Chapter 2: Chapter 2: The Perfect Mates

Asher

“Yes, mom, I promise I’ve eaten more than a cup of coffee today,” I say into the phone as I tilt my head back over the chair, my eyes wide, fingers pinching the bridge of my nose.

“Oh, okay,” she relents. “I worry about you, kid. We barely get to see you anymore.”

I sigh, frowning. “I know, mom. Turns out this Alpha thing is a full-time gig.”

Lie.

“I know, and your father and I are so proud of you. So are your brothers and sisters, but we all miss you, and they ask about you constantly.”

I smile, fighting back the tears threatening to spill. “I miss all of you, too.”

Truth.

“When will we get to see you next? It’s your father’s birthday next week,” she says, hope radiating from her tired voice. “The big Five-Oh.”

I bite my lip, clenching the phone tightly. “I’m sure I’ll be able to make it.”

Lie.

“Oh, that’s wonderful! Maybe you can bring Gen along, too? It’s a shame we haven’t gotten to know your mate!” She exclaims, her hope building and building, making me feel bad for lying.

“I’m not sure that would be a good idea,” I reply.

Truth.

I continue, “She’s stressed with everything going on with River Run and the Crimson Night Clan.”

“Oh…” My mom replies, trailing off, the hope dissipating from her voice, my heart clenching. She must know my promise from before is empty. “That’s okay. I understand. Big responsibilities.”

“I’m sorry, mom,” I whisper, controlling the tremble in my voice. I don’t want to upset her any more than she already is. “But I’ve got to go. I love you so much. Extend that to dad and the littles.”

I hear the sound of shoes on the floorboards, my heart racing.

“I love you too, Asher. Speak to you soon?” She asks, that same flicker of hope returning.

I glance up as Genevieve enters the room, hands crossed over her chest, looking down her nose.

“I’ll call you when I can,” I answer quickly, my eyes locked on the floor. “Goodbye.”

I hang up before she can reply, setting the phone on the table.

“What did we say about you calling your family without me present?” Genevive spits.

I sigh. “I know, I know. She called me, and she’s been calling me for some time, and I didn’t want her to be worried. Besides, it’s my dad’s fiftieth next week. I’m hoping I can attend?” I say, arching my brow as I wince, awaiting her response.

She rolls her eyes. “I saved you from that dump your parents call a house and being a babysitter to those petri-dish siblings of yours. Now you’re asking me to go there when you know how stressed I am?”

“Don’t refer to my family like that,” I defend, standing. “I may not have grown up with a silver spoon in my mouth, and, yes, I have a lot of younger siblings, but you shouldn’t talk down on them. They’re trying their best. Not everyone was born with your status.”

“Well,” she hisses. “Maybe if your parents spent a little more on condoms, they wouldn’t be in that situation, would they?”

I clench my jaw, glaring at her.

“Oh, don’t pretend to have a backbone now, Asher,” she replies, rolling her eyes. “Sit down. We’ve got much to discuss.”

I push my anger aside, appeasing her as I sit, silently cursing the Moon Goddess for making her my mate.

“Where’s Margaery?” I ask.

“Why do you care?” Gen grunts.

“Seems like you want to talk about pack business, so she should be here,” I reply. “That’s what your parents asked you to do when they gave you power.”

When I say ‘gave you power,’ I mean that very loosely. What actually happened is they negotiated with a terrorist when she staged a coup on her own family, turning the Council against them by using manipulation tactics similar to a dictator.

Her parents gave in with only one demand, that Gen’s sister, Margaery, be her Beta.

But Gen wouldn’t agree to that. She doesn’t believe in Betas or Gammas. She says they’re unnecessary. But she agreed to take Margaery on as an advisor.

“Since when do you give a shit what my parents asked me to do?” She asks. “You weren’t even around when I made that deal.”

“I know,” I answer gently. “But I still know about it and want to respect your parents' wishes as your mate.”

She smiles sarcastically. “What a noble man.”

