Chapter 6
Important Discussion
Alexa
I don’t know who reports my arrival to Gabriel.
If my mission had gone smoothly without him finding out, I would already be tasting freedom beyond the borders of the Silver Moon territory.
Whether it’s Mr. Pascoe or Mrs. Geeny, they both keep their lips sealed and claim ignorance about that night’s ambush.
This past week, I barely recognize myself.
I no longer know who I am or where my life is heading.
Mrs. Geeny keeps insisting that I must embrace my destiny as the Supreme Luna.
She said I’m meant to unite the great packs.
She even took Alpha Romero and Alpha Alastair’s visit today as proof that the prophecy is unfolding.
What nonsense.
They aren’t here to bow under the leadership of Gabriel and me. They come with another purpose. I can feel it in my bones, in the quiet instinct prickling beneath my skin.
I descend from my room to the first floor.
The red gown clings to my body, flashy and dramatic, studded with crystals that glitter with every step.
I look less like a future Luna and more like a dancer from the Southern Star Club.
Gabriel chose this dress himself, and his sense of fashion clashes horribly with mine.
I expect laughter when I reach the lower floor.
Instead, Alpha Romero stares at me, his mouth slightly parted, the corners of his lips lifting in unmistakable appreciation.
With a faint jolt, I have become the center of his attention.
The scent of tobacco and vanilla drifts toward me as I stop in front of him.
“Alpha Romero,” I greet him with a bright smile.
“Are you truly Brianna Smith?” he asks, brow creased in confusion.
“I suppose I owe you a proper introduction,” I reply smoothly, offering my hand. “Hello, Alpha Romero. My name is Alexa Dawson.”
“Romero Blackmoore. Good to see you again.” His tone is calm but warm as he takes my hand. He lifts it and brushes his lips against my knuckles, his gaze never leaving my face.
“And she’s mine.” Gabriel’s voice cuts through the moment like a blade.
I groan quietly and roll my eyes. Romero shoots Gabriel a sharp look, then turns back to me with a faint smile as he releases my hand.
“Of course, Alpha Gabriel,” Romero says evenly, though his eyes remain fixed on me.
“Let’s head into the lounge,” Gabriel says, stepping between us. “Alpha Alastair arrived earlier. He’s waiting on us.” He gestures for Romero to follow.
My eyes flick toward Harlow behind me. His expression darkens, narrowed eyes drilling into Romero’s back. For what reason? He seems more comfortable hiding behind the title of Omega than standing beside me as a true mate.
I ignore him and walk toward the family room, my heels clicking against the polished floor. A large guard stands near the door. His unfamiliar face tells me he likely belongs to Alastair. When we approach, one of our house maids opens the door.
“Come on in, Alpha Romero,” Gabriel says. Then he adds, turning to me with a thin smile, “You too, darling.” His arm slides around my waist, guiding me inside.
“You’ll be staying out here, right?” he calls over his shoulder to Harlow, his smirk sharp as the door shuts behind us.
The moment I step into the room, the air shifts. Musk and dominance hang thick around the fireplace.
Alastair sits on the sofa, massive and immovable. The chair sinks beneath his weight. One elbow rests on the armrest, emphasizing the taut muscles beneath his cream colored suit. His thick legs are spread comfortably, an unspoken display of power. He’s just as imposing as I remember.
“Here she is,” Alastair says in a deep voice, his tongue briefly tracing his lower lip. His dark gaze drags over me, slow and assessing, sending a chill down my spine.
“Alpha Romero, have a seat,” Gabriel says, gesturing to the sofa arranged around the table. “Darling, pour the tea for us.” His smile is polished and false.
“Of course,” I reply with equal sweetness.
I pour chamomile tea into Romero’s cup, then Gabriel’s, then my own. Thankfully my hair is tied high, keeping it from falling forward as I lean over the table.
“Well now,” Alastair rumbles, “you remind me of that little firecracker waitress at the Southern Star Club.”
“Let’s leave the past where it belongs, Alpha Alastair,” Gabriel says coolly. “We’ve got business ahead of us.”
Alastair lets out a low scoff. “What kind of future hangs on a prophecy about a whore dressed up like a saint?”
“Easy now,” Romero says, his tone steady and grounded. “Let’s keep this civil and finish what we couldn’t settle yesterday.”
“Yeah, and she’s the reason we didn’t finish,” Alastair says, tilting his chin toward me.
My hand tightens around the teapot, though I force it not to shake as I fill the final cup.
“If you’re here just to stir trouble, what’s the point of showing up?” Romero asks, brows drawing together.
Alastair leans forward, elbows resting on his knees. His eyes gleam as they shift between me and the two other Alphas.
