Alphas prefer fiesty Lunas

Boston, Massachusetts *Freya* "You're sending me away?" I know my violet eyes are wide open with shock and dismay. "Don't be so dramatic," my father replies. "Of course, I'm not sending you away. You're just going to spend a year in London with your cousins." My mouth falls open. "But...why?" Nestor Moonshadow, my father, shifts uncomfortably in his chair. "I just think that you ought to see a little more of the world, that's all." "But I have been to London. Twice." I point out. "Yes, well, you're older now." He clears his throat a few times and sits back. I feel like stomping my foot, "But..." "I don't see why this is such a hardship. Damon and Norah love you like their own, and you told me yourself that you like Angel and River better than any of your friends in Boston." "But they have been visiting for two months. It's not as if I haven't seen them recently." I try. He crosses his arms. "You're sailing back with them tomorrow, and that's final. Go to London, Freya. Have some fun." I narrow my eyes. "Are you trying to marry me off?" "Of course not! I just think that a change of scenery will do you good." He says with a sigh. "I disagree. There are a thousand reasons why I simply cannot leave Boston at the present time." I tell him. He lifts a brow, "Really?" "Yes. There is this household, for example. Who will manage it while I'm gone?" I ask. He smiles indulgently, one of those father-to-daughter smiles. "Freya, we live in a twelve-room house. It doesn't require much managing. And I'm sure that the little that is necessary can be most ably performed by Mrs. Mullins." "What about all of my friends? I shall miss them all dreadfully. And Ramsay Swiftfoot will be most disappointed if I leave so suddenly. I think he's on the verge of proposing." I say defiantly. "For the Goddess’ sake, Freya! You don't care two figs for young Ramsay. You shouldn't raise the poor boy's hopes just because you don't want to go to London." I pout, "But I thought you wanted us to marry. His father is your best friend." My father sighs. "When you were ten, I might have entertained thoughts of a future match between the two of you. But it was obvious even then that you were not mates. You would drive him crazy within a week." "Your concern for your only child is touching," I mutter. "And he would bore you senseless," he finishes gently. "I only wish Ramsay would realize the fruitlessness of it. It's all the more reason for you to leave town. If you're an ocean away, he might finally look elsewhere for a mate." I sigh, "But I really prefer Boston." "You adore England," he counters, his voice bordering on exasperation. "You couldn't stop talking about how much you loved it last time we went." I swallow and catch my lower lip nervously between my teeth. "What about the company?" I say softly. My father sighs again and sits back. His expression saying, 'At last, the real reason why Freya doesn't want to leave Boston.' "Freya, Moonshadow Shipping will still be here when you get back." "But there is still so much more for me to know! How am I going to take over eventually if I don't learn all I can now?" I ask. "Freya, you and I both know that there is no one I would rather leave the company to than you. I built Moonshadow Shipping up from nothing, and the Goddess knows I want to pass it on to my own flesh and blood. But we have to face facts. Most of our clients will be reluctant to do business with a she-wolf. And the workers aren't going to want to take orders from you, even if your last name is Moonshadow," he says softly. I close my eyes, knowing it is true and nearly ready to cry over the unfairness of it all. "I know that there is no one better suited to run Moonshadow Shipping," my father says gently. "But that doesn't mean that anyone else will agree with me. Much as it angers me, I have to accept the fact that the company will falter with you at the helm. We would lose all of our contracts." "For no other reason besides my gender," I say sullenly. He nods, "I'm afraid so." "I'm going to run this company someday," I know my violet eyes are clear and deadly serious. “Good Goddess, girl. You don’t give up, do you?” He asks. I catch my lower lip between my teeth again and stand my ground. My father sighs once again. “Did I ever tell you about the time you had the Lycan flu?” I shake my head, confused by the sudden change of subject. “It was right after the disease took your mother. You were four, I think. Such a tiny little thing.” He looks up at me, his only child, warmth and affection shining in his eyes. “You were very small as a child... you’re still small as an adult, but when you were young... oh, you were so, so tiny. I didn’t think it was possible that you’d have the strength to fight the illness.” I sit down, deeply moved by my father’s choked words. “But you pulled through,” he says suddenly. “And then I realized what saved you. You were simply too stubborn to die.” I am not able to suppress a tiny smile. “And I...” my father continues. “I was too stubborn to let you.” He straightens his shoulders as if banishing the sentimentality of the moment. “In fact, I may be the only person on this earth who is more stubborn than you are, daughter, so you may as well accept your fate.” I groan. It is time to face it... there is no way to avoid going to England. Not that a trip abroad can be considered punishment. I adore my cousins. Angel and River are the sister and brother I have never had. But still, one has to think of the serious things, and I don’t want to neglect my self-imposed commitment to Moonshadow Shipping. I glance back over at my father. He is sitting behind his desk, arms crossed, looking implacable. I sigh, resigning myself to a temporary setback. “Oh, all right.” I get up to leave... to pack, I suppose, since I will be leaving the next day on one of my father’s ships. “But I’ll be back.” “I’m sure you will. Oh, and Freya?” I turn around. “Don’t forget to have a little fun while you’re there, all right?” He says. I flash my father my most mischievous smile. “Really, Papa, you don’t think I would deny myself a good time in London just because I didn’t want to be there?” “Of course not. How silly of me.” He chuckles. I put my hand on the doorknob and open the door a few inches. “A girl only gets her first London mating season once in her lifetime, I suppose. She might as well enjoy herself, even if she’s not the society type.” “Oh marvelous! Then you got her to agree?” My father’s sister, Norah, the Luna of Crows River, exclaims, suddenly barging into the room. If I didn’t know, I would not guess that she is blind. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you that eavesdropping is impolite?” he asks mildly. “Nonsense. I was walking down the hall and I heard Freya speaking. She had the door slightly open, you know.” She turns to me. “Now that we have this settled, however, what is all this I hear about you punching a thief in the nose today?” “Oh, that,” I say, my cheeks pinkening. “Oh what?” my father demands. I shrug, “I saw someone trying to take River’s wallet. He and Angel were bickering about something or other, like they always do, and he didn’t notice that he was being robbed.” “So you punched him? Couldn’t you have just screamed?” My father asks. “Oh, for goodness sake, Papa. What would that have accomplished?” I half roll my eyes. “Well, then, did you at least throw a good punch?” He asks. I bite my lower lip in a sheepish gesture. “Actually, I think I broke his nose.” Norah groans audibly. “Freya,” she says softly. “You do know that I am very much looking forward to having you in London for the mating season?” “I know.” Norah is the closest thing I have to a mother. She is always trying to get me to spend more time in England. “And you know that I love you dearly and would not want to change a thing about you.” She says. “Yes,” I say hesitantly. She sighs, “Then I hope you won’t take offense when I say that proper young she-wolves really don’t go about punching unsavory characters in the nose in London.” “Oh, Aunt Norah, proper young she-wolves really don’t do that sort of thing in Boston, either.” Like my aunt hadn’t run off with my uncle back when he Was a wanted rogue with no idea he was an Alpha… definitely worse than punching someone. My father chuckles. “Did you by chance get River’s wallet back?” I try to throw him a haughty look, but I can’t stop my lips from turning up at the corners. “Of course.” And he beams. “That’s my girl!”