Chapter 56

Chapter 56. The Voting Maya was the first one to leave the circle and join her Alpha’s side.

“I plead allegiance to The Pearl Moon pack and Alpha Riannon Michaels!” she declared loudly. Tatiana and Aria were next, followed by many others.

“I plead allegiance to The Silver River pack and Alpha Brayden Thorn,” the elite warriors announced one by one. Almost all of them, yet not all.

One by one, people were choosing their side and soon two groups were standing in front of each other.(This novel will be daily updtaed at www.noveljar.com) It was more or less the way she expected it. At the moment, her crowd was much bigger than her ex’s, but that was a given, since they were on the land of her old pack. Not everyone was present here and she knew that it was only the beginning.

However, Brayden was getting gloomier and gloomier with each person who did not choose him. It probably played very differently in his head. He never lost anything in his life before and now it was starting to look like a pattern for him.

“Thank you for making your choice,” Riannon smiled when everything was over, looking at the people in front of her, “I know this is not an easy situation. And I am still grateful for the years I spent as your Luna. Our ways part now, but you will always remain in my heart. And I want you to know that I will not hold this against you.”

Brayden wanted to say something as well but changed his mind at the last moment.

“I think we are done here,” he announced dryly and then turned to his people, “Pack your bags. We’ll be leaving this place today for the old Silver River packhouse.”

The pack was bustling with people saying their goodbyes to each other. No matter what was happening, they spent years as one pack and the breakup was hard for all of them.

Quite a few people were glaring at Roxy, feeling like she was the one to blame for everything that happened. (This novel will be daily updtaed at www.noveljar.com)The fake omega was playing her usual part, looking at everyone with doe eyes and holding her belly that wasn’t even protruding yet to evoke sympathy.

Men and women were coming up to Riannon to say their goodbyes and words of respect even if they were leaving with Brayden.

And she made sure to thank each of them, at the same time letting them know that her doors would always be open for them.

It was a victory. And everyone knew it. Her new pack members were congratulating her, happy to stay under her wing.

Soon, however, the crowd dissipated, leaving just two small groups present. Brayden’s and hers.

“I hope you are happy,” her ex said spitefully, “We are no longer the strongest pack out “Strength is not only about the size, Bray,” Riannon parried, “I have to look at a bigger picture here. And the safety of my people comes first.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“It means that you brought a wolf in sheepskin to our pack,” she turned to Maya and motioned for her to give her the folder that Gideon gave her, “However funny that sounds.”

“How threatened are you by a simple omega?” he scoffed and she let out a sigh as she did not expect any better of him.

“I am not threatened at all,” Riannon rolled her eyes, “I took precautions to protect my people. That’s what a good Alpha should do. One thinks you should know that... But speaking of her being a simple omega, what really do you know about her? Did you even bother checking her past before you brought her here?”

“Of course, I did,” he said, “I talked to her previous Alpha.” “The one who abused her?” she chuckled, “That’s some source of information!”

“He wouldn’t lie to me,” Brayden got annoyed by her insinuations, “He knows that I would kill him.”

“Funny you should say that,” she pushed the folder into his hands, “But he is already dead. (This novel will be daily updtaed at www.noveljar.com)Didn’t you notice that he wasn’t present at the Summit?”

“That’s very sad and all, but I don’t see the connection,” Bray took the folder and opened it, running his eyes over the papers inside.

“A mighty Alpha was killed on a simple patrol of his own pack just two days after you happened to find your poor mate in his pack. Sure, that’s not suspicious at all.” Riannon shook her head, “Neither is the fact that most pack members say that she appeared in their pack just three months prior to that lifechanging event of yours. And no one except for the deceased Alpha knew where she came from.”

She could see how dumbfounded he became while reading the information she gave him.

But she also knew that he was a stubborn man, so she wasn’t surprised when he closed the folder angrily.

“This doesn’t prove anything!” He said and Roxy smirked behind his back, “You are just angry at my mate for everything that happened.”

