Chapter 3

“Dad!”

“Don’t ‘Dad’ me. You reek of sex, Leni. I don’t smell blood, so I’m going to assume it isn’t your first time. Is there any chance you’re pregnant? Be honest.”

“No.” I say with a defiant growl.

“Sass me again and it may be the last thing you do, Lenora Jane Mason.”

No one calls me by my real name. Everyone calls me Leni. Dad has only used my FULL name twice in my life before. Once when I was ten and I told Bronx I hated him and once when I skipped school to go to the mall with Ashley after she got her driver’s license. 

I shrink back and soften my tone. “Dad, I’m not pregnant. W-we’re careful.”

“I need you to be one hundred percent certain, Lenora.” He says with anger and disappointment mixed in his voice.

I’m not sure what kind of answer he’s looking for more than a simple ‘no’. How detailed am I supposed to get? The more I say, the more likely he’s going to shift and go murder Marco before Bronx gets him to the packhouse. 

“A hundred percent certain? We use protection every time. That’s how certain I can be.”

“I’ll have your mother make an appointment so the clinic can confirm.”

My face flushes again. “Dad, it’s nobody’s business except Marco and mine.”

“For your information, it is my business.” Dad grips a tree trunk. His wolf's claws extend into the bark, marring the wood. His voice is rough when he speaks again with Mace trying to take control. “You have no clue what goes on behind the scenes, Leni. Especially for Marco Sanchez and his family.”

“I know you work hard, and when Bronx gets home, you’ll be able to retire. If he gets himself killed, I’ll take over. That’s the plan, right?” I pause. “Wait. Did you say Marco and his family?”

Dad drops his shoulders and gives a dry laugh over his shoulder. “Marco's parents are from a small pack. Did you know that? They only had sixty pack members before the war started.”

“Okay? And?” I shake my head, confused.

“The Elder Council ordered every pack to send ten percent of their members to serve in the war. Hidden Glen argued about sending six wolves. The Council punished them and ordered them to send ten instead. They’ve sent nine so far. All of them died. Three women, six men. Marco’s uncle and cousin were both killed in a werebear attack six months ago.”

“H-he didn’t tell me that.” 

“Why do you think that is?”

“I don’t know.” I wrap my arms around myself.

Marco and I tell each other everything. Why didn't he tell me about this?

“Marco's uncle was Hidden Glen's Alpha. His cousin was Alpha Scion. Their Beta died two years ago, but they are so small, they didn't need a Beta anyways. Marco’s brothers don’t have Alpha blood. Javier is too old to go back and take over the pack. Marco is the only other werewolf in his father’s lineage with Alpha Blood.”

“What?” My brain tries to catch up. “D-does Marco know?”

“Yes, and he doesn’t want to be the Alpha of Hidden Glen when he gets back. Blood River is his home. I spent four months calling in favors and pulling strings to keep him here.” Dad sighs heavily. “Marco is serving in the war on behalf of Hidden Glen so they can meet the Council’s quota. In exchange, the Council is going to help them find a new Alph-”

“O-okay, so he gets to come home. That’s all that matters.”

“One mouth, two ears. Shut up and listen.” He gives me a dangerous glare. I press my lips together and avert my eyes. “Because of the deal, Blood River is one warrior short of our quota. Bronx is going back in my place. We don’t have enough trained warriors to send anyone else, and Bronx refuses to let me go. Milo and Reggie are going to protect him.” 

I put my fingers over my mouth. Words try to form, but they come out as random sounds. Bronx is going back for Dad? Of course Milo and Reggie Slater are going. They are Beta Scion and Gamma Scion. They would do anything for Bronx. All this is because of Marco?

“There are Elder Council members who don’t want Blood River to succeed, Leni. What we’ve created here goes against everything the werewolf community has ever known. Some of those crusty ass old men think it’s dangerous to pay an omega for working. Imagine the audacity when your mother and I started paying them above minimum wage with free housing. They want to disrupt the progress we have made, and I will fight tooth and claw to prove them all wrong.”

“Send me instead of Bronx.” I cry out. “I can fight for Blood River, Dad. Let Bronx become Alpha now like he’s supposed to.”

