Story 1 Chapter 9
1781 Words
Story 1
Aries
Chapter 9
Third Person
While Lynx was busy planning his diabolical scheme to cheat during the challenge against Aries in two days’ time, Bruce was in his office watching his long-lost son fight as if his life depended on it. He was shocked to see just how fit, strong, and fast Aries was. Bernie was in Bruce’s office as well and looked on as his long-time friend showed regret in his eyes.
“You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you're regretting your decision to choose Colleen over Aries’ mother. What was her name?” Bernie observed, his voice laced with a hint of teasing.
“Julia. And is it that obvious?” Bruce quickly admitted, which stunned Bernie. Bernie pursed his lips and nodded his head.
“Small world, huh? My son-in-law is your son,” Bernie stated as he walked up to Bruce and also watched as Aries and Dorian sparred. He noticed Lacie and Allie sparring to the side as well.
“Your daughter is quite the fighter,” Bruce said.
“She’s learned from the best,” Bernie replied.
“The Luna?”
“No. Their pack’s lead trainers are a mated duo, and the female is a skilled martial artist. She’s the one who teaches the women in their pack to fight. Or, at the very least, learn self-defense tactics.”
“I see,” Bruce replied while nodding his head. “I’ve heard many stories about Desert Moon. I never expected your daughter would end up there.”
“I didn’t either. But, after a fight with Heather, Lacie and her best friend ended up taking refuge there, and that is where she met Aries.”
“Their bond is strong?” Bruce said as more of a question.
“As strong the mate bond can be. Probably even stronger than mine with Corrinne.”
“I wonder if my bond with Julia would have been that strong?”
“It wasn’t,” Bernie bluntly stated. Bruce furrowed his brows and scowled at Bernie. “Don’t give me that look, Bruce. You cheated on your destined mate and even rejected her.”
“I didn’t reject her. She rejected me.”
“No, you rejected her first by cheating on her. You decimated your bond with her by being unfaithful. That’s why the rejection didn’t kill either of you. It was already weak to begin with.”
“She never would have known if Colleen hadn’t—”
“Don’t blame Colleen! Yes, she is just as responsible for her actions, going after a male wolf who already had a mate, but you chose rank over love, and that is why you’ve been miserable for the last three decades.”
“I’m not mis—” Bruce wanted to defend himself, but when he saw the look Bernie gave him, he stopped midsentence.
“I knew you were unhappy in your marriage the first day we met. Every Alpha in our region knew you took a chosen mate to be Alpha.”
“I’m not the only one!”
“No, but you and Colleen loved bragging about it. At least, Colleen did. Every Luna in attendance at every one of the conferences couldn’t stand her because she would go on and on about how ranked members should never be paired with Omegas. And that Omegas are only that. They were the lowest of the pack’s hierarchy and would never amount to anything. Half of the Lunas in attendance were originally Omegas. Why do you think other Lunas ostracize her?”
“I never knew that the other Lunas ostracized her,” Bruce replied.
“How could you now know? Hadn’t you ever wondered why she would never leave your side and mingle?”
“I just figured that she didn’t want to be associated with anyone beneath her.”
“Beneath her?” Bernie huffed in dismay. “Bruce, you are either naïve, ignorant, or willfully stupid. Your wife is one of the most hated Lunas in the region. Did you know that all of the Lunas in the region gather once a month for book club, tea, and shopping?”
“What?” Bruce was shocked to hear this. “No.”
“That’s because Colleen was never invited to join. A different pack hosts it every month. Invitations are sent out like clockwork.” Bruce stared at Bernie with his face scrunched up and his mouth hanging open. “Last night, you berated Luna Shaw for speaking her mind, but your wife is ten times worse than Allison Shaw. What she said about Colleen is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what the other Lunas in the region say.”
“Why is Colleen hated so much?”
“Are you seriously asking me that?” Bernie retorted. Bruce pursed his lips and turned away. He knew deep down Colleen was a bully, but he’d never admit it out loud. He would only make excuses for her behavior because if he admonished her, he would be turning his back on the woman who gave him his Alpha title. Bruce was having an internal battle when they could hear screaming from outside.
Bruce and Bernie looked to see that Allie, Lacie, and Colleen were having a screaming match. Aries and Dorian were doing their best to keep Lacie and Allie at bay, but they were fighting them with everything they had to get free.
“What is going on?” Bruce questioned as he bolted out of his office with Bernie hot on his tail. By the time they got outside, they witnessed Lacie breaking free from Aries and charging at Colleen.
