My Orphan Mate

Ava and Matteo were already at the pack house when Alexander and I arrived. My mate went to fetch clothes, meanwhile I turned to my friends.

The pair rushed to me and embraced me tightly. Ava was crying and Matteo was trying to comfort her.

"The doctor has confirmed both Théa and the Wolf are healing quickly," Alexander told me when he returned fully clothed.

He placed himself on the sofa and I was about to take a seat next to him when he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me to his lap.

His arms wrapped around my waist to hold me in place, and his chin rested on my shoulder. I allowed myself to lean back in to him, needing the comfort.

"You are mine," Alexander murmured in to my neck, inhaling my scent. "Your safety is everything, Lyra."

Smiling, I pulled my arm around his neck to lean closer in to him. Having him around made the day seem less horrifying.

"Do you want to tell me now?" I asked.

"Théa and Jaxon are almost here, we will wait for them," he responded, his voice on edge.

Before I could ask him about what was bothering him, the two injured pair strutted through the door. Without warning, I hopped off my mate's lap and ran towards the pair.

"Easy," Jaxon warned, but embraced me back when I attacked him.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?" I asked when I pulled back to examine him.

"I'm okay. Are you?"

I nodded and turned my attention to Zynthéa. After hugging and exchanging a few words of endearment, I returned to my previous position on my mate's lap.

A couple of minutes later and Adam had joined us in the living room. Ava and Matteo were seated together, Dyami had Zynthéa pulled close to him on another sofa, and Jaxon was seated on the floor with his back against the sofa. Adam was pacing around.

"Safety check has been run by me," Adam confirmed. "No one seems hurt, but Stylus has yet to confirm."

"Very well. Thank you Adam," my mate spoke behind me, his voice vibrating through his chest.

"The Wolves were disposed?"

"Correct. They have been returned to their pack, respectively."

"I should have ripped that loser apart a long time ago," Alexander bellowed.

I rubbed my hand gently across his chest in an effort to calm his Wolf. His eyes turned to me and something flashed in them.

He gave me a pained look. "I have never struggled with my words until now."

"That's okay," I reassured him. "Don't exert yourself."

"It is not okay," he argued. "What that bastard did to you, it's unforgivable."

"I know but he's dead," I reminded him. "We won't have to deal with him again."

"I should have locked him up and tortured him," Alexander spat. "Killing him was letting him off the hook easily."

His words made me frown, and when he noticed my expression, he sighed loudly.

"What you are about to hear," he said, softly. "I need you to stay calm, alright?"

I raised a brow at him. "Now I'm worried, is it that bad?"

Alexander swallowed loudly, and he raised his hand to tuck a few strands of my hair behind my ear.

"I will never let anything or anyone hurt you ever again," he assured me, his voice gentle.

But I was confused, why was he beating around the bush, doing everything to avoid the real conversation that all of us were gathered here for?

"Adam," my mate said, loudly. "Go ahead."

Adam glanced at me briefly, before he nodded once and started speaking.

"Gabriel Gray," he began saying. "The Alpha of Pale Moon, also known as our neighbouring pack or the enemy."

Jaxon shifted uncomfortably on the floor and I gave him a pitiful look. I wasn't sure what Pale Moon meant to us anymore, but I knew our friendship remained in tact.

And I was grateful. Grateful to have my best friends here with me, and not captured in the cell. At the thought, I leaned in to my mate and sighed in content. Alexander pecked my temple gently and tightened his hold on me.

'You okay?'

I nodded and leaned closer in to him, but my attention returned back on the pacing Wolf.

"It always fascinated me as to why the Alpha was in such desperate need to grow his pack," Adam ranted. "That was until you came in to the picture."

When he turned his gaze on me, I could feel my face heat up. He paid no attention to me and quickly diverted his gaze.

"Dy and I took you from your pack, thinking we could put an end to this feud between the packs," Adam continued. "But when you told us that you were Alpha Joseph's daughter, we became suspicious. Mind you, we didn't believe you at first until you broke out of that cell. A mere Wolf would never be able to do that."

He gave me an apologetic look, before pacing back and forth. Alexander pulled me closer to him, his thumbs running over my stomach gently. I wasn't sure if he was trying to comfort me or distract himself. He seemed on edge.

"When Alpha Xander told us that you are his mate, that's when everything slowly clicked together," the boy added. "So, if you weren't Gabriel's mate, why did he fight for you like you were?"

"It was a long process, but we finally found out why he wanted the Luna," Adam said, finally arriving to a conclusion. "The Alpha wanted you because you are Alpha Joseph's daughter."

"You already said that," Zynthéa grunted in frustration.

"Adam, get to the damn point," Dyami chimed in, his voice hard.

"Gabriel was not a true blooded Alpha," Adam stated, but gave no room for us to react. "His father, Alpha Gray, or shall I say Lionel Gray, belonged to Silver Crescent, to this pack."

"What?" Zynthéa asked for the rest of us.

We were all lost by this point. Alexander tightened his hands around my waist. I knew he wasn't trying to suffocate me on purpose, so I placed my hands over his to calm his Wolf.

"Lionel wanted more. He wasn't happy being a mere Wolf in this pack and after befriending Alpha Joseph, he left."

"That is some bullshit," Ava whispered, but we all heard her.

I could tell that she hadn't meant to say those words out loud, she appeared in shock.

Alexander shifted under me, making me glance up at him. His eyes were darker, and I could swear there was a red rim to it. My gaze turned back on Adam at his words.

"Alpha Joseph trusted Lionel, but Lionel took that for granted."

"Lyra," Jaxon interjected, standing on his feet. "I don't think right now is a good time for you to hear this."

"She needs to hear this, pup," Alexander snarled.

"Then why don't you tell her yourself?" Jaxon shouted, gesturing with his hand.

His eyes were dark and full of sadness. The brave Jaxon that I had grown up with now appeared vulnerable.

"Jaxon," I said, my voice hardly above a whisper. "I want to know the truth."

"You don't want to hear this, Lyr."

I couldn't understand why he didn't want me to know. Surely, it wasn't that bad.

"I do. Whatever it is, I deserve to know."

After a moment of contemplation, he shut his eyes tight. I thought he was going to sit back down, but he turned and darted away, muttering something about how he couldn't listen to this.

When I tried to go after him, my mate held me down tightly.

'You need to hear this, baby. Let the pup cool down first.'

I wanted to argue with him, but my mate gave me no room to.

"Continue," Alexander ordered, before the curly haired boy cleared his throat and did as he was told.

Adam held my gaze before he took a deep breath. "Lionel ended up killing Alpha Joseph and stole the title," Adam blurted.