Page 180 of His Fated Luna

The question had floored me. I simply stood outside the car looking at him with a gaping mouth.

"Lexia told me Aiden hasn’t been intimate with you yet. Does that mean you take pills when you're on your heat?" Alistair looked at me matter-of-factly.

The knowledge that Lexia had lied to her father pierced through me along with an overwhelming gratefulness Ididn't want to feel for the blonde. Lexia would have known from our combined smells that we were sleeping with each other. But she'd hidden it from Alistair. I was sure of the fact that if hedidn't know it meant he had probably been too busy with his own nefarious plans to pay attention to our scents.

“Dr. Danvers prescribed me some.” My voice was hoarse, fearful.

This was all a bad dream. It had only been six days since Aiden had been defeated and already Alistair was talking about my heat cycle.

"Don't take them next time,” Alistair commanded. "That boy was stupider than I gave him credit for,” Alistair mumbled. "Probably waiting to make it special or some crap." He looked at me again. "I suppose that means you're a virgin too?" He actually recoiled when he said the words. As if it was the most disgusting thing in the world to have to deal with my virginity.

I could only nod jerkily. Praying he never found out.

With an audible clucking sound of displeasure, he drove off. I immediately mind-linked my father, Tony, and Dylan. This couldn't go for much longer.I'd break eventually.

Which is how I found myself looking at my father, trying not to give away how miserable and scared I was.

Dad sighed. "Rose, give the word and we'll all revolt. You know the only reason we haven't done anything already is because you stopped us. We have an alpha in Dylan." Dad looked at Dylan who sat off to the side. Lexia had administered the antidote, and I noticed he was doing much better now. Color had returned to his cheeks and the bags under his eyes had disappeared.

"I won't let anyone else fight him,” I snapped fervently. "No, Dad. He's too strong." I gulped recalling the way Alistair trained like a mad-man.I'd seen the injections in his gym bag. "He takes performance-enhancing drugs. He's...he's been preparing for this takeover for a while." I gulped. "I think this was his plan-B all along."

"I'm older than Dylan and strong! I could defeat him," Tony piped up. "I'm a beta. I could take over until Aiden comes back."

Dad had already told me that Tony had almost gone rogue when he discovered what had happened upon waking up in the hospital. It had taken a considerable amount of effort on everyone's parts to calm him down. Today, he'd been discharged, but he was champing at the bit for an opportunity to challenge Alistair.

I shook my head. "Tony, I won't let you risk your life like that. Lexia was there to save Aiden. Who's going to save you? Alistair’s a cold-blooded killer."

"So you want me to just sit around and watch him take over this pack?!" Tony yelled angrily. "You want me to let him..." Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Goddess, Rose, it's no secret what he wants from you! You want me to just stand by and let it all happen?"

"I expect you to stand down and live to fight another day!" I retorted. "I've got the situation handled! He won't...force me,” I ended. I couldn't tell them I was pregnant. They'd never listen to me if they found out. They'd run in headfirst, ready to die for me and protect Aiden's unborn child.

Tony snorted. "He's a cold-blooded killer but he won't force you." Tony rolled his eyes.

"I've got it handled,” Irepeated firmly. "Besides...I think he prefers...older women."

"Well, he should if he doesn't want to be labeled a pedophile as well!" Dylan cut in angrily. "Rose, you're over twenty years younger than him!"

"And he's actually disgusted by it,” I retorted jauntily. "I'm safe on that front...for now,” I added under my breath. “Look, we need to figure out a plan. I mind-linked Josie. She told me Aiden's still out cold."

"You're still marked by him. Have you tried...contacting him? It might work? Might bring him back from his coma?" Dylan asked hesitantly.

I looked down at my hands helplessly.

"It's like reaching out into a black hole. A blank void. He's still out cold. I can't reach him, or it's not working because our bond was broken." I tried to still the trembling of my lower lip before looking back at Dad who'd been oddly quiet through all of this.

“I wishI could take you and hide you away, somewhere far away from all of this.” Dad said slowly. I knew my dad couldn't stand watching me go through this. But that's what being a luna was about. It was about sticking with your pack even when things got unbearable.

"Dad? What about the alliances?" I pressed again.

"They can't go against the alpha of the pack,” dad said carefully. "We have no proof regarding whatever he has done. If we suspected him, we should have brought it up before he challenged Aiden. Now it just looks like Dylan and you are out to discredit him. In the eyes of the alliance, he won his fight fair and square. They can't interfere, no matter how much they might want to. But they did offer sanctuary toAiden's luna, if she wishes to leave."

The expression ondad's face made it no secret he'd prefer for me to leave.

I turned my head away. I wasn't leaving. I was going to hold the fort for Aiden.

"It's why we had to take him to the Rushing River Pack,” Dylan added, his face sober as he remembered the sad state his older brother had been in. "The alliance couldn't go against the wishes of the main alpha of our pack. They've offered to help us,” Dylan added. "Alpha Ron said he'd issue a challenge of his own to Alistair and step down when Aiden recovered."

I thought over this plan of action carefully. Ron was older than Aiden. He might just be able to defeat Alistair.