4. Half Naked In Your Office

Luna Taylor's POV

"What happened?" I demanded. "What do you mean he isn't waking up?"

The sounds of chaos echoed through the line.

I raced out of my room with the phone still trembling by my ear.

"He collapsed during dinner," Ethan said. "The healers are with him now."

I nearly stumbled down the staircase. The Omegas stopped their cleaning to gape at me.

"I'm coming. Make sure the healers have everything they need." I begged desperately. "I'll be there soon."

There was a suspicious pause on the other end of the call. My heart dropped clean through my stomach.

"Ethan?" I whispered, heart pounding away in my chest.

My cousin exhaled heavily. "Taylor..."

Fear crawled up my spine. "What is it?"

Another silence. Longer this time.

Ethan cursed under his breath. "The healers can't treat him."

I stopped so abruptly that a passing maid nearly crashed into me. A strange chill ran down my arms.

"What?"

"They can't access the medicine he needs." He mumbled, sounding exhausted.

A confused frown twisted my face.

Every pack kept medicine reserves. My father's pack had the biggest in the world. We even supplied to other pack's reserves.

One of the my father's important principles of ruling is that his people have easy access to medical care. The hospitals were always fully stocked.

"What do you mean they can't access the medicine. Have them send someone to get it from the warehouse?" I asked, running out the front door.

"Thier request was denied. Apparently the medicine supplies are being redirected to another pack. As soon as it's produced, the other pack takes it all. The pack barely have enough to support themselves, Taylor. Our pack is dying out." He said.

I froze, seeing red.

"Why would the elders reallocate our supplies to another pack and not our own?" I demanded.

Guilt pricked at me. Deep down I knew this wouldn't have happened If I was present in the pack. I'd let love keep me from my duties and I would never do that again.

"They didn't. We traced the order and it seems your husband did."

"What?"

A loud ringing exploded in my ears.

No.

No.

No.

He wouldn't. Brandon wouldn't do this. No.

" He's been using your father's sickness and him being the heir of the pack to steal from the pack."

I didn't even know I was crying until I felt the hot tears pouring down my face.

How could he do this?

I had loved him totally. Why would he do this to me.

Wiping desperately at the tears on my face, I whispered shakily. "That doesn't make any sense. Brandon is not the heir, I am."

I'd given Brandon all that he asked for. But no matter how much he asked, I had refused to sign over my position to him.

We had so many fights and arguments but I still wasn't convinced. I just couldn't do it.

The pack had been in my family's generation since the beginning of time. It didn't feel right to sign it over to someone else.

"And he's your husband." Ethan bit out.

Oh goddess.

A deep realization settled over me. He couldn't have exhausted our reserves so fast. The only way he could..... My heartbeat slowed.

In a distant voice, that sounds nothing like mine,I asked, "When did this reallocation start?"

"Six months ago."

That son of a bitch.

How long had he been planning this?

Brandon had started stealing from the pack around the same time he asked me not to leave the pack for my safety.

It all made sense now. There was never any danger in the pack. He'd just needed me away so he could carry out his agenda.

Whatever pieces of my heart remaining shattered completely.

Red haze blurred my eyes. Manipulating my love for him was one thing but messing with my people.... He was dead.

I turned on my heels and marched to his office.

###############

I got to Brandon's office with my heart still pounding in my chest.

“How dare you?.” I shrieked, pushing open the door.

He looked up and glared at me.

“Why are you here? I told you to remain in your room,” he said, his voice tight, eyes darting to the door and back.

His tone made my blood boil even more. Like I was a poodle dog.

I stopped in front of his desk, towering over him,"Did you actually think I wouldn't find out?"

A muscle jumper in his jaw.

"I'm giving you five minutes to leave my office Taylor," his eyes narrowed.

"You know I'm surprised I didn't see what you were from afar. I must have let the feelings I..."

He jumped up, fists clenched beside him. "I SAID GET OUT OF MY OFFICE." He yelled.

I didn't flinch. "No."

The silence that remained was tensed. I watched the shock register on his face.

Breaths shoved in and out of my mouth.

His eyes turned calculative and then his voice lowered.

"What is this, baby? You're acting strange," he asked.

Bitter laughter bubbled out of my mouth. Of course he was aiming for the feelings he knew I had for him.

Jokes on him.

"You redirected the pack's supplies."

His eyes darted from me to the door. "Baby, you're being emotional again. You know I only do what's best for the pack,"

"You fucking bastard. How could you?"

" You're overreacting Taylor. It's not a big deal."

"You used me."

"Taylor."

"You stole from my father's pack."

His voice hardened.

"Lower your voice."

"No."

"People can hear you."

"Good. Let them hear what type of man thier Alpha is, a liar, cheat, thievi....."

The door swung close behind us, getting both of our attention.

My eyes scanned the familiar red robe and cold chills ran down my spine.

What the hell?

She paused when she saw me.

The look in her eyes confirmed what I already knew. She didn't expect me to be in his office.

My eyes swung from her lingerie clad body to Brandon and back again.

My brain couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. It wasn't possible.

The room was suddenly very cold.

“Oh,” she said, eyes flicking between us. “I didn’t realize you were… busy.”

My body started to shake.

 I swung my head  back to the man I loved, and the guilt in his eyes confirmed it.

Was this why he asked her to come assist me?

And why he'd kicked me out of our matrimonial bed?

My legs went weak. I pressed my hands to my stomach, trying not to heave as her triumphant smile burned into my eyes.

All those times he told me they were working on something for the pack.

The room around me started to spin.

“Br… Brandon,” I whispered, through my suddenly heavy mouth. “Why is my stepmother standing half naked in your office?”