The Unexpected Mate

“Well, what do you want to do about this then?” Harper asked me. I stood there looking at the papers and accusations being put against me. Apparently, that little shit had been working hard to try and press me into a corner legally. I wanted to roll my eyes.

“Unless he’s going to walk his punk ass over here and try and drag me to the council law house, nothing. All of this is just false claims he is using to see who will side with him against me to start a war,” I told Harper and was irritated. Just by the accusations on the documents I knew who he went to for them.

“I mean, we did do a few of those,” Harper said with a laugh. I gave him a look.

“Prove it,” I shot back. Harper shrugged.

“They can’t, however, we can’t ignore the summons either. Layla’s sister has put in a kidnapped and missing person report. Nate is also still arguing that you are holding his future Luna hostage,” Harper reminded me calmly. I took a breath and told myself to not run out the door just yet to kill the son of a bitch and take what he had.

“Yeah well, there is no reversing the mark. We are bonded and there is no refuting that. Let him piss and moan all he wants,” I said. “Doesn’t anyone think it’s a little fucked up that her sister is putting this in when he said she was to be his Luna a couple of months ago? Now it’s Layla? Does Ashley not have a problem with her male wanting to bed another female?” I said disgusted with all of it. I had Layla’s memories and saw how her sister treated her. It absolutely was fucked up.

“Probably just doing what Nate says thinking it will get her more favor. Absolutely it’s fucked up,” Harper said and I was silent for a moment.

“Goddamn it, how long before we have to deal with council members coming to check and inventory what we have?” I asked reading through a few pages.

“A week or so at best, they will have to do something about the claims unless they are dropped,” Harper stated and I read another page and nearly crumpled the paper.

“Or he is dead,” I said seriously. I was tired of being challenged at every turn. If they wanted to accuse me of being an uncivilized animal. Then an uncivilized animal is what they were going to get.

“I mean that works too. Do you want to challenge him then?” Harper asked me and I met his gaze.

“I am going to challenge him. I want to do it before all of this becomes a bigger problem,” I said, and Harper sighed.

“Even if you take what he has. They might still look,” Harper warned. Ever the voice of reason.

“Then let them look, without the buzzing annoying fly in their ear they won’t do much,” I said, and Harper shrugged.

“Some might also be concerned with you taking over another large territory. I am not against you challenging him by any means, we just need to be prepared for the fallout too. Many in North Territory are not going to just bow down to you,” Harper said and there was censor in his eyes. I let out a sigh.

“Yeah, I know,” I stated with a little bit of defeat and rubbed my brow. Taking over a territory was not easy. There would be lashing out, but hopefully, there was more hated being ruled by Nate than being taken over.

I would give the population the choice to stay and adhere to the new territory structure or they could leave the territory of their choice. There was a soft knock on the door.

“Axel?” I felt my heart speed up and excitement hit me at Layla’s voice. Harper immediately went over and opened the door for her. She was beautiful as always, and even though I spent my entire morning with her, my mind took a fast downward plunge for a moment. Especially seeing my mark on her shoulder with the shirt that she wore.

“You called?” Layla said and while she met my gaze she appeared a little nervous. I could not help it, I motioned for her to come closer. I was leaning against the desk there and watched her approach me.

She didn’t hesitate to do so, and I immediately reached to pull her closer a little faster. Just because I could, I pulled her nearly into me. My hand was around the side of her head and just buried my face in her neck and hair for a moment to take in our combined scents. Perfect.

“I did,” I said after a moment. I pulled back slightly and I could see heat and humor in her gaze. She didn’t have to do anything and she turned me on.

“Well?” She asked after I didn’t speak again, but was touching her hair and pulling her in by her waist. Harper cleared his throat with humor in his gaze.

“Should I just come back?” He asked and I had a half little smirk.

“Maybe one day you will understand Harper,” I said to him and he just raised an eyebrow at me. To Layla, I spoke though.

“Your sister has declared you a missing person. They are still stating that you are being held against your will. With a few other accusations against me, but the most pressing is with you,” I told her and a lot of things passed through her eyes.

“Ashley doesn’t care about me. She never has, and I don’t get why he would even keep trying at this point. I’m not going back,” She said fiercely gripping my forearm that was up as that hand was still in her hair slightly.

