Page 35 of Betrayed Alpha Bride

Macy tilts her head, giving Galen a hard look. “It certainly is. Your actions leading up to this event, as well as the event itself.”

Galen looks away, and I feel a surge of concern for him.

He’s not even defending himself!

“Macy, Galen was there as quickly as he could be this afternoon,” I say. “He was attending an important meeting with me, doing his duty to the pack. We returned to Nico immediately when we heard something went wrong.”

Macy doesn’t react, except for a glimmer deep in her eyes. “Be that as it may, I want Galen to remember at all times that he is the alpha, and there has been far too much scandal around this situation already. He needs to step carefully to see it through with grace.”

“Yes, Mother,” Galen says, not looking up.

“I hope there’s a decent dessert coming,” Winnie mutters. “I need a sugar hit to calm my nerves.”

“Me too,” Nico answers, grinning at her. Even though the situation is still tense, I’m pleased to see that Nico seems to have fallen right into place with his family.

Chapter 10 - Galen

Dinner wraps up fairly uneventfully, with Mother charmed by her grandson and obviously seeing Clara in a whole new light. I’m touched that Clara defended me, and even more impressed that she did it in such a way that my mother wasn’t offended.

After dessert, Mother decides to take Nico on a tour around the house, and Winnie gathers up the plates and cutlery to help Jerry.

“Galen,” Clara says, surprising me by reaching out to hold my hand, “why didn’t you defend yourself to your mother? I know you stood up for Nico, but you’re the alpha now. Surely she trusts you?”

A heavy sigh eases through my chest, and it has no effect on the weight in my heart. The memories are still there, like stones dragging the joy out of my world.

“Even though she was known as a strong lady, Mother was always very passive and quiet,” I explain. “She was a traditional ‘good wife’ to my father, which meant protecting our status and reputation, as well as keeping a beautiful home and submitting to his will.”

“So that’s why she was so judgmental in the past,” Clara considers. “She was doing her duty to him.”

“Not just that,” I reply. “She genuinely thought no one in this town was good enough for me. Yes, she had an issue with you because you aren’t a shifter, but she wouldn’t have been happy with anyone I brought home.”

Clara chuckles. “Good to know. What happened to make her so different?”

I look away from Clara and focus on the tabletop, trying to keep my expression calm. “My father died.”

“I’m sorry, Galen.”

I shrug. “It’s okay. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t exactly friendly with him when you left, and I might have some regrets about that, but it’s all done with now, and I can’t change it. The thing is, though, it had an extreme impact on my mother.”

“Go on,” Clara says, squeezing my hand.

“At first, she fell apart. For at least two days, she didn’t leave her room. Then she emerged and immediately started planning the funeral. She directed the pack, organized the wake and ritual ceremony to bid farewell to the old alpha, and led every pack meeting from then on.”

“She sounds incredibly strong,” Clara says.

“She is. Stronger than I ever thought she could be. She took on everything, making sure our reputation was maintained and Father’s legacy was honored.”

Clara squeezes my hand again, and when I look up at her, those beautiful gold eyes are shimmering with emotion.

“What was his legacy?” she asks.

I flinch, just a little. It’s a fair question, but it’s not a topic I enjoy, especially since it shattered my relationship with my father.

“Keeping the bloodline pure, and always marrying our own class,” I answer, my voice rough. “The iron-fist ways were handed down from father to son, generation after generation. They maintained a system of strict laws, dictating who the alpha line could marry, as well as separating the pack into distinct classes. They also did not tolerate disagreements and dealt mercilessly with rebellion. Either in our own pack, or with our rivals.”

Clara’s eyes have gone wide, and her lip trembles slightly. I know it’s going to be hard for her to absorb these words, so I don’t say anything. I just wait to hear what she has to say.

I’m not looking forward to this. There’s a whole can of worms here that I really wasn’t ready to open yet.

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