Choosing the pack or us

As soon as Sophie's gaze met with Alex, she jumped up from her spot and quickly bowed, her face flushing with a mix of surprise and nerves.

Seeing Sophie’s action, Benji quickly followed suit, bowing deeply, his small form trembling slightly as he glanced up at Alex.

While Morgan struggled with her emotions, she watched the scene unfold, feeling a knot of tension tighten in her chest. She half-expected Alex to scold Benji or, worse, reprimand her for bringing the child into the packhouse without consulting him first. But instead, Alex’s gaze softened as he looked down at the little boy.

“Stand up, Benji,” Alex said gently, his tone surprisingly calm. As Benji straightened, Alex crouched down to meet his eye level. “Why did you call Luna Morgan ‘Mom’?”

For a second, Benji hesitated as he looked back at Morgan, but when he gazed at Alex again, his innocent smile returned as he answered, “Luna Morgan adopted me today from the orphanage. She said it was okay to call her Mom.”

Without losing his smile, Alex’s eyes flicked to Morgan, studying her for a moment before turning back to Benji.

“If Morgan is your mom now,” he said, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips, “then I guess that makes me your dad, doesn’t it?”

The room fell into a brief, stunned silence. Benji’s eyes widened with pure delight, and his face lit up. “Really? Can I call you Dad?”

Immediately, Morgan's brow snapped together as her heart skipped a beat, and she bit down on her lip, nervous about how Alex would respond to his own words. She hadn’t expected him to embrace the situation so easily, and she feared he might be saying it just to put on a front.

But Alex, to everyone’s surprise, didn’t hesitate. “Of course,” he replied with a warmth that Morgan hadn’t anticipated. “If my Luna is okay with you being her son, then I’m okay with being your dad.”

As Benji's eyes lit up, his smile grew bigger. “Thank you, Dad!” he beamed, his joy palpable as he leaned into Alex’s hand when the Alpha reached down and playfully ruffled his hair.

Holding in her breath, Morgan watched the exchange, her heart swelling with emotions she couldn’t quite name. She wasn’t sure how to feel about Alex’s sudden acceptance, but she couldn’t deny the warmth that spread through her at the sight of him connecting with Benji.

Calmly, Alex stood up, glancing over at Sophie, who had been watching the entire scene with wide eyes.

“Sophie,” he said, his tone still soft but with a hint of his usual authority, “has Benji had dinner yet?”

Quickly, Sophie nodded, still a bit flustered by the turn of events. “Yes, Master Alex, he has.”

Even though Morgan was still in shock, she finally found the courage to speak. She looked at Alex, her voice humble and tentative. “Why are you here, Alpha Alex? I wasn’t expecting you.”

Alex straightened up, his gaze settling on Morgan with a hint of amusement. “Did you forget what you asked me this morning, Morgan?”

Speechless for a moment, Morgan’s eyes widened slightly as she recalled their earlier conversation. “No, I remember.”

“Then if you do, you should have dinner with me, like you wanted.” Alex’s smile softened.

A slight blush crept up Morgan’s cheeks, and she nodded quickly, her voice steadying. “Of course.”

Turning to Sophie, Morgan gave her a gentle nod. “Sophie, take care of Benji, please. We’ll be back soon.”

Sophie nodded obediently, her eyes still wide with the events that had just unfolded. “Yes, Luna. I’ll make sure he’s alright.”

Watching Benji walk over to her, Alex nodded approvingly at Sophie’s response, then turned back to Morgan, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer before he motioned for her to follow him.

Without another word, he led the way out of the room and down the corridor toward the dining room.

Silently, Morgan trailed behind, her thoughts racing. She couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this dinner than just a shared meal. The way Alex had so easily accepted Benji as their child was unexpected, and while it eased some of her fears, it also left her wondering what he was really thinking.

As they reached the dining room, the soft glow of candles flickered across the polished table, and the scent of a freshly prepared meal filled the air. The maids were already waiting by the table, ready to serve, but Alex held up a hand, stopping them in their tracks.

“Leave us,” he instructed, his tone calm but firm.

The maids exchanged brief glances before bowing and quietly exiting the room, leaving Alex and Morgan alone. The door closed softly behind them, and the silence that followed was thick with unspoken tension.

Lowering her gaze, Morgan swallowed hard, knowing what was coming next. She could feel Alex’s eyes on her as he moved to pull out a chair for her. She sat down, her heart pounding in her chest as he took the seat opposite her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The only sound in the room was the faint clinking of silverware as Alex picked up his fork, though he didn’t seem particularly interested in eating. His eyes were focused entirely on Morgan.

Finally, he broke the silence. “Morgan,” he began, his voice measured, “why didn’t you call me to tell me about Benji?”

Hesitantly, Morgan looked down at her hands, fidgeting slightly with the napkin on her lap. She had been dreading this question, and now that it was out in the open, the weight of it pressed heavily on her.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “I wasn’t sure how you would react,” she admitted, her voice soft but steady. “And I didn’t want to risk you saying no before I had a chance to explain.”

Alex’s expression remained unreadable as he considered her words. “You didn’t trust me to understand,” he stated, not as a question, but as a fact.

Darting her eyes away from his, Morgan winced slightly, feeling the sting of his words. “It’s not that I didn’t trust you, Alex. I just... I was afraid. Afraid that you might think Benji would complicate things, that you might not want him.”

“And why would you think that?” Alex’s tone was calm, but there was an edge to it that made Morgan’s heart race.

She hesitated, trying to find the right words. “You’ve always been so clear about the pack’s expectations, about maintaining order and stability. I didn’t want to put you in a position where you felt like you had to choose between the pack and... us.”

Scoffing faintly, Alex leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving hers. “So, you decided to make that choice for me. What make you think you have the right to do so?”