Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Fox

“You realize you’ve made a terrible mistake, right?” Stone said from across the room.

“Huh?” I wasn’t listening to him.

“Sending Ferra away with your credit card.” Stone explained.

“It’s for Marigold.” I answered, absentmindedly waving my hand.

I was focused on my computer, going over emails that Alpha August of Crescent Moon and Alpha Noah of Blood Moon sent me. After my phone call with Alpha August, he decided to loop Alpha Noah in on our conversation and the three of us were sharing what we knew.

“Dude.” Stone signed, shaking his head.

“Go with them if you’re that worried about it, then.” I snapped.

“You did send guards along, right?” Stone asked, suddenly sounding concerned.

“Of course I did.” I scoffed at him, looking up from the screen,

“Seriously man, if you want to go, go.” Ferra only left a few minutes ago to find Marigold and I wasn’t about to spend the rest of the day listening to Stone’s whining,

“No, no, it’s cool.” He shrugged casually. I shook my head at him but went back to my emails.

“You are the Gamma, it is your job to watch out for the Luna, anyway.” I added. I watched Stone out of the corner of my eye.

He looked around the room and I swear I could physically see the wheels turning in his head. Suddenly, he jumped up off the chair and bolted from my office.

“There ya go.” I laughed to myself.

Stone has been more and more on edge the longer Marigold was around. His instincts as the Gamma were on full alert with a new Luna in the house. A few minutes later my phone was ringing.

“Hello? I answered.

“Alpha Finn, this is Alpha Noah with the Blood Moon pack.” I perked up at the sound of a familiar name.

“Alpha Noah, thanks for giving me a call. Alpha August has told me a lot about you and I believe our fathers worked together in the past.” I said.

“Yes, your reputation precedes you as well, Alpha. Perhaps we can save time and forget the formalities?” Alpha Noah suggested.

“You got it, Noah.”

“August tells me that you’re mated to a fae.” Noah said.

“Yes, I am.” I replied hesitantly, not completely comfortable with these two strangers talking about my mate behind my back.

“Last year I found out that my mate is a human,” Noah admitted to my surprise,

“And August’s mate is the wolfless daughter of an Alpha.” Noah continued.

“Why are you telling me all this?” I asked.

“Because we have more in common than just the rogue attacks. August and I each have had several encounters with the Council regarding our mates.” Noah explained.

“What does the Council have to do with mates?” I asked.

“By law, nothing. But, they seem to think that they get to have a say in who we’re mated to if it affects the good of the pack. They believe that the outlaw of interspecies mingling should apply to mates in order to keep the werewolf bloodline pure.” My fists immediately clenched up in anger at Noah’s words. The idea that anyone would try to stand between the mate bond was inexcusable, let alone the Council.

“Nothing is more sacred than the mate bond. I can’t believe that even the Council would be that stupid.” I said.

It was true, the Council has become more active in pack dealings over the years, and most of the werewolf community disagrees with it. We believe that each pack has a right to handle their own affairs, with the Council only getting involved when our secret with the humans is threatened or a large-scale war is possible.

“That’s what we thought too, but then the Council visits got more frequent. Over the last year, my pack has been visited by the Council more than a dozen times. As an equal to my pack’s status, you understand how much of an overkill that is. It’s even more for August and his mate. They always claim that they’re there for different reasons, but their interest in the Lunas are too suspicious.” Noah said.

“What do you think this all means?” I asked angrily.

Noah’s assumptions made sense. There was no reason for the Council to be so involved in pack affairs, especially packs as old, as large, and as established as Blood Moon and Silver Moon. Our packs have been settling disputes and negotiating treaties for as long as the Council’s been in power. This was a whole new level of micromanaging.

“I can’t say for sure, but August and I have our suspicions. We believe that the rogue attacks have something to do with it.”

“You don’t think the Council is sending the rogues?” I asked in shock.

“I don’t know, but it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that we all mate with non werewolves and the presence of rogues increases at the same time. Not to mention that both the Vampire King and the King of the Fae are now involved.” I had to admit, Noah was making sense. It did all seem very coincidental.

“What are you and August doing about it?” I asked.

“Right now we’re just staying in contact, keeping each other updated. Whenever we get a visit from the Council or have a rogue attack, we let each other know.” Noah explained he and August’s arrangement.

“Okay, count me in.” I nodded.

“That’s great, Finn, with you and your pack’s involvement we will have the numbers if the Council tries anything.” Noah sounded excited.

“Not to mention that the Council hasn’t visited my pack since my grandfather was Alpha. If they suddenly show up after I announce my mate then we know their true intentions.” I said.

“We won’t let them jeopardize the mate bond.” Noah said sternly.

“No, Alpha Noah, we will not.” I agreed. We ended the call after making our new alliance. I wasn’t sure what the Council was after, but no one was going to touch my mate or keep me from her.

“Dude why did you talk me into this?” Stone mindlinked me three hours later.

“What are you talking about?” I snapped back, I did not talk him into anything,

“You were the one whining like a baby.”

