The Unknown Lycan Princess

Chapter Seven

ETHAN’S POV

I had been arguing with Dex in my mind while Beth was in the bathroom. Apparently, it is my fault that Beth was crying and I was in the “dog house”, his words. I was trying to figure out what I did wrong for him to blame me. I was only being a gentleman. I didn’t want her to feel forced into anything with me. I want her to be comfortable and want to be with me. Not be forced to because I have a big mouth and not a big enough brain. ‘Just don’t do it again. She’s coming out.’ Dex hissed in my mind.

As the door opened, I looked down to see Beth not seeing where she was going and she ran right into my chest. I grabbed her by the waist to steady her so she didn’t fall and apologized to her. We headed to the table my parents and sister were at. When we got to the table, I pulled her chair out for her and helped her scoot it in. When she was settled, I kissed her cheek and watched a small blush appear on her cheeks. Simply adorable. Dex nodded in my head in agreement. I straightened up and took my seat beside her and grabbed her hand under the table. I just had to keep touching her.

The waitress arrived as we got settled into our seats. She was a nice looking young woman from our pack. I think she is a year or two older than us. She was tall with blonde hair and reminded me a lot of Ashley to be honest. I wonder if she was her sister? I shrugged to myself, not really caring in the least. She may be nice looking, but no one on this planet is more beautiful than my Beth. The waitress kept giving me some type of strange look. She almost looked like she needed to use the bathroom. When she spoke it came out breathy and almost croaky like a toad. I internally cringed, realizing she was trying to sound alluring and was flirting with me.

“What can I get you today, Alpha Ethan? Whatever you want I can give you.” She said with a wink that looked more like she was having a seizure. I couldn’t help but stare at her, trying to figure out how she can have enough balls to talk to me like that with not only my parents here, her current Alpha and Luna, when she knows how my family feels about mates, but with my mate right here beside me. It was gross and really sad on her part.

“Beth baby, what would you like to drink?” I turned to look at Beth and raised her hand to kiss the back of it. She blushed and whispered her reply of water with lemon. “I’ll have the same to drink and we would also like some bread sticks.” I said to the waitress while still looking at Beth. My family proceeded to tell her what they wanted and the waitress left with a huff.

While we waited for the waitress to come back with our drinks, my mom was talking to Beth about how her pregnancy had been so far. What foods she craves and what foods tend to make her sick. I took mental notes to make sure we didn’t have any of those foods brought to the table tonight or ever while she is pregnant. I don’t want my baby to be sick while she carries our babies. Man, that is still weird to think about. Me being a father when I have never even had s*x before. Yeah, I fooled around a little bit while I was at Alpha training, but I never went all the way with a girl. I wanted to save that for my mate. I wanted it to be special for her and not like every other guy out there. It really isn’t that hard to keep it in your pants. I don’t understand why some guys don’t.

The waitress came back with a tray that had our drinks and the breadsticks on them. As she sat everyone's glasses down, she had a bright smile on her face until she got to Beth and it dropped a little. As she placed my glass on the table, she stood between Beth and I and rubbed her chest against my arm. She had a couple of extra buttons undone on her shirt. Honestly, this was starting to get annoying. She knows I am here with Beth and she is still behaving this way.

“Can I get you anything else, Alpha Ethan?” She asked in that breathy croaky toad-like voice.

“Yes. You can get your manager please.” My beautiful mate and I said at the same time. I couldn’t help but smile. My baby had the same idea I did. Well, at least I think she did. From the look on her face I would say she is.

“Oh. O.K.” the waitress said as her face fell into a confused state as she walked away for the manager. She arrived back a few minutes later with a short balding man beside her who looked flustered. He is also a pack member. He looked like he would rather be anywhere else than standing at the table of his Alpha’s family while they were all visibly upset.

“Can I help you, Alphas?” He asked with a slight quiver of his voice.

“I may not be your Alpha, but I do require your assistance. We would like a new waitress. One who knows their boundaries, and knows when attention is wanted and not. She knew I was here with my mate and his family and she continued to try to flirt with him and be rude to me. She was rubbing her body on his arm and unbuttoned her shirt to try again to gain his attention when she didn’t get it the first time, batting her eyes at him. Honestly, she looked like she was having a seizure to be honest, so she might need some medical attention. This is no way to conduct yourself while at work. It places the business in a bad light. From what I have seen, from the way the employees behave, I may never want to come back here again.” Beth said elegantly and like the Luna she was meant to be.

