My Laughable Fate

10. Suitable?

PAUL POV

I still hadn’t managed to close my gaping mouth when she spoke again. “Those are just the things that are obviously wrong. You have very basic protocols in place in case of an attack with no contingencies. They don’t even seem like feasible plans if I’m blunt. Have there been any drills to execute and confirm they are of any use?” I felt my left eye twitch and watched as the corner of her lip tipped up slightly.

Blunt didn't even begin to describe her. How could I defend my pack and accuse her of basically failing our entire defense protocols because she’s pissed off at me? I didn’t want my father or anyone else to know who Leia was to me. At least not until I figure out how to settle things with her. “Is. She is our mate and there is nothing to settle.” Idris interrupted my thoughts. “How dare you!” My father sneered at Leia, who didn’t bat an eyelash.

When he stood at his feet, Commander Jordan, who had been sitting quietly in his seat next to Leia, quickly stood in front of him. While the commander stared my father down, Leia’s bored expression scrutinized me. She wasn’t as surprised as I was that I had also gotten on my feet. When the hell had that happened?

I hardly noticed the change in my line of sight. I’d managed to stay on my side of the desk and stop myself before doing exactly what Commander Jordan did, but inside I was dying to stand in between her and danger. Idris was pushing me and seeing another wolf defend our mate was adding to my ire. “Careful Alpha Daniel. Master Sargeant Leia maybe a young shewolf but her experience…”

He looked back at Leia who was still boring a hole between my eyes. “It’s not to be underestimated. She is a born warrior with the mind and heart of a leader.” The pride in his voice led me to believe they were close but... how close? The older wolf in front of my desk looked old enough to be her father. Attractive, I guess, but… older. When his words registered with Leia, she turned to look at his back with a soft expression before turning back to me.

Did I get a soft expression? “Have you acknowledged her?” Idris deadpanned. “I blocked you!” Didn’t I? “You are too easily distracted, and I’m better than you.” My cocky wolf explained with a scoff. All my problems right now, even the ones with my wolf, were because of her. She was the reason I was distracted. She was the one being bitter and childish. She was mixing up the personal and business sides of things, and I was starting to do the same.

Idris was seething with jealousy and it was clouding my judgment. I needed to put on my Alpha blinders and zone out our bond. “Whatever relationship you have with the shewolf outside of working hours shouldn’t….” A chair scrapping loudly and falling back, stopped my rant. Her lite brown eyes were blazing with anger as she stepped away from her fallen chair, moving closer to me in turn.

The disgust and scrutiny must have been clear as day because she looked ready for war. Even with a scowl on her face and fists clenched at her sides, she looked ethereal. Just that easily she had me stuck on stupid. It isn't fair that a shewolf has that much effect on an Alpha. I should be able to ignore how badly I want to throw her on my desk and bury my face between her thighs.

Her full lips parted, but before her tongue could take its first sharp swipe at me, Commander Jordan's hands banged on my desk. MY DESK! That got rid of the hard on Leia had spawned. “Look here, young Alpha.” He growled lowly, and his aura filled the room, commanding respect. Respect I had no choice to give. Very few wolves that aren’t Alpha’s can do that. Of course, he would be my mates’ sugar wolf.

While I had shown the commander respect, my father refused to back down and instead doubled down by rolling his eyes, earning a snarling glare from the Commander. Only then did my father sit down and bite back his anger. Now I don’t feel like such a p***y. “I don’t give a s**t what you’re implying about me, but you will respect Master Sargeant Leia.” He ordered, stunning me and my father.

Commander Jordan has high-ranking blood, a former Beta, but that’s all. I am an Alpha. No matter how strong his aura is, he cannot outright order an Alpha. I heard a soft giggle that made my c**k twitch and my eyes landed on her. Should it worry me that my ma.. I mean Leia wasn’t stunned that her Commanding officer had disrespected an Alpha. In his pack no less.

No, she was amused and looked pleased. Who were these wolves? While I was still processing my last thought, my father got to his feet again. “Commander Jordan! I don’t know or care how things are done in the west. Since you are our guest, you should know that our pack still values the werewolf hierarchy above all others.” My father spoke, smiling smugly.

The Commander didn’t turn to acknowledge my father's words, his eyes trained on me with his arms planted on my desk as he leaned over it. As much as I wanted to reach over and strangle the disrespectful wolf, I couldn’t. Not only was he a commander, but his home pack was Golden Moon. The biggest and most powerful pack in the west. I'd be a total f**k up if I managed to piss them off.

We needed the commander, the council, and any help we could get. No matter how angry my father is and will be, he needs to put his pride aside and join me while dining on crow. While I can’t deny that our pack needs help, I can’t believe we are a hundred percent incompetent in our security measures, as Leia has stated.

Where are things always this bad? I don’t remember our pack struggling before I left for my Alpha training. My first week as Alpha I was given our finances, which are a mess. Something that shocked me a little, since my father had always criticized my mother for not knowing how to do the pack’s finances properly. What he didn’t tell me was how he was borrowing money from other packs to keep up his royal lifestyle.

“Another reason you need to take a chosen mate.” Idris grumbled. “Father put the pack in debt, but he’s right about Natalia. She and her pack are a step in the right direction. Even if we didn’t have to choose her, she would still be the right choice.” I had been taught to think logically, not emotionally, and our finances are my biggest problem right now.

I need the council, the commander and even Leia as much as I need Natalia. When the Beta sensed me giving in, he smirked and put the final nail in the coffin. “Blood given rank is respected if respect is warranted. Same as an earned rank. Doesn’t seem fair to me but…” He shrugged and shot a grin in Leia’s direction. A smile did not look natural on him, since he looked like he hardly used those facial muscles. Looks creepy.

