Chapter Twenty-One
The pack hall filled quickly. Word of a mandatory meeting spread fast, and wolves filed in with wary expressions and hushed whispers. Leyden stood at the front with Connor beside him, and through their bond, he felt his mate’s desperate urge to disappear into the background.
That alone made Leyden’s rage burn hotter.
He’d spent weeks watching his clever, wonderful mate question his own worth because these wolves couldn’t keep their fucking mouths shut about things that were none of their business.
Every whispered conversation Connor pretended not to hear.
Every doubt that crept through their bond when someone looked at them sideways.
Every moment Connor felt like he wasn’t enough.
Leyden was done with it.
When the last stragglers entered, Leyden didn’t wait for silence. He let his alpha power roll through the room, pressing down on every wolf present until even the air felt heavy.
“Sit down and shut up.”
The pack obeyed instantly, conversations dying mid-word.
Leyden swept his gaze across the assembled wolves, watching several people flinch. Good. They should be afraid right now.
“Let me be abundantly clear about something,” he began, voice carrying to every corner of the hall. “I am your alpha. Connor is your alpha mate. These are facts, not suggestions. They are not up for debate, discussion, or gossip.”
Someone shifted uncomfortably in their seat. Leyden’s eyes snapped to them.
“Show some respect and sit still.”
The wolf froze.
“For weeks now, certain members of this pack have questioned Connor’s position. Questioned whether he’s fit to stand beside me. Spread rumors about our private life and suggested he’s somehow holding me back from being a ‘proper alpha.” Leyden let his lip curl. “That ends today.”
Through the bond, he felt Connor’s chest tighten, felt his mate’s overwhelming urge to run from all these staring eyes.
Leyden reached for Connor’s hand, gripping tight. I’ve got you. I won’t let them hurt you anymore.
“Connor has proven himself as alpha mate in every way that matters. In the month since he arrived, he’s completely overhauled our security protocols.
Every single enforcer application now goes through proper background checks because of him.
We discovered one of them - Brad Kellerman - lied on his application.
He was a man banished from a previous pack for excessive force.
Connor caught it. Not me. Him. Think about the damage a man like that could’ve done to this pack. ”
Leyden released Connor’s hand to count on his fingers.
“Connor caught three other applicants with criminal records they tried to hide. He reorganized our patrol schedules to cover gaps that had been missed for years. He established clear office hours, so pack members stop interrupting security work with trivial complaints about fucking tree leaves.” A few wolves had the grace to look embarrassed.
“On the other hand, Connor spent an hour counseling a seventeen-year-old kid who thought there was something wrong with him, giving that boy hope for his future. And he does all of this while fielding an endless stream of petty grievances that waste his time. Every single day since Connor arrived, he’s been invested in helping this pack. ”
The pack shifted, murmuring.
“My mate is everything any decent pack could wish for. He has a brain and uses it. He’s fair in his decisions even when pack members test his patience.
He treats everyone with respect regardless of their rank or history.
” Leyden dropped his voice, letting danger seep through.
“And in return, you’ve questioned his worth because of something that is absolutely none of your fucking business. ”
Heat crept through the bond - Connor’s embarrassment - but Leyden pressed on. His mate needed to hear this. The pack needed to hear this.
“My mate’s sexuality - our private intimate life - belongs to us alone.
Not to pack gossip. Not to speculation. Not to judgment from wolves who think they know better than me about what kind of mate I need.
” Leyden intensified his power, satisfaction curling through him when several wolves whimpered.
“I chose Connor. I claimed Connor. I will stand beside Connor every single day for the rest of my life, and anyone who has a problem with that can voice it right now.”
Silence stretched across the hall.
“No one?” Leyden scanned the crowd. “Interesting. There are plenty of whispers behind my back, but no one has the courage to speak to my face.”
Walter raised his hand tentatively.
“You have something to say?” Leyden fixed his attention on the older wolf.
“Just - I want to apologize, Alpha. To both of you.” Walter stood, looking at Connor directly.
“I questioned whether an alpha mate who didn’t consummate the bond could be strong enough.
That was wrong. Connor has proven himself in action, and anything else shouldn’t matter. I’m sorry I ever doubted.”
“Accepted,” Connor managed, and Leyden felt his mate’s surprise that his voice even worked.
