chapter 7

Luciana's POV

"I’m sorry… I get carried away sometimes…" Ophelia apologized for crying.

"No, you're allowed to remember him. You don't have to apologize," Luciana said kindly.

Feeling grateful for her understanding, Ophelia sighed, "Well, I'm fine. I was just thinking that Alister would be glad to have Keita as his son. He loves the boy, you could see it in his eyes." She responded.

Lucia was surprised to hear this and asked, "You think so?"

Ophelia nodded, "Yes, absolutely. I've seen the way he looks at Keita since the day the kid was born and the way he looks at you since the day he brought you both into the pack. He loves you and damn well loves Keita too." She said.

Luciana sighed, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. She had been worried about how Alister would react to Keita, as he was not his biological son. She knew that he liked Keita, but to accept another man's child as his own son and future heir was a lot to ask, especially from an Alpha.

She also worried about the rest of the pack. While the Alpha and Ophelia had accepted them with open arms, she wasn't sure if the rest of the pack would be as accepting too.

"What if they're not as accepting of us as the Alpha and you are?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Ophelia sensed her friend's anxiety and immediately tried to comfort her. "Hey, don't worry about it. We'll make sure everyone in the pack knows how much Alister cares for Keita. And I know that the Alpha will do everything in his power to ensure that you and Keita are accepted as part of the pack."

Luciana's mind wandered to her mate. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of him. She had loved him from the moment she had heard his voice that fateful night when he had rescued her.

Despite her attempts to suppress her feelings, she couldn't help but feel drawn to him. She had even distanced herself from him for a while, but it had only made her desire and longing for him stronger.

Just as she was about to voice her thoughts to Ophelia, the door suddenly opened, interrupting their conversation. She turned to see who it was and half-expected to see the Alpha standing there, but to her surprise, it was just Elijah.

He walked over to them and hugged his mother first. "How is it out there?" Ophelia asked her son.

"All clear," Elijah replied. "You guys can come out now."

She looked at the door again, Her heart sank a little as she realized that her mate wasn't there. She had been hoping to see him, to feel his presence and his warmth. But she pushed the feeling aside and tried to focus on the present. After all, she was safe and sound in the pack, surrounded by people who cared for her.

" So there really isn't any danger then…" Ophelia said.

" Kind of, we just have things under control for now. There's no need keeping you guys in here for now…" Elijah replied.

Ophelia couldn't help but release a sigh of relief as she finally received the news they had all been waiting for. With a smile on her face, she turned to leave and inform the others.

As Ophelia walked away, Lucia could feel Elijah's gaze on her, making her feel uneasy. Despite being her beta, their relationship had always been awkward, and they only talked when necessary. This was mostly because he was always with the Alpha.

As she turned back to face him, she decided to ask about Alister, the Alpha. "Alister?" she asked him.

"He's in a meeting with the council," Elijah replied. "Where's Keita? I'm told to take you both to the Alpha's house."

Luciana couldn't believe how fast things were happening. She had yet to tell Keita about her mate being the Alpha, and she knew he would have questions if they went to the Alpha's house. She needed to come up with a diversion to buy some time.

Just as he was about to speak up, Lucia interrupted, "Okay. I still have some things that I need to get at my place... Can I...?" she trailed off, leaving the question hanging.

Elijah nodded in agreement. "Sure, I'll help you pack. Let's go," he said.

She turned to call Keita but he was already making his way back to her. Instead of coming to her though, he went to Elijah and hugged the man.

She had always known that Keita was fond of the Alpha, but she had no idea that he had such a strong bond with Elijah as well. Seeing Elijah laugh and play with Keita made her heart warm. She watched as Elijah lifted Keita effortlessly, laughing at the child's eagerness.

“Hey buddy,” Elijah said, lifting Keita up and planting a kiss on his forehead. She could see the love and affection in his eyes, and it made her feel grateful for having such good people around her. Elijah was more than just a beta to Keita, he was family.

Keita's voice interrupted her thoughts, sounding more mature than his age. "Hey, where's the big bear?" he asked, referring to the Alpha.

Elijah chuckled, "Well, he's stuck in a meeting. C'mon, let's take you home," he said as he turned to walk out of the room.

She listened as Keita and Elijah continued their conversation, unable to make out what they were saying. It surprised her that Keita was able to hold a conversation with Elijah, who was always so serious and stoic around the pack. As they left the room, she couldn't help but smile at the sight of them, a grown man carrying a child on his shoulders, walking side by side. She was grateful that Keita had someone like Elijah to look up to and confide in.

As they made their way towards Lucia's place, she felt relieved that she had some more time to think about how to approach Keita about the Alpha. She knew that it was not going to be an easy conversation, but she was determined to make him understand the situation.

