Tangled Hearts - The Alpha's Baby Mama-Chapter 199: Maeve and Vina...

Selene POV

"Luna, could you look at the budget approved for the weekly Pack House supplies? We need it to be approved as soon as possible, there is talk about the prices of goods increasing in the coming days. Better save for the rainy days,".

The new Pack Housekeeper said thrusting a sheet before me which I collected trying to sound normal. All day, I’ve been working with divided attention. One eye trained on the clock and another on the pack. All attempts to reach out to Reid and find out what was happening had proved abortive. His phone was switched off and there was still no word from Kragen yet.

Was he angry with me? I wondered. I tried to remember our last conversation and it was amiable. After he told me I was with child, we talked some more about our collective plans but that was all. I couldn’t remember if we had any squabbles before he left. Kurtis too, couldn’t help out in this situation.

I contemplated calling Xavier but what could he do? Nora was his mother and he won’t take my side over hers. I was hoping that she was bluffing about me leaving the pack. Perhaps, if she returns and sees that I am still resolute then she won’t force it because, at this moment, I was counting on my wits to get me out of this situation.

I perused the document before handing it over to the housekeeper then watched as she left. It was 8 pm now and I was scared to death. Deciding I’d had enough for the day, I decided to go check Noah’s office before heading to my room. Quietly, I glided through the corridors, trying not to bring undue attention to myself. Soon, I arrived at Noah’s office and slipped in without anyone noticing.

His office was dark and had a foreboding aura when I entered. I wanted to turn on the lights but who knows who could be watching now. Instead, I turned on my phone’s flashlight and went towards his desk. What greeted me was a strange sight.

Noah’s desk was filled with stamping ink. There were papers strewn everywhere. Some were squeezed as if whoever had been using it was frustrated with getting ideas. The rest was shredded hurriedly, I could tell but shredded in such a way that it would be difficult to read the words on it and that was strange.

Noah was a meticulous person, who took great care of his appearance and every other thing he did. He hates for things to not be in place so this was strange. I looked through his drawers, hoping to find something but it was empty except for office stuff. I need to know the answer. I was tired of all these half-truths. Picking myself through the chaos, I started for my room.

When I arrived, I saw there was a small crowd at the entrance of my room. I spotted the men that Nora had been with earlier today and immediately hastened my steps. Pushing past the crowd, I entered the room and gasped in shock when I saw my room in utter disaster. My maids were stuffing my clothes in bags while Nora stood in one corner sipping tea from a teacup.

"What is the meaning of this, Nora?" I asked when I got to her "You cannot do this. I am your queen and Luna, I command you to seize this madness,".

"Oh, dear queen!" she laughed and turned to me "I don’t want to. Since you haven’t packed yet, I thought it was because you might be having problems with packing so I brought help,".

"You don’t get it do you?" I straightened looking directly into her eyes "I am not leaving, Nora Carrell. Taking care of this pack in my husband’s stead is why I married him and why are you keeping the King’s health status away from the people? They ought to know what is going on?"

"And risk being attacked by an enemy pack?" she cocked her brows at me scoffing. "Listen, Selene... I didn’t come here to make a bargain with you. I came to let you know that you’ll leave this pack and failure to do so...".

Ignoring her, I walked out of the room, to the corridor, where a lot of people were standing now looking at me with fear in their eyes.

"The good people of Moon Whisper," I said, my voice ringing through the corridor "I am apologizing for the unrest caused by his majesty’s sister and it won’t happen again. This morning, I have a rather shocking news for you all. His Majesty is sick and has been admitted to the hospital. Although I do not have all the details he seems to be doing well since his sister Nora is here. Please pray for his quick recovery,".

The people began to whisper amongst themselves at my announcement but I didn’t care. This was the only way to protect myself. If everyone in the pack house knows, it’ll be difficult for them to try to harm me. Satisfied that I was getting the reaction I wanted, I waltzed back into my room.

"What a sweet performance my dear," Nora chuckled "but I wasn’t impressed by it... well... for the most part I was not but I must applaud you for your bravery and stupidity to think that we care about what the people think,".

"The people make up the pack, Nora. I don’t you’re not bright enough to realize that," I retorted.

"Right!" she chuckled warmly "Of course the people make up the pack but they don’t dictate or tell us how to run it. We set the rules here and they follow them without complaints or as much as expressing their displeasure. This isn’t Greyhound... here... we are Lycans and not just werewolves. Things are done differently so that piece of information which you just shared was the most stupid move that one can ever do,".

I swallowed hard, confused at what she was saying. "What do you mean?"

"You’ll cause the people to panic. If there’s no King over them, they become frightened and fear the worst..." She must have noticed the surprise on my face. She threw her head backwards and laughed. "Don’t tell me you think they will trust you in Noah’s stead? For moon’s sake, Selene... you’re a woman and women cannot lead a pack. You more than anyone do not have what it takes to do it. No one would ever fall under the leadership of a woman, just so you know. So, if that is what you were expecting, then I’m sorry,".

"But you badly wanted your father to make you one?" I folded my hands across my chest. I had nothing to lose now. "I don’t know so much about you, Nora but the little I know, I pity you so much. A cheating husband that doesn’t want to make efforts to change. Before you remind me of how Xavier cheated or Noah, at least they’re making efforts to make things right with me, to them, it was a one-time thing. Also, I see a girl struggling to get her father’s validation,".

"That’s not true!" she screeched crossing the room to where I stood, fury in her eyes.

"But you know it is. All your life, you’ve struggled for him to see you but he keeps looking at Noah because you’re a woman. I can’t say I relate with you because I’ve always been important and everyone always looks up to me but I can’t say the same for you. No one likes you... not your mate, not your son, not even your father. All your life, you’ve forcefully taken everything you wanted and if you ask me, that’s the saddest way to live. Very sad...".

She stared at me for a few minutes after I finished speaking before she asked, her face blank and without emotions. "Are you done?"

"Just to add, you’re not thankful for what you have. You have two beautiful grandchildren, a roof over your head and access to the best life you can ever imagine but yet you think I am your problem? Fine! I am not scared of you Nora. There was a time when I wanted to be in your good graces so bad and now you mean nothing to me than another random person that’s just trying to get in my way. Whatever you intend to do to me, know that Noah will never let this go,".

"Right!" she chuckled and snapped her fingers. Immediately, two of the burly men with her left the room. "You know one of the reasons why you can never make a good Lycan Luna is because you talk too much. You lay yourself out there in the open, making it easy for your enemy to understand you and play your game. You belong to the trash you came from,".

"At least, I was a loved trash not like you who..." I trailed off as the men marched back inside the room, they were carrying two little girls and even without seeing their faces, I could tell who they were.

My heart began to pound violently as my gaze sought Nora’s. She had a satisfied smirk on her face as she stared back at me. Finally, the man reached us and gave the girls to Nora whom she turned in my direction. My heart nearly flew out of my chest when I discovered it was Maeve and Vina.