Ch. 51..55: The Alpha’s Exchanged Mate Chapter 51-55

The Alpha’s Exchanged Mate – Chapter 51

Edwina’s POV…

I was anxious to know it all, to know what is Ben’s plan. All this while, he has been one step ahead of us. We always thought he was the victim, as after he lost his role as the Beta, he was publicly stripped of all his title, but he was always one step ahead.

“He had a plan for every possible scenario, including the one if he ever got caught and thrown into prison,” Sonia said, interrupting my thoughts, and I glanced at her.

“So that means you knew he would escape. Why didn’t you ever tell me?” I asked. The question didn’t sound as substantial as I thought it would come in my head because, obviously, there was a lot of reason she should not have told me.

Ben was an ex-lover of hers and also my husband. That situation is already as complicated as it seems.

“Yes, I knew, but all his ideas were crazy, and I didn’t know he would carry them out and this soon. I thought it was something he would want to do in the distant future after being conversant with the prison and its lifestyle,” she explained and truly, I could understand her. When Ben had told me he would escape, I didn’t think it would be that close, and when I told Alex, he then figured it out that most likely he would be trying to escape that day. I doubted it because what were the odds that he knew about a trip that we had just planned in the sprout of the moment? That’s to say, he had already been ready and was just waiting for the right moment to execute his plan, and that happened when we left.

But something tells me Alpha Bethel showing up in the coronation ceremony of Caleb had something to do with his plans.

“Sis, Edwina,” Sonia called out, startling me back to reality.

“Sorry about that, ” I apologized. I am not sure why I am apologizing.

“Not a problem. You seem awfully distracted today. Is it because of Ben’s escape?” She asked, and I nodded.

“Yes,” I replied briefly. But if I am to be honest, I had a whole lot on my mind, from the escape to his next plan. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to tell Sonia about the settlement deal. She would question why Ben would want me and why the sizzlers would want me and why the Alpha won’t give me, and why they would find the need to ask the Alpha about it. And then I wouldn’t be able to answer all those questions and maybe, lie to her. I didn’t want to add more webs to my lies.

The lie I was keeping from her was already huge enough.

“I don’t think you should worry much about Ben. He didn’t have you in his plans,” Sonia said. If not for the sincerity in her eyes, I would have taken the statement as one that would maybe look like she was demeaning me, but she was being sincere; Ben didn’t have me in his plans before now. So what changed? Was it the fact that I was now with the Alpha? Do I appeal to him more now because I was now Luna?

“I know that he had never really loved me,” I said sympathetically because there was a point in my life where I was practically begging for his love. I was only that wife he came home to, ate her food, f****d hard, and then went out, leaving her. The cycle continued.

There was no form of intimacy between us; there was no connection. The only form of connection we had was when his hard length was inside me, but as soon as he came and everything rushed out, we had nothing left again.

“Well, I can’t really attest falsely, but truly someone like Ben didn’t deserve you. You were too good for him, ” she said, stretching out her hand to mine and clenching them together, rubbing them in between each other.

I smiled back at her. If only she knew that I f****d her husband, she wouldn’t say what she just said. I glared at her, wondering what her reaction would be to all this if she ever gets to find out one day. I wonder if she would ever tend to forgive me and see it in the light of the truth, which is: that I did all I did for her.

“So what is Ben’s plan after escaping? What does he plan to do?” I asked her.

She sighed and breathed out.

“So I know that the deal was that he will give Alpha Bethel the realm to rule if he would help him escape,”

That sounded like the most ridiculous deal ever. I know Ben. He was too self-centred and selfish to agree to such a deal that wouldn’t benefit him in any way.

“Are you sure that’s the plan? Because I know Ben, he is too selfish to actually compromise in such a way,” I muttered to her, and a smile appeared on her face.

“You know the man you married too well.”

I faked a half smile at her teasing me. If only she knew I wasn’t married to him anymore.

She chuckled and continued talking, “He plans that when he gets to escape, he will use the connections of the sizzlers to conquer the night howlers’ territory and then betray Alpha Bethel after gaining much ground so he can rule both territories.

“Wow!” I exclaimed with shock because even for Ben, that was too ambitious. He had always talked about how he was destined for greatness and how he was meant to do a lot. But truly, I saw him dying all in the name of greed.

