A Mother Before A Mate
Chapter 33

Lev's Point of View

I open my eyes, and I look to my right and see my beautiful mate, Brit. Her red curly hair is perfectly tousled on the pillows. She's so beautiful. She's slept in my suite with me for the last 2 nights. I love her already, and I don't know what we're going to do. She won't come back to Cold Moon with me. I thought she had agreed.

Maybe I misheard her on Friday, or maybe I just assumed, but she told me last night that she can't come to Cold Moon with me. I don't know what I'm going to do. She wants me, but she lives with and takes care of her grandmother. Her grandmother cared for Brit most of her life, and Brit insists that she can't leave her now. She's not doing well. I offered to bring her grandmother to Cold Moon with us too, but Brit said it wouldn't be good to take her from the only place that's ever been home to her.

Brit has offered to do long-distance and even asked if I could move here, but I can't give up my gamma position. It's my identity. I would be just a warrior here. I'm going to have to figure out a way to make this work. I don't want to just come down on the weekends. That would be an actual nightmare. How do we raise a family like that? We'll have to get this figured out before I mark her.

Moon Goddess, please help us figure this out. I want her, I need her, and I don't want to live without her. I look at her soft skin as she sleeps and I instantly feel pain when I think about not being with her. Maybe giving up my pack is what I have to do? "Mmm... You're staring," I hear my mate say quietly and I smile.

"Sorry."

"Don't be," she smiles. Dammit, I love that smile. She snuggles into me, and I wrap my arm around her. Now that she isn't coming with me, I'll have to leave tonight to be back at the packhouse for work tomorrow. I need to go back at least until I know for sure what we are going to do. "What are you thinking about?" She asks.

"Just what we're going to do," I confess.

"We have time to figure it out. I'm sorry I'm making this difficult, but she raised me, and she's the only family I have. I can't turn my back on her, especially when she depends on me so much. I asked her yesterday about moving and she said she never would. She feels close to my Mom here because she visits her grave so often, and I know it would break her heart to be taken away from that. I don't know what to do. I hate the thought of being away from you," she admits. I understand her loyalty to her grandmother, and a big part of me really respects that, the other part of me is selfish.

"We'll figure it out. Even if it's just weekends for now," I force a smile and she does the same. This is so hard, but I'll take any bit of her I can have at this point.

Lexi's Point of View

It's Sunday, and all my friends are back home now. Lev is still at Black Moon, but I haven't seen him today. He's spending time with his mate. Jack isn't supposed to be working on Sunday's, but given all the time he took off this week, he has to work in the morning to get caught up a little bit. He's working from home though, which makes me happy. It just feels better to have him closer.

It's such a hot morning, so Molly and I are going to go for a swim and spend some time in our backyard. Jack should be done with work in the next hour or two, and then he can join us. I feel Jack mind-linking,

-Lex, the future Alpha of Red River, our neighbouring pack wants to meet with me. Do you want me to meet with him at my office in the packhouse, or can he come to my office here? I don't mind meeting him at the packhouse if you're uncomfortable. - -I like you close. I don't mind if you have meetings here. You're so thoughtful to ask though.-

He has never made me feel like this is just his house, not once. He's so sweet. Ugh, I miss him so much. I wish he was back here with us. It's 10:30, so he should be done in an hour or two, maybe a little longer if he's having meetings.

-

It's 11:45 am and Molly's getting hungry, so we dry off, I throw a summer dress on top, and we head inside to make some lunch. I can hear Jack talking, so I know he's still in his meeting. "Daddee?" Molly says.

"Not now, honey, Daddy's working. Soon you can see him," I promise. "Do you want a turkey sandwich, Molly?" I ask.

"Peas!" I start to make sandwiches and cut some watermelon.

Watermelon on a hot day is the best. I wrap Jack's lunch so he can have it when he's done. All of a sudden, I'm feeling intense feelings of rage. What's going on? Am I feeling Jack's emotions? Then I feel Jack mind-linking me, -LEXI! Get Molly out of the house, NOW.-

Jack's mad. Really mad. I notice Molly isn't in the kitchen anymore. She must have snuck into Jack's office. I start rushing to his office, because of how mad he is. Is he mad that she interrupted his meeting? That's not like him. WTF? I get there, and Jack looks pissed, but he doesn't say anything. He hands me Molly, and mind-links me,

-Move fast -

Something's going on, I'm not sure what, but I don't like what I'm feeling from him, so when he hands Molly to me, I rush through the kitchen to the backyard again. As soon as I shut the door, I hear a house shaking growl. WTF!! He wasn't mad at me or Molly, he didn't want us to hear what was happening. I can feel the rage coursing through my veins. I've never felt his emotions so strong before. I have never felt rage this strong in me before, not even my own. I'm scared. I mind-link Zac and Kyle.

-Something bad is going on. Jack is so mad, and he's in his office at home. He was having a meeting. Can you come over.-

-Shit. We're with that Alpha's soon-to-be Beta and Gamma. I'll come, and Kyle will stay with them, so they don't suspect anything. I'll be there in one minute, Lexi. Don't worry- Jack's point of View

I'm catching up on some work that I got behind on over the last few days. I have both business and Alpha duties, and they pile up quickly. I see here that Derrick Johnson called, and would like me to call him back. Derrick Johnson is Alpha Tim Johnson's son. He's close to my age, but still not Alpha yet. Tim and I have a great working relationship, which is great because they are the closest pack to ours. They are just 25 minutes away from Black Moon.

I return his call.

Derrick Johnson: Hello, Alpha Lavard. Thank you for calling me back.

Me: Derrick Johnson! It's been a long time, how have you been?

Derrick: I've been okay. I'd be better if I were Alpha, but I'm hoping that's something you could help me with.

Me: How could I help you become Alpha?

Derrick: Well, I was hoping you could meet with me, and we could discuss that. I will definitely make it worth your while.

Me: When would you like to meet?

Derrick: Now? Today? Well, it'd take me a half hour to get there.

Me: Oh, umm.

[I look at my watch. 10:30. If he's here for 11, I could get him out by 12. I'm so busy this week too. Shit.]

Me: I am pretty strapped for time, and I have a video conference at Noon, but if we make it quick, I can meet today. [I don't actually have a video conference, but I don't want him lingering. I'm not wasting my day with him.] Derrick: That's great. I'll be there in 30 minutes.

I don't want to leave home, because I feel so much closer to my family here, even if I am working. I prefer to work here. Lexi and Molly sneak in periodically too, which is always nice. I'll mind-link Lexi though, she might not want me doing meetings in the house. -Lex, the future Alpha of Red River, our neighbouring pack wants to meet with me. Do you want me to meet with him at my office in the packhouse, or can he come to my office here? I don't mind meeting him at the packhouse if you're uncomfortable. - -I like you close. I don't mind if you have meetings here. You're so thoughtful to ask, though.

Hearing her say that she prefers to have me work from home, feels good. It only makes me wish I wasn't working right now even more, and I was actually taking my day off to spend it with my girls.

I mind-link Zac, and let him know what's going on, and also inform him that if Derrick brings any of his pack members with him, they need to keep them occupied. I'm not having a bunch of men in my house that I don't know around my girls.