FORTY-FIVE

“What are you doing here, mother?” Slade’s deep voice cut through the tension in the room. My eyes darted from mother to son, but neither seemed to be aware of my presence as they glared at each other.

“What do you think you are doing, Slade?” Luna Evelyn seethed “You can’t tell me not to come in here to see her,” she motioned in my direction and I’m not even sure why I took a step back when she did. “She is carrying my grandchild!”

“I’m the alpha now, I give the orders. If I say I do not want anyone close to my mate after what she did, then it’s going to be that way,” Slade’s voice was low, but it carried its usual authoritativeness. I’d gone shopping with his mum using his credit card once, and Slade had the notion that she was grooming me to disobey him. Many times he wants me to stand up for myself, and many times he’d rather I do not interrupt his speech or contend with him. I’d never understand him.

“And what did she do that is so bad you had to lock her up in here like a crimin