CHAPTER 06

A knock on my front door brought me out from the kitchen where I’d been preparing some cookies. I opened the door and found Allen Simons on my front porch.

“Well you haven’t been to work for days now, young man,” I told him, hands on my waist to show my seriousness.

“I’ve had a lot to process, Miss Mona.”

He always had a response. It was never his fault. I kinda understood his situation this time though.

“Wanna come in?” I offered. “The cookies in the oven are almost ready.”

Allen nodded and I walked back into the house. He followed, shutting the door after himself.

We entered the kitchen and I put mittens on to check on my cookies while he took a seat at the island counter.

“What do you think of this new alpha guy, Miss Mona?” he asked.

Oh, it was gonna be this conversation, huh?

“He seems alright, I guess,” I replied.

“Have you had any interactions with him?”

Why was he asking me that? I was probably just being paranoid though. He had no idea about Dom and I. I mean, a few older pack members knew about our old love story, but I doubt Allen knew anything of it. He was sixteen now. Eight years ago, he was eight. I think it’s safe to say he wasn’t bothered about my relationship at that age.

“My dad seems to really like the guy even though most of the pack don’t,” Allen went on. “Joe’s dad and Mrs. Wright seem to like him just fine though. They were the omega and Beta to my father so where’s the loyalty?!”

I took the cookies out of the oven and set the tray on the counter then turned to Allen.

“Look, kid, Nick and Sonia are bound to the alpha of the South Hartvale Pack. They love your dad and will always be loyal to him, but he lost the alpha title fair and square so the omega and Beta spirits will shift their allegiance to the new alpha instinctively. Everyone loves and respects your dad so now he’s telling us to trust Alpha Dominic, what do you expect us to do?”

“I expect the pack to demand another match for my dad!” Allen snapped. “I’ll fight for his honor if I have to. Why does nobody else seem to feel this way about the matter besides me and my mom?! Why is it so easy to just forget the old leader?!”

“Is this how wolf packs work?” this last question he asked in a very sad voice.

“Oh sweetheart.” I stepped forward and took his hands in mine from across the counter.

“None of this is bad, Allen,” I told him. “If all packs worked like ours, the world would be a better place for our kind. Your dad was and will always be the best leader we have ever had as far as I’m concerned, okay?”

“So you’re still loyal to my dad and not the new guy?” he asked, looking into my eyes.

“I trust your dad’s intelligence so if he says the new guy is alright then the least we can do is give him a chance, don’t you think?”

Allen scoffed and gently pulled his hands out of mine. He crossed them over his chest. Kid still wasn’t happy.

“Want some milk with your cookies?” I asked him.

He looked at me with a scowl, but finally nodded while still keeping up his mean face. I just loved this kid. He was like the little brother I never had.

I went about getting plates and getting some warm milk ready.

“Dad’s helping him hold a conference at the community center later today,” Allen announced.

“Helping who? Dom?” I asked.

“Dom?” he asked back raising an eyebrow.

“The new alpha guy,” I corrected myself.

“Yeah, him,” he confirmed. “Dad’s helping him organize some kinda meet-and-greet to make the people get to know him better.”

“Well that’s nice of your dad.”

Allen grunted in disgust and I couldn’t help laughing.

The milk was heated so I poured it into two mugs, put six cookies in a plate and served it at the counter then took a seat across from Allen.

“Now, let’s get some food in you and see if we can’t turn that frown upside down, little man.”

He maintained the frown on his face, but picked up the mug.

“Thanks, Miss Mona,” he mumbled.

“Oh I didn’t hear that, son,” I said, turning my left ear to him.

“I said thank you,” he repeated, smiling this time.

I smiled now and we both sipped our milk.

“I’ll be seeing you at the diner again starting tomorrow, right?” I asked him. “Vacation’s over. Unless you wanna loose that second-in-command spot.”

“I’ll be there, Miss Mona.”

“That’s my boy.”

“I do wonder how this new alpha is gonna operate without a Luna because my mom still holds that title and she is not one of his fans.” He bit into the cookie after dropping the lines.

Allen was right. Cynthia did not like Dom and it couldn’t be easy for an Alpha to work without a Luna.

“The moon spirits will deal with that, we just need to do our part, Allen.”

“I’m never gonna support that guy,” he grumbled then took another bite from his cookie, a big one this time.

For the first time in a long while, I was doing something normal; just chatting with Allen like I’ve always done. No pressure, no fear, no doubt, no Dom.