Chapter 86

Selene

Phoenix and I sit on the couch across from my mom and Philip, and I can already feel the tension in the room tightening around us. My heart races, like it's trying to pound its way out of my chest. I grip Phoenix's hand, silently begging that he can anchor me through this very awkward conversation with our parents.

"Selene," my mom starts, her voice calm but edged with disappointment. "I am your mother. I thought you could talk to me about anything, but you didn't tell me that Phoenix was your mate? I had to find out from Philip."

Philip sits beside her, his face stone-cold, giving nothing away. My stomach twists.

I swallow hard, licking my lips before answering. "Well, we literally just found out that we are fated mates, actually." It's not exactly a lie, although we claimed each other a few weeks ago.

Her eyes narrow, and I can already tell she's not buying it. "And how long have you been shacking up with him?"

"Shacking up?" I scoff, pretending to look around the room. "Seriously, what year are we in right now?"

She folds her arms, her lips pressing into a thin line. "How long have you been having sex with your brother, Selene?"

I cringe. "First off, please don't ever call him that again—it's disgusting. And second, to answer your question, a while, but it started off as a casual thing. We were both unsure of our feelings in the beginning, but now, it makes sense why we couldn't stay away from each other."

To my surprise, her scowl shifts into a sly grin. "Well, congratulations to you both. So, when are we going to be seeing some pups?"

I choke on my own spit, while Phoenix lets out a low chuckle.

Pups? That's never going to happen. At least, that's not something Phoenix and I have ever discussed. I can't see him wanting to be a dad, not with his kind of lifestyle. Me, I don't know how I feel about it yet.

But this is certainly something I shouldn't be focusing on right now.

Philip clears his throat, finally breaking his silence. "Now that you know you are fated mates, are you both ready to take your places as Alpha and Luna? Christina and I are ready to shift our focus to just the Kingdom."

My blood freezes. I knew this conversation was coming, but this fast. I glance at Phoenix, feeling the tension radiating off of him.

"Is this why you came here?" Phoenix growls, his voice low and edged with frustration. "To push me into taking over?"

Philip doesn't flinch. "After what happened with Zack, it shows there are obvious threats to the pack. I think it's best that you take over and regain control. The pack needs stability and strong leadership. It's time, Phoenix."

"The pack doesn't know about Zack," I argue.

He frowns at me. "And they don't need to. We do, that's all that matters. We must eliminate the threats before they even come near them."

It's clear he's talking about the Devils, but he doesn't know that we know about them. And there's no way Mom wouldn't freak out if she found out.

"So, what? The great Alpha King can't handle running a single pack?" Phoenix spits. "I don't have the time to micromanage. The pack needs stability, and that's your responsibility as my heir."

Philip's eyes flash with his wolf, but he maintains his composure. "I just don't have the time to focus on one single pack when I have an entire kingdom to run."

Phoenix sits back, a smirk playing on his lips. "I mean, I guess if you can't handle it, I can do it."

What is he doing? Purposely trying to piss his father off? By the look on Philip's face, I don't see this ending well. It reminds me of the day I met Phoenix, and they nearly fought in the kitchen.

Before the situation can escalate, Uncle Luke's voice cuts through the tension. "Phoenix, enough. Like your father said, it's time."

All eyes turn to Luke as he steps into the room, his expression calm but stern.

Philip's surprise is evident. "Luke. It's nice to see you again."

Luke nods curtly. "Likewise." By the edge of his voice, it's definitely not.

"I just happened to overhear the conversation," Luke continues, his eyes narrowing at my mate. "And I know damn well you're ready to step into your role as Alpha. And Selene's ready to stand beside you as Luna."

Phoenix shoots him a hard look. "Unc, we need time. Selene just-"

"I'm ready," I interject, my voice steady, though anxiety continues churning in my gut. "Of course, if you are, Phoenix."

As ready as I can be.

It's time to stop hiding. I'll deal with my own personal shit later, but Phoenix needs to do this. He has an entire pack that is going to depend on him. On us. We need to become a unified front, we can't afford to look weak.

Phoenix's just clenches. "Baby, don't let them pressure you into anything. If we're going to do this, it will be on our terms, not theirs," he grits out.

Philip crosses his arm, his voice heavy with expectation. "The pack is not something you can put aside until you feel you're 'ready'. The Council has put pressure on me to have you take my place immediately...by the end of the week. This isn't up for debate."

It doesn't sound like much of a decision now. It feels like he have to do it.

But I had a feeling it would turn out like this anyway.

I glance at Phoenix, who is fuming beside me. I speak to him through mind-link. "We can't be afraid anymore, Phoenix. We have to take the leap, and just hope we don't land in a pile of dog shit."

His eyes soften as he meets my gaze, and I can feel the weight of his decision settle between us. He turns to our parents and says firmly, "Fine. Tell the Council the Alpha ceremony will be on Friday."