Lucia's home was located close to the pack safe house, making the trip relatively short. Elijah opted to stay outside, mentioning that he needed to make some phone calls. However, she knew he was just trying to be considerate.

Upon entering Keita's room, she greeted him, "Hey baby...we need to talk..."

Keita, who was packing his toys responded, "Oh! Oh! Am I in trouble?"

She smiled and pulled him closer, asking, "Did you do something that would get you into trouble?"

Keita grinned sheepishly, like a child who had been caught stealing candy from a store. "Nope," he said, enunciating the 'p'.

"So...am I still in trouble?" he inquired again.

She shook her head, impressed by her son's clever wit. "No, I just want to talk to you about something important," she said, tapping the space next to her on the bed.

Keita eagerly scooted over, his curiosity piqued. He always loved hearing important news, especially when it came from his mother. Sitting down next to him, Lucia took a deep breath and began to explain the situation.

"Keita, do you remember when I told you about mates?" she began, her voice gentle as she looked at her son.

Keita nodded, looking up at her with curious eyes. "Yeah, you said that mates are two people who are meant to be together forever, right?"

"That's right," Lucia said with a smile. "And I need to tell you something...I've found my mate."

Keita's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, he didn't say anything. Lucia could see the confusion and fear in his expression, and she immediately regretted not telling him sooner.

"Mom, what does that mean?" Keita finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Taking a deep breath, she leaned over and whispered, "The moon goddess gave me another mate." Keita's eyes shot open in confusion, and she could see the questions swimming in his mind.

"I have a mate now," she clarified, hoping that it would make more sense to her son.

But Keita was still puzzled, "I thought my daddy was your mate...do you have two mates?" he asked innocently. Lucia couldn't help but chuckle at his words.

"No honey, just that your daddy didn't want me, so he broke the bond," Lucia explained, trying to find the right words to make Keita understand. "Now, the moon goddess has sent someone else to love and take good care of us."

As Lucia finished her sentence, she felt a lump in her throat. It was the first time she had told Keita about his new daddy, and she was nervous about how he would take it. She waited for his reaction, watching as his expression changed from confusion to curiosity.

Keita's smile slowly returned as he tried to comprehend what his mother was saying. "Is it the alpha?" he asked in a soft voice.

Her heart skipped a beat. How did he know?

Lucia took a deep breath before answering, “Yes, my mate is Alpha Alister… he is also your new daddy…he is also strong and brave and he's your big bear too” She waited for Keita’s response, anxious about how he would take the news.

Keita's eyes widened with excitement and he jumped up, pumping his fist in the air. His reaction surprised Lucia, and she couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. She had been worried for nothing. He was okay with this.

Keita kept jumping around on the bed, and she shook her head, amused at his energy. She knew they needed to pack quickly and leave for the Alpha's house where they would now live in, Elijah was waiting for them downstairs, and they didn't have much time.

“Okay young man, I get that you’re excited, but we need to pack. Elijah is still waiting downstairs…” she told him, stopping his jumps.

Keita frowned, obviously confused. Luciana rolled her eyes, guess this is not the end of the conversation, she thought.

“Keita, you remember how I told you about the Alpha of the pack being my mate?” Lucia started, watching her son's expression carefully. Keita's eyes widened, nodding excitedly.

“Yes! You said he was really strong and brave, and that he was the leader of all the wolves,” Keita replied, his face lighting up with wonder.

Lucia smiled, “That’s right. Well, I need to tell you that I’ll be moving to the Alpha's house with him. It’s important for me to be there with him, to support him and our pack.”

Keita's smile faltered, his eyes darting around the room. “What about me?” he asked softly.

Lucia's heart squeezed at the thought of leaving her son behind. “You'll be coming with me, of course. You and I will live in the Alpha's house with him and the rest of the pack.”

Keita's eyes widened again, and he grinned. “Really? That's so cool, Mom! Can I still meet the other wolves and play with them?”

Lucia chuckled, ruffling his hair affectionately. “Of course, but you'll have to be careful around them now that you're the Alpha's son." She told him.

Keita nodded eagerly, and Lucia smiled at his enthusiasm. She knew that he loved being around the pack, but she also knew that it would take some time for him to adjust to his new home and position.

After a few more minutes of talking, Lucia hugged Keita tightly, reassuring him that everything would be okay, " Okay honey, so let's pack up quick.."

He nodded, “okay Mom… I’ll hurry,” he told her, a wide smile still on his face.

As Lucia turned to leave, she heard him mutter, “the Alpha is now my daddy, and I’m going to live with him…” Her heart swelled with love for her son. He was taking the news better than she had expected.

Lucia sighed as she closed the door behind her. The Alpha had always been Keita's daddy, but not this Alpha. That was another truth for another day, she thought to herself. They needed to focus on the present and the safety of their family.