Chapter 121

Olivia POV

My mother was alive.

My mother was alive.

“You’re alive,” I said to her, and it took several minutes before she looked at me, squinting through all those years of unconsciousness.

Olivia?” she rasped out.

I wept. I couldn’t help it. I was so relieved and happy and frightened.

After a few minutes, I was able to ask her, “Are you really back with us?”

Then she said the words that broke my heart.

“Has it really been eight years?”

“Yes, Alpha,” Iris said, as though she knew I couldn’t speak a word. “But you’re finally back with us.”

“Where . . .” Mother gathered herself. “Where is that . . . fucking bastard?”

“My father?” I asked.

She nodded weakly but with a spark in her eyes.

“He’s in hiding. He may be dead,” I said. I hadn’t thought about him in weeks. “Many of our old foes are dead.” I smiled and felt tears tickle down my cheeks. “So many of our old friends are dead.”

My mother narrowed her dry eyes at me, and I felt a swell of love and admiration so strong I almost wanted to faint.

“I’m sure we have new ones.”

I smiled back. “Of course, Mother.”

“Who is Alpha of Moonshadow now?” she asked.

“Besides you?” I asked. “Leon.” I held up a hand. “But he’s just a placeholder Elroy put in place once Greg was rejected. Oh, that’s my husband, Elroy, who is Alpha of Lunaris, and I’m Luna.”

She nodded in acknowledgement but then shook her head. “Leon, he’s not too bad a jackal.”

“He hasn’t made a power move yet,” Iris said, suppressing a smile. Leon was hardly a political animal, but Mother would see everyone as power-hungry. “We’ve been keeping an eye on him.”

“Good.” She looked around then at Iris. “How long before I’m out of this bed?”

Iris chuckled. “Give it a few hours, at least, before we try.”

“Mother, ” I said. “We really need to know, if you know, who poisoned you. Do you have any idea?”

She scoffed, which meant several dried balls of spittle came from her mouth. It was the first time I saw or thought of her as a regular wolf. I didn’t like it, but that was something a pup would think.

“Of course I know: my incredible jackal of a husband,” she said.

“He’s dead, thank the Goddess,” Iris said, using her rank as the Apothecary to do so. “And he was far from you when this happened, although that’s no proof when it’s poison.”

Mother seemed to think this over, then she closed her eyes. “I need more information,” she said. “I need to know so many things.”

“I’m here to do my best,” I said putting everything as a dutiful daughter into my voice.

She looked unimpressed, but she said, if flatly, “Good.” But then she added, “I bet they were able to suppress your power, weren’t they?”

My eyes went a little wide. Just how much did my mother know?

Elroy POV

Alpha Leon of Moonshadow Pack deserved the honor of a visit to Moonshadow Keep. An unassuming wolf who had stepped up after the ordeal with Olivia’s family and Greg’s exile, he had done nothing but keep the seat warm. I had wanted to go to him, especially since Olivia would be there, but the political optics were terrible. In the end, I had him summoned.

He had agreed easily, and I sensed he was being accommodating to stay on my good side. As he walked into the Lunaris ruling chamber, I was reminded of why I had supported his choice as Acting-Alpha of Moonshadow. He was a sensible alpha who was more interested in good governance than personal gain. I thought I should introduce him to Sam.

“Alpha Elroy,” he said as he entered, and though he didn’t bow, being an Alpha himself, his tone meant he might as well have.

I met him standing and led him to a seat at the table that loosely matched the one in the war room, though the information one could glean from it was considerably less. An omega served us coffee, and then we were alone.

Without thinking about it much, I reached out to Olivia.

Leon is here.

He made good time, she sent back. Mother is out of bed, though she tires easily. I should be able to bring her to you in a few days.

Good.

“I’ll get right to the point,” I said. “Alpha Claudia has awoken.”

I was pleased that he at least gave a good show of being happy, though I suspected it was actually genuine.

“Bless the Goddess,” he said, closing his eyes briefly as though it were a real prayer. “How may I be of service?”

“She’ll be resuming her place as Alpha of Moonshadow,” I explained. “I’ll need you to stay on to orient her until she feels she has adjusted fully.”

“Of course.” He drank some coffee, obviously thinking about the situation. “When she has no more need of me, I will be returning to my household, with your permission.”

I nodded. I knew his daughter was about to have a pup.

“Olivia is currently filling her mother in on much of what has occurred over the past eight years,” I told him. Then I looked at him sternly. “What I tell you now is not to be shared.”

He nodded. “Of course, Alpha.”

“Alpha Claudia was poisoned by Olivia’s father. If he weren’t dead already, I’d execute him myself. As it is, I’m tempted to make an offering to the Goddess that he be tortured in the afterlife.”

Leon nodded again, his eyes betraying his surprise at the news. I thought of how the information would set off a firestorm of political suspicion.

Elroy? Olivia sent.

Yes?

Alpha Claudia wants to know if you’re telling Leon about the poisoning.

I am.

She says that’s good, but that she wants to contain the knowledge past him. She thinks people need to learn about it only after she’s fully back in authority.

Agreed.

Also, she thinks it’s a good idea if you and I take vows before her to make up for her absence at our union.

That surprised me, and Olivia must have sensed it.

Share the idea with Leon, she suggested. See what he thinks.

I conveyed the idea to Leon, who, to my surprise, looked deeply pleased.

“Moonshadow unions are considered suspect when no parent is there to give their blessing,” he said. “Perhaps we should combine the ceremony with my formal recognition of Alpha Claudia’s return to her position?”

“An excellent thought,” I said, letting Olivia know about it.

I saw Leon was smiling slightly. I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Incredibly handy, that mindlink,” he told me. “I enjoy the link I have with my mate, but it takes a great deal of effort. I see you and Luna Olivia manage it easily.”

“It has its uses,” I agreed before looking up as Sam walked into the room. “You’ve met my Beta, Sam?”

Leon stood and welcomed Sam. “Of course. How are you, Beta?”

“Very well, Alpha Leon,” Sam said.

Leon smiled broadly. “Just ‘Leon’ soon, thank the Goddess.” He looked back at me and shook his head slightly. “How you can tolerate the position so well is beyond me.”

I smiled back and shot a look at Sam before telling Leon, “Get yourself a good Beta. Everything is better after that.”

Sam did his best to hide his pleased grin.