Chapter 182

Chris

Bernard stormed out of the dining room, leaving a deafening silence in his wake. The seed that I had had Leonard send to us with an overnight courier sat in the middle of the table, unappreciated.

Slowly, I turned to see Ava, Patricia, and Clara looking at me; Ava had shock and dismay written across her face, while Patricia and Clara just looked… tired.

“I’m so sorry, Alpha Chris,” Clara suddenly said. “My husband has been rather... difficult lately. Ever since the infestation started…”

“He’s just stressed,” Patricia added. “He’s not usually like this.”

I shook my head and offered both of them a reassuring smile. “Please, don’t apologize. I figured this might happen. I just wanted to try and make a nice gesture, that’s all.”

Ava touched my arm from across the table, pushing a chestnut curl out of her eyes with her other hand. “Chris, maybe we should go after him. Or maybe we should just leave. I don’t want to cause any more trouble.”

“It’s alright,” I said, rising from my chair. “I’m going to go talk to him. This is important, Ava.”

I glanced at Patricia, who was wringing her hands in her lap. Bernard was upset about more than just the infestation, that much was clear; and we needed to sort this out, man to man. I wasn’t going anywhere until we did.

Clara nodded and set down her coffee cup. “I think that’s a good idea,” she said. “Bernard is a good man, truly. He’s just... hurting.”

I excused myself and followed Bernard’s path out of the house. The morning air was crisp, and dew still clung to the sparse grass that remained in what was once a lush garden. I found Bernard standing by the enormous redwood stump, his back to me and his broad shoulders tense.

“Alpha Bernard,” I called out softly, not wanting to startle him.

His shoulders tensed. “Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear,” he said, not turning fully, “but I wanted solitude.”

I approached slowly with my hands in my pockets. “You’ll have your solitude. But first, I just want to talk.” I stopped a few paces from him and waited for him to turn.

He was silent for some time, his head turned to the side. I could see a muscle ticking in his sharp jaw as he considered his options. Finally, with a huff, he turned to face me and folded his arms across his chest.

“Very well. Out with it.”

I sucked in a deep breath, deciding that it was best to get straight to the punch. “Why wouldn’t you accept the seed? I know that you have your own, but it was meant as a gesture of goodwill. A way to rebuild the friendship between our packs.”

Bernard scoffed and shook his head. “I know what you’re doing, Chris. Trying to use your young Alpha charm and gifts to win my favor. But it won’t work. You can’t just waltz in here with some old seed and expect everything to be forgiven.”

“That’s not—”

“The worst slight you could have done,” he continued, cutting me off, “was snubbing my daughter at the bachelorette ball for an older woman who has already been mated. It’s disgusting and inappropriate. And you’re a weakling for falling victim to Ava’s wiles.”

I took a deep breath, fighting the urge to snap back at him. His words about Ava stung, but I knew that losing my temper wouldn’t help. Instead, I met his gaze steadily. “I understand why you’re upset, Alpha Bernard. But I think you’ve misunderstood the situation entirely.”

He raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the stump. “Oh? Enlighten me then, young Alpha. Tell me how I’ve misunderstood you choosing a woman who’s practically old enough to be your mother over my daughter.”

I bristled at his words but forced myself to remain calm. “Ava is... she’s extraordinary,” I began, feeling a smile tug at my lips just at the thought of her despite the tense situation. “She’s intelligent, compassionate, and one of the strongest people I know. I feel incredibly lucky to have her as my Luna.”

Bernard’s expression remained stony, but I pressed on, determined to make him understand.

“I am truly sorry for hurting Patricia. That was never my intention. All I ever wanted was to find true love, and I’ve loved Ava since we were young. Yes, she’s ten years older than me and has been mated before. But that doesn’t matter to me. I love her.”

I paused, drawing in a sharp breath. “Ava makes me a better Alpha, a better man. She challenges me, supports me, and loves me unconditionally. I intend to marry her, to spend the rest of my life with her. Not because of any ‘wiles’ or manipulation, but because we genuinely love each other.”

Bernard opened his mouth, likely to berate me further, but was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a soft voice.

“Father, please.”

We both turned to see Patricia approaching with a fiery look on her face. She placed her hand gently on Bernard’s arm, and I watched as some of the tension visibly left his body.

“Patricia, this doesn’t concern you,” Bernard said, but his voice had lost its edge.

“Yes, it does,” she insisted. She turned to me with a small smile on her face. “I overheard what you said, Chris. And I... I believe you. I can see the love you have for Ava. It’s written all over your face when you talk about her.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the seed I had brought, placing it in Bernard’s hand and curling his large fingers around it. The change in Bernard was immediate and striking. His hard exterior seemed to melt away, revealing a gentler man beneath.

“Father,” Patricia said softly, “please don’t be angry with Chris. Plant this seed. Sow the friendship between Moonstone and Crescent Moon. We need allies now more than ever, with the infestation ravaging our lands.”

Bernard looked down at the seed in his hand, his brow furrowed. Patricia continued, still holding his arm.

“I can see the love between Chris and Ava, and I know you can, too. It’s real, Father. And... I know what you said to Ava last night. I saw her crying in the garden afterwards. That was cruel of you.”

My heart clenched at this revelation. I had suspected Ava’s sadness last night was related to Bernard, but hearing it confirmed made my protective instincts flare.

“You’re the one who made her cry?” I asked, unable to keep the edge out of my voice.

Bernard looked somewhat ashamed. “I... may have been too harsh in my words. I was angry, and I took it out on her. That was... unworthy of me.”

Patricia squeezed her father’s arm. “This is your chance to make it right, Father. Please. We can’t afford to push away potential allies, not when our pack is suffering so much.”

We all stood in silence for a long moment. I held my breath, wondering if Bernard would throw the seed away or if he would accept this olive branch. The silence was practically palpable, like a leaden weight hanging over our heads.

To my surprise, Bernard’s jaw clenched, and he extended his hand toward me. “I... will consider planting the seed. Perhaps I have been too hasty in my judgments.”

I reached out and shook his hand, relief washing over me. “Thank you, Alpha Bernard. That’s all I ask for—a chance to prove ourselves, to show that Moonstone and Crescent Moon can be strong allies once again.”

“But no promises,” he said, his grip tightening slightly. “I don’t hand out my respect like candy. If my daughter trusts you, then I will give you a chance to prove yourself—nothing more.”

I nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “That’s all I ask for, Alpha Bernard. Thank you. I promise, we won’t let you down.”

As we released our handshake, I heard footsteps behind me. Turning, I saw Ava approaching, her eyes moving between Bernard, Patricia, and me. She stopped a few feet away, wringing her hands.

“I want to apologize, too,” she said. “And I have another offer…”