2

CALIFF

The door swung open to my office. My father walked in with a wide smile.

Months had passed, and I still tried to wrap my head around that Shadow risked her life to heal my father despite what he did to her parents and her old pack. I could never repay her, and the only thing I could do was give her my unconditional love and treat her as my queen.

“Dad.” I rose to my feet and met him halfway. “What are you doing here?”

“Welcome back, son.” He pulled me into a hug with a back tap.

“Thank you.”

“Where’s your wife?” He looked around the office and didn’t find Shadow.

“She’s with Kindra, sorting out the infirmary supply. How’s mom?”

“She’s knitting.”

“Knitting?” I sat back. A hint of laughter from me made Dad shrug as he sat across from me.

“She’s excited to receive the good news.”

I sighed as I rested my back. “She might be disappointed. And please, don’t ask Shadow. We’ve talked about having children, but it started to get into her head, and she began stressing. I don’t want her to make it her priority. I’m okay to wait for a few years, or at least when the house is done.”

“Good. Good.” Dad nodded.

“Now, tell me, what’s this visit all about?”

“I met Sebastien last week. He also wants to be a grandfather.”

“Of course.” I was forced not to make an eye roll. “He wants to expand his kind. That’s what he and Shadow fought about when they first met, but I think he has a change of heart. I start to think that he may care about his daughter, and he hasn’t broken his words.”

“I think so. In his own way, he wants to be a good father to Shadow. So as Alexander.” He stood up.

“You’re leaving?”

“Well, I’m sure you have a lot of things to catch up on. I don’t want to take so much of your time. Come and visit us once in a while. And tell Shadow that I dropped by.”

Before my father could go to the door, it opened wide, revealing my beautiful wife.

“Waylon, what a surprise?”

“Hey, honey.” They kissed cheek-to-cheek. “How was the honeymoon?”

“Great and short.” She laughed, eyes twinkling. “How are you?” She strolled her gaze at my father from head to toe.

“Never been better. I never used that wheelchair again. It’s a miracle, honey.”

“I’m glad to hear that. It’s all worth my highlights.” She was still smiling. “How’s Eleanor? I missed her.”

“I was just telling Califf to come and visit us.”

“We will once we’re done with our pending works. I still have a lot to catch up on and learn, but baby steps.”

“Then I should be going. I just came to check up on both of you.”

“Take care,” I said as I came beside Shadow.

Once my father was gone, I wrapped my arms around my mate, inhaled her scent, and kissed my mark on her neck. “How are you?”

“I’m good. You should go back to work.”

“Why are you pushing me hard to work, baby?” I tried hard to sound gloomy.

“I still have a lot to learn about being a Luna, Califf.”

“Hey.” I forced her to face me. “This is a long-term job. Just like being a mother.” Shit. She instantly pursed her lips. “I mean, you have me to help you out. If any of the pack members need your help, then help them, guide them, and give them advice. The rest is my job.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m just trying to familiarize myself with my job descriptions. Anyway, Duke has the infirmary stock request. Tomorrow, you will get the budget request from the kitchen.”

I couldn’t help but smile and be proud of her. “You did that in just two hours?”

“Well, it’s almost the year’s second quarter, Alpha.”

“I’m proud of you, baby.” I cupped her face and kissed her lips. “Truly. You’re my Luna.”

She frowned. “Why? You’re doubting our mate bond or my capability.”

“Don’t ever say that.” I traced her chin with my thumb. “You know, I never doubted the first time I sniffed your scent. I just tried to fight it because I was not ready to have a mate, but I never regretted my decision to have you in my life.”

“Well, don’t be dramatic.” She went to sit on the chair and took her phone.

I sat back in my chair and reviewed my investment report at Alpha Knight’s winery. “With whom are you chatting?”

“Jealous?” she asked, her gaze was still pinned on the screen.

“If you’re chatting with a guy, yes.”

“Yes. I’m chatting with Zack,” she answered instantly.

“About?”

She met my gaze. “If Zarah won’t make a portal, I have to travel with Zack. I’m one hundred percent sure you won’t allow me to drive alone. Am I right?”

“Yes. And I’m confident Zack will take his own life if he puts yours in any harm’s way.”

“It won’t come to that.”

“Have you talked to Zarah?”

“She hasn’t replied to my text.”

I nodded. “I don’t like the idea of you traveling long hours even if we already eliminated the threats.”

“There can be another one. Maybe humans, something like in Wrong Turn movies.”

“Really, baby?” I squinted, smirking. “That’s what you scared about? A half-Lycan, half-witch is scared of human traps?”

“Those are deadly.” She shrugged and paused. “Zack, come in.”

I shook my head in amusement. She really had way better senses than all of us. I could only do that with concentration, and it was just normal for her, and she could do more good to the pack once she mastered her gift.

Zack walked in. “Alpha, Luna.”

“You will keep her safe for me.”

He sat next to Shadow. “With my life.”

“Please, stop it. I can take care of myself.” She rolled her eyes but didn’t take her gaze off the phone screen.

“No doubt, but it’s part of my job, and don’t insult my capability, Shadow.”

She laughed, offering him a fist bump. “We’re a team, Zack. I would never do that.”

He fistbumped with her. “So you’re going to practice your gift?”

“That’s the plan, but Zarah might have Coven work today.”

“Well, I’m just a link away.”

“How’s the patrol duty, Zack?”

“So far, no incident, Alpha. Boring. Did Lyon report yet?”

“He’ll be here in a few hours. How’s Duke while I was away?”

“Less scary, but everyone respects him as the Beta. And he’s reliable. Kindra is good at her job, too.”

“No incident, accident, fights while we were away?”

“Nothing, Alpha.”

“Huh?” Shadow turned her head at Zack and looked at him. “Given that you guys are the best walking G****e and TMZ, nothing really happened for two weeks?”

“I pretend not to be insulted, Shadow, but I told you.”

“How’s the training of the two bullies?”

“Oh, they’re fast learners. I guess they learned their lessons and respect you a lot now,” he told Shadow with a smile. “I mean, they couldn’t stop talking about that day when you told them to fight alongside us.”

Shadow smiled. Pride appeared in her eyes. “Homer and Rocket said that?”

“Yup. And trust me. They will catch a bullet for you,” said Zack.

“I hope it won’t come to that. They’re good kids.”

“Alpha, we have a situation?”

“What?” I was already on my feet when Lyon’s voice came right to our pack link. The images of blood and deaths and the aftermath of Keane’s actions flashed back in my head, almost making me dizzy.

“What’s wrong?” Shadow and Zack asked in unison.

“I’m here on the site, Alpha. I saw the claw marks on the chest before the new sheriff covered the body. It’s not a bear attack or a work of a human.”

“There’s a new sheriff in town?” I asked in surprise.

“Yes,” Zack answered. “Sheriff Carter Wade.”

“Come back to the compound. I want you to tell me everything.”

“On my way.”

When the link cut off, I met Shadow’s gaze. I went silent for a moment, wondering how to tell her. I didn’t know how to break the news. To be honest, everything that happened in the past was still raw, and I didn’t want another attack or dead bodies piling in my backyard.

“There’s been an attack.”

“Not again.”

“By a werewolf?” Zack asked.

“Possibly. And the victim is human.”

“Shit.”