The Wolf God's Unwanted Luna

Vivian’s POV

Only now did I really take a good look at him. And wow. This man was a total mess not just in his looks, but in his whole presence. His pale face was etched with deep frown lines, and messy silver strands ran wildly through his thin hair. He did not have the solid stance that most alphas carried around; he was hunched over a little, looking like he was ready to bolt out the door at the very first loud noise. His whole aura screamed three things: tired, petty, and deeply bitter.

Without even meaning to, I muttered out loud, "Damn, Alpha Stone... more like Alpha Pebble."

The foolish words slipped straight out of my mouth before I could shove them back down. The soft chorus of giggles and muffled chuckles echoing around the room told me I had definitely said that out loud for everyone to hear.

Alpha Stone turned beet red instantly, his jaw clenched so tight I thought his teeth might actually shatter. He looked like he might lunge right at me, but he did not get the chance.

A heavy growl rolled through the room as a half-circle of protective alphas surged forward, their eyes glowing brightly and sharp teeth bared. Their sudden protective instinct was completely primal and immediate. They did not actually touch him, but their silent message was loud and clear.

He paled instantly and stumbled back two steps, staring around in absolute disbelief. Even the male wolves who had hesitated earlier to let their mates enter the meeting room were now stepping far away from him. It was as if the entire room had collectively decided he was not worth backing at all.

Zahliver strolled past him calmly and claimed the heavy chair right beside me at the head of the table naturally, as if nothing crazy had just happened.

"Let us not get too dramatic, gentlemen," he said, setting a thick leather folder down on the wood with a loud thud. "We have important things to go over, and I would really prefer not to meet the in-laws with blood on my shirt today. Sit down."

The visiting alphas obeyed instantly, though their movements were a little stiff. I watched them fumble around awkwardly, thoroughly unsure where to seat their mates close enough to protect them, yet far enough to avoid provoking any of the other territorial alphas. It was a ridiculous shuffle of possessiveness and total discomfort. I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck in my head.

Fast forward: three exhausting hours later.

Two massive yelling matches, one almost full wolf shift, one actual shift, and a whole lot of giant ego later, I was mentally fried. One alpha begged for mercy, another nearly cried out loud, and Zahliver... he kept it together remarkably well, though I could feel the sharp tension coiling tighter and tighter right under his skin.

I knew my very presence helped to ground him, keeping him from going full Lupus Deus on all of them. But at this point, even I was completely done with the endless nonsense. Some of the silly things they were actively arguing about were so obvious, it was like listening to little pups bicker back and forth over who got the bigger piece of meat.

Standing up abruptly from my chair, I loudly cut off whatever weak excuse the latest alpha was stammering about. "Does anyone want to take a lunch break with me?" I asked the room, trying really hard not to sound too desperate for fresh air.

Three women immediately sprang straight to their feet. Their mates did not argue with them at all in fact, they looked deeply relieved and quickly kissed their cheeks in sweet farewell.

Two more she-wolves nudged their partners until they grudgingly allowed them to join our group. That made five. Good.

"Can I come along too?" a friendly young man asked eagerly, his eyes practically pleading with me.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Aren’t you an alpha?"

He shook his head and gestured toward the fierce-looking woman sitting right beside him. "She is. I just get the title strictly by proximity."

His hopeful grin made me snort softly. "Sure. Why not."

He jumped up happily, patting his flat stomach. "Thank the moon. I honestly thought I was going to starve to death in here." He leaned down to kiss his mate’s cheek, who rolled her eyes at his antics but smiled very fondly.

"I will bring you back a sandwich. Half a sandwich. Okay... maybe just a dry crust if I get really hungry," he promised as he made his way over to the open door.

Even the older women who I had mentally nicknamed the Granny Squad stood up and tottered over to join us, their slow steps surprisingly light with excitement.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Melly and Theo. I drifted casually toward them, my heart instantly softening.

Melly looked up and smiled warmly at me, and to my pleasant surprise, Theo offered me a small smile too before turning softly to her.

"Go ahead, love," he murmured gently to her, his hand squeezing her arm with care. "I am sure you are hungry."

My heart gave a little happy flutter.

So incredibly cute.

I could instantly feel Zahliver’s intense gaze drilling straight into the back of my head, that familiar heavy weight of his full attention settling over me like a warm cloak. I turned around, and sure enough, there he was brooding heavily, broad arms crossed tightly over his chest, looking like he would much rather throw me over his shoulder than let me walk away. Those stormy eyes locked directly with mine, quietly pleading for me to stay.

"Stay," he said, his deep voice low but strongly tugging at me. "Don’t leave me here alone with them."

I raised a brow, my lips twitching with amusement. "Too bad for you. Suck it up."

His broad shoulders stiffened a bit, but the next silent words that floated directly into my mind came heavily coated in vulnerability.

You calm me down, he murmured into my thoughts, as if saying it out loud to the room would shatter something fragile between us.

That almost made me pause in my tracks. Almost.

And sometimes, getting riled up gets things moving much faster, I replied straight back to him through the link. Just... don’t kill anyone while I am gone, and we should be totally fine.

A heavy silence stretched between us before his voice returned once more, this time dropping much lower, edged with something else entirely.

Not unless you give me something sweet in return later.

The deep way his voice dipped into my thoughts made my stomach flip upside down. I knew exactly where his mischievous mind had gone. My cheeks instantly flamed with sudden heat.

Nope. Forget it. I spun fast on my heel. "Bye, Zahliver. Be a good boy."

And without giving him another backward glance because if I did, I would definitely be the one needing a wheelchair later I strode straight out the door.