I learned three weeks ago that my mother was alive. Over the past few days, she has explained to me how my father was her mate and she was his second chance mate. When he discovered that I was his daughter, he refused to accept me.
I didn't care. Jonathan wanted me to sit in his office while he had a meeting with my sister's mate today. I never had a good father and I didn't care if I ever did. He might be trying to keep me safe because he knew something, but I still wasn't enjoying sitting in on this meeting.
The man sat across from me with Cassie on one side of him and her mate on the other side. He refused to stop staring at me. I wanted to confront him, but Jonathan said Lunas aren't allowed to speak during treaty discussions. The creepy feeling didn't go away even though I knew he was my biological father. I wanted to break the rules so badly because this man was giving me the creeps.
I thought of mind linking Ashleigh. I knew she would come and save me by demanding a spa day and Jonathan would insist on her mate joining us. Then I thought better of it. I didn't want her to get in trouble.
I sat and stared at my hands like they were the most fascinating thing in the world. I couldn't stand watching him staring at me. Perhaps Alpha Larry didn't know that his father was also my father. Hey Girly girl, how is the meeting going? Ashleigh's mind linked.
I wish I didn't have to be here. Would I get in trouble if I got up and walked out? I mind linked back.
I don't know girlfriend. I do know no one else is in the pack house. Your mom is with my mom on a shopping trip. They said they should be back soon. Dad is visiting Granddad. Ashleigh responded before I felt her end the mind link. Suddenly, I looked up and everyone was looking at me. Did I make a weird face?
"You don't look too happy, Luna." Alpha Larry said, looking me straight in the eyes.
"I just have to use the ladies' room," I said as I stood up and left. I saw my mom walking in the door.
"I found a place to live on the edge of the territory...." My mom said as she looked over my shoulder at Jonathan's office. She must have smelled him. "What is he doing here?"
"He is here because his son is talking about a treaty with Jonathan. Cassie's is here too." I said as Jonathan's door opened. I looked and once again saw the creepy man staring at me. That's it. "Why were you staring at me the entire time?" I said as I got in his face. I have had enough. All I know is this man is supposed to be my father but he doesn't want me to be his daughter.
"You should show respect to Alphas and ex-Alphas," Alpha Larry said as he pushed me back. Jonathan growled deeply when he came out of his office and saw me nearly trip. If it wasn't for my mom, I would have hit the floor. I wasn't going to give up. He had no right to just stare at me. He didn't want anything to do with me, and I wanted nothing to do with him.
"Answer me. Why were you staring at me throughout the entire meeting?" I yelled.
"Oh shut up Sophia. Not everything is about you." Cassie said in a mocking tone. She hasn't changed. She could have stood up for me against her father. She could have gotten me out of there. I once even begged her to. I begged her to walk me to the borders. I thought some rogue would take me in or maybe some family from another pack. She refused. She always said I didn't deserve anything better.
I ignored her and kept my attention on the creepy man. "I don't have to answer you." He said before he tried to walk past me. I stepped in the way.
"You think it is alright to stare at women who are not your mate. Women, you creep out and then you don't answer them when they want to know why." I said.
"Fine. I am angry your mate had the audacity of having you in the room. I told your mother I wanted nothing to do with you. You see, girl, my son's mother died three years before I met your mother. I was just with her because it was fun. I told her to get rid of you. Yet here you are thinking you're brave enough to take me on just because your mate is standing behind me. Now move before I do something I will regret." He said as he pushed me aside. This time I fell onto my side.
I felt the tears falling freely from my eyes. I should have been able to hear those words without them affecting me. I knew I would never know the love of a father but I was hoping he had changed his mind and that was why he wouldn't stop staring at me, but instead he was probably angry that my mother kept me. I sat up and pulled my knees to my chest as I let the tears flow. I didn't even bother to stop them. I had no idea just how horrible it would feel to not only be hated by the man I thought was my father but also the man that was my father. I looked up and saw the look on my sister's face. She looked angry. She must have been very angry at me for standing up for myself. She sure wasn't angry that he had been so cruel to me.
"Get your father back in here NOW!" She said to her mate, but Alpha Larry was staring at me with sadness in his eyes.
"I can't believe it. I was there when your mother told my father about the little daughter she had. I always wanted a sister but my father told me her mother didn't want to have her." Alpha Larry said before walking toward the door.
