Alpha Mendoza

Chapter 9

Alexander:

I was halfway through reviewing border reports when Dr. Grace burst into my office like a winter storm.

“Your side woman,” she snapped, “just tried to intimidate your guest, the pregnant woman carrying your child.”

My jaw clenched. “Which one? Because none of them have titles to dare cross their limits.”

Grace glared. “Seraphina. Mind you, Alpha, she believes herself your Luna and has even dared cross that boundary. She marched straight into Alessia’s room and pretended to have all the right to control what she said and what she didn’t.”

Heat ignited under my skin.

I shoved my chair back so hard it crashed into the wall.

“She WHAT?” I asked, glaring at Grace. “And you let her be?”

“As if anyone has any control over that woman. You allowed her way too much power, and at this point, controlling her is going to be almost impossible.” She said, raising an eyebrow. “I am comfortable with speaking to you, as my role here is a little stronger than anyone else’s claim. Your mother was my friend. However, should we consider Seraphina, I believe that things would be considered different.”

“As long as you know your value… you could have put a stop to her.” I said, and she scoffed. “What did she say?”

Grace crossed her arms, completely unimpressed by my rising fury.

“She lectured Alessia on rules, obedience, and how she’s expected to ‘behave’ in your pack. She told her that she should have no contact with the pack members, the guards, and of course, you. Oh, and she told the girl her stay here is temporary, giving her a direct lecture about how she would only stay until the baby is born.”

I swore. Violently.

“She also picked her room,” Grace added. “Farthest one from you. Given the order that the room given to her should be the one closest to you, I was surprised, but it seems to me that you might have had different agreements with her?”

I froze mid-step.

“She chose the room farthest from mine?” I asked, and Grace hummed.

“Of course she did. Jealous people are predictable.” She said calmly. “And she sees her as a threat. And she is going to stop at nothing to try and eliminate it. No matter the cost.”

My jaw tensed until it ached. “And you believe that I am going to allow it?”

“I don’t know what to believe. One minute you claim not to care about her, you let your ego slip past you… then the second you are allowing more power than she should have. And given the fact that she is not your Luna, I don’t think that it should be appropriate that she has that amount of power at all.”

“She doesn’t get to choose Alessia’s room,” I growled. “She doesn’t get to make decisions on my behalf either.”

“No,” Grace said. “But you have let her get through everything until today. And this is just the beginning of how things are going to be, Alexander. And I am speaking to you without formalities here. Seraphina is going to harm her, and if you are not careful, you might as well lose the woman.”

The admission hit harder than I expected.

I inhaled sharply.

“I want her close.”

Grace lifted an eyebrow. “Naturally. The question is, what are you going to do about it?”

**********************************************

Seraphina spotted me and immediately straightened her posture, pushing her shoulders back, chin tilted as if preparing for an adoring audience.

“Alexander,” she purred, “I was just getting ready to…”

“What did you say to her?” I asked, stopping her before she could go any further.

She blinked, lash flutter exaggeratedly. “I was only clarifying her place. Someone has to teach the girl proper Luna etiquette. You know, given the fact that she is not from here, you wouldn’t want her crossing limits that she shouldn’t.”

“You are not the Luna.” I said, stopping her. Her smile faltered. “You never were,” I added coldly. “And I believe that you should have known that given the fact that I never gave you the title to begin with.”

Seraphina’s expression cracked. “I have been by your side for years, everyone knows that we are together so often that it would be fair for me to claim myself being yours just as you are mine…”

“What people assume,” I cut in, “is irrelevant. The truth is what I speak. And the truth is: you have no authority over her. You have no authority within the pack at all. And if you think that you can cross your limits simply because you want to, then you are very wrong.”

Her face flushed an ugly shade of red. “You’re defending her? A complete stranger, and mind you, the enemy. She might be here as a guest, but you shouldn’t forget that she is an enemy, not a friend, and she is never going to be a friend.”

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “I’m defending what’s mine, and f you don’t like it, you can show yourself out.”

Seraphina’s breath caught.

She stared at me as if slapped.

“You chose her room,” I continued. “You placed her on the farthest wing from mine, when you knew that I wanted her beside me.”

“Well, obviously,” she hissed. “Given who she is, her title, and all that she is… it would be humiliating if she was beside…”

“Humiliating for WHO?” I snarled. “Who the f*****g hell do you think you are?”

Her jaw tightened.

“You will not move her again,” I said. “You will not speak to her again. And her new room will be the closest one to mine.”

Seraphina trembled from head to toe. “You are replacing me with her. You are choosing the enemy over the woman who has stayed by your side for years?”

“I can’t replace something I never claimed.”

She recoiled as if I had stabbed her.

“Be sure that the room is tended to.” I said, turning to leave. “And if you find yourself incapable, I will assign someone who is.”