Kayden’s POV
I stared at mum and Dad’s bewildered look.
“Sam… Samantha is your mate?” Mum asked ecstatically.
“Yes mum,” I replied.
“I have always known that there was a special bond between the both of you. I knew that you would eventually go for her.”
“Thought you said you were going to reject your mate.” mum said to me in a mind link.
“I was simply being kind of stupid to think that I could easily reject my mate especially not when it is such a cute soul as Mantha,” I replied her.
“Samantha, I never even knew you were a wolf.” mum said while Dad remained quiet, an expressionless look on his face which had me a bit puzzled.
After all, he had been the one who always wanted me to get a mate so I could not understand the look that he had on.
“I… I had not shapeshifted yet back then.” Samantha replied mum.
“Tell me, what pack are you from?” Mum asked Mantha.
Hell! I can’t let mum probe Mantha, she definitely does not want to talk about her source yet.
“Mum, we have not had breakfast yet, how about we have a meal first?” I asked mum, pulling Mantha back to me.
“You mean this girl is your mate?” Dad asked and I raised a brow.
“What do you mean by this girl dad?” I asked him.
“Let’s talk over the meal,” he replied and headed back to his room.
“What the heck is wrong with your husband?” I asked mum.
“Hey, do not be rude to your father. I am sure he is happy that you got your mate. He is just still surprised, he would have come around by the time we are having the meal.” mum replied.
“That just better be the case,” I grumbled and held Mantha by her waist before leading her out of the presence of mum in quite a fit.
“How did I get surrounded with only arrogant males?” I heard mum grumble while I climbed up the stairs.
“I really do not know what your father meant by saying this girl. I am already working on how to raise my pups and he calls our mate ‘this girl'” Jay growled.
“You should know this by now Jay when I love, I do love hard, I am not going to let go of Mantha, not for anything. And we might even be overreacting right now. Let us wait for him patiently to explain his sentence.” I replied Jay and that seemed to calm him down a bit.
I opened my room and took my seat while Mantha just stood at the door, holding her hands together.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, walking back to her.
“I… I… I don’t think your Dad wants me for you.” she replied and a tear rolled down her cheek.
“Hey, don’t cry. I have told you that I do not care about anyone’s opinion.” I replied her.
“B… but your Dad, he is a very important figure in your life… He is still the father of the Alpha and Alphas, what… What if he does not allow you to get together with me?” She asked with a cracking voice.
“That is not going to happen, I make my decisions,” I replied her.
“Are you sure you would not let go of me?” She asked and I kissed her forehead.
“For all we know, my dad might probably not mean what we are thinking,” I said.
“Just assure me that you would never leave me.”
“I would never leave you Mantha,” I replied her and she buried her face in my chest.
I wrapped my hands around her and patted her back fondly.
“I will always be here for you,” I mumbled to her and helped her to take a seat.
“I want you to maintain a bold stance when you go downstairs for the meal later. Do not show any form of weakness, whatever goes on downstairs, I will take care of it.” I said to her.
“Thank you so much.” she forced a smile and hugged me again.
We remained in that position for quite a long time, we were but sleeping or anything, we did not say a word either. We just both were thinking. I could not stop hoping Dad did not mean what I was thinking because the truth was that Dad still had an impact on the wolfdom and his refusal of my mate would cause some trouble for sure and troubles were not what I wanted to deal with at the moment.
“Then what are you going to do?” Jay asked.
“If troubles eventually come, I have no choice, I would have to take on the troubles and as always win,” I replied to him and then a knock came on the door.
“In.”
The door opened a maid walked in with her head to the floor.
“I was told to inform you that the meal is ready Alpha,” she said and I waved her to leave which she did in a rush.
“Are you ready to go downstairs?” I asked Mantha.
“Can I skip the meal? I am not hungry.”
“You are going to go my Luna, you can’t avoid things, okay?” I asked and she pressed her lips into a thin line, nodding her head.
We both got up from the couch and headed out of the room. We got to the dining room and there was no one there.
I and Mantha took our seats.
“You are here already.” I heard mum’s voice and she walked up to us, taking her seat too.
“Where’s dad?” I asked.
“He would soon be here.” mum replied.
“And did he tell you what he meant earlier?” I asked.
“He did not, he insisted that he is going to tell us what he means during this meal,” she replied.
“I am here already.” I heard Dad’s voice and another faint scent, Lauren.
“What is she doing here? This is ruining my mood already” I groaned.
“Hey young man, I still own this home,” Dad said and took his seat.
Lauren took her seat without a word.
“No greetings to the Alpha and his future Luna?” I asked her and her eyes shot up towards me.
“Oh, you were not informed?” I asked and pulled Mantha close, kissing her lips.
“Kayden.” dad called and I faced him.
“What I said earlier, it is what you all are thinking. I do not think she is suitable to become the next Luna.” Dad said and I grabbed Mantha’s hands under the table.
She was clenching her fist, definitely trying to keep a leash on her sadness.
“What do you mean dad?” I asked him.
“Taking a look at her, I can see very well that she is weak still yet, she is clumsy, she is not strong and she has no knowledge of how things are being done.”
“You should not say that in front of Mantha.” mum said to him while I bit on my lips hard.
“Do you mean that the moon goddess made a mistake?” I asked, trying to keep a check on the growling and howling Jay in me.
“The moon goddess did not make it compulsory for one to take in the mate for a reason, you are given the option to reject.”
“Dad… You have always wanted me to bring my mate to you and now that I do, this is what you do?” I asked, blazing with anger.
“I was expecting someone stronger!” Dad yelled.
“Someone stronger?! And what’s your definition of stronger?!”
“Lauren! She is strong, she knows about us very well, she is skilled too! She is the type of mate you should have, the type of Luna you deserve!” He half yelled.
“Dad, listen to me. The issue of who becomes the next Luna depends on me and me alone.” I gritted my teeth.
“I would not let someone weak takeover!” Dad groaned.
“Don’t call her someone weak!” I yelled banging the table.
“The both of you keep your calm!” Mum yelled but the both of us were no longer willing to listen.
“That is what she is, she is weak!” Dad yelled yet again and I pulled Mantha up.
“She is my mate and she would be my Luna.”
“If you truly think she is not weak, then let her get into a contest with Lauren!” Dad yelled and I halted in my steps.
That was one thing I could not do yet, there was so much possibility that Mantha would fail.
“I…” I breathed in and out deeply, not knowing what exactly to say.
Just at that point where I was trying to think of something to say to reject the contest and still keep Mantha’s pride, Mantha’s soft voice echoed in the room.
“I accept the contest.”