“She can’t speak, she can’t shift, what use is she?” I said glancing at Cody as we walked, trying not to feel like a bastard as I spoke the words as callously and intentionally as I could “she’s hardly Luna material” I added pointedly.
“Being a Luna involves more than being able to talk” Cody growled “or are you more worried about the fact that the pack members won’t accept her?”
Now that he mentioned it that was also an excellent point. Hadn’t her own pack been at the very least complicit in her abuse? “Her own pack didn’t help when she was being abused,” I said gravely, halting in my tracks to talk “so it’s inconceivable that she would be accepted as my mate or Luna. We need a strong Luna, to go with our pack’s strength. We’re one of the strongest in the country, Riley would only drag us down” I explained tersely, trying not to dwell on the image of the beautiful blue-haired girl in my mind. Damnit, it was hard to say these words, feeling like I was betraying her at the same time I was trying to be rational and logical for the sake of my pack.
“So you make them accept her,” Cody said in disbelief “You’re the Alpha Jaxon, what you say goes, not what they want.”
We started to walk back towards the pack house “It’s far easier if it’s somebody the pack already likes or admires” I said in a low voice “not somebody they classify as weak. She can’t even defend herself, Cody.”
He exhaled “I feel sorry for her. She didn’t ask to be wolfless or to be abused by her own father and pack. I don’t like the idea that we’re doing exactly the same.”
I interrupted him with a scathing glance “Nobody in my pack is going to be permitted to abuse her” I growled.
“No, but all the same we’re practically abandoning her, which is the same as her own pack” Cody argued “that girl needs to be shown some care and affection. If you can’t claim her” he paused as I stiffened “then you need to show some decency and reject her, no matter how much it hurts you Jaxon. She deserves the chance to find a second chance mate who loves her.”
“Since when do you care so much about other pack members” I snarled “and for your information, I’m not about to reject the one woman whose lending strength to my wolf. It would be like cutting off my nose to spite my face.”
His jaw dropped. “So you would keep her, against her will, without loving her? Without caring about her?”
He sounded disbelieving. His tone was pained. I knew that he couldn’t bring himself to believe that his friend could be so ruthless but I hadn’t earned my reputation for nothing. My wolf was angry at me, so angry that he put up a block after flinging some vile insults my way.
“I would keep the mate bond alive” I corrected him icily as we entered the pack house, Cody holding the door open for me automatically as I slid past him “for the sake of my wolf and myself.”
The front door of the pack house shut. “Why not just take a chosen mate then” Cody asked faintly, sounding almost desperate as we headed to the study “it might not be the same as a fated mate, but it would give you some strength.”
“A mate bond is stronger. Besides, taking a chosen mate is a risk. I have no desire to entertain a variety of women all vying for the position of Luna.”
“Jaxon, you know the bond is only going to get stronger between the two of you, the longer that she’s here. How are you going to be able to resist it?” he demanded, as we turned a corner and then headed inside the study, where Callum was already waiting.
“I am going to put her in the dungeon,” I said slowly, causing both men’s jaws to gape open as they stared at me incredulously “she can sleep there. It’s far enough away that I won’t go seeking her out and she can be made comfortable…” I trailed off, seeing the angry glint in both men’s eyes.
“So you plan to make her an omega and plan to make her sleep in the dungeon where we keep prisoners. Are you insane?” Callum blurted out “by all accounts you’re giving her the same life she had at her old pack. Minus the beatings or do you plan on doing that too if she disobeys you?”
“Of course I’m not going to beat her” I hissed, a lump in my throat at the thought “but the dungeon is the furthest room away from my own and should keep me from seeking her out. It’s unfortunate, but it’s what I need to do. She can still be in the pack house during the day performing her duties.”
“How magnanimous of you,” Callum said cuttingly “putting your mate to work and then sleeping with the prisoners. Well done Jaxon, I never thought I could be so ashamed as I am right now to have you as a friend.”
I glared at him “What would you do? If I mate or mark her, the game is over and she becomes Luna. I’m trying to prevent that from happening. For all of our sakes. I won’t have our reputation or our position as the strongest in the country be compromised. I won’t let us be weakened. Not to mention her safety is paramount. How do you think she would be treated by anyone of her old pack if she was to suddenly become Luna? Do you think they would blindly accept it or do you think they might try to hurt her?”
Silence. Cody looked disappointed in me. “I always thought that finding a mate was one of the most special things that could happen to you. I thought that maybe, you would take one look and fall hard for the girl but I can see that’s not the case. But she deserves better than this Jaxon. You’re putting her in limbo. She’ll die. Not from being rejected, because you’re not necessarily saying the words, but nonetheless she’ll wither away, from the lack of love and care you give her, while she works her fingers to the bone and waits ever night for the chance that you might change your mind and come to her.”
I winced. Callum looked at me with condemnation in his eyes. “That girl saved your life at a cost to her own and she didn’t even know you were mates. That speaks highly of her character. She was willing to die for you” he thundered as I sat there stony faced “and you’re willing to let her slowly die while you take advantage of the bond between you two” he shook his head, a look of grief and disgust on his face “I don’t even know who I’m looking at right now. It’s like you’re a complete stranger” he spat out.
“Enough” I shouted, letting some of my Alpha aura out, causing them both to stiffen and their eyes to widen in shock.
I didn’t do this to them often, but I was growing angry and feeling slightly ashamed at what they were telling me. “I have made my decision and you have no right to tell me, the Alpha of your pack, what to do. Both of you will prepare part of the dungeon as her room” I said, ignoring the hatred on their faces “and ensure its secure. If we have prisoners she will use a guest room on the bottom floor until they are gone” I allowed, but they didn’t look any happier “and there will be no more arguments about this” I growled, as they stared at me with looks of disdain “Now go and do this. She’s to be discharged tomorrow morning and she will need a bed, clothes and many more things if she’s to remain here in relative comfort, as you so desire” I snapped.They got up without a word and stormed out of the room as I watched regretfully. Perhaps I had gone too far, using my aura on them, but I was done feeling guilty for my decision. I couldn’t let myself be persuaded to take a different action in regards to my mate. This was the best thing for us all, or at least, that’s what I wanted to believe. My wolf remained silent, the block remaining firmly up, leading me to believe he was still furious with me.
Riley POV
I’m cleaner than I’ve ever been. The nurses have given me fresh clothing and I even had the accessories to wash my hair in the small bathroom adjoining my hospital room. They’ve performed all their tests and now I sit here waiting for somebody to pick me up and take me to the pack house. I’m not naive enough to believe that my mate is going to bother to come and get me. Some instinct tells me that he’s going to be keeping his distance and it hurts, so bad, but I keep my face expressionless, not surprised in the slightest when none other than the Beta Callum walks into the room with an apologetic expression on his face.
“Riley,” he said quietly, a smile spreading across his face as I coolly observed him “are you ready to go? I’ve been tasked with taking you back to the pack house and” he paused, anger flashing in his eyes “taking you to your room for further rest.”
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