My Ruthless Alpha Rivalry

**Rati POV: **

"Rati, wake up!" My mom's panicked voice shattered the stillness of the room.

Groggy from my sleep, I squinted at her, annoyance tingling my senses. "What's the matter, Mom? No one's allowed in James's room," I grumbled, my mind still fuzzy from an all-nighter with James.

"Alpha James sent me. We're under attack!! Grab the emergency bag and head to a hotel until further notice," she urged, urgency lacing her words as she hurried me out of bed.

"Wait, what? Under attack? Who's attacking us?" Confusion flooded my thoughts. We weren't in conflict with anyone; we were negotiating a peace treaty with a formidable pack.

"The Black Crescent Moon pack. They've breached our defenses and are closing in on the heart of our territory. Get moving!" Fear etched across her face, her urgency heightening the gravity of the situation.

"Weren't we in talks for peace? Why would they attack?" My questions fell on deaf ears as she hustled me to action, the unanswered mysteries adding layers to the chaos unfolding before us.

I get up and start getting dressed, my mother already has my emergency bag already in her hands. I get why my mother is scared our original back was the Half Moon Pack my father and mother were the Betas. We were attacked by the Moon Dust Pack when I was fourteen. Most of the men of fighting age were killed including my father and Alpha. The mateless or widowed females of my old pack were either sent to the Harem or paired with mateless males of the pack.

Because of our status as Beta, my mother and I were treated with respect. She was allowed her own house in the pack as long as she didn’t try to rebel or run away. I was allowed to go to school and train with the best warriors. When I was sixteen I caught the eye of many mateless men including Alpha James. Who was one hundred years older than me at the time but didn’t look a day over twenty-five.

He approached my mother and told her that by my 18th birthday if I don’t find my mate, and he doesn’t find his he want to take me as his mistress. My mother was disgusted she couldn’t imagine me being someone’s sex toy as she put it. However we didn’t have a choice I was sent to his Harem to learn all about sexual pleasures.

The older women in the Harem fond me and taught me more than instructed. They taught me the art of manipulation and mental pleasure. When I turned eighteen true to his word the Alpha allowed me to go from pack to pack looking for my mate. It took six months and I didn’t find him, when I got back I became Alpha James's Mistress.

My mother was horrified that I ended up giving my virginity to my father's killer. But I had two choices either be his mistress or be stuck in the Harem. The Harem is not as bad as it sounds. But the women are not restricted to only the Alpha but to anyone of his elite group who could choose any woman he wanted to warm his bed for the night.

Don’t get me wrong the women in the Harem in this pack are treated very well compared to the stories I heard about other packs. But  I for one didn’t want to be passed around and once word got out I was being sent to the Harem there were many requests for me. Thank Goddess Alpha James made sure everyone knew I was off limits. The was five years ago and I must say we are in love with each other.

 “Rati, move faster they already breached the second line of defense”, my mother said as she looked out the window.

“Mom we have to free the women in Harem,” I said as I walked towards the passageway.

 “No! Rati their fate is sealed I can’t allow you to risk yourself for them. You are all I have left of your father. I heard horrible things about that Alpha Michael. We heard the door burst open and Alpha James walked in.

  “My love why are you still here?”, he says looking worried.

   “Why is the Black Crescent Moon attacking us? What about the peace negotiation?”, I asked in a panic.

   “We were but it fell through”, he said with a sigh.

   “WHAT! WHY?”, I asked.

   “As part of the treaty he wanted me to get rid of the Harem. I said no he took it as an insult and now we are here. You need to go Now!”, he said as he pushed me to the passageway.

“Wait Mom, where is your bag?”, I asked about to cry.

 “Baby, you know I am a Beta through and through, I will stay and fight”, she said as she hugged me.

"No, Mom you are not the Beta here. Come with me I need you Mom", I said crying.

“My love you need to go now. They are almost through our last line of defense”, James said as he kissed me like it was our last time. As Alpha, he is ready to die for his pack, but I am not ready to lose him.

I walk through the passage ways I hear the ladies in the Harem crying. They are scared shitless and trapped inside a locked room. Some of these women helped me and loved me as their daughter some even prayed to the Goddess that I was to become their Luna.

* “Are you seriously going to leave them in there. They deserve a chance to be free*”, my wolf Tina said pissed off.

“No I am not going to leave them in there”, I mentally roll my eyes at her.

Walking through the Harem door, the women are crawled up into a corner crying. Their guards have left to join the fight. When they see me they stop crying. I have one hundred grand in my bag. Which can take care of all of us, I perk my ears up I hear growls and howls. The enemy got past our last line of defense.

“Ladies come with me only take what is necessary”, I yell as the ladies follow me through the passageway.

Once we made it outside. We are a few miles to freedom. I hear my mother scream and my heart drops. My mom will not die today. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I let her die without trying to help her.

 “Dunne…LUNA Dunne", I call.

“I am no longer a Luna”, she replies.

 "Yes, you are, once a Luna always a Luna. I am going back to get my mom. Here take this, inside is one hundred grand in cash, a map, and a cell phone. Listen for the river is about a mile and a half down the road then there will be a boat waiting. The map will show you which of our allies are closest. If one doesn’t take you out of fear go to the next. Tell no one about the cash. If no one takes you find a place for you all to start new. I will call you when I am safe to meet up with you”, I say as I hug and kiss her.

• “We need to hurry Mother is hurt”,* Tina said. She is feeling uneasy.

“Take over but don't shift unless you have to”, I said.