The Alpha & Beta’s Regret – Chapter 100

Luci POV

It was a long meeting and at least it wasn’t just with her Alpha and Beta sitting around in a room with her. Alpha Bradley and Cooper, his Beta, were seated to her left, just past her mother. Alpha West and Alpha Terence were on her right with West’s Luna Jo-anne was between them. She knew the four men at the table with her, from when she had lived here inside the pack, though it seemed a lot had changed over the past few years that she had been gone.

They all greeted her, smiled at her and stated it was good to see her, that they were happy she was alive. West had even smiled right at her, something never seen before by her. He’d stated “Rafe and Jack had feared the worst, Luci.” Then had gone on to say that he was truly glad she’d come to no harm. He’d looked at the boys and chuckled even, just a little, again surprising her.

“You know, Luci. We all now have something in common.”

“What?” she’d asked in return, a little curious herself, because she doubted very much that they did. West had never interacted with her. When she’d been here before, Terence had, but not West.

“Jo-anne ran away from me and Piper, Brad’s Luna ran away from him as well.” He smiled right at her.

Luci had just stared right at him, raised an eyebrow at the man, that was not something in common as far as she was concerned. “What’s that mean?” she’d asked, not really understanding his meaning. Because he and Brad had been chasing their Luna’s. She was not that, those two over there had Mates. This was nothing like what they’d had as far as she was concerned.

“Run away she-wolves.” He chuckled at her.

“I didn’t run away West.” Jo-anne stated flatly “I had a contract to live overseas.”

She’d watched West just nod and then smiled but say nothing. She let it go, didn’t know what they were talking about.

She’d been introduced to Jo-anne after that and shaken the woman’s hand. That had been interesting. All of them, Kali and Alari as well as herself, could feel power coming from her ‘Witch.’ Alari told her ‘Alpha Wolf.’ Kali stated, and Luci herself knew the woman was a royal as well, both she and Kali had the feeling of wanting to bow down to her. Not Alari though, and that was the only reason they didn’t. Alari wouldn’t allow it. She felt Alari pull them into line very quickly. Was not going to bow to this woman, regardless of who she was.

They all also saw the way Luna Jo-anne looked right at her, she knew what they were as well. Saw it in the woman’s expression, she’d smiled at Luci and then tilted her head slightly, stared right at her and then there was a knowing look on her face, though she said nothing at all about it.

Though watching her with her mother, Luci knew she’d eased her mother’s pain, felt the moment it happened even. Wondered if everyone else saw what she did, the slight glow that formed around the two women at Jo-anne’s words, it was her magic being used. Luci could actually see it.

Realised that Luna Jo-anne had actually removed her mother’s pain completely, with just a few simple words, there was no spell, no potions, nothing. She was one hell of a strong witch, one that was half-royal blooded.

All three of them were happy about their mother not having to suffer any more pain from the severing of her and Orien’s Mate Bond. It would help her to heal and move on with her life. It was a really nice thing for Luna Jo-anne to do. She wanted to thank her, almost did, but as she looked about the room.

She realised that no one here knew what she was, well other than her Mate, West. As she looked at Alpha Terence, the way he was checking everyone’s expression. She knew not only did he know, but he was concerned about all in the room. That man was also a royal, so the woman’s kin.

His eyes met hers and she looked right at him, he stared right back at her, a deep frown marring his handsome face. Yes, she understood what the Luna was. She kept her mouth closed and he nodded to her, and she nodded right back. A silent acknowledgement from the pair of them, that they both knew the other knew what Luna Jo-anne was.

She wondered if she was going to get a visit from that man later on. A private chat about not disclosing who the Luna was to anyone. It was not needed, everyone had their own secrets and for their own reasons. She would say nothing, it was not her place to out the woman. Besides, she was a royal wolf, a princess of their Kind. Doing anything that would hurt or bring harm to the woman would see the royal kingdom come for her and punishment she supposed would be served. She did not need that. Could well end very badly. Alari could make them an enemy of the Royal Wolfen family in an instant. If they took offence to something and Alari decided to unleash her call on them.

So, no. They would not out the woman, if she was a secret from the world, then that was what she would stay. There was likely a reason for it, a very good one probably, and that was none of her business.

Hearing Alpha Rafe tell her he didn’t want her going anywhere near Victor, well, he had no say in it. Told him as much, no one could stop her, not he, not Jack. Alari had already proved she could out muscle them, likely could out muscle all in this room bar one, and they weren’t about to take her on.

She watched them all leave and honestly was glad they’d all left, though Jack was the last to step out of the house. He smiled gently at her and thanked her for her time, hugged both the boys, as did Rafe before they left.

She was more than surprised by her mother’s words about Luna Jo-anne being royal on both sides. That accounted for her not needing spells or potions, she guessed, to use her witchcraft. Let it go, was not her place to even think about it.

She found it very cute to watch her boys shop with her mother. They had snuggled right into their grammy, one on either side to get a better look at items on her mother’s phone. Smiled at all the things they wanted, she didn’t mind her mother buying the boys things. If they’d grown up here inside the pack, they would likely have had all that stuff already.

Though she was more than surprised when her mother used the Nightfall pack card; her Luna’s card, to purchase everything. Wondered why it was still activated, she’d severed ties to that pack and now had severed her bond with Orien himself. Was no longer the Luna to Nightfall, he should have cancelled her card to the packs funds.

