Chapter 41: Lines Are Drawn

Dex would have loved to spend his day thinking about the ceremony and the night after with Emma, but he had business to attend to and most likely a war on his doorstep. The intelligence reports he’d been given the day before were not surprising, but they were still troubling.
He looked up as Brutus entered his office. “Lugo is here to see you.”
“From Maverick Woods Pack. Send him in and close the door behind you.”
Lugo appeared and Brutus left. Dex rose and they shook hands. “What brings you here?”
“Not good news.”
“Sit.” When they were settled, Dex continued. “I have had a lot of bad news lately.”
“I’m sorry to bring more.”
“It’s fine, Lugo. I appreciate the courtesy back when my Luna and I were in your territory.”
“You didn’t know you were intruding. I can understand that. We are a newly formed pack. We hadn’t even been invited to the Council.”
“I’m sure it was an oversight.”
“Maybe, but I refuse to see it as a slight. I have more important things to worry about,” Lugo said. “That brings me to my news.”
“Go ahead.”
“Lucien is gathering an army.”
“I actually know that. I don’t know exactly how, but I guess there are enough wolves that think like him.”
“He’s really hammering the idea that fated mates are wrong and shouldn't be together.”
The idea chilled Dex. He had never been so happy as he was now that Emma was back at his side. “Why? I’ve never understood that. Nature made us this way. Nature should know best what is good for us. That’s why the fated mate bond is so strong.”
“Lucien thinks that the bond distracts from the pack.”
Dex rolled his eyes. “What distracts from my pack is none of his business. I don’t agree with him.”
Lugo put up his hand. “I know. I get it. I can’t imagine running my pack without my Luna.”
Dex sighed. He’d been wracking his brain for a way around this war, but he couldn’t find one. “Lucien also has the whole honor bs, too.”
“Right. Because dying in a way of your choosing is honorable. I don't get it either.”
“This is forward of me to ask, but can I count on you when Lucien is on my doorstep?”
“Yes. I have warriors on the way.”
“On the way? Right now?”
“Yes, Lucien has been spotted not far from here, but he hasn’t gathered all of his forces. My warriors will stand with you.”
“Thank you, Lugo. I owe you twice now.”
Lugo rose. “I’m not keeping score.”
The other Alpha left and Dex pondered his situation. He wouldn't change anything to do with Emma’s presence. He glanced up, watching Brutus return.
“This war with Lucien is imminent. We need to be at the ready.”
“Do you know which way he is coming at us?”
“Probably every way possible if he’s gathered as many troops as I suspect,” Dex said.
“I’ll put our perimeter patrols on higher alert.”
“I hate that we have to have perimeter patrols. I’m sure those men could be doing something more productive with their time,” Dex said.
“Not as long as there are Luciens in the world who need their honor restored.”
Dex leaned back in his chair, the weight of this war on his shoulders. He shrugged off anything, but determination. He would face Lucien and win. “At least there are some Alphas like me.”
“Would you still stand up to Lucien if you were the only Alpha who felt that war was useless?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’ll be fine, Dex. You aren’t the only one. It isn’t as if you are going to let him walk over you. As much as you don’t like war, you won't back down from it.”
“No. I won’t. I will protect this pack with everything I have.”
“That’s why you’re Alpha, Dex.”
At that moment, Dex wished that Brutus had never betrayed him, not only because the situation hurt, but also because Dex missed his best friend. He’d known the dynamic of the relationship would change when they formed this pack and he became Alpha. Dex hadn’t realized just how much it would change.
He wouldn't go back to those days when they were younger, but he missed the ease of their relationship from that time. He’d known Brutus had his back. Now there was doubt. He could replace him as his Beta, but that wouldn’t restore their friendship.
“I’ll let everyone know in a speech in two hours. Have everyone in the clearing by then.”
Dex rose and left Brutus to his task. The only way Dex could be soothed would be with Emma. For a few moments, he wanted to think of happy thoughts and not of war. The threat of war would still be there in two hours.
Dex climbed out of his truck at home. Emma was on the porch, reading a book. He smiled. She was so engrossed in it that she hadn’t noticed him there. He could watch her all day.
She finally looked up when he stepped on the porch. “Hey.”
“Hi,” he said.
He loved coming home to her. The house wasn’t dark. There was food, but more importantly, there was someone he could share his day with.
She put down her book. “Is it that late? I started reading this book and lost track of time.”
“No it isn’t that late and it’s okay if you read a book, Emma. I don’t demand that dinner is on the table when I get home.”
Once in a while he still saw the effects of her life with Lucien and it angered him.
“Oh, okay. What brings you home?”
“I wanted to see my Luna.”
Her smile was instant. It warmed his heart that he could make her so happy. It was probably only a fraction of how happy she made him, but it was a start. He leaned against the railing in front of her. “Lucien is gathering troops for a war.”
“Oh, Dex. I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Emma. You don’t have control over Lucien’s behavior.” She bit her lip and he knew she was second-guessing her presence in his pack. “Don’t Emma.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t second guess your actions. I want you here. The pack loves you as a Luna. There is no reason to regret getting out of a bad situation.”
She sighed. “It’s hard not to. I’ve brought war here.”
Dex put up his hand. “No, Lucien is bringing war here. Not you. With his talk of honor and such, he would have brought war here anyway. He’d want to expand his territory at some point. It’s just the way he is.”
She frowned. “But this pack is the focus right now.”
“Stop. Just stop, Emma.”
He sat on the chair next to her and took her hand. “Let’s talk of better things than war.”
She studied him. “Like what?”
He leaned back in the chair looking out over the woods. “Like our wedding. Our marriage. Our children.” He glanced her way a sly smile on his face. “Making our children?”
She laughed. The sound was music to his ears. He could listen to it all day.
“I think you’re favorite part is the making of children.”
“Well, yes.”
“I’m glad you’re my mate, Dex.”
He kissed her hand. “I’m pretty glad you’re mine also. I can’t see any reason to fight what nature intended.”
“How many children do you want?” she asked.
“Twelve.”
“Twelve? I don’t think I want to birth that many.”
“You could birth some and we could adopt orphans.”
Her gaze swung to him. “Of course we can. Not just babies either.”
The twinkle in her eye told him she was on board with what he wanted to do. “You’d be okay adopting a teenager?”
“You were an orphan, Dex. Look how you turned out. You could be such an inspiration for others.”
That idea hadn’t occurred to him. “Okay.”
“Think about it, but you might have to add onto the house,” she said.
He laughed. “Can the first one be ours?”
She smiled at him. “Yes. We’ll have a baby, Dex.”
She’d successfully taken his mind off of war. She’d soothed his soul and his wolf. That’s why he couldn’t imagine life without Emma. He kissed her hand. “Let’s practice making children.”
She laughed and followed him into the house.