“He is being foolish right?” Sonia asked, then she pulled away her hands from mine and commenced her stomach caress.

“I think it will lead him to his early grave,” I spoke out sincerely.

“I hope it does,”

I cast a glare at her.

“What? It’s true. The world would be a better place without him around.”

“You don’t get to say that about the man you are carrying a child for.” As soon as the word left my mouth and a frown formed on her face, I knew I had just pissed her off.

“Oh, sorry, my child has such a sorry excuse of a father,” she mumbled, and I sighed. That wasn’t what I meant because, with all this, I have really felt this child should be so innocent and was just a product of the wrong kind of passion.

“Oh, come on, Sonia, you know that’s not what I meant,” I replied to her, trying to make her see things from my own perspective.

“I know that you are still hurt about what we did to you, and you don’t want to talk about it,” she replied.

True, I was hurt about it. True, I do not want to talk about it. But right now, who am I really to judge her? I knew well enough that this was almost the same thing I could be accused of doing. I was lying to her face in regards to her husband, who she doesn’t even know was no longer her husband, because when they dissolved all the marriage right, she wasn’t present, just the same way I wasn’t present when it was mine and Ben.

And now I was also lying to her about it, keeping her in the dark in fear of what her reaction would be when she figured it out.

“I don’t want to talk about it, Sonia. We have moved past it already,” I muttered. I lied because I knew that was far from the truth.

“Maybe you have, but honestly, I haven’t. How do you move past something of such grievance? How do you move past something of such weight and gravity?” she said to me, and this time, I was struggling to speak as my fist tightened together,

“Sonia, I said I had moved past it,” I yelled at her, “so please stop bringing it back up and let’s focus on how to get Ben and stop him before he disturbs the whole realm with his greed,” I shouted, and then I paused and breathed out knowing I had just reacted and not responded. I had given her what she wanted; a reaction.

“I am sorry,” I muttered.

“Please don’t be, Edwina, what we did to you was terrible and you have every right to react and be angry. You do. And I can’t take back what I did, I am sorry. I hope I get a chance to rectify all my wrong, help stop Ben and I hope to get back my husband because I finally realize that I love him and I had let a good one go away,”

As soon as she said the word, I stood up hurriedly.

“Later Sonia,” I left without allowing her to say a word.

I couldn’t let her say anything more. The guilt of being with Alpha Alex and her still having this hope for the future about him was killing me.

I do hope she doesn’t kill me when she finds out first.

 

The Alpha’s Exchanged Mate – Chapter 52

Edwina’s POV…

Discussing with Sonia wasn’t all that gratifying. I had to face the truth and lies all in my head, what we get to face every day we sleep and wake up because we can’t come to face our truth.

The ambiance of this high-end restaurant brought a different kind of peace to me, the serene environment and the shallow waters at the back of the restaurant, which had an overview of the mountainside directly bordering the night howlers and sizzlers territory.

The blue flowers rarely grew in the winter but somehow found a way to preserve themselves in the summer. The green grasses and the sound of crickets roaming around them, they screech and search, maybe for the clarity we all do.

The birds fly around trying to build nests in the tallest trees in harmony, the back and forth movement they make, and how they occasionally settle on the ground to pick up a piece of stick and fly back up.

The wooden table in front of me with a cup of cappuccino. I know I was thirty minutes early, but I had always loved the serenity in which this place condoned, and I sat down, taking sips of my sweet to tend milk coffee and all the additional flavor brought about by the calmness of the restaurant. This used to be my favorite place to go to, and I got to come here alone most times because Ben would always say it was dull. We were both two boats on the opposite sides. I love the peace. It gave me room for clarity and the ability to think through my thoughts, and he liked the high life, the life in the fast lane, sometimes I would want to join him in that life, compromise to just get closer, but I get to find out that kind of life wasn’t built for someone like me and get to come back to my shell.

I saw Caleb approaching me. He has had this different kind of glow ever since he was made Beta. I want to say it is because of the new position. Or it could be the joy that comes with finding a new calling. I think I have always liked Caleb since the first day he was introduced to me. He was never informal with me; this would be the first time we would be talking one on one. I told Alex I wanted to get to spend a little time with him. I know the man who is supposedly the Beta who would protect me because, in the Night howlers tradition, the Beta was the sworn protector of the Luna, and that is what Caleb would be for me.

