Page 6 of Reclaiming His Lost Mate (Secret Legacy #3)

A lexis

“Alpha, Alexis, thank you for coming in again today. I can say that we’ve achieved quite a lot during your time here,” Lucian said, grinning from ear to ear behind the table.

As I let my eyes drop to the wide table separating the fifty-year-old-plus man and me, splayed with drawing plans, as well as trade and territory protection treaties, I couldn’t help but agree with a small nod.

“It is the least we could do for each other in the kind of times we live in now. If the Black Moons are not attacking directly to plunder our hard-earned resources, they are employing the help of dark witches to cause even more vile damages,” I explained.

“We cannot underestimate the power of strong alliances.”

Lucian nodded, leaning forward over the table and wringing his hands together.

“Yes. Ah…speaking of our alliance,” he began, and my brows deepened, already sensing where he was headed, but I still let him speak.

“I understand that we’ve come a long way with the sublevel safe houses, something we would have never been able to do on our own,” he added in a coaxing tone, then continued after a calculated pause.

“But would you maybe consider starting a new project here with us now? I was thinking you could let us in on some concealment tricks…”

“Alpha Lucian,” I called, cutting him off abruptly, as that voice rang in my head again, reminding me that my father-in-law-to-be wasn’t a man of honor. Was he selfish to the point where he did not care that one of his daughters had to be hurt in place of the other for his benefit?

Yes.

On that thought, my mind traveled to Selina, and my wolf reared on high alert, my damn heart tripping over itself, but I shook her off as quickly as I could manage.

I had told myself that I was going to avoid her after almost losing control of myself in her presence days back, but I was doing a poor job at that—not once had I considered going against everything I stood for just for her.

Clearing my throat and keeping my voice leveled, I put Lucian in check.

“We agreed to kick off these projects before the marriage just so we could start on the right foot together and not so we can exploit each other. I hope you understand that?” I asked, letting him know that I saw right through his greed.

“You’re right,” Lucian laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. “It was just a trivial thought. Let’s move on to lighter topics, yes? How are things with your fiancée? Will you be seeing her again today?” Lucian rambled in his attempt to wave the matter away.

I stood from my seat on that note. We were done with today’s meeting anyway, and there was no need to sit around, chit-chatting with a two-face. I also didn’t miss the suggestive tone in which he had just spoken about meeting Marissa.

“It’s way too late for our usual hangouts, Alpha Lucian, but if daylight breaks and Igaluk allows it, then we shall see,” I responded curtly, extending my hand for a parting handshake, and Lucian promptly shook it as he stood too.

Stepping out of his office, I headed straight for my cabin, which was supposed to be around a ten-minute stroll from Lucian’s royal house, but barely a minute into the quiet walk, a bang sounded, followed by a searing wail cutting through the silence around me .

My eyes snapped in the direction of where I thought someone must have fallen badly, and I moved on instinct, following the sounds of one’s hushed whispers and another’s wracking sobs.

An odd sense of familiarity trickled into my system at the voices, and as I tried to shake it off in disbelief, two female frames cornered behind a hut became tangible in the dim moonlight, confirming my suspicion.

The paler, younger female between them was standing in front of a broad tree, hands clasped loosely in front of her, and her body shook like a leaf as she sobbed, letting tears mixed with blood from an injury flow down her cheeks.

My heightened eyesight caught a wide gash on her lower lip that must’ve been hurting like hell, amongst many other scratches on the visible surfaces of her skin, and…

most holy Goddess…Marissa, my Luna-to-be, was hurling more than average-sized rocks at the young girl, aiming for her already battered face.

“You dare not move an inch, or you’ll regret the day you decided to try me,” Marissa hissed, throwing one more rock as I watched, wide-eyed and stunned.

From the chaos, I could hear the lady’s heartbeat slowing down like she had been subjected to this torture for longer than one would think, and I snapped.

“Enough!”

Marissa whirled around like a feline caught stealing, and the remaining rocks in her hands toppled to the ground.

“Alexis.” Marissa’s tone was a mixture of shock, panic, and a bit of practiced lilt aimed at charming me. She had changed from sounding like a crazed animal to a sweetheart in a second, but even a child couldn’t be fooled.

