Accusations

Accusations

Mercedes' POV

For the umpteenth time, I look through the window. Where is Zane?
He's not going to leave me here to have the Luna ceremony with Glary, is he? My only mate is Zane and nobody else, I don't want to mate with Glary or anyone else. Zane has to get me out of here, I don't want to belong to this pack anymore.
The past few days have been a nightmare. I arrived at the packhouse yesterday and was assigned my own apartment. I've barely slept a wink, all night I've been staring out the window, waiting for Zane to get me. But he didn't come. And still, I see no trace of him. Why is he late?
My nightmare started the night of dinner with Glary's parents.
The Gamma came in with a stack of documents and spread them in front of us. He pointed out in detail that money was missing from the books. Projects were carried out for pups and the elderly in the pack, but half of the funds were transferred to a private account. It involved substantial amounts that had been embezzled for almost five years. And when the Gamma showed the account into which the stolen money had been deposited, I turned pale.
Startled, I read my father's name.
Accounts with commercial banks in Human Town, investment capital to companies in other packs, and even his private saving account. The account where he saved up to go on vacation with my mom in a few months when Glary takes over the pack. I can't believe my eyes, actually, I didn't trust all those documents. Zane already gave my parents a large monthly amount for my living expenses on a yearly basis that was more than enough to go around the world twice. And he's been doing that for eight years, since the day he met me. So, my father had no need at all to steal a penny from the pack.
And when I looked up from the documents to the Alpha family in front of me, I only saw faces carved in stone. Alpha Ahri's looked at me with hatred, de Luna's mouth was open in disgust and Glary, well, I'd better describe his expression as triumphantly. Like he had caged a long desired bird. At that moment, I understood that it was an ugly plan, they had set my father up.
My father is not a thief.
"Mercedes, I don't need to spell out the consequences of your father's actions to you"," Alpha Ahri spat at me. “Tomorrow, your father's head will be on the block. The death penalty is the proper verdict for this large-scale theft.” It felt like something broke inside me.
My father is an honest man, he has no reason to steal. My mate is rich and generous. If my father had money problems, I would have known that. My credit card is ten times the amount that these people tell me.
“I suggest having an independent accountant re-check the documents, Alpha,” I told them. “My father is not a thief. And my mate is rich. This amount is a drop in the bucket for Zane", I told them arrogantly. And those words were my downfall.
“Your mate?! I'm your mate, Mercedes, have you forgotten that?” Glary had snapped at me. “Don't think you can mess with him in bed after today. It is over. You'll be my Luna in two days and I'll mark you when you're eighteen. Basta!”.
Then it was my turn to get mad.
“Why would you want the daughter of a thief like Luna? You claim my father stole from the pack. So, I come from a thief's family. You should banish me, Glary”, I had told him. And before he could answer me, I looked at him coquettishly. “My mate will give you the money back. If you think my father owes you this, Zane will pay you to the last cent," I proudly informed them.
Glary jumped from his chair at my words. My tone has clearly struck his nerve. “We don't want Alpha Zane's money. You will have to pay us back”, he told me tightly. "You can choose. Be my mate voluntarily, or we'll execute your father tomorrow. And then he'll be known in the pack as a thief. You and your mother will continue to live with the stain wherever you go.”
My face froze.
Never will I choose my happiness over my father's life. And these people know that. They planned this, they are blackmailing me. A tear rolled down my cheeks. At that moment, it dawned on me that Zane was now out of my reach. I was at the mercy of my worst nightmare, Glary.
But not without a fight. “You've always been a jerk, Glary. For years you pestered me while you knew all the time I had my mate,” I accuse him furiously. “But you are spineless, you covet what belongs to others and don't shy away from putting up all kinds of false accusations, destroying others' reputations to get your way. You are disgusted!” I continue.
"Stop! Immediately!" Alpha Ahri commanded. "You are in no position to insult my son while he offers you a safe exit for your father." The Luna also looked at me, infuriated. “Don't forget who you are”, she threw at me. Exhausted, I tossed the napkin on the table, stood up and headed for the door. Glary hurried behind me. "I'll take you home and hear what you've decided in the morning," he told me. "If you've decided to be my Luna, pack your things immediately so you can come with me to live in the packhouse."
At that point, we were already out of the packhouse.
“Fuck off, Glary”, I had told him. “I'll walk home. Right now, I don't wish to breathe the same air as you. I could suffocate from all that poison you blow out.”
And with that, I disappeared into the night....