The Designated Mate novel Chapter 61

"Cleaning house," he murmured back cryptically. We didn't have to stand around waiting for long before she was being dragged toward us by two older warriors.

"Adrianna," Knox began. She sneered at him, tears streaming down her face. I felt my stomach turn with guilt at knowing my own mate caused the look of deep pain on her face. I just kept reminding myself that she was all too happy to stand by her mate's side while they robbed me of the most important decision of my life. She was no better than he.

"It's Luna Rhymes to you," she spat looking deranged. Knox chuckled, but there was no humor behind it.

"No, it's not. You are undeserving of the title in every way. Come to think of it, should we inform my pack about what you and your mate were trying to do just mere weeks ago?" Knox asked, his tone condescending. I watched as Adrianna's eyes went wide and took on a worried glint.

"Your past Alphas had set up a forced mating between Alpha Williams and my half to try and forge a bond between both packs," Knox bellowed out, pausing for just a moment as I watched a horrified expression wash over the entire crowd. "Your Beta female, my half's mother, helped her get away, but that didn't stop the corruption. They continued to seek her out even after The Council warned them of the consequences. So now I ask you, what shall be done with her? Execution like her mate, or imprisonment?" he asked no one in particular.

"Make the bitch suffer without her mate in a dank cell. Neither she or her mate has had the pack's best interest at heart for years. We've all sat back and suffered as conditions decreased and authority became hostile. It's about damn time the previous leadership got what was coming to them," an elderly woman called out as she pushed her way to the front. I recognized her from the days I would spend tending to our pack garden. When she was done speaking, her gaze flitted to my own as she gave me a soft smile to which I returned.

"I've already handled it. Apparently, your mother did a lot more than fight back against him behind closed doors. She started a grassroots uprising against not only your father but also Alpha and Luna Rhymes years back when your sister was born. It's been very slow-progressing because she was terrified one of the three would catch her but almost everyone in this pack knows about it. All the trustworthy ones, that is. Her efforts will be very useful as we start to weed out those who will be working against us rather than with us; we need to figure that out soon. Word of my hostile takeover will travel to my Uncle quickly, so we need to start preparing. Unfortunately, preparation can't begin until I know who the traitors are," he murmured with a stressed expression. My hands itched to smooth over the worry lines on his forehead, needing nothing more than to comfort my mate.

It was still only morning, but we'd been on the road since before the sun was out and I could tell he was tired. He hadn't slept much the past few days and I could understand why.

"I'm sorry," I whispered quietly after a few minutes. His eyebrows scrunched in confusion before he made his way over to where I was sitting. He slid his hands under my thighs and lifted me up, positioning himself under me before placing me atop his lap.