A Year To Live

Two weeks later…

Beta Frank was surprised to see his daughter walk into his office just as the dinner bell rang.

"Mona! Why aren't you at dinner?" He asked.

"I'm not hungry." She dropped on his office sofa and folded her arms in front of her. "You asked to see me?"

"I did but you should finish with dinner."

"I said I am not hungry." She snapped.

Frank's brows lifted. "Where is Kyle? He should be with you. You can't afford to leave him unattended. The times are dangerous."

"He is with a nanny." She said sharply. "I have warned her that if he gets as much as a scratch, I will burn her alive!"

Her father knew her enough to know she was mad about something and would only tell him when she wanted to.

" You should go to dinner my dear. You cannot leave the Alpha alone with Judy. We don't want that snake putting ideas into his head."

"The idiot isn't even at dinner!" She fumed, springing to her feet. "He is locked in his room, moaning and whining over his dead love! I thought he would hate her after she killed his mother, but he won't stop talking about her. It's like I don't even exist."

"Take it easy my dear. Sharon was his first love and fated mate. Letting go of her memory will take time."

"It has been two weeks already damnit! That is more than enough time."

"Lower your voice." Her father said glancing towards the closed door. "Tantrums won't help. What you should be doing is sticking by the Alpha's side and helping him forget her. The longer he dwells on her memory, the more likely he may start doubting her guilt."

That's if he lets me get near him." She grumbled. "I can't believe he is pining for his mother's murderer." A look came into her father's eyes. "What father? I know that look. Sharon killed the Agba Luna didn't she?"

He shrugged. "It dosen't matter."

"I want to know."

"The important thing," he said, leaning back in his

chair, "is that everyone believes she did. And that belief serves us well. Sometimes the version people believe is more useful than the truth."

"So you are not going to answer me?"

"Enough of the dead! Focus on the living Alpha, and on our biggest problem."

"Which is?" She frowned.

"Gamma Judy."

"Forget that bitch. I can handle her."

"No you can't. She didn't betrayed Sharon to help you, she did it for herself. She is ambitious and that makes her dangerous. Right now I know she is hatching something against us. We have to act fast."

"Don't worry about it dad." She said irritably. "She is powerless. By the end of the month I will be the new Luna. Jerry will officially name Kyle his legitimate heir, and Judy can go drink silver. Relax. We have nothing to worry about."

Frank didn't share her confidence but he let it drop.

"Fine, now go to your husband. Get him out of his mood while I prepare for your ceremony. It will be the biggest our pack has ever seen."

She left, muttering under her breath and went to her husband.

Who at that very moment was with Judy.

Earlier, when Judy had entered the dining room she had been surprised to see it empty.

"Where is everyone?" She asked a servant.

"The Alpha is in his room. The Luna is with her father."

Judy's lips curled contemptuously at hearing Mona called Luna. The wannabe can't wait to wear the crown. We will see about that. She thought.

"Where is the Alpha's dinner?" She asked.

The maid pointed to the tray. She picked it up and carried it to his room. His door was locked but she had a spare key so she used it and entered.

He was standing by the window, staring at a portrait of Sharon, and didn't hear her enter until she set the tray down hard enough to rattle the cutlery.

"How did you get in?" He asked startled and annoyed.

"Through the door." She eyed the portrait. "Shouldn't you have destroyed that and everything else reminding you of this murderer? Wait, don't

tell me Sharon is the reason you have been confining yourself to your room and refusing

food?"

He sighed heavily. "Sometimes I think I made a mistake."

"Don't be ridiculous. She killed our mother!"

"She was your friend, do you really believe she was capable of that?" He asked soberly.

She sat besides him, her face a mask of sorrow.

"Jerry," she said gently. "I know you loved her, so did I. She did a lot of good in this pack but we can't ignore the fact that she brutally murdered our mother."

"Why would she? Sharon loved her. Once she risked her life going into rouge territory to find the herbs needed to save her, why would she take her life?"

Judy's voice softened like velvet. "You know why. Mom wanted to build a healing center and end herbal medicine. That would have stripped Sharon of her power, and power meant more to her than anything. Her hunger for it drove her to destroy everyone who loved her." She patted his hand gently. "It hurts now but our hearts will heal. I promise. Now eat. I can't bear seeing you so unhappy."

Jerry didn't think he would ever heal but now he had to pretend, for her sake. He forced a smile and accepted the soup she passed to him

She nodded approvingly as he took a bite. It tasted bland.

"Better. " She said watching him swallow. "Live your life and forget Sharon. She wasn't fit to be your Luna." Her voice hardened. "Neither is Mona."

He paused, spoon halfway to his mouth. "You think my marriage is too sudden?"

"I do. Give it time."

"I don't have time."

She arched her brows. "Meaning?"

"I want to confide in you. Promise you won't be mad for not telling you earlier." He told her about Kyle's paternity.

She pretended to be shocked. "You cheated on your wife with her friend?"

"It's wrong I know, but it wasn't intentional. I don't even know how it happened. I planned to confess to Sharon, beg forgiveness, and send Mona and Kyle to another pack. But now Sharon's gone I will marry Mona and make Kyle legitimate. I don't love Mona but at least she has given me an heir, something Sharon could never do."

Judy nodded understandingly, recalling with private satisfaction how she had smiled through each of Sharon's miscarriages.

"But marriage to Mona so soon would leave

a bad impressions. I advice you follow your original plan. Send them away for a year until everything dies down, then go through with the ceremony."

He ate some more food while considering her idea. She had always given him good advice and he trusted her.

"You are right as always. I will prospone the ceremony."

You won't be here after a year dear brother. She thought smugly.

She left his room with a satisfied grin. Time for phase two of her plan.