Chapter 4: Royal Confrontation

“Bold, aren’t we?” the Beta chuckled and Ria didn’t know what to think. “Do you

think that the King will do whatever I tell him?”

“I hope he respects you enough to do you a little favour,” she bit her lip. She was

walking on thin ice here and was aware of that.

But she had no choice either.

“Fine,” the man grunted softly and for the first time Ria wondered what he was

doing, “Crystle, dear, that’s enough of sucking. I need to go.”

Then he groaned again and Riannon’s ears turned red with embarrassment. Was

he in bed with someone? Why did he pick up then?!

There were sounds of rustling and a female voice, “See you tonight, Beta.” And

then sounds of steps.

“Just so that you know,” the Beta spoke again, “I am sacrificing a lot right now to

pay you back. So, after you talk to him, Consider us done.”

“Of course,” Ria cleared her throat, “I appreciate your... sacrifice.”

He chucked and then she heard a sound of a creaking door.

“Hey, G. I need you to speak to someone,” the sounds were muffled but she

could still understand everything.

“Not interested,” the other man growled and now Riannon was very afraid. She

thought if the king was... busy as well. He sure wouldn’t sacrifice his pleasure

time for her.

“I am not trying to set you up with anyone,” the Beta burst out laughing, “It’s just

some werewolf Luna. I owe her one, okay?”

“Not interested,” was the reply and Ria’s heart sunk. This was it. It was her best

chance... In her past life, she called Beta Reid as well. Later in the timeline of

events. But he never picked up. Lycans had some kind of trouble in their lands

too by the end of the year. He was probably too busy by the time she gained the

courage to call. She called him again and again until the calls stopped coming

through, meaning that he probably blocked her.

“Give her 5 minutes,” from the sounds of it, the man shoved the phone into his

king’s hands. Another growl emerged and Ria was about to give up. But then she

heard a resounding metallic voice.

“Hello, Alpha Gideon speaking,” the man said and she sucked in a breath. He

didn’t even use his title.

Was that really the Lycan King?

“Hello, your majesty,” she decided to address him formally anyway, “ My name is

Riannon Thorn. I am the Luna of the Silver River pack.”

He was silent and it bothered her. But she remembered that she only had 5

minutes with him.

“I need your help,” she breathed out, “My husband is the Alpha Brayden Thorn

and we are planning to divorce in the nearby future.”

“Fascinating,” the man said without any emotions in his voice, “ But what does it

have to do with me? You can divorce any time you like without my help.”

“I know, Alpha,” she agreed and heard him growl slightly, “That’s not the part that

I need your help with. You see, we are chosen mates. And when we got married,

we merged our packs. What I really want from you is to help me to get my people

and my territory back. You are the Alpha King and when I raise this dispute, your

word will be the last at the Alpha Council. They wouldn’t be able to decline.”

“Hmm,” he sounded amused, “And you think that the case would go that far? You

do know that the

Alpha council consists of male alphas. What makes you think at least anyone will

support you?”

“They will if they know that you are on my side,” Riannon felt braver now, “But

also I have proven myself as a leader and warrior. This shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then maybe everything is awesome and you don’t need my help at all?” He

chucked.

“I do, your majesty,” she assured him, “I really do. And I would really appreciate

it.”

“This is a complex matter,” he said after a short pause, “Not something I would

decide over the phone. And to be honest, it doesn’t sound serious enough to

bother.”

Ria felt rage boiling her blood. Was he serious?! Was that it?!

“But...”

“There is nothing to talk about. You got married and gave your pack to your

husband. You didn’t think this through and it was your mistake only. Now it’s too

late,” the Alpha King seemed bored, “He will still owe you generous alimony

according to our laws. You will keep your luxurious lifestyle if that’s what bothers

you...”

“It’s not about that!” She gritted her teeth, “I can’t leave my people with them!”

“Them?” The king scoffed, “So, this is the problem. He found another and you are

bitter about it?”

