The Perfect Luna novel Chapter 52

Riannon wanted to smack him. She knew very well what kind of game her ex was playing right now. And she knew that he was very good at it. He knew just what to tell the other alphas to make them concerned and to make them doubt. After all, he was one of them. And Gideon wasn’t.

This was his chance to get back into the game and he wanted to use it. However, what they were in now was bigger than him and his need to bounce back. So, she couldn’t let him have his way this time.

“To throw accusations like that, Alpha Brayden, you need hard proof” she said firmly, “I suppose you have something to confirm your words. Otherwise, it’s just slander and you will lose the last bits of respect for you that still remain.”

Their eyes met and Bray knew better than to continue. It was different now that she wasn’t on his side anymore. He used to count on her support in matters like this, knowing that she would find the right words. But not anymore. Now she was defending another. And it hurt.

“Let’s not drag this. I think we just got lucky today,” Ramina, the Alpha of the werecats sighed, “And let’s be thankful for that. Right now, we need to gather our strength and mourn

the ones that we lost.”

“But it doesn’t change the fact that it was probably just one part of the plan,” Gideon said calmly. Surprisingly, he seemed absolutely unaffected by the accusations of his mate’s ex,“ My guess would be that phase one was to decapitate packs by killing the alphas and, in case that did not work, make alphas weaker by killing their Lunas. And that means that phase two is about to start and we need to be ready.”

“I agree,” Zack Morgan nodded, “We need to make sure our warriors are always ready to answer the call of our neighbours if there is such a need in the future. We united for a reason and right now it is time to prove that our alliance is worth something.”

“I will dispatch lycans to each pack that borders the foxes and the werebears just in case,” Gideon announced, “They will help you train and also help you defend your territories in case of an attack.”

“That would be greatly appreciated,” an Alpha of one of the packs in question nodded and others agreed with him as well.

“As for the deceased Alphas,” the king went on, “Right now their Betas will have to step in as leaders unless they have heirs of an appropriate age. New alphas should be appointed within this week. I am afraid it can’t take any longer.”

“Then this is it for today,”Gideon announced. Everyone was too tired by now after everything they went through. “We’ll be in contact,” he said, and the leaders started to say their

goodbyes. Brayden was among the first ones to leave and Riannon was able to breathe easily when he was gone from her sight. She knew that his pride would always stand in his way of accepting the new order of things. And she didn’t have the emotional strength to fight him today anymore. She was too exhausted.

Her mate was still talking to a few alphas and she decided to go and get some air while she waited for him to be done. No one was asking for her opinion on things for now, since her pack was still in the making. Not that she wanted to share her thoughts before she discussed everything that was on her mind with Gideon.

Outside, she saw her ex leading Roxy out of one of the ambulances. The omega stumbled on the way and dropped right into her mate’s arms helplessly.

Riannon rolled her eyes as she turned away from the sight and almost bumped into Ash’s chest. For a few seconds, she and the Beta were just staring at each other.

“Is this true?” he asked, placing his palms into the pockets of his trousers.

“Depends on what you mean,” she couldn’t read his facial expression and thus did not know what to expect from him.

“You have a mate,” Ash said in a broken voice, “A real one this time.” “It’s the truth,” she nodded. There was no point in denying anything. Neither did she want

“The Lycan king, huh?” the Beta snorted.

“Trust me, I was as surprised as everybody else,” she gave him a weak smile. “And you are not coming back…”

“Oh, Ash,” she smirked, “I am definitely coming back for what is mine. Just not today.” She noticed a faint smile on his lips as he gave her a nod. “I’ll be waiting,” he said, and for a second there was silence between them. “Ash, can I ask you something?” she decided to try her luck one more day today.

“Of course,” the man seemed to be relieved for some reason. As if he didn’t know how to talk to her anymore and was happy for her to initiate the conversation.

“Were you with Roxy during the explosions?” she asked and he furrowed his eyebrows, getting at once why she was asking that. literally everywhere.”

“And what was she doing right before the explosion?” Riannon did not give up.

“Shopping,” he replied honestly, “She… liked that lingerie shop they had there. Then, when everything happened, she was right next to the glass window and it was broken from the impact. Roxy was thrown over the wall. I spent most of the time trying to bring her back to her consciousness right until Brayden came looking for her.”

“I see,” Riannon nodded. This wasn’t much and didn’t help her in her suspicions at all. Then again, it was more important what Roxanne was doing prior to the Summit. When no one even knew that she was there.

“Come on, Ash!” Brayden growled through the open window of his car, “We need to get back to our pack.”

For a second there their eyes met and she knew that he was about to say something to her. Probably something hurtful this time since he was obviously angry with how today went for him. So, she turned away before he had a chance to do so. She did not owe him anything anymore.

“See you around, Ash,” she said and walked away. Gideon, Ria, Maya and Reid drove home together. The lycan king had his hands wrapped around his mate while she rested her head on his chest. They were supposed to have their triumphant return home but the recent events did not let them indulge in their happiness. Too

many people died and they both felt guilty for the happiness that they felt.

It also did not escape Ria’s gaze that her best friend and her mate were not even

touching each other. Maya sat with one of her legs on top of another and her hands folded on her chest, looking everywhere but at Reid. At the same time, the lycan Beta was throwing glances at her from time to time, obviously eager for more contact. But he did not push her, giving her the space she needed.

Riannon told them everything that happened today with Roxy, starting from the very beginning and they all listened carefully to her.

“I know it’s not much,” she said when she was done, “But I do feel that she is not that simple. Considering everything that she did in my previous life…”

“Wow,” Reid suddenly straightened his back, “Previous life? Did I miss something?”

“Apparently a lot,” Maya snorted and again her friend wondered what was going on between her and her mate, taking a mental note that she would have to address this later.

“I saw him again today,” she confessed, “Just a glimpse, but I saw him. Right after the explosions when we were getting people out. I am sure that the two are connected. Now more than ever.”

“Then it’s good that he appeared,” the Lycan king‘s grip on her became tighter, “It’s best to know our enemies in the face.”

She was also tired, but after a long and relaxing shower her strength replenished and she was disappointed not to find Gideon in her bedroom. She was even more disappointed not to find him in his bedroom since it was the middle of the night.

“Is this how it is going to be, Your Majesty?” she mocked him with a soft smile on her lips as she closed the door behind herself. He lifted his eyes to look at her and his mouth parted slightly. He could look at her forever and still be stricken with her beauty every time.

“Unfortunately, there is nothing to incriminate that omega,” he sighed, “And as for that Everett guy, the cameras were not filming the side of the car park. This is probably why he was so bold and let you see him. It’s another dead end.”