Chapter 63

Lucas’s POV

“Everyone, please make your way back to your residences while we sort out these problems. I apologize for the interruption,” I hear Mason announce from somewhere in the room. People start filing out of the banquet hall, and I sigh.

This was a shitshow of a celebration.

Sierra glares in the direction that Logan took Harper, and before she can take off after them, I grab her arm. Tonight, she went too far. They all did.

Harper didn’t deserve all their anger. If anything, I deserve half of it because I’m the one who kissed her. I’ve never seen my pack act that way, especially in defense of Sierra. Most of them have expressed their excitement of having a new Luna soon, but I also know several of them are hesitant to accept Sierra as Luna.

She’s not exactly Luna material, and her treatment of others proves that. Some of the elders have brought it up, but I didn’t do anything about it because she’s my mate. But now…

“Don’t touch me,” Sierra hisses, glaring at me. Her tears have dried up, and there’s nothing but bright, raging fury in her eyes now.

“Sierra, calm down,” I growl in warning. “While you are my mate, I do not tolerate disrespect from anyone. Even you.”

Her eyes widen at the subtle threat, but I can’t find it in me to be sorry. In fact, I can’t find it in me to be upset or sad about what happened tonight. Again, my feelings for Sierra aren’t what they should be.

As her mate, I shouldn’t want to look at another woman. I should be concerned about hurting Sierra, but all I feel is growing irritation. If I’m honest with myself, I’m more worried about Harper. I wanted to throw her over my shoulder and take her away from the angry crowd, but I knew that would only make things worse.

“Do you think she’s alright?” My wolf rumbles, pacing in my mind. Like me, he wants to go after her.

“Logan took her away, so I hope so,” I tell him, glancing at the door that leads to the hallway with bathrooms and side rooms.

Everything in me itches to run after her, and I even take a step toward the hallway before I stop myself. I need to take care of things here first.

“What is going on?!” A shrill female voice demands. Sierra immediately whirls around and throws herself into her mother’s arms. The woman doesn’t look hurt anymore as she hugs her daughter.

“What is this video?” Henry, Sierra and Harper’s father, asks. He lifts his phone, “We came back as soon as we saw it. My wife isn’t even fully healed yet, and we had to return. Alpha, how could you cheat on my daughter, your mate?”

My heart lies with Harper, not Sierra.

I’ve felt conflicted about this for a while now, but at the same time, I know what I feel. I haven’t felt a strong connection to Sierra since Harper arrived. Sierra has never been the center of my attention, even after I recognized her as my mate.

Harper, on the other hand, has been on my heart and mind from the moment I met her. Trying to forget her didn’t work and neither did avoiding her. She was suddenly everywhere, and I didn’t mind.

I glance at my parents, who have also joined our little discussion. My mother’s eyes are concerned while my father looks confused and slightly angry.

“Well?” Sierra’s mother snaps, “Are you going to explain yourself?”

Realizing that this conversation will go horribly any way I try to voice my thoughts, I decide to just rip the band aid off. It’s now or never, and I’d rather not be stuck with Sierra for the rest of my life when I have someone as amazing and perfect as Harper.

“I no longer plan to marry, or mate with, Sierra.”

My parents gasp.

Sierra’s mother shrieks in outrage.

Sierra falls to the floor with a cry.

Her parents go after her, helping Sierra to her feet. She doesn’t find herself weak for long because Sierra spins on me and screams, “What is wrong with you?! Why are you such a selfish, inconsiderate bastard?”

My wolf growls, pushing forward in warning. Each of them, except for my parents, shrink back at my wolf’s presence. They take a few steps back, pulling Sierra with them.

“This isn’t right, Lucas,” Sierra’s mother hisses. “You two are mates, chosen to be together by the Goddess. That bond isn’t something you should take lightly.”

“I’m—"

Sierra grabs my arm, cutting me off, “You’re just distracted by Harper for the moment. This is a temporary infatuation, not that I understand why. She’s NOTHING, Lucas. You can’t just call off our wedding for a fling with a pathetic bitch like her!”

“Watch your mouth,” I snarl, glaring down at Sierra. “You’re testing my very thin patience as is.”

Again, my eyes wander to the door where Harper disappeared. Right now, she’s alone with Logan and that has me wanting to go after her. The idea of them being alone together churns my stomach and irks both me and my wolf.

“That mutt better not touch her,” my wolf snarls, ready to come forward. I would let him, but I need to deal with Sierra first.

“You will not be abandoning or rejecting my daughter,” Henry says loudly. I turn to the former Beta and narrow my eyes on him. He’s grown weak over the last few years, and even weaker since I took his wolf.

I’m not one to take advantage of weaker wolves, but right now, he’s pushing the limits of my mercifulness.

“If you are having doubts, we will only accept you postponing the wedding while you and Sierra work out your differences,” Henry says firmly, though I can see the slight hesitance in his gaze.

“You will not guilt me into forming a mate bond that will crumble in the future. If you won’t listen to me…” I announce, looking at the three of them. “Then we will continue this conversation another time. I will agree to postpone the wedding, but I will be in contact to discuss this further once you have all calmed down.”

“Just because you’re the Alpha doesn’t mean—”

I cut my eyes at Henry, and he goes silent.

“You are dismissed.”

Turning, I wave them away. I pray to the Goddess that they leave peacefully without more argument. I recognize that after a year of planning to marry Sierra, this is a shock to them, but I can’t force a mate bond.

If the Goddess truly wanted me with Sierra, wouldn’t I feel love for Sierra?

“Lucas, are you sure about this?” My father asks once they’ve left. “She is your mate.”

“I’m sure. There’s something wrong with our bond,” I explain, looking at my parents. “It’s weak pretty much all the time, and it fluctuates. Sometimes I feel like she’s the one I’m supposed to be with, and other times, I couldn’t care less that she even exists. From what I know about mates, that’s not a healthy bond.”

My mother takes my hand, squeezing it, “We’ll support your choices, but just make sure you think this through before you make a final decision.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I whisper, pull her in for a hug, and kiss the top of her head.