Chapter 3

*** Lara ***

I hadn’t told my dad exactly when I was leaving. I didn’t want to cause anymore pack or family drama than was necessary. I was glad we’d said our goodbye’s in the garden that day.

Instead, after a quiet, almost normal family dinner the day our guests left, I headed to the garden one more time. Dad was right. This was probably what I’d miss the most about my pack, besides him. I had a gift for growing things. Over the years, in my free time, I’d created a gorgeous garden oasis. Almost like a maze of little garden rooms. Complete with a bountiful edible garden and cutting flowers. One day I would buy myself a little cottage in the country and start my garden over. It’s sad that I’d miss my plants more than I’d miss the people here. People are unreliable. Plants never judge. 

The thought briefly crossed my mind that I should have given my brother a letter too. I’d always hoped that one day he’d see sense. After all, he was just a kid too when everything went sideways with us. What could possibly have been so bad about me to erase every ounce of love he had for me in just a few minutes? How could my mother intentionally raise such a hateful man?

Just before sunrise the following morning, I climbed in my metallic purple Jeep wrangler, a thing of pure beauty, and hit the road. I hesitated at the border, unsure if I should cut all ties with my pack or not. I could denounce the pack and make myself a rogue. If I stayed away from packs and didn’t cause trouble, I’d be fine enough. If I stayed a member of the pack, I’d still have a pack link. Dad had insisted I not break ties completely. 

Dad was right, I was good at finding loopholes. I tried for one in the moon magic that tied wolves to their packs. I denounced my pack, but not my Alpha, my father. Of course, when Kiren takes over I’ll have to rethink this. There’s no way I was ever going to pledge loyalty to someone I couldn’t trust. I would never give him that much power over me. Without a doubt he would abuse it. 

Technically, that move made me a lone wolf. I was OK with that. That’s how I’d always felt anyway. Many pack less loan wolves ended up turning rogue, but not all. Rogues were thoughtless werewolves who allowed their base instincts to rule them. Typically, they turned to violence and crime. They became feral. Wolves and humans are social creatures. Most werewolves needed a pack to stay sane. Few were happy as loners. I’d practically been raised alone anyway. I’d be fine.

I tapped out an email to my brother. Explaining - for the thousandth, that I had no idea what I’d done to offend him and that I hoped that one day we could make peace. I don’t know why it was important to me that I reached out one last time, but it was. Sometimes I swore I could see a twinkle of sadness in his eyes when he looked at me. I was hopeful that one day, whatever his problem was, he’d grow up enough to see that I’m not the bad guy he seems to think I am. Though it was possible, it was just wishful thinking on my part. 

I then blocked him from my email and phone contacts so that if he decided to respond with something nasty, which was likely after all, I wouldn’t see it. I preferred to believe he had a heart in there somewhere and that he would think through my words. He’d been an a-hole for so long, it was time he pulled his head out of our - no, his -mother’s ass and started to think for himself. Maybe, just maybe, I could push him to think about it. Again, with the wishful thinking….

I flicked through my eclectic playlists and smiled when I saw the song I wanted. An oldie but a goodie. I sucked in a deep breath of fresh morning air and turned up the tune. I drove away from my old life while I sang my heart out to Cake’s gritty cover of I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. 

**** Kelton ****

Sighing, I rubbed my forehead for the umteenth time today. Goddess, help me, I silently prayed. My son is giving me a fucking headache. As usual.

“Are you sure he’s ready?” Keith asked me - not for the first time.“No,” I answered with a humorless chortle. 

“You know I’ll support you always. And him. You know I’ll always fight to protect this pack. But you also know I’ll tell you when I disagree with something. Honestly, I think he’s too young,” Keith said.

“I was only 18 when I inherited the pack. He’s 21. He is smart and strong, but he’s just a stubborn little idiot at times. Just like I was at his age,” I answered. But on the inside, I prayed my faith in my son wasn’t in vain.