“Your sister is a bad influence. Mari would have ended this expedition 2 and half hours ago.” Stone groaned.

“She’s your mate.” I reminded him.

“And she’s using your credit card.” Stone replied snarkily. Shit, he was right.

“Is she at least buying things for Marigold, not just herself?” I groaned.

“Oh everything’s for Mari, I’m just not sure if she’ll actually wear any of it.” Stone said. I sighed and added Ferra to the mindlink.

“Ferra, you better not be making my mate uncomfortable.” I warned her.

“Tattle tail!” Ferra yelled at her mate.

“I’m serious, Ferra. I want Marigold to get things that she’s comfortable in, not things that you’re focing her in.” I grumbled.

“Okay, okay.” Ferra surrendered.

The mindlink with my Beta and Gamma reminded me of the advice they had given me earlier. I leaned back in my desk chair and focused on my pack. I sent out a mindlink to all of its members,

“Silver Moon.” I called out,

“Yes, Alpha?” Hundreds of voices responded.

“As many of you have heard, I have found my mate and your future Luna. She has moved to the packhouse but she is not a werewolf. She needs time to adjust to our lifestyle and the prospect of becoming the Luna. Her name is Marigold and I trust that you all will welcome her and show her the respect she deserves, but you will also need to demonstrate patience and restraint.” I announced.

“Yes, Alpha!” Hundreds of voices bowed to my command.

It didn’t take long for the repercussions of my announcement to catch up with me. The door to my office burst open and my mother came flying in,

“Finn Lewis Oxford!” She yelled. I grumbled, watching my father who stepped in after her.

“Hello, mother.”

“First you don’t tell me that you found your mate, and now you don’t tell me that you’ve brought her home?” She yelled.

My mother was standing over my desk, jabbing a finger towards me, while my father settled in on the couch. He unbuttoned the sports jacket he was wearing and crossed his legs, watching the show unfold.

“I’m sorry, mom.” I sighed.

“You really did it this time, son.” My father spoke for the first time, shaking his head at me.

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“Where is she?” Mother demanded.

“She’s out with Ferra and Stone doing some shopping.” My father started laughing,

“Get used to that, son.”

“Actually, Ferra basically had to force her to go. She’s not the shopping type, but she had nothing to wear.” I shrugged.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Mother pouted.

“Because I’m trying not to overwhelm her.” It’s also possible that I failed to tell my parents about my near death experience.

“When did she come home?” Mother asked.

“A few days ago.” I replied.

“Why did she come home?”

“The bond was killing us.” I answered honestly, even if I was withholding the whole truth.

“I’m so glad she came back to you, honey.” Mother smiled softly, finally calming down,

“Oh I can’t wait to be a grandma!” She squealed.

“Woah, Ma, slow down,” I waved my hands in her face quickly,

“Ferra and Stone have been mated for years, go talk to them first.”

“Psh I’ll be lucky if my daughter ever gives me grandchildren.” Mother scoffed. She wasn’t wrong. My sister was more interested in being a warrior than a mother. I, on the other hand, was over the moon about having pups one day, once Marigold was ready, of course.

“Slow down, honey, they’ll get to it when they’re ready.” My father stood from the couch and started rubbing my mom’s shoulders.

“When will she be back? I can’t wait to meet her!” Mother grinned. My father and I shared a look. He shook his head at me, warning me not to say it. When I opened my mouth, he cursed loudly at me for starting this fight,

“She’s not ready to meet my parents yet, mother.”

“Excuse me?” Mother snapped.

“When I say that I don’t want to overwhelm her, I mean that seriously. She’s two seconds away from running away again, Mom, and I can’t go through that again. She’s not ready to be the Luna, she’s not ready to have pups, and she’s not ready to be jumped by my mother.” I pinched the bridge of my nose as the stress of this conversation boiled inside me.

“How do you know? Have you asked her?” My mother’s hands went to her hips as she glared at me with her famous mom look.

“No, I haven’t asked her. But, the fact that she’s terrified to leave her room because she’ll run into a random pack member made it pretty clear.” I replied snarkily.

“Don’t sass your mother, Fox.” My father scolds.

“Sorry, Dad, I didn’t mean to, but it’s the truth.” I sighed, ducking my head to my Alpha.

Even if he wasn’t the pack Alpha anymore, and even though I could make him submit, he was still my father and the only man who would ever be an Alpha over me. He was my support system, my confidant, and the only person who knew exactly what I was going through. I loved my mom, but my dad was my best friend.

“I don’t like this.” My mother shook her head as she paced my office.

“I know, Mom, but I’m only doing what’s best for my mate. I have to put her first.” I stepped in front of my mother, grabbing her arms. She sighed and placed her hand against my cheek,

“I know you are, my son.”

I took my parents to the dining hall for a late lunch and then escorted them out of the packhouse an hour later. Stone mindlinked me to inform me that the girls were having lunch and then would be returning home. In the meantime, I decided to get in some training.