It had taken him less than 24 hours to cut hers off. She’d not been told either. Had found out when she’d tried to buy herself new shoes. Hadn’t packed any in her rush to get out of Nightfall and away from the man and needed some. Only to find out her card was not valid. She’d check the details and tried again, still it hadn’t worked. Had stared at it a little confused at first, the expiry date wasn’t up for a year, and then it had dawned on her that Orien had cancelled her card, so she had no money of her own.

But here her mother was days later still using it. Orien had not cancelled it at all. She wondered if Orien thought that he could win her mother back at some point. So, was still letting her use pack funds as a way of showing her this. It was possible, of course.

Though it was also possible that he was currently in too much pain to think straight, and had simply not gotten around to doing it yet. She sighed internally, the man himself could well have died. Or be dying right this minute. If he did, neither her or her mother would feel it now. That would also leave Thatcher in charge and he wasn’t likely to go cutting his mother off. Might even call her home to help Cathy learn her Luna duties as well.

She stood in the kitchen while dinner was cooking and texted her brother, had used her mothers phone to get his number while she was playing with the boys. Knew her mother wouldn’t care.

‘Hi Thatch, it’s Luci. Is everything alright?’

‘Why do you ask?’ he sent right back.

‘Mother and Orien?’

‘I know…severed their bond.’

‘Orien?’ she asked after the man, he might be a grade A a*****e, but he’d been her father for a long time and she knew he was Thatcher’s father, and that, despite all the man’s numerous flaws, her mother had really loved him.

‘Not in a good state honestly…but doing his best. Mother?’ he asked.

‘Allen helped her and then Alari sang her to sleep, she’d doing better.’

‘Alari sang? I bet it was pretty.’

She smiled a little ‘It was, but a sad song to fit mothers’ mood.’

‘I’d like to hear her sing one day.’

‘Unlikely to happen,’ she texted back, though Rafe had said the same thing himself. Shook it off ‘I saw mother use her pack card today. Orien hasn’t cancelled it???’

‘He’s not going to Luci. Was his Goddess Gifted and the Luna to Nightfall for 27 years…I think he wants to try and sort things out, try and get her back.’

Luci sighed to herself now ‘I don’t know how that will go.’ She told him honestly.

‘He’ll have to beg forgiveness, I imagine.’

‘I don’t know Thatch, if even that will work this time.’

‘It’s not for us to interfere with, Luci. Let them sort it out.’

‘Of course.’ She replied ‘are you in charge or Milton?’

‘Milton, I’m off to Alpha College again in the morning.’

‘What about Cathy?’ she frowned.

‘Is in her home pack for now. Alpha College is actually closer to her home pack and I can go see her on the weekends. It is like an hour away.’

‘That’s good.’ She sent. Though she was a little jealous of him right that minute. For although she had wanted to go to Alpha College, she had not been sent to it. Orien had actually agreed to send her but her mother had outright refused to allow her to go.

It was the only time she and her mother had fought about anything ever. Even Orien had tried to push for her to go off to Alpha College, but her own mother had stated no. Would not be budged on it. Had told Luci and Orien she would not be separated from her own child, that Luci could learn what was taught at that College there inside of Nightfall.

Luci had never really understood it, it was natural for all Alpha-blooded wolves to attend Alpha College. She turned and looked at her mother as she came down the stairs. She clearly didn’t have an issue with Thatcher attending college and being separated from her. So asked the very question she wanted an answer to.

“Why was I never allowed to attend Alpha College?”

Watched as her mother stared at her, blinked in complete surprise at the question posed, then just sighed a little “Because Luci, it’s run by the Wolfen Council. Who all answer to the King, and back then King Sebastian was all about power and getting it for himself.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I didn’t want any of those council members realising what you were, and reporting it to the Wolfen King. I didn’t know if those on the council would be able to tell what you were.”

“That’s it?” Luci frowned.

“Yes.” She nodded, but Luci saw something else flicker in her mother’s eyes.

“Mother?”

Watched her sigh heavily now, looked right at her for a long moment and then waved her to a seat. Luci checked dinner to make sure it wasn’t going to burn and sank down at the island bench.

“My father is a cruel, nasty piece of work. I was not born of love Luci. He took my mother against her will, as did many others…I know who he is, or was.”

“Was?”

“Not dead, just removed from his position of power now, though when you were 18, he was still in that position.”

“So he’s attached to the council?” she asked.

“No, attached to the old king…he was the king’s head warlock, his name is Hendrick. He does not know about me or just doesn’t care…but you? he might, likely would.” she sighed again “I had no idea if those on the council would scent out your linage or figure out what you were even. Part Siren. But I worried that if they did, they’d contact that man and he’d come for you is all, and I’d be too far away to stop it.”

“That’s not what you told me.” Luci frowned.

“I know.” Her mother nodded “but how could I tell you the truth, without letting you know about who you really were? Letting everyone around you know what flowed in your veins.”

Luci sighed now, she and her mother had fought about it, until Orien had come and asked her to please let it go, to understand her mother’s need to keep her safe. It had not been like him. Their fighting was affecting everything in the pack, including her mother and Orien.

It had surprised her completely considering he and her weren’t on the best of terms at the time. She’d also never expected him to offer her to study the same as those in Alpha College via distance education. That had shocked her completely. It seemed the man had known it wasn’t an argument that was going to settle down and go away. Had found a way to placate both her and her mother.

She’d agreed to it, not that she’d wanted to, had wanted out of that pack for a year. To be on her own away from Orien, but didn’t want to fight with her mother at the time either. So she’d agreed to it. She and her mother had made up and her mother had been the one to sit with her while she’d studied and learned over that year.