The Alpha's Exchanged Mate
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.