Samuel

"Rosebud? What do you want with her?"

Anger sharpened Samuel’s voice to a razor’s edge, carrying a warning that made Sam instinctively retreat a step. He understood the need for caution. This wolf-less prisoner might bear the marks of brutal treatment, but his spirit remained unbroken. The fierce protectiveness blazing in his eyes suggested he’d gladly tear out Sam’s throat if he felt cornered or threatened.

"Easy there, my friend. I just wanted to know about her, that’s all." Sam kept his voice level and non-threatening, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "But I thought her name was Trishelle?"

"Why?" Samuel’s eyes narrowed into suspicious slits, his body coiling with tension like a spring ready to snap.

Sam scratched the back of his head, weighing his options before settling on honesty. If this man truly was her best friend, his Alpha would be furious if he did anything to upset his future Luna, even indirectly. The political implications alone demanded careful handling.

"Well, it seems your friend is my Alpha’s mate. That makes her my Luna." He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing. "I mean her no harm or disrespect, but the fight you witnessed earlier was about her. It seems your Alpha wants to claim her as his own, but since she remains unmarked, Alpha Bradley is desperate to claim what is rightfully his."

Samuel sank back onto the cot, the movement slow and pained, as if the weight of hope itself pressed down on his battered body. If what this Beta said was true, it could mean Trishelle would finally leave this hellish place for good. A wave of hope surged through him, only to crash against a deeper, more visceral fear. What if this Alpha Bradley proved worse than James? What if he was sending her from the frying pan straight into an inferno? The thought made his stomach churn with guilt and uncertainty.

"As you said, she is my best friend. Why should I tell you anything about her?" He met Sam’s gaze steadily, despite the exhaustion pulling at his features. "For all I know, your pack could be the worst thing for her. I won’t trade one monster for another."

Sam found himself impressed. He’d expected the man to spill everything for even a chance at freedom, yet here he stood, protecting her still. The loyalty was admirable, rare even.

"Good point. How about you tell me what I want to know, and I’ll get the guards to let you out?"

"How about you go take a long walk on a short pier?" Samuel shot back, a ghost of a defiant smirk touching his lips despite the split that made the expression painful.

Sam couldn’t help but laugh, genuine respect warming his chest. This omega was alright in his book. If he had any say in it, he’d recruit him for Goldmoon in a heartbeat. The pack could use men with this kind of backbone.

"Well, I guess I can’t make you talk." He shrugged, turning as if to leave, then paused deliberately. "I hear that she was of questionable character, though. Made her rounds through your pack. I guess with a reputation like that, no wonder she got the name ’Trash’."

The lie hung in the air, ugly and sharp as broken glass. Samuel’s face contorted with pure rage, every muscle in his body going rigid. He launched himself from the cot and rushed the bars, his arm shooting through the gap to grab the Beta. He was already rotting in jail - what difference would another night or ten make? He’d be damned if he stood by while anyone talked about his friend that way, consequences be damned.

Sam hadn’t prepared for how quickly Samuel could move, even in his weakened state. He barely managed to leap back, and the tearing fabric of his shirt stood as proof of just how close he’d come to being grabbed. His heart hammered against his ribs.

"Geez, dude, relax. That’s not what I heard. Well, at least the nickname was mentioned a few times," he said, trying to de-escalate the situation while mentally noting never to underestimate this man again.

"THAT’S NOT HER NAME!"

Samuel’s roar echoed off the stone walls, reverberating through the dungeon like thunder. The veins bulged in his neck, his face flushed crimson, and if he’d had a wolf, he would have been shifting right then and there, bars or no bars.

"Alright, calm down." Sam held his hands up in a placating gesture, keeping his distance this time. He waited until Samuel’s ragged breathing slowed, until the wild anger in his eyes subsided into a deep, simmering hurt that was somehow worse to witness. Cautiously, he drew closer to the bars again. "What are you so mad about?"

"I’m sorry, man." Samuel’s voice cracked like thin ice, and he walked back to his cot, slumping down as defeat settled heavy in his posture. His shoulders sagged as if carrying the weight of every injustice Trishelle had ever suffered. "It just hurts me so much to know that my friend has been hurt by that bastard known as Alpha James, and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it."

He looked up, his eyes pleading, red-rimmed and desperate. The vulnerability in that gaze spoke of years of helpless watching, of silent suffering alongside someone he couldn’t protect.

