Chapter 24: Mistakes

ALEXANDER

I cracked a grin and shot back, “Are you sure you can do it?”

A frown settled on my father’s face as he replied irritably, “If you have something to ask, then ask it quickly. Why are you wasting time talking nonsense?”

Even so, I caught the hint of wariness in his eyes. I didn’t care. Lifting my chin, I made my bold request.

“I want you to send me away from the pack—to somewhere the pack has no influence, somewhere no one can reach me, somewhere no one will recognize me.”

My father’s expression darkened at once, and he snapped, “Foolish child! Don’t ever think of such a thing. You will remain in this pack until the day you grow old and die. Don’t even dream of leaving.”

With that, he turned away angrily and let out a disdainful snort. “What a waste. I should never have come here. She has completely ruined my mood.”

I didn’t dwell much on my father’s visit.

At dawn the next morning, Christina came to my room as usual. After breakfast, she informed me, “You will be having your meals in the dining hall with your husband from now on.”

I stared at her in shock. She smiled brightly at me, but I only frowned. Alpha Damon had given strict orders about how I was to be treated, so what had suddenly changed?

I narrowed my eyes. Christina must have guessed what I was thinking because she hurriedly explained, “My Lady, the Moon Goddess has finally smiled upon you. Alpha Damon has changed his mind. He has decided to complete the traditional rites and name you the Luna of the pack.”

She clearly expected me to be pleased, but my blank expression and tightly pressed lips only seemed to confuse her.

“I’m tired,” I said flatly. “Thank you for the meal.”

I dismissed her with a small wave. She parted her lips as though she wanted to say more, but I turned away before she could.

A moment later, I heard her footsteps fade down the hall.

Left alone in my room, I drifted off again. It was around noon when a burst of loud voices startled me awake. I climbed out of bed and moved toward the door. The moment I stepped outside, I saw Alpha Damon and Chris in the hallway. Damon appeared to be blocking Chris from entering my room.

“She’s my mate too. You can’t stop me from seeing her,” Chris said with a wicked grin.

I heard Damon’s fists crack, but after a tense second, he turned and walked away without a backward glance.

I watched silently, my lips pressed together.

Once Damon was gone, Chris began strolling toward me.

He stopped a few meters away and studied me with open interest. It was the first time I had been alone with him, and my heart began to pound wildly in my chest.

With a smile, he said, “You really are beautiful. I can’t understand why Damon seems to feel nothing for you—or at least, that’s what I’ve heard. But his actions tell a completely different story. Do you believe those rumors too?”

The question caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected that. He simply kept looking at me, waiting patiently for an answer. When I remained silent, he tilted his head slightly and said, “You’re not much of a talker, are you?”

I shook my head, then answered quietly, “It’s impossible for Damon to love me.”

Surprise flashed across his face, but then he chuckled. Raising his brows, he looked at me teasingly and said, “Then how do you explain everything he’s doing? He kept me away from you, changed the way he treats you, silenced the entire pack so no one would dare speak badly about you, and even called the pack elders to make you Luna. How do you explain that?”

My eyes widened in shock as I stared at Chris in disbelief. I couldn’t accept that Alpha Damon had done so many things to protect me. But then my eyes dimmed as realization struck me—he wasn’t doing it because he cared about me or had feelings for me. He was doing it so Chris would have more reasons to give up on bonding with me.

He was doing all of that so I wouldn’t leave the pack. So I would remain under his control.

Bitterly, I said, “He isn’t doing all that because he cares about me or loves me. He’s doing it only to keep you from having access to me.”

As if he had expected that response, Chris only grinned. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving me staring after him in surprise and confusion.

I returned to my room. At lunchtime, I was summoned to eat in the dining hall. Barely a minute later, Alpha Damon joined me. We ate quietly, and I had no desire to speak to him.

When the plates were cleared after we finished eating, he looked at me and suddenly asked, “Would you like to go on a hunting expedition with me?”

If this had happened before, I would have been excited. But now I understood why he was suddenly treating me so well, why he no longer seemed ashamed of me. It was all because Chris was my other mate.

I looked into his eyes and replied with his exact words, “A sex slave like me doesn’t deserve such an honor.”

I saw the hope and expectation in his eyes instantly harden into anger. He looked at me coldly, but I wasn’t afraid at all. I turned and began to walk away.

Then I heard Alpha Damon declare balefully, “Do you think my uncle will treat you better than I do?”

I stopped and turned back to him. Frustration was written all over his face as he said, “I gave you food, sheltered you, bought you everything you desired. You wear the finest clothes, you are served by many, and at the snap of a finger, your wishes come true. There is no luxury you could ask for that I wouldn’t provide. I am trying to make up for my mistakes. Why are you making things so difficult for me?”

Disappointment flooded me at his words. I replied coldly, “Not all mistakes can be undone.”

He stared at me in surprise as I turned and walked away.