Atlas View
Watching him run off made me happy. He was in a better mood for now. Though when he finds out what his father was already planning, that mood will be changed a full one eighty. It will be the first time I will go head-to-head with his father. His own son has not even accepted our bond, and yet he wants to make an official announcement. Similar to the ball, but only pack leaders and their top members.
"Hey boss. You okay?" Zion walked in with papers in hand. "I would like to say I have good news but since you know the gist of it I won't butter it up. Alpha Dax already sent out invitations, for two weeks from now, and your uncle is one of them. You know him as well as I do. He will not miss this. He could see Kash as a threat to his own lands and a weakness."
Looking at the papers in his hands I questioned him. "What is all that?"
"These are the packs that were at the ball and the members they claimed to have brought with them. The guards and I have matched the names with the numbers in the ball. We also took the extra care to take who was mated with who and what packs each left with." He grinned. "The numbers do not match."
"This is good. Do you now where the extras came from or who they left with?" At least we had a start.
"That is the strange part. Everyone was accounted for besides the extras. We cannot ask around without raising suspicions either. They were not at the meet and greet before the ball. You and I would have sniffed them out, not to mention our guards. The two found with Kash are rogues and their scent stands out. My guess is they were able to mingle with a scent cover." Zion was definitely thinking hard. "I have increased the guard for when our pack arrives at home. Oh! Before I forget Doc is in our cabin and man is he curious."
I had to laugh. "Doc would not be Doc without being curious. I gave Kash the choice to meet with Doc or not." I sighed. "Kash is still hesitant of our bond. There has been no out right rejection, but it still hurts."
"Give him time." Zion smiled.
"I know. Speaking of time. I suggested he could start doing some of the Luna duties, but without access to the pack network, there is not much he can do from here."
This time Zion had a grin on his face. "Sorry but I kinda of figured you might do that without thinking about it; so I took the liberty of having a new laptop ordered, which arrived today, and I have already got it set up for some of the pack network. It is still restricted with the situation going on, but he can start with the basics."
"Computers! I never got to see Kash open his gift! Before we finish pack errands at the cabin lets stop in for a visit!" In a better mood than before, I headed towards Kash's room.
The walk from the cell was not long, but it was still on the other side of the house. The door was actually right beside the kitchen, visible by only those who knew it was there. As we closed the wood door and turned towards the staircase we needed, a voice I was not ready to confront spoke up from the kitchen.
"Alpha Atlas, I have been hoping to talk with you." Alpha Dax stood at the entryway with a serious expression. "I understand your misgivings with my decision but you need to understand my side of things."
"Alpha Dax. At this moment we do not see eye-to-eye. Is it really that important to rush? You can't even give your own son time to breath for goodness sakes. In the last three days he has discovered a mate he never wanted, who is a Royal, he learned that you have been trying to push him in to society only now after keeping him away from it his whole life, he was attacked in his own nest while in a heat caused by his mate bond and you ignored his own birthday. At this moment I am more on my mate's side." I could hardly contain my growl. "The whole time he was in your care you shielded him from the truth. You never told him the truth of being born as a Royal, never told anyone what he was in fact. You never once looked for proper guidance to help him care for himself as a male omega. You knew who my own mother, the queen was. Why the fuck did you not come to us?"
I saw him flinch as my voice rose. I could not help it. His actions have made Kash lost in his own world. At this rate he could have been raised by humans better than his own father. He had a lot to think about and I wanted the reasons behind it all, but I also had my own pack to care for before we continued this conversation.
"I will be talking to Kash then dealing with my own pack. I have a few new members to welcome and a couple to say goodbye to. You should be doing the same today. We can continue this later." I smirked. "With Kash. It has to do with him and he should have his own say in the whole thing. Maybe you can enlighten us with how your mind works with making the decisions you have made."
Turning my heal with Zion following I went up the stairs to speak to Kash. I still have not wished him a happy birthday.
*Kash View*
My body froze when I heard Atlas raise his voice. Jace had met someone and I had just come back from his room. Never even entering my own yet, I ran over to him first congratulating him before he went to meet with her pack to make final arrangements. Looked like my dad got what he wanted, but that did not explain why Atlas was so angry. I creeped to the stairs to listen in, feeling like a child as I looked between the railings.
What I could see below in the foyer was Atlas, Zion and my father. The best part was hearing everything he told my father off about. He was angry that I had no choice, and he was angry he never gave me a chance. His words caught me off guard when he called me a Royal once more. I have ignored him calling me that but he was serious. Was being born during a lunar eclipse really that special? Did my father really keep all this from me? I was hurt more than I could even say. Tears burned my eyes with the understanding my father let me believe I was useless my whole life.
Before I knew it, Atlas was coming up the stairs and I was stuck in my location. Only bothering to turn my back from my father below and put my head to my knees, I waited for him to arrive. Not sure how to feel at the exact moment I just held my breath and held back the tears.
His soft voice broke my tears. "Kash?"
"Did he really lie to me all these years? I knew he was keeping something from me, but did he really have ways to help me and refused?" I tried to take in a breath but it got stuck in my throat and I started coughing. Soon the tears came harder and I decided speaking about it would make it worse.
