Chapter 13: The Price of Duty

Alexander's POV

The antiseptic smell of Pack Hospital burned my nostrils as I paced the private waiting room. Moonlight streamed through the windows, mocking me with its silver glow—the same light that had illuminated what should have been the crowning moment of my leadership.

Instead, I was here, waiting for news about a girl I barely knew while the most important alliance in decades hung by a thread.

"Alpha Alexander." The doctor—an older Beta named Morris—entered with a respectful bow. "Miss Throne is stable. Her vital signs are normal, but she experienced significant mental trauma."

"Explain," I demanded, keeping my voice controlled despite my growing irritation.

"It appears to be a severe shock response," he said carefully. "We've seen similar reactions in... certain circumstances."

I caught his hesitation. "Speak plainly, Doctor."

He swallowed visibly. "The symptoms are consistent with a mate bond in distress. When you attempted to mark Alpha Blackwell's daughter..."

I raised my hand, silencing him. "That's speculation. Focus on treatment."

"Yes, Alpha. She should regain consciousness soon. The sedative we administered will help manage the pain until..." he trailed off.

"Until what?" I pressed.

"Until the situation is... resolved." His clinical phrasing barely disguised the uncomfortable truth: either I accepted the mate bond or she would continue suffering.

Fucking perfect. An Omega nobody with no political value or connection was jeopardizing everything I'd spent years building. The unfairness of it burned in my chest.

I moved to the window, staring at the gardens below. In the reflection, I could see her lying on the hospital bed—small, fragile, inconvenient. The pull toward her was undeniable, a constant irritating tug like a fishhook beneath my skin.

The door burst open without warning. My parents strode in, followed closely by Richard Blackwell and his daughter Cassandra. My father's face was carved from stone, eyes flashing with barely contained fury.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he hissed, voice low enough that only werewolf hearing could catch it.

"Jonathan," my mother cautioned, placing a restraining hand on his arm.

Richard Blackwell looked even worse—face flushed, jaw clenched so tight I could hear his teeth grinding. Cassandra stood slightly behind him, her silver markings dulled under the fluorescent lights, her expression carefully neutral.

"The Luna Festival has been temporarily adjourned," my father announced, his tone indicating he'd taken charge in my absence. "I've personally apologized to our guests for the... disruption. The Gammas responsible for security breaches have been detained for questioning."

"Nathan Throne?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"In custody," he confirmed coldly. "Attacking a pack member during a sacred ceremony is grounds for severe punishment."

Richard stepped forward, his Alpha status evident in his commanding presence despite being in my territory. "Alexander, I demand an explanation. My daughter—" his voice cracked slightly, "—was publicly humiliated. You began the marking ceremony only to abandon it for... this." He gestured dismissively toward Amelia.

"Richard, please," my mother intervened smoothly. "This unfortunate incident is being addressed. The ceremony was interrupted, not abandoned."

"This goes beyond a simple interruption, Elaine," Richard snapped. "My daughter requested the honor of being marked by your son—in front of every major Alpha in the region—and he left her standing there to chase after some... some nobody."

I met his gaze steadily. "Your daughter deserves my full attention for such an important moment. The ceremony will be completed properly, not rushed due to a security incident."

It was diplomatic bullshit, but delivered with enough Alpha authority to make Richard hesitate.

Cassandra surprised me by stepping forward. "Father, please. Alpha Alexander acted appropriately." Her voice was soft but carried a quiet strength. "I would rather wait for the proper moment than have a marking ceremony overshadowed by chaos."

I studied her with newfound respect. Either she was an exceptional diplomat or she had motivations of her own.

My father cleared his throat. "The immediate concern is this... disruption." He nodded toward Amelia. "Who exactly is she, and why did her collapse warrant the Head Alpha's personal attention?"

The room temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. Here it was—the moment I'd been dreading. Tell the truth and destroy years of careful alliance-building, or lie and violate the most sacred law of our kind.

"She's a newly transformed wolf who attended her first Luna Festival," I said carefully. "As Alpha, I'm responsible for all pack members' well-being."

My mother's eyes narrowed, sensing my evasion. "Alexander. Is there something more we should know?"

Before I could answer, the doctor returned with a clipboard. "Alpha, I need your signature for—" He stopped abruptly, registering the tense gathering. "Forgive me, I'll return later."

"No," my father commanded. "What requires my son's signature specifically?"

The doctor looked trapped. "It's... standard procedure for mate-related trauma cases, former Alpha Jonathan."

The room went completely silent. I could have heard a pin drop on the carpeted floor.

"Mate?" Richard's voice was deadly quiet. "Did he say mate?"

My mother's face drained of color. "That's impossible. Alexander is promised to Cassandra. The alliance is years in the making."

"It appears," my father said with dangerous calm, "that there has been a significant oversight." He turned to me, eyes burning with accusation. "When exactly did you discover this... connection?"

"Three days ago," I admitted. "In the woods. It was unexpected."

Richard stepped forward, rage vibrating through his frame. "You knew? You knew and still proceeded with the engagement announcement? Still began the marking ceremony with my daughter?"

"The political alliance—" I began.

"Fuck your political alliance!" Richard roared, abandoning all pretense of diplomacy. "You would have marked my daughter while bonded to another? Do you have any idea of the consequences?"

My father stepped between us. "Richard, please. This situation can be managed."

"Managed?" Richard laughed bitterly. "There's only one way to 'manage' a mate bond, Jonathan, and you know it."

Cassandra touched her father's arm. "Father, please. This isn't helping."

My mother moved toward Amelia's bed, studying her with cold calculation. "If what the doctor suggests is true, there are protocols. The Council must be consulted. Until then," she turned to face me, "this girl is a security risk. She disrupted a sacred ceremony and caused a diplomatic incident."

My father nodded in agreement. "If there's no immediate resolution to this... complication, we'll have no choice but to file formal charges with the Council for disruption of the Luna Festival." His meaning was clear—either I rejected the mate bond or Amelia would face serious consequences.

I looked at the unconscious girl who had unwittingly upended my carefully constructed world, then at Cassandra—the perfect political match—and finally at my parents, whose disapproval radiated like physical heat.

The price of duty had never felt higher.