Alexander’s POV
I was testing the waters, and I was about to rock the boat hard.
I wanted to see Emily’s reaction when she found out about my knowing about Lex.
I already concluded that Lex was my son and the future Alpha of this pack, but I needed to hear it from Emily herself.
Luke caught me going through some old pack files in my office the night before. I couldn’t sleep until I had proof, and my thoughts wandered off too early this morning.
“Don’t you bloody knock?” I growled at him, startled, and grabbed my chest.
I was so focused on what I was doing that I didn’t hear Luke enter my office. The next moment, he stood next to me like a phantom from the night.
“Not when my Alpha is digging in the archives in the middle of the night while his mate is soundly sleeping upstairs,” he said, rolling his eyes. “What are you looking for? Maybe I could be of some assistance.”
That was the question that has been bugging me throughout the whole process-what was I looking for?
I wasn’t sure myself, but I knew it had to do with the blood moon.
“How many blood moons do we get a year?” I randomly asked.
“Two to four,” he answered, knitting his eyebrows together. “Why do you ask?”
“Lex was born on a blood moon,” I said.
“Who’s Lex?” Luke asked curiously.
“I believe he is Emily’s son,” I said.
Luke’s jaw dropped to the floor, and he stared at me in disbelief.
“Do you think-?”
“I actually do,” I said, stopping what I was doing and facing Luke.
“Wow, congratulations!” He was startled at the news. “Ain’t you lucky? Now you have an instant family-no worries about diapers or early morning bottle feeds. He has already been potty-trained.”
I rolled my eyes at Luke.
I wanted to experience the whole process for myself. I love kids, and I was planning on having a huge family one day. Being an only child was hard; I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t be upset at my parents either; they too wanted more pups, but my mother had lost her ability to conceive when she was almost killed in a rogue attack when I was just a child.
“Don’t congratulate me yet,” I warned. “I still need proof. I’m just going on a hunch.”
“What kind of hunch do you have?” Luke asked.
“It’s hard to explain,” I said. “But I had this immense pull toward Lex. It was as if instinct kicked in, telling me that he carried my blood.”
Luke went quiet, left my side, and went to the bookshelf. A few moments later, he retrieved a book, opened it, and handed it to me.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Read it,” he said, pointing his finger at the page.
I didn’t have time for Luke’s games. I was in a hurry and needed to get back to Emily before she figured out I had left.
“Luke,” I said, feeling annoyed. “I do not have the time and patience for this now. You can see I am busy. Read it yourself.”
Luke rolled his eyes and pointed his finger at a section on the page again.
“You only need to read that last part,” he said, and he huffed.
“What’s it about?” I snapped, closing the file cabinet harder than I wanted.
“It explains the bond between offspring and parents,” he said. “Lycans are a bit different from werewolves, but the basics are the same.”
“What about it?” I asked, taking the book from Luke.
“You would be able to scent your offspring,” he said, smiling. “Isn’t that enough proof?”
“No, not really,” I said.
Luke’s smile faltered, and he looked at me confused.
“Then what are you looking for?” He asked, seemingly irritated.
“As I said, all the reports surrounding the blood moon festivals.”
Luke rolled his eyes.
“Why didn’t you just say so?” he said, going to a different cabinet. “Which year?”
“About four and a half years ago.”
We kept records of every pack meeting, function, gathering, and special praise to the goddess. The Blood Moon festival fell under special praise.
Luke became quiet for a moment, and my gaze moved to him.
“What’s wrong now?” I asked.
“Four and a half years ago,” Luke said, wide-eyed. “On the night of the blood moon, you had a series of attacks.”
Blood drained from my face when I remembered that night. I felt like I was dying and that the goddess was punishing me for an unknown reason.
Luke pulled out the report and handed it to me.
I stood frozen, unsure of what my next move was.
“Go on,” Luke urged, gesturing to my desk. “Let’s see if the time frame matches.”
I took a seat, held my breath, opened the calendar, and searched for the date when Emily and I met. I knew the date by heart but needed to calculate the days until the blood moon.
