The Fourth Mate

Chapter 2: The Sherriff

1 Week Later

“Alpha Edge,” Cullen greeted heartily as he walked into the office. “I’m sorry about your wait.”

Edge turned his dark blue eyes to look at the well-built alpha, going to his seat behind the desk. He appears nervous compared to his blonde haired mate, Luna Lucy. She took her seat off to the left side of the desk like all the Lunas do. She was composed and a bit stiff. It is almost like she is angry and trying to act normal.

Their demeanor did not help to calm his irritation. He likes to know who he is dealing with when there is a problem and get their background information before arriving. It is why he waited a week before arriving in Blue Crescent Pack. He sent his people to ensure his safety and to find out information about the person who drank the potion. They came up empty-handed, which made him proud that this man could pull one over on him. He is still angry that this alpha insisted on secrecy.

It made him dress sharper because if this situation is more trouble than normal, then he is ready to scare someone. His black and white business suit offsets the enemy. He even gave it a splash of color with a blue tie, and a blue ribbon in his dark brown hair. It is pulled into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck, which shows the menace on his muscular face. They will run in from one look at him.

He hopes the witnesses are not frightened of him, though. He believes they would be, especially with his scruffy beard that he wishes he would have trimmed before coming to this pack. He does not want to look too intimidating to them.

“It is alright,” Edge said calmly as he waved off the alpha’s apology. “I’m sure you have your reasons for keeping us in the dark. You have been an exemplary alpha so far.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” Cullen said with a slight pink color tinting his cheeks. "I do try to be the best alpha I can be for my pack, which is why I called you, and why I wanted secrecy. You see… It is my mate’s twin sister, Lucky Green, who drank the potion. She has an assorted background of trouble making. It is not anything extremely bad in the terms of the law, but she does cause trouble for her sister.

"However, Lucky claims that she does not remember going into the temple and drinking the potion on the night in question. It could be true since there was a party to celebrate my mate becoming Luna. However, Beta Ross said that he did not smell anyone’s scent in the temple, which included Lucky’s scent. There are reasons for that, of course, like her scent changing because of the potion. Still, if someone gave her the potion, then his or her smell should be there, which brings me to my mate’s claim.

“She does not believe her for a good reason. So, here we are now where I am hesitant to disbelieve my sister-in-law or my mate. They both sound like they are speaking the truth, and there is no evidence to say that either is right. Please, help me sort out what happened that night and if it is an attack on me, my pack, or my mate.”

Edge wanted to sympathize with the man, but he had always prided himself on walking a certain line. He never takes sides and leaves his emotions at the door even when it comes to his mates. It is the only way to ensure that he is fair to his pack and the packs that surround him. He hopes his children understand that now that they are adults, but he looks at his eldest son.

Andrew looks just like him with dark brown hair and tanned skin except he has a goatee on his muscular face. They are the same height, but their thickness is where his son is smaller than him. He blames the long life he has had, forming his body into muscles. Still, his son’s eyes were hardened, showing that he had already passed judgment.

That poor woman had already been convicted, he thought sadly. He knows it is better to reserve his judgment, and that is why he has not given his eldest son the full title of alpha. He will only give him a part of the duty to prove himself, which has not been going well.

“Why would you have a potion already made?” Dorran questioned curiously.

He looked at his youngest, red-headed son, who was the most inquisitive of his three children. His slender pale face holds a frown while curiosity dances in his brown eyes. He is lean and tall, built with muscles like his brothers, but the sadness that coats his aura makes him unsuited to be an alpha. It disheartened him that his youngest child had had a hard life before it had begun.

“We don’t,” Cullen answered firmly. “The Elders take a week to make it if they find that it is for a good reason, like with my mate.”

“Then, how does… Lucky know to make it?” Dorran asked persistently. “Was she here when Luna Lucy was to drink the potion.”

“No,” Cullen answered, reluctantly. His mate’s face even hardened at the question and answer, which intrigued Edge. “Lucy’s family found out about everything two and a half weeks ago.”

