5: Proposition

FEYRE

I sneak a glance at Asher who is standing a few feet away from where Alpha Zade’s father is. I ask with my eyes what the man is doing here and he just shakes his head, barely, meaning he didn’t ask him. Snapping out of my shock, I muster a smile at the older man and walk further into the meeting room.

“You must be the beta,” the man speaks, breaking the terse silence. I nod, my chest filling with pride from the impressed look on his face.

“Yes, sir.” I cleared my throat hearing how it came out. He studies me, his look is assessing and not probing. I feel immediately dressed down, especially seeing how his pressed and expensive looking suit makes him stand out.

You did this to yourself Feyre. I ignore the voice in my head and try to find a way to end this awkwardness.

“I heard you were looking for me, is there anything I can help you with?” I ask him, moving forward to stand beside Asher. He immediately reaches out for my hand. I smile at him in gratitude.

“First, I should introduce myself.” He suggests and I nod, smiling dumbly because that hadn’t come to my mind.

I’d just reached the conclusion that he was Alpha Zade’s father, although their looks are uncanny, he could be his brother for all I know, or uncle. He definitely looks young enough to not pass as his father. Either way, an introduction would be the best way to start this conversation.

“I’m Alpha Lucien Montgomery, the former alpha of Darkmoon pack.” His voice is smooth, confident. He has that air of authority alpha’s have, although he is not one anymore. I can already spell out the differences between him and his son and it makes me wonder what the hell happened to the latter.

“Alpha Asher, we’ve met before.” Asher moves forward and stretches his hand out for a shake. It may seem like nothing but this is pretty much them waving the white flag. He is not here to cause trouble and Asher respects him for that.

“Beta Feyre,” I want to add something, I choose the easier route and shut my mouth. He stretches his hand out for me to take and I admit I’m a little taken aback. Not a lot of things surprise me but this does. I know I’ve been the beta for a few years now, but I don’t get the respect other male betas do.

The werewolf community is more of a traditional one and they still look at women as the lesser species. Not our pack though, and as much as they had tried to get Asher to find a new beta, he refused. This is my rightful position and although their disrespect sometimes gets to me, I know there is nothing they can do about it and unless I change my mind about being the beta.

“If you don’t mind, I need to talk to you about something important,” Alpha Lucien says, there is that soft tone in his voice but it doesn’t change the firmness of his request. Alpha’s can’t help it.

At least he isn’t as arrogant as his son. The thought comes out of nowhere and I have to shake my head to get rid of it.

I really need to stop thinking of that asshole. We are done and I’m glad and that should be the end of it.

“Oh, alright.” I look around the room awkwardly. My brain is already working overtime, trying to think of what he might want. I come up empty, from the look on Asher’s face, he has no idea too and that makes him nervous, which in return makes me nervous. I’m sure he had met Alpha Lucien at some point in his life, which means he knows the man.

If he makes him nervous, I guess it is only smart that I remain on my guard.

“Please take a seat,” Asher thankfully finds something to say. I’m still trying to stop my running brain from thinking of the worst possible scenario.

He walks coolly, his steps calculated and easy. He takes the first seat closest to him, in the middle of the row. I have a feeling if it was his son he would have found the head of the table. This man is humble, probably the most humble alpha I’ve met in my life. Alphas are known to be arrogant assholes and if I didn’t know Asher, I would have sworn they were all like that. Another man is breaking that stereotype, he immediately has my respect.

“I’ll get someone to bring you coffee, or do you want tea?” Asher is a better host than me. 

This is part of the reason I know I won’t make a good luna. I’m better on the field and doing all the muscle work, the technical work. All these things, I don’t fully understand. To top it off, I don’t even know how to make friends or communicate with people well, which is why I barely have any friends. If I was in another pack, I would probably not even have any friends. 

“Coffee is fine, black please.” The cool voice pulls me from my trance. Asher is staring at me expectantly so I shake my head.

“I’m good, thank you.” He nods and walks out of his office. His coffee excuse is just that, an excuse, because he could call for it from here. I know he just wants to give us room to talk in private.

Although he would be close by and waiting to hear all that the man said. It isn't just as my alpha but as my best friend and older brother.