“Yes, but you had a reason to grow up. You had two babies and a pack to run. You had no choice but to get your shit together, and fast. Even drowning in grief you managed. You asked for help when you needed it and led by example. I just have a horrible feeling it might not be the same with him. You made it your mission to focus on your people. All he focuses on is himself. He lacks maturity,” Keith sighed. I followed suit as a groan escaped me as well. The truth was, I wasn’t sure if this was the best plan. Yet I had faith that he’d throw himself into the pack when they needed him. Fingers fucking crossed.

He’s not a bad kid. He’s smart and dedicated. He means well - most of the time, but he can also be an inflexible, impulsive, defiant little shit. Not exactly the qualities required of an incoming Alpha. 

When Keith didn’t comment, I continued. 

“That’s why I think throwing him into the fire will give him something else to focus on. That’s what worked for me. It will make him see things from my perspective, or more to the point, the pack's perspective. It will make him see the true value of the things he can’t seem to grasp at the moment. I trust that he’ll keep our people safe, or I wouldn’t risk giving him the pack.”

“I hope you’re right, man.” Keith gave me a small smile that I knew meant he still didn’t agree with my decision, but he’d keep his mouth shut for now. We’d worked together for so long and so closely that we could read each other perfectly. We made an amazing team, but it was time to pass the baton to the next generation.

“There’s something else you should know, Keith. When I hand over the title...” I saw his eyes widen slightly before quickly returning to normal. “I’m going to leave for a bit. I’ll always answer when you call and if he does, though I’m sure he won’t. You know how stubborn the little shit can be. He’ll go out guns blazing just to prove he’s in charge if I’m here. He’ll do the exact opposite of anything I suggest just to prove he’s not me. If I give him some space to settle in, I’m hoping it'll go a little easier for him.” 

“And for everyone else,” Keith sighed once again. “There is one more option. We could send him to another pack for a few months or make him live as an omega for a while to get a feel for how they live and how other packs are run. Perhaps seeing how packs are run from a different angle would give him a wider perspective.”

I ram my hand through my hair again. “I’ve thought about this from every angle and I really think the only way for him to grow up fully is to make him by giving him the reins. I’ve done everything I can to prep him for leadership. There’s no reason he can’t be a fantastic Alpha. He just has to get out of his own way. I think I need to get out of his way too. In two days we’re having the ceremony.”

“When are you leaving?” Keith asked. 

“That night”

“Goddess, Kelton! That soon?” 

“Yeah I’m taking that job at the college and I need to get settled in. Plus, I have a few other Alphas I’d like to visit before I start my new job.” 

“Can I come with you? Ask Moira to find me a job. I could teach something. Shit, I’ll be the fucking janitor if I have to.”

I laughed, “Then who’d be my spy here?”

“Kilani,” Kieth answers without skipping a beat. “She was always the one person who could get through to that son of yours. I don’t know if it’s their twin bond or just the fact that she simply refused to take his shit. You know she’d make an amazing Alpha.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Fuck, I’ve seriously considered giving her the Alpha title. She deserves it. I’m just not sure she’d get enough support. Some people are still too traditional and, with the boy’s pride, he might try to fight her for it. I can’t pit them against each other. She doesn’t even want it anyway. In the meantime, go visit your mate’s old pack. Her nephew’s taking over as Alpha in the next month, right?”

“I’m not sure about that kid as an Alpha either,” Keith laughed humorlessly. “He’s a bit too much of a Momma’s boy and his mom is a manipulative, evil bitch. That’s the main reason we visit so rarely, you know. Hattie hates to see how her brother’s family treats that girl. She wanted to adopt her when she was 10, but her father wouldn’t let her go. He’s hiding something. They all are.”

“Sounds like a good opportunity to go do some detective work. What’s that kid, 18 now? Same as your Charlie, right?” I asked. 

“Yep, Lara and my baby girl are only a few days apart. As cousins, well kind of, they should have grown up best friends, but whenever we visited the Sapphire Hills pack Lara was rarely around. I always found that sus, but Hattie loves her brother and trusted that he took care of his baby girl. He seemed to but there’s definitely something weird there.” Keith features crinkled in puzzlement.

“And the couple of times Bodi’s visited us, he hasn’t brought his daughter. Interesting,” I finished. 

“More like suspicious,” Keith growled. 

“Bodie seems alright though. I never got a bad vibe from him. Hattie was always treated like his real sister growing up. Which is why I’m surprised Bodie lets his Luna and son ignore Lara…” Keith let the sentence hang. 

