Chapter 61
Ruby’s POV
“The Bedfords, all of them, supported Lilia and her attempts to become Pack DarkWood’s Luna,” my best friend Cara’s voice was quiet.
Trying to prevent children from hearing our words, my voice quiet too: "Oh, that's so disgusting."
Then I casually throw the photo aside and never look at it again.
In an instant, the smiling man in the picture on the competition flyer was no longer attractive to my eyes. No matter how stunning or charming he might be, friends always come first.
Our evening progressed normally from there. The four of us played games together, and I tried to soak up as much of the fun as I possibly could, knowing that days like this will soon be gone.
Soon, I’ll be leaving for the Illari Medical School. I’m sad to be leaving Cara and the kids, but I know that it’s for the best. The research they’re doing at Illari is unparalleled. There’s nowhere else I could go to get a better education to cure Mia’s illness.
We cooked and ate dinner together, laughing and enjoying each other. Cara went to her home office to work while the children and I cleaned up after dinner.
Not too long after, I went to check on Cara and found her fast asleep at her desk. She’s been working so hard lately, trying her best to improve this already very impressive Pack BloodyMoon.
I’m so proud of Cara. I’m proud of the mother she is, the friend that she is, and I’m also proud to call myself a member of her pack. There’s no better Beta out there, as far as I’m convinced.
I grab a nice fluffy blanket and drape it over my best friend’s sleeping body. She deserves some rest. I try my best not to disturb her, and I’m happy to hear her soft breathing continue in a low and steady pattern as I make my way out of the room.
When I return to the living room of the cottage, I find Ethan in front of the computer. I creep behind him in an attempt to see the screen. I’m curious what he could be up to, his little fingers typing away furiously.
“Lilia Auburn?!” I read aloud from the screen in shock.
Ethan jumps, clearly not expecting me to be behind him, looking over his shoulder.
“Oh! Auntie Ruby!” he shouts.
“Why are you searching for information on Lillia, Ethan?” I ask him. He must’ve heard Cara’s comment from earlier about the Bedfords. Cara must not have spoken quietly enough.
“She’s the one behind Mommy’s accident six years ago, the one that happened while me and Mia were in Mommy’s belly.” Ethan says directly.
What?!
How could he possibly know that?!
I look at him, a mixture of shock and confusion written all over my face, I’m sure.
“She tried to marry the Alpha King, but she got caught trying to hurt Mommy,” Ethan adds.
“Where did you hear this?” I ask him.
“You grown ups aren’t as sneaky as you think!” Ethan giggles, a victorious smile on his face.
“You really are too smart for your own good. You know that, right?” I laugh, ruffling his black hair with my fingers.
Ethan is a genuis, abouslutly.
I’m not mad at him for being curious about his mother’s history. After all, it’s his own history, too.
If anything, I’m impressed. Not many six-year-olds are capable of piecing together such a complicated tale. And less than that would be able to keep their knowledge hidden in the way that Ethan has.
“You are mature beyond your years, kid. I’ll give you that,” I tell him affectionately.
Ethan beams up at me, thrilled to receive my praise.
“I know more than just that, Auntie Ruby.” He says mysteriously.
“Oh, yes?” I ask.
“I know who my father is,” his big green eyes are wide as he whispers this to me.
“You do?” I whisper back, looking behind me, checking that neither Cara nor Mia are around to overhear this discussion. There’s no sign of either of them.
Ethan nods.
“So, what will you do when you’re in DarkWood? Remember that’s where your science competition will be. What will you do if he is there?” I eye Ethan closely, curious to see how the boy reacts.
He looks puzzled, like he hadn’t considered this as an option.
“I… I don’t know…,” Ethan’s voice trails off.
At once I’m reminded of his still very young age. Despite his advanced maturity and intelligence, Ethan is still only a small child.
There’s still a lot he must learn, a lot of lessons ahead that only life itself can teach him.
Eamon’s POV
“Can you please show me the financial spreadsheet again?” I ask my secretary.
I’m working on an important collaborative project between Pack BloodyMoon and Pack DarkWood. We’re pooling our resources, trying to get a better deal than either of us could acquire alone.
My secretary hands me the spreadsheet and I look at the bottom, to the line item dedicated to the split of the profits.
When we first came up with the idea for this project, Alaric and I had agreed to split the profits equally, with each pack receiving 50%.
But on this new updated sheet, I see that the portion of profit assigned to Pack BloodyMoon is…
80%?!
When did that happen?!
“Who last updated this document?!” I ask my secretary incredulously.
“It looks like it was last signed by Alpha King Alaric Grant, sir,” she says.
Alaric?
Why would he forfeit so much profit for his own pack?
What could he possibly have to repay…
Oh. Of course… he mentioned about wanting to somehow atone for his past. His apologies for his mistreatment of Cara years ago.
He must be still full of guilt over this. It must be eating away at him for him to give BloodyMoon such a large portion.
Nevertheless, I can’t change my decision about his interactions with Cara. He must not be allowed to reenter her life. I hope the seed my brother Colin planted about Cara’s supposed ‘husband’ worked well enough.
I hope that’s enough to keep Alaric away from Cara.
Those two are no good together.
He doesn’t deserve her, she’s too good for him.
It’s not a good match.
I look at the family photo on my desk, the one taken during my old Beta’s retirement party. There’s me, my brothers Landon, Aidan, Ryan, and Colin, and Cara. We all look so happy, bright red hair matching perfectly.
Our hair… that should’ve made it obvious to us that Lilia wasn’t our true sister… her hair was so dark, a deep crimson like our father’s.
I remember the older family photo, the one with Nanny standing next to father’s side. Nanny always felt like a part of the family. She was always there, always helping us kids since father was so absent, especially after mother died.
And now where is Nanny?
She’s a rogue. Just like Lilia.
Both are doomed to live without a pack, a fate worse than death according to many werewolves. To live as an outcast, with no friends or stability.
It must be terrible.
But it is a fate they both deserve for their lies. For their deceitful behavior.
It was Nanny’s actions that left poor Cara stranded as an orphan. And Lilia’s actions nearly killed Cara and her children.
Yes, they deserve their fate as rogues. It is a just punishment for each of them.
Suddenly my secretary knocks again, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Sorry to bother you, Alpha King, sir, but there’s urgent news from our border patrol,” she says quickly.
“What is it?” I ask.
“There’s been a sighting, sir. It’s Lilia. She’s been detected near BloodyMoon, and they think she might be up to something.”
