Alpha Jaxon POV
"What is it with the pack members refusing to listen to anything that Amber says?" I ask Callum stiffly as we sit in the study, facing each other, Cody in the other chair, staring off to one side with a blank expression on his face.
Callum chooses his words with care, even as I try not to show my impatience. Although I've been forced to mark the bitch and make her Luna, the news has not gone down well with the pack and so far the members have proved to be resistant to the change in leadership when it comes to the new Luna.
It's a right pain in the ass. I did not accept blatant disrespect from my pack, regardless of their feelings about their new Luna.
"Amber is difficult to get along with. Instead of being gracious about her new role, she's rather demanding and hot-headed" Callum says as I glare at him.
"Who cares? She's the luna, she can do what she likes so long as she is doing her role" I spit out.
I was over this bullshit. Cody looked frustrated with my response. He leaps to his feet, surprising me with his anger. "You don't get it do you?" he growls while Callum tries to shush him "she's a right bitch. She orders the omegas around as though she owns them, she hits pack members and she treats everybody like shit as though we're below her. She is abusing the power you gave her and you're letting her because all you're concerned about is finding Riley."
I slam my hand on the desk "You have no right to speak to me that way" I growl, as Cody pauses and Callum takes a deep breath "I would find it prudent for you to speak to every member of this pack and remind them that it's their job to listen and respect their Luna."
Callum looked disgusted with me, not even bothering to hide the expression on his face. "What about Riley?" he asks me tightly "are you giving up on the search for her now that you've claimed a chosen mate? There is no further point in looking for her. Or are you not aware that Amber has ordered everybody not to?"
She had? I glared at them "How could you let her do that?" I demanded stiffly "I'm the Alpha, you listen to my instructions" I growl.
Callum rolls his eyes at me. He does it one more time and I'm going to dig his eyeballs out with my fingers, I think viciously. "You just said we needed to respect your Luna" he points out maliciously "so which is it?"
I open my mouth to let loose at him when the most godawful pain shoots through my chest, causing me to clutch at it and double over in pain, gasping for breath. It hurts. So much that it's all I can do to grit my teeth and bear through it.
What the fuck is this? I groan, digging my nails into my skin. More pain washes over me. I can barely keep myself upright in the chair. Callum is concerned but Cody remains where he is.
"Alpha Jaxon, are you alright?"
"Pain" I rasp "in my chest, and my abdomen" I add groaning "what is it?"
Callum's eyes narrow "You never fully accepted Riley's rejection did you?" he asks point blank as I glower at him.
"Of course not you idiot" I snap "when I get her back I plan on having her along with Amber. Why would I accept her rejection?"
He sighs and shakes his head looking away from me. "That explains the pain" he mumbles as I give another grimace and then a low snarl as the pain intensifies.
"Damnit Callum if you know what this is then fucking tell me" I roar, gritting my teeth.
It hurt so goddamn bad I was ready to tear Callum limb from limb and he was just sitting there all nonchalant as though nothing was happening to me. It was infuriating.
He blinks. "I would have thought you would have put two and two together Alpha Jaxon" he says quietly as I groan again and feel the heat beginning to burn inside me "this is the pain of your mate bond, even weakened as it is. Your mate" he pauses as I glare at him, daring him to spit it out "is currently being with another."
"What" I roar, the windows shaking from the vehemence of my rage.
Callum nods tightly "it appears that she's found her mate or is sleeping with someone else" he repeats as I groan and grimace "maybe it would be a good idea to fully accept the rejection so you don't have to feel it?"
I slam my fist on the desk again "that fucking whore" I yell in rage while Cody remains tight-lipped and Callum looks resigned "how could she? When I get my fucking hands on her..." I trail off panting heavily.
Callum rubs his forehead and peers at me with a frown on his face. "Why don't you just let her go Jaxon? She's happy now, I can only surmise judging by the pain you're experiencing. let her go" he repeated "end this foolishness. Why are you so desperate to have her?"
"She can make our pack stronger" I growl, as the pain begins to ebb slightly "we can use her as a weapon. I don't know why it didn't occur to me before" I snarled "but don't ask such stupid questions, Callum. She couldn't have gotten too far from the pack if she was running on bare feet. So why hasn't she been found?" I side-eye them both as Cody glances away from me.
They haven't been looking, I answered my own question. They hadn't needed Amber to order them to stop because they had only been pretending to look for Riley. I could have throttled them both with my bare hands. I clenched my jaw. "Callum, once this pain is gone and I can move freely again, I challenge you to a duel. Should you fail, you will be stripped of your title and will become a rogue" I tell him, looking him directly in the eyes "or you can forfeit the duel now and become a regular pack member while I give the position to somebody else."
My tone is cutting. I'm angry now. Beyond belief. He's betrayed me, as has Cody. Cody is next on the agenda and he knows it too judging by the expression on his face.
I expect Callum to forfeit. I expect him to bow out graciously and become a regular member of the pack. But once more he surprises me as his expression turns cool and his eyes turn glacial. I'm half in shock. The man I thought was my friend has vanished and a stranger stands there instead.
"I accept your challenge Alpha Jaxon" he says bowing his head.
Cody looks flabbergasted. "Callum think about this" he says in a low voice "you'll end up as a rogue"
"I'm aware" Callum's voice is calm and his expression indecipherable "and I have made my peace with that Cody. You needn't worry so much about me" he added.
Cody bit his lip looking anxious. He glances at me but I'm still wincing from the pain even as I manage to straighten up.
"Jaxon, stop this" he pleads "we're friends. How could you make Callum a rogue like he means nothing to you?"
I stare at Cody stone faced. "Anybody who gets in the way of what I want for this pack is automatically a traitor and will be treated as such. Don't think you're safe from all this either Cody" I said gruffly as his face drained of all color "you're loyalty to Callum has not gone unnoticed" I growled.
Cody blanched. I glared at them both. "The challenge will take place at sunrise tomorrow morning" I bit out "failure to turn up automatically forfeits and makes you rogue."
Callum stiffly bows his head. "I'll be there Alpha Jaxon" there's an edge to his voice as he begins to make his way to the doorway, an anxious Cody beginning to join him "in the meantime, perhaps it would be best if you advised the pack to listen to your Luna, as she is your mate and you gave her the position. I doubt that the instructions coming from me are going to make much difference at this point in time."
With that parting shot he leaves the room. Cody glances at me and begins to follow Callum.
"I don't know what's happened to you Jaxon" he says over his shoulder as I growl at him "I always knew you were ruthless but this is beyond that. You've betrayed your friends, all for the sake of greed. One day you're going to wake up and realize what you've sacrificed and it will be too late to take it back."
He leaves and I tense my body as a fresh wave of pain washes over me.