The Alpha King's Mistress Chapter 86: Samantha's Unwanted Entrance

**Layla’s POV**

As a member addressed the council, I noticed Nicholas's gaze shifting toward the door. His frown deepened. My attention followed him, and I sensed someone approaching the hall. Isaac glanced at me, and both of us knew who was coming.

Before we could take a step forward, the room fell silent. My eyes widened as Samantha pushed the door open, adorned in a pink formal dress, sauntering in like she owned the place. The collective attention of the room shifted from the ongoing discussion to her sudden entrance.

I shot a look at her, attempting to communicate through the mindlink, but she blocked it.

‘What on earth is she doing? Has she gone insane?!’ I mindlinked Isaac.

‘How the hell would I know?’ he replied.

Attempting to salvage the situation, I made my way toward her. But before I could speak, Nicholas beat me to it.

"Samantha," he said, his tone measured, "We're in the middle of a council meeting."

With a sweet smile seemingly oblivious to the room's collective gasp, she replied, "Oh, I should be here. After all, I'm going to be Luna."

You could practically hear a pin drop. My, and Isaac's, jaws collectively hit the floor, joining the general shock that gripped the room.

The council erupted into murmurs and whispers as Samantha, with an audacity that left everyone baffled, strolled toward an empty seat on the left of Nicholas—a spot for his Luna. I shot a glance at Nicholas, and the clenching of his jaw was a clear sign that he was not happy. Not happy at all.

And just when you thought things couldn't get worse, Keith Caldwell chimed in, "Looks like our Alpha King here can't even control his own pack members. I mean, seriously, Miss Samantha just waltzes in like she owns the place."

Oh great, Keith, just find another excuse to raise that damn topic!

There's a reason why Samantha wasn't invited in the first place, as she sometimes has this habit of inserting herself and making herself the topic. I don't know if Nicholas noticed that behavior of Samantha, but being her close friend in the past, I definitely noticed that habit of hers.

Nicholas's eyes narrowed, and I could practically feel the heat emanating from him. I could barely contain the urge to drag Samantha out of the hall and give her a piece of my mind.

This was turning everything we had worked for into an absolute disaster. Every ounce of frustration was channeled into my clenched fist, ready to unleash, but then Isaac grabbed it.

‘Easy there,’ he said into the mindlink. ‘Trust Nicholas. He's got this.’

I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my emotions, and looked toward Nicholas. His expression was cold, but his body was relaxed.

A few members who were on Keith’s side began to voice their unnecessary opinions.

"Alpha Nicholas, this isn't the first time your pack members have disrupted the council. It seems like you're losing control."

Another chimed in, "We're supposed to trust your leadership, but if your own pack members can barge in like this, how can we be sure?"

Nicholas, maintaining a stoic demeanor, casually responded, "I understand your concerns, but Samantha's actions do not reflect the values of our pack. This is an isolated incident, and I assure you, we will address it internally."

"Isolated incident or not, it's happening under your watch. Maybe it's time for a change in leadership."

The room buzzed with tension as the murmurs grew louder.

Nicholas's response cut through the tense atmosphere like a knife. "If Samantha's sudden arrival concerns you more than the pressing issues we've been addressing, then we need to reevaluate our priorities," he asserted, his voice firm and commanding.

The room fell into an abrupt silence. Samantha, for a moment, looked scared and apologetic. The desire to slap some sense into her mirrored my frustration. How could she jeopardize everything we've worked for with such a thoughtless move?

Nicholas, now commanding control again, continued, "Let's refocus on the matters at hand.”

Suddenly, Keith raised his hand, “Why don't we try to get to know our future Luna Queen first?”

The nerve of this old, ugly geezer. Well, not that ugly, but his character really makes him the most unpleasant being!

A few other members chimed in, "Actually, it wouldn't hurt to get to know Samantha better. She's going to be our Luna Queen, after all."

I was seething with anger. Florence was the one I envisioned as Luna, not Samantha. Still, I bit my tongue, holding back my frustration, knowing this wasn't the time to voice my preferences.

One member chimed in, "I think Samantha's qualities make her a great choice for Luna Queen. She's poised and diplomatic."

Another added, "She's got that air of regality about her, don't you think? Perfect for the role."

My fists clenched as they continued to sing Samantha's praises. I wanted to shout that Florence was the one who truly embodied the qualities needed for a Luna, but I maintained my composure. The injustice of it all fueled my anger, but for now, I had to play the waiting game.

"I must say, Samantha exudes confidence. She's a strong presence,"

"Exactly, and we need someone with that kind of assertiveness as our Luna Queen,".

Samantha, now aware of the spotlight, sat there with an air of satisfaction. She thanked the council members, her gaze lingering on Nicholas.

“Thank you all for such kind words.”

"However, Miss Samantha," Keith said with a sly grin, "are you okay with the Alpha King having mistresses?"

Isaac and I tensed at the question, and the room fell into deafening silence. It was as if the air had been sucked out of the room. Nicholas's expression shifted from a controlled composure to a serious demeanor.

"Mr. Caldwell, your curiosity about my personal affairs is unnecessary. My relationships are not up for discussion in this council."

"I'm just concerned, Alpha Nicholas.”

Nicholas's jaw tightened, “There is no need to be concerned; after all, I am perfectly fulfilling my duties as the Alpha King.”

Samantha, displaying a level of audacity that infuriated me, butted in, "Oh, mistresses are fine. They know their place, don't they? And the alpha has a very pretty one, currently in the pack."

I had to bite my lips to control the surge of anger.

“Really? Then it would be easy for us to meet her.”

I wanted to punch something, preferably Samantha's smug face. The audacity of her comments was pushing all the wrong buttons. Before she could say more, Nicholas cut in, his tone cutting through the tension like a blade.

"Why would you want to meet my mistress?" he asked, a dangerous edge in his voice that left everyone on edge, even me.

Keith just shrugged, “We are just curious since Miss Samantha told us that she was pretty.”

Samantha, with an air of nonchalance, suggested, "There's no harm in meeting her, right Nicholas?"

I perfectly know what Keith Caldwell was playing. He wanted to show the council that Nicholas’s choices in women were weak. He did it once, opening the topic about one of Nicholas’s past mistresses that they cornered and ran crying out of the hall. The next day, we heard a rumor about the council members assuming that Nicholas punished the woman when the Alpha didn't do anything and simply asked me to console the poor woman.

They have a penchant for cornering individuals weaker than Nicholas to portray him as irresponsible.

Unexpectedly, one of our allies in the council spoke up.

"Well, if there's no harm, I don't see the issue in meeting this woman.”

Nicholas's clenched fist and a fleeting glance at Isaac showed his internal struggle. Nevertheless, he sighed and said, "Isaac, please bring Florence here."

Isaac bowed at him and quickly left the hall.

Nicholas faced the council again, his demeanor somewhat more cold and intimidating now. “While we're waiting for my... guest, let's address the more pressing matter at hand – the recent rogue attacks."

I noticed the council members were visibly tense, and so was Samantha, who swallowed.

“O-of course, Alpha,” one of the members stammered.

Gosh, this is getting out of hand! I deserve a shopping spree after this!