"I just want to save her from this place. If you can promise me that Rosebud will be safe with your Alpha and your pack, I’ll tell you what you want to know."

Bradley

Bradley grew more livid with each word his Beta relayed through their mind-link. It took every ounce of his control to calm his wolf, who wanted nothing more than to find that weakling of an Alpha and tear him to shreds for what he’d done to their mate. His hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles went white, claws threatening to emerge.

Taking a deep breath, he leaned his head back against the cool leather of the armchair and forced himself to think strategically rather than react emotionally. His wolf snarled in protest, but he pushed it down with iron will.

Based on the fight that had just erupted, it didn’t look like James would relinquish her without a battle. Since Trishelle remained unmarked and was technically a member of Bloodmoon, Bradley would have to move carefully, politically. He would hate for his pack to move into their new territory with a ready-made enemy right across the border. The complications could be endless, the bloodshed unnecessary.

He thanked Sam, his voice tight with suppressed anger, and excused them both so they could prepare for the meeting with the Councilwoman. His mind was already racing through possible strategies, legal precedents, anything that might give him an edge.

Experience had taught him that if his Aunt Cynthia said one hour, he’d better arrive with five minutes to spare. Punctuality was respect, and disrespecting Cynthia Seers was a mistake no one made twice - not if they valued their position or their hide.

James

Four of the visiting guests arrived at James’s study precisely on time. He stood by the window, nursing a glass of whiskey, the liquid a familiar comfort that steadied his nerves. This meeting would require all his charm, all his cunning. Turning, he placed the glass on his desk with deliberate care and rounded it, heading straight for the older woman with a practiced, charming smile that had won him many battles before.

"Councilwoman Seers. I must apologize for the disgraceful sight you’ve witnessed since you arrived." He bowed low, taking hold of her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles with old-world courtesy. "I’m sure one as wise as you must have figured out what was happening with me."

Stepping back, he turned to Bradley, his expression shifting to one of sincere apology that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

"Alpha Bradley, I apologize to you as well. I can assure you that this is not my normal behavior, but when one’s heart has been affected by beauty, the mind ceases to function properly."

Bradley, watching the performance and wondering just what game James was playing, simply gave a stiff nod. The man’s words rang hollow, rehearsed.

"Please, everyone, have a seat so we can have a discussion like civilized people."

James took his seat behind the large oak desk, a position of power he’d chosen deliberately. Bradley sat in one of the chairs opposite him while the Councilwoman took the other. Alexa sat on the sofa against the wall, her posture elegant and observant, missing nothing. Beta Sam simply leaned against the wall on the other side, his arms crossed, keeping a close eye on his Alpha and ready to intervene if needed.

Clearing his throat, James understood he needed to seize control of the conversation if his plan was to succeed. He’d rehearsed this moment, anticipated the objections.

"Councilwoman Seers, today, I would like to officially claim the omega in my pack named Trishelle as my mate and Luna."

Hearing this, Bradley’s canines descended involuntarily, and a low growl rumbled in his chest, his wolf threatening to surface and tear this pretender apart. Every instinct screamed at him to act, to fight, to claim what was his.

Cynthia, knowing just how much of a hothead her nephew could be, simply placed a calming hand on his forearm. The touch was gentle but carried an unmistakable command to wait, to let this play out.

James continued, his voice smooth as silk, each word calculated.

"And I seek your blessing as a member of the Council and wish that you would officiate our mating ceremony."

Turning to Bradley, he let a smug smirk touch his lips, unable to resist the small victory.

"Oh, and you and your entourage are welcome to witness this joyous occasion for my pack as well, Alpha Bradley."

The sharp crack of splintering wood echoed in the silence that followed. Bradley’s hand had crushed the armrest of the chair, reducing it to fragments. He was having a hard time controlling his wolf and himself, the beast raging against his ribs like a caged animal. Even Sam shifted his weight, ready to intervene if his Alpha did something foolish, although a dark part of him wondered if it would be better to just rid the world of a fool like James.

"Alpha James," Cynthia said, her voice calm but cutting through the tension like a blade through silk, "may I ask, if this omega has been a member of your pack for so long, why haven’t you claimed her as soon as she came of age?"

