Bound to Enemy

12

I walked into the large dark brown room that had a long rectangular table in the center. Lights along the walls illuminated the space but only just enough to allow us to see. My generals and warriors stood from their seats and inclined their heads in greeting.

"Welcome back, Alpha," they said in unison.

I had three of my generals and two of my warrior leaders. In total, I was meant to have eight of them in here, but the war had robbed me of my men.

I walked to the head of the table and sat in my seat, with Elliot at my right side. I gave them the signal to sit so that our meeting could begin.

"Thank you all for your patience and commitment to this pack. I know you all have a lot of questions about the arrival of our new Luna, but I ask that we get through this meeting first and then discuss my newfound nuptials."

The whole union had been kept under lock and key for months. I only found out weeks in advance. It was a shock to the pack, to say the least, and I knew that I would need to meet with my elders in due time.

"Yes, Alpha," they answered me again.

I then turned to Elliot and gave him the go-ahead.

Elliot pointed at the large map that dominated the center of the large table. "Well, from what we understand, the rogues are⁠—"

Before he could finish, the door barged open and in walked Alessandra with her little shadow in tow. She had changed out of her initial all-black training attire and was now in a long white gown that flowed down to the floor. Her hair cascaded down her back in loose waves and she wore a small pendant necklace that seemed to be the sigil for her pack. It was something I had never seen before on her, or maybe it had always been there and she hid it under her long-sleeved shirts.

She looked different, softer, more approachable. It was a stark difference from the strong she-wolf who had jagged edges.

"Gentlemen," she looked around the table. "I see you have started the meeting without me."

"What are you doing here?" I quipped from the end of the table. "This is a closed meeting."

Jason pulled the seat for her at the very end of the table and then came to sit at her right side. "I was told that this was a war meeting and seeing as I am to be the next Luna, then I should be here."

I rolled my eyes at her statement. "And what gives you the right to attend one of my war meetings? You are not a general or a warrior."

Her eyes narrowed on me. "You're right, I am an alpha. And though I may be marrying you, it doesn't negate the fact that I have the mark of an alpha and up until a week ago I was to inherit my pack. Don't disrespect me by trying to belittle my title. I am as much an alpha as you are, Daxton. This is an alliance, not a dictatorship. Besides, we tend to know more of the rogues than you do."

The tension in the air increased as everyone around the table looked between her and me. My generals had varied expressions of respect and disdain. Many had been against the union and those who had been opposed were likely feeling vindicated in their initial assumptions. She was showing great disrespect. But I would be remiss if I didn't admit to the fact that I was impressed by her upfront nature. She was never scared to stand for herself with both feet firmly on the ground.

Elliot looked at me and cleared his throat. "I think it would be good to have her intel on such matters. She has faced several rogues and she is a competent warrior. She knows the ins and outs of war."

I turned my head slowly in my beta's direction and gave him a look. I could not believe that he was taking her side. But he was right. She was my Luna-to-be and I needed to begin to forge some type of relationship with her regardless of my internal feelings.

I stared my mate down, trying to read the emotions in her eyes. But like every other time, she had a veil over her eyes. She never gave anything away easily and that irked me. I didn't like not being able to figure people out.

"Please, do join us."

"I wasn't asking for permission," she quipped before she looked at her shadow. She smiled up at him tenderly as if he were a child.

He placed his hand on her shoulder before he took his seat on her right side.

Why did he always have to touch her so much? Why could he not keep his hands to himself? I would need to have a word with her later. It was unacceptable behavior for another man to be touching my mate so freely, especially in front of my generals like this.

Elliot stood from his chair and pointed to the eastern border forest where we had our last incident of rogue attacks. "With the help of Blood Moon, we will be able to bolster the shields up and hopefully keep the rogues out, but if we do that, then it means that we will not be able to leave. We will be caged in here for a few weeks. But that will give us some breathing room."

I tried to pay attention, but my eyes were hard set on the two wolves at the end of the table. They were staring at each other as if they were having some kind of mental conversation. I knew they didn't share a bond because that would mean they would be mates. But it still irked me just how well they knew each other.

"And how will we activate the shields? Even if we can get them up, we will need to bolster them to make sure that they hold in place." General Rade spoke up. "We need to know exactly when to raise the shields because we could raise them now, but it would be pointless if they aren't planning to attack now."

Elliot nodded and started explaining what the plan was, but my eyes remained trained on the two wolves.

Little dipshit leaned in her direction and whispered something in her ear as Elliot continued to speak. She turned her head to face him and smiled before she nodded and blushed.

Blushed? She just f*****g blushed in his direction.

What the hell had he said to her?

"...and now we are almost certain that they will be coming before the winter solstice." Elliott's words came in one ear and exited out of the other. My entire focus was on my mate and the little s**t that was next to her.

Alessandra whispered something in his ear and placed her hand on his bicep.

Why was her hand even on him anyway? There was no need for her to touch him at all. In fact, why were they sitting together? Was she not meant to be my Luna and at my side?

Woah, I had no idea where all this anger was stemming from. I sounded like a possessive husband or something.

Which I was most definitely not. They were being disrespectful and not paying attention in a war briefing even though they had barged in here like they were meant to be here.