Denying The Alpha
Chapter 81

Samantha was dragging Faith further away from the party. I could still see her, and so could the warriors, so I wasn't overly concerned yet. But it did annoy me. In my mind, Samantha was luring my mate away for whatever Declan's sick desire maybe this time. If he lays even one hand on my sweet girl, I'll kill him. "Hey, handsome, want some company" a sleazy hand brushes over mine. It was lucky I was straining so hard to hear the conversation between my beautiful mate and her equally ugly sister; otherwise, I never would have heard the faint drop of something as it hit my drink. Just in case she put something on her skin as a backup plan, I rub my hand against my clothing for good measure and leave her standing there. Even if I didn't have faith, I wouldn't be interested. I always knew that the only woman I'd ever truly love would be my mate; what was the point in entertaining something that would never last. I swear these girls didn't understand what it was they even wanted. Being luna was about being a leader, a gentle mother to all when needed, and as fierce as necessary. Not a boss or a party planner or a position to look down on others from. Respect was something that was earned, and it was impossible to respect anybody who slept their way to the top.

I circled around the back of the crowd, ensuring that I remained hidden at all times until I was within a few feet of Faith. To my relief, Declan was nowhere the be seen.

Faith was smart. She was managing to lure Samantha closer to the party without her so much as noticing.

To hear the vile spew coming from this stupid she wolf made me want to drag her out of here and lock her in my dungeon and throw away her cell key. I had no doubt the world would be better for it. Who would turn on their own family like that? WOOOOHHHHH MATE GO GIRL, duke howls with pride. I can feel him bouncing around as Faith absolutely chews her sister out.

She is incredible. I agree with him.

Not once did she allow her sister the power to make her question herself.

David follow Faith. Stay with her until I get back! I mind link my beta as Faith storms of. I can't help but smile at the way my girl is unapologetically laughing as she marches her way through the crowd. It was too cute.

I don't want her left alone, but I could not miss this. So David would have to do for now.

Several Lunas surrounded Samantha, and they looked mad as hell. What were they going to do about it, I wonder.

"Samantha. What have you done." Cassidy gasped. Oh, this fake b.itch. She knew exactly what Samantha had done and was going to hang her out to dry in front of everyone. Go figure. There was no loyalty in this pack. I'm glad my baby is out.

"How could you? Faith was like a daughter to me." Cassidy exclaims dramatically. Okay, that made me want to punch her in the mouth. She was no friend to my mate or a mother figure to anyone, not even to her own son, from what I've heard. But it was wrong to hit a woman. Even if she were a vile toad in a nice dress, people would still be upset that I attacked the swamp creature.

"Declan and I love each other. We couldn't help it. We just couldn't stay away from one another. I didn't do any of those things that I said I did. I lied because I was jealous that she got to be his mate, and I didn't. I wanted to hurt Faith, but only because I was hurting. She was always the princess, and then she got my prince. All I ever wanted was to grow old with Declan, and she was going to get that too. Faith always gets exactly what she wants, and the rest of us just get the leftovers. I know I should have stopped when I found out they were mates on her birthday, but I just couldn't. I would have suffocated without him. Declan is the air in my lungs. Tell me, how could I let him go." Samantha cried.

I hope nobody bought this pile of crap. She wasn't upset. She knew exactly what she was doing. What she said to Faith was the real truth, not this pile of steaming garbage she was currently spinning to get us to feel sorry for her.

"I beg of all of you. Don't be upset with my sweet Declan. We tried so hard, but we couldn't fight it. That's why we're choosing to become mates! Because we mean what we say. We want each other, and we love each other. Is it so wrong to want to choose the person you will spend your life with for yourself?" Samantha pleaded with the crowd.

She was good. If I didn't love Faith, if I didn't know that Samantha was a liar, If Eloise didn't open my eyes to how desperate a person could be for a taste of power, I might even believe her, he.ll I might have even felt sorry for her.

"Why didn't you come to me? Or Jackson about this? Why would you and Declan handle this so poorly? I am very disappointed in the both of you. We could have helped all three of you." Cassidy was taking samanthas out.

Then it dawned on me. At first, I thought Faith staged all of this or at least took the perfect opportunity to out her sister in front of everyone. Now I was beginning to wonder, was this Samantha and Cassidy's doing? Surely they knew that one day the truth would come out, a pack member would let it slip to the wrong person, and they wouldn't be there to stop the spread of rumours or control the way it was presented. But here they were in complete control. They wouldn't win everyone over, but technically Declan and Samantha haven't done anything illegal, and they would have sympathisers. There were those out there who didn't believe in the mate bond, who wanted, as Samantha put it, to be in control of their own fate.

"Let me get this straight." Luna Eleanor approached the pair of them. I liked her. Eleanor was a well respected Luna among her peers. Many people looked up to her. Her guidance was invaluable to our kind. She believed strongly in justice, truth, and the mate bond. I know she won't leave here without getting to the bottom of this. And if we can get her on our side, others will follow her.

It made sense to me now why both Samantha and Cassidy were up her ass all evening. They were trying to win her over before this little stunt.

