MATED TO THE SECRET ALPHA

Luna Reana sat at the head of the table, her presence commanding attention, while the council members took their seats around her. Ryder, on the other hand, stood tall behind Reana, his eyes locked onto the elders, holding their gaze like a naive and innocent child staring curiously at a fascinating yet unsettling spectacle.

The air was heavy with tension, thickening the silence like a fog. Every breath, every creak of the wooden chairs, seemed amplified, heightening the sense of unease that settled over the gathering. And Ryder's presence seemed to be the cause of this atmosphere.

"What is he doing here?" Beta Ryan's voice cut through the oppressive silence, his tone dripping with disdain as his sharp glare pierced Ryder like a dagger.

The venom in his eyes was no longer veiled, his hatred for the servant now boldly on display, encouraged by the council's presence. The air seemed to vibrate with Ryan's malice, and Ryder's expression remained impassive, his eyes never leaving the Beta's face, as if daring him to take it further.

"Beta, this is not why we're here," Kira interjected, a subtle frown creasing her forehead as she cast a disapproving glance at Ryan.

But Beta Ryan didn't want to hear it. "When did a servant have the right to be in the presence of the council?" he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "This is an outrage. He's nothing but a lowly servant, a dog at our feet. What could he possibly have to offer that warrants his presence here?" Ryan's eyes blazed with indignation, his gaze locked on Ryder with a mix of disgust and hostility.

"A dog at our feet?" Reana's voice was chilling, her tone dripping with disdain as she repeated Ryan's words. Her eyes, like two glittering icicles, froze Ryan in place, her gaze piercing through him with a quiet intensity that made the air seem to vibrate with unspoken warning.

The room held its collective breath, awaiting her next words. The silence stretched taut, like a bowstring pulled to its limit, vibrating with anticipation and unease.

Every eye was fixed on Reana, her face a mask of calm, serene composure. They waited and waited, but she remained silent, her stillness a force that seemed to draw the very air out of the room. The council members fidgeted, their eyes darting nervously to Ryder, then back to Reana, as the silence grew thicker, heavier, and more oppressive, until it seemed to have a life of its own.

Kira cleared her throat, breaking the suffocating silence. "The pack was attacked yesterday," she stated, her voice firm but laced with a hint of unease. "I'm sure the Luna called this meeting to discuss the... incident and our course of action."

Her eyes flicked to Reana, seeking confirmation, but the Luna's expression remained inscrutable, her gaze still fixed intently on Ryan.

Ryan shuddered under Reana's hard stare, his instincts screaming at him to back down, to apologize for what he'd said. But his pride and anger, fueled by days of confinement in the dungeon and the haunting memory of his failure to save Vivian, refused to let him yield.

His resentment towards Ryder boiled over, overriding his better judgment. Now, having provoked Reana's ire, he found himself unable to retreat, his ego and the belief of being the future Alpha refused to let him appear weak. With a surge of stubbornness, he steeled himself, meeting Reana's glare with a defiant one of his own.

Suddenly, Reana's lips arched, a subtle, enigmatic smile that made Ryan's skin crawl.

"Luna–" Elder Jaxson began, his voice trembling slightly, but his words were cut short when Reana's gaze abruptly snapped towards him. Her eyes, like two glittering shards of ice, pierced Elder Jaxson, choking him.

Ryder's lips curled, the look in his eyes warm as he felt a fuzzy feeling spread inside him, like a soft blanket wrapping around his heart. The sensation was comforting, reassuring, and utterly familiar, one that only Reana could summon.

His voice was low and gentle as he spoke, "My Luna." Reana turned her head to the side, her gaze meeting his over her shoulder. He smiled warmly, "It will be noon soon," he continued, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Perhaps you might want to hasten the discussion so you'd have a chance to eat?" The softness and doting in his tone was unmistakable.

Just when everyone thought the Luna would rebuke him for his sultry tone and impudence, Reana's expression softened, her gaze lingering on Ryder's face for a moment before she subtly nodded. And returned her attention to the council. "You were saying?"

Everyone let out a collective gasp, the room vibrating with shock as the council members exchanged disbelieving glances.

Ryan's eyes widened, his mind reeling with the implications of Reana's reaction. Then, in a heartbeat, his face turned a deep shade of crimson, his expression a picture of indignation.

Reana, however, ignored the commotion and began, "First of all, I've ordered an increase to the number of patrols along the eastern border, but that's not enough,"

Reana continued, her voice calm and authoritative, cutting through the tension in the room. "We don't know how many rogues are out there. Our pack is big, but we can't keep fighting rogues and monsters at the same time, losing warriors and leaving families in shambles."

"Fighting is our way. It cannot be stopped. If we don't fight, we become prey," Beta Ryan growled, his voice low and menacing, as if the very idea of not fighting was an affront to his dignity. "Our pack has always been strong because we defend what's ours. We can't just sit back and let the rogues and monsters walk all over us."

"You're right, Luna. It's indeed a loss to see our members losing their lives in war, but what can we do? Like Beta Ryan said, if we don't fight, we'll become the prey." Elder Jaxson said with a heavy sigh.

He was not a lover of war, and his stance of avoiding war grew further when his son died in a fight against the monsters. But even so, they couldn't simply lay down their arms and surrender to the whims of their enemies. The pack's very survival depended on their strength and resilience.