I take a seat too, two down from where Alpha Lucien is. He doesn’t say anything about that, he doesn’t say anything at first and my blood pressure keeps rising with every second that ticks by in silence.

“I know you’re probably wondering why I’m here,” I hum under my breath. Turning so I’m facing him. He is an alpha but not my alpha, and whatever I’m showing is purely out of respect for his title. I don’t have to fully bend for him. “Seeing how things ended with my son,”

That makes me take in a sharp breath, the first thought that comes to my head is how does he know. I could have sworn Alpha Zade and I were alone in his office.

 He gives me a look and I raise my brow, something I should never do in the presence of an alpha, talk less of directed at him. He doesn’t mind.

“Don’t worry, he doesn’t have cameras anywhere or anything like that,” that doesn’t make me feel any better but I just nod and try to muster up a smile, it looks like a grimace.

“I didn’t think that,” I thought worse, not that he needs to know that.

“I know how my son is, so I keep an eye on him. Someone told me you came back, and left, you weren’t in a happy mood.” He says with a pointed look and I hum. That is one way to put it.

“If you’re here to apologize on his behalf, I assure you it is not needed.” I tell him honestly. I want to pretend yesterday and today didn’t happen, I never met my mate, never got rejected and I can move on happily with my life.

“That is not why I’m here, at least not the only reason.” Alpha Lucien sighs, leaning back on his chair. I’m a little confused as I stare at him, seeing the defeated look on his face. “I don’t want to ask this of you, Feyre. Can I call you that?” he glances at me, I nod and he clears his throat. “But as a father, I will do anything for my kids.”

He turns to me this time, mirroring the way I’m sitting so we are now face to face. The look in his eyes makes me hold my breath, he seems to be fighting an inner battle and I’m immediately drawn toward him. Seeing him do this for his child, it is how I imagined my father would be protective of me if he was still alive. I don’t have any memories of him but everyone in the pack has something nice to say about him and my mother. 

It is why they fought so hard for me to get his beta position when I got to the age.

“Whatever you need me to do Alpha Lucien, as long as it is within my capabilities, I’ll do it.” I know I didn’t hear what he wants but I just want to get that defeated look off his face.

“Let me just cut to the chase,” he says in a low voice and I think I wasn’t meant to hear, so I don’t interrupt. “I know my son is your mate like I have said, I keep a close eye on him. He did nothing about it, he plans on doing anything about it.” He gives his head a shake, like he can’t deal with this. “Zade is something else now, but he wasn’t like this before. He is a good alpha, a great leader and I’m not just saying this because he is my blood. He is leading the pack even better than I did. He has his issues I know and he isn't easy to deal with.”

Oh no, to whatever he wants to ask. Oh, fucking, no. I should have not have given him the hope that I’ll do whatever he asks, because hearing how it very much involves his son that I never want to see again, I really don’t want to be a part of this. I don’t interrupt his speech, already thinking of the best way I’m going to tell him I would rather be speared with a silver dagger than have to see his son again.

“Every great pack since the first werewolf family wasn't just led by their alpha,” shit. I should have seen this coming. I have heard enough and I want to stand up and leave but for some reason, I can’t bring myself to do that, or even stop him at the very least.

“Zade is good as an alpha, but our pack needs a feminine touch. He needs a luna—”

“I—I can’t,” I cut him off before he could finish. Thank you mouth, for finally speaking even though it is kind of late. “I’m not luna material,” I chuckle loudly, the sound scratchy to even my own ears. “Really, I’m sorry to decline your offer, whatever the offer is but I can’t, I have a job here.”

“I know that, a very important one and that is why it pains me to ask you to do this.” I exhale and shake my head. There is no way I can say yes, I don’t even know where I’m going to start.

If the alpha I was going to deal with was anyone else, literally anyone else in the world then I would have considered. The two times I met this man, he made sure I wouldn’t want to see him ever again. As sweet and respectful as his father is, I can’t.

“I’m really sorry, Alpha Lucien but I can’t help you.” I tell him, getting to my feet. He nods and exhales a heavy breath.

“I hate to do this but there is a price,”

“I don’t want money or anything. I would help you if I could but—”

“Your parents.” That successfully shuts me up. I scowl in his direction. “I know you’ve been wanting to find out how they died. Just stay with him for one month as the luna and I’ll get that information for you.”