“am just stating the facts.” Riannon replied calmly, “What you do with this information is up to you. She is your problem now. Not mine. But if I were you, I would at least ask her to “Don’t listen to her!” Harper appeared out of nowhere and gave Roxy a protective hug,“ She is just jealous that the two of you are happy together and are about to have a child! She couldn’t give you one for so many years!”

“And thank Goddess for that!” Ria couldn’t hold back a snort.

“You see, this is your mistake here,” her ex-sister-in-law went on, “You think you are so much better than everyone else! Always the perfect Luna! Always loved by everyone! Now the joke is on you! This is the first time when something doesn’t go the way you want it, and you just can’t handle it!”

“What are you even talking about, Harper?” Riannon rubbed her forehead, already tired of the scene, “You sure never gave me any love. Almost from the very beginning and I still don’t know how and why I earned all the hatred from you. And as for the rest, nothing came to me easily. I worked for everything that I have. But this is something you always choose to ignore. You notice when someone praises me or when I win something, but you never notice the work that was done before that. And this is your problem. Recognition is not given for nothing, Harper. You have to work for it. Not that you would know what work is. You haven’t worked a day in your life, have you? So, what do you expect?! Instead of obsessing over me and trying to bring me down at every opportunity you have, try improving yourself and your life. And maybe then you will finally be happy and stop being so bitter.”

Harper stared at her, gaping. But then she furrowed her brows and raised her hand, clearly intending to slap Riannon. She knew that Brayden wouldn’t stop her now.

However, her hand never reached Ria’s face as someone else caught it when it was inches away.

“Ash?!” Harper looked at the Beta in shock, “What do you think you are doing?!”

“Saving you the embarrassment,” the man replied, still not letting go of her as she tried to get her wrist back angrily.

“She deserves it!” the girl hissed, her pretty face distorted by the ugly emotions.

“Let her go, Ash,” Brayden ordered, “Riannon is not your Luna anymore. You don’t have to protect her.”

“She is not my Luna, that’s true,” Ash sighed heavily and looked at his best friend since childhood, “She is my Alpha, Bray. I plead allegiance to Alpha Riannon Michaels of the Pearl Moon pack.”

Ria’s lips parted in surprise. She didn’t see Ash making his choice and she just assumed happy that her friend decided to join her side after all.

“You are not serious!” Brayden growled in annoyance. Everything was crumbling under him today and coping with it was getting harder and harder.

“I am,” the Beta replied, letting go of the girl’s hand, “I am sorry, man. But you lost your way. I cannot support you anymore.”

“Ash, no!” Harper looked at him pleadingly, placing both her palms on his chest, “You can’t leave us! You can’t leave... me.”

Ria covered her mouth with her hand, realising that there was more to the story. Looking at the two of them now it was clear that Harper had feelings for the Beta.

“I am sorry,” the man replied emotionlessly, “It’s for the best.” “But...” the girl now had tears in her eyes and Riannon even felt sorry for her, “You and I “There is no you and I, Harper,” Ash took her hands off him, “I told you that many times. (This novel will be daily updtaed at www.noveljar.com)I cannot give you what you want.”

“But she can?!” the girl didn’t even care anymore that people were listening to their conversation. She pointed her finger at Riannon and the latter run her hand through her hair in frustration. How did she even get in the middle of all this drama? “Bray, did you know that your own Beta was eyeing your Luna this whole time?!I bet they even slept together behind your back...”

The sound of a slap made everyone gasp. And Ria scratched her hand, while Harper was gaping at her with a red cheek.

“Would you calm down?” the Alpha female quirked her brow up, “Stop your hysteria and stop accusing me of things you have no idea about! Ash is my friend! And he will always be my friend.”

“Don’t touch my sister!” Brayden finally woke up from his shock, growling, “You have no right...

“No, Brayden,” she stopped him, “I have a right to defend my honour. And as for you three, I think you overstayed your welcome.

You’d better leave. None of you is handling it well and it’s getting embarrassing for all of us.”

