Lycan's Affection
Amity's Downfall

Alexander's eyes widened even more as Eleanor took a step forward to him, her chest heaving, her cheeks now stained with tears.

"Xander..." she started to say, but he took a step back, turning to Conaan.

His eyes had grown cold as he watched the scene unfold before him, willing for Alexander to offer him an outlet for all the anger he had pent up inside.

"You didn't kill her?" Alexander suddenly said, his brows shooting up. He seemed almost like he couldn't believe she was the one, and it wasn't a positive sort of disbelief.

Eleanor's lips parted in hurtful disbelief, and she turned to Conaan, almost as if for help.

Conaan gave a lopsided smile. "That would not be the first thing I say to a woman I claimed to love, Alexander."

Alexander swallowed, then shook his head, his fingers coming to his hair. "No, no. I sure didn't mean it that way. I am so glad she is alive."

Eleanor bit down on her lips, her eyes hopeful. "Xander, I..."

"But I..." Alexander continued, as he met her eyes. Before he could finish, the hall opened again, and an elegantly dressed woman stepped out. She wore a caped dress, the cape red with golden embroidery similar to Alexander's. Her dress was off the shoulder and a plain black silk that hugged her petite figure.

Conaan looked at her once, then turned back to Eleanor who had also noticed her.

"Xander, I thought you would be happy I am back."

Alexander bit down on his tongue hard, as the woman came up to him, then almost possessively, held on to his arm.

"Delta Eleanor?"

Eleanor turned to her. She couldn't really recognize her, but it was no surprise she knew her. No one in the pack didn't, and the fact that most of them, including people from other packs, it just made it more humiliating.

"Why are you back? We thought you decided to stay as the Lycan's concubine?"

Alexander blinked rapidly, and this time even Conaan showed a bit of surprise.

"Concubine?" He asked, and the girl's eyes immediately looked up to him.

"You are the lycan king. It's an honor."

He didn't reply it, reply she gave him another smirk, then held on to Alexander's arms tighter.

Eleanor looked up to Alexander who was saying nothing, his eyes wide, his hair slightly rough from the many times he had passed his fingers through it.

"I became a Lycan's concubine, Xander? Is that what you told them?"

"What else, Eleanor? What should I tell them? Wasn't it pretty obvious what Conaan wanted? It was pretty obvious he wouldn't kill you and only wanted you without saying it. You knew it too, it was obvious..."

"It was obvious and you were just asking why he didn't kill me? Xander, what are you doing? This isn't you! It's been merely over a week and you are here, with a woman dangling on your arm and a stupid rumor about me...."

"She isn't just some womam, Eleanor. She is my mate. And today, she is going to be luna."

Eleanor felt her heart break into a million pieces as he said it again. Her eyes filled, and she blinked rapidly, her finger coming to her hair. She grabbed handfuls of her hair in her hands, her lips quivering hard.

"You loved me, Xander. How can you replace us in a week? How could you forget the fact that I sacrificed myself for the entire pack just so you and Mathew could come back safely? How dare you paint me like some whore who decided to stay back with the stronger side?"

Alexander sighed, dumping the weak persona. He took a step towards her, his eyes taking on a colder, unrecognizable gaze. He had never looked at her like that, and Eleanor felt the cold down to her feet.

"We both knew, Eleanor. You don't even have origins. You were just the girl I met at thanksgiving and then exchanged a few letters with. I don't really know your family or much about you. Also, I could have done something if you didn't want to stay with Conaan."

Conaan's eyes thinned with his blatant lies, and he turned to Brandon. Brandon gave a small nod, then turned away.

Eleanor's lips parted, but no words came out of it. She looked up to the face of the man she had once cherished. Before she could keep herself in check, she landed a slap on his ckeek, her nails digging into his flesh. She could see the girl beside him flinch, but she knew she wouldn't have the guts to actually do anything.

"How dare you? I sacrificed myself? How dare you say that to my face? You gave me up! You gave me up to save yourself and your brother and so you could come back here a hero who became the first alpha to have amity with the lycans! When did you become such a bloody liar? Why are you doing this to me?"

Silence fell betwen both of them, and the entire celebrations. Everyone watched the drama unfold, and it seemed they had forgotten the real reason why they were there in the first place.

She moved closer, then reached for his arms, her eyes filling with tears over and over again. "Please, Xander. Please tell me this is some prank. Please tell me all of this is a sick joke and you are not choosing that woman over me. Please, Xander. I would do anything, you know that."

"Haven't you already, Eleanor?" Jane, Alexander's mate said, walking forward. "You already gave yourself to the lycans. Why? Why did you come back? He wasn't good enough?"

Eleanor turned to her, her teeth gritting. "If you say one more word, I swear, I will not be able to guarantee your ability to speak."

"And I will not be able to guarantee your life, Eleanor." Alexander said, then grabbed her hands, pushing them off him. The push was rough, and it sent her reeling backwards to the floor.

Conaan's hand wrapped around her just before she got to the floor, and he hovered above her, his eyes boring into her.

She swallowed, her lips quivering hard. Tears streaming down her cheeks in torrents.

He said nothing, and slowly helped her back to her feet.

"Eleanor, you need to accept it. I do not have a place for you. I found my mate already. She is the woman who will become Luna beside me. What we shared was childish and I realized it the moment you took Conaan's hand."

Eleanor could say nothing as Conaan took out a small napkin, then gently dabbed at her eyes, his hand cupping a side of her neck.

When he was satisfied enough, he tucked it back in, then slowly turned towards Alexander.

"See that? Why else would he care about her that much? Why did you even come back? You apparently were good enough for the lycan, why are you trying to get Xander too? Isn't that just selfish?" Jane said, her hands coming to her waist, her gaze sharp as she looked at Eleanor.

But perhaps that is how they missed it, because in the next second, Conaan's knife was flipping through the air.

It cut one side of Jane's blonde hair in half, before hitting the person who stood behind her.

Alexander gasped as Jane's shrill yell filled the air.

"I won't miss next time, Xander."

The pack grew even quieter, as Conaan took a slow step away from Eleanor, then towards Xander. His eyes were cold, his steps slow, like he knew how many breathe were held, waiting, and he was willing for them to die from asphyxiation.

"This is fun, Xander. Isn't it? Disrespecting my gift?"

Xander shook his head. "This is not about your gift, Conaan. It is about the relationship..."

Suddenly, Conaan's hand was wrapped on Alexander's neck, his thumb tracing the outline of Xander's Adam's apple.

"Your highness, Conaan, Alpha Xander. Amity went to pieces the moment you rejected my gift like that."