Sarah stood next. “I made Connor feel unwelcome when he first arrived. I’ve already apologized for that before, but I’m sorry the alpha feels he had to call this meeting. You’ve been nothing but fair and kind to this pack.”
One by one, other wolves rose to apologize. Marcus. Janet. Even Josie admitted she’d participated in gossip without considering how it affected Connor.
Leyden let satisfaction settle through the bond for Connor to feel, but his fury hadn’t diminished.
He wasn’t finished.
“Those apologies are appreciated,” Leyden said when the last wolf sat back down.
“But apologies mean nothing without changed behavior. So let me make the consequences clear.” He paused, letting the weight settle.
“Anyone who disrespects my mate disrespects me. Anyone who questions Connor’s authority questions mine.
And anyone who spreads rumors or undermines him in any way will answer directly to me. Are we understood?”
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the hall.
“I asked a question.” Leyden pressed his alpha power down harder. “Do. You. Understand?”
“Yes, Alpha,” the pack chorused.
“Good.” Leyden found Lonnie in the third row, and the anger that had been simmering in his gut flared hot. “Lonnie. Stand up.”
The young wolf rose slowly, face pale.
“You’ve been the primary source of gossip about my mate since the day he arrived.
You put yourself in my bed uninvited, trying to undermine the bond I have with my mate.
You spread rumors about our private life.
You told Rolf information that nearly got me killed.
” Leyden kept his voice level, deadly calm.
“You’ve questioned Connor’s position at every opportunity and suggested to multiple pack members that I’d be better off with a ‘normal’ alpha mate. ”
Lonnie’s eyes widened. “I didn’t…I mean, I was just…”
“Shut it.” Leyden cut him off. “You’ve had multiple chances, Lonnie. Multiple warnings. You refuse to respect my mate, which means you refuse to respect me.”
“Alpha, please…”
“I don’t want to hear your lies. I’m banishing you from pack territory.”
Shocked silence exploded into gasps and urgent whispers. Connor’s hand flew to Leyden’s arm, but the decision was already made. Final. Unchangeable.
“No!” Lonnie stumbled forward. “You can’t… I’m pack! I was born here!”
“You were pack.” Leyden kept his expression neutral. “You ceased to be pack the moment you chose to continuously undermine your alpha mate despite repeated warnings.”
“I’ll stop! I swear, I’ll…”
“You’ve said that before. After the bedroom incident, you promised to respect Connor. Instead, you spread more poison.” Leyden shook his head. “You had your chance.”
Lonnie dropped to his knees. “Please, Alpha. This is my home. My family’s here.”
“You should have thought about that before you spent weeks trying to destroy my mate’s confidence.” Leyden hardened his voice. “You have until sunrise to leave pack territory. If you’re found here after that, you’ll be treated as a hostile rogue.”
Tears streamed down Lonnie’s face. “I didn’t mean…”
“Yes, you did. You meant every word.” Leyden stepped forward, towering over the kneeling wolf. “You thought Connor wasn’t good enough for me. You thought you knew better than your alpha what kind of mate I needed. You were wrong.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Your apology means nothing. It’s just more fake words.
You’ve apologized before.” Leyden’s jaw tightened.
“Connor gave me something I’d never had – a real partnership.
Real intimacy. Real love. And you tried to take that away from both of us because you couldn’t accept that not every relationship looks the same.
“My mate is worth a hundred of you, Lonnie. He’s intelligent, compassionate, strong, and honorable.
He puts this pack’s needs before his own comfort every single day.
And you tried to make him feel as if he was a freak for being exactly who he is.
” Leyden’s eyes flashed gold. “Get out of my territory.”
Lonnie sobbed, but no one moved to help him. Good. Let them see what happened to wolves who hurt what was his.
“Anyone else want to question my mate’s worth?” Leyden turned back to the pack. “Anyone else think they know better than me who I should bond with?”
No one spoke.
“Then we’re done here. Dismissed.”
The pack filed out quietly, shooting glances at Connor - some apologetic, some awed, some simply shocked at Leyden’s ruthlessness. They’d definitely never seen anything like that since Leyden had taken over the pack.
Leyden stood still as the hall emptied, watching Connor from the corner of his eye. His mate had frozen, mind clearly reeling through their bond.
When the last wolf left, Leyden let his shoulders sag. The fury drained away, leaving exhaustion and concern.
“Connor?” He turned, studying his mate’s face. “Talk to me.”