#4 Moonlight on the Water

Knox

“Why are you so worried, Knox?” Navy squeezed my hand, trying to calm my nerves.

“Because my father never acts this way towards my mother. He never would’ve shown up if there wasn’t an alternative motive.” I grumbled, pulling Navy closer to me.

“You’re worried it has something to do with me?” She asked. I nodded.

“It’ll be fine, Knox. What’s the worst that he can do?” She smiled, trying to sooth me.

“You underestimate my father.” I said.

“You underestimate me.” She huffed.

“Never, baby, I just don’t want you to have to put up with anything.” I kissed the top of her head.

“Let’s go sit, it’s almost time for dinner.” She said, tugging me out of the kitchen.

I pulled out the chair for her and then sat at the head of the table. Just as we settled into our seats, Alto and Fiona entered the room with Clay sulking behind them. They sat to my right. Jenna, Julia, Natasha, Meredith, and Dover joined us as well.

“This must be the new Luna.” Alto said, looking at my mate. I grabbed her hand under the table,

“Yes, this is Navy, my mate.” I felt the need to add that onto the end, my possessive instincts kicking in.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Alpha Alto.” Navy smiled politely at my father.

“Please, dear, it’s just Alto. My son took that title from me a long time ago.” I was too busy gapping at his term of endearment to react to his snarky comment,

“Do you prefer Luna or Princess?” He asked.

“Just Navy is fine.” Her smile didn’t falter at his attitude.

“Very well, Navy it is!” He beamed. What the hell?

The kitchen started serving dinner buffet style. They filled the center of the table with all the options and handed us empty plates. I expected my father to be pissed about having to serve himself, he just laughed and said this was the first time he made his own plate in years. Honestly, that was a little sad. Fiona and my siblings could’t stop gawking at him.

“Navy, I heard that you have another mate out there.” Here we go.

“Oh, yes, he’s a siren.” Navy nodded, wiping her mouth politely with the napkin after finishing her taco.

“I’ve learned that it’s normal for sirens to have more than one mate.”

“It is.” She nodded. Where did my father learn that from?

“Do you plan on taking two mates?” He asked. The room gasped at his boldness.

“I apologize if I’m being too bold. I just noticed that you’re wearing my son’s mark but your siren mate is also in town.” Navy looked at me quickly, clearly not sure what to say.

“Cameron is my mate’s friend, Dad, they are trying to preserve their friendship despite the complications from the mate bond.” I sighed.

“Oh, so she plans on rejecting him, then?” Alto asked, sitting back in his chair. Neither of us answered.

“Or not?” He was baiting us. This was a fishing expedition.

“What does it matter?” I growled.

Everyone was listening to us intently. Only Dover and Clay knew about Cameron and our “situation”. I had neglected to tell anyone else until we had more information to tell. I didn’t want to feed the rumor mill unnecessarily.

“I just think the pack deserves to know if they’re going to have another Alpha.” He shrugged casually.

“There wouldn’t be another Alpha.” I sapped.

“Oh, no?”

“No.” Navy replied this time,

“He isn’t a werewolf. He wouldn’t be an Alpha.” She needlessly explained. Navy defending Cameron is exactly what my father wanted.

“So there is a chance that you’re going to take him as a mate, too?” He asked calmly. My siblings and their mates were hanging off of every word. Navy groaned and flopped back in her chair, giving up.

“It’s all up in the air right now. We’re not sure what’s going to happen. It’s Navy’s choice and we’re working through it together.” I put my hand on Navy’s leg and gave her thigh a squeeze,

“It’s Navy’s choice is it? Even though it’s your pack that will be affected?” Alto’s tone was starting to change from casual to dangerous.

“It’s her pack, too.” I glared at him.

“I’m sorry, Alpha Alto, Alpha Knox, Luna,” Dover stood up, his face red with anger,

“But, I find this line of questioning very unhealthy for our Luna. What happens between her and her mates is no one’s God damn business.” Dover snarled. Natasha grabbed his hand and tugged him back into his seat.

“I agree.” Clay nodded and so did Julia and Jenna.

“I don’t.” Meredith piped up.

“Nobody cares, Mer.” Jenna rolled her eyes at her younger sister.

“I care.” Fiona and Alto said at the same time, staring at each other in shock. I groaned. The one thing they agreed on was against my mate, my reason for living. Parents of the year right here.

“What the hell do you care, Meredith?” Clay glared at our sister.

“Dad’s right, her taking two mates affects all of us.”

“No it doesn’t.” Julia disagreed.

“Yes it does!” Meredith whined back.

“How?” Clay asked with a pointed look.

“We’ve never had a Luna with two mates before, I’ve never heard of it happening either. What does that do to the hierarchy, the leadership, the ranks?” Fiona said.

“It wouldn’t do anything. Our Luna would just have another mate who would need to be respected. He wouldn’t be an Alpha.” Dover said. They were all speaking for us while Navy and I sat in silence. We were both too angry and astonished to speak.

“I think it’s a terrible idea. I don’t see how you’re even okay with it, Knox.” Meredith shook her head.

“You don’t have a mate, Meredith, that’s why.” I finally spoke up.

“I had a boyfriend….”

“That is not the same thing and you know it.” Clay shook his head,

“Having a mate changes the way you think about things.” He added.

“Which is why an Alpha should never take his destined mate.” My father scoffed.

“Enough!” The entire room shook, every single werewolf submitted, even mine. My mate was standing, her hands balled into fists as they shook at her side.

“This is no one’s business, no one’s but mine, Cameron’s, and Knox’s. We would never do anything that would harm the pack. Any other decision the Luna or Alpha makes isn’t questioned by anyone, so why would this be any different? I won’t apologize for looking after myself and my matebond. If we decide to take another mate, it will be our choice, not yours.”

She glared at everyone sitting around the table, lingering on Alto, Meredith, and Fiona. She knew everyone else was on our side. I was staring at her in awe. She had just used her Luna voice to command an entire room filled with ranked members and Alpha bloodlines. That shouldn’t’ve been possible, even after her Luna ceremony.

“Yes, Luna.” Jenna bowed her head and the rest of the room followed. Alto and Fiona resisted, Meredith wasn’t strong enough to fight her wolf.

“Alto, Fiona, I wish that you saw things our way and I’m sorry that this is putting space between you and your family, but I won’t apologize for anything else. Knox is grown and can make his own choices. I’m very proud of every single decision he’s ever made and you should be too. I trust him to do what’s best for everyone.”

Her words sang to my heart and I looked at my parents smugly. I didn’t care if they disapproved of me for the rest of my life, my mate was proud of me and that’s all I needed.

“She’s going to bring down this pack just like her grandmother did.” Alto said, looking at me with a smug expression of his own.