Dad scoffed, “You’re a Beta. How the hell don’t you pay attention enough to know what happened?” Gamma Thurston answered, “We keep to ourselves.” Gage muttered, “I’m offended for all us Gamma bloods right now with that answer.”
I punched Gamma Thurston in the face and knocked out a few of his teeth. I told the sick excuse of a Gamma, “The McAlister’s are going to do what they will with the both of you. I’ll inform your Alpha that you’re a bunch of morons who tried to take, and harm, my mate.”
I paused then added, “I can’t say what condition you’ll get back to your Alpha in but know this; if you so much as look in my mate’s general direction ever again, I will kill you. Are we clear?” They whimpered but answered, “Yes, Alpha Alexander.” I caught the look on Hastein’s face and smirked.
I smugly said, “Good. Have fun Drake, T, and Jase.” EJ linked, “I’m assuming you caught the look and feeling in the bond from our cousin, that these guys are going to die.” I replied, “I did. He’s the Crown Prince of the Hackura. How H chooses to deal with the disrespect he feels came at our family is his prerogative.”
I popped back to the hotel. EJ and Hastein had come with me, which didn’t surprise me. Hastein was probably going to let that Beta and Gamma get home thinking they were safe before he acted. I asked Hastein, “What brings you here, cousin?”
Hastein answered, “I was looking for your mate. Kingsley wanted me to tell her that she’d get in touch soon. She said Melanie knows her version of soon isn’t the same as everyoneelse’s.” I frowned, “I’d tell Kingsley that Melanie actually really wants to talk to her. It seemed important.”
Hastein nodded, “I’ll pass it along again. Try to keep your mate out of trouble, cousin. I’m off to see my mate. She’ll probably laugh at the stories I have to tell about this summit. K did say it would be Melanie’d.”
Hastein paused then admitted, “So did Angelique. Gabe’s mate is actually living for all the drama and details. I think Melanie is like her personal T.V. show. She’d probably fight the funny wolf for it.” I snorted, “Dylan would just give her popcorn and shriek about how he found a kindred spirit who understands.” Hastein laughed and disappeared through a portal.
I stalked to the bar where it was likely Alpha Eason would be. He was there with a woman, who was not his mate, sitting in his lap. I snarled at her, “Go away.” She scampered away in fear. I looked at Alpha Eason.
The man looked confused. I said, “Your Beta, Gamma, and a few Warriors attacked my mate with the intent to take her to their room.” Alpha Eason paled asking, “What? They said they were going to talk to Ashley Griffen. Talk, not force her anywhere.”
Alpha Eason muttered, “Not that anyone can force Ashley Griffen to do anything. I kind of figured with how rude they are, she’d just kick their asses again. How did they run into Luna Melanie instead?” Oden scoffed, “He needs his Beta and Gamma’s sons to take their spots. They should’ve told him about mate.” Yeah, I knew that.
I said, “Ask anyone in this room about how that came to be. Your Beta and Gamma will return to you alive, and that’s all I can really give you on the situation. If they come near my wife again, I’ll kill them. Are we clear?”
Alpha Eason nodded, “Of course, Alpha Alexander. Thank you for your leniency.” Oden hummed, “He doesn’t like the Gamma and Beta. His wolf hates them, a lot.” Well, they sucked. I told Alpha Eason, “If we weren’t at the Summit, they wouldn’t have got any.” He nodded to me as I walked away.
EJ asked, “Did we just not notice in all the years we’ve been coming here that all the Alphas that had women who weren’t their mates in their laps?” I told him, “We tend to keep to our group in private rooms. I can’t believe all those Alphas were doing that with their mates in the same hotel.”
EJ said, “It makes you wonder what they do when their mates aren’t around. If they can act like that when they are….” He trailed off when we saw Alpha Eason’s mate. The poor woman looked so sad. She was going to walk past us since it wasn’t like we were allies for her to greet.
I stopped her, “Luna Hadley, how are you?” She looked up at me surprised. Luna Hadley smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes, answering, “I’m fine, thank you. I was just looking for my mate.” She was lying and I could easily tell she was not fine.
I also wanted to wince. Her mate and Alpha hadn’t married Luna Hadley yet. I told her, “I’ll go find Alpha Eason for you. Where did you want to meet him?” Luna Hadley was startled but replied, “He had a meeting so I asked the kitchen if I could cook him dinner. They set up a private room for us. I was just going to let him know.”
I asked, “Where is the private room?” Luna Hadley responded, “Right next to where all our pack’s meetings have been.” I urged, “Go and make sure everything is how you want it. I’ll send Alpha Eason to you.” She smiled brightly this time.
Oden said, “Her wolf is so happy because she knows her mate will come if you tell him to.” Interesting and sad. Luna Hadley actually squealed, “Thank you! It’s my first time attending the Summit with him. I just want everything to be perfect.” They’dbeen together since right after her eighteenth birthday which had been for almost seven months now.
I linked EJ, “I might punch him.” EJ admitted, “I might let you. This is just sad. I might need to share my sorrow for how damn sad I feel for her.” I popped us back to the bar. The she wolf I’d run off was flirting with Alpha Eason again, back in his lap.
I told her, “Have some pride, for the love of the gods. The man is mated. Get out of here. Or I will have my mate make your life hell.” She ran off. Alpha Eason sighed, “Why do you keep running the women off?”
I asked, “Why are you even with her? You’re mated.” His eyes flickered black for a moment before returning to normal. Alpha Eason replied, “My mate is fine.” I shot back, “Your mate was looking for you.” Panic set in his features and he looked towards the entrance.
I let him worry before I said, “Not for your benefit, but I told Luna Hadley I’d come find you. She cooked you a late dinner, herself, in the kitchens here and had a private room set up for you both. Because you had a late meeting.”
I looked Alpha Eason up and down, spitting out, “Which I seriously doubt. Man up and be a mate. I don’t know what the hell they teach you people in Nashville, but that woman is your world. Luna Hadley doesn’t deserve to see other women hanging off you.”
“She doesn’t deserve the heat she probably takes from other Luna’s because you haven’t had your mating ceremony. You accomplish nothing by hurting your mate, except hurting yourself right along with her. There is no weakness in loving your mate.”
“If there was, my dad wouldn’t be the most powerful Alpha, nor would my brother. In fact, none of my siblings, or our allies, would be powerful. So just understand the way you weretaught was ass backwards. Now, if you use your brain and look at the powerful Alphas, you’ll see the truth. Our mates are our strength. There is no reason to hurt Luna Hadley this way. She loves you.”
I let him blink as that information set in for him. I ordered, “Go to the dinner your Luna set up and be grateful. Apologetic as well, considering you’ve been as ass. If I know that from an encounter that lasted mere minutes, you probably need chocolate, flowers, and more.”
I snapped Alpha Eason’s scent back to normal. The man inhaled his shirt and sputtered, “Thank you.” I snorted, “Again, it wasn’t for you. I know you have an older Beta and Gamma who probably lead you astray, given their actions today.”
Oden agreed, “His wolf is very interested in everything you’ve said. I’m talking to him too.” Good. I continued, “You’re nineteen and have been given bad advice. So, take mine because I have facts, like relationships that prove our mates are our strength. I could list more than my parents and older brother.”
I encouraged him, “Have your mating ceremony and be a good mate. Have your future Beta and Gamma promoted and take out the two older ones from their position of power. You have that ability even if they said you didn’t, now use it.”