“Apologies, Riannon,” Bray gritted through his teeth, “Betrayal hurts.” “I know it does, Brayden,” she looked him up and down, “You made me familiar with the “Let’s go, Harper,” the Alpha tore his sister, who was now crying silently from his ex-Beta, giving him a glare full of hate, “We have nothing to do here anymore.”

They started walking away and only Roxanne hesitated slightly, staying for a few seconds longer. A sly smile spread over her face as she bent towards Ria and whispered into her ear, “This is far from over.”

“Oh, I know,” Riannon sneered at her enemy, “I am just starting with you. And, by the way, tell your friend Everett that if he wants to tell me something, he should just do it. Staring at me from the other side of the street is just creepy.”

Her words hit the goal again as the eyes of the fake omega shone red momentarily. However, she supressed it quickly this time and fluttered her lashes innocently again, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Of course, you don’t,” Ria chuckled and waved her off with her hand, turning away to face Ash.

“You and Harper, huh?” she raised her brow at the man when the omega caught up with her mate.

“It wasn’t supposed to be anything serious. I got drunk twice and this is the result.” The man confessed, “It’s just that she saw it all wrong and...”

“You don’t need to explain to me anything,” she interrupted him, “Your personal life is just yours. But if I were you, I would speak to her again later.”

“I will,” he promised, “Not that Brayden will ever let me go near her again. But I will call her and clarify everything when the dust settles.”

“Good,” Ria smiled at her friend and squeezed his arm in a sign of support, (This novel will be daily updtaed at www.noveljar.com)”I am happy that you stayed with me, Ash.”

“I will always be by your side,” he smiled back and she could tell that he was sincere this time.

“Just don’t count on being the Beta anymore,” Maya and Reid joined them, “That position is taken.”

“Fine,” Ash groaned, “But will you at least have me as your Gamma?” “Gladly,” Riannon agreed, “Welcome to the team.”

“Now that we are done with that,” Maya smirked, “Excuse me, I need to go and find my moron of a younger brother. He disappeared right before I could kick his a.ss for being friends There were too many matters to deal with at the pack. The members of The Silver River left the territory when it was already getting dark and a lot of new arrangements had to be put in place to maintain safety for everyone.

Riannon sat in her office, exhausted and knowing that she was far from done there. The lycans were helping Maya on patrol and to search for Dean, who was still nowhere to be found. She knew that he was aware of what he had done and probably felt guilty about the whole thing. Dean was like a little brother to her and she hoped that they would find him soon. After all, he declared his loyalty to her and The Pearl Moon.

The phone rang and she smiled, seeing Gideon’s face on the display. She took that one photo of him when he was sleeping and just the memory of it made her heart skip a beat.

“How is it going?” he asked in that husky voice of his.

“Just as I expected,” she admitted, “But I don’t think that I will be able to get back to your kingdom today.”

“Not a problem,” he chuckled, “I will come to you.” “Really?” she almost jumped in her seat with excitement.

“Yes, Ria, really,” he teased her, “I am not spending a single night in my life without you anymore. I am done for today and I want to see my Luna.”

“I love you so much,” she confessed and heard him chuckling at the other end of the line.

“I know you do,” Gideon said, sounding smug, “I love you too. And I can’t wait to hear everything about today.”

“Oh, I have a lot to tell!” she giggled, “Come faster.”

“I’ll be there as fast as I can. See you soon, Riannon.” The Lycan king said and hung up.

Riannon relaxed her back into the chair and closed her eyes just for a few second, when her phone rang again. (This novel will be daily updtaed at www.noveljar.com)She answered without looking, thinking that it was Gideon again, ready to tell her something sweet the way he always did.

“Did you forget something?” she smiled, but that smile faded when she heard Roxy’s voice.

“If you want to see Dean alive, you will come to meet me in one hour at the forest tree house where you guys used to play as children. Alone.” The fake omega didn’t sound her usual sweet self, “Bring someone with you and the boy is dead. It’s time for us to talk, Riannon.”

Note: So, did it go the way you expected? What do we think about Dean? Is he with Roxy or