“So, she is being blamed for something that she has no idea about,” Edge scoffed.

He found it ridiculous that a human would learn something that was not taught to her. Only the elders know how to make that potion and there are only a few of them left. He is thankful that they are almost a dying breed. No one needs to turn humans into wolves unless they are mates. It could kill some of the human population if they are not meant to be a wolf, too.

He was also irritated by that sister, who would so callously blame her twin sister for something that she had no knowledge about. Lucy even sat there unabashed about her accusation and did not help him solve the problem.

“I say we bring her to the office and ask her questions, Dad,” Rick said eagerly. “You or one of us can use our alpha command to make her tell the truth since she is closer to her shift.”

Edge almost chuckled at his other red-haired son, who is the middle child. He has similar features to Dorran, like his brown eyes, his lean build, and a slender face, but he has a sunnier disposition. His hair is a lighter red color, too. His long limbs give him an advantage in battle and with the ladies, which is why he wanted to see the twin sister. He would laugh at his son’s eagerness, but this was a serious matter.

“The full moon is in two weeks,” Edge huffed. “So, no, we cannot force her to tell the truth unless you want to make her your mate.”

“I could only hope she is my mate,” Rick joked, which made Lucy’s face flinch. “I would like to know why I have been left without one for so long.”

“In due time, Son,” Edge chuckled sadly, “but we do need to speak with Lucky Green. I would like to see her for myself and to see if, maybe, she remembers anything about that night. I would also like to question her.”

Cullen gave Ross a nod, which sent him out of the office quietly.

“I’m sure my sister will be forthcoming,” Lucy spoke with a bite. “My parents and I made sure she knew that it was important for her to work with you.”

“Good,” Edge snapped. “Then, it will be on your head if she does not.”

Lucy’s eyes widened with fear. He knows that he took it a little far, but her pretentious attitude is irking his nerves. She seemed to have a hint of maliciousness towards her sister. She even acted like it was her duty to ensure her sister’s cooperation. There are only two ways she could have done that, which makes her a horrible sister. He would say something about her being a Luna, except that he had not seen her with the pack to past judgment about that.

“I don’t think that is necessary, Alpha,” Cullen said nervously.

“I think it is since your Luna proved that she does not care about her sister,” Edge huffed. “Maybe she should have cared about her words and how she acts.”

“How did you determine that, Dad?” Dorran asked with that same curiosity.

“Easy,” he snorted. “There are only two ways to ensure someone does what you tell them, which makes all evidence unreliable…”

“Torture and blackmail,” Andrew finished for him.

“Someone’s been paying attention,” Edge muttered proudly.

“I would not do that to my sister, Alpha,” Lucy clipped heatedly. “I merely meant that we warned her, verbally, about the cost it would have on her and my pack and our parents. I appealed to any good in her.”

“Then, you cannot assure me of anything,” Edge stated sharply.

He did not know why he was being combative towards the Luna other than Liken. His wolf had been unsettled since entering the packhouse, and it was all that fruity smell’s fault. It hit his nose, driving a need in him to find the source, but he had a meeting to attend. It made his beast grumble about skipping it or hurrying it up. Then, he started pacing in his head and growling on and off for Edge to move things along quicker. There was nothing to settle his beast other than searching for that smell.

I don’t like that… Luna. She smells like she is up to something.

Edge looked at Lucy, whose innocent-looking face held nothing sinister on it. Her appearance seems like any other Luna. It should not have him worried about her unless he is on the terms of his investigation. The light purple business dress on her slender body looked modest like any Luna’s outfit. It showed not one ounce of her attributes other than what its mold let them see. Her aura felt normal, too, which is not to say she is not hiding anything.

There is a long line of women that have tried to swindle him and lost. He has lived too long for anything like that to happen, but he does not doubt that it will someday, and it will not be with her. She has proved nothing that would make him believe her sister is the culprit behind her drinking the potion.