Michael 1985
"Oh, goddess," Angie runs over to Matt and me when we walk into the packhouse. "Where have you two been? I've been worried sick."
"Sorry, mom," Matt mutters.
"We got stuck in traffic," I managed to take my shirt off and throw it into a large basket of clothes. "Everyone's evacuating."
"Where did you go?" She demands. "You've been gone for hours."
Angie wasn't our mother. She was my father's destined mate.
My dad will always put the needs of the pack first. That's what he believed. When he turned eighteen, my grandfather arranged marriage with a neighboring pack's daughter, my mother, Caroline. Fortunately for him, they didn't force him to claim her, so when he met Angie thirteen years ago, he felt the bond take over.
Anytime people hear the story, they assume Angie's some wicked stepmom. It's never been like that. Angie was the sweetest, kindest person you'll ever meet.
I can honestly say we were her pups. My mom became her best friend, and we never had to move out.
My mom died when I was eight during a rogue attack, and Angie was there for us. She took over caring for Matt and me but never asked us to call her mom or tried to take my mother's memory away from us. Even when Gracie, my baby sister, was born, nothing changed.
We will always be her sons, and I love her for it.
"We had something to do before the storm hit," I explained and took the towel she offered. "Is everything okay here?"
"Everyone's still making sure everything's secure," Angie eyes me suspiciously. She might not be my biological mom, but she knows me just as much as she did.
Angie was the first person to find out I was bisexual. Though, I think she always knew somehow.
I knew I was different in both worlds, human and supernatural. I found myself attracted to guys more than girls when I hit my teenage years, but I can't say I'm gay. I still like girls. I'm just fucking picky about which ones.
The way Angie confirmed any suspicions she had about that was less than ideal and more than a little embarrassing.
She was running in her wolf form and stumbled on me with a guy, my pants around my ankles, getting a blowjob.
The most embarrassing part was when the two of us sat down at the diner, and she casually mentioned it while I was eating a burger.
Angie didn't judge me, though. She told me she just wanted me to be happy but that I should be more discreet in the future, for my sake, not anyone else.
The only other two who knew the truth were Matt and Lana. She was the daughter of Alpha John, leader of the primary pack in New Orleans. We'd been friends since elementary school, and she covered for me when I was on a date with a guy.
I wish she were here. I could use her support for what I had to do, especially since it involved her just as much.
Lana's brother, Craig, died ten years ago in Vietnam. He was supposed to become alpha when alpha John stepped down, but now he only had Lana.
It shouldn't matter that Lana was a female, but the idea of a woman being an Alpha and not a Luna wasn't a popular concept.
It was that antiquated mentality that led us to where we were. The fact that alpha John didn't see how incredible his daughter would leave us both in a position we didn't want.
Our pack, the bloedidamant pack, was considered the poorest and smallest in New Orleans. We weren't always that way. Once, we were the most influential pack in Louisiana.
We had nearly a thousand wolves, our territory spanned the length of the Mississippi river inside the state, and everyone wanted to do business with us.
Those days were long gone. We were shadows of that glory.
My father always comments that we're cursed, and I wonder if he's right.
Now, our pack had thirty wolves, our territory was a spot outside the city in the bayou, and our accounts were always thin.
It'd gotten better since my dad took over. He managed to keep us afloat, everyone had food every night and jobs, and we were still highly respected by other wolves.
It came at a cost, and now I was expected to pay that same price.
I couldn't do it.
"There you two are," My father comes down the stairs. "I mind-linked you ten times, and you didn't answer. Where were you?"
"We were outside the territory," I answered, stepping in front of Matt. "Dad, can we talk?"
"Mike!" Gracie comes down the stairs with a grin. "I helped daddy with the windows!"
"That's great, sweetie," I smile, picking my baby sister up in my arms.
"Your hair is all wet," She giggles.
"I was outside," I explained, setting her down. "Listen, go, help mom. I know she'll need your help."
"Oh, okay," She beams and runs to Angie.
"What is it?" My father crosses his arms, his steel-gray eyes eyeing me carefully. I got my mother's green ones.
"Can we talk somewhere private?" I know I'm asking a lot of him. The packhouse isn't large, even though it has four floors, all are bedrooms.
"I'm afraid this is as private as we have right now. We're shoring the building up for Elena," He narrows his gaze. "What's going on, son?"
Where did I start?
"I can't marry Lana," I was afraid my voice would sound nervous, but it sounded more determined than I thought. "I can't go through with it."
The noises from upstairs stopped. Everyone must've heard me.
My father takes a step forward, his expression unchanged, but I see the black of his wolf in his irises.
"What are you talking about?" He demands.
Two months ago, we were invited into the city to Lana's pack for a fancy dinner. I'd been there millions of times but never in a suit. I had no idea what was happening until alpha John stood up and announced to everyone that Lana and I had agreed to be engaged.
No one asked us for our opinion or prepared us for what was happening.
I would replace Craig as John's successor and become alpha of the new merged pack. Lana's people would inherit our title, and mine would have the security of being part of the ruling werewolves.
It was an excellent political deal, but there were a few problems.
Lana had found her mate, a human named Donny. I'd met him, he was a great guy who loved her, but Lana was afraid to tell her father. John had no love for humans anymore. Not since he lost his son, and if he found out about Donny, he'd force Lana to reject him.
"And why is that?" My father's tone is steady, but I hear his wolf in it.
Now for the second problem.
"I can't claim her," I try to seem submissive, keeping my eyes cast down, but the urge to look up at him is too strong. "John wants me to mark her, and I can't do that to either of us."
My father's aura radiates around him, and I fight to stay standing.
"Dad," I swallow. Matt comes to stand beside me, silently giving me strength. "I'm not straight."
Goddess, that sounded stupid.
"I like both women and men," I correct. "I'm bi, and Lana... I couldn't do that to her."
"And that's the reason you can't marry her?" Dad raises an eyebrow. "That's not a good enough reason to back out of this."
I blink a few times, looking confused.
"You know?"
My father shakes his head.
"I knew before you did," For a second, I feel my father's anger lessen. "So, there's no problem. Just don't mark her."
"Dad, you don't understand," I can't back down. "I'm... not going to become alpha to the pack."
Before I can explain further, my father fist hits me in the face. The power of the hit is so intense I go flying backward.
My father shifts before I land on the ground, and I'm facing a large black and gray wolf, twice my size and thousands of times more experienced.
Scrambling to get up, I shift, feeling the tearing of my pants in the process.
Goddess, I've never felt this kind of anger from him.
Dad! Please, let me explain! I beg him. I went to the ocean. I looked into the eye of the hurricane. Like the stories, mom told us!
AND THAT'S WHY YOU'D BETRAY YOUR PACK? My dad yells angrily, lunging at me with his claws extended.
"RAYMOND, NO!" I hear Angie's scream as my father's fangs sink into my side.
"Daddy!" Gracie screams in terror.
I try to fight him off, and I manage to scratch him on the muzzle. Someone hits dad from behind, and he lets go of my side.
Matt backs away, blood on his cheek where he caught dad's claw.
'Matt, stop!' I command. 'Don't get involved.'