The next four days pasted with little new happening. Lane would either be in office or out with Ryan while Ray stayed with me. Sometimes when it would just be Lane he would send Ray home and I would stay with Lane in his office.
I was curled up on the leather couch reading a book when the phone rang. I looked up and Lane muttered a few words and hung up. “Get dressed,” he said.
Nodding I understood. The Alphas were close and they would be here soon. I had spent the last two days cleaning the house making it ready for the Alphas.
Ducking in the shower I quickly washed my hair. I picked out a deep brown dress. It was almost the same color of my hair and as I pulled half my hair up I grinned. So this was what it was like to be a Luna. The dress was very beautiful and reached down to my knees with thin straps. It was simple with a gold belt but worked perfectly.
Lane appeared behind me and nodded. “You look like a proper Luna.”
I rolled my eyes. “And yet you get to wear jeans and a shirt. Lucky butt.” I pouted.
Wrapping his arms around me Lane chuckled. “Love I am the muscle of the pack. It doesn’t matter what I wear because I’ll probably going to be changing into wolf form to rip someone’s throat out where you are the image of the pack. And you look damn fine.” He slapped my butt and I squealed.
Then Lane’s mood shifted and I could also sense the new wolves. Lane turned but I caught his arm and kissed him. “Don’t worry about it. I’m right here with you.” I kissed him again.
He nodded. “Don’t leave my side unless I tell you. And make sure your mark is covered.”
I looked down at the ankle strap of my heels and double checked it covered the mark and then Lane wrapped his arm around me and we went down stairs.
“Gentlemen.” Lane nodded as the Alphas appeared. He stepped down for the porch to meet them while I stayed on the porch with Ryan and Ray.
Richard hung in the back as the ten men approached us. About four or them looked to be in their thirty or forties while two looked older leaving three about the same age as Lane and one who looked like he just became Alpha. I tensed when one of the younger men bounded forward to Lane but then the two men clapped hands and hugged doing the whole pat on the back and then shove apart.
“It’s about time you got a mate man,” the man said. “I was being to think no girl would want you.”
Lane laughed and shoved at the man. Then the other three younger Alphas stepped forward and said hello. After that Lane turned to the older Alphas. “Please let us talk inside. I’m sure we have a lot to talk about.” He directed the last part to Richard.
I could feel the power the Alphas gave off. It was clear why they were all Alphas. As they made their way to the house they each stopped to introduce themselves to me. The one Lane had talked to was first. He was tall with long blond hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. His eyes were light blue but they still gave off power.
“You must be Bryn.” He smiled. “Sorry you have to put up with Lane.”
I laughed. “I think it won’t be too hard. I take it you are Shayne from the Surf pack.” I held my hand out to shake his. Lane appeared behind me.
“None other.” He ignored my hand and pulled me into a hug. “Lane is like a brother so you’re now a sister.”
Trying not to laugh I smiled. “Well good to know.”
“Come on man let her go,” Lane joked.
Shayne disappeared in the house and the other three younger Alphas came. Duke was the youngest. He had only been Alpha for a year but had already won himself worthy of being an Alpha. Josh and Steven were the other two.
Then the six Alphas came. They were all very formal and only shook my hand. Last was Richard who smiled coldly. “It seems dear niece we get to meet again.” His smile increased and I felt a chill run down my spine.
I smiled despite my hatred. “Well Uncle I guess we’ll be seeing each other a lot. Though I do have to admit you would never want to know Lane and I because we are in different packs.”
He chuckled. “But that’s exactly why I want to know about you.” After that he followed the other Alphas into the house.
Lane frowned down at me. “Don’t go anywhere without Ryan, Ray, or me. I don’t trust that he only wants to ask questions.”
I nodded in agreement and followed behind Lane into the house. We all settled in the dining room. It was clear walking into the room the Alphas were split the four youngest Alphas on the right and the six older on the left.
Lane took his place at the head of the table with Ryan standing behind him on the right while Ray staid at my side as I stood in the door way. “What can I get you men? Some of you have come such a long way. I can’t begin to imagine how thirsty you are.”
I nodded when they all said what they wanted and with Ray on my heels I disappeared into the kitchen. Once the door closed I let out a long breathe but Ray shook his head. “Don’t give anything away that you’re uneasy. They can still hear us.”
Shaking my head I poured coffee and got the other drinks and put them with some snacks on a tray and went back into the dining room, making sure to knock on the door to tell I was back. As I sat each drink down I made sure to look into the eyes of the Alpha across the table. I wanted all of them to see my gold eyes. If Lane and I were really going to get out of this then they had to know Lane and I were truly mates and blessed from the wolves.
