I could sense everyone’s confusion as we reached Alex’s office, but nobody dared to say a word. They could probably sense just how upset their alpha was with them.
Even my parents and his were among those who had been gathered. And while that was kind of ridiculous, I could understand why they would be called. Alexander was basically telling his pack how dire this was, and that he summoned all those who knew with no bias whatsoever.
He went around his desk, but only chose to rest his arms on the backrest of the chair, while looking intently at each and everyone.
“Someone here has a tongue I am dying to cut,” he thundered without so much as a hello.
The confusion that followed his words was even more palpable if that was possible. Had the situation not been so serious, I would have definitely laughed at some of the expressions we got in response.
“Who dared to divulge that your Luna is a born healer?” He then asked, his whole being basically trembling, and I knew he was a moment away from doing something he might regret.
My parents and his looked around with both confusion and outrage etched on their faces.
“Why would you even go against a direct order?” Luc went on while he observed everyone with a keen eye.
My eyes settled on the woman who wanted to somehow blend in with the wall, and I went to her before Alex could. I would rather have answers than simply a dead and mum body.
“Tell us why, and we will do our best to be understanding,” I said in a soft tone of voice.
“It’s… I” she stammered on her words, seemingly at a loss.
She moved a lock of her hair behind her ear nervously and then with reddened eyes, she said, “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
“What were you thinking? You weren’t supposed to say a thing, doctor,” Alex came to stand next to me, his gaze chilly on the thirty-looking woman.
“I know,” tears fell down her cheeks. Then, addressing me, she said, “Please believe me when I say that there were no ill intentions behind it, Luna Jade. My tongue just slipped around some pack members when I was drunk last weekend.”
“Pack members, you say, Melinda?” Alex repeated after her. “Who?”
She glanced at him briefly, wrung her hands nervously, before admitting, “Vicky and Jessica.”
I stiffened at the second name, memories flooding me, and wondered whether it was the very same woman she was speaking about. Alexander’s stalker-ish ex and I barely talked since I broke her wrist over a couple of months ago.
“Vicky as in Victoria Mars?” Luc was quick to ask.
She nodded in response and went on, “The one, and Jessica Stevens.”
“Let’s see what they have to say then,” Alex gave a nod to Trevor who went to bring these two at once. “Everyone’s dismissed.”
Melinda turned, ready to leave as well, when Alex let out in a tone that brokered no argument, “Everyone but you, Melinda, obviously.”
She croaked out a “Yes, Alpha.” while wiping away her tears nervously, her eyes downcast.
I honestly felt for her. She didn’t leak the word to the outside world but to pack members whom she thought she could trust.
Was it wrong still? Yes, of course. She disobeyed one of her alpha’s direct orders. Was it serious enough to warrant punishment? Maybe but I didn’t think it would be anything severe. Not only didn’t she mean anything by letting it slip, but she had also been drunk.
Within three minutes, both Jessica and Victoria were in the office. I knew that Jessica and I had our differences, but would she really go as far as to tell someone from another pack about me? As for Victoria, whom I knew in passing only and had rarely ever interacted with, did she have any motive at all?
“You asked for me, alpha?” Jessica began, her sultry tone of voice at the use of his title making me see red, and want to paint the room red with her blood.
“I did indeed,” he said dismissively while he looked intently from one woman to the other.
“Are we in trouble, alpha?” Victoria chanced out, her eyes downcast, unable to look Alex in the eyes.
“One of you definitely is,” he retorted scathingly even as he made his hand joints crack.
I put a calming hand on his arm, and he looked at me with a faint smile. Jessica sent me a glare briefly, and I raised an eyebrow at her.
“I dare you to give your luna the stink eye again, pup,” Alex threatened, his eyes blackening as he did so.
She could only bare her neck in submission, but no word of apology crossed her lips. Melinda was looking like she was ready to faint any moment from the tension. I gave her a soft reassuring smile.
“I’ll cut to the chase,” he then said matter-of-factly. “Which of you has ties with the Midnight Moon pack?”
Victoria’s expression was one of confusion while Jessica’s breath caught in her throat, a guilty expression crossing her face before she schooled it back into a neutral one.
“Good poker face you have there, Jessica,” I complimented her in a sarcastic tone of voice.
“I didn’t know my private matters would be of such concern to you, alpha,” she said in an apologetic tone, her eyes mocking me somehow.
“Pardon?” He raised an eyebrow at her.
“I only slept with their beta a couple of times,” she let out, looking at him hungrily from beneath her eyelashes. “But it meant nothing…”
“Who you sleep with is none of my concern,” he told her icily. “Who you talk to about my mate and luna is.”
“I don’t like what you’re implying, Jessica,” I thundered, just about ready to throw some fists.
“Everyone knows the alpha and I have a past,” was her mocking retort.
“Exactly,” I told her flippantly. “A past but no present or future to speak of.”
“Why would you divulge that Jade is a born healer?” Alex asked in a controlled tone of voice.
She shrugged almsot nonchalantly, “I didn’t know it was a secret.”
“Didn’t you? You’ve always been a bad liar.” He shook his head in obvious displeasure before flashing to her side.
He had her neck in a choke hold before I could even breathe a word.
“Give me one reason why I should let you live,” he growled.
Her face was turning red and she tried to fight off his hand, and that only made Alex choke her harder.