"How dare you? Why couldn't you have been nicer about it?" My mom said as she stood between me and my father.
"I told you to terminate your pregnancy." He said with a growl.
"You can't terminate a pregnancy with a pup that is already born. I told you she needed her real father. You refused. You are scum." My mom said as she started growling.
Let me be free. I will teach him. My wolf, Bella, said. I used all of my strength to keep her in. She was a rogue wolf. Rogue wolves are meaner than other wolves. That is why she is black. Just like my mother's wolf. I didn't want to hear any more of the arguing, so I got up and rushed to Jonathan and my apartment where Rosa was scrubbing the floors.
Stay Bella. I told her as she fought harder.
"Sorry, Luna, this is taking a little longer. I cut my hand on a knife and got blood on the floor." Rosa said without looking up at me.
"Looks like you got it everywhere. I am taking a shower. I expect it to be spotless by the time I get done." I said as I walked toward the room to grab some clothes. As I climbed into the shower, I heard Jonathan ordering Rosa around. I have to admit I enjoyed him pulling alpha on her. I took a quick shower because I was tired and I just really wanted to lay down. When I got out of the shower, I saw Jonathan sitting in his usual spot on the bed.
"Are you alright?" Jonathan said as he looked up from the floor.
"Yeah, I am fine. When do they go back to their own territory?" I asked as I sat down next to him.
"In three days. Tomorrow this house is going to be filled with lots of alphas and Lunas and any warrior they want with them. Including your brother, sister, and father." He said as he kissed the side of my head before standing up and walking to his desk to take off his tie and his watch.
"Do I have to attend this meeting?" I asked. I wasn't ready to see any of them again. Especially my sister.
"Yes. You, however, will have Ginsing and Jimmi with you the entire time. Don't go anywhere without at least Ginsing with you." Jonathan said as he came back to the bed and bent forward to press his lips into mine. Great, I am going to have to see them again. Well, I will just do my best to stay away from them. Maybe one of the other Lunas will want to visit with me. I thought as I climbed into bed to lay down. Jonathan also got into bed and wrapped his arms around me.
The next morning, Jonathan had me up early so I could greet the guests. Alpha Larry and Luna Cassie were the first to arrive. The creepy man was with them. I greeted him but that was it. Once again, he stared at me. No other guests have arrived yet. "Look, I know you want nothing to do with me. The feeling is mutual, so please let's just act like we don't know each other. And please stop staring at me. I want nothing from you, so please leave me alone. This is my home so you don't get the right to be angry that I am here. You're not even alpha anymore." I said when I noticed him staring at me unblinkingly.
"It is alright Jimmi and Ginsing should be here before any more guests show up," Jonathan said, just before the door flew open and Jimmi and Ginsing came strolling in.
"Don't worry Alpha, no one will get to Luna," Ginsing said as he came up and put his arm on my shoulders. Ginsing and I have become almost best friends. He was always being assigned to sit with me and I never once heard him complain. The creepy man got an angry look on his face but I chose to ignore him. I walked toward the couch in the living room. This pack house may have been home for only two families, but all the wolves could come to the main area to hang out. There was a kitchen, living room, and bathroom. In the basement was the gym where male wolves would work out in between training sessions.
"Luna, why is that man staring at you? Should I go over there and show him what I would do to protect my luna?" Jimmi said as his eyes paused on the creepy man.
"No, that is alright. Just ignore him. He is Alpha Larry's father." I said. We talked for a short while before Jonathan walked up, catching our attention.
"Lincoln just informed me that the guests have just gotten here. Come on, since you are the hosting Luna, you must greet the guests." Jonathan said as he held a hand out for me.
"Should we stay here, Alpha?" Ginsing said with a smile. I reluctantly grabbed his hand.
"Yes, stay here but keep alert," Jonathan said with a nod. We walked to the front door to open it. We were met by lots of wolves. This terrified me and made me happy. Perhaps the creep would finally stop staring at me if there were many wolves here. Suddenly, I noticed my father talking intently with Ginsing.
Ginsing? What is going on? I mind linked.
Is he your father? He is threatening me. He says if I don't stay away from you he will end me. I told him I don't take orders from him. My Alpha has ordered for me to stay close to you and I will. Ginsing replied I could hear the humor in his thoughts.
