Selling Myself To The Alpha
Chapter 119

Liana POV

"Good morning, Mommy."

I fight my heavy eyelids open and look at Axel, holding Connor. He smiles at me, proudly showing off his two front teeth. "Hello, my big boy," I sit up and reach for him.

"And Connor," I smile wickedly at Axel, and he hands over Connor with a grin.

Connor cries out laughing when I blow on his stomach before I place him next to me on the bed. I plant playful kisses all over his tiny body and he pulls my hair as his laughter continues.

"I love you, my little man," I mumble as I kiss him on his neck and pick him up.

Suddenly, I am overwhelmed by emotions, and I hold tightly onto him as I fight my tears.

"Liana?" Axel asks concerned as he sits on the bed next to me. "Is everything alright?"

"My damn hormones," I sniff and look at Connor. "He's so perfect. From his bright blue eyes to his ten little toes. Every inch of him. How could anybody deny their child or mistreat them?" "You're thinking about Luther's sibling, aren't you?" Axel asks softly.

"I cannot help it," I confess. "It's been stuck in my mind since he told us. How do you not want your child, Axel?

Look at Connor and tell me you'd be fine not knowing him or knowing if he's happy and cared for?"

"I'm not making any excuses for Luther's dad, but he never bonded with the child," Axel replies softly. "He only saw that baby once. You and I saw him grow as your tummy got bigger. We felt him kick, we experienced the joy when he was born. Uncle Gary didn't have that."

"Still," I protest. "It's his blood. He had an opportunity to get to know his child."

"At the cost of his wife and other children," Axel sighs."

Aunt Elaine made it crystal clear that if he allowed that child into their lives, she would vanish with the kids. I'm not taking sides, but Uncle Gary had a tough choice."

"I want to talk to Gary," I lift my chin adamantly and get out of bed.

"Liana, you should stay out of it," Axel warns softly. "It's not our business."

"Well, it should be" I hand Connor over to him and walk to my closet. "Luther is estranged from his family because of it. Hell, it's threatening his future with his mate. And Gary is worse off. Not only did he lose that child, but he also lost Luther in the process. And that child is your cousin, Axel.

You're sharing DNA. It's the right thing to do. You and I are going to go to Moonstone and talk to Luther."

"Fine," Axel sighs. "But if Luther doesn't want to do this, we leave it at that."

Adele POV

"So, Alpha," Luther smiles at me sitting across from him at the breakfast table. "What's first on today's agenda?"

"Training exercises" I reply. "I need to replace a Beta. I'm going to pick the best five and run background checks on them.

Axel has arranged a meeting with Austin for tomorrow. I need to get up to speed with the business if I don't want to look like an imbecile when he gets here."

"Excuse me, Alpha," Nicky says timidly as she walks towards me. "You have visitors, but they don't have an appointment."

"Who are they?" I ask and place my knife and fork down.

"Alpha Axel and Luna Liana," she replies.

"They aren't visitors," Luther chuckles.

"They're family," I add. "Nicky, they're always welcome and the protocol doesn't apply to them."

"Oh," Nicky blushes and lowers her gaze. "I'm sorry."

"There's no need to be sorry," I smile. "You didn't know. Let them in, please."

Nicky nods and glances at Luther before she turns around and leaves. Absentmindedly I pick up my cup of coffee. I like Nicky, but I do not like the way she just looked at Luther. Yes, it was quick but there was something I did not like. Adoration? Longing? Whatever it was, I did not like it one bit.

But it could also be my imagination. And if I am right, I have no reason to be jealous. Luther has not looked at any woman since we met. For goddess' sake, he was besotted with Liana, and he is not even looking at her the way he looks at me. I am being ridiculous. "Good morning," Liana greets jovially as she and Axel enter the room. "How was the rest of the party?"

"Don't know," Luther shrugs and gives me a mischievous look. "Adele and I had better things to do."

"Coffee?" I ask quickly as red-hot flames creep up my neck and ears. Naturally, Axel and Liana know about the birds and the bees between two mates but it sure as hell is not something that I want a group discussion about at the breakfast table.

"Not for me, thanks," Liana says as she takes a seat. "Too much caffeine and Alana will not come to rest."

"Alana?" I ask eagerly. "Did you finally name your little girl?

"Indeed, we did," Axel looks lovingly at Liana. "But I'm not pregnant and would love a cup."

"Luther, we need to talk about last night, Liana says straightforwardly, and a heavy silence fills the room. Luther POV

"You're not wasting any time, do you?" I ask sourly as I sit back. Not that I blame her. My confession led to Adeles resignation. And as much as Liana and Axel care about our well-being, they also have this pack's interest at heart. "But I'll spare you the agony. Adele's not resigning."

"It's not about that," Axel says, and I look at them in surprise. "This has nothing to do with Adeles choice, although I'm relieved to know she's staying."

"I want to talk to your father," Liana continues.

"No," I grind my teeth as the blood drains from my face.

"Luther," Axel places his hand on my shoulder. "Just listen, please."

I nod after a moment and listen to Liana's explanation.

"I understand," I grunt when she is done. "But you're wasting your time. He wouldn't tell you a thing."

"Let me worry about that," Liana smiles sweetly but I know her well enough by now that there is no sweetness in her smile. "All I need is your approval." "You're the Luna" I shrug. "And I'm not going to be part of your pack much longer. You don't need my approval."

"You're also our friend," Liana reaches over and touches my hand.

"And my cousin and best friend," Axel adds. "We're not doing this without your consent."

"Why?" My voice is hoarse. "Why do you want to replace the child?"

"Because the child is family," Axel replies.

"And it's an opportunity for you to make peace," Liana says softly. "Not only with yourself but with your parents."

"I have no desire to reconcile with them," I snort. "I mean it, if status means more to them than an innocent child, I do not want to be part of their family."

"You need this, Luther," Liana says firmly. "You need to put the past behind you before you can move forward. And take it from me, forgiving them would be best for you. They cannot undo what they've done, and neither can you.

Forgiving them will free you from the guilt, even if we don't replace the child. But if we do, you have the chance to get to know him or her. You cannot fix it, but you can mend it."

It is quiet as I stare out of the window, overthinking her words. We all have the need to belong to something or someone. I cannot fathom how it must have been growing up not knowing where you come from. All the questions and insecurities that accompany the lack of belonging. I

cannot turn back time. I cannot make up for the years that passed. But I can change the future. At the very least, I can try. If I do not, I am just as guilty as my parents. Doing nothing is also a choice. "Okay," I nod. "Let's replace the child, but I don't know if I'm ready to forgive them yet."

"Don't force it," Liana smiles sympathetically. "Do what's right and the forgiveness will come by itself. I can promise you that."

"Has anyone considered that the child doesn't want to be found," Adele says softly. "That he or she is happy, and that we could ruin a life?"

"What if it were you?" Liana looks at Adele. "You had an idyllic childhood. What if I told you at this very moment, you were adopted or that the man you called father isn't your biological father?" "We need to replace that child," Adele says adamantly and sits upright. "If it were me, I would've wanted answers."

"Then let us go replace some," I smile and stand up. "It's time for my dad to take responsibility for his actions."