“I couldn’t have said that better myself, dear. You will make an incredible Luna, Beth. Please do as my future daughter-in-law asked. Alicia, we will have a talk about this behavior. If there are other complaints about you, we may need to find you a new job. I will not allow the workers in my family restaurant to behave in such a way. Beth is right. That behavior could cause us to lose customers. My mother works too hard at this place just to be ruined by young ladies such as yourself.” My dad said.

I looked out the corner of my eye to see Beth’s eyes go wide when Dad said that this was a family-owned restaurant. The manager, for his part, looked like he was about to pass out. His face was so red. I wasn’t sure if he was mad at the waitress, whose name is Alicia apparently. Or if he was mad at Beth. With the looks he was giving her, it was making the hair on the back of my neck rise and my protective instincts kick in. I let out a low warning growl at him and watched as he jerked his head to me quickly with eyes wide with fear in them.

He straightened his jacket and cleared his throat and said, “Yes, Alpha Arthur. Right away. Congratulations Alpha Ethan on finding your mate. I will send someone new over in just a moment.” Then he turned around and grabbed Alicia’s arm and was pulling her away, grumbling at her about her behavior.

“I’m sorry baby. I swear I don’t even know who that is. I’ve never led anyone on. Not even dated anyone really except for those few short days I was with Ashley before Jessica knocked some sense into me. It’s only you for me, princess. I promise.” I rushed to say to Beth. The last thing I want is for her to think that I welcome this type of attention. Dex, for once, agreed with me. He wanted to come out and rip that wolf's throat out for her disrespect to our mate.

“It’s ok Ethan. I saw how you were behaving. Don’t worry. I’m smarter than I look. I know a desperate hoe when I see one.” Beth replied and my mom was in mid drink and spit her water out on the table while failing to hide her laughter. Jessica was doubled over laughing while Dad had a smirk on his face.

My father leaned over to me and said with a smile, “I like her. She is diplomatic when she needs to be and very upfront. With a bit of fiery sass on the side. She’s perfect for you and this pack.”

My chest puffed out in pride with my father’s compliments to my mate. I looked at her from the corner of my eye and saw that she was blushing at my father’s words. I love her blush. I want to make her blush several times a day for the rest of eternity. All of a sudden, Beth’s face goes pale and she covers her nose and mouth and lurches to her feet and makes a mad dash for the ladies' bathroom. I stood up just staring at her, trying to figure out what was going on. Then I smelled it. Fresh from the oven lasagna. It must have been the smell of the tomato sauce. She was just telling mom that she couldn’t stand the smell of tomatoes right now and they made her almost violently sick.

I cursed to myself for not knowing what to do. I looked at my parents with a panicked face. My father just looked at me with sympathy and my mom was trying not to laugh at my expense. Finally, Jessica had some decency to tell me exactly what I needed to get my head out of my ass to help my mate. “Don’t just stand there dummy. Go after your mate. Hold her hair and rub her back. I will take care of the smell.” Jessica said to me with a roll of her eyes.

“Right. Thanks Jess.” I said as I walked away quickly after my sick mate. I kept getting stopped by several pack members congratulating me on finding my mate and the pups. By the time I got to the bathroom, I heard a commotion from inside and it didn’t sound good. I opened the door and stopped in my tracks as I was coming to terms with what I was seeing before rage overtook me and I acted. Alicia was trying to shove Beth’s head into the toilet still filled with Beth’s stomach contents. Beth was struggling to lift her head that was being pushed down. I could tell she wasn’t able to keep resisting much longer, being weak from throwing up.

I moved quickly and grabbed Alicia by the throat and slammed her into the far wall away from my mate. I alpha ordered her not to move and mindlinked my father and mother.

‘Dad, Mom. I need you both in the ladies' bathroom please. Alicia was trying to drown Beth in the bathroom toilet.’

‘Oh my Goddess. Is Beth alright? Do we need to call for the pack healer?!’ My mother asked frantically. I could tell she was already running towards the bathroom.

‘Son, do you have Alicia detained so you can take care of your mate? We’ll be there in a minute’. My father responded.