“Don’t go and f**k him too. I once had a Luna who f****d my Beta,” Alex teased. I chuckled, even though that sounded offensive in some ways, but I liked the fact he could joke about it. That shows a sign of acceptance of the truth.

“I will try not to,” I replied, and he grinned.

I planned to talk to Caleb and get to know him, but that would come along the way of our discussion today. I had a different reason for meeting up with him. Ever since Sonia told me part of Ben’s plan, I have been all up in my head trying to figure it out.

I wanted to talk to Alex about it first, but he already has a clear bias against Sonia and Ben, and that would cloud any form of his judgment. In contrast, even though I have been avoiding having a hard conversation with both parties involved, I have tried my best to be as objective as possible. Since I swore my allegiance to the Alpha, I have been trying my absolute best to put the interest of the pack.

Yes, I still have my reservations when it comes to the night howlers; things like that don’t just disappear overnight. But I had sworn my loyalty to its’ pack leader, and that would also mean the pack.

“Luna Edwina,” Caleb greeted as he approached the table, drew out the seat from under the table, and sat down. I knew he was going to be way more than formal with me, but for me to achieve the aim of this conversation and find the best way possible, I needed to bring him out of his shells.

“Hello Caleb, how are you doing?” I asked with a friendly smile in my eyes.

“I am great. How about you, ma’am,” he replied, and I almost sighed because he was still sticking to the very formal script, and I knew why. Considering the last relationship the Beta and Luna had, it would be safer to be cautious about words and movement. I like Caleb and the vibe he gives out. I like the fact that he is close to Alpha Alex and not just as a key member of the pack but as a friend. I can tell with all indications that Caleb was loyal to Alex as a person and not just as the Alpha of the pack and would stand by him no matter what.

“I am doing good, ” I replied, and I tried in my head how to settle the tense atmosphere between us.

“That’s good to know,” he muttered, and I sighed this time. The awkwardness between us was becoming way too obvious.

“So, what hotel room would you like to go to?” I said, and his eyes widened.

“Excuse me?” he asked with an increased pitch.

“I said, what hotel room would you like to go to?” I repeated, and I saw him glaring at me with intensity, trying to figure out the next answer to give.

“I am not sure I understand what you are asking for, ma’am, ” Caleb said, trying to play the fool’s game and intentionally adding the edge of formality.

“I was just asking because it seems that what Luna and Beta are supposed to do, have secret affairs and lie to the Alpha, it is a new rule, so I brought you here to onboard you to the cult,” I said, and he soon burst into an uproar of laughter, that was when he got my humor and my joke, I was beginning to think of how to make him see my sarcasm, but I am glad he figured it out himself.

 

The Alpha’s Exchanged Mate – Chapter 53

Edwina’s POV…

“That was way too funny,” he replied, and I smiled.

“I needed to make that joke. I saw you were being overly guarded with me, and I understand why. You are the Beta, and I am the Luna, and based on history, those combinations are bad news,”

“Yes, they are, and I was just trying to keep my respectful distance,” he explained and to which I understood perfectly well what he meant by that.

“I get you, but I brought you out here to talk, and Alpha Alex is aware of me being here with you. Although he made a similar joke you can’t blame us being too cautious around you for, Beta wolf, “

He laughed again, and I realized he wasn’t as uptight and stoic as I had thought him to be.

“I understand one man had spoilt our reputation, it would take a lot to build it back again,” he said with a smile on his face.

“Yes, it would, but you being here with me in this friendly brunch is the right step, I think,” I teased again.

“Then I will try my best for the honor of all Betas before the last one to redeem our honor,” he teased back, and I was happy that we had passed the awkwardness and then were in the mutual talking stage. The fair waiter with a black suit then came over to the table to take our order.

“I’ll just take black coffee. I’ve still got a long day ahead, and I wouldn’t want to fall asleep on duty,” Caleb explained.

“I understand, but I brought you out here to talk because, as the new Beta, I think you would be in a better position to give the best judgment of what to do and how to get ahead,”

“I will try my best, but you know I just assumed the post of Beta, and there is so little I know about being the Beta of the pack. I am still trying to figure out that all out,” he responded.

