James and George as representatives of the Red Moon pack, but why were Dawn and Talia there? OK. Maybe Talia was still in her role as Dayson’s assistant, but what about Dawn?
What rubbed Marcy the wrong way was that Talia was sitting in Dayson’s executive leather chair with him standing behind her. This made Talia look important, and Marcy was sitting on a regular chair, damn it!
Talia was not comfortable with being in the same room with Marcy, but Dayson told her that there will be a good show to watch and that he will give Talia a choice of delivering a final blow to the woman who dared to bully her at the Red Moon pack. Until then, Talia was to let him handle things.
“Thank you for coming here.”, Dayson started. “I wanted us to have this conversation so that we are all on the same page about changes that are coming for the Shadow Fang pack.”
Marcy lifted her chin. It’s happening!
“Tomorrow evening is the full moon, and we will have our first pack run in a decade.” He turned to George and James. “I hope you will join us as guests. I will be leading the run with my mate, and my future Luna.”
Marcy blinked rapidly. Did he say, mate? Surely, he thought, ‘chosen mate’, right? RIGHT?
Marcy would feel better if Dayson used names, like, if he said that he would lead the pack run with Marcy.
“We appreciate the invitation, Alpha Dayson”, George said. “However, we will need to refuse. Pack runs are your chance to demonstrate leadership and establish the hierarchy. Guests will only bring confusion. We will be there for the ceremony.”
James nodded in agreement with George’s words and Dayson didn’t object. It was all for show anyway.
“Do you know how you will start the run?”, Jaeden asked.
“After Shaman is done with the ceremony, my Luna and I will shift into our wolves and…”
Marcy didn’t hear the rest because her ears were buzzing. Did Dayson say they will shift into their wolf forms? Problem! After she rejected George, Marcy’s wolf was weakened, and after George accepted rejection, Marcy didn’t feel her wolf at all. How was she supposed to shift?
“Miss Marcy, are you alright?”
Maya’s question got Marcy’s attention and she quickly schooled her features.
“Yes, yes. I was listening.” And it will be LUNA Marcy soon!
Dayson cleared his throat and repeated the last part, “As I was saying, other details will be left to my Luna to decide.”
Marcy wondered how much she missed. What was she supposed to decide?
Another red flag appeared when Marcy realized that Dayson was looking at Talia, and then Talia spoke,”I don’t want to break traditions. I will talk to Shaman Gideon to see protocols related to the pack runs when Dayson’s parents were leading the pack, and unless something is against what we stand for, we will go with it.”
“Good approach.”, Jaeden praised Talia. “It will definitely score you points with older generations…”
Marcy’s stomach dropped as she refused to accept this. Why were they talking to Talia like she was the star of this pack run? And they ignored Marcy completely. Marcy told herself that this must be another test. As the future Luna, she needed to speak up and take the place that belongs to her rightfully.
“Excuse me”, Marcy spoke under her breath while standing up from her chair in slow motion. When everyone looked at her, Marcy asked, “What is the meaning of this?”
“Were you not paying attention, Miss Marcy?”, Dayson asked. “We were discussing how I will lead the pack run with my future Luna.”
Marcy smiled nervously as an ominous feeling gripped her heart. “Shouldn’t I be involved in this discussion?”
Dayson cocked an eyebrow at her. “I apologize for the inconvenience, but your status doesn’t qualify you to participate, not even as a guest.”
“I don’t qualify?”, Marcy asked in disbelief. How can she not qualify? She should be the star of the pack run!
“Someone who came to my pack with an intention to deceive me and become my Luna, doesn’t qualify.”, Dayson said in a flat voice and Marcy felt her insides churning.
“Deceive you? What do you mean?”
“I think you know exactly what I mean.”
“You-you…”, Marcy stuttered. “You want to do this without me? That’s not acceptable!”
“This is my pack. I can do whatever I want.”
“But… you promised! You can’t go back on your word!” Marcy was shaking now. Why was no one helping? They all watched as Dayson collapsed everything she believed was true!
“What did I promise?”, Dayson asked.
“You promised that today you will make me your Luna!”
“No. I said that today I will announce who my Luna will be and that’s what I’m doing. It has nothing to do with you, Miss Marcy, it never did. Talia will be the one to lead this pack with me.”
Marcy gaped at Dayson like he was growing a second head.
“You want to replace me? Your Elders won’t allow it!”, Marcy exclaimed desperately. Alpha Edward told her that he was working with a few Elders from the Shadow Fang pack and that Marcy will have their support once she becomes Dayson’s Luna.
Dayson sneered. “Elders of the Shadow Fang pack barely hold any power and they definitely can’t decide who will be my partner. They can accept my decision or lose their position.”
Marcy looked at Dayson in disbelief. Was he bluffing? That’s not what her father told her, but Dayson seemed confident. Now what?
It took Marcy a moment to remember an important person. “What about my father? My father won’t allow it. You called me here only to embarrass me like this. My father will retaliate. Will you risk thousands of your pack members getting hurt and killed because you offended the Red Moon pack?”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.