Chapter 19

(**Sebastion’s POV**)

Dinner went exactly how I expected it to go. My mother sharing stories of her and my father’s time in Europe during the Werewolf Council meetings. I listened to her stories as I ate the familiar fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans she made for us all. It was a meal she made at least once a month when I was growing up. She would also make it for me to cheer me up when I was upset.

I miss her cooking, calming voice, and the smell of her chamomile tea she drank every morning instead of coffee. I am happy my parents are taking time to explore the world. Jace could use some time with his grandmother. I think she will do him a world of good while she is here. I can already tell that bedtime will be a battle with both Jace and Callie. I can hear the whining and the tantrums already. Good thing they are having a slumber party with grandma tonight.

After dinner, I take Jace upstairs to his room so I can get him cleaned up. Bath time resulted in the expected flood as he played with his toys while telling me about his day with Sarah. He likes her a lot. He says she has a soothing voice that makes him feel safe. That makes me happy to hear. Once I had Jace in his bedclothes he had to rush around the room to show me all the toys that his grandparents bought him.

There was a train set, a bike, a small easel with a paint set, and a few others that would all need assembly. I will spend the rest of my night working on the distributor issue, but I will put all his toys together before I sleep. Except for the train set. I want to assemble that with Jace, then we will find a place to put it in our wing of the house. There is a sitting room up here that I have never used, it will make a great play room for Jace to use.

I can get to that tomorrow night. “Ok, buddy, let’s get you down to Callie’s room so Grandma can tell you guys some stories.”

“Don’t forget my wolf, daddy,” Jace tells me as I scoop him up.

I turn around to grab his wolf, give his tummy a good tickle, then head to the other side of the mansion to deliver him to my mother. The laughter coming from Callie’s room lets me know that the slumber party has already begun. These little fiends are my mother’s burden tonight. Flipping Jace gently off my shoulder onto Callie’s bed, I give him a kiss, then make my retreat as my mother pulls out books to read to them to the kids.

After delivering Jace to my mother, I head up to my office to work on the problem in Virginia. With luck, my father will give me time to do some work before he decides he wants to have his conversation. However, when I open my office door, I am greeted with the sight of my father on the leather sofa with a glass of whiskey. I guess now is the time for this conversation.

“How are the children handling your mother?” He asks me in that deep voice of his.

“I think she is handling them just fine. Was there anything from the council meetings that I need to be aware of?” I ask while I walk to the chair behind my desk.

“Other than the massacre in Arizona, nothing of any real importance came up. Petty squabbles between packs, a few challenges for Alpha titles, and the one issue I would like to talk to you about.” He tells me while he stares at his glass.

“What is that?” I ask him as I boot up my computer to start my work. I will try to multi-task as much as I can while he lectures me.

“Have you had any contract with an Alpha name Monroe? He is head of the rogue pack in California, a pack that is growing larger by the year,” He informs me.

That makes me frown as I recall my encounter with Monroe while in Bodega Bay. He is a powerful Alpha, not just in his pack of rogues, but in pure primal power. He is more powerful than my father and me. The fact that he could make another Alpha submit to his will proved his strength. He mentioned how little I knew about the werewolf council. What is it about the council that left Monroe so bitter? Why was my father asking about him now?

“Yes, I met him on my way back from Arizona. We stopped in Bodega Bay for a rest and a run. We camped in an area I thought no wolves inhabited, but soon learned there were rogues in the area. I met with him briefly and he gave us permission to stay in his territory for the night. Why do you ask about Monroe?” I sign into my computer as I recount to my father the highlight of my encounter with Monroe.

“Emilien Monroe used to be from a very ancient line of Alphas, stronger than all other Alphas now. His family had some issues years ago, and the council forced his father to give up his title. The person who took over their pack died recently without an heir. Members of that pack are asking for the rightful Alpha to have his title returned to him. He isn’t returning any calls or letters that the council has sent him,” my father tells me.

“What has that got to do with me?” I frown at him, not knowing where this is going.

“Your sister told me about how Monroe is an ally to a friend of yours, Rayne Solas. She told me some other things, but we will get to that after I explain what I need from you.” He takes a sip from his glass.

“Fantastic,” I mumble.

“I heard that. Now to what I need from you. The council needs someone to talk to Monroe about the issue that has come up. You know the man or have someone who does. I would like you to go to California and speak to him. Assess his fitness for the role as Alpha.”

“No, I have things here that I need to focus on. I will not be spying for the council,” I tell him as look back at my computer to pull up my email.

