Goodbye Alpha, I'm Done - Chapter 37: Chapter 37

As I stepped out of my car and into the bustling streets, I couldn't help but feel everyone's eyes on me. Their gazes seemed to linger on the necklace resting against my skin, a tangible symbol of my bond with Ryker. I knew the gossip would spread like wildfire, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Let them talk, I thought, a small smile playing on my lips. At least now they would respect me, knowing that I was Ryker's mate.
Linda, the self-proclaimed "future Luna" of the pack, strode towards me the moment I stepped into the company, her eyes glaring at the necklace. "How the hell did you get that?" she hissed, raising her voice so everyone could hear.
I raised my chin, meeting her gaze with confidence. "Isn't it obvious, Linda?" I replied, my tone even and assured. "Ryker has marked me as his own. I am his mate."
Her face contorted in disgust, giving me a death glare. "How could that be?" she spat, waving her arms about. "I am the one who is meant to be the Luna of this pack! Not some... some outsider like you!"
“Well it’s not my fault he decided to mark an outsider over you,” I responded with a small shrug, folding my arms calmly.
Linda looked like she was going to pounce on me any moment from now.
“How dare you? What did you do to him to make him give you that necklace? Did you bewitch him or something?”
Before I could respond, she lunged forward, her hand reaching for the necklace. But just as her fingers brushed against the chain, a powerful grip closed around her wrist, pulling her back.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ryker's deep voice rumbled, his blue eyes glinting with a dangerous edge. "That necklace is a symbol of Selena's bond with me. Don't you dare touch it."
Linda's eyes grew wide, the color draining from her face as the realization dawned on her. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, and she let out a choked sob. "But how can you choose her over me?" she wailed, her voice breaking with anguish. "I'm the one who's been by your side all this time! I'm the one who's meant to be the Luna!"
Ryker fixed her with a hard stare. "If you call Selena anything other than her name again, I'll have you kicked out of this company with immediate effect," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "From this day on, you will all respect Selena as your future Luna. Is that understood?"
The crowd around us fell silent, the tension clear enough. I could feel their gazes shifting from Linda to me, a newfound respect clear in their eyes. I stood tall, my chin lifted, proudly wearing the symbol of Ryker's claim.
As Ryker released Linda's wrist, she stumbled back, her shoulders shaking with sobs. The other pack members shifted uncomfortably, their expressions a mix of awe and unease. I knew that some of them had harbored their own hopes and dreams of becoming the Luna, but Ryker had made it clear - I was the one he had chosen.
"I'll never accept you as the Luna," Linda spat angrily. "You're nothing but a pretender. This pack belongs to me, and I'll do whatever it takes to reclaim what's rightfully mine."
I stood my ground, unflinching. "Linda, I'm sorry you feel that way, but Ryker has made his choice, and there's nothing you can do to change that. This pack is my home now, and I won't let you or anyone else take that away from me."
She turned to Ryker desperately. "So this is how you’re going to humiliate me because of this thing? I already picked my wedding dress! What’s going to happen to it? My father wouldn’t like this. What has she done to bewitch you to make you choose her? " she hissed, her fingers twitching as if she longed to wrap them around my throat.
"Linda," Ryker responded in irritation. "I thought I made myself clear. If you continue to harass Selena, you're out of this pack. For ."
"You can't do this!" she cried, her voice shrill and panicked. "This pack is mine! I'm the rightful Luna, not her!"
"Selena is the future Luna of this pack, and you will either accept that or you will leave. The choice is yours." Ryker replied her simply.
Linda wiped at her teary cheeks and stormed out ignoring everyone watching.
Ryker spoke up, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Now listen up everyone, if anyone dares to lay a finger on Selena or do anything to annoy her, they'll answer to me. Is that understood?"
As the day wore on, I found myself the center of attention, with various pack members and coworkers approaching me, all trying to warm up to me and get on my side. It was clear that they were now aware of my status as Ryker's mate and the future Luna, and they were desperate to align themselves with me.
I couldn't help but shake my head in amusement at their transparent attempts. They may have been scared of Ryker's wrath, but their motivations were transparent. They weren't here because they genuinely cared about me or my well-being – they were here because they wanted to secure their own positions within the pack and the company.
Macey bounded up to me, her eyes shining with excitement. "Oh, wow, Selena!" she exclaimed, her voice bubbling with energy. "You're the Alpha's Luna! This is so amazing! Who would have thought?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at her infectious enthusiasm. "Yes, Macey, I am. And I hope that we can work together to make this pack stronger than ever. I can’t even believe it myself."
For years, I had begged Kieran to mark me but he never did because I wasn’t enough for him. And now, I was another Alpha’s Luna.
Macey's smile widened, and she nodded eagerly. "Of course, of course!" she gushed. "Anything you need, just let me know. I'll be happy to help in any way I can."