Alpha Nocturne’s Contracted Mate by A E Randell
Chapter 47 The Video
Ann pushed away from him and looked at him seriously. “I thought you didn’t want to explore that side of her…” Adam sighed.
“I’m not saying I’ll consent to the fake marking Ann… but I think it might be worth talking to her to see what she might know. Besides, if she can’t help perhaps she knows someone who can.”
Ann nodded sadly.
“Okay. I can message her to see when she’s available.” She said as she pulled her phone out to send her a message.
“Until then, Ann, we should stay quiet about this. At least until we know more.” Adam said cautiously, watching for her reaction.
She scowled at him silently for a long time before she sighed heavily.
“Fine. I won’t murder them in their beds just yet. I’ll wait and see what we can find out. I know you’re right Adam, it’s just… they’ve taken so much from me, and I want justice for my mother.”
Adam nodded grimly.
“Don’t worry, my Luna. You’ll get your justice, and when you do, I’ll be right there with you.”
Both Adam and Ann had agreed that dinner was probably not a good option for either of them tonight after the recent revelations.
Allen drove them home as they sat silently in the back of the car with Adam’s arm dr@ped around Ann protectively as she leaned into him with her head on his chest.
He knew his Alpha well and it was obvious that something had happened, but it was also obvious that now was not a good time to ask questions about it. Adam would tell him in his own time and as his Beta, as frustrating as that was, all he could do was wait.
When they arrived home they were greeted in the hallway by a small group of his pack’s Elder Council.
Adam frowned as he noticed the suspicious looks that they were giving Ann and he held her closer as they approached.
“Alpha! We’ve been waiting for you.” Tomas, the chief Elder said silkily as he stepped forward with his hands folded in front of him.
“Oh? I wasn’t aware of any meeting that I had missed.” Adam answered nonchalantly.
He appeared calm on the surface but his wolf was antsy and the behavior of the elders was distinctly out of character. The smiles they wore may be friendly on the surface, but the atmosphere was distinctly uneasy.
There was a tension that he couldn’t quite place and Allen had picked up on it too, moving closer to the other side of Ann so that she wasn’t exposed.
“Oh there was no meeting, Alpha, but we do have concerns that we wanted to talk to you about.” Tomas grinned again but there was a vicious glint in his eye.
Adam raised an eyebrow and turned to Allen, a momentary glance between them was all they needed to understand the hidden meaning in the words that Adam would speak next.
“Very well, Allen, would you mind escorting Ann to our room please?”
Allen nodded as Ann looked up at him with a look of confusion in her eyes.
“Follow me, Luna, I’ll make sure you get there safely,” Allen said firmly as he took hold of her arm and began to walk past them, but Tomas was quicker and blocked their path.
“Ah, I’m sorry, we would really like to speak with the Luna as well as the Alpha. I hope you understand.” Tomas said f0rcefully.
Adam stepped forward and fixed his intense gaze on Tomas, who shrank back slightly at his approach.
“It has been a tiring day, Tomas, I would prefer that my mate retires for the night and gets the rest that she needs.” He said firmly as he nodded to Allen to continue on his way.
Tomas made to step in front of them again and Adam growled warningly as he reached out and took hold of his arm, pulling him back.
“You are overstepping, Tomas. What is the meaning of this?”
Tomas struggled briefly in Adam’s grip before catching sight of his furious eyes and the wolf barely contained beneath. He froze and a look of disdain flashed across his eyes briefly before he regained his composure and glared confidently back.
“I believe that we should ask you the same thing, Alpha. Is it true that you have not marked your mate yet?”
Adam blinked stupidly, momentarily shocked at the accusation.
“What?” he snorted in disbelief.
“Show him!” Tomas commanded imperiously with a smug smile.
Roland, another of the elders hurried over with his phone and held the screen so that Adam could watch the resulting video.
Adam watched silently as the video played.
It was an interview with Ada, framed as an apology video but really, if you read between the lines it was nothing but an excuse to throw baseless accusations toward both Ann and Adam.
After her apologizing for her conduct and blaming a night of drinking, she insisted that the family had come to an amicable agreement despite the circ*umstances and that Ann was happy with the arrangement.
She then went on to question whether or not Ann and Adam were mates as she hadn’t seen a mating mark at the engagement ceremony and that it was a little unfair for her to receive such backlash for taking a chosen mate when her elder sister, the heir to the throne was also doing the same.
Adam was seething. Despite their flawless acting, it had taken that conniving little b*tch just a few words to put everything at risk.
Despite the emotions that whirled inside him, on the surface his face was impassive and his aura calm. If he gave the barest hint of anything other than offense and anger, they would know something was wrong.
When the video had finished Tomas shook himself free of Adam’s grasp and seemed to glare triumphantly at him.
“Well, Alpha Nocturne? What do you have to say for yourself?” He questioned arrogantly.
Adam chuckled darkly.