What I did not expect was what happened next. My eyes flew open as I felt his arms pick me up in a princess carry and his long stride had us heading to my room. "Wait! Atlas!"
His chest rumbled with a sound closer to a purr. "Do not argue with me. You are in no shape to anyways."
My wolf wanted to curl up in his arms and take it. "Let our mate feel us. It is our turn to comfort him." I listened to my wolf trying to understand what was going on. What I did not know, was that when I did this my scent changed.
Just before my door Atlas stopped and looked down in surprise. Slowly a smile followed. "Thank you." He saw my confusion and chuckled. "Your scent. You scented me right now to sooth me. Did you not know?"
"I changed my scent? It can change like yours? Seriously!" I was suddenly over excited and leaped out of his arms. Then stopped. "You lie."
He just motioned for me to open my door. Turning my head to the side I watched him a little longer before sighing. "Fine. It was my wolf that said that you needed something, I never knew I actually did anything." Standing aside to allow them entrance decided to elaborate. "My wolf said you needed comfort."
"Hmm." He walked into my room with Zion following behind.
Keeping my head down wondering how I can use my scent in other ways, I never noticed the additions to my room. His voice had me look up. "Happy Late Birthday Kash." My old desk was replaced with a gaming set up. It had three monitors now and a pc with hydro cooling and led. The keyboard and mouse were some of the best. There was also a new headset to actually play the games and hear my party members with! I turned to him unsure what to say. "Zion had to help me with picking it out. I am not, well, computers and I do not get along well."
I laughed. "This is mine? The whole set up?" Looking back at it I could already imagine the games I could play not just having a few that my laptop could handle. "This is really my birthday gift?"
"Yes. When you move to our pack you can bring it with you to put in your room as well." His voice was happy but hesitant.
Frozen to the spot it hit me. "Move?"
"This is the issue your father caused. Why I was angry and unable to hold back against him this round. Of course, I let him hear it all." The feeling I had before with him came back. Taking a deep breath in I could sense that his scent is what caused my wolf to react. It was still him but now the forest was on first, burnt pine was the addition. Is this him when he is angry? I filed it away for later.
"My father has a habit of doing what he thinks is right for me. Always has. It won't change now." I sighed. "Okay. What did he do now?" I sat on my bed and offered him a seat beside me. If I could help him like he helped me, I was willing to try.
Zion was the one that spoke up. "We had no say in it, and we actually discovered it while we were trying to find out about your attack. He has already set a date and sent invitations for your mating announcement. It will be tied with your brother and his take over of the pack."
Oh, that's it, my father was dead. I was beyond furious. "This goes beyond over protection and lies. Jace should be the one celebrating and be celebrated. I have not even made my choice yet. This is something he should have come to me about."
"I have an idea if you are willing?" I looked up to Atlas. His shoulder brushing my own with the movement. "We can have it arranged to focus more on your brother and his mate. The ceremony for his taking over as Alpha is also a big event. What I propose to you is just the announcement and if you are willing, the transition to my pack. This will keep the focus on your brother."
"A pack pledge, not mating pledge?" I was curious about what he was thinking. "Why?"
"That is easy. It gives you the way out from your father, and allows me to stay close." He grinned at me as I glared. "Look I am going to be honest. I have a huge pack to run, plus keeping the other packs running smooth. As much as I would like to allow you here, I cannot stay. It would not be fair to our bond, or the chance at it, if we are never together."
I thought about what he said. It was true we could not get to know each other if we are separate. The distance from my father would also be a breath of fresh air. Now that my brother has his own Luna, he would not need me helping either. Atlas was giving me a choice on how to handle the cards delt to me. He really was surprising for an Alpha. "When is the date set?"
"You have two weeks." He hesitated. "How would you like to come with me and meet the pack? Zion can even show you some of the duties you would be able to do as a Luna." He turned to Zion.
"I actually have already gotten a welcome to the pack gift hoping you would join. I left it at the cabin when we found out your fathers plans. If Alpha Atlas and I have to be back in two weeks time we need to leave tomorrow morning. I would enjoy the company if you join us, and along the way back I can show you some duties you can even do if you so wish, while you visit." His smile was genuine.
"Uhh, leave tomorrow morning? As in I pack tonight?" I was not ready for the sudden plans but at the same time I felt excited.
"Can I tempt you with some perks?" Atlas nudged my shoulder with his own. "You will have less rules, which means more freedom. Only two guards around you at all times, but your choice if close to you or as shadows. You will be welcome to mingle with pack members as well."
"What would less rules mean?" This was key. If he thinks I am one to listen he was mistaken. Especially if I thought the rules were stupid.
"That would be easy." His grin told me, he knew he had me hook, line, and sinker. "You do need to stay within the estates borders. You are not a pack member this time and only a guest. I will tell you the estate has a few hundred acres you can go full wolf on. Second rule will be that you will be expected to join myself for dinner every evening. Again, you are a guest and would be proper pack etiquette. The only other rule is to allow my guard protecting to continue."
I looked around my room. The change would be pleasant. "What would you get out of it?"
This time both Zion and Atlas laughed. "My mate beside me of course!"