The Half-Blood Mate

Chapter Forty-Six

Amelia. 

All eyes were on my mate and I was the one who wanted to strangle her. The apprehensive look on her face called to me to go to her. Comfort her and soothed her worries. I lowered my fist. My gaze went to the jacked man as he spoke. 

"Go to your mate." He was looking at Amelia, but there was no doubt in my mind that he was alert to my every move. 

"Your acceptance is most appreciated." Conri, the conniving excuse of an emperor, wore a smile that I wanted to rip off. 

Probably more than the one his loyal hound wore. 

"You forget I haven't accepted anything," I said, taking a step to go around his right hand man. 

Edward's hand fell on my shoulder, holding me in place. "Calm down." His tone held the command.

Not that it affected me. I felt Amelia at my side seconds later. Her touch on my arm had me narrowing my eyes at the emperor. 

"I have to say, Lucian Knight, I'm thoroughly impressed." He took a few steps to the side, stopped and turned to face me. "Very few have threatened me openly like you have done. I'm sure the rumors about me have gotten worse with things happening among our fellow members."

So he's not denying the disappearances or the rumors about him being involved. I'll have to talk with Edward and the others later about that. He is crazy if he thought I feared him. He was the one who called me over here about my mate and threatened to take her life. How did he think I was going to react? He's a werewolf. He knows we all gain more strength from the protectiveness we feel toward our mates. 

"Your courage is strong." An unreadable glint flashed in his eyes before pride took its place. "You are truly the definition of an alpha. Which is why I'm naming you the new alpha of Dustfall Pack."

The news surprised me. I'm a member of Pack Eclipse now. Asking a member from another pack to take over a different pack wasn't unheard of, but it wasn't common either. Anyone can challenge an alpha for leadership, but for another werewolf in power to ask someone who wasn't wasn't commonly done. Things must have gotten worse back at Dustfall. 

"It's common knowledge that the current alpha there isn't no good. You are a descendant of the Arne's blood. Rightfully, the pack belongs to you, since it was first started by an Arne."

He's making me an alpha because my mother was the next leader. He wants to keep as many of the pure bloodline heirs as alphas. It's understandable. We have the ability to keep those turned and born under control. 

Still. "I never said I wanted the pack or to be an alpha."

"You didn't. This is my acknowledgement of your courage. It's my reward to you for showing the strength of a true werewolf." He locked his hands behind his back. "Take the pack or leave it to Alpha Zachary Walker. I will respect your decision, but I figured I'll give the remaining Arne a chance to turn the pack, started by its ancestor, around for the better."

He wasn't really giving me a choice. He knew I couldn't ignore a chance like this. Zachary wasn't a good leader, and he irritated me with the way he did things. Even the alpha in me had wanted to take the pack from him not long after I joined. 

The smile on Emperor Conri's face told me he was aware of my current thoughts. "Though if you do decide to take the position, you'll have to fight him for it, but you already have my seal to proceed. I do require you to take Arne as your last name. And the pack will be yours to rename as you know."

My mother's family name. I never thought to take it because she took my dad's name when they became a pair. I'm not even sure how I feel about taking her name. I'll have to talk about this with Jace and Edward. We are known as the Knight Brothers among our fellow beings.