“I think you will be great at it. Just look at me, I am the Luna, and I don’t even have a wolf, so I think we all have a lot to figure out in this journey of ours,” I tried to encourage him because if there was someone who should be totally clueless about their stance, it should be me.

“Well, for someone who had no prior experience, you are doing a great job,” he muttered as he took a sip of his black coffee. The expression on his face could indicate how much the taste displeased him, but I am not sure there is anyone that likes the taste of black coffee.

“So I went to see my sister Sonia yesterday,” I finally said after I waited for him to drop the cup of coffee and have his eyes fixed on me again.

“How has that been? You know, getting to talk with her to rekindle the relationship you once had?” He asked, and I smiled.

“Well, I think this is the only time Sonia and I get to have a relationship. Before now, we had the worst sister relationship ever. I could even say she was my arch nemesis. So if there is one thing I could count as a silver lining to all these things that are going on, it was that it got to help me get closer to my sister,” I spoke, and somehow after that full statement, it felt so gratifying to say, it was more like I had lifted a load from my shoulder.

“Well, I have always believed there is good in the worst moments in life,” he spoke so soundly, taking another sip of his coffee.

“I got to talk to her about all that had happened in regards to Ben, his escape, and all that. I figured out that if there is someone that actually knew Ben, in his truth and all his dark shades, it should be Sonia. After all, she was his accomplice,” I explained.

“That’s true, I don’t know why I have not thought about it in that light, but I am not sure she would have told me anything. She had her reservations about me and how close I was with Alex then, even as the Omega,”

“I am sure she would have. She wants to help in any way possible,” I paused and took a deep breath. “She has this belief that she can get Alpha Alex back, and he would forgive her,”

He rolled his eyes. “That’s quite presumptuous of her and commendable, quite optimistic, I must say. I am not sure she sees the gravity of what she did. But also, she doesn’t know yet that he is married to you,” he said and glared at me. I knew he wasn’t asking a question, but I felt the need to respond back to him.

“She doesn’t know. I am still looking for a suitable time to tell her,” I responded.

“Well, I don’t think there is ever a suitable time, and what exactly are you afraid of? Sonia can’t do anything to you from prison,”

I sighed, “it is not about what she can do or undo, but it is mostly because before now, I have not had any form of relationship with my sister, and I had always wished to have one. I guess I would like to enjoy it while it still lasts.”

“Understandable. So what did she say about the plan?”

“Basically, what we already know, maybe this information would have been useful before he escaped and not after, but the thing is that Ben plans to betray Alpha Bethel after the invasion and the capturing of night howlers’ territory. So, I think we should capitalize on that information and try to bring chaos to their alliance even before the battle,” I explained, and he smiled.

“I think I know how to go about it,”

“I know you would,” I responded.

“I think I would be taking my leave now and try to devise a plan to rain down hell on the camp of my enemy,” he muttered, getting up with a smile on his face.

“Edwina,” he called out before taking his leave, and I could tell he was about to say something informal.

“Alpha Alex really likes you, beyond the marriage for convenience and mutual agreement, he does,”

And I smiled. I didn’t know how to respond to that because I wasn’t sure what to do with all that information.

I want to say I like him too beyond all this, but a part of me wasn’t sure about the authenticity of that statement. I respected him, no doubt. I liked his personality, but beyond deeper than our agreement was something I wasn’t sure of.

 

The Alpha’s Exchanged Mate – Chapter 54

Ben’s POV…

I get to sit down here with this bunch of buffoons and plan every day. I think the reason why the sizzlers have not captured the night howlers’ territory isn’t because of the strength or infuse of Alpha Alex but rather because of the incompetence of their shameless leader, Alpha Bethel.

I am not shading Alpha Bethel because of the fact I am trying to find the adequate reason to kick him in the a*s and stab him in the back after all is said and done, but rather because he is purely shameless and lacks the skills to be a great leader.

I find the system unfavorable when it comes to picking a leader. A leader should be picked based on their ability and capabilities. They should be able to call all the shots and make hard decisions when necessary in order not to put the realm in harm’s way.

But since they were being picked through lineage, we get people as worthless as Alpha Bethel, who invited me to his private room yesterday, I was expecting that we would be there to discuss high-level strategy on how to take over the night howlers’ territory, but instead, he invites me to have a threesome with him.

