Chapter 2

The chatter quickly made its way to Brad's mother, Agnes Horton.

I was sitting down for breakfast with Dorian when Agnes called.

"Laila, you'd better explain yourself! Brad is the pack's Alpha! Protecting the pups is his duty! It's bad enough you're useless as a Luna, but to go and turn Dorian against his own father?"

I put the phone on speaker and set it on the dining table.

Dorian was cutting into his steak. When he heard Agnes' voice, his knife and fork stopped at the edge of the plate.

Agnes continued yelling furiously, "Don't flatter yourself into thinking Dorian's top-tier wolf evaluation is all your doing! He has Brad's blood running through his veins!

"If it weren't for him, the two of you wouldn't even be living the good life you have now! I was against him taking you as Luna from day one. Looking back, I should've put my foot down!"

Dorian set his cutlery down. "Grandma."

Agnes went quiet.

"Did you know that the night before my coming-of-age trial, I fell off a chair trying to fix a light bulb?"

Agnes paused, caught off guard. "What?"

"Dad knew," Dorian said plainly. "I was up late studying for the trial when the light went out. Dad was too busy helping Finlyn train, so he told me to fix it myself.

"The stool was broken, and he'd forgotten to throw it away. I fell, and a wooden splinter on the chair leg gouged a massive chunk out of my calf. But Dad was in a rush to drop off food for Finlyn, so he told me to wrap it up myself."

Silence fell over the other end of the line.

Then, Agnes began making excuses for Brad. "Every pup in our pack has gotten hurt growing up. Dorian, you need to understand your father. He's the Alpha of the pack. He has everyone to answer to."

Noticing Dorian fall silent, I ended the call.

During dinnertime, Agnes showed up at our doorstep, flanked by two pack elders.

The moment I opened the door, they pushed their way inside.

Elder Mora Saunders spoke in an earnest tone. "Laila, mates fight. It happens. But Brad is the pack's Alpha. You need to rein in that temper of yours."

The other elder, Ella Cooke, deliberately walked toward the study door, eyeing Dorian's back.

"Dorian, your mother doesn't know any better, but you should. You're the Alpha's son. You have a bright future ahead of you. Without your father backing you, you won't be able to hold your head up once you get to the academy!"

Inside the study, Dorian was flipping through brochures for various academies. With his top-tier wolf evaluation, he had his pick of the lot.

Suddenly, Agnes shoved me. "What are you waiting for? Call Brad and get him over here for dinner!"

I closed the study door, my expression dark. "Please leave. You're not welcome here."

That was when Brad pushed the front door open. He obviously knew they were coming.

He offered a humble nod to Agnes and the two elders, playing the part of the modest Alpha to perfection.

Then he turned to me, his gaze brimming with exhaustion. "Don't fight with Laila. It was my fault this time."

Typical. In front of outsiders, he was always the perfect, dutiful, mild-tempered Alpha.

Agnes looked at him with sharp disapproval. "Brad, you came at the right time! You've spoiled Laila rotten!"

Brad let out a heavy sigh. "Laila, can I just talk to Dorian? Just ten minutes."

Before I could speak, Agnes stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "Let them talk. Stay out of it."

Brad took the opening and slipped into the study.

By the time I followed him in, I saw Dorian sweeping a black notebook into a drawer.

"Dorian," Brad began, his tone quiet and steady as he stood near the desk. "Which academy are you looking at? I can help you weigh your options."

Dorian looked up at him. His expression was unnaturally calm for a pup who had just come of age.

"Alpha Brad, where I go is none of your concern."

Brad froze. He pulled back the hand resting on the desk, and his knuckles turned white as he clenched his fist.

When he turned toward me, fury broke through his composure. "Laila, look at how you've raised him! He's actually calling me Alpha Brad?"

I didn't answer him. I just grabbed a broom and started herding them all toward the door.

Agnes was still hurling insults, calling me ungrateful.

Once I drove them past the threshold, I met Brad's eyes. "Go keep your genius pupil Finlyn company instead. I'm sure he'd love to call you 'Dad'."

I slammed the door, shutting out everything I didn't want to see.

Dorian walked over to my side. There was a hint of hesitation in his eyes. "Was it too impolite… calling him that?"

I smiled and patted his head gently. "No. You called him exactly what he is."