Kevin’s POV
I watched as Zeke’s expression change at the news of Ariana’s death and I felt partly guilty about it. After all, she had been working to protect me. Sadness crept into my heart and I felt pity for Zeke. He must have been looking forward to see his woman again.
I wasn’t sure he could still call her his woman though as they were never mated and it had been over two decades that they saw each other but she was his mate, regardless of the circumstances that they were in and I wondered how Ariana would react if she was alive and he called her his woman.
I was curious about what broke them up but something told me that I had an idea of what it was. It must have been the difference in our packs. I had always thought that Ariana was bold but knowing that she fell in love with a wolf from the rival pack shone a different light on that. She was exceptional. Her father was as well. It wasn’t a surprise that Ella was as tough as a nail. She had the blood of two courageous people running in her veins.
I watched as the father and daughter bonding moment progressed, happy for the two of them. They had moved from the death of Ariana and Zeke had sobered up, wiping the tears that had fallen from his eyes off his cheeks. His eyes were brimming with anger and I knew what come next. I would have been that way too if I heard of the unexpected death of the woman I loved and mother of my child.
“How did she die?” Zeke asked.
My breath hitched in my throat and I wished something could pull me away from here. I suddenly couldn’t find it easy to breathe.
“She was killed by rogues.” Ella said.
I felt my lungs start to work again and my heart heaved out the breath it had been holding in relief. I was glad she didn’t say more than that. She didn’t even glance at me as she spoke and give any inkling that I was there when her mother died. The last thing I needed was the father of my mate hating me because I was involved in the death of his mate.
I could see the anger in his eyes getting intense and didn’t think I could ever survive it if the anger was directed at me. I believed it was better that we kept it directed at the Rogues instead of anyone of us.
“Tell me about these rogues.” Zeke growled.
Ella talked to her father and I glanced away, giving them the privacy that they needed. Now was the time for Ella to bond with her father. If it was time for me to bond with her father, I would be available but it wasn’t now.
I tuned away from what Ella and her father were talking about. I didn’t want to think of the blue river alpha’s brother sitting by her side either. I had almost lost it when he embraced her tightly in a fierce hug, my eyes flashing with jealousy and possessiveness when he squeezed her tight.
I had almost laughed as well when he called me out on it. He was right. He wasn’t his brother and I shouldn’t be so quick to judge him by what his brother had done. For all I didn’t know yet, he might be a better person than his brother and his father.
“She is a blue river wolf.” I heard someone say beside me and whirled my head towards their direction.
I had been so focused on Ella and my reaction to the little reunion that I hadn’t stopped to check for what my men’s reaction would be. I shouldn’t have forgotten that. That was vital than anything else. I should have known that they would be shocked by the news and discuss it when they think that me or Ella aren’t listening.
I hoped that they weren’t put off by the sudden discovery. I knew that Ella was trying to act like she was strong but secretly, she was bothered of what the men would think of her when the news of her father’s heritage comes to light.
“No, she is a blood moon wolf.” I whispered the way the person had done. We kept our voices down out of respect to Ella, Caleb and Zeke so they wouldn’t hear us
The men turned at the sound of my voice and blushed when they realized that I had joined them. They must have thought that they were talking in secret and I was still focused on my mate.
I snorted. As if I would ignore them for ever. I expected them to have known better.
Andre’s eyes widened at the look of calm on my face. “You know about this?”
“I knew not long ago.”
“And you are calm with it?” Andre seemed to be filled with disbelief and continued questioning me. “She is from the rival pack.”
I shook my head gentler than I was feeling at the moment. I was getting angry and didn’t want to seem aggressive. “She is from the blood moon pack. Let’s not forget that her mother was a fierce and respected warrior of the pack who fought all her life to her death to protect me and everything the pack stands for. Ella grew up with us and we know everything about her. I know who she is and that is all that matters.”
“She was with the blue river pack for years. Do you know what she had done there?”
A memory of Ella choosing to stay with them rather than come home with me flashed in my head but I ignored it. I didn’t know all what she had done there but I was ready to defend her till I dropped with fatigue and exasperation from all their suspicions and questions.
Liam beat me to it before I said anything. “The Luna lived as quietly as she could while she was with the blue river pack. I doubt anyone knows that she is from the blood moon pack that they would cajole her to betray us. You all heard the second son of the alpha call her Anna. She lived under a fake name and a fake identity. Doesn’t that tell us that her loyalty is to the blood moon pack and she won’t betray us?”
“The alpha’s son called her Ella too. He knows who she is.” Two of the men argued.
“Because of her father.” Liam replied. “Wouldn’t it be odd to travel with a man to find his daughter and not know her real name?”
“It would.” Damien nodded, letting go of his argument.
“Do you know already of this?” Andre asked Liam, looking at him squarely in the eyes.
Liam shook his head. “No but she is the mate of the alpha that I serve. I trust her as much as I trust the alpha and know that she wouldn’t do anything to hurt the pack. Regardless of who her birth father is, I’m strongly convinced that she is a member of the blood moon pack.”
“From what I know of the Luna, I think the general is right. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt the alpha or the pack as a member of the blood moon pack.” Sebastian said.
I smiled at his choice of words. As a member of the blood moon pack.
One by one, the men began to talk of Ella and admitted that she was still the same member of blood moon pack and the Luna that they all knew and loved. I smiled as their doubts washed away and wished Ella wasn’t so engrossed in a conversation with her father to see this. I wished she could how the men accepted her origin and realize that she had nothing to worry about after all.
I glanced at Liam and mouthed my gratitude to him. He nodded and smiled back. At that moment, I felt strongly that everything was going to be fine, regardless of what would come at me and Ella, threatening to shake our peace.