F*****g threesome, there was this prostitute there strap naked, ready to please our every will and do all we say. He wanted a different level of fun, and so he suggested a threesome. I had to state the fact that I was only into women and didn’t want anything going up my a*s, I wasn’t cut out for that kind of fun, but sure we did have a threesome. It was grand, but it made me lose my respect for him as a leader, not like I have ever had any for him previously.

And then, since I came here, night after night, it has just been from one prostitute to another employed to satisfy my s****l needs. I am not complaining. I do like my s****l needs being met, but I came here for a higher calling, and I would expect to achieve that and leave this pack of hairless wolves.

Alpha Bethel’s skill on the battlefield is good, and there is no disputing that, but that doesn’t make him a good leader. He is just shitty and sick in all ways possible.

I ain’t no saint, but there is no way I could be this guy.

We were all gathered in the conference room, and there were fourteen counsel members of idiots who knew nothing of making good decisions.

“I think we should wait for the fall of summer before we attack the night howlers. We will be at a disadvantage now,” one of the old idiots with gray hair stated. I rolled my eyes. This was the first strategy meeting we were having since I came here on what would be expected of us and how we were going to approach this situation in all its light.

“I don’t think that’s the right approach to go about it,” another of the middle-aged men responded, and we all went silent, hoping he would bring a better suggestion and all of a sudden fell silent with nothing substantial to say.

As I said, I am surrounded by a bunch of idiots. I mean, truly, I am surrounded by a bunch of people with zero sense. I needed to get the hell out of here before I lose my mind.

“You could kill them all,” my wolf growled from within me, and I sighed. Was I being affected by the foolishness which they possessed?

“Why would you even think of such foolish thoughts? They are like fifteen of them, and I am just a single person. They would decimate me before I even shift to my wolf form. Don’t tell me their stupidity is contagious and you are becoming affected with it,” I retorted to my wolf inside me.

“It must be all the s*x we have been having,” and I smiled at the humor of my wolf.

“What do you think, Ben?” Alpha Bethel asked me. He must have noticed that I was smiling, and to say the truth, I had lost them far back in their unintelligent argument. I was in a headspace of my own at this moment.

“About what exactly?” I asked, not even trying to hide that I wasn’t interested in any way in the conversation they were having.

“On the beat timing to attack the night howlers.”

Oh yes, that was the conversation they were having. If it were up to me, I would storm into there with my troops and take them unaware.

“I think they must be expecting her soon___.”

“And that is why we should attack now,” the dark-looking man interrupted me, saying.

“Don’t ever interrupt me again,” I howled at him loudly, and my wolf began to emerge in anger, but I quickly took charge back and controlled it. Everyone was startled by my change of mood. I think my wolf was already agitated.

“Sorry about that, ” he said, and I could see him trembling within me. As it should be, they should all be afraid of me. I am not sure any of them could stand me in battle one against one, not even their Alpha. The fact that I was there with them now doesn’t mean they should fail to accord to me all the respect I deserve.

“Please go ahead Ben,” Alpha Bethel said as he noticed the change in atmosphere and countenance.

“I am sure since the announcement of the new Beta, and when Alpha Bethel appeared in the ceremony to crash it, there must have been some sort of trembling in the territory,” I paused, “Right?” I asked, and they all nodded their head.

“Some of them had also sworn their allegiance to the sizzlers and moved their family to join our pack,” Alpha Bethel added.

“Hmmm,” I sighed.

Honestly, I have a problem with those unfaithful pack members who would, at the slightest show of war, leave their pack and move to the strongest pack to get security and assurance of winning. I feel that if they can easily betray their pack, they can do it again. Take it from a crook who plans to do the same shady thing I did to Alpha Alex to Alpha Bethel. If they can betray you once, then they can do it twice, but I wasn’t about to outline all that to them because that would be me foolishly shooting myself in the foot, and I wouldn’t want that. Maybe, just maybe, they will get to figure out from themselves the essence of sticking to loyal people at the end of the day.

 

The Alpha’s Exchanged Mate – Chapter 55

Ben’s POV…

Loyalty is sacred and hard, I would know, because I was never loyal, not to my Alpha, not to my wife, and not even to my pack.

“Yes, exactly,” I finally said, throwing myself back to the conversation.” and also when the news of me escaping got out, I am sure the tension increased in the air,”

“Yes, in fact, that was more when people who were not able to make the right decision to join us did.

