Mated to the Alpha and His Beta (Lanie Stanton) novel Chapter 460

Chapter 460
Lanie

When I heard the cries of “show us the Luna” I knew I had to step forward and show myself to the screaming group. I’d been waiting behind the stage, quietly, offering my support to my mates but not wanting to overstep. It wasn’t usually the Luna’s place to address anything at a pack meeting, unless it had to do with the duties a Luna usually oversaw. Orion had never let Gabriela do much more than smile and wave, looking pretty, even though she’d been a warrior in the Great Wars, same as him.

With the announcement about there being two Alphas, we’d all felt that it would be for the best not to rock the boat any more than necessary. Whatever other changes my mates were going to bring to the leadership of this pack, all of it would be taken one step at a time. But now it looked like we had to take a few more steps, and make them a little faster than planned.

I stepped up onto the stage and moved in front of Xander and Mason. I didn’t have a microphone, so I didn’t try to speak. I just let the audience see me. I kept my chin up and my shoulders straight. No amount of criticism or judgment could rock me. I’d faced a lot worse than this.

Maxim quickly handed me a handheld mic and turned it on. For a moment, a squeal of feedback sounded and then eased. The crowd quieted expectantly.

“Hello, everyone!” I waved. “I’m Lanie, and I am your Luna. For all of you concerned about Gabriela, I want to reassure you that she’s alive, well, and living her best life. She declined to join us in returning to Constantine, not because she didn’t want to be with her family, but because she’s found a new loving partner and wanted to stay where she was.”

“Proof!” rang out that first voice.

I shaded my eyes to see if I could hone in on the accuser. “I can’t give you proof, since it didn’t occur to any of us that some would be needed. But we can get in touch with her, and let her know you’re all asking about her—”

“I’ll handle this, Mother.” Stella’s calm voice murmured through our joint mind link. “Daddy, Abba, Papa, I’ll ease this man’s mind. I can’t do it for every person here, but he’s the one shouting.”

I wasn’t wild about Stella manipulating anyone’s thoughts or emotions, but in this instance, it looked like the guy in the crowed was dead set on derailing this meeting. “Thank you, little star.”