“We need a pureblood Luna, not a human woman usurping the Luna seat,” the elders of the Bloodstone Pack tried reasoning with their Alpha, Thaddeus Lykos. “The Moon Goddess has finally delivered you a second chance mate. Please don’t waste her grace and wisdom on a decision made by your careless seed."

Thaddeus’ lips tightened with anger. “I assure you, it was not my seed making this decision.”

“Bah,” Corinthos, the elder waved his hand dismissively. “Humans are conniving and avaricious.”

Another elder jumped in, “They are not to be trusted!” He exclaimed as he waved a finger at Thaddeus.

“Especially the women.” A female elder by the name of Annalisa chimed in.

“Diana isn’t like that.” Thaddeus defended. “I have known her for years and it was not she who pursued me, but I who pursued her relentlessly.”

“Pish posh!” The female elder resumed. “Believe me, even a blind woman can smell wealth and prestige, with or without the olfaction of a wolf! She was playing hard-to-get, and she played you!”

“And now she has that half-breed creature in her womb. Are we meant to bow to the little aberration when it’s born?” Corinthos spat out, his words laden with disgust.

Thaddeus growled. “Do not call my child an aberration or you will reap the consequences.”

“Enough!” Thaddeus’ Beta who has been quiet until now let his voice be heard. “Thaddeus, you must understand our reluctance, try to see it from our perspective--“

“As my Beta, I expect you of all people to see things from my perspective, Aeric.” Thaddeus interrupted.

The two leaders stared at each other coldly. The way they threw visual daggers at each other, an outsider would never know they were once as close as brothers.

“And what of Elsbeth?” The female elder broke the tension between the two men. “My daughter says you are her mate. You can’t simply break the mate bond with her. She’s so young and frail. It will surely be the end of her.”

“She’s not my mate!” Thaddeus growled. “I did not feel the mate bond come alive like I did with my Celeste!”

Celeste had been Thaddeus’ first mate. He sensed the bond on the morning of his 18th birthday and being that she was a member of the pack, she was accepted easily with no questions asked. Unfortunately, their union was not to last as she had died during a traumatic childbirth taking their twin pups to the heavens with her.

“Does this Diana even know who you are?” Corinthos asked.

“Or what you are?” Annalisa chimed in with a look of mirth. “Elsbeth is ready to become your Luna now.”

“I am not on trial here!” Thaddeus’ voice boomed through the hall. “I am the Alpha and I do what I feel is best for this pack and the compassion and love for the world that Diana has in her heart is exactly what this pack needs-- as all of you have clearly demonstrated today.” Thaddeus stopped himself and took a breath. “She will be here before the new moon.”

He turned to walk away not knowing he would never make it out the door.