A little white lie

With a soft smile, Morgan watched as Benji clung to her, feeling a fierce protectiveness swelling within her. She wasn’t going to let anything or anyone harm him again.

Turning to the two women who had been chastised earlier, her tone was sharp and commanding. “Take Benji, wash him up, and dress him in decent clothes. Make sure he’s treated with the respect he deserves.”

The women bowed quickly, their earlier fear still evident. “Yes, Luna,” they chorused before gently taking Benji’s hand and leading him away.

Hesitantly, Benji looked back at Morgan, his eyes wide with uncertainty, but she gave him a reassuring nod. “It’s okay, Benji. I’ll be right here when you’re done.”

As they disappeared down the hallway, Morgan turned to Sophie and motioned for her to step aside. "I need to talk to you,” she said, her voice low but firm.

With a nod, she followed Morgan to a quieter corner of the lobby. “What is it, Luna?”

Silence settled between them for a minute, and then, Morgan took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. “When we get back to the Blood Moon pack, I don’t want you to tell anyone that Benji is your cousin.”

Hearing the serousness in Morgan's tone, Sophie’s eyes widened in surprise. “But, Luna—”

“Listen to me,” Morgan interrupted gently. “I’m going to tell Alpha Alex that Benji is part of the royal bloodline of the Silver Claw pack. I adopted him because his parents passed away in the war. It’s important that no one looks down on him or treats him differently because of his background.”

With a hesitant look, Sophie's brow furrowed with worry. “But Luna, won’t lying make things worse?”

Shaking her head, Morgan placed a comforting hand on Sophie’s shoulder. “I’m doing this for Benji’s sake. I don’t want him to be bullied or treated poorly because of where he came from. He deserves a chance to grow up in a safe and loving environment without the stigma of being from a humble background.”

Sophie bit her lip, clearly conflicted, but after a moment, she nodded. “You’re right, Luna. I don’t want anything bad to happen to Benji either. I’ll keep it a secret.”

“Thank you, Sophie,” Morgan said, squeezing her shoulder gently. “We’re doing what’s best for him.”

Just as they finished their conversation, the women returned with Benji. He was freshly washed, his hair neatly combed, and he was dressed in clean, well-fitting clothes. He looked like a different child, but the same bright, hopeful eyes peered up at Morgan.

When her gaze met him, Morgan’s heart swelled, a soft smile forming on her lips. “Well, look at you, Benji. You’re so handsome!”

“Thank you, Mom.” Benji’s face lit up with a shy smile.

The room fell into a brief silence as the word hung in the air. The women looked at each other, one of them starting to speak up. “Um, Benji, it’s not—”

Raising her index finger, Morgan cut her off with a gentle but firm shake of her head. “It’s alright. He can call me Mom.”

Immediately, Benji’s smile widened as he looked up at Morgan with adoration. Without hesitation, she bent down and scooped him up into her arms, holding him close. He rested his head on her shoulder, feeling safe and loved for the first time in a long time.

With Benji securely in her arms, Morgan turned and walked out of the orphanage, Sophie following closely behind. As they stepped into the cool evening air, Morgan felt a sense of resolve settles within her. No matter what challenges lay ahead, she knew she would protect Benji and give him the life he deserved.

As they headed toward the black SUV waiting for them, Benji looked up at Morgan, his eyes glinting with joy, “Mom, where are we going?”

Smiling down at him, Morgan's heart swelled with warmth at the sound of him calling her ‘Mom’. “We’re going home, Benji. We’re going home.”

Calmly, Sophie trailed behind, her mind a whirl of thoughts. Everything had happened so fast—finding her cousin, Morgan’s snap decision to adopt him, and what that meant for their future. But as she watched Morgan cradling Benji with such care, Sophie couldn’t shake the feeling that this was exactly what he needed.

They reached the car, and Morgan gently set Benji in the backseat, making sure his seatbelt was secure. She slid in beside him, while Sophie took the other side, still quiet but way more chill now.

The driver, sensing the vibe, started the engine without a word, and they smoothly rolled out.

As his eyes grew bigger, Benji gazed out the window, his little hands gripping the seatbelt. He’d never been on such a cool ride before, and everything felt fresh and exciting. But more than that, there was this deep sense of belonging that he hadn’t felt in forever. He glanced up at Morgan, who was watching him with a soft smile.

“Mom, do I get my own room?” Benji asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

“Yep, Benji. Your own space, and we’ll set it up just the way you want it. We’ll decorate it together.” Morgan’s smile widened, and she nodded.

His eyes lit up with excitement. “Can I have toys too?”

“Absolutely,” Morgan said warmly. “Whatever you want. We’ll make sure you’ve got everything to keep you happy.”

Staring at her with those big eyes of his, Benji’s face lit up with pure joy, and it made Morgan’s heart swell. Sophie, who had been watching, couldn’t help but smile too, her earlier worries fading as she saw how happy Benji was.

The drive back to the Blood Moon pack was quiet, but there was this undercurrent of tension. Morgan’s thoughts were racing about how to bring Benji into the pack, how to introduce him to Alex, and how to handle whatever drama might come up.

She knew there’d be questions, maybe even some pushback, but she was ready to do whatever it took to protect Benji and give him the life he deserved.

Back at the Blood Moon pack house, Alex paced the length of his office, his eyes darting to his phone on the desk every few minutes.

He frowned irritation and something he couldn’t quite place gnawing at him. Morgan was supposed to have returned by now, but there hadn’t been a word from her all day.

His mind kept replaying the morning, her soft smile, the way she’d asked him to have dinner with her. He’d been distant, cold even, but that smile... It lingered in his thoughts longer than he cared to admit.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, frustration building as he tried to focus on the stack of papers that needed his attention. But no matter how hard he tried, his thoughts kept drifting back to Morgan. Why wasn’t she back yet?

Just as he was about to reach for his phone again, a knock sounded at the door. He straightened, his expression hardening as he called out, “Come in.”

The door opened, and Marcus, his beta, stepped in, his demeanor respectful but with a hint of urgency. “Alpha, Elder Roderick is here to see you.”

Immediately, the was a shift in Alex’s mood, and his jaw tightened at the mention of the elder’s name.

He wasn’t interested in whatever Roderick wanted to discuss, but he couldn’t ignore him either.

“Let him in,” Alex replied curtly.

Bowing slightly, Marcus walked out of the study, and a minute after, the elder entered, gently closing the door behind him.

“Alpha Alex,” Roderick greeted with a cocky smile. “Thank you for seeing me.”

Eyeing his phone, Alex nodded, gesturing for the elder to sit, though he remained standing.

“What brings you here, Elder Roderick?” His tone was polite but laced with a hint of impatience.