The Goddess Alpha

Chapter Seven: Rumors

Rheya POV

The rest of the party happened in a blur. Christian and I sat next to each other at the main table just staring onto each other’s eyes. We only stayed for the introductions and after that we snuck off to my room like two school children. We giggled the whole way and when we reached the stairs, he swept me off my feet and carried me while I directed him to my room.

In the back of my mind I know it’s wrong to be with him, but I can’t help myself. I want to love him with everything in my soul. We are destined to be together but how can I ignore all the horrible things I’ve heard of his pack. It is said that only ranked members and the toughest warriors get to keep their mate, everyone else must kill their mate, male and female nobody is allowed to love in their pack. Love makes you weak. The only reason ranked, and strong warriors get to keep their mates is to use them for reproductive purposes. But I’ve also heard some nasty rumors about other packs (including ours) that I know to be false.

“He can’t be that evil man in the rumors…he’s our perfect mate.” Sotiras purrs in my head. “Let’s talk to him first and then make our final decision.” I say firmly to her.

Once in my room I wiggle out of his grasp and step onto the floor. “I am going to change really quick, as wonderful as this dress is, I can’t stand it for a minute more.” I giggle before heading into my closet and shutting the door. I changed the quickest I ever have, and I walk out the closet.

“My love, would you like to go for a run?” He asked while holding me close to him.

“Yes, but first I want to talk with you for a minute. I have some…questions about who you are...” I say firmly and he knows we are switching over to a more serious conversation.

We sit on my bed facing each other. I feel a lump in my throat, while I try to figure out what to ask him first, and how to word it without offending him.

“My love…” he takes my hand in his and looks me in the eyes again, “I know you’ve heard the rumors. They are true.” I gasp and retract my hand. In the blink of an eye I’m up and moving towards the door. Before I can reach the door and rush to safety, Christian grabs my wrist and attempts to pull me back to him, but it is no use I match his strength in every way. “Please let me explain.” He pleads while still trying to pull me back. I turn to him, and he reaches a hand up to my temple.

“They are only true in here.” He said softly. I gave him a confused look before he continued. “One of the biggest weakness to a wolf is his mate. If any enemy knows you are out their then surely, they’ll come after you, either to kidnap or kill. But if they think we don’t care for our mates, then what good would it do to come after you?” He smiled at me waiting for my response.

I mean that did make sense, and it was a good strategy, why destroy something the enemy holds no love for? “You swear nobody kills their mate?” I asked jokingly but with a serious tone behind it.

He chuckled, “No my love, we don’t kill our mates.”

“Alright then, still ready for our run?” I asked why standing up and heading towards the door. I debated talking about what our packs would become but decided to wait until the morning to have that serious conversation. Tonight, I wanted to live a fantasy where I could just be happy with a mate, and tomorrow would come the wreckage and possible rejection. I know I know; I’m going against everything I believe in, but this need for him is clouding all my judgement.

We headed out my room and snuck past the ballroom where the party had died down but there were still plenty wolves dancing and drinking. You’d think without the birthday girl the birthday party would stop but I’m glad it didn’t. I mind linked my mother and Tyler and told them that Christian and I were heading out for a run. Of course, I got bombarded with the be safe and link if you’re in need!

Christian POV

I’d never thought I could be an actor but after my performance today I was sure I could be. I chuckled to myself at the thought. As I followed Rheya down the stairs and outside I felt in my coat pocket to make sure my silver dagger was there. Once we reached outside Rheya turned to me and spoke, “This will only be my second shift, so it may take a little longer!”

While I loathed her voice, it made my wolf (Cadence) howl with glee. Disgusting, a woman makes him so weak, which is why she must die. But her inexperience with shifting may give me just the advantage I need.

“If it makes you feel safer, I’ll remain in this form until you’ve completely shift?” I asked trying to sound as sincere as possible. She nodded before she started her shift, her back was to me, I started to slowly take out the dagger. Once her shift was complete, I had to pause for a moment, she was huge…how can a woman be as big as my own wolf form? I know she’s from the lineage of the female alphas, but still, she should be small.

She turned to face me, and I hid the dagger back in my pocket. Her wolf form took on the likeness of the Moon Goddess herself. This changes everything I thought to myself.

Rheya POV

I figured he would be stunned once he saw my wolf. Sotiras really is a beautiful sight. Christian quickly stripped down and shifted into his wolf form. He wasn’t taller than me, which is something I expected, but his fur was a black almost blue color, it contrasted well against mt white fur. I approached him and nestled up to him. I let Sotiras takeover so she could also meet his mate. But Christian never let his wolf come forward, and that caught me of guard, I’ll have to ask him about that when we shift back.

Sotiras whined at the missing connection of her mate. “It’s okay, we’ll meet him later.” I tried to cheer her up. “Let’s run” I say, and she takes of in an instant. Christian manages to catch up with us and we ran at a beautifully steady pace for what felt like hours. Sotiras even gave me back control since she was sad, and I never once even faltered in the run. The air was cold, and snow was scattering around, one of the main reasons I love living in Oregon was the snow. It made being a wolf 10 times easier, due to our body heat it takes a lot for us to get cold but not a lot for us to overheat.

