The Alpha's Exchanged Mate
The Alpha’s Exchanged Mate – Chapter 31

Edwina’s POV…

I wasn’t sure at this point what to do, I had just discovered two scary facts and a potential threat, and I felt helpless. I wasn’t sure if I should let the alpha know that because that would mean treason, and that is an offense punishable by death. As angry as I was with my sister and Ben for what they had done, I knew if I revealed this piece of information to Alpha Alex, he would definitely make sure they pay with their life.

And then my mind wandered to what Ben had said about escaping. I wonder if he meant it or he didn’t.

He is a father-to-be, and it is normal for him to want to be with his child, so I can only assume that he would want to take such a drastic step. But he wouldn’t dare? Would he?

I got home in time for dinner, and I was surprised to see Alex already waiting for me. I don’t know if I should let him know that I was aware of his visit to Sonia.

But then, it is none of my business if he decides to tell me or not. We were not yet in the place where we asked each other questions and gave answers. We were still in that place where we have s*x and pretend like it didn’t happen the next day. I don’t think we have ever talked about s*x or what we needed to spice things up.

After a short shower and applying little makeup to my face, I walked to the dining room, where Alex was sitting in his usual seat.

He was waiting for me and had refused to touch his food.

“How are you doing?” He asked briefly as I settled down opposite him.

“I am great,” I answered briefly. I didn’t ask how he was doing because I didn’t want to have a conversation with him that might lead me to spill the beans on what was bothering me. I felt I should just keep to myself and let other things follow naturally. We would probably have s*x and wake up the next morning as if nothing had happened, and to me, that would be ideally what I want.

“I went to visit Sonia today, but I assume you already knew that. Considering you also went to visit her,” he said.

My eyes widened as I realized he was watching my every move. I knew he was, but I wanted to drift the topic away from anything that would make us discuss his visit and make him discuss my conversation with Sonia.

“So you do ask people to spy on my every move and report to you,” I replied. He glared at me and smiled.

I wasn’t sure why he was smiling. Damn this guy, I am trying to pick up an argument with him, but he didn’t want to give any room to it.

I hated that about him, how easygoing he was.

“I am sure you are perfectly aware that you are the Luna of the night howlers. Your every move will always be in the spotlight, like it or not. I do not need to ask to know,” he explained as he took a bit of the crunchy French fries dipped in ketchup before him.

I wasn’t sure this was a fight I wanted to pick with him knowing he was right, and I was already so much aware of it.

“I think that’s part of the job jurisdiction I abhor,” I replied to him as I took a bite of my bread.

A slight frown appeared on his face, and I could see him trying to chew on his words, but it was getting hard for him.

“What do you mean by Job jurisdiction?” he asked me, and I could understand why he would hate that about my statement.

“I mean being the Luna,” I muttered, and at this point, I honestly didn’t want to pick up this fight with him and just wanted everything to slide.

“Hmmm,” he sighed as he took a glass of wine. I assume he was trying to watch down his frustration.

“I hate that you see being the Luna, my wife, as a job you need to fulfill,” he said rather calmly than the gravity of the words spoken. He was being careful with his words, and I was thankful that he had not blown it way out of proportion.

“I don’t say being your wife is a job, but being the Luna is surely a job,” why can’t I just shut up and let all this slide?

“That’s because you see it that way, being the Luna is more like a responsibility, and on your part, you need to invest in being my wife.” He explained calmly. I appreciate the texture of his voice even though it has increased an octave higher.

At this point, no one was touching their food.

“Well, it still sounds like a job to me if you are adding responsibility to it, and by the way, this wasn’t the context of the conversation. I just wanted you to know that I was a person who had always detested the spotlight on me due to the negative label attached. Being the Luna of the night howlers wasn’t an exception,” I explained to him, trying to replace a common ground and not further go into conversation with him in that regard. It was already as exhausting as it could get.

He breathed out, “Well, it is one of the things that comes with the job,” he said, throwing air quotes with the sentence to make it more dramatic. “That was why when your sister was cheating, even if she took her cheating a*s outside town, it was still very easy to catch her in the act.” He replied, and I could see him still spiteful by the mention of the act. I hated how he demeaned my sister when he talked about her. Yes, I am aware she caused it for herself but was there no place for forgiveness in all this?

But I didn’t want to bring up the topic with him. At this point, I knew the only thing that could remove his mind from my statement of detesting being the Luna was to bring up the initial conversation I had tried to avoid.

“Is that why you went to visit her?” I asked briefly and immediately regretted asking because I knew I had just opened the wound of countless uncomfortable conversations.

“I went to see if I could be like you, you know, do the whole forgiving thing and talk to your ex. But it was way harder than I had thought, I couldn’t just forget all the hate in my heart and neglect all the suffering I had gone through because of these people,” at this point, I felt infuriated by his comment because I knew he was invalidating my pain and making it insignificant to his.

“Do you think I am not hurt by what they did to me?” I wasn’t asking because it came out as one of those questions that didn’t really need an answer.

“You sure don’t act like you are, considering you had gone to visit the same man that cheated on you by f*****g your sister twice in one week,”

What the f**k is his problem?

“I needed closure, I needed to know why,” I replied, and this time it was my voice being increased, and I was the one sounding so angry.

“Knowing Ben so well, I am sure you wouldn’t get any form of closure from him. I know you won’t because he won’t give you any tangible reason, so why bother, or are you hoping you could rekindle some kind of prison romance with him?”

I can’t believe we were having our first fight over such a trivial matter. Alexander was right; Ben didn’t give me any form of closure. For one, he made me more on edge, and I couldn’t even let that out in the fear of how Alpha Alex would respond to it, considering that he didn’t even respond well to my visit.

“We all have our individual way of dealing with our pain, I confront mine and not f*****g run away from it like you are trying to do now,”

He let out small laughter. It wasn’t pleasant laughter, “in all your confrontation, have you found peace or more reasons to be in pain? Edwina, not all wounds need revisiting, and that’s what you don’t get. And by the way, I forbid you from ever going to see Ben,” he said, dropping his table clothing angrily on the table.

“I am done eating,” he said and paused while he was wheeling away from the table’ and I will be working all night at the study. I don’t need disturbance,” he said as he strode away in anger.

I sighed and let out an exasperated gasp. In an attempt to avoid a conversation, I started one I wasn’t ready for. And who the f**k does he think he is to tell me who to see and not to?

F**k him.