Alpha Paxton

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🖤 V O T E & COMMENT 🖤

Paxton spoke first, as I kept my head high across the rectangular table. We were equals.

"I thought you would like to know that the guy you punched in the face is getting stitches right now to speed the recovery," he states, a slight growl in his tone. I didn't appreciate it.

My response is quick and snappy, fueled by adrenaline, "Well he doesn't deserve to recover, he should have to live with a scar." I know a lot of people today probably had internal scars.

"Theia, how can you say that about your own pack members? These men are here to keep the peace and were commanded by my orders to do so. How does it look when my mate —my Luna— is defying The Guards openly? Why were you even out there?" Paxton's emotions are out openly; I can practically feel the frustration, worry and anger in the room. I swallow thickly.

"How can I say that about pack members? How can you condone and incite such activities in our territory? You damn near started a civil war with The Guards, and they should have known better. I would punch him again because he should have known the orders he was taking were wrong," I seethe from across the table. I place my hand on top in tight fists. "You were wrong here Paxton."

It was almost as if understanding dawned in my mate's eyes, and I saw it flicker in those green eyes of his. If I was not so frustrated I may have taken the time to admire them or to get lost in them.

"What did you do?" He asks, a calm lethal silence following in the conference room. No bullshit, no hiding the truth. Now was the time to tell my mate everything I had been working on and who I had been working with recently.

"I helped orchestrate this protest," I began and he snarled loudly. "It was supposed to be peaceful!" I snapped.

"How could you do such a thing? Why, Theia?" Paxton stood in anger from his chair but did not move to get closer to me. He was livid, his muscled chest breathing heavily up and down. I'm sure his thoughts were running a mile a minute as well.

"Because there needed to be a change in our pack. This territory and these old, horrible and outdated traditions disregarded the women's rights here. I could never live with myself knowing I have the position and power to help change and I did nothing to try to help. I will not apologize for doing what is best for my people..." I say, my voice clear and level. I was not afraid and I spoke my truth finally to my mate. I should never have been scared to say something.

He holds my gaze for one minute, and then two minutes. The wheels were turning in his head, and his fists kept clenching and unclenching. I felt another twinge of pain from my body, but shoved it to the back of my mind. I had more important things right now to do.

Suddenly Paxton slumps back into his seat, rearing his head back to look at the tall, detailed ceiling above. He looked exhausted, frankly. Sighing deeply, he says, "My anger disappears when you say things like 'our' pack. 'Our' territory. In these times, you remind me that I am not a sole leader —as I have been used to. Even in the pack history, it seems the Alpha has usually taken the reigns and controlled everything. Depending on which generation ruled, sometimes the Luna was mere decoration."

"I refuse to be mere decoration," a scowl emitting on my face. This time, I am the one standing. But I move my feet, walking to where Paxton stayed a slump in a chair. His head whipped to me as I did. "I am more than that. I am not just someone's mate, or someone's sister. I am someone."

"You are everything," he says. "You are everything, and more."

His sweet comments made me warm but I did not want this to be over with so quickly. Paxton did not get to make sweet remarks and silence me; not that I believed those were his intentions, anyway.