After about a two-hour adventure through our grounds we head back to the pack house, where we both shift back. Christian starts to dress and notices me fully clothed in the same outfit as earlier. I giggle at his bewildered expression.

“I’m sure you have some questions…” I smirk at him before walking back inside to the kitchen. Once again, I’m starving and in dire need of a snack. As we pass the ballroom, I notice all the lights are out, meaning we could be alone while we talk thankfully.

Christian POV

How in the hell can she still be dressed after that? I watched her clothes shred off her! I think to myself. Once inside the kitchen she grabs us both a sand which and a drink before gesturing to the dining room. She starts to speak but I hold up a finger telling her to pause for a moment.

“I need to link my Beta; he’s been trying to reach me all night. Give me a moment dear?” I say and begin talking to Bradly.

“Alpha! Good to hear from you, is it finished?” He says excitedly.

“No. The plan has changed. I will not be killing her, her wolf bears the Moon Goddesses image, and she has some powers. She will give me a powerful heir. I am going to convince her to come back to the pack to meet everyone and there we will keep her. Prepare a room for her.” I say quickly before blocking him out and turning to her. “Please, continue.” I turn all my attention to her.

“Well, I’m sure you know of my family and I?” She asks and I nod in reply. “Well the reason my mother is a female Alpha is because the Moon Goddess blessed our family line with the same alpha genes you have. I guess the Moon Goddess decided that some females need to be in charge to even everything out. And almost every female has been an Alpha, my sister is not she wants to be a Luna. Which is okay, not everyone is made to be an alpha. You can usually distinguish us by our eyes. Alpha females have the crystal blue eye and an eye from their father. While I know every female in our line is special, but I was chosen for an even higher purpose. The Moon Goddess herself told me that I would be the one to protect all of us. So, she gave my wolf her image, along with the mark of the alpha female.” She said pulling her sleeve up to show me the scarlet crescent moon mark.

“The only problem is…I cannot submit to you and leave this pack. Your pack must merge with mine. I have to stay here and lead.” Hearing her say that made my blood boil. How dare this woman demand my pack merge into hers. My father didn’t spend his life building this pack up just for some woman to take over and run it into the ground. But I know I must remain calm got everything to work in my favor.

“We can discuss all that later. Let me think over everything and we can figure it out in the morning. I would like it if you could meet my pack as well, we can leave tomorrow and discuss things while we travel and be back the next day. It can give us the time we need.” I say hoping she’ll take the bait. Eventually she nodded and began to speak when she was interrupted by one of her brothers walking in.

“Sister, can I have a word with you? It’s extremely important.” One of the brothers said, I’m not sure which one and I really don’t care to learn. “Sure brother,” She said with a snarky tone.

“Let me talk to my brother, I can wake up one of our members to take you to a guest bedroom if you’d like?” She turned to me and asked. “That’s alright I’m sure I can figure it out. I need to find my Beta and get everything ready for tomorrow.” I stood up and kissed the top of her head. The sweet gesture made me disgusted, but I know it helps seal the deal.

Rheya POV

I smiled as I watched him disappear around the corner before I turned to my brother, Maxwell. “What?” I barked out at him. He sat down in the seat next to me and grabbed my hands in his, looking up at me with a sadness in his face.

“I apologize for this morning, I won’t take back that Kristina is my mate, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t still love you and want to protect you. Christian is a terrible man. The stories we’ve heard from close friends, how can you ignore those?” He asked me.

“Maxwell, I am a blessed and special wolf, the Moon Goddess wouldn’t pair me with a man if she thought he was dangerous. Besides all the rumors are false.” I brushed him off and stood up to grab myself a drink.

“Oh! Let me guess he told you that? He could be lying Rheya! You think bad people tell the truth all the time?” Max yelled at me while slamming his hand down on the table. We eyed each other for a minute before I heard another set of footsteps. It was Nat and Ty.

“I agree with Max.” Natalie says standing next the Max.

“I think you’re wrong. Like Rheya said, she is blessed by the Moon Goddess herself. Why would she spend so much time trying to make her a hero only to throw her to the wolves? No pun intended. And even if she did get into trouble, I believe in her abilities to get out of it.” Tyler replied while stepping between my brother and I creating the space necessary to stop a fight.

“Thank you, Tyler!” I say spinning around on my heels. I stopped and turned around to speak again. “Natalie? I plan to travel to my other pack tomorrow, can you begin arrangements in the morning?” I asked but she knew it wasn’t a request since I used my alpha tone on her.

“Yes Alpha,” She replied sarcastically.

“Oh, and Maxwell,” he perked up looking at me, “Worry about your own mate before coming after someone else’s.” And with that I headed up stairs and fell asleep soundly in my bed.