“What do you think you did, Parker? You followed him like you always have. He sat next to her basket singing songs and telling little stories and you stood in front of them, ready to fight any adult who tried to stop it. We all assumed you would likely be Drew's Second, but that moment solidified any assumptions into fact. We were all so hopeful that we drew up the treaties and started planning for a merging of packs. I don't know what happened between that moment and the claiming ceremony, but you've seen the results. You know how bad things are getting. If Drew isn't going to claim Eugenia as he should have, then he needs to find another Luna to strengthen the pack. Eugenia will need to find another Alpha to strengthen her pack. And then...”
War. None of us wants to say it out loud. Hearing the story of it makes me feel even worse that I already do. It's all because of us. War between the packs could become a reality again and it would all be because of us.
“Let her, then,” Drew grits. “Let her find another Alpha. We can find another way to peace.”
“And what about you, son? Will you find another Luna?”
Drew's expression hardens briefly but he shakes it off. “If I have to. We can find another road to maintain peace.”
Alpha Cross smiles sadly. “The only reason we've had peace at all is because you and Eugenia Barrett are a Goddess-blessed natural pair.”
It takes Drew a few days to think through that conversation and decide what bothers him the most. Unsurprisingly, it's what his father said about finding a different Luna. He wants to argue about it, but I've also been thinking about the conversation and I have my own opinions. We've been going back and forth about the entirety of the situation since we woke up and neither of us are going to back down.
“I shouldn't have to bow down to these draconic rules. I shouldn't have to find a Luna just to appease the Elders,” Cross grunts as he lifts his end of the log. “We can find another way to peace.”
I bend my knees and lift my end, forming words around the effort required to lift this thing. “What are we doing right now, Cross?”
“One thing doesn't have anything to do with the other.”
“Just answer.” I don't want to share him, but I do want our pack to be healthy and strong. And so does he.
“Clearing Jana's garden.”
A storm raged through the area a few days ago. There are downed trees and property damage everywhere. This entire day has been dedicated to cleaning up all the debris from Jana'sdriveway, back yard, and garden. As soon as we get the trees cleared, we're going to start in on the small stuff; and then we'll do everything we can to get her garden fixed. It's a disaster. The little sprouts have only just started peeking through the dirt.
I wait until we need to put down the heavy tree before I continue. “Why are we doing it?”
“Because she needs help.”
“Why do you care? Todd and Reggie could be out here helping, but they're fucking off somewhere.”
He lifts the bottom of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face. “Because the garden feeds her family. What's your point?”
The fact that he doesn't understand why I'm walking him through this just further proves my point. “But why should you be the one to help?”
“Because I'm going to be her Alpha,” he says, looking at me like I'm the dense one. “She's my responsibility.”
“Right,” I say, nodding once. “And what are we going to do with all this wood when things settle down?”
Drew quickly glances around the yard, searching for Jana or any of her kids. “Shut up,” he hisses. “It's supposed to be a surprise.”
“Yes, but why are we doing it?”
“Because they don't have one.”
We're going to turn all this wood into a swing set for Jana's three young pups. Her husband works long hours and hasn't had time to build one himself. They might not have the money to have one built. I don't know their finances, and I doubt Cross does. All we know is what we see, and we see a family who needs a little help and happiness. So we're helping, and we hope to bring happiness.
“But why are we doing it, Cross?”
He stares at me, finally working it out. “Because we take care of our pack.”
“Exactly.”
He looks down at the tree, then at the pile of branches and trunks we've already accumulated in the back corner, then back at Jana's house. “It's not the same thing, Parker.”
“Yeah, it is. It's exactly the same thing.”
“I rejected her so I could keep you. That was my choice then, and it will be my choice today and tomorrow and for the rest of my life.”