My father was boiling at this point and was about to go on another tangent. Before he could, I tried to get things back on task. “We respect the werewolf army ranks. What I don’t respect and find hard to believe is Master Sergeant Leia’s assessment.” I turned to find her already glaring at me. “I don’t understand Alpha, what are you accusing her of? Lying?” He then began to look between us with squinted eyes.

When his eyes narrowed, I knew he suspected something, so I sat down in my chair and tried to seem casual. “Failed.” Idris scoffed. “Did you two have an altercation I don’t know about or something?” He asked both of us but was looking at Leia. She shook her head vehemently and her eyes clouded over. She was linking him.

Shit, would she tell him? I mean, so what if she did? What could he do to me? “That’s a big Beta. We could take him, but he’d put a dent in us.” Idris calculated. “I’m more worried about how father would react if he found out. He could ruin things before I have a chance to fix them.” My father claims to be royalty but has all the grace of a bull in a china shop.

After a few seconds, the Commander gave Leia an incredulous look and then turned back to face me. “Put aside the royal cell that’s running through your veins for a moment.” The commander said in a bored tone, giving my father a glance. “The very qualified and professional shewolf in this room gave me the results of yesterday’s assessment. I’ve seen your security protocols with my own eyes.

You rely to much on the other packs to come to your rescue and, because you’ve never been attacked, you are complacent.” He explained. I felt a nasty knot in the pit of my belly. I hadn’t thought our protocols were lacking… though I didn’t have anything to compare them to. Everything sounded sensible enough. Has it been proven feasible? No. I hadn’t gotten that far in the two weeks I was here before I had to retrieve my chosen. It wasn’t as if my father told me the pack was in debt and disorganized.

The guilty yet still smug expression on my father’s face is making it hard for me to deny the commanders' accusations. I can’t just blame him either. I should have been more involved and insisted on staying in the pack for my Alpha training. I wouldn’t have been able to stop him but then I at least would have seen what was really going on.

Money issues can be resolved with time and with that will come growth. A total overhaul of our packs security measures is going to take more than money. It’s going to take a team of experienced and motivated wolves to teach a group of poorly trained warriors. If what they are saying is true. “It’s true, deep down you know it.” Idris insisted.

Two weeks ago, hell, two hours ago, I would have defended my father. We are Stones after all, but that doesn’t matter right now. “Sargeant Master Leia, can we please speak in private?” I don’t think anyone has ever seen the very composed sergeant skip a breath. Apparently not even herself, since she scowled at me when she realized I had noticed.

“Is there a reason you..” Commander Jordan began, but Leia interrupted him. “It’s fine Commander Jordan, Alpha Paul and I have a conversation pending.” Her adorable face tilted to the side and one eyebrow shot up. “Your fucked.” Idris chuckled. “Alpha Daniel and I will go over the assessment with the Beta and Gamma.” The commander spoke and stared at my father until he got up with an annoyed sigh.

My father, not so elegantly, stomped to the door and flung it open, then stormed out. Commander Jordan gave us each a glance before following him. “Looks like you’ve decided to finally put on your Alpha panties.” Leia teased snidely before crossing her arms and smirking at me. She wasn't going to make this easy… not at all.

LEIA POV

“Leia…” He began, but I slammed my hand on his desk. His eyes bulged out and I suppressed a growl. “It’s Sargeant Master Leia. Unless you are okay with me calling you Paul.” I said his name sickly sweet and gave him a condescending smile. Why was he smiling at me? “He liked hearing his name from our lips.” Sian whispered wistfully. “Sergeant Master Liea.” The smile had dropped, and he corrected himself and I sat back and gave him a nod.

If that vein on his forehead pulsed any harder it would burst. “We are in a unique situation here.” Is he high? I chuckled at his oversimplification and sighed dramatically. “Unique.” I tested the word on my lips and laughed harder while shaking my head. “Finding out my mate is the Alpha of a very disorganized pack that I’m supposed to fix might be considered unique.” I agreed.

He frowned at the slight but had the common sense not to argue. “This isn’t a unique situation, Alpha Paul, this is what I call a s**t Sunday.” I smiled at him, and he got a goofy look on his face. Kind of cute, actually. Oh, hell no! Stupid bond. “Let’s cut the bullshit, were mates. For one reason or another, you don’t want me. Boo, Hoo.” That was the bare bones of it, right? So why did he suddenly stand up and glare at me?

I wasn’t the one ignoring our bond, at least not at first. His frown fell and he sneered at me. “That! That right there is the reason my father is right.” He ranted while pointing his finger at me. I threw my head back and laughed at his face. “Maybe, but if he is, it would be the only thing he ever got right.” I smiled at him, just because I knew it would annoy him.

“You can’t be my mate… I mean….” He looked down at me, at my fatigues and dirty boots. This time I didn’t have a jelly stain, but it didn’t seem to make me look any better in his eyes. I wasn’t sure what pissed me off more, the fact that he was judging me, or the fact that I was letting it affect me. “I need a high-ranking shewolf by my side. You are not a suitable Luna.” He shook his head in frustration.

Flaming hot rage consumed me to the point that I couldn’t feel any other emotions I should be feeling. Like humiliation or sadness because my mate doesn’t want me. Oddly, I was more offended that a wolf who couldn’t take a step without his father’s permission had the nerve to look down on me. “Suitable?” I furrowed my eyebrows and his eyes flicked down to my parted lips. “For whom? You? Your pack? Your daddy?” He bristled, but we both knew the truth.