The Lesser of 2 Evils

XAVIER, CHANGE OF PLANS

Annoyed at being disturbed, I excuse myself from Kristina and answer the door to find Scott pacing on the other side. He is clearly agitated and desperately anxious to speak with me, even though I left explicit instructions that I wasn’t to be disturbed. I’m confident my facial expression reveals how I feel about his intrusion.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” he says, glancing into the room to look at Kristina. He stops his pacing long enough to talk to me but his eyes keep flitting to Kristina who is now making her way to the door to join us.

“What’s going on, Beta Scott?” She asks, insistent as always on using his full title since he still outranks her in the pack. We both keep telling her she doesn’t have to but until her status changes, she won’t hear anything different. I’m guessing it is another result of being raised in the pack she grew up in – it’s only been in the past few days that she finally started calling me by my first name!

“There is a large contingent of wolves at our border right now, Alpha,” he states, using my title so I know he’s here on business. Hearing we have wolves at our border, our dinner plans are quickly forgotten as Kristina and I both follow Scott downstairs to my office.

“Do we know who they are? What do they want?” I ask him, confused by such an aggressive move. We’ve gotten along well with all of our neighbours for years, there has been no problems whatsoever so why would someone be intruding on us now? Scott stops walking and turns to face us both.

“Alpha Lincoln is at the head of the pack,” he says looking at Kristina, who immediately turns white and begins to tremble. Without thinking, I put my arm around her shoulders and pull her into my embrace. She comes easily and willingly, burying her face in my chest.

“How did he find out she was even here?” I ask Scott, holding Kristina close. She wraps her arms around my waist, clinging to me tightly.

“Our warriors who have spoken to him report that he says he received a call from here, telling him where to find her,” Scott says with disgust apparent in his voice and on his face. Someone from my pack called Alpha Lincoln and told him Kristina’s location? How could anyone betray us like that? I’m both shocked and hurt at the same time, anger and sadness flooding through my body.

“I bet it was one of your ‘girlfriends’” Gunner sneers at me, disdain evident in his voice. I want to argue with him but know in my gut that he is likely right. I also know it is just as likely I’ll never know for sure who it was but if I ever do, I’ll wring the culprit’s neck with my bare hands.

“So what does he want?” I ask, knowing full well the answer but needing to hear it anyways. Scott looks at me then at Kristina.

“He wants her and is willing and ready to fight for her,” he states somberly. Kristina’s shaking turns even more violent and she begins to shake her head ‘no’. Pulling herself from my embrace, she turns to Scott and me.

“No! No fighting. I wouldn’t be a good Luna if I let my pack get hurt or killed because of me,” she says with tears in her eyes. My stomach immediately clenches into knots, because I know what she is attempting to say but I refuse to allow it. No way in hell is she going back to become a breeder – no woman deserves to live her life like that!

“And I wouldn’t be a good Alpha and mate if I didn’t do everything within my power to keep you safe and at my side, Kristina,” I tell her softly, taking her chin in my fingers and tilting her face up to look at me. The tears are running freely down her face now as she again tries to shake her head to the negative but I won’t have it.

“No, Kristina. You’re not going back. Our pack already vowed to keep you safe and if it means fighting, then that is what we’ll do,” I declare as Scott nods eagerly. Kristina breaks down completely into sobs and throws herself back into my embrace, where I welcome her back.

Using the mindlink, I send out the orders to the pack. Non-combatants and children into the safe room – as well as Kristina - everyone else prepare for battle. Everyone immediately kicks into high gear and does what they’re told – everyone except Kristina.

“I can’t hide while the pack fights for me!” She protests as I try to urge her into the safe room beneath the packhouse. Some of the other women and children aid me in convincing her to stay. I take her into my arms once again, hugging her tight.

“You’re safest here and I can’t have you on the battlefield, Kristina. You’d only be a distraction for me,” I tell her honestly. The tears continue to stream down her face where she lets them fall, unhindered.

“And your pack wants to fight for their Luna, Kristina – don’t take that honour from them,” I tell her honestly. Finally, she acquiesces, taking the last few steps into the safe room. Our hands drop from one another as I step back out of the room slowly, then move to close the door behind me.

“Be safe, Xavier. Return to me, my Alpha,” Kristina says as her eyes meet mine just before the door shuts. I secure the door behind me and leave the basement area to head out and meet Alpha Lincoln.

The time has come for his reign to end.