I chuckled under my breath. I hope he doesn’t get to face the consequences of his foolishness soon. It can happen to him but not before I have executed and fully accomplished my plans.

“So with all indications, the right time to act is now. They are outnumbered and underprepared, and even though they are aware of our intention and possibly have a glimpse of our plan in regards to me joining the sizzlers, I am sure they are still very much clueless about our approach and how to tackle it, therefore putting us at an advantage when it comes to numbers and tactics,” I outlined and I could see how I had just blown their shallow mind away with my profound words.

“I think you are right,” the one and only counsel member who was female and probably in her late thirties said to me with an incredibly awkward smile on her face. She was smirking at me seductively, and I could tell my speech had already made her wet in her pants. Something tells me I just got who I will be f*****g tonight. My wolf leaped in excitement.

“I think so too,” Alpha Bethel said, “I think I will have a private meeting with Ben now. The meeting has been adjourned,” he announced, and I could hear a few people grumbling. I think I just made my first dozen set of enemies in the sizzlers pack. They all stood up sluggishly with frowns on their faces and dragged their legs away from the conference room. When the female council member passed me, she squeezed a paper in my hands, and I smiled.

People are so predictable.

“So you won’t be joining me in my threesome today,” Alpha Bethel said with a smirk on his face indicating at the paper in my hand.

“Well, I think I can do both,”

“But I was thinking orgies now,” he said, and I rolled my eyes.

We should be discussing something better, but here we are talking about orgies and every stupid thing in between.

“A bunch of incompetent council members I have,” he mumbled.

Tell me about it, I muttered under my breath.

Of course, they had an incompetent Alpha, and an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

“Well, I think they just need more guidance, and they are just fine,”

I lied about things we do to feed some people’s egos and not appear as the bad guy in the play.

“Well, I am glad you are now with us in the sizzlers pack, and I am sure your guide will help us navigate through this all,” he said with admiration in his eyes. I am still doubting if this Alpha doesn’t do men. Oh well, not my cup of tea.

“I think I need to make a few pointers or two,” I replied humbly. I tried to sound as modest as I could so I don’t look like I pride myself on being this amazing.

“So what do you think? I had to send some of them out because if I am, to be honest, I don’t trust all the people in my councils. I feel like there is a rat amongst us,”

I wanted to laugh, and I tried my best to hold it in, the irony of life. The person who he should be most scared of, who wouldn’t hesitate before taking his head off at the slightest opportunity he gets, is the same one he was relating his struggles with. This takes me back to Judas in the Holy Bible, but just that his master wasn’t as foolish as this man right here.

“I think so, too. I truly believe you should be careful of who you divulge information to,”

“Yes, I think so too. It will just be you and my Beta,” he said, and at this point, I was trying so hard not to laugh. It’s the fact that he thinks I am on his side that makes all this so funny to me. I am only out here for my interest and benefit, and that’s all, and I don’t give a f**k who I have to devour to get get to where I want to be. I have risked it all and given up too much, all in the name of playing it safe.

“It’s an honor, sir, to be counted as one of the few selected,” I replied, still trying to keep my pseudo-modest persona.

“I know we didn’t keep to our side of the bargain on how to get Edwina away from him, but I promise, as soon as we are able to conquer the night howlers’ territory, she would be the first gift you receive from me,” he assured me.

“The first gift you will receive from us would be a sword to the middle of your heart,” my wolf said from within me.

I should really get my wolf to order before it voices out some of our deepest and darkest thoughts.

“I understand, and I knew even when I requested to have her that it wouldn’t be that easy, but I have a separate plan for Edwina,” I replied.

“But if I should ask, why do you want a woman who doesn’t even have a wolf?” He asked, but this was a part of the story no one else knew, and I wasn’t ready to tell him, not now. I don’t need Edwina in the form of revenge. Yes, of course, I miss her in some way, but there is something about Edwina no one else knew, and I was hoping to capitalize on that.

“It’s because I love her. She is the only one who was completely mine,” I said, and as soon as the word came out of me, I realized I truly meant it. I wasn’t exaggerating, and I meant every word of it.

Alpha Bethel chuckled.

“Okay, lover boy, we will get to discuss later and strategize all our plans. We need to win this time and take off the head of Alpha Alex,” he said.

I was counting on that.