The Grumpy Alpha's Mate: Sealed Luna

Chapter 5 The Truth Comes Out

Willow's POV

The next day, Dad left the house to be part of the welcoming committee for the arriving guests. It was one of his jobs while the Alpha and Luna were busy with the final prep work for the party. And then there was the fact that they were finalizing the contract that I was to sign with Samuel. The one that stated that I was to become his Chosen Luna and what was to happen to me if he were to find his true mate. I was to stay at home behind locked doors until Dad came to get me. I wasn’t sure how long a deadbolt would hold up against a wolf. The safety bunker was designed the way it was to hold back even the King of Rogues.

As I waited to be picked up, I looked up new baking recipes I could try out the next time I had a moment to myself. I even looked up stuff I could bake for Sam for Thanksgiving and Christmas, as they were only a few months away. Dad arrived after I finished creating a short list of things I could make. I changed into my most excellent dress to greet the Alpha family and walked to the pack house with Dad. We made it to the Alpha’s office without problem and saw only the Alpha and the Luna waiting for us.

“Is Samuel going to bother showing up for such an important event,” asked my Father harshly.

“He’ll be here for the important part, don’t worry. We already went over the details of the contract with him.” We sat in front of the desk, and Dad was handed a copy of the contract to read. I would be named the future Luna the next night at the party and begin my training the following day. In the event that Samuel or I found our true mate, I would step down and become Pack Sister. The name of the role they created basically meant I was second to the Luna. I would help ease the burden on Luna’s shoulders and be her fill-in on matters she couldn’t attend to herself.

“Are you sure about this, Willow? You don’t have to agree to any of this. There is the option of walking away.”

“Dad, I’ll be okay. Even Sam wants me to do this.” Suddenly, the office door slammed open, which caused me to jump in fright.

“The hell I do, b***h!” Turning around in the chair, I saw Samuel standing in the doorway with his clothes disheveled. On one side, he held a rather pretty woman with equally messy clothes.

“Samuel, watch your mouth! How dare you speak to Willow like that,” scolded his mother. “She is to be your future Luna.”

“No, she isn’t, mother! Because I found my true mate.” I gasped when I finally noticed the left side of his neck, about where it meets his shoulder. Sam had been marked, and so had the woman in his arms. I did my best to blink back the tears that threatened to escape.

“Congratulations,” I stated as warmly as I could.

“Shut up you,” Sam sneered, catching me by surprise. Why was he being so mean? Didn’t he agree to all of this? Didn’t he like me?

“We won’t need this anymore,” said the she-wolf as she walked over to rip up the contract in Dad’s hands.

“Son, we had an agreement,” growled the Alpha.

“Yeah, a stupid agreement that you tried to force on me. I would never agree to rule the pack with this weak and pathetic human by my side. Why else did you think I tried to force your hand by starting that new rumor about her?”

“New rumor,” I whispered. Nothing was making any sense. The Alpha and Luna said Sam, my first love, agreed to take me by his side. I wasn’t expecting him to love me, but I thought he at least cared about me. Now, he was saying something about starting a rumor.

“That’s right, all the rumors ever spread about you were started by me. I couldn’t stand the thought of touching you to torment you, so I made up rumors instead. Don’t you know how creeped out you made me knowing that you had a crush on me?”

I tried to keep the tears back, yet every time I blinked, another spilled away. "Why? Why would you do this to me?" Sam approached me and leaned over to get right in my face. My father was growling dangerously the whole time, yet Samuel acted like he couldn’t hear him.

"Because you were shameless enough to come here to sign that stupid contract. Because you believed yourself to be equal to me or any other wolf here. When, in fact, you are nothing! Nothing but a weak, pathetic waste of our resources.”

“Why, you little,” my father roared as he shot up from his seat.

“I am the Alpha’s son,” Samuel roared back. “I’m next in line to become the Alpha! So you are to listen to me!” Father had no choice but to sit back down in the chair slowly. The rage that was bubbling up inside of him was as evident as my tears. Samuel then approached his father’s desk and looked him in the eye. “I have my true mate now, so this silly little arrangement of yours is no longer required. And no, I won’t be accepting her as Pack Sister.”

“Son, we were doing this to reward her for her efforts to save me. Are you going to turn your back on one of your pack members that you are supposed to lead?”

“That human isn’t a member of my pack. And why should she be rewarded for doing her job anyway? Give up this silly notion before I do things to her so horrible the moment I become Alpha. And, Mother,” he turned to look at Luna Victoria, “start preparing my ceremony for when I take over. I would like it to be as soon as possible.”

“Why are you still here,” snarled the woman Sam brought into the office with him. Father and I got up simultaneously and left in a hurry. He had a protective arm around me as we returned to the house. I could hear the laughter of others as we ran past them. Sam must have told the whole pack of my shame before going to the office. Once at the house, I went straight to my room and didn’t come out until the day after Sam’s ceremony and party.

After that, I didn’t even bother to leave the house. I did it because I knew what would be said even as I tried to do my chores. Father wholeheartedly agreed that I was safer inside. Yet others would still come to the house and yell obscene things at me through the windows and doors. Everything had to be locked at all times, and all the curtains were drawn closed. On the days that the shouting became too loud to ignore, I went to a random channel on the television and turned up the volume to drown them out.

Dad tried to make the holidays enjoyable even if I couldn’t go outside and enjoy the snow as I wished. No children came to our door on Halloween, yet we still dressed and watched seasonal movies. We used to spend Thanksgiving with the rest of the pack. That year, it was just the two of us. He cooked the ham and veggies while I cooked the pie and cookies. And finally, on Christmas, I had to shop for Dad online. He still went out and found the best tree he could, and I spent the whole day decorating it perfectly.

Each holiday, Dad brought out his favorite picture of his mate to be either at the table with us or on the coffee table in the living room. It was like we were celebrating with her still with us. Father still missed her terribly, and what was happening with me seemed to have made things worse. I overheard him the one night talking to the picture, asking if what he was doing was the right thing for me.

New Year's came, and I stayed up until midnight celebrating with Father. Even though I knew that the old year wasn’t great, I had a feeling that the new year would be worse. On the first day of the new year, Sam was to be named the new Alpha of Waning Moon Pack. All the pack members had to attend, including me. I didn’t bother to dress up in my best clothes, nor did I put on makeup. I didn’t see the point. Once we were ready, we headed to the ceremony grounds.