“I didn’t come to make peace,” he says slowly. “I came to collect a debt.”
“Relax, Alpha Alastair,” Gabriel says. “Everything’s arranged. We’ll settle your matter after this meeting. Right now, we’re talking about the Moon Goddess’s prophecy and the Dark Ruler.”
He pulls me down beside him with a subtle tug at my waist, staking his claim without subtlety at all.
“I’ve heard about that prophecy,” Alastair replies, lifting a brow. “You don’t seriously expect me to hand over my territory to you, do you?”
“As I told you on the phone,” Gabriel continues, his tone swelling with pride, “Alexa is a Lycan with pure Alpha blood. Every spell book in our world speaks of a being like her. She chose me as her Alpha. It only makes sense to unite our strength to defeat the Dark Ruler.”
He expects admiration. Instead, Alastair bursts into loud laughter. Romero remains quiet, watching.
“Oh, come on,” Alastair scoffs. “We don’t even know if that prophecy’s about her.” For once, I silently agree.
“We can’t confirm it yet,” Romero says, his voice steady as a mountain river, “but the signs point to Alexa. I’ve never encountered a female Lycan before.
That species was believed extinct. And the timing lines up with the rise of dark magic across several regions.
” His eyes meet mine as he speaks, acknowledging me not as a prize, but as a person at the center of the storm.
“So what?” Alastair leans back. “You’ll marry her tomorrow and call that proof you’re worthy to stand by her side?
If strength’s what’s needed to defeat this Dark Lord, maybe she ought to choose me.
” He pulls a cigarette from a silver case and lights it with a black lighter, the sharp click echoing in the room.
“We don’t even know who the Dark Lord is,” Romero counters. “Maybe what’s needed isn’t brute strength. Maybe it’s strategy and intelligence.”
“Or love,” Gabriel says, lifting his chin.
A scoff escapes me before I can stop it. Apparently, that was a mistake because now all three men turn toward me.
“Something funny?” Alastair asks, exhaling smoke to the side, avoiding it to blow toward me. “If you’ve got something to say, go on.”
“I just don’t believe in the power of love,” I reply with a short laugh. “Sounds ridiculous.”
Gabriel’s jaw tightens by my harsh words.
“Well then,” Alastair grins, “you might as well pick one of us based on something real.”
“That ain’t how this works,” Gabriel snaps.
“Quiet,” Alastair shoots back, blowing a thin stream of smoke toward Gabriel’s face.
“What if Alexa reconsiders her choice?” Romero suggests, his tone thoughtful but eager.
“I don’t know. I—” My voice caught in my throat. Can I really do that after a blood pact with Gabriel?
“Oh, and one more thing,” Gabriel adds, raising a finger before pointing toward the closed door. “There’s another man who claims he’s your potential mate. He just ain’t an Alpha like us.”
“Stop it, Gabriel,” I snap. I refuse to let him drag Harlow into this again.
“What’s the matter?” Gabriel chuckles. “You embarrassed an Omega dared to stake a claim?”
His laughter feels sharp, slicing straight through my chest. The humiliation burns, not for me, but for Harlow. The man who owns my heart whether he stands tall or not. I press my hands against my thighs, jaw tight, swallowing the anger threatening to erupt.
“How does a mess like this even happen?” Alastair mutters with a dismissive shake of his head.
“Mind your words, Alpha Alastair,” Romero says sharply. “Alexa deserves respect.”
“Why should she?” Alastair shrugs. “She’s no different from any other woman I’ve had. Not even a virgin. The only thing special is that pure Alpha blood and her Lycan spirit. Makes her useful for building an army.”
“If you don’t value her, then step aside,” Romero says, eyes narrowing.
Alastair ignores him. He drains the rest of his tea in one long swallow as if the heat means nothing. Then he sets the cup down, dabs the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief, and looks back at us with unreadable calm.
“I still want her as my blessed little heir maker,” Alastair says with a crooked grin. “Moon Goddess picked her special, didn’t she?”
Silence settles over the room after his declaration.
I can’t tell whether his arrogance is born from confidence or delusion.
Every Alpha here believes he can bend me into choosing him.
The certainty in their posture, in the tilt of their chins, stands in sharp contrast to Harlow, who always shrinks himself as if love must be earned through apology.
“You know what, this is going nowhere. Let’s just discuss business face to face now.
Alpha Romero, you may rest first in the guest’s room.
Let me ask a servant to show you the way.
” Gabriel rises from the sofa and gestures toward the door.
Romero follows his direction though he glances at me and Alastair for a moment.
I nod, reassuring him in silence that I’ll be safe.