She-Alpha

Chapter twenty

I don't know if I was beginning to worry more than I should; if I was overreacting.

It's been more than a week since Joseph's last visit, and I haven't heard from him or from anyone else after that.

"Luna, what would you like to do?" Malcolm steps out of the house, walking near me where I was sitting on the ground in front of the swings. It was afternoon and he had just finished washing the dishes after making me breakfast. Sometimes, I wonder if Malcolm ever gets angry at having to play maid and housewife with me instead of fulfilling his duties as a Gamma to his pack.

I wasn't an idiot. I knew that Gammas mainly had to protect their Lunas in a pack. They're one of the most powerful and trusted wolves to the Alpha, yet still... No matter how much Malcolm tries to reassure me, I would have that inkling feeling in the back of my head. If I was a Gamma, I wouldn't have enjoyed this. Not one bit.

"Did Ares visit the pack doctor or not yet?" I ask out of the blue. Malcolm was no longer surprised at my question. I had asked it several times before this attempt.

Ares has been seemingly busy with pack matters this past week, but I started to feel as if... as if he was looking for any excuses to stay away from the house. My brother is an Alpha. Heck, I'm trained like one. And I knew for certain that nothing could be keeping him this busy if it wasn't war.

"I don't know." Malcolm repeats the same answer he's told me every time. I don't believe nor trust him. I could demand the truth out of him right now as his Luna, but if Ares had told him to keep quiet about it to me, it was my order against his Alphas. My word was nothing.

I hug my knees as I rest my chin on it in an attempt to keep myself warm.

Why wouldn't he want me tagging along? I had told him multiple times during the night as we lay next to each other in bed, both of us too tired to initiate anything, that I would be more than willing to help him. That's what a Luna was for. I was starting to hate the house the more time I spend inside of it. I feel caged. I wanted to scream and yell at Ares that his office is practically useless if he isn't going to be using it.

Malcolm could feel my uneasiness because he slowly and carefully sits next to me, trying to not bother me. He didn't want to make any noise that could make Iverene snap. I wanted to be left alone; he could sense it, but he was ordered to do otherwise.

"Luna?" He whispers, looking at me as he waits for a response.

My heart aches at the name. "Don't call me that."

"Why?" He hesitates, continuing to whisper.

I don't respond. He purses his lips, looking away from my face now. I wanted him to try to do anything, reassure me. I feel Malcolm was the only friend I'd made at this pack, but he remains quiet. Iverene appreciates his silence; I don't.

"What happened one week ago?" I ask slowly, wanting to break the silence. I was sad; yes. But it wasn't at Malcolm, and it wouldn't be fair for me to lose my only company here at this big house.

"Hm?" He hums as he turns his head to me. His confusion was evident both in his expression and his tone.

"Last week when I was training with Ares... Aionar interrupted and he said that something happened. What happened?" I don't demand an answer from him. I told myself I would only do it if he didn't choose to respond, but I wanted to see if he would willingly tell me first.

"A lot happened. It's a mess in the pack." He answers, thinking this would be enough of a response for me, but I keep my intense stare on him as he grows nervous by my gaze.

"A fight broke out in the pack. The wolves are in trial, and in the same day, one of the prisoners escaped." He lets out in one breath before panting when he was finally done.