“While I love hearing that sweetness,” I said feeling very possessive and satisfied with her statement, “I think he is more concerned with using it to turn other territories against me. He is trying to accuse me of other disappearances from other places as well. Stating that I am stealing females and you are the biggest proof of how bold I am getting.” She had a look of shock.

“What?” Layla asked and glanced over at Harper who shrugged.

“There are a lot of accusations being made right now from Nate and a few others Luna. Nate is at the head of it, there have been a good number of missing wolf cases in recent years. We have actually taken in a few of these, but not all can be accounted for by us. We will take in wolves or lycans that are running from abusive packs or situations. Some territories hide darker secrets than ours. So they are trying to turn it on us by painting us in a worse light,” Harper added and Layla looked angry.

“You can’t make someone go back to a pack they want to leave. Did you give them papers, did you make them citizens of your territory? Who are they, do they need to be addressed?” Layla was more demanding, and I felt a smile spread across my face. She was getting worked up and fierce over those she did not know but identified with. God, she was perfect, perfect in so many ways. I love it, I could completely love this woman and I knew it.

“Sweetness,” I said pulling her back as she had turned. Harper held up his hand in surrender and humor with how she had moved toward him demanding answers.

“Calm, of course, we did. They all signed into the territory, were given citizenship, and also have statements and testimony in private files to be kept for a situation like this. However we need to deal with your accusations first,” I said with a sigh.

“You are not yet signed to this territory. We have the papers, but they will be marked after the accusations. We will still do it, but we are going to have to go to the neutral area and bring it along with showing we are a bonded pair. They are going to question you alone and with me. Are you okay with this?” I asked searching her gaze.

“Of course, if I can knock out a few of your top men and hit you with a chair to defend a hospital, I can answer some questions.” She said haughtily.

“Almost, almost hit me with a chair. I caught it,” I correct and she raised an eyebrow at me. I just gave her a boyish grin to which she rolled her eyes. She searched my gaze a bit though.

“Is that all? You just want me to be prepared to be interrogated? I will stand by you Axel, I made my choice.” She reached up and her fingers brush my neck and close to my collar bone touching her mark. I felt my body jump at her touch. If she kept going I was going to kick Harper out to have her. She did not need to be in her cycle for me to crave her like an addict.

“I am going to issue a challenge to Nate. Once they finish their investigation of the accusations. I will see to the challenge; I will issue it today. I want them to know that I will first adhere to what the council wants, but I will not keep letting Nate get away with the things he has done. Nor wanted to do to you, he will do it to others. You know he will,” I said, and she nodded.

“Will you kill him or make him heel?” She asked and I stared at her. I was silent for a moment, but I saw she knew what that meant.

“I will kill him. I can’t leave anyone alive that keeps challenging me. They will always be a threat, and I can’t leave it unfinished. Especially when it is a threat to you Layla. Does this anger you?” I asked her wanting to know what my mate felt with my decision as the Alpha of this territory. She was quiet for a moment herself.

“No, no I am not angry at you. Nate is a threat and even if you made him heel to you he would never let it go. He would come for revenge, I know what you need to do is the best course of action, Axel.” I felt relief as she said this. I pulled her forward and kissed her soundly but quickly.

“Then in three days, we will have to go. Are you comfortable with this?” I asked her.

“Yes, I will make sure they understand. Are you going to ask any of the others you took in to also testify?” Layla asked and I let out a breath.

“I will be. We have the evidence and recorded proof from several of them about the abuse they suffered and that it was their choice to come here. That they did not want their packs to know where they went. They were all adults that chose this,” I said to her, and she nodded.

“Then I want to be part of it. I want to help you talk to them and make sure that they are alright if they have to face those that hurt them. I want them to know they have allies and their safety and freedom for such things will be fought for,” she said with a very Luna tone. I felt a smile.

“I think they will feel more than willing to do as we ask with that attitude Layla,” I told her and she gave me a smile.

“It’s our job as Luna and Alpha no?” She asked and I raised an eyebrow at her but agreed. Layla turned and looked at Haper who had his arms crossed.

“You, give me the list and all I need to know. I want to go there prepared. As beta I know you have it.” Harper really grinned at her demand and snapping of fingers.

“As you wish my Luna,” Harper commented giving a deeper sarcastic bow. He moved to get get her what she wanted with a smile on his face.

I had one too and as she turned back to me looking like a woman on a mission, I let my gaze slide down her body. Yes, she was a true Luna, omega or not, and of course in my eyes she was still absolutely perfect.