"I'm sorry if I have disappointed you." Samanthas eyes pleaded with Eleanor. But the Luna was aged. She would not buy into a teenager's game.

"Hush." Eleanor's cold gaze struck Samantha silent. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of that stare,

"Did you or did you not know that the mate bond existed between Luna Faith and Alpha Declan before you struck a physical relationship with the young Alpha?"

"I uh well, no, I didn't know, not for sure anyway. But I did have a feeling." Samantha admitted, despite her best efforts, not to.

What a lot of people didn't know about Eleanor was that she was almost impossible to lie to. I have long suspected that maybe she had some sort of special powers, but I had never heard of a wolf having any extra abilities before. Eloise could only use magic because she was part witch.

"And pray tell, why did the young Luna refer to your chosen mate as a women beater. That is a very serious accusation." Eleanor's eyes narrowed, and even I felt the need to sweat under her scrutiny. "I.... Don't.... Know." Samantha stuttered.

"That's okay then. I'll go and ask her myself.... But if I replace out you have lied to me just now, my Alpha and I will leave, my warriors will follow us, and that is the last time we will ever deal with your pack again." Woah, Eleanor meant business.

"Faith is nothing but a liar. Would you really take her word over mine? I have known you a long time Eleanor. Declan's only crime is falling in love" Cassidy shielded Samantha. I think she was afraid that she was about to crack. Samantha certainly was looking paler by the minute.

"That's Luna Eleanor to you, Cassidy." Eleanor's gaze narrowed. Every wolf here held their breath. The suspense was tangible in the cool evening air.

Eleanor just challenged Cassidy in the most public way possible. She demanded the respect of a title while purposefully not using Cassidy's.

Where was Jackson, and why wasn't he defending his women right now.

"My apologies Luna Eleanor. But Declan is not abusive." Cassidy lied.

"So the rumours I've heard about Declan putting Miss huntress in the hospital than are untrue." Eleanor pushed. oooooohhh, I wonder how she will talk her way out of this one. Duke cheered like a teenage gossip girl.

Yeah, me too, now sush so I can listen to what they are saying.

"Well... well." Cassidy stuttered.

"Uh-huh." Eleanor cut her off. "Step aside."

And to my surprise, that's precisely what Cassidy did.

"Tell me the whole story now." Eleanor put Samantha on the spot.

"Declan had this older brother who died. His mother mourned Connor so much that Declan felt invisible to her. It's impossible to compete with someone who's dead. They are essiantly perfect. There was an idea that Faith and Connor were destined to be mates. Declan feared because he was going to be a second chance mate that Faith would feel, even if she didn't know why that Declan wasn't enough for her. He was worried he would always come second to a dead person, and so he pushed Faith away. But no matter what he did to her or how angry he was with her, he couldn't bring himself to reject her. But I wanted him too. I pushed an pulled in secret, hoping that one of two things would happen. That he would hate her so much that he would reject her, or that he would hurt Faith so much she would reject him. Even when he almost killed her, I kept pushing and pushing."

A loud ruckus was coming from the back of the group. Many men were yelling and shouting, but I couldn't decipher what the commotion was about.

"Shut your mouth, Samantha, don't you dare say another word." Jackson roared as two unfamiliar men restrained him, but he didn't give up. He continued to fight against his captures.

Now I understand why he hadn't come forward to defend his mate. He was being restrained from doing so.

"That's enough, Jackson." Alpha Gabriel roared. He was Eleanor's older brother.

Wolves didn't have just one leader, but if we did, it would have been Gabriel.

"Or we will escort you out of the party." Alpha Alexander, Eleanor's mate, stepped forward.

"This is my party. My house. My pack." Jackson growled. He was seething mad. It must be embarrassing for him to be challenged on his own land this way, especially after Cassidy already had been.

"We don't care." Alpha Gabriel replied firmly.

"Go on. Child" Luna Eleanor encouraged Samantha.

"Declan and I continued mating, even tho we both knew that she could feel the pains." She admitted under her breath, avoiding eye contact.

"Even knowing it could very well kill her?"

No one harms mate. Let's kill them. I'll rip all of them limb from limb and feed them to the rodents. Duke growled.

Calm down, Dukey. I want to hurt them too, but we can't. Besides, Faith is no longer in any danger. We will protect her always.

"Yes," Samantha mumbled as she stared at the ground like a coward.

The crowd gasped collectively. It was a shock to our kind. We were protectors at heart, but Samantha was willing to risk her sister's life over a man.

Kyle, I lost Faith. I can't replace her anywhere. David mind links me in a panic.

What the fuck do you mean you lost her? I roared as I sprinted toward the packhouse. Someone else could fill me in on what happens later. Faith was more important.

She was heading up the stairs fast. She looked sick. I was trying hard to catch up with her, but she had a head start, and she's not exactly slow. I almost had her, but then she rounded the corner, and she was gone. He explained in a frenzy. Find her. I yelled, which isn't something I usually do, but I felt like such a fool for not following her myself.

I'll never forgive myself if something happens to my baby.