“What are you thinking, Marissa? Did you really plan on stoning someone to death? I ask you, in the name of Igaluk, what could she have done to you?” I scolded angrily, and Marissa, bold enough, had the courage to look offended.

“Leave,” Marissa bit out without turning away from me, directing her order at the girl who hobbled away within seconds, looking relieved.

All the while, I kept asking myself what the hell I just witnessed.

This wasn’t the first time I’d seen Marissa mistreating her subordinates in one way or the other, all for some trivial reason.

The people here feared Marissa. Not fearing her in a way that meant respect for her position, but the type of fear that sent them into chilling panic attacks whenever she was nearby.

“Alexis, that wasn’t what it looked like,” Marissa cut through my thoughts, closing the distance between us, and my eyebrow lifted in question.

“What exactly was it, if not what it looked like, Marissa?”

She stomped her foot, whining like a kid deprived.

“That girl has been challenging me for a very long time. She is always in my face, going against my rules and not regarding me as her superior.” Marissa’s hands flailed, her face scrunching up in irritation at the topic.

“You know what? Forget about that mongrel. I’ve been looking all over the place for you.

We still have a lot to discuss. Have you sent word for my chambers to be ready with all the supplies I requested?

When are you taking me to your castle?” She asked simultaneously, eyes twinkling and tone dripping with flirtation as her fingers came up to my chest.

I carefully avoided her touch, thinking about all the things I’ve come to learn about Marissa from the time I have spent with her.

The list wasn’t very impressive and was everything except what a Luna should possess.

A Luna ought to be kind, talented, and gracious. “Like Selina,” my wolf snickered in my head, and I didn’t argue with him because I knew this was true. I knew this because I’d been so drawn to Selina over the days that I had begun watching her every move secretly.

Unlike Selina, Marissa was obsessed with luxury, seeing as all she had spoken about since the ball had been how her chambers in Shadow Moon Pack should be filled with pieces of jewelry, makeup items, beauty herbs, and stones found only in places like the Silver Moon Pack.

Marissa was wasteful of the little resources that the Nightwing Pack was known to have, and she did not care for her packmates or know about their welfare like a Luna should.

Not in the slightest, so we could say she was a work in progress.

I shook my head, masking my many concerns about the woman I had chosen to be a mother figure to my people.

“Do not seek that girl out again, Marissa,” I warned, voice clipped.

“Even heretics do not deserve to be tortured the way you did her, and if I find out you went after her again, we are going to have a problem. Do you understand?”

Marissa’s eyes flared in vexation, but she quickly schooled her features. “Fine! When are we leaving?”

“It’s late. Go inside,” I said, leaving no room for further discussion, and I disappeared into the darkness, ignoring her grumbles.

I resumed my trip, and my destination changed, as once again, I found myself unable to resist going after what I really wanted. As I walked, my mind flooded with different thoughts. Thoughts revolving around the only woman I’d ever craved to the point of madness. Selina.

She had felt perfect pressed beneath my weight when she had shown up at my door, looking heart-stopping with that inimitable natural charm that swirled around her, accentuated by the radiant flower tucked behind her ear.

Selina was unlike any woman I’d come across in my twenty-five years of existence.

Her independent expertise was unmatched, as I hadn’t seen one person enter the Nightwing Pack’s treatment hut with a problem that she couldn’t fix.

I’d also been content with watching her from the shadows…

until now when the male who had initially trotted inside the hut started gimping once he saw Selina.

I stood on edge, watching through the windows, and my wolf thrashed in panic as Selina’s silhouette retreated, only for the male to lash after her.

He was going to hurt her. No fucking way!

I abandoned my composure, and by Igaluk, I’d never moved faster in my life.

I was in the hut before I knew it and on the guy within seconds, hurling his body across the room, not caring where the bastard landed. He dared to touch what was mine, so I wasn’t stopping until I drew blood.

His head snapped up to take me in, a scowl marring his ugly face as he shuffled to his feet, regaining his balance.

“Would you mind your own damn business, Alpha? Did you not wash your hands off her by publicly rejecting her?” He bellowed with a snarl, hands flexing up and knees bent in a fighting stance.

Good.