“Too many wheels are in motion, Leni.” Dad holds his hand up and continues. “But what do you think would happen if Hidden Glen found out Marco had a pup? Especially if its mother is the daughter of an Alpha Regent? You think they would wait for genetics testing to see if it is a boy with Alpha blood? Of course not. They would say I tried to doublecross them. They would demand Marco come back and bring his pup with him to secure their future.”

I look up and gasp. Why would he have put his future at risk? He must not have considered us having a pup was even an option. I didn’t… until now.

“I would have to go to Hidden Glen to be Luna.” I murmur. “Leave my pack?”

I can’t leave. Can I? Under the blanket, I cover my stomach with my hands. Have Marco and I been careful enough?

“Yeah. Leni, I won’t stand here and pretend things are perfect with our pack, but not every pack is as democratic as Blood River. Your mother and I have worked our asses off to make this place fair for all our pack members. Places like Hidden Glen… they don’t. The Sanchez family could only leave because Javier was the Alpha’s brother and there wasn’t a ranked position for him. Their Luna does as much manual labor as any of their omegas. They don’t have enough wolves in their pack for ranked members to have any special privileges. Shit. They don’t have enough members to have more than a rundown packhouse and a few outbuildings.” 

Dad looks defeated. He paces a few steps and kicks some pebbles with his bare toes before he continues.

“If you have Marco’s child, you would no longer be in line to become Luna Regent of Blood River. There would be nothing I could do about it. You would have to leave and take over as Luna of Hidden Glen right away. Once you’re there, hope Marco makes it home. Otherwise, you would be on your own until your pup is old enough to take over. We wouldn’t have a Luna until Bronx finds his mate. If Bronx dies, Milo and his mate would ascend to Alpha and Luna.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” My voice hitches. Why am I crying? When did I start to cry?

“Shit, Leni. Wait for your fated mate. I’m pretty sure your mother and I have told you at least ten thousand times. Maybe it should have been ten thousand and one. Adult games lead to adult consequences. We trusted you to be responsible… to respect the Moon Goddess’s will.”

I look away from his disappointed expression. “Why didn’t Marco tell me?”

“Marco doesn’t want people to know he’s an Alpha. You know how shy he is. Bronx, Milo, Reggie, your mother, me, and his parents are the only ones who know. And now you. If I catch wind that ANYONE else finds out, I’m coming for your ass. I won’t apologize for trying to protect any members of my pack, even if it’s from my own daughter. Got it?”

“Yes, Sir.” I use the corner of the blanket to wipe tears away. “So you’re not going to kill him?”

“Oh, don’t worry. He’ll get more than a piece of my mind.” Dad rubs the scruff of his chin. “He might wish I killed him.”

I try to breathe, but my lungs won’t cooperate. “What about me?”

“You? Oh, you’re grounded, young lady. Indefinitely. I don’t care how old you are.” He glares at me. “Bronx will escort you to the Mating Gathering. If you find your mate, we need to explain the situation to him and hope he won’t reject you. Most male wolves don’t want to come between another wolf and their offspring. Aside from that, as long as your mate isn’t some sort of raging maniac, if you DARE reject him, you’re going to answer to me. Your wolves will get to spend a couple of chaperoned hours together, then Saint will bring your wolf home.”

Regret settles in my gut. It never crossed my mind that my mate could reject me.

“If you don’t find your mate, you shift like you’re supposed to, get your wolf’s photo taken, shift back, and Bronx brings you home. Period. End of story. You keep your ass in your bedroom until your mother takes you to the clinic for a pregnancy test. After that, you and, Goddess willing, Bronx’s mate’s full-time job will be to take Luna Regent lessons from your mother. Step one toe out of line, and those lessons will be from the inside of a dungeon cell. When your brother gets home, he can decide what to do with you.”

“Can I at least say goodbye to Marco?”

“Have you lost your fucking mind, Leni?” The growl in his voice rumbles the ground.

“Mom says the answer is always no until you ask.”

“You didn’t need to ask. The answer is a resounding FUCK no.” Dad snatches me up by the armpit. “Get in the damn truck.”