‘Yes, father. I alpha commanded Alicia to stay put. Then mindlinked you guys. Beth is OK, just a little shaken up and weak. I think it is best to get our food to go and eat at the packhouse. I don’t feel comfortable having my mate here anymore. It’s not safe. She could have died. She could have lost the pups. I can’t have that father. I need you to deal with Alicia because if I did I’d kill her and I don’t think Beth is ready to see that.” I said through gritted teeth,

I was holding Beth as she cried into my shirt and I rubbed her back trying to soothe her fears. I can’t believe I just found my mate and I was about to lose her because of a crazy she-wolf. I don’t even know what was going through Alicia’s head. I’ve never talked to her before, I don't even know her. How dare she try to kill my mate. How dare she scare her. I had to get Beth out of here before I lost my s**t on Alicia and scared Beth more than she already was.

My parents ran into the bathroom and my mother came over and took Beth from my arms. I tried to protest but my mother gave me a pointed look and took my mate out of the bathroom quickly. My father was standing in front of Alicia with his arms crossed over his chest. He was waiting for me to join them.

“Alicia. What is the meaning of this? Why did you attack your future Luna?” My father asked after I stood next to him.

For her part, Alicia didn’t look nervous. She just looked smug as she responded, “She is no future Luna of mine. She is just a mere human and has no right to be a Luna. I don’t care if she is your mate or not, Ethan. Our pack deserves a stronger Luna.”

Dex wanted to rip her throat out and to make an example out of her, but I stopped him. I waited to see what my father would say or do. My father kept a stern look on his face as I watched the wheels turning in his mind before he smirked and said, “So you feel that you are a stronger person who deserves to be Luna? What makes your opinion greater than that of the Moon Goddess Selene? Don’t you think that our Moon Goddess knows what she is doing by mating my son to Beth? What qualities do you think are required for a good Luna?”

Alicia was shocked for a second before she composed herself with a victorious smile and said, “For starters, I am a wolf. That automatically makes me more qualified than a human. Secondly, she couldn’t even defend herself against me and she is obviously sickly since she was in here throwing up. She isn’t known in the pack and she couldn’t protect anyone from a rogue even if she tried. Most importantly, I am prettier and would look better on Ethan’s arm during events and I come from a strong warrior line. Our pups would be from strong pure werewolf blood. Not diluted by a mere human.”

I couldn’t help it and I started to laugh. She thinks that it is most important to be good looking. “Firstly, my Beth is jaw-dropping gorgeous and you are so so at most in the looks department compared to her. My mate isn’t sickly, you nimwit. She’s pregnant with my pups. So, of course, she couldn’t fight back with you if you caught her while her back was turned and throwing up. From what I walked in on, even in her weakened state she held you off or she would have had a head covered in vomit which she didn’t. Lastly, the most important part to being a Luna is being loving and compassionate to ALL pack members and being respectful to every person's individual strengths and weaknesses and helping people overcome them. Not exploit them for their own gain. You are nothing but a self-absorbed she-wolf who just wants a better rank that the Moon Goddess did not see fit to place you in. Mates are sacred and I thank the Goddess that Beth is my mate and not someone like you. Selene obviously knows what she is doing. So why don’t you take your notions of being Luna of this pack and throw it out the window because it will NEVER happen.” I said through a clenched jaw. My hands were in fists at my sides, trying hard to keep Dex back so he didn’t do something that we would regret later.

“Alicia, you are hereby notified that you are on probation for the next 6 months. If you so much as break one pack or human law, you are out of the pack. If you do not like these terms, then feel free to tell me so that I can go ahead and file the transfer papers for you to go to another pack or be considered a rogue. I will NOT tolerate disrespect on any level, especially to a future Luna hand picked by the Goddess herself. Beth may be a human, but that in no way defines who she is or a sign of her strength. I have just met her today and I know just from that little time that she is a perfect fit for Luna. She has compassion and diplomacy. There are many ways to be strong, not just physical strength, but there is mental strength as well. You are showing that you are not mature enough to be in charge of a full pack. So no, Alicia. You are not a better candidate for being Luna. In fact, you're not even close to having the qualities of a good Luna. So what will it be? Probation or exile?” My father stated matter of factly.