“Baby,” I whisper, placing my hand on hers. “I don’t want to fight. Are you upset about something?”

“I’m upset that you broke the rule about talking to your family, and now you’re lecturing me about mine!”

“Okay,” I sigh, giving in. “I’m sorry. I just miss them because I never get to see them. I haven’t seen my siblings since our Mating Ceremony,” I reply, even though it wasn’t much of a Mating Ceremony. “And the last time I saw my parents was six months ago, on my twentieth.”

“Why do you love your family more than me?” She asks, sniffling. “We barely spend time together outside of pack-related things, yet you’re always asking to see them!”

“Honey, you’re my mate. Of course, I love you!”

That one is both the truth and a lie.

I smile as the hope that filled my mother’s heart fills my own.

“Tell you what,” I start. “My parents have been dying to spend time with you. Why don’t you and I spend a little time together, take a break from pack duties, and visit my family over the weekend? Or, maybe we can have them here if you don’t want to go to my childhood home.”

I'm careful to hold back any spite in my voice. Being the pack's Alpha, my parents shouldn’t have to live in squalor. Yet, they do because Gen controls all the money and won’t allow me to send more than the bare minimum my parents need monthly. She says the rest would be excess, which they don’t deserve if they haven’t earned it. My six younger siblings, four boys and two girls, barely have anything saved for college. I’ve managed to squirrel away what Gen gives me for my “allowance” toward their education, but it’s nowhere near enough.

Maybe if she meets them, her heart will soften, and she’ll finally let me help them more? It’s not like we don’t have the money to do it. She just wants to spend it on other things.

Like her affairs.

“I don’t have time for a fucking weekend trip!” Gen yells. “How fucking stupid are you to think I can take that much time off work? Especially when you do fuck-all to help me?”

“Because you barely give me any power to help you, Gen,” I coo, trying to relax her. “Maybe if you gave me more responsibility-”

“You, Asher, are the least qualified person to run a pack!” She insists. “What makes you think that someone like you knows what’s best? Come on, tell me! What political experience do you have?”

“None, but-”

“But what?” She asks, shaking her head incredulously.

She sighs, stroking my arm lovingly. “I appreciate that you want to help, mate,” she says with a small smile. “But, in times like these, I can’t afford any mistakes you’d make.”

My heart sinks, eating away at my stomach.

“I-I’m sorry,” I whisper, lacing my fingers in a praying position as I rest my mouth against them. “You’re probably right.”

She strokes my back. “It’s not your fault. It’s your family’s fault for not providing a better education for you, dear. But I can maybe find someone to help advise you or train you so that you can help one day. Just not now.”

“I-I,” I stammer, not knowing what to say. I want to defend my family, to stick up for them. But she’s right. I didn’t grow up with the same knowledge as her on how packs work. It’s preposterous that the Moon Goddess decided I’d make a good mate for a Luna. Yet, here I am.

I am a lousy leader, aren’t I? Gen may be wrong about many things, but she’s right about this.

I am stupid.

A tear slips down my cheek, and I immediately regret it.

“Don’t cry,” Gen jeers, even though her voice sounds sympathetic. “You have to be stronger than that as an Alpha.”

“I just feel small compared to you sometimes,” I admit, glancing at her. “Like I’m never going to be smart enough. Or anything enough, really.”

She frowns, swiping the tear away with her thumb in a manner that might be romantic, but I can’t tell.

“You aren’t the man I imagined I’d be with,” she explains. “But I still put up with you, don’t I? That’s got to mean something.”

My eyes dart across her face, trying to read it. Did she mean that as an insult or compliment?

“Don’t hurt yourself trying to read too much into that,” she jokes, kissing my forehead.

I chuckle, feeling sick to my stomach as she stands.

“We can talk about pack business when you’re a bit more rational,” she replies, gesturing to my watery eyes. “And I’ll concede and have Margaery be here.”

“Thank you,” I reply, smiling half-heartedly.

She nods as she turns around, pointing her finger in the air as she exits. "Don’t say I never do anything for you.”