Shirley wasn’t surprised when she received Jennifer’s call. She was at the nail salon, doing her nails. “I thought you wanted to wait a little longer,” she said.
“We can’t wait any longer!” Jennifer’s voice was urgent. “Now that wretched girl Emma is getting closer to Patrick. If he can delay his rut for her until she’s of age, he’ll make her Luna. I can’t allow that to happen!”
Shirley admired her newly done nails, a nice shade of pink, her favorite color. “You’re too anxious. You’re going to make Patrick suspicious at this rate.”
Less than twenty-four hours had passed since yesterday, and she hadn’t expected Jennifer to be this agitated.
While she, too, wanted to secure the position of Luna, she wasn’t foolish. Since she learned that Patrick had delayed his rut, she knew that a girl named Emma held significant sway in Patrick’s heart. She was just a lowly omega, not worth risking it with Patrick.
Emma wasn’t of age yet, and Patrick couldn’t do anything, even if he fancied her. Moreover, Emma didn’t seem to like it here. Shirley couldn’t understand what there was to miss about her impoverished hometown, but it worked in her favor.
Unlike Jennifer, who was blinded by jealousy, Shirley could see that Emma truly didn’t want to stay here. Perhaps she would find a new partner who would want to leave with her, increasing Shirley’s chance of becoming Luna.
“You need to be patient. But for now, we can send false information to that girl, Emma. I know the longest delay for a rut is three months. After that, Patrick will need me regardless. We can let her know she can’t help Patrick,” Shirley suggested.
Jennifer gradually calmed down. Shirley was right; Emma was not yet of age. Before she came of age, Patrick couldn’t evade his rut indefinitely.
“Alright,” Jennifer muttered. “We will have our chance.”
That night, Emma texted Patrick, informing him that she needed to go out again and would be back tomorrow night, telling him not to come looking for her.
Patrick was surprised when he received the message.
Harry was sitting at his new spot, focused on the computer. “Did Emma message you?” he asked.
Patrick frowned, looking puzzled. “She was out all night yesterday, why is she not home today?”
Kids of his age were somewhat romantic, loving to wander the streets, get drunk at bars, or engage in spontaneous adventures. After all, he used to be like that too, driving a couple of hundred kilometers to a pack for a concert he loved.
Moreover, Emma was a girl who, though not showing it on her face, was full of fantasies and romance.
“Maybe she made new friends at the bonfire party. How’s your rut going? Is it better now? You seem much better today than yesterday,” Harry observed.
Patrick stretched. “I feel much better after waking up. I feel good now.”
“It looks like the experiment can continue.”
“Yes.”
“Did Shirley come by yesterday?”
At that mention, Patrick’s expression turned serious. He stood up, leaning forward against the window, taking a deep breath.
“I think it’s time to seriously warn Shirley.”
Harry tapped the keys on the keyboard. “Of course, Shirley needs to be warned. But don’t you think the bigger problem now is Jennifer? It seems that ever since Emma arrived, she has become extremely urgent about you finding Luna.”
Patrick knew Jennifer had defied his orders several times, forcibly bringing Shirley in past the guards. This was not allowed; he was the alpha, and no one could challenge his authority, not even his mother. He needed to enforce a command for everyone not to spread such rumors, nor discuss Shirley’s matters.
He had once believed that Jennifer shouldn’t be under the management of the alpha; she had been Luna, a mother, a hero here. But now, damn it, he realized he was wrong. Jennifer despised Emma, not just disliked her-she hated her. That hatred might drive her to do worse things.
She would do everything to harm Emma, and he hoped Emma didn’t have to find out about this. Emma hadn’t told him what exactly had happened between her and Jennifer last night, but he assumed it was unpleasant, given her uneasy expression. He hoped to have the chance to explain everything to her and tell her that, no matter what, he would protect her.
“I will issue a command not to allow Shirley back into my house. Even with Jennifer’s permission, no one can discuss Shirley’s matters without my consent, including my mother and Nelson; I will talk to him as well.”
“We need to make the best decisions for you and our pack.”
“This is the best decision. Shirley won’t have any chance, regardless of whether Emma becomes Luna or my mate. I won’t let my mother have her way.”
Harry smiled. “It’s bestthat you think like that. Since you took over as alpha, I think Jennifer has been a bit too intrusive with your power. She’s nervous about you, but that’s not a reason to let the alpha’s power slip into someone else’s hands. You need to take back control.”
Patrick fell silent. Jennifer was his mother, she had suffered so much, and he didn’t know if doing this was the right thing.
“If you continue to allow her to erode your power, these things will repeat. You can’t protect your Luna, the people you care about. You have to make a decision, Patrick.”