Fates Entwined

65

Wesley growled, low in his throat, and Adriana fussed between them. My hands itched to take Adriana away, but I trusted that Wesley would keep her safe, even in a conflict like this. I wanted to tell him it wouldn’t escalate to a fight, but I didn’t know. I’d never seen Aiden’s parents this angry before. They’d been quiet in their grief after his death, and they’d never yelled at me until the phone call. I knew they were upset, but we'd all had more than enough fighting in the past couple of years. I didn’t want to see packs at each other’s throats again in my life if I could help it.

“Please." I put my hands out to the sides, physically separating Wesley and Kevin. “Let’s talk about this, and we can try to come to a peaceful resolution.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Ruth snapped. “You stole our granddaughter from us and won’t let her come home.”

“Surely we can figure something out,” I pleaded, looking between everyone. “It doesn’t have to be like this. I know we all want what’s best for Adriana.”

“No,” Kevin said. “I think we’re beyond talking. We tried to come over here and give you a chance, but your mate—” he spat the word like it was a curse— “said he would turn our granddaughter into a Cancer. That’s not how things should be done, and I don’t think the other alphas would be very happy to hear about what’s been said here.”

“That’s right,” Ruth said, baring her teeth. “We’re going to take this to the alpha council and see what they have to say about it.”

“You can’t take my daughter away from me,” I said, tears clogging my throat as I fought to get the words out.

“We’re not monsters,” Ruth said as if affronted by the idea. “If you want to be with Adriana, you can come back to the Pisces pack too. You’re always welcome to live with us.”

“Wait—” I started, but Kevin cut me off by raising a hand.

“No,” Kevin said, shaking his head. “You’ve made your choice, and we’ve made ours. You’ll be hearing from the alphas soon.”

He turned and started walking back the way he’d come. Ruth looked at Adriana for one long moment with sadness in her eyes and then followed her mate.

I turned to Wesley, on the verge of tears and shaking. I couldn’t suppress the shivers as they wracked my body. “I don’t see a way out of this. The Pisces alpha will take their side. The other alphas might too. What if I have to leave and go back to the Pisces pack?”

Wesley wrapped his arms around me, completely engulfing me. “Everything is going to be fine. I’m not going to let anyone take you away.”

I wrapped my arms around Wesley and Adriana, squeezing my eyes shut tight. He sounded so sure, but I wasn’t. As far as I knew, there had never been a situation like this before, but now with the fake mate bonds broken and real ones emerging, everything was changing. "How can you be sure?"

“I lost my family once, and I’m never losing them again,” Wesley said. “I promise.”

“I’m scared,” I whispered. “I already lost my mate once.”

"That’s not going to happen again.”

I wanted so badly to believe him, but I wasn’t sure that I could. I knew in my heart that I’d have to do what was best for Adriana, even if that meant leaving happiness behind. I wasn’t going to let her grow up without her mom.

Wesley squeezed me tighter, but gentle enough that Adriana was still safe between us. He was so good with Adriana and he wanted to be her dad so badly, but it might not be possible now. And didn't Adriana deserve to grow up with a dad too? Maybe not her real one, but one who would love her, guide her, and protect her just as much as Aiden would?

But if the alphas decided Adriana had to return to the Pisces, I already knew I would have no choice but to follow.

Would I be forced to give up the mate I’d just found for the sake of my daughter?

CHAPTER NINE

I looked around the large tent, nerves turning my stomach and setting me on edge. A few of the other alphas had already gathered, sitting in a circle of fold-up chairs, but some had yet to arrive.

Wesley held his hand out to me, and his face looked more calm than I expected. I took his hand and squeezed, hard.

“We’re going to be fine,” Wesley said to me under his breath. I wanted to believe him, but I just didn’t see how this could end in a way that would satisfy everyone.

I wanted to squeeze Adriana tightly to me, to breathe in her familiar smell and look into her eyes, but we’d left her back with Stella for this. She'd told me that even though she wouldn't make it to the meeting, Jordan would be speaking up on my behalf. I caught his eye and gave him a weak smile, and he nodded in response. It comforted me to see that at least one of the alphas would be on our side, but I didn’t know if it would be enough.

I wished Ayla was here. She’d been my rock throughout my whole life, and now she was my sister too. I knew she would fight for us no matter what. But she was at home with her new baby, as she should be. We had to fight this battle on our own.

A few more alphas stepped into the tent, and pretty soon, all thirteen packs were present and accounted for. Wesley pulled me forward and we joined the circle of alphas.