Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Sam

I walked back to the dining room with the most convincing smile I could plaster on my face at the moment, but on the inside, I was shaking with hurt, anger, and confusion.

"Were you able to find Stella?" Aurora asked with questioning eyes.

I looked at her and smiled at her before nodding quietly. I sat down next to Xander and ate the rest of my food.

I felt Xander nudge my thigh with his knee. I looked at up to see him looking at me with worry written all over his face. I shook my head at him and gave him a soft smile, even though I was dying inside.

A few moments later, Stella returned with a smile on her face. She clapped her hands excitedly and sat back down in her seat.

"Sorry I took so long everyone," she said before directing her gaze to me. She didn't say anything but with the way she was looking at me, I have a feeling that she knows something that I shouldn't.

"So Samantha," Arthur said, spitting my name as if it's something that tasted bad in his mouth.

"Why are you with my son? Do you want the Luna title? Money? Power?" Arthur said in a mocking voice.

I felt a stab of pain in my chest as soon as he said those words. I'm not with Xander because of the Luna title, money, or power. I just want to be with my mate. Someone to love me, protect me, and comfort me whenever I need comforting. Is that really too much to ask? Even after all those years that I spent alone in my old pack?

I frowned as these thoughts consumed me. Is the world really that cruel that it can't even give me a mate whose family won't judge me based on my past?

"Father," Xander growled out.

"Yes, son?" Arthur asked, raising a brow at his son who looked more than ready to explode.

"What in the world is your problem with my mate?" Xander asked, glaring at his father with murderous eyes.

"What's wrong with her? Do you really want to ask that in front of your weak, little mate?" Arthur said, glancing at me in disgust before returning his focus on Xander.

"Fine, let me answer that question for you, son. It's the fact that she's a weak she-wolf who doesn't know anything but to cry and ask for your protection every time rogues appear out of nowhere to take her. Why doesn't she actually fight back to prove her worth? Well, guess what, she can't because she's the weakest wolf ever alive. Weaker than an omega!" Arthur exclaimed.

The whole table was silent. Xander was growling at his father in his seat, holding me close to his chest and covering my face from everyone's view as if to protect me from them. Aurora was looking at Arthur with shock and a look of disgust on her face.

She stood up and glared at her husband.

"Arthur, in the bedroom. Now!" She ordered, pointing upstairs with her hand on her hip.

Her husband looked at her with a half-amused and half annoyed look on his face. He looked like he was going to protest, but stopped himself from doing so and went to his and wife's bedroom without a word.

She turned to me and gave me an apologetic and embarrassed look.

"Sam . . . I don't know what got into Arthur tonight, but I will talk to him. Go calm your mate before he rips his father's throat out," she said before making her way upstairs. But she stopped in the middle of the stairs and turned to look at me with a soft smile on her face.

"Oh, and I don't think you're weak. I think you're the perfect woman that my son could ever have. You guys belong together, and don't you ever forget that." She said before climbing up the stairs and disappearing in the dark hallways.

I stared ahead, not knowing what to do. I don't know how to feel. What should I even do? I'm so confused.

"Sam," a soft voice called out.

Shaking my head to get rid of the thoughts, I looked up to see Stella looking at me with worry written on her face.

"Would you like to talk to me while we give my big brother a chance to calm down?" she asked softly.

Xander's eyes snapped in her direction and growled.

"I am calm! And you can't take my mate away from me. She's mine!" Xander said before taking me in his arms and setting me down on his lap. He buried his face in my hair and started inhaling my scent.

Stella crossed her arms and huffed out in annoyance.

"It's not like I'm trying to take her away from you. Geez, sharing is caring, after all, Xander," Stella said before pouting.

"What if I don't care?" Xander muttered quietly, but since we're all werewolves Stella and I were able to hear perfectly.

"Well, aren't you such a nice and loving big brother?" Stella said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Sam, can I talk to you?" Stella asked, directing her attention to me.

I looked at her for a moment before nodding slowly. I tried to get out of Xander's hold, but his grip is like iron.

"No," he whined. "Stay here with me. You're the only one who can make me feel better," he muttered.

"Xander, don't worry. I'll be right back, okay?" I told him before getting out of his hold before he could protest. I kissed him on the cheek before following Stella.

We went through a back door that led us to a garden that's facing the woods. Everything was silent as we walked in the night.

Stella stopped in front of a tree and leaned against it as she let out a sigh. I looked at her curiously, wondering why she brought me out here.

"I know that you heard my conversation with Adriana," Stella said.

I looked at her warily, backing away slowly in case she tries to do something to me.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. If I did, then I would be buried six feet underground right now." Stella said, chuckling bitterly.

I looked at her, feeling unsure of what to do.

"Did you know that my mate was taken away from a couple of months before your arrival?" She asked, looking at the stars in the sky.

"We were happy together. We planned on building a house on the outskirts of town, away from the pack life. We were planning on having two kids and raising them with all the love that they deserve, but all of those vanished one night. Poof, gone.

"I couldn't contact my mate through the mating link. I had no idea where he was and who took him. I know that he's still alive because I would've felt it if he . . . died," she whispered.

"Stella . . ." I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"No, please. Let me tell you this. I need to get this off my chest," she said in a pained voice. I nodded and waited for her to continue.

"One day, Adriana approached me and said that she knew where my mate was being held captive. She said that she would help me release him if I helped her with her plans. Of course, I refused because I would be betraying my brother, but I had no choice but to comply when she threatened the life of my mate." She said in a sad voice.

I couldn't help but step forward and hug her. I can't imagine the pain she's going through because of her missing mate. I can't imagine my life without Xander. My wolf howled in sadness at the thought of Xander disappearing from our lives forever.

We snapped our gazes at the sound of a branch snapping. I squinted my eyes in the direction of the house and immediately recognized my mate's familiar scent. I pulled away from Stella to reach Xander's side. He immediately pulled me into his side and held me close.

"Stella," he said in a cold voice.

"I promise to find your mate and return him to you as soon as possible. Right now, my mate and I will be heading home. Tell mom that we had such a great time, especially after our dear father's behavior tonight." Xander said in a sarcastic tone, still managing to keep the cold look on his face.

He turned his attention to me, and his gaze softened.

"Let's go home Sam," he said before steering me into the woods.

The walk back was silent as neither of us had nothing to say. I can feel his anger radiating off of him in waves

We reached the house in ten minutes with the pace he was using, and me having to run in order to catch up with him. He climbed the stairs and made his way to the bedroom, slamming the door shut. I stood at the bottom of the stairs contemplating whether or not I should follow him.

I sighed and climbed the stairs and gently opened the door to our bedroom. I can hear the shower running, so I went into the walk-in-closet and changed into something more comfortable.

I laid down on the bed and got under the covers, sighing in relief when I felt my muscles relaxing. Just as I was about to fall asleep, the bathroom door opened revealing my mate who had water droplets running down his muscular chest. I turned away before he catches my staring, feeling my cheeks warm up as an all too familiar feeling made its way up to my stomach.

I heard him chuckle and the sound of shuffling around before darkness enveloped the room. I felt the bed dip and his arms wrapped themselves tightly around me, making me feel safe, secure, and warm.

"I love you," he whispered softly before burying his face into my neck. I felt his breathing even out before his light snores filled the room.

I laid there in his arms, feeling shocked and happy at what he just said. I turned around in his arms and caressed his cheek. I smiled and kissed his lips softly before turning and drifting off into a peaceful sleep. Or so I thought.

An hour later, a panicked knock sounded throughout the room.

"Alpha! Alpha! We're under attack!"

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