“It wouldn’t be spying. You know the man and can use the trip away for a few days. Get some separation from the new personal assistant you hired,” He tells me.

Ah, there it is, what he really wants to get to. Irina. “You mean my mate?”

“Excuse me? Your mate? When did you find your mate?” My father’s face was excited at the news I found my mate.

“Irina, the woman who I hired as my assistant, is my second chance mate. Did Arianna not mention that part? Oh, I don’t doubt she would omit that part of the events.” I hold my hand up to silence him as he tried to speak again. “So, tell me exactly what Arianna told you and mother to get you both to come here a full week early. Leave nothing out.”

“Wait, a damn moment here! What do you mean she is your second chance mate? Gia wasn’t your true mate. Does that mean you have found your true mate and rejected her for Gia?” My father’s face went from happy to angry in an instant.

Fuck, I forgot that only Arianna knew about Rayne. Well, this is going to be a fun conversation. I tell him how I met Rayne, what I did to her that night, and that I walked away to be with Gia instead. Then I told him about how I caught Gia in the cabin with another man. Filling him on all the events of the last few months was a very entertaining two hours.

My father surprised me when I finished telling him about Rayne and his questions had all been answered. He was angry that he was never told about Rayne, but he told me he was proud of how I stepped up for the Jade Moon survivors. Then his face got serious again.

“About your sister’s concerns. Tell me about Irina. Why does your sister think Irina is going to use you like Gia did? Explain to me why there is even doubt in her mind that you will be like that again?” He asks me.

“Like what? Do you and mom see me just how Ari does?” Surprise and hurt fill my voice at the thought of how my parents perceived my past behavior.

“You allowed Gia to distract you from some stuff in the pack, but you never failed to get things done or protect the pack. Love and sex blinded you. I always knew one day you would see her how everyone else did, but your mother and I agreed to stay back and let you do what you wanted until you found your mate. You let your mate go for her happiness. That was foolish yet noble. Now you have a second chance. What you do with it is your business, not Arianna’s. Unless it affects the pack,” he stands to refill his glass.

“You don’t see me as a failure?” I ask in surprise.

My father frowns as he looks back at me, “Is that what you think? That I see you as a failure because you were in love with someone and stayed loyal to her? No, Sebbie, you are not a failure as an Alpha because you loved someone and chose her often over everything else. If she were your Luna that would have been understood.”

“But she wasn’t, so I failed my pack by not giving them their true Luna,” I tell him.

“Why did you bring your sister up when you asked if that was how I saw you? What did she say to you that has that wounded look in your eyes?” He walked back to the sofa with a full glass.

“Why do I feel like a kid again and I am telling on her for kicking me?” I sigh heavily, “She thinks I will repeat my past history with Gia now that I have met Irina. That I will ignore my responsibility to go get laid. That I will let pussy rule my thoughts and actions like it did with Gia. There is so much to my relationship with Gia that no one saw. All you guys thought we did was sneak off to fuck every chance we got!” I yell the last part as my anger spikes.

“Sebbie, calm down. I know there was more to it than sex. Anyone with eyes who paid attention knew you loved Gia. I think you need to talk to your sister. I want to know more about the situation that brought Irina to you in the first place. The Collectors. How do you know about them?” He asks me.

“Wait, you know of them too? How?” I ask in shock.

“The Werewolf Council was made aware of an organization of humans that has been capturing our kind about six months ago. We had a wolf come to the council with a very detailed account of how he escaped after being captured by a human. When he tried to lead us back to where he was being held, everything had been moved. He couldn’t give us a name or any other details that we could use. How is your mate involved in their organization?”

“Irina was sent into Drakos Enterprises as a spy to gain my trust. I am a target, so is Arianna. Not the pack, just us, the Alphas.” I tell him as I power down my computer. I will be getting no work done tonight.

“What? No wonder Arianna is so concerned. Your mate is a spy that has come in to trap you in The Collectors grasp. Why are you even entertaining the notion of keeping her as your mate?” The outrage in my father’s voice makes me cringe.

I reach into my back pocket for the picture of Zasha standing in front of Vicktor Treadstone, holding it up so he could see it clearly. “This little girl is the reason. This is Zasha, Irina’s daughter. The man with her is a very prominent businessman who is holding Zasha as a bargaining chip to ensure that Irina does his bidding.” I put the picture on my desk, then look up at my father with determination in my eyes.

“He is using an innocent child to have her mother lure you into a trap? How do you know that she won’t do it still?” My father asked me. This time there is rage in his voice.

“Irina told me who her master is. Knowing his name gives me power. I have also called in help from some allies I recently made. There are others out there in