She knew something was amiss. Years on the Council had honed her instincts for deception. It was clear this pack didn’t believe in waiting for fated mates, but chose who was convenient or profitable. So why the delay?

James had the audacity to look sheepish, a perfect picture of a conflicted youth caught between duty and desire.

"Well, she was an orphan, so her age was never certain. And without her wolf, it was hard to determine if she was old enough. But she has always caught my eye, even as pups."

Seeing that the old woman’s expression remained unreadable, he decided to play his ace, the lie he’d polished to perfection.

"Well, actually, a few weeks ago, she went into her first heat. I could tell right away. We’ve... consummated our union, but I didn’t want to mark her then. I thought she might not be ready for it, and I wanted her full consent before we were truly joined."

"What I heard is that she went into heat, and you forced yourself upon her," Bradley snarled, banging his fist on the desk, the sound like a gunshot in the confined space. His eyes blazed with righteous fury. "That you stole her innocence while she was unable to agree to anything with a sound mind."

"I’m sure you got that from her friend." James shook his head with a look of practiced pity, as if dealing with a child who didn’t understand the complexities of adult relationships. "I’m afraid that was his jealousy talking."

Bradley’s brow furrowed with confusion.

"What do you mean by jealousy?"

"Well, everyone here knows they were close growing up. When he was recruited by my Gamma, he left the pack, and they hardly saw each other." James explained, weaving his lies with practiced ease, each word carefully chosen. "Can you imagine what it must have been for him to leave a girl and return to meet a woman, and a lovely one at that?"

Standing, James walked to the window, his back to them as he gazed out over his lands with an air of contemplation. The pose was deliberate, suggesting a man wrestling with deep emotions.

"The night we made love, she was dressed so beautifully in a dress I secretly sent for her. She looked like an angel descended to earth."

He turned back, his expression earnest, vulnerable even.

"How else would you explain that one minute I had nothing more than an Alpha’s duty towards his pack member, and the next, I’m yelling at pups for calling her that terrible nickname, one I am ashamed to have given her as a foolish youth."

He let his voice drop, filling it with feigned emotion that would have won him awards in another life.

"That night, when her scent hit me, I was never so out of control before. Even the thought of other females became repulsive. She was all I could think about, all I could want. I may have been a bit too rough for her first time, I admit it, but I swear, Councilwoman, that the day you arrived was the day I had every intention to apologize and ask for her hand properly."

Returning to his desk, James looked Bradley directly in the eyes, unflinching.

"I know you think you’ve found your mate in my Trishelle, but I’m afraid you’re mistaken."

Bradley growled at the possessive claim on what he knew, deep in his soul, was his. The bond he’d felt was real, undeniable.

"Well, if she is yours, and you claim to feel the mate bond, then explain why she was content to be in the arms of a male that she’s never met before?"

Bradley began pacing the small office, his movements predatory, caged. The wolf in him demanded action, demanded his mate.

"I know what I felt when I held her. The pull, the peace, the rightness of it. I will be damned if I’m going to let someone like you take her from me."

"But Alpha Bradley, she is not ’yours’." James’s voice hardened, steel beneath the silk. "She is a member of MY pack. I am the first to claim her, and I for sure will be her only and her last."

The two men squared off across the desk, the air crackling with animosity so thick it could be tasted.

"Yet she is still unmarked. How can you say she is yours?" Bradley shot back, his voice rising. "I have just as much right to claim her as my mate and Luna."

James had the gall to laugh, a condescending sound that grated on Bradley’s nerves like claws on stone.

"I’m sorry, Alpha Bradley, but why would she choose a stranger over her Alpha and her pack, her home? You shout at me about taking her innocence, yet it is because of me that the other wolves kept their distance. True, my conflicting feelings towards her may have caused her some confusion, but I am here today to make things right."

Bradley was ready to argue with his fist first and words after, his control hanging by a thread, when Councilwoman Seers barked, "That’s enough."

The command in her voice was absolute, carrying the weight of her position and years of authority. Both men immediately sat back down, their Alpha authority momentarily dwarfed by her own. For a tiny lady, she carried a huge power, and neither one of them wanted to be on the receiving end of it. They’d both heard stories of what happened to those who defied her.

Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, "Alexa, sweetheart, can you please bring that lovely young lady to the study? Maybe she can get these pups to settle this matter once and for all."