“You can’t be serious. You would really exile me because of that human b***h. She isn’t worthy enough. I should have been his mate, not her! I’ll take the probation. There is no way I am leaving when, in six months or less, you will see for yourself how poor your choices are now, and I want to be here to see you all realize that I was right and that a human has no place in leadership in a werewolf pack.” Alicia stated with an air of arrogance.

“Very well. You have been warned. One broken law, either human or pack, and you will be banished and turned rogue. I, Alpha Arthur Warren Smith, with my son and heir Alpha Ethan Xavier Smith as witness, hereby place Alicia Eloise Williams on a six month probation period that if during that time she breaks one law of human or pack, she will be exiled from the Blue Moon Wolf Pack. So shall it be by the Goddess Selene.” My father's words were spoken in the air and you could feel the vow locking into place. The Goddess Selene accepted the terms. Alicia just stared at us with wide eyes, not really fully grasping the effects of the vow. I guess we will see if she keeps her nose out of trouble.

“One last thing, Alicia. You’re fired!” My mother said and we all whipped our heads to the side to see Beth, Mom, and Jessica standing at the door with a mix of emotions on their faces. Mom and Jessica looked pissed, while Beth just looked utterly bored and disinterested in messing with this situation anymore. I held my arms open to Beth and she walked right into them and snuggled into my chest. I leaned down and kissed the top of her head as I whispered to her, “Are you OK baby? Are the babies OK? Do we need to take you to the healer to make sure you are all three fine.” The more questions I asked the more frantic and panicked I felt. Maybe I should carry her out of the restaurant and rush her to the nearest hospital. What if something happened to our pups while she was struggling with Alicia? What if she got so stressed out that the health of our pups is in jeopardy?

Dex agreed with everything I said and he wanted, no, he NEEDED her to be checked to make sure she and our pups were safe. ‘Take mate to the healer, human. Make sure she and our pups are OK. I swear if something is wrong with any of them I will rip this she-wolf’s throat out and place her head on a pike for all to see what happens to anyone who hurts our mate!’ Dex was growling at me in my mind because I wasn’t moving fast enough for him. A soft giggle came from my chest and I looked down wide-eyed at Beth. She had a small blush on her cheeks as she looked at me with amusement. “I’m fine Ethan. It will take more than some insecure woman trying to push my head into a toilet full of vomit to hurt me or the babies. They are perfectly safe and cushioned in my body.” She told me with a small smile.

My heart was thudding wildly in my chest. Her words calmed me down a little, but they did nothing to settle mine or Dex’s worries about the babies and her. Regardless of her reassurances, I was going to have the pack healer come to the packhouse when we got there to check her over to make sure. I can’t be too safe with my lovely little mate.

I looked towards my father and he nodded his head at me. He must know what I was thinking. I turned back to Beth and proceeded to pick her up in a bridal carry as she let out the cutest little squeak and started to walk out of the restaurant. All the while she was telling me to put her down and that she could walk. I silenced her by giving her a chaste kiss on the lips while my family was walking behind us laughing at our behavior. I placed Beth and myself in the backseat of the car and I buckled her up, making sure the belt wasn’t on her stomach in a way that could hurt the pups if we had to stop suddenly. Jess was driving the car again and took us to the packhouse while I held onto Beth in the back of the car.

‘Marcy, can you meet us at the packhouse in 15 minutes please. My mate was attacked in the bathroom at the restaurant and I want her to be checked. She is almost 12 weeks pregnant with my twin pups and Dex is going frantic in my mind thinking something is wrong now and won’t leave me alone until you check her out. My mate says she is fine, but I can’t be sure because I don’t know what all happened before I stopped the attack.’ I said in mindlink. My thoughts were running wild again about all the things that could be wrong. I know Beth said she was fine, but I need to make sure she is.

‘Oh my Goddess. I will be there in 10 Alpha Ethan. Is she bleeding anywhere or is she cramping at all? If so, take her to the hospital and I can meet you there.’ Marcy replied to me immediately.

‘Not that I can see. She seems fine, but I just need to be sure.’ I replied back to her.

“That is a good sign then, Alpha Ethan. I am sure she and your pups are fine. I will bring a portable ultrasound machine with me to make sure everything is OK inside. By the way, congratulations Alpha!’ I cut the link after Marcy replied. I was thankful that she was able to come check on Beth. I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to her or the pups because I wasn’t there to protect them.