Simply Mates

TWENTY TWO

I snap off the bed and grab my phone. Throwing it to David, I say, "Call Alpha Skylar and tell her what's going on. And then I need you to call Alpha Jonathan."

"Andy-"

"That's an order, David!" I yell, my true Alpha shining through. "This ends now."

I walk over to my closet and grab a shirt - opting for a tank top that will proudly showcase my mark. Throwing on a pair of leggings, I turn to David who is currently on the phone with I assume Skylar and nod to him in approval. Not wanting to waste another minute, I leave him in my room to finish the calls and run through the halls of the pack house to the door. 

Fear begins to set in as I think of the possibility that I could be too late and it makes me run faster - the wind flowing through my blonde hair with each step I take. I begin to pant as I fight through my physical exhaustion and the injuries from earlier's fight. But I don't stop running. I can't stop running. I need to stop this. I need to end this now. 

When the crowd of people come into view, I dive right through them. I push them out of my way and order them to move - which they do surprisingly quick. My park parts like the red sea and my eyes search desperately for Callum. 

And he's there. He's chained with his arms above his head to a pole. My father is in front of him with his back to me as he yells about my mate and 'his crimes' to his pack - my pack.

As I step past the last person of my pack, my father raises his hand - his nails lengthening into claws - and prepares to bring it down onto my mate. "I will put an end to these Redwoods by killing the Alpha's son and heir!" He yells and his hand begins coming down.

Panicking, I run between my father and my mate - somehow managing to catch my father's hand before it strikes me in the face. 

"Father, stop!" I order, releasing his hand. "You can't do this."

"Andromeda, what are you doing?" He asks in confusion. "Get out of my way."

"No." I state, making sure I am directly between Callum and my father.

 "This mutt killed your brother! How can you stand up for him like this?!" 

"Because he didn't kill Derek, Dad." I say, holding my voice steady. "A Rogue killed him. I didn't have enough time to react when the wolf jumped from a bush and sunk his teeth in Derek's neck. It wasn't Callum." 

"Then this Rogue you speak of was working for him. The Redwoods work with the scum of our breed!" He bellows. His voice echoes over the pack and a few members shout their agreement. 

"No, father. He and his father have nothing to do with those Rogues. Trust me!" I say, pushing my hair away from my neck. "Trust me."

My father's eyes find Callum's mark and widen. Gasps from the crowd sound around me, but I ignore them. 

"He is my mate, Father. Derek knew and Derek was friends with Callum. They've known each other for a long time. Dad, he's a good man. He's going to be a great Alpha and I know that you will like him. I know you will." I ramble, trying to persuade my father to accept my mate. "The Moon Goddess paired us together for a reason. She wants us to be together so we can end this feud between Moon Fire and Redwood. Father-"

"Traitor." He whispers, his eyes snapping up to mine as he takes a step away from me.

"What?" I ask in confusion.

"Traitor! My own flesh and blood is nothing but a lying snake...working with the enemy all this time!"

"Father! No! This is absurd! I would never-"

"Lies! All of it is lies!" He yells.

Theon steps up behind him, a smirk on his lips. "I found out about her treachery a week ago and she threatened to kill me and my family if I told anyone!" The man lies through his teeth.

"My own daughter!" My father snarls, shaking his head. "All this time you were working with the enemy. You've been feeding them this pack's secrets, haven't you?"

"No! I would never do anything to harm this pack! How could you every accuse me of this debauchery! This pack is my family - my home!"

"Liar! This pack is nothing to you! You threw it away the second you accepted that man as your mate!" My father roars, pointing to Callum behind me. 

"That is not true! Father, you know me! You know how much this pack means to me! You know how much being Alpha-"

"Pssh." Theon says, turning to the crowd. "All she's ever cared about is being Alpha! She was willing to do anything to become Alpha! Even scaring her own brother out of his birthright!" The crowd nods their head and shout in agreement.

"No! Derek never wanted that title! You all know that!" I shrill, as I look at the crowd in disbelief. 

"You've never cared about this pack. You've always acted better than all of us here. You wouldn't even accept my offer to be your Beta-"

"You blackmailed me! You lying sack of shit!"

"I would never do that." Theon says, winking at me. "I just want what's best for this pack!"

"And it's not you for a Beta!" I turn to my father. "Dad, listen to me. I would never, ever do anything wrong to this pack. I love all these people with every bit of my heart. Don't listen to him!"

"You are no daughter of mine. You-"

"Jeffrey! What is going on here?!" My mother asks as she pushes through the crowd. "Why is everyone standing around here?" Her eyes land on Callum and I. "Andromeda?"

"Mom! Dad won't listen to me! He thinks I'm some kind of traitor or something, but you know I would never do that!" I say desperately, still not moving from my stance in front of Callum. "Callum's my mate, mom. I found my mate. And I love him. I love him with every fiber of my being. He's mine and I am his. And I can't reject him. I won't reject him. Mom, you know what the bond's like." 

"Honey..." She trails off, a look of sadness in her eyes. "Oh honey, I don't. I never found my true mate."

"What?" I say, looking between my parents. "But dad."

"Jonathan Denvers took what's mine thirty years ago." My father growls. "My father paired me with your mother so that I could produce a heir."

"Mom?"

She nods her head, looking down at the ground.

I bring my hand to my mouth, shocked at what I just learned. "That's why..."

"Yes."

"My Goddess..." I whisper.