The Alpha's Stolen Luna - Chapter 154: Chapter 154

: Sutton
“Quiet, order,” Councilman Erhardt called, urging the room to quiet down again.
I swallowed hard, focusing on keeping a blank expression while under so many gazes. I glanced at Lucas, seeing him give our allies another subtle signal to stay put.
“Alpha Anders, such a suggestion would obviously impact how we handle this situation moving forward,” Councilman Erhardt stated. “Do you have any evidence to prove these suspicions?”
“Regarding Mrs. Langston’s mental state — admittedly, no,” Anders said. “However, Beta Mason is willing to share what he experienced the night she went missing.”
Councilman Erhardt waved for Mason to come up and speak. He took Anders’ spot at the podium in front of the Council. The position allowed him to address the entire room. His eyes landed on me. He feigned a longing look, as if it pained him to see me. I felt bile rise in my throat. Lucas’ hand tightened around mine, this time for his own reassurance as anger spiked through our bond.
“Council members, fellow pack leaders,” Mason addressed the room, “first, I want you to forgive my
Alpha for a slight misrepresentation. As you can imagine, his zealousness at righting this travesty against me and his pack can make recollections difficult.” He paused for a moment, looking down at his hands as if saddened. “As far as we know, what my Alpha has stated is correct. However, I want to be transparent with the fact that the injuries I sustained that night have caused my memories to be a bit sporadic and hazy.”
“We only ask that you share what you can recall to the best of your abilities, Beta Mason,” Councilman Erhardt replied. “Do you remember who attacked you on the night in question?”
“Not entirely, Councilman,” Mason stated. “It was only my mate, Sutton, and I in the cabin. The place is set out in the woods with very few other residents in the area. We were on our annual retreat. Something we did every year as a way to reconnect with each other. The stresses of running a pack can take a toll on a relationship.” I wanted to gag at the sickening act he was putting on. “We had been there for a couple of days when the incident happened. At first, all I remembered was waking up to the property owner administering first aid. As I healed, I started to get flashes of what happened. I remember being hit multiple times... They seemed to be coming from all directions. I remember feeling the knife pierce my chest. I remember Sutton’s screams…”
“But you don’t remember how many attackers there were? What they looked like?”
Mason shook his head.
“So, how can you be so sure there was more than one attacker?” Erhardt inquired. “How can you know it was the Ironpaw Pack behind the transgression? Could this not have been the actions of rogues?”
“That is a fair question, Councilman,” Mason replied. “To answer that, I’d like to tell you about my mate.” He glanced my way, again playing the part of the wounded and broken mate before turning back to the audience. “You see, Sutton always had a… delicate constitution. It is why our relationship may have missed the attention of the Council as well as anyone outside our pack. She was raised without a wolf by humans in the human territory. When she came to our pack, she was completely unfamiliar with our ways of life. She found everything overwhelming and would often struggle both mentally and physically. That was another reason behind our yearly vacations. It gave her the chance to get away from the pressures of pack life.” He paused again for dramatic effect. “Even if my attackers had left Sutton untouched, she wouldn’t have had the strength or emotional continence to reach help. We would have found her nearby if she had left on her own accord. When our searches amounted to nothing… I knew someone had to have taken her.”
That bastard.
There it was. The true reason for the summit to be called early. He was defaming me. Casting doubt among the Royal Council and packs about my competence. Even if he and Anders didn’t convince them to take me away from Lucas, they would prevent me from becoming Luna. The Council wouldn’t allow such a weak woman to take on such an important and powerful role. They would never let my Luna ceremony take place. Not only that, he just discredited any argument I would try to make about the validity of my relationship with Lucas. Anything I say would seem coerced.
“It wasn’t difficult to agree with my Beta’s assessment of the situation,” Anders stated, stepping up next to Mason again. “I immediately sent out search parties to track Mrs. Langston down. I reached out to my fellow pack leaders asking for their assistance. I expressed my concern and desire for her safe return. I was met with animosity and suspicion. So, I don’t think I need to express how I felt when I found out that my fellow Alpha announced his new mate to be none other than the very woman we had been searching so desperately for.” He looked out at the other pack leaders. “I would like to say it was a shock, however, Alpha Lucas has been putting pressure on our borders for quite some time. I believe he intended to use Mrs. Langston’s connection to the Dawn Stalkers as a way to weaken us.”
“Alpha Anders, as upsetting as the circumstances must be for your Beta, I fail to see how — other than the superficial scandal the salacious gossip may cause — could weaken the Dawn Stalker pack,” Soloman questioned.
Anders didn’t seem bothered at all by Soloman’s comment. Based on his next comment, I think he was counting on it.
“You would be right to believe that, Councilman Avenwood,” Anders said, “if it wasn’t for the secret conclave held with the intention of plotting against me and the Dawn Stalker Pack. A conclave held by Alpha Lucas and his ambitious allies.”