Too bad he doesn't know how great you are at fighting. I replied with a hint of humor. As more and more wolves came in, I started to get overwhelmed. I squeezed Jonathan's hand, trying to remind myself it was alright.
Eventually, all of the wolves that Jonathan was expecting had arrived and I walked right up to the creepy man. I didn't know how or why he threatened Ginsing. I sure wasn't going to let him get away with it without me giving him a piece of my mind. He looked at me with a strange look on his face. "Do you realize your mate isn't here to defend you?" He said with a wicked smile on his face.
"I don't need him to defend me. You are scum. You will stay away from Ginsing. You will not threaten any of the warriors that are a part of Shadow Moon Pack. Do you understand?" I said in a menacing voice as I saw Cassie walking up with Alpha Larry.
"There you go again disrespecting my father. He may have fathered you, but you are nothing to us." Alpha Larry said in a deep growl.
"I can do whatever I want. This is my home. My pack, and my mate's territory," I said as I growled back. Alpha Larry stepped closer. Before I knew it, Lincoln was there to push him back. So was my mom.
"Stay away from my Luna," Lincoln growled as his wolf tried to control him.
"She disrespected my father. I have all rights to defend him." Alpha Larry said as he kept his teeth clenched together.
"She disrespected him? I think he has done nothing but disrespect my Luna since you three got here. Staring at her like he is going to kill her. Her confronting him about that is not disrespect it is her defending herself. If you want to get to my Luna you will have to get through us." Lincoln said as I noticed Ginsing, Jimmi, and Matteo behind him with their arms across their chests.
Alpha Larry just laughed as he took another step toward me. This time it was Brent who came to my rescue. "Sophia may be biologically your daughter. She may also be my son's mate. But from this day forward I will be the closest thing she has and will ever have to a father. Stay away from her. Stop staring at her. I understand why you didn't want her in the meeting with your son and my son but this is our pack house where the Alpha and Luna live. She is the Luna so this is her house as much as it is my son's and she can go anywhere she wants to in this house." Brent said in a deep menacing voice that sent shivers down my spine. I also noticed how all the hair on my arms was standing on end.
Jonathan was watching intently as his father kept himself in between the Black Moon Pack members and our pack members. Brent was in the stance that let everyone know he was not to be messed with. I could even see the fear in Alpha Larry's eyes. He finally stepped back. Cassie looked at me like she wanted to end me but I knew she wasn't brave enough to go up against so many of the Shadow Moon Pack members. Especially Brent who had been alpha for twenty years before he stepped down so that Jonathan and I could be Alpha and Luna so he was quite experienced in letting everyone know who was in charge.
Jonathan kept an angry look on his face and I couldn't tell if he was angry with me or with Alpha Larry. Suddenly Brent put his hand on my shoulder and guided me away. I was actually happy to be away from him. "Let's let the first Alpha meeting begin. This way to the conference room." Jonathan said as he approached Alpha Larry and whispered something in his ear. Alpha Larry looked even angrier than I had seen him so far.
All of the Alphas followed Jonathan outside and toward the large side building where large groups would gather. "Luna, is he really making you that uncomfortable?" Brent asked as we sat down on a couch.
"Very. I don't understand what I did wrong for him to hate me so much. He doesn't even know me." I said as a single tear fell from my eyes.
"Sophia, he may not be an alpha anymore but he will always have the alpha blood just like I will. Alpha's don't like not getting their way. He wanted your mother not to have you but it was too late. You had already been born. He is angry he didn't get his way." Brent said softly.
"But it isn't my fault," I replied.
"I know. A man who doesn't want his own child is different than a man who treats his child badly." Brent said as he pulled me into a side hug.
"Do I have to stay here? I want to be in my own apartment away from him but I don't want to break any of the rules." I said suddenly when I noticed he was still staring at me.
"Are you hungry?" My mom said.
"Yes very actually. I didn't eat breakfast yet." I replied.
"Then why don't we go cook a feast for the Luna's and that will get you out of his line of view for a short while," Anya said as she walked up seemingly understanding the situation. I stood up and followed them into the pack kitchen. As we finished cooking we made spaghetti and meatball. With butter and garlic toast. I had never cooked a big meal before. I never had a reason to do so. Slowly the guests arrived to eat and of course, the creep was there.