“When was the blood moon?” I asked Luke.
“May 25th,” he said, looking over my shoulder.
My heart pounded in my ears, and my fingers visibly shook as I counted the days.
My blood ran cold when I clicked on May 25th.
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Werewolf pups are generally born at 7–8 months, depending on the rank and size of the pup. Lycan, on the other hand, could be born as early as 6 months.
The period between Emily’s leaving and the blood moon was close to six months.
There was no doubt anymore. Lex must be mine.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Emily said, bringing me back to my present while wiping her lips with a napkin.
My gaze fell on her hands; she was shaking like a leaf.
I rolled my eyes at her and scoffed.
Did she really believe that she would be able to keep Lex a secret from me?
“Mila had the pups with her, a boy and a girl, when she came to see you,” I said.
I didn’t tell her that Luke saw them with her, thinking it would scare her off.
Yet again, Emily denied everything and got to her feet.
“I had enough. If you would excuse me, I have better things to do than to be cross-examined to see whether Mila has pups or not,” she said defensively. “I’m leaving.”
But I didn’t even start!
“Lex,” his name, escaped from my lips, and Emily froze. “He was born on a rare blood moon.” Emily turned her gaze toward me, conflict crossed her eyes. “It is also the same night you took your first shift.”
Emily’s face turned pale. She didn’t expect me to know those facts.
“How do you know this?” She asked, worry reflecting in her deep blue eyes. I was now certain she didn’t want me to know about Lex’s existence. “Were you spying on me?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I felt your pain when you took your first shift, and Lex’s birth.”
The pain I was in that night still haunts my sleep, but now I know the reason why I was in pain-the goddess gave me a sign that the future Alpha was born.
“That’s impossible,” Emily growled. “Who told you? Xavier made sure no one would ever speak of that night!”
So it was true. Emily shifted the night of Lex’s birth. That was quite interesting. Not many wolves in general can ensure so much pain.
“No one told me,” I said calmly, sitting back in my chair and watching her.
“Then how do you know about that night?” She sneered.
Emily was now getting upset, and I needed to defuse the situation before she decided to run off.
“I met Lex in the foyer,” I said. “He was with Mila on their way out.”
Blood left Emily’s face, and she swallowed hard at the lump that had formed in her throat.
She was clearly scared, and tears were threatening to be released.
Was she scared of me knowing we had a pup together, or was it something else?
“No, that’s not the issue,” Ghost said.
“Then what is her problem?” I asked. “Why all the secrecy?”
“She is in two minds about you knowing about the pup,” Ghost said. “She is afraid that you will not accept the pup and believe it is someone else’s, yet just as afraid that you will try and take him from her.”
“I would never do that to her or Lex,” I said, balling my hands into fists out of frustration. “But Lex is the future Alpha of this pack, and he has the right to live among his people.”
I sighed turning my attention back to Emily.
“Lex saw me, and he introduced himself, and he showed me an old memory of some sort,” I said, dropping my gaze. “I saw flashes of images that are believed to be his birth.”
Emily watched me in disbelief. She didn’t say a word. Was she processing what I was saying?
“I did some research, and the event matched the night I fell ill,” I continued.
“Only the White Moon Pack members know about when he was born,” Emily muttered to herself, blinking the tears away.
So I was right.
“I can’t do this,” she said, shaking her head, and turned to leave.
I got up, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to my chest.
Emily sobbed.
“I’m sorry,” I said, stroking her hair. “I didn’t want to upset you. But I have longed to have a pup with you; I just got carried away.”
Emily lifted her head, and I could read the answer in her eyes-she understood.
“So?” I asked. “Is Lex mine?”
Emily closed her eyes, and she slowly nodded her head.
“He is,” she whispered. “He knows about you.”
My heart warmed in my chest, and a smile followed on my lips.
“I’m a father!” I whispered in wonder.
Will Emily trust me enough to allow me to learn to know my own son?
****