Don't forget our Love
|22|

I'm so exhausted I can barely keep my eyes open as I attempt to do some paperwork in my office. The last week has been spent satisfying my mate until she passed out. Avery's heat started the day after I marked her. It usually takes a few days but hers started almost immediately.

Her arousal was so strong I was in a frenzy. I couldn't keep my hands off of her, not that she wanted me to. We barely slept over the five days she was in heat. Titan was howling in my head hoping she got pregnant with our pup right away. We didn't use protection and I knotted inside her so it's possible our plan to have kids will start right away.

We had to postpone the Luna ceremony but today we should be able to have it. Bea is still in town and a few other packs have arrived wanting to be a part of the celebration. I invited my uncle Seth and Scott despite wanting to break my cousin's neck for his betrayal. Avery begged me to be nice so I'm going to try.

I take a sip of my coffee hoping it will give me some type of energy. My office door swings open at the same time and Lance walks in dressed in a suit, I nod at him. "Beta." I greet him still trying to get used to his new title.

He groans as he approaches my desk. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. We still need a delta, have you looked over the applications I sent you?"

I grab the stack of applications I haven't even bothered to look at yet. "Can't you handle it?" I say throwing the papers back down.

"I can't do everything around here while you're fucking your mate all week." he sighs. "I had warrior training, investigating all the traitors of the pack and even packing up Matt's stuff. We need someone else around here to pick up the slack!" he yells making me slam my fists on the desk.

"I get it I've been slacking as an alpha but Avery's heat was unexpected and the investigation into who all helped Cylus might take a while. I'll alpha command the suspects to tell the truth which should help."

"And replaceing a new delta?"

I growl. "I'll figure it out. I have a few people in mind I can trust."

Honestly, I have no idea who I want as my new Delta. It was difficult enough to promote Lance to beta. The position has always been Matt's but I know if anyone could step up and make my best friend proud it would be Lance. Matt wouldn't want the position to go to anyone else.

"What about Carl?" Lance throws out the name of one of our top warriors.

"Fuck no! That redhead fuck tried to hurt Avery when we were kids and I beat his ass, he's lucky I don't throw him out of the pack for his treachery!" Just the thought of him close to my mate makes me want to go punch him again.

"You were kids." Lance laughs and I growl at him. He laughs more and starts to argue with me when my office door swings open again. This time it's a frantic Kayla, She's wearing a turquoise dress which is weird because she hates formal clothes.

"We have a problem," she states making me immediately stand up worrying about my mate.

"Where's Avery?" I ask worried. If somebody hurt her I'll kill them. Titan growls in my head agreeing with me.

"She's in her room getting ready. But we found her dad, he's locked up in the cells. He says he'll kill himself if he doesn't talk to Avery."

I grab a book off my desk and throw it across my room angrily. "His death belongs to me! I won't give him the satisfaction of dying like a coward!"

"Alpha the Luna knocked out two guards and entered the cells, we need you down here!" A mind link comes through making me growl again.

"What's wrong?" Kayla asks and I walk past her and Lance.

"Avery's with him," I answer heading out of my office and going to the cells in a hurry.

I pass the two guards slowly waking up when I reach the door to the cells. Another guard helps them to the infirmary while Lance, Kayla, and I walk down the steps into the cells. I can hear Avery shouting and begin to run. When we reach my mate she's crying and yelling. Her dad James is down on his knees begging for forgiveness.

"I never meant to hurt you, I thought I was doing what was best!" he cries and Avery shakes her head in disgust.

"You lied to me all my life! I never took birth control shots you were giving me a drug to suppress my human side so I smelled more like a wolf than a human. But instead, it did the opposite and I couldn't talk to Raven without shifting."

James narrows his eyes at me as I approach Avery and wrap my arms around her. She lays her head on my shoulder as she cries. I kiss the top of her head. "Don't worry darling he won't ever hurt you again, I promise."

"Avery if the pack ever found out your mom was human they would have thrown us out. We wouldn't survive as rogues. I lied to protect you because I love you."

"What do you even know about love? Kai would never do that to me." She glares at James who rolls his eyes.

"Please he was going to take another wolf as his mate. He won't be faithful to you. You're better off alone. You don't need a mate, Avery, they're nothing but trouble, trust me."

Titan takes control of my body letting go of Avery and approaching the cell. He grabs James by his shirt collar. "We will never take another! Mate is OURS!" he growls and lets a scared James go and relinquishes me back control. I grab Avery hugging her again.

"Tell me Dad did you even love my mother, my real one?" she asks.

He looks from me to Avery before answering. He's still shaking in fear from Titan which brings me great joy. He scoffs before answering. "Of course I did. She was my first love, and we were happy. But once I met Patricia my feelings for her disappeared. You were two years old when I faked our death and took you to Blackwater. Patricia is from here and Alpha Logan, Kai's grandfather offered us protection and a home here."

"And where is my mother now?" she demands pulling away from me and folding her arms across her chest.

"If I tell you then I want a favor?" he asks and Kayla walks up to his cell growling. Lance grabs her arm to drag her away.

"You have no right to ask for anything! You piece of shit!" Kayla curses.

James turns his focus to Avery ignoring the rest of us glaring at him ready to rip his throat out. "I'm still your dad Avery, grant me this one wish and I'll tell you all about your mother. She's still alive. I have her address."

Avery looks at me and I nod giving her permission. "Fine, what's the favor? if it's letting you go the answer is no."

He shakes his head. "I'm not an idiot Avery. I know I won't leave here alive. But if I'm going to die I want it to be by your hands, no one else's."

"Fuck you! How dare you ask her of that!" I shout and reach through the bar to grab him but expecting it he jumps back where I can't reach him. My shoulders heave up and down as I try to calm down and not shift and kill this asshole.

Avery's calming scent surrounds me as she engulfs me in a hug. With my eyes closed I count to ten trying to calm down still. Avery squeezes my hands and kisses my cheek. When I open my eyes she's staring at me with so much love and adoration.

"It's okay Kai. I'm okay." she caresses my face and I crash my lips onto hers wanting a taste, no needing a taste. I need to know she's okay and she's right here with me still.

"Are you going to grant me my favor or not?" James interrupts and Avery pulls away from me and smirks at him.

"I'll do it. I have no problem ending your life," she says with so much venom I'm instantly turned on by it.

James immediately gives us the information we need and after Lance and Kayla return to the cells confirming it's all correct Avery leaves and goes back upstairs with them. Now James and I are alone and I can smell the fear radiating off him in waves.

James cowers in the corner of the cell. "Where did Avery go? She's supposed to be the one to kill me, get her back here. Avery! Avery!" he shouts but it's pointless with the soundproof walls.

I shrug as I unlock the cage and step in. I roll up the sleeves of my long-sleeved shirt and crack my knuckles. "Avery lied to you, sucks, doesn't it? Don't worry I'm not going to kill you, yet. I figure I'll torture you for a few weeks."

"No please, don't. I'm sorry!" He cries.

"Sorry isn't good enough!" I growl and punch him so hard in the jaw that it cracks.

He falls to the ground and spits out a mouth full of blood. I grab him by the collar of his shirt and deliver blow after blow to his face until it's almost unrecognizable. When he's barely breathing I leave him to rot and exit the cell locking it behind me.

"I'd stay longer but I have a Luna ceremony to attend."