Alpha's Forbidden Luna

007

Onyx Pov

My mother paces in front of me, a murderous tension lengthening between us.

"My response was perfectly reasonable," I insist.

Her face shifts between at least three different expressions. Shock, anger, and frustration. "Reasonable?"

"I didn't kill him." I shrug. Were I not so concerned about Sienna's presence, and so pleased at the hospital's official opening, I would have gutted him right there.

"That shopkeeper went and blurted out the whole story to the entire town!" Her face tinted slightly red in her anger.

I've lived with this woman long enough to inure me to her tendencies. What did she expect me to do? Simply let the man call my friend a w***e?

"They don't know it's true."

"Of course they do. Your reputation precedes you, Alpha." Strands of hair drift around her face, having fallen from her intricate braided hairstyle. It's enough of an implication to suggest her stress and frustration.

"I was protecting a member of my Pack," I note simply, folding my arms over my chest. "He called her a whore."

This entire scene reminds me so greatly of childhood. I'm banished to a chair while my mother rants and raves in front of me, scolding me for one thing or the other. She's changed absolutely nothing about her office too, which sinks me deeply into such memories.

"This is what I was talking about. This behaviour is unacceptable," she seethes, her heeled feet clicking against the wood floor as she paces. "Any more of this and your proclivity for protecting this girl will get out to all the other Alphas who are currently salivating at our borders, looking for a weakness."

I supply her with a bland smile, trying to comply.

"It won't happen again," I assure her.

Chances are it will.

I'm no Saint.

"I don't believe that to be true." Her stare chills my skin. "We are announcing her as your mistress in three days, then I am bringing the marriage candidates here until you pick one."

I rise to my feet, my mother entirely unfazed by my towering height.

"By exposing Sienna to the whole Pack, you're putting more of a target on her back," I growl.

"Her face is plastered over every newspaper in your Pack. The amount of shared renditions of her is absurd. Everyone wants to know who the Alpha's best friend is."

"I'm certain this won't protect her."

My fingers tighten into fists at the thought of anyone harming her.

Today was bad enough. He's lucky he didn't lay a hand on her. Otherwise, he would lose what could cause him to make that mistake again.

"People respect mistresses more than friends. We've been over this," mother exasperates, tossing her hands up.

I wipe my hand down my face, frustrating eating away at my calm façade.

"I just... give me more time."

Seeing her look of disgust, hearing her rejection is too much for me to bear right now. Once I offer this to her, there is no going back. Our friendship will never be the same again...

Mother's mouth opens, ready to spew some kind of protest when her office door opens.

Sienna walks in, staring down at a tiny blue glass bottle in her palm.

"Lucia, I retrieved that herbal ointment for your face..." She glances up. "Oh, hey Onyx."

My mother smooths the frustration from her face, sweeping her arm to encourage Sienna to join us. "Come in, dear."

She looks between us, sensing the residual tension. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Of course not." Lucia grabs her arm, tugging her to her side. "This is excellent timing. It is?"

"Mother, don't," I say quietly.

Sienna's deep brown eyes look to me for answers that I can't give her right now. She is well aware that being pulled into a heated meeting with my mother and I isn't a good thing.

"I'm assuming my son hasn't spoken to you about the changes that will be going on around here?" Mother asks lightly, glaring at me in a way that warns me not to maneuver out of this conversation.

"He's told me that women may be brought in for him to select a wife," she says warily. "I mean, you told me that too."

My mother's smile is cold. "No, not that."

"What then?"

I shift uncomfortably. I hate feeling cornered, especially by my own mother.

It's not like this is an easy conversation to have. I have no idea how Sienna is going to act. Were I in her position, I don't think I would take this well at all.

"Go on, Onyx. I believe this is your news to share," mother prompts.

There's absolutely no room for me to sidle out of this conversation. It must be done.

"It looks like my mother will not be needing you to work for her any longer," I tell her uneasily. "I mean, we are ready to offer you a... promotion, of sorts, that will replace your job."

"Wait, what?" She looks a little panicked.

I rub the back of my neck, grimacing. "I've made some mistakes, Sienna."

"Get on with it, son," mother prompts, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Sienna takes a wary step back. "What's going on?"

"Too many people know about you, about how important you are to me," I tell her tightly. "You're in danger."

Her eyes widen, and she looks to Lucia for help. Unfortunately, my mother has no interest in fishing her out of this one.

"From who?"

"Everyone, but mostly those beyond my Pack borders who are looking to exploit me," I explain steadily.

This needs to be as professional as possible, because feelings are going to be very quickly involved. In a normal circumstance, I would have just had my way with her and would be rolling over in bed to offer her the position.

"Have threats been made against me?"

The urgency in her eyes has my stomach twisting.

"Not yet, although we anticipate that at any moment you may be targeted for being my friend. For being close to me," I tell her gently.

"I'm safe here though, right?"

"To an extent." I close my eyes. “I want you to be my mistress.”