Knightly
“Is that right?” she scoffs.
“Yes, if you’ve got anything to say to her. You’re welcome to express yourself openly, but she’s not going anywhere. Not after she was attacked on your territory by an omega from the sixth ward,”
“Your father’s ward,” she growls.
“My father is standing behind me. Do not affiliate me with that man,”
“You didn’t seem to have a problem being affiliated with him when you sicced him on the Roden Pack,” she sneers.
“An unfortunate alliance that ended in his favor,” I roll my eyes.
“You are an irresponsible, reckless, little boy,” she growls meeting my challenge.
“Back away from my son. He’s might not have it in him to strike a woman, but I assure you that I have no such qualms,” My mom growls. Xo ignores her and turns her darkening eyes to my mate.
“You have no idea what it is you have fallen into, Mama,” she sighs. She seems to calm down a bit.
“Don’t I know it,” Phoebe smiles politely.
“You look tired, I fight everything in my body to stop myself from slapping her hand away when she gently tips Phoebe’s chin up.
“It happens when I have to flee my house in the middle of the night from people I thought were family,” she nods.
“I am very sorry about that, Phoebe. I did warn you about bringing Kenny back here. She never belonged in our circle. Their kind has no place at my
table,”
“You knew the kids weren’t human,” she says gently.
“Yes, they’re very strong pups,” she smiles looking from my son to my daughter. “It’s why I kept you so close. Alpha pups don’t make it on their own without guidance. I knew there would come a day when you would need someone to help them. I just wanted to help. Had you told me the truth-”
“Would you have sent us away?” she asks without hesitation.
“No, I wouldn’t have allowed you to come back to the States. We’d be having a much different conversation in Italy,” she sighs.
“You have no right to the girl outside of her job,” My dad steps forward. “She’s Knight’s mate. These are his pups,”
“The boy walked away from the three of them, Fredrick. He didn’t reject his mate, he abandoned her in a very fragile time. Had she not been working for me, what do you think would have become of her had she been scented by another alpha?
“She would have been killed or worse. They would have taken the pups and what of her daughter. A pup of her breed would go for millions on the black market. She is of my kin and I will fight for her until my last breath. She is not an accessory to you people. She a human and she is frightened,”
“We know that,” I tighten my hold on Phoebe’s hand. “You know that she would have been in more danger had she stayed at my side. I thank you for protecting her when I couldn’t, but I am here now and you’re going to have to kill me to take either of them from me,”
“That’s not how the laws work,” she growls.
“Mommy,” Ayrie’s arms tighten around me, Xo takes a step back and looks away.
“There has to be a way to settle this without that having to be the only answer,” Phoebe lets go of me to plead with her. “Xo, you’ve been my friend for a
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very long time, but he’s their father. Things might of been different if he hadn’t found out, but he knows now. I don’t know what laws you’re talking about, but this is the right thing for all of us. I’m not leaving. It’s not safe.
“Ruin came into my house with other men. Had it not been for Knightly and Mr. Blake I don’t know what would have happened. I can’t even close my eyes because all I can think about is what they would have done to my k–to my pups. I’m sorry, but I can’t just ignore that,”
“You are in just as much danger here,” Xo insists. “Knightly and Fredrick are at war with the sixth ward. His biological father is a monster, Phoebe. Mama, things are dangerous here,”
“Ruin knows who they are now. Even if I left, everyone will know who they are. You know I wouldn’t be here if I thought there was another way. I might not be a shifter, but I know how to survive. I’ve been taking care of myself all my life and my instincts tell me this is where they need to be,”
“This isn’t just about the kids,”
“It doesn’t matter what happens to me,” Phoebe stands her ground. “You don’t get to decide anything where it concerns my life,”
“If you stay here, our contract is terminated,”
“Wait,” Tessa steps forward. “You can’t do that,”
“Yes, I can. Phoebe, you are breaking more than just our laws by-”
“Then consider our contract terminated,” Phoebe huffs angrily shutting her up. “You’re not going to come here and threaten me like this. Mr. Blake was nice enough to put all of this together to welcome you into his home for my sake and you’re being very disrespectful to him and his family.
“I thought you were my friend. My mentor. But you’re not better than Kendra and Ruin. Please, leave. I’ll have my things out of my–your office by tomorrow and I’d like for you never to come near me again,”
“Phoebe, you’re making a mistake,”
“The only mistake I made was thinking that you would understand the circumstances. You’ve done a lot for me but I’ve done just as much for you. You asked me to be your partner. This is not how partners work. I am not your possession or his,” she glances at me. “I am a person. Both of you are acting like-”
“Like what?” she growls.
“Like animals,” she spits.
“That is exactly what we are,” Xo growls.
“Stop,” Aizen snaps at her. “You’re making my Mom angry!”
“We’re leaving,” Xo glares at my parents before looking back at my mate. “Consider your contract terminated, Phoebe. I wish you luck,”
“Good luck replacing me. You know my work is copyrighted and insured,” Phoebe has the last word. Xochtl stops before getting to the double doors. Everyone present sees her hesitation, but she doesn’t stop.
“She’ll be back,” My mom is quick to try and offer her some kind of comfort. “She’s upset. It has nothing to do with you. She just hates me,”
“It doesn’t matter,” Phoebe tries to calm herself. I can smell the sharp burning fragrance of her anger in the air around us.
“You look like you could use a drink,” My dad offers her a glass of wine.
“I don’t-”
“We’ve got the kids,” he lifts Aizen up. Ayrie doesn’t hesitate to go with my mom. “It’s a lot, Sweetness. I am sorry,”
Phoebe takes the glass but she doesn’t drink it. She watches the kids for a moment before turning to look at me. She gives nothing away.
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“That was a shit storm,” she sighs. “I can’t believe she threatened to fire me for this. What the fuck?”
“I’m so sorry, Angel. I can fix this,”
“I don’t see how,” she looks up at me. “I’ve never seen her like that. I knew she would be mad, but this is ridiculous,”
“I’ll set up a meeting on her territory. This isn’t right. She can’t just fire you like that. You’ve worked so hard for all of this,”
“It’s just a job,” she smiles cupping my face. She pulls away and looks down at her feet. “Can we go for a walk? I need some air,”
“Yes, Angel. Whatever you need,”
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She holds up the glass and I take it to set it aside. I link our hands and lead her out. It’s quiet as we walk past our guests. No one tries to talk to either of us having heard what just happened. My mate walks with her head held high. The females don’t miss that. They’re not looking at her with sympathetic glances. They’re just as pissed as the rest of us.
Xo just tried to take her by force and even threatened to fire her. I knew there was going to a fight. Between us and the Sixth Ward, the option is clear. We’re a family pack. We live and die on this land. My father isn’t like that. He favors money and business. Power is all Ferals understand and having Phoebe on their team favors all of the above.
It shouldn’t, but it surprises me that she would give up her position in her company without hesitation. Years and countless sleepless nights of work up in smoke like it meant nothing. Phoebe didn’t get to where she is by chance. She clawed her way in and I just cost her all of it. I have to find a way to make this right. Even if it means that I have to join that fake ass alpha alliance myself.