“Yeah, I know what you mean. Shifty little fucker that one. He’s 20, I think. Almost the same age as my son. I met him a few times. He seemed great until I overheard him and his friends bullying his sister.”

———

Fuck, fuck, fuck! 

Ten minutes after the transfer of power ceremony, I was seriously regretting my decision. 

The little shit just changed his name, the name his mother gave him and my last name. Our family name for Goddess’s sake! I’m burning inside. Why would he do that?! Then he banished a kid he hated at school for no reason. He accused the kid of trying to undermine his leadership. He also appointed Matt his Beta. Matt’s a great guy actually, but I was hoping he'd pick Charlie. She was a great Beta candidate. Or Kilani. He couldn’t have found someone more loyal to him than his fucking twin. For fucks sake! 

I hung around the party, trying to avoid mingling while hiding my serious disappointment in my son. He spent the whole damn time flirting with girls. He even disappeared for half an hour and when he came back he was grinning like a smug fool, and the girl trailing behind him was blushing furiously with her hair all messed up, looking exactly like a girl who’d just had a quick and dirty fuck in some corner. It pissed me off because I was a firm believer in waiting for your mate - I’d made that mistake long ago and the Moon Goddess had punished me for it. I’m also a firm believer in not screwing your pack members. Plus on top of that, this was his first chance to really show his maturity and win over the pack members that were already doubting him. Instead, he just acted like a horny spoiled asshole.

“Kelton, a word?” I turned and smiled with reassurance I didn’t feel at Keith’s dad, my dad’s Beta. He’d seen me through my worst times in my youth. The man helped raise me. I never would have become the Alpha I am without his support and patience. I’ve been trying to be that patient support for my son too, but at some point he needs to take responsibility for his behavior. 

“Sam, how are you?” I asked, but I already knew what he was going to say. 

“Concerned Kel. I’m… concerned. And I’m not the only one. Keith told me you’re leaving for a year. Giving the kid some time to adjust? Is that wise?”

“I know it looks like I’m abandoning you all, but we have all our systems here on auto pilot. The businesses are mostly run by other people, he actually can’t fuck it up too much, unless he really tries.”

I could be completely honest with Sam. 

“He changed his fucking name, Kelton. First and last. Your old man would be turning over in his grave.”

I patted Sam’s shoulder. “I know. He seems hell bent of blaming me for everything that goes even remotely wrong in his life. But I really think that if I get out of his way he’ll figure it out. And if not, I’ll come back home and set things right. Just give him this chance, one year, to find his footing. He’s got Matt, Charlie, and Kilani too. You know they’ll steer him straight.”

“Not sure anyone can steer him straight. What if we don’t last a year?” Sam growled.

“You thought that about me once too.” I reminded him gently. 

“You always had amazing potential,” he huffed.

“Kilani…” I started.

“You know there are few female Alpha’s and they always face a lot more challenges and resistance than their male counterparts, but some of us are wondering if you gave your title to the wrong twin.” 

“I asked her. She didn’t want the title.” 

“And that alone makes her the better candidate,” Sam groaned.

“When I first inherited my title, I was too young, too immature. Your wife told me that girls mature faster than boys. She told me to step up and accept help. Your family is my family. This pack is my life. I would never put you all at risk. I’m asking you to trust me. He has potential too. I know it. Just give him the chance to prove himself, like you did for me.” I patted Sam’s shoulder. I meant it. My whole life I’d always been as close to him and his mate as I had been to my parents. I just hoped I was right about my kid. I wanted nothing more than to stand beside my son at this moment. I wanted to watch him bloom. But for whatever reason, he seemed to think I was holding him back. It was breaking my heart to leave him when I wanted to support him, but if he needed me out of the way for a while, I would do that for him. 

Later, as I watched my son, I realized he didn’t yet understand all of what it meant to be an alpha. Currently, he was pandering to his friends, showing off, ignoring the elders and snubbing the lower ranked servers. That is not how I raised that boy. Where did I go wrong? 

I closed my eyes and silently prayed, Goddess, protect my pack and help my son find his way.