“HOMEWRECKING SON OF A B*TCH!” Lacie screamed as she pounced on Colleen and landed several back-to-back punches.
“Lacie!” Bernie shouted as he grabbed her and pulled her off Colleen. “Lacie! Sweetheart! Stop!”
“LET ME GO, DADDY! I’M GOING TO F*CKING KILL HER!”
“Precious! Stop!” Aries grabbed her, threw her over his shoulder, and took her away.
“Colleen, what happened?” Bruce asked as he helped her to her feet. She pulled out of his grasp, wiped her face, and saw blood.
“YOU ROTTEN LITTLE TYRANT! HOW DARE YOU A*SAULT ME!?!” Colleen screamed.
“YOU DESERVE THAT BEATING AND THEN SOME YOU PIECE OF SH*T SORRY EXCUSE OF A WOMAN!” Allie screamed from over Dorian’s shoulder.
“What the f*ck is going on out here!?” Lynx shouted as he joined everyone outside.
“LET ME GO, ARIES!” Lacie shouted and fought his hold on her.
“Precious! No! This isn’t the way to solve anything!”
“SHE THREATENED MY MOM! I’M GOING TO F*CKING KILL HER!” When Bernie heard this, his eyes turned black, and he snapped his head toward Colleen.
“Is this true? Did you threaten my wife?”
“I didn’t threaten her! I only said that your wife wasn’t fit to be a Luna, especially since she can’t even f*cking talk!”
“AND WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO CRITICIZE MY MATE!?” Bernie roared as he stomped over to Colleen in a menacing manner.
“Bernie! Bernie! Don’t! She’s my wife!” Bruce stepped in the way. But before he could talk Bernie down, Bernie grabbed him by the collar and tossed him to the side like a rag doll. Unfortunately for Bruce, Bernie was born with Alpha blood, which made him stronger than Bernie. Bernie grabbed Colleen by the throat.
“UNHAND ME!” Colleen screamed as she tried to push Bernie off. Lynx got involved and grabbed Bernie’s arm, but he, too, was no match for Bernie’s brute strength. Even if he was a disgraced Alpha, that didn’t change Bernie’s DNA.
“KILL HER, DADDY! KILL THAT F*CKING B*TCH! SHE SAID MOMMY SHOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AT BIRTH FOR HER DISABILITY!” Lacie cried with tears streaming down her face at this point.
“Allison, is this true?” Bernie growled.
“Yes, it’s true! That psychopathic, narcissistic old hag even smiled when she said it!” Bernie snarled and applied more pressure on Colleen’s larynx.
“You dare speak ill of my mate? You judge her for something out of her control, and yet, she’s still a thousand times better than you’ll ever be. You are a disgusting and abhorrent woman, Colleen Armstrong. You think that you’re better than others just because you were born into Alpha blood, but how wrong you are. You’re the most hated Luna in this region. No one wants anything to do with you. Why else do you think none of the other packs ever came to visit or provide assistance during your last two rogue attacks? It’s because of you.”
“What are you talking about?” Bruce asked from the ground as he tried to make sense of everything happening around him.
“The other packs in the region consider the Nantahala Forest Pack a nuisance and hope that rogues will eventually wipe you out.” This statement made Bruce’s heart skip a beat. Even Lynx furrowed his brows. Was this why future Alphas of other packs in the region refused to help him whenever he asked for favors?
“What? Why? I’ve always been friendly with the other Alphas!”
“Your chosen mate has disrespected every Alpha and Luna in the region, Bruce, including me and Corrinne. But I valued our friendship, so I never said anything to you. But after today, that ends. I’m no longer an Alpha either way, but if I were, then I’d cut all ties with you and this pack because of your wife!”
“Bernie, old friend, please, I’m begging you, let her go,” Bruce pleaded.
“Why should I? By right, I should snap her neck for what she said about my mate!”
“If you don’t kill her, I will!” Lacie shouted.
“You will do no such thing!” Lynx shouted at her.
“AND WHO THE F*CK ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO!?” Lacie roared; Samara was coming to the surface! Lynx was shocked to feel her Alpha aura. “I’M A FULL-BLOODED ALPHA FEMALE! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT A HALF-BREED WITH A WH*RE FOR A MOTHER WHO STOLE ANOTHER WOMAN’S MATE!”
“DON’T. CALL. ME. HALF-BREED!” Lynx snarled.
“YOU’RE WEAK! YOU’RE A FRACTION OF THE MAN ARIES IS! WE SHOULDN’T EVEN BE HERE!”
“You’re here because you were ordered to be here!”
- Writer
