MATED TO THE ALPHA AND HIS BETA - Season 5 Episode 60

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.”

The man didn’t shout again.

“Lanie is our mate and our Luna.” Xander turned to gesture at me. “Me, my Beta, Zane, and also my co-Alpha, Mason. The four of us were blessed by the Moon Goddess in our unconventional union, and it’s my firm expectation that you’ll all welcome her to the role of Luna.”

I had to stifle a laugh at Xander’s “dad” voice. It offered no argument, kind of the same way when he was making our pups finish their meat at dinner before they’d be allowed to have candy. I kept myself from laughing though, even as I caught sight of Zane’s grin.

“They’re happy to accept you. And us.” Zane’s thoughts filled the mind link.

I felt a rise of hesitant happiness coming from the crowd through him. This was weird, but I rolled with it. I raised my hands and addressed the crowd again.

“It’s my honor to serve as your Luna, and I look forward to it!”

The crowd rose in a rush of cheering. It faded when Xander stepped back up to the front. He gestured for Mason to join him at the front of the stage.

“We, the co-Alphas of Pack Constantine, understand and empathize with how much damage the High Council left behind. But we want to make it clear that other supernaturals are not our enemies.” He paused as though expecting some pushback, but the only sounds were soft murmurs. He pressed on. “We know it can be hard to change your minds after being told so many lies. We intend to set all of the records straight and bring truth back to this pack and all of wolf society. We’ll be leading with transparency, honesty and integrity.”

The crowd roared. My heart swelled with pride and love. These people could have rushed the stage and thrown all of us in prison, poisoned by what the High Council had done. They could have let another war start, continued the lies, refused to listen to reason. Instead, they were embracing my mates and me.

When I’d first been mated with Xander and Zane, I’d never imagined a day like this.

As it turned out, nothing in my imagination could have prepared me for today.