ARTEMISIA
“Why would Counsel Piazza ever say such a thing? Or discuss it with my brother. You must have heard them wrong,” I try to reason with her, wanting to cheer her up but she is crushed.
I already can’t understand what is going on, but this would be outrageous.
As my old pack is organised with practically just my twin brothers in all the leading positions, it was decided long ago that it would be a good idea to have unbiased counsel who weren’t connected to the Alpha, Beta or Gamma by blood. So, if Giorgio was discussing this with Ramona’s father, I know that it has to have been a quite significant matter.
“I don’t know,” she sobs, rubbing her hands against her dress. “But I can’t… I can’t imagine living my life carefree without seeing my mother… Or Lily.”
“That’s not normal. There has to be something behind all this. First, the accusation and now this… I can’t…” I have barely stuttered the words as she already interrupts me.
“Maybe because this is a pack made of assholes and monsters, Missy,” she shouts at me, and I move my head back with a frown.
“That’s not true, Ramona. And I think they have proven it to you well enough. You even said it yourself. Just because they got to brainwash us doesn’t mean that this is true. I mean look at us and look what they are trying to pull out of their asses! You can’t say this now only because you are scared! I won’t allow you to insult my mates and my pack.”
She distorts her face, clenching her eyes closed. “I’m so sorry…”
“It’s okay, babes,” I breathe out, caressing her back as she lets her head fall against her arms crossed over her knees.
Pursing my lips, I flash her a sad expression. “This is insane. We will find a solution to that. I will never let Giorgio get through with that and your mother and your baby sister can visit us whenever they want.”
She lets her arms slump, looking at me as she pushes out a relieved sigh. “Do you think?”
“Cayden will certainly be on our side and I don’t think that the high council will ever allow such an outrageous behaviour. This is not how the relations between packs should be handled.” I lean forward to squeeze her hand as I shrug smugly. “And we are the strongest anyway.”
Finally, I get her to laugh, making a huge sense of relief wash over me.
My heart flips in my chest as I smell Matthew’s scent, and notice how Ramona jerks up to look towards the direction where we came from.
Turning around, I see Matthew and Gregorius nearing us cautiously before halting a few feet away from us.
“What do you think?” I ask Ramona, smiling at her. “Want to get to know your mate?”
She smiles back at me before nodding and wiping the tears out of her face. We stand up and walk back to reach the two men who are waiting for us patiently.
“Everything alright?” Matthew asks, making me nod happily.
“Sure, there were just too many emotions,” I grin, looping my arm into his. “Come on, I have a list to complete.”
Pulling him with me gently, we leave Ramona and Gregorius behind to get them a bit of privacy.
***
“And she didn’t tell you how long she would stay out?” Mirella asks me.
“Nuh-uh,” I answer with a grin, taking a sip of my food before stirring it further. “But I guess she just wants to explore the pack a bit and she found the perfect guide, I tell you.”
Mirella lifts her brow as I chuckle.
“How spicy do you want it?” I ask her as Logan walks into the kitchen with an angry frown.
He looks around, his eyes darkening as he finds me. “Artemisia, can I speak to you for a second?”
“Sure,” I say, cringing at the fact that he didn’t say my full name in a flirty kind of way.
“Can you keep an eye on our dinner, please?” I whisper to Mirella, making her nod.
Walking up the stairs with my heart beating into my throat, I follow him into the foyer. He turns around, passing his hand over his face as we stand a bit aside, far from prying eyes. “Cayden just gave us the lists with the names of your entourage.”
“Yes,” I say, looking at him with puppy dog eyes. “Is something wrong with it?”
I’m playing dumb as I obviously know why he is being unhappy with the list, but I was hoping Cayden was a little less effective in doing his job and he would have gotten the list a few days later.
Also, Ramona’s position is far from being official.
“Well, yes! Obviously,” he scoffs. “Can you explain to me why Lisa was downgraded from Beta Female to like…”
He looks at the sheet as if he wasn’t still believing his eyes. “… the fifth position.”
Laughing, he shakes his head as I still stare at him questioningly. “You made her an Omega, practically.”
“Well.” I clear my throat, kneading my fingers. “If Ramona and Gregorius are going to accept each other, it’s only logical that I make her my Beta. The Gamma position was given to Alberta, and that was decided a long time ago. And fourth-placed… I just thought about Astrid being the best decision because of the babies. And sooo… she got fifth. That has nothing to do with her though. You know how much I appreciate her. And saying this makes her an Omega is just ridiculous.”
“This doesn’t look like that at all,” he growls, leaning closer. “This looks like you were only waiting for the right moment to ditch her, and Ramona finding her warrior-mate in the pack is just the perfect pretence to do that.”
“What is that supposed to mean? I don’t get to manipulate the Moon Goddess to match wolves as I please, or do I?” I press my tongue to my teeth as he glares down at me.
“It means that you are just being petty because of one minor mistake she made, and it doesn’t suit you.”
I gasp audibly before I catch myself and squint my eyes at him. “How dare you?”
He straightens back up, shaking his head as if I was some kind of nutcase, but I pinch my finger into his chest. “If you want her to be the Beta Female this badly, why don’t you fucking make her one? Huh? Then I would have nothing to say about it anymore.”
“You are just being ridiculous now,” he chuckles dryly.
“Whatever, Logan.” I click my tongue, wanting to walk away as he grabs my arm, holding me back.
I look up at him defiantly as I growl at him. “Let me go. Now!”
“Not before you put her up that fucking list,” he snarls back.
Shaking my head, I claw onto his grip, my anger expanding in my chest. “Let me go, Logan. Why are you behaving like a maniac? I want Ramona to be my Beta. Not Lisa!”
“You are being unreasonable,” he argues, but I just want to get away from him.
For the first time since forever, I shift my hand, Cassy growling in my head at the threat Logan is posing to us, and sink my claws into his forearm.
He roars, snatching his arm away and finally letting go of me, causing blood to drip all over the floor.
Before I can even turn around, he has already grabbed me again, turning me back around and slapping me hard across the face.
I risk blacking out as I hit the floor, holding my cheek as if it could ease the pulsating pain.
Logan towers over me with a deadly glare while his wound is already closing. “You will regret this.”
Scooting back, I try to get away from him as fast as possible as he is already charging at me again.
I close my eyes with a scream and hear a huge bang, which makes my heart stop.
Opening my eyes carefully, I look down at my body, seeing that I’m unharmed and lift my eyes to find my mate being pressed against the wall.
A sweet scent envelops me, making my breath hitch in my throat. I’m still submerged in thoughts as the lean and tall man turns his head to look at me, his blood-red eyes piercing through my soul.
“Move!”