I felt some of them grow uneasy and look down after they saw my eyes and Lane mentally smile. “Love you’re doing great.”
As I was about to leave Richard stopped me. “Bryn why don’t you stay with us? I think we need to hear all sides of why the Lun pack is joining the Moonlight pack.”
My lips pulled into a smile. “Isn’t it simple? My father was the Alpha and never had a son so the laws say my mate is to be the next Alpha of a pack and when my mate is already an Alpha then my pack would become part of his. Though I must ask why you need to question Lane and I about it. Has any other Alpha and Luna ever been questioned about joining their packs or is it you just don’t believe Lane and I are true mates?”
There was a hush as my question cut through the ice of all their tricks. It was clear Richard had convinced the others to come saying Lane and I weren’t true mates but I wasn’t going to let anyone question my mating Lane.
“Well clearly they are mates,” Shayne said. “I mean she has his claiming mark and smells just like him. There have been times were a wolf claimed a female when they weren’t mates but she never smelled like him but clearly Bryn smells like Lane, we all can smell it. And then just look at their eyes. Yeah Lane had gray eyes but they were never silver and now they are. Now Luna I have no idea what color your eyes were but clearly you have your mother’s power.”
The room became uncomfortable as Richard glared at Shayne. My chest swelled at the reference to my mother. “Thank you Shayne. I didn’t know my mother long but that means the world to hear. I can only hope I’ll be half the Luna she was.”
One of the other Alphas laughed. “Dear child we have all watched as you lead the Lun pack as Luna growing up. You were Luna longer than her and you know what it truly means to be a Luna,” Tom said.
I didn’t know what to say. Thankfully Lane can to my aid. “That is true but I don’t think anyone here questions Bryn’s power.”
“The question is why was Blake, the last Beta of Lun pack son Alpha?” asked the eldest Alpha, Ambrose.
The door opened and William strode in. “That question is simple. I was too old to be Alpha and Bryn had not found her mate yet so she married Blake so the pack would have an Alpha. At first she didn’t want to but then she understood it would be saving the pack so she agreed.”
“So why isn’t Blake here and still Alpha?” Joseph asked.
“He’s dead,” Lane replied. “I killed him.”
There was an uproar and Lane had to yell over them. “He was obsessed with Bryn. He had a mate a few years ago that died. Now that is tragic but it did not give him an excuse to stalk Bryn back into Moonlight territory. He went crazy and thought she was her old mate. I question a few of the Lun’s pack members asking if Bryn was anything like Blake’s dead mate and they all said they looked alike.” He paused. “He was obsessed with getting Bryn though she belonged with me. And after he tried to watch us finish our mating I had enough and he had to be stopped.”
“So you killed him?” Richard asked.
“Of course,” Lane replied. “I would have gladly let Blake stay Alpha of the Lun pack. I had no need of adding the Lun pack to my own but I wouldn’t sit back and watch Blake try to steal my mate.”
“Well clearly Lane’s killing of Blake is justified,” Ambrose said. “The law is clear, any threat to a Luna the Alpha is allowed to carry out punishment anyway he sees fit. So not only is it Lane’s right as Bryn’s mate to be Alpha of the Lun pack but also by killing Blake. If a wolf kills an Alpha then he takes the Alpha’s place.” He nodded his head as if he agreed with himself. “So Richard why did you call us here? There is no question in Lane taking over the Lun pack.”
All eyes turned to Richard. A feeling of victory washed over me and I glanced over at Lane who shook his head. Clearly he didn’t think this would be as easy of a win as he thought.
“Well I really just wanted to question you Bryn.” Richard locked eyes on me. “This all works if you are in fact William’s daughter.”
“Excuse me?” I gasped. “You dare question my father’s loyally to my mother, his mate?” I glanced over at William who looked just as surprised as me.
“Even if she wasn’t it wouldn’t change anything,” Ryan stated. “Lane would still be Alpha because he killed Blake.”
“No it wouldn’t.” Richard smiled. “If Bryn wasn’t William’s daughter then she would have no claim as Luna so then Blake wouldn’t be an Alpha there for Lane wouldn’t be Alpha of the Lun pack.”
“Now you’re just looking for stupid reasons to question me being Alpha!” Lane roared. “Clearly Bryn is William’s daughter. She is the spinning image of him.”
“Then what about her mother?”
“What does my mother have to do with being the Alpha’s daughter?” I shook my head. “Please inform me because even though I know who my mother was that still doesn’t change the fact that…”
“Luna if William was unfaithful to the Luna then any child he claims as his would have to be tested to make sure was the child of the Luna,” Shayne explained. “Normally a blood test would be good enough.”