This was useless. Ria hit her desk with her fist, almost breaking it. This kind of

mocking was not new to her. By now she heard it all. Even from the people who

were considered her friends.

“I am not bitter!” She spat, “I am furious. Because only now do I see how many

flaws our system has! How unfairly and unequally women are treated when a

male doesn’t stand by her side anymore! How few chances we are given to prove

ourselves. Sure, you will make a woman a warrior and speak about equality but

when it comes to higher positions, you will make a woman work three times

harder than a man to even consider her for the job! I was doing an Alpha’s job for

years by my husband’s side and I’ve done it flawlessly. But all you see is a

wounded woman who can’t get over her husband’s betrayal. And you know what,

it hurts like hell but here I am, not whaling in pain but trying to figure out my next

move. You don’t even know what is going on but you already judged me. What a

disappointing introduction to my king!”

She threw her phone away with force, looking at how it smashed over the wall

into several pieces.

What a joke!

Gideon sat in his huge leather chair behind his desk staring at his Beta’s phone.

What the hell was that now? Did she scold him and then hang up?

“O-kay,” Reid carefully took his cell back, “I see that went well.”

“Remind me again who was it?” Gideon looked at his friend furrowing his thick

brows.

“What?” Reid let out a nervous laugh, “Before I tell you... Are you going to kill her

or...”

“REID!” Gideon growled so loudly that probably all members of his pack heard

him well.

“Fine!” the Beta fell into the chair opposite of him, “She is the Luna of the Silver

River pack.”

Silver River... not far from Silver Lake.

“What else?” the king tapped his fingers over the top of his desk impatiently.

“Her name is Riannon Thorn, if my memory does not fail me, she has been a

Luna for five or six years. Seven maybe.”

“You said that you owed her,” Gideon was piercing Reid with his gaze, “How so?

Is she one of your many whores?”

“Of course not!” the Beta sounded offended, “She... she saved Kyle seven years

ago. The rogues attacked his boarding school and she was visiting some event

there. She wasn’t a Luna back then, by the way. But she was preparing for the

role.”

“She saved him?” Gideon rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Yes, she killed a few rogues and protected him. He was just 12 back then. If she

didn’t come on time...”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” the king groaned.

“There was no time!” Reid shook his shoulders, “And how could I know that you

would be such a d*ck to her?!”

“Is there a good time to be a d*ck?” the Beta chuckled, just annoying him more.

“Find out where I can meet her,” Gideon cut him off, “I am intrigued. She does

seem... feisty.”

“Just the way you hate them,” Reid stood up but when he noticed his Alpha’s

glare, he wiped the smile off his face, “I’ll go... get to work.”

Gideon threw his back over his chair. He had a lot on his mind already and this

woman... she got to him on some level. A smile curled onto his lips. It had been

a while since someone dared to speak to him like that. Luna Riannon was

amusing indeed.

And since she saved Kyle, he owed it to her to at least have a look at her case.

So be it.

Riannon prepared herself for the breakfast. She put on a simple yet elegant

dress and brushed her hair so that it fell down her shoulders in soft waves. She

didn’t use any makeup today because she knew very well what she was going to

face once she went downstairs.

But she almost bumped into Maya at the door.

“Ria,” her friend tried to smile carelessly but she could tell that the latter was

nervous, “How about we eat here and chat. Just the two of us?”

Riannon smiled. She knew that Maya tried to protect her from the new harsh

reality. But luckily, she was ready for everything.

“Maybe another time,” she said, taking Maya’s hand and still not believing that

she was alive, “Right now I need to do something. Just be by my side, okay?”

“Always,” Maya’s eyes glistened with tears.

The dining room was buzzing, but as soon as she stepped foot into it, everyone

got quiet. On her first day in the pack, Roxy already sat at the table with the

highest-ranked wolves and was clearly in the centre of the attention.

“Luna!” she jumped to her feet after she let Ria watch her succeed, “P-please,

forgive my rudeness! I know my place!”

Here we go again...