Emily’s POV
“What the hell are you doing in here?” Alex roared, his stormy gray eyes hard and full of anger.
I took an unwilling step back, unsure what to do.
I didn’t know that he would feel so possessive and angry about me being in his office.
“I-” I stuttered nervously.
I knew I had disobeyed him, but I just couldn’t ignore Lex and not say goodbye to him. He is my son, and I needed to see him. I already felt that I had neglected him by leaving him in Mila’s care.
“I asked her the same question!” Angelica said, getting to her feet with a sinister smile plastered on her lips. She looked at me with disgust as she walked toward Alex.
“You should call the guards and have this worthless girl arrested. She used your office as a meet-and-greet area for her family,” Angelica continued. “Who does that? And that in an Alpha’s office? She looks more like a scullery maid than a pack warrior. You should check her pockets; she might have stolen some pack secrets while here. It is a good thing that I made sure to have them locked up safely.”
Luke rolled his eyes, and Alex raised his eyebrows and found my gaze.
“I wasn’t talking about Parker,” Alex said. “I was talking about you! Why are you here? Who permitted you to enter my pack?”
That took Angelica by surprise, and she froze.
“My love,” she said, and anger boiled inside me again. “I came to apologize.”
“Apologize?” Luke huffed from behind Alex. “You don’t know the meaning of the word.”
“Excuse me?” Angelica snapped.
“You heard me,” Luke said.
Alex gave Luke a warning glare, and I almost chuckled out loud.
Luke backs off, annoyance painted on his face.
“It seems like Luke doesn’t like Angelica much,” Willow chirped.
“Seems so, but I wonder why?” I replied.
“Maybe you should ask him,” Willow suggested.
“I think I will,” I said.
“Angelica,” Alex said, and my attention snapped back to him. “There is nothing to apologize for.”
Angelica breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile spread on her lips.
“I am so happy to hear that,” she said, getting closer to Alex. “You make me so happy and proud to call you my mate! I knew you would understand!”
Mate?
It felt like someone electrocuted me, and tears suddenly welled up behind my eyes.
Was he going to allow this she-wolf to claim him as hers in front of me?
Was he accepting her?
“That’s where you are mistaken,” he said, as if reading my mind, and my surprised gaze snapped back to Alex.
Alex’s eyes suddenly turned a shade lighter, and the muscles in his jaw jumped.
Was he angry? Upset?
“What are you saying?” Angelica asked, bewildered.
“I never agreed to take you as my mate,” Alex said. “You decided that for me.”
Angelica’s eyes widened, and she took an unwilling step back.
“What about everything we went through together?” she muttered. “Everything I did for you? You can’t just throw me away. You promised me I would always be by your side!”
“I said you would always be welcome to visit,” Alex corrected. “I never promised to take you as my Luna.”
“What about the council agreement?” She asked. “You will lose your status as Alpha if you are not mated by the end of the year.”
“That is none of your concern,” Luke said, cutting in, and his gaze moved to me.
Angelica must have noticed, and her gaze snapped in my direction.
“You!” She growled, pointed a polished red finger in my direction, and took a threatening step toward me. “You are the reason why he is rejecting me! You did that! You made him change his mind.”
“I haven’t done anything!” I said, looking bewildered between the two of them. “I don’t even know what is going on or what agreement you have in place. I am just here to complete my royally appointed task.”
Alex flinched but recovered just as quickly. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but he didn’t look too happy about what I just said. He knew that I had come to do a survey, and I was still obligated to complete the task.
“I can smell him on you!” Angelica hissed, stalking closer.
I narrowed my eyes, looking at Angelica as if she had lost her mind. There was no way she could smell him on me; I had hidden my scent the moment I came down the stairs, hoping it would help me should I go into heat.
Heat!
F*ck!
A hiss escaped my lips as the most excruciating pain rippled through my body, and I grabbed my abdomen, hoping it would ease the pain. Alex stepped forward, but Luke stopped him, gesturing for him not to get closer and help me.
Angelica looked at me, bewildered, and she stopped in her tracks.
“What the f*ck is wrong with you?” She spat angrily. “Are you afraid of me?”
“Afraid. Of. You?” I managed to hiss between the pains. “I am not scared of you, and I will never be afraid of you.”
“Good,” she said, and the same sinister smile spread over her red lips.
I could see in Angelica’s attitude that she was planning something.
“Then I, Angelica Rower, challenge you, Parker, to a duel!” she said.
“On what grounds?” I moaned.
It was customary to set out the reason for the duel before you accepted.
My body was now burning from the inside out, and I clenched my teeth, trying not to scream.
“For the hand of Alpha Alex,” Angelica said proudly. “Do you accept? The winner takes all.”
“Enough!” Alex roared, getting closer. He didn’t like Angelica challenging me.
“Angelica, leave now!” He ordered.
“She must make a decision now,” Luke said, stopping Alex. “If Parker doesn’t accept the challenge, Angelica will by default become your chosen mate, and she will be Luna.”
The smile on Angelica’s face broadened. She must have known this.
“It’s our law, you know,” Angelica said, turning to face Alex. “You have no say in this matter.”
Alex swallowed hard and looked at me. His eyes were pleading for me to accept.
I knew he wouldn’t ask me to do that for him. This was solely my decision.
“I accept,” I growled, not even thinking about the consequences.
Alex sighed, relieved, yet worry crossed his eyes. He wasn’t very happy about the duel.
“Good!” Angelica said, picking up her handbag from the floor. “See you in a week.”
“I just have one condition,” I said, stopping Angelica at the door.
“And what will that be?” She asked, irritated.
“If I win, you will never set foot in this pack again!” I said.
“Fair enough,” Angelica said. “Just remember, when I win, I don’t only take your mate, but your title as Luna as well.”
That said, Angelica threw the door open and stalked out of the office, satisfied.
Alex quickly got closer, lifted me bridal style from the floor, and without saying a word, he turned and headed to the exit. Luke quickly rushed and opened the door for him.
Alex carried me back to his quarters, yet I couldn’t help but notice that something in Alex had changed, and I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
Will Alex eventually tell me, and what will my reaction be?
****