Chapter 150
Chapter 150
The Silver Moon pack is a massive territory right on the coast. It’s a remarkably modern setup, considering its age. It honestly looks like a luxury resort. Elliot and Maria agreed to come with us since they are allies of the pack. They all know that I’m new to all of this, and they agreed to let Knight take the lead, considering Aizen will be the next heir when he turns twenty–one. All we have to wait for now is the Alpha King’s seal of approval.
Aizen is very excited about being here. I saw it in the way his eyes lit up as he looked around on the drive to the packhouse from the airport. Ayrie, like me, couldn’t care less. She wants to stay with me and look around. She doesn’t like the way everyone is trying to get our attention.
“You look a lot better than the last time we met,” I turn around, remembering the sound of her voice. I forgot her name. My mother’s supposed best friend.
“You mean when you tricked me away from my kids so that the former Queen Luna could take and kill them?”
“We would never put you and your pups in danger, Alpha Rizen. We didn’t know that was going to happen.”
“Rogue Queen Knightly.” I correct her. “I took my mate’s last name.”
Not by choice. His father insisted until Knight caved. Not that we had many options, and we needed an official name on the paperwork. As of a couple of days ago, the three of us are Knightlys.
“You will always be Alpha Rizen. Even after your son takes the pack,” she dismisses. “You look just like her. Tall and powerful.” She looks me up and down. Right. No one is supposed to know she’s alive. “She had golden honey eyes. They sparked like fire when she was angry. She got them from her mother. You have more serene eyes. Like her father. Alpha Rizen was very excited to meet you and your pups.”
“I wish the feeling had been mutual,” I admit. “But I don’t exactly have fond memories of any Rizen, and I would never subject my kids to any of those experiences over something as stupid as sentiment.”
“So what are you doing here?”
“Maria and Elliot told me what would happen to all of you if I didn’t take what was offered. I don’t like it when people suffer. I don’t exactly have a lot of choices; everything is legally bound.”
“Yes, the Blakes have always been enthusiastic about expanding their ranks,” she scoffs.
“They’re not going to be here. They have no say in any of this. If you guys are serious about my son taking over, it will all be under our influence. How we raise Aizen and what he will want to do when his time comes. The Blakes are only here because we are rogue, and we know how the packlands feel about
that.”
“Your son isn’t the firstborn.”
“Ayrie is a little overqualified to be your alpha,” I say, looking over at her as she tries to position her toy to get a good picture of it. “Her training is different from Aizen’s. She doesn’t like being surrounded by people.”
“The kids at school won’t like that. Pack wolves are very social and want to be near those who are stronger than they are. It’s engraved in them. We follow those who lead by example.”
“I know.” I point at my son, who is already surrounded by some of the kids who live in the main house. “That’s your alpha right there. The other one takes after her father. You know, the Rogue King. It’s the same amount of power, just two different personalities.”
“Who will help him adjust?”
“I will. He wants to go to school, and I have to learn more about being a werewolf. Someone has to ensure that you and your betas don’t try to pull a fast one on my son and me, and I have people in place to ensure everything goes smoothly until Aizen is old enough to take the pack. Isn’t that what you’re worried about? Other alphas trying to claim the territory?”
“So you understand what is required of you?” she asks skeptically.
“I do. I’m new to this, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid. I didn’t become a rogue because of my mate, ! chose this. Pack laws aren’t good enough for me!
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Chapter 150
won’t be subjected to traditions that mean nothing to me simply because I share the same blood as the people who forced my mother into abandoning
- me.
“Maybe we can learn from each other. You can teach me how to be a part of something other than myself, and I can teach you how to survive outside your little cliffside retreat. It looks like we’re stuck with one another, my mother’s former best friend.”
“Allison Redford.” She offers me her hand.
“Phoebe Knightly.” I take it. “I can really care less about my mother’s upbringing, but I’d like to know more about Alpha Rizen if you don’t mind. He seemed like a cool old man.”
“He was,” she smiles, but the grief in her expression shows how badly she’s taken the loss. “He was kind of like a father. I still can’t believe he’s gone.”
“Me too. I thought we had more time.” I tuck my hands behind me, not knowing what to do with them. “I have a list of questions I wanted to ask him. I’m an asshole. If you had grown up the way I did, you’d understand. It hasn’t been exactly easy finding out that I’m not a human and that werewolves and vampires are a thing.”
“He knew that,” she says gently. “Every time we had to start trying to get in contact with you, over, I’d get mad. He’d just smile and tell me that we had to give you time. I can’t imagine that,” she whispers. “Living away from everything that should have made you what you are now and still becoming the best of us.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” I laugh. “Honestly, Knight and his family have taken really good care of me. I know the basics because of his dad, and I’m learning the laws as quickly as I can, thanks to his mother. I can be here today because his siblings are fighting over who gets to be my new favorite at work.
“But if I’m being honest, I have no fucking idea what the fuck I’m doing. It feels like everything is supposed to be where it is, but I don’t know how everything fell into place. It all just seems to be working itself out. And I’m just going along for the ride.”
“Yeah,” she grins. “That’s what happens when you have a good support system.” She looks back at Knight arguing with his father and his mom trying to get them both to stop. Elliot is standing by doing something on his phone. “Those people?”
“Yup. Those are the ones. Come on. I should formally introduce you. I think we all need to be friends if this is going to work, Fair warning, they all like to say shit that will make you question your entire existence. Just give it back and hold your ground. Everything is a challenge to them, and if they sense any kind of weakness, they’re going to push you until you snap.”
