Page 25 of Impregnated By the Alpha

“Right. These issues will be addressed right away,” I told them. “I’ll see you at the pack meeting tonight in the community center.”

***

I didn’t tell Violet about the meeting, choosing instead to leave her at home with Penny while I went to confront the members of the pack who were spreading misinformation about their luna.

My urgent message had been received by what appeared to be the entire pack. A few members were missing, especially those with young children, as it was late in the evening.

“Please have a seat, this won’t take long,” I instructed.

The community center was where I held all formal pack meetings and was set up as a town hall with chairs arranged in rows facing a short stage. Other packs who lived outside of human villages could have pack houses or compounds, but since we lived inside a city, we needed to be more discreet. The community center was still only for our use, though.

The wolves sat down, and I heard murmurs roll through the crowd as they wondered what their alpha had deemed important enough to call a last-minute meeting to address.

“Some serious accusations have been made toward your luna,” I informed them, anger and disappointment clear in my tone. “It has come to my attention that rumors are spreading wild, so I am here to warn you all that there will be consequences if this continues.”

Some wolves looked confused, clearly out of the loop about what had been transpiring between Diana and her cronies. Others looked wary.

“An insult to the luna is an insult toward the alpha, and it will not be tolerated. This pack did not survive by fighting amongst ourselves. If there is a problem, you are always able to come and speak with me. But the rumors are done,” I continued. “As of this moment, anyone caught insulting my wife will be kicked out of the pack immediately. Am I understood?”

A chorus of affirmation spread through the wolves, and I noticed that the trio from the diner looked terrified.

“Insults that have been made prior to this moment will be forgiven, with the understanding that they will not be repeated,” I said.

Relief washed over the faces of the wolves who had been involved so far, but I noticed that Diana was seething with rage. Clearly, I would need to take a more personal approach with her.

“You are all dismissed,” I said, concluding the meeting.

The pack began to shuffle out, some of them casting worried glances back at me. I had meant every word I said, but I hoped that I wouldn’t have to utilize my threat.

“Diana, a word,” I said, pulling her to the corner furthest from the exit. I needed to speak with her immediately, but there was no need to embarrass her in front of her friends.

“You surprise me, Nile,” Diana said. “Do you think it’s wise to put your new mate ahead of your own pack?”

“On the contrary, Diana. The pack can only be strong if we value truth, honesty, and integrity,” I responded pointedly. “It seems that you have forgotten that.”

Diana scoffed. “How dare you question my morals. At least I haven’t forgotten ourtrueluna.”

“Your daughter is gone,” I said simply. It was harsh, but she clearly wasn’t going to respond to anything else. “Jana has been dead for five years, and your insistence on clinging to the past is going to destroy my pack if you don’t watch your step.”

“Our pack,” she argued.

“No, Diana. You haven’t been the luna for a long time, and neither has Jana. It is my pack, and it would benefit you to remember that,” I said.

I had expected her to be hurt by my forthrightness, but her eyes flashed with anger. “There will be consequences for you forgetting Jana so easily,” she warned.

“Jana will never be forgotten,” I said. “But my new wife is your luna, whether you like it or not. She and my daughter are my priority. If you don’t stop interfering with the pack, you won’t be a member of it for much longer. Consider this your last warning.”

Chapter 13 - Violet

After the events of yesterday between Diana and myself, I thought it would be best to make myself more visible to the other members of the pack. I had been spending too much time alone, and they needed to see that their luna was one of them.

I put together a few gift baskets—candles and self-care products, coloring activities and books, and fresh baked goods—and made my way to visit a handful of families who lived near Nile’s house.

The first few stops went smoothly, with polite exchanges between us. The families seemed surprised by my sudden appearance but were welcoming and kind. The children, especially, seemed excited that the luna of their pack had come to visit them and bring them gifts.

It wasn’t until my last stop of the day that I had an uncomfortable situation. I knocked on the door and it was opened by the woman—whose name I remembered now was Jane—from the diner yesterday.

“Luna! You aren’t coming to check up on us, are you?” she asked, seeming both frightened and alarmed to see me standing at her front door. “I swear, we didn’t say anything after last night.”

---