“But people were there when I was born!”
Everyone was silent and it was Lane who looked up at me. “Yes, Lun pack wolves but they would be loyal to the Alpha so someone outside the pack would have had to been there. And since no one was and your mother is dead then you can’t prove you’re Lydia’s daughter.”
My world shattered when I realized what Richard had done. Lane looked at me worried. “Do it,” he said sadly.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“We have no choice. The bastard has thought of everything.”
In raged I ripped my shoe off. “There!” I pointed to the birthmark my eyes locked on Richard’s. “My mother had the same birthmark and so does Richard, right under his left ear.”
Richard grinned. “Well that proof enough for me. All my family is born with the birthmark.” He rose from the table. “Well then it would see Lane and Bryn have done nothing wrong and Lane is rightfully Alpha of the Lun pack.”
Ambrose nodded. “Yes. The Lun pack will still become part of the Moonlight pack.”
“And the Moonlight pack will become part of the Grayen pack,” Richard added.
“What?” All eyes turned to Richard who chuckled. “The Grayen pack is the only pack that the male will join the pack. And by all rights Bryn is a member of the Grayen pack. So Lane as her mate would become part of the Grayen pack and since I’m Alpha…”
“That’s enough Richard,” Ambrose barked. “Everyone knew Lydia ran away from you so Bryn is not a member of the Grayen pack.” He turned to me. “Now you by all rights can make a claim to join the Grayen pack but I think we all know the answer to that.”
“No my place is with Lane and well I would never make Lane giving up being an Alpha when the old wolves have blessed him with their eyes.” I shook my head. “Sorry Uncle but I’ve never been part of the Grayen pack and nor will I ever be.”
“Well then I think that settles everything.” Lane started to rise.
“No we have one more thing to discuss.” Ambrose turned to me and I saw a gleam in his eyes. “Since Richard you wanted to be every technical then I think it would be perfect for us to discuss who would be Alpha if your daughter does not find a mate before it is your turn to step down.”
Lane’s head jerked up and I fought back a cry of joy. Richard on the other hand looked beyond mad. Ambrose turned to all the other Alphas. “Richard has only one daughter and if she does not find a mate in time then the position of Alpha would fall to the next closet family member who Richard made so clear is Bryn and since Lane is Bryn’s mate Lane would become Alpha of the Grayen pack. Does everyone agreed?”
Shayne was the first to respond. “Of course.”
Everyone else nodded leaving all eyes on Lane who nodded slowly and then everyone looked at Richard. A vain throbbed in his temple but he fought be his anger. “But of course.” He said through clenched teeth and then stormed out of the house.
Ray shifted and glanced up at Lane who nodded and then Ray disappeared out of the room.
Two of the other older Alphas followed Richard and Shayne cracked up laughing and clapped Lane on the back. “Good job man. I was sure that bastard would win.”
“Thanks,” Lane growled. He shoved away from Shayne and gripped my wrist. “Go with Ray. Don’t stop for anything, not until you make it.” He started to pull me out the room.
“What? Lane what is going on?” I pulled free.
“Bryn don’t fight me on this please,” he begged. “You have to get somewhere safe,” he added in my mind.
Ambrose grabbed Lane’s shoulder. “Don’t even think about sending Bryn away from you. It’s what Richard would expect you to do.”
“Let go of me old man,” Lane growled as he jerked away from Ambrose.
Laughing Ambrose shook his head. “I’m on your side boy. Why else would I bring up you becoming Alpha of the Grayen pack? Hmm? Think boy. If you’re going to play Richards game you have to be one step ahead on him. Keep her by your side because you know he’ll come for her.”
“Bryn go upstairs and wait in our room for me,” Lane ordered and then turned to Ambrose and Shayne.
Nodding I went upstairs and sat down on the bed. I knew it would take a long time for Lane to talk to everyone but I couldn’t wrap my head around about what had happened. Richard had planned out the whole thing. He knew the perfect questions to ask to lead to me having to prove I was his niece. Now he knew if his daughter didn’t find his mate the Grayen pack would fall under the Moonlight pack and I knew that was something he would never let happen.
It was late by the time Lane finally came. I had felt him all day being mad and hating Richard so I didn’t stop him when Lane gripped me and pulled me to the bed, breathing deeply in my scent.
Later I laid wrapped in Lane’s arms. My head rested on his chest and I traced my fingers over his skin. “Lane what are we going to do?”
He sighed and pressed his cheek to my head. “I’m going to protect you Bryn. Richard won’t lay one hand on you.”
“I know.” And then wrapped in his arms I fell into a deep sleep.