Freeing Starr✔️

Chapter 16 ~ Had to be done

How in the world could I negate this fight without causing dissatisfaction among the pack? It was impossible. It wasn't my place to get involved yet I couldn't just watch as they fought either. If a doctor and a warrior fought it's obvious who'd win. Doctors were a necessity for our pack right now. We couldn't afford to lose any of them.

I sighed, getting ready to take a step back and allow this to play out.

"Do it."

I froze as Zion's voice entered my mind and my eyes immediately searched the crowd for his familiar face, yet I couldn't find it.

"Get involved."

Suspicion and unease immediately surfaced as I considered his words. Why did he want to get involved now of all times? Usually when I complained about things like this he always brushed me off... so why was this time any different when he was always so concerned about the pack causing an uproar if he were to try and change how they ran things.

I nodded my head, knowing he could see me from wherever in the crowd that he was observing from then took a step closer to the scene. 

"You're not allowed to kill him," I spoke to the warrior, who immediately bared his teeth at me and growled his protest but I placed a hand up to stop him then turned to the doctor, my eyes softening, "your daughter is mated now. When she tried to run away, imagine how hurt he as her mate felt. How betrayed. It's reasonable that he'd lose control and hurt her but he'd never kill her."

The doctor stared at me in disbelief and shouted, "Are you kidding me!? As our luna, can you really tell me that this situation is fair!? My daughter was forced to mate with someone who's not her mate! She was raped, abused and starved!!! Yet you mean to tell me I should let her go as is right in this barbaric pack!? Anyone here could see why she wanted to run away! Whose side are you on!? Did we really come from the same pack? That bastard wasn't hurt! His pride was!"

I winced at that, my stomach churning guiltily as I suddenly had an urge to bow my head in shame. He was right. We were from the same pack, a pack with morals and yet here I was telling him to abandon those morals and give his daughter up to a beast.

"I know. We're not accustomed to living the way that they are but it's not right to completely shun their culture either. How about this," I glanced at the man pointedly, "You need to refrain from beating your mate to near death. She's new and she's not accustomed to the culture of this pack. You can't expect her to change overnight."

The man growled, "who are you to tell me how to take care of MY MATE? Do you tell the Alpha how he should treat you?"

I grimaced slightly, "Of course I don't. I follow whatever Alpha Zion wants me to. However, in order for our pack to thrive we need our pack doctors and you need to restrain yourself because this doctor might very well be the one to save your life if you were ever injured AND he's your mate's father and the grandfather of your future children. Family is important."

"Who are you to-"

"What's going on here?"

The crowd parted as Zion finally made his presence known and came to stand at my side. I lowered my head slightly and stepped back to give him full control. After listening to the complaint of both men, Zion stood there silently contemplating. 

The man stepped forward and bowed towards him, "Alpha, as Rhea's mate, I'm allowed to do whatever I want with her. This is the rules of our pack. No restrictions. No one is supposed to poke their nose into our business, not her father... nor the Luna. She had no right to step in."

Zion glanced across at me blankly then back to the man as he nodded, "you're right. Even as the leaders of the pack, we're not here to dictate how you choose to live your life... however, Dr. Romney is a very important asset to this pack. If you beating on his daughter affects his work, our pack's growth might come to a stop, no?"