Damien chimed in, âSince your dad dealt with mind control before, the packâs been extra cautious.
Theyâve learned from that slip-up and strengthened their defenses.
I donât think we need to worry too much about it.
â
With my reminder today, our defense just got stronger.
No pack could easily attack us now.
So, I felt totally at ease.
Debraâs POV:
I decided to suspend the investigation concerning Gale and the Thorn Edge Pack.
The strain of the investigation and its substantial time commitment resulted in my inadvertently overlooking my family.
Hence, I decided to take a hiatus and prioritize quality time with Caleb and our children.
On that particular day, I made a hearty dinner spread.
Calebâs face broke into a smile, and he inquired, âWhatâs the occasion tonight?
Why are you cooking so many delicious dishes?â
I grinned and said, âI havenât been giving you much attention Lately, so Iâm smiling now to make up for it.
â
Reaching out to my father, I extended an invitation.
âDad, it has been too long since we last shared a formal meal.
Iâll be cooking tonight.
Would you care to join us?â
âAbsolutely!â My father agreed happily, wasting no time informing his household staff of the change in plan.
âNo need to prepare dinner tonight.
Iâll be dining at my daughterâs house.
You all can knock off early,â he relayed with evident pride and joy.
A smile naturally graced my lips.
I understood his pride and joy stemmed from the simple pleasure of dining with me.
Yet, I found it endearing in its own right.
As we gathered around the table in the illuminated grand hall, the crystal Lamps casting a gentle glow upon the dark marble, we indulged in each delectable bite, cherishing the moment.
My father, visibly buoyant, sipped his wine before broaching an unexpected topic.
âDebra, have you and Caleb considered settling here in the Silver Ridge Pack?â
My fatherâs sudden inquiry caught me off guard.
Before I could gather my thoughts to respond, he pressed further, âAre you genuinely considering it? Now that your identity has been revealed, and returning to the Thorn Edge Pack is not an option, where else can you have to turn to, apart from here?â
âButâ¦â
I had more to express, but my father interrupted me, gesturing with his hand reassuringly.
âThereâs nothing to fret over.
Remain in the Silver Ridge Pack and begin preparing to take on the role of Alpha from this moment forward.
Your strength is sufficient to safeguard the residents, and they wonât be bothered by your true identity.
â
My fatherâs decision left me with a sense of discontent.
âI havenât concluded yet.
I need more time to rethink everything.
â
Yet my father stood firm, insisting, âThereâs no need to dwell on it.
Begin by managing the business within the Silver Ridge Pack.
Regarding Caleb, he can remain here and eventually assume the role of our Luna.
Weâll make sure heâs looked after and supported every step of the way.
â
A flush of embarrassment tinged my cheeks.
Before Caleb had the chance to express his thoughts, my father preemptively made the decision on his behalf.
Yet, the role of Luna had traditionally been held exclusively by women.