Chapter 10: Taking Adeline to Hawthorne Bay

Alpha Aspen POV:

"What is it?" Ezra asks curiously.

"I will be taking Adeline with me when I leave to return home. She is my mate and her rightful place is next to me in Hawthorne Bay." I say firmly. I am not asking his permission to take my mate. I'm telling him. The other Alphas look around in confusion. They are aware that she is his wife and Luna, however, they aren't aware that Ezra cheated on and betrayed her with her own stepmother.

"Why would I allow that? She is my wife and Luna." Ezra says with a smirk on his face that I want to smack clean off. If he thinks I don't know what truly transpired between him and my mate he's dangerously mistaken.

"That's right. The other Alphas hadn't yet arrived for your little speech. You know, the one where you told your pack that Adeline and you were now divorced. Oh and that you found you mate within her stepmother." I say returning his smirk. I know that I've pissed him off now. If Ezra cares about anything, it's his reputation.

"You son of bitch!" He slams his fists against the table. "If you want to home that bitch then take her! But do not tarnish my reputation with false allegations! Our divorced was finalized today so me taking on a new mate does not betray her."

"We have an active treaty Alpha Ezra so let me remind you that causing harm to my mate is an act of war. So if you plan to 'make her pay' you will be removed as Alpha and we will absorb your pack." I say smugly.

"No harm will come to you or your mate while the treaty is in place." He says as he grits his teeth.

"Well now that we have resolved that matter. I will be leaving before the night is over. It was nice seeing you all." I stand from my seat as well as my beta and we head for the exit.

"Alpha are you serious? Is his ex wife really your mate?" Gabriel asks me in disbelief.

" Yes. I'll explain more once we get home but for now we are going to get my mate." We get into the SUV and head towards the hotel to pick up Gabriel's mate Maya. Once she gets in we head towards the directs on Adeline's house. It's takes about 20 minutes from the hotel to her house in the woods. It's a nice one story house that's black on the outside with dark walnut wood complimenting the design of her home. She has flower boxes on her windows filled with plumeria flowers. There's a garden growing in her backyard and it all reminds me of my grandma's cottage.

"This place is beautiful." Maya says with her eyes wide full of admiration.

The driver parks the car and I head into my mate's house. As I enter Adeline's strawberry crème scent with hints of cinnamon overwhelm my senses. I lose myself for a moment when I hear a man clear his throat.

"Hello Alpha Aspen, I'm Franklin Simmons. Adeline's father." A tall man with creamy white skin, emerald green eyes, and honey blonde hair says to me with his hand extended out in my direction.

"Hello Mr. Simmons, I'm thankful to meet you." I say proudly as I firmly shake his hand.

"Thankful?" He asks curiously.

I let out a chuckle. "Yessir, you created my mate and raised her into a wonderful woman. I thank the goddess for you."

"Well I am certainly glad she has you now instead of that dirtbag Ezra."

It's clear his hatred for Ezra runs deep. Before I could respond to him I hear Adeline's footsteps.

"I'm all packed and ready to go. Our bags are loaded in my car. I figured my dad and I could just follow you all back to make things easier." She says to me with her keys in hand. She has on some black leggings with a soft pink Nike sweatshirt and some brown UGGs.

"I was hoping you would ride with me. If it's about the car I can buy you a new one. I would prefer if my mate didn't drive a car around that was given to her by another man." I hear her father stifle back a chuckle. For some reason I'm starting to get the idea that I just jumped to conclusions.

"It's actually a gift from my dad. It was custom designed for me and I don't want to part with it. I'm not sure if you can tell but I am a daddy's girl. So you can see how asking me not drive a car that the number one man in my life gave me brings me to anger right?" She narrows her eyes at me and puts her hands in her hips. Goddess she's even more beautiful when she's angry.

"I'm sorry beautiful. Please forgive me. Although, I would like for us to ride together back to Hawthorne Bay." I say as I grab her hand a gently apply a kiss to it.

She starts to blush when her father speaks up. " I can ride with your beta to give you all alone time."

We are headed out of Adeline's now former home and walk towards the vehicles. As I walk up to the SUV Gabriel and Maya exit to greet my mate and her father.

"Oh goddess you are absolutely stunning." Maya says as she extends her hand to Adeline.

"Well it's not everyday another beautiful woman compliments me." Adeline says as she shakes Maya's hand.

"I'm Gabriel, Aspen's beta and Maya here is my mate." Gabriel says as he grabs Maya by her waist and pull her closer.

"This is my father Franklin and I am Adeline Aspen's um-.." She hesitates to say she's my mate to I say it for her.

"She's my mate and future Luna." I say confidently as I lock eyes with her.