Chapter Forty-Two

Alpha Romain welcomes us with a warm smile. "Alpha Reed, Luna Bea. Trevor, Agatha. Welcome to BloodPaw. I was most delighted when you accepted my invitation."

"You are most welcome, Romain." Reed says. "We are delighted to be here."

"How are you, old friend?" Trevor takes his hand. Reed does, too. Luna Agatha and I stand awkwardly aside. Well, I stand awkwardly aside, I don't know about her.

"Excellent. Please, follow me. I'll escort you to your rooms. You can freshen up before the event begins."

"These are for you." Reed gestures to the presents. Alpha Roman's face lights up.

"You shouldn't have. Bertha, please take them." He says to a woman who takes the presents from me with a smile. Another takes those from Reed. Trevor and Agatha go their separate way. I think they're used to being here, so they don't need to be shown around.

BloodPaw is even more luxurious than StoneMoon. I can't believe how immense it is. This is fit for royalty. It isn't modern like StoneMoon, it's vintage. It looks like the interior of a palace. I can't stop looking around. He guides us up a grand staircase, grand, and to a wing with bedrooms on the first floor. Our room is extravagant and it's so beautiful I could cry. It's like spending a weekend at an expensive hotel. The suite is spacious and smells like jasmine. Even Reed looks impressed.

"Do you find the room suitable?"

"Yes," Reed says. "Thank you for your invitation."

"Thank you for accepting," he bows. "I will allow you a few minutes to yourselves. Bertha will fetch up for lunch in the great hall."

When he closes the door behind him, I gasp and sit on the bed. "Reed. This place is incredible."

"House BloodPaw is known for its grandeur. Their pack is old, the first in the South."

I touch the linen. "Everything is so chic and vintage. I can't get enough of this. Look at this bedding!"

"Let's change, Bea. We don't want to be late for lunch."

Some of our bags are already in here and I have to admit, Desmond is efficient. I change into a white, sleeveless dress and sandals. I don't want to be too formal for lunch. I retouch my makeup the way Stella taught me to, and redo my hair. I look presentable and worthy of lunching in this grand house. Reed changes into another suit. He doesn't brush his hair, simply runs his fingers through it.

"Alpha Romain seems kind, doesn't he? I expected him to be all mean and macho."

"Macho?"

I wave it away. "Forget it."

"He is not known for his kindness, Bea. He's prolific and a firm disciplinarian." He looks up. "Did they mention what pack Alpha Trevor and his Luna belong to?"

I frown. "You don't know?"

"No, they're not from the south, I think. I've never heard of them. Some Alphas and Lunas prefer to present their true name to their subjects, and another to everyone else."

I shrug. "That's odd. Well, in any case, what's my role? Will the Lunas be involved in the decision-making?" I ask, because frankly I don't know what to expect.

"I know Luna Elizabeth joins these meetings. She is the BloodPaw Luna," he clarifies. "But it is not usual for Lunas to do so. So, perhaps you will have to spend time with the other Lunas."

I think of the way Luna Agatha looked at me, and I shudder. "I hope that doesn't happen. I'd rather stay up here."

"We'll see how it goes."

"What do you think the best solution is for the Nameless Pack strays?" I ask as I smooth my hair down.

"We'll have no option but to kill them. Keep the young ones, perhaps."

I turn around. "That's horrible, Reed. Isn't there a better way?" I think of Sandra. Would they kill her? What would happen to her children? Raised by strangers, without their mother?

"That is the only way, but in any case, it isn't my call to make."

Bertha knocks lightly on the door and announces that lunch is served. We descend the stairs and Reed holds my hand. The walk to the great hall is longer than I expected. We're the last to arrive, because all the others are already seated. There's Alpha Trevor and Luna Agatha, and another woman who can only be Luna Elizabeth. All this food for six people? Alpha Trevor and his Luna are dressed, thankfully. Bertha places me beside her and I force a smile. Reed sits across me.

Alpha Romain stands. "Thank you for joining us today. I hope we have a successful event, and set our things in order." He turns to his employees? Servants? "Serve the guests, please."

The food is delicious, but I'm too anxious to enjoy it. They don't stop looking at us, and Reed and I share a look.

Luna Elizabeth is a beautiful woman. She is indeed younger than her mate, but she's definitely older than me. Her brows are arched and her eyes are dark and unforgiving. Her gaze cuts and bruises. I avoid it at all costs. Luna Agatha doesn't say a word to me. Already the glamor of the place is fading. Only Alpha Romain seems to be making an effort. Everyone else is quiet and sharing glances over us. There's something strange happening here.

Alpha Romain broaches the subject with him, and Alpha Trevor raises his opinions on the matter. I thought this would be discussed more formally? Luna Elizabeth gives her opinion.

"We should eviscerate them all, my love. They'll be nothing but trouble. Who knows where Dantes and Raphas of StoneMoon found them? Half of them were rogues."

Hearing Raphas' name is a stab to my heart. Even Luna Agatha took note of the way I flinched upon hearing his name. I'm sure my cheeks are pink by now.

"Speaking of which," Alpha Romain begins, "your brother is causing some trouble in the North." He points at Reed. Raphas is alive, here's the confirmation. I breathe easily, but I stop eating. He's all the way in the North. How did he get there?

"Trouble?"

"Yes. He's building a new pack from scratch, I heard. There have been some disagreements. His mate got into a nasty fight with Luna Arabella of DarkStar."

His mate? I stop breathing for a moment, maybe two. Reed looks at me with concern. I imagine him with someone else, and this time, bonded or not, my heart clenches. Luna Agatha stares at me coldly. I have a drink of water to disguise my pain.

"I was not aware my brother was in the North, much less that he had a mate." Reed explains.

Luna Agatha turns to her mate. "What is her name, my love? Do you remember?"

He scowls. "I do not, but it's a common name, I'm sure."

"Amanda," Luna Elizabeth says, and she's looking directly at me. It's like she knows, but how? "I believe her name is Amanda. They're calling her Amanda of NewMoon."

I feel sick to my stomach. I excuse myself from the table and I fly through the halls. I make it outside just in time. I get on my knees and retch. I retch until there's nothing left inside of me. After my stomach is completely empty, I cry. I cry and cry and curse the skies, the Moon, the whole universe. Amanda is his mate? How could he be with her? How could he choose her?

Reed sees me and stands next to me. I cry unabashedly. I don't care if he's upset. Raphas and that blonde whore. I can't believe it. I want to rip my ears out so I never have to hear something so horrific ever again. I could have taken it if his mate was someone else. But not Amanda. Not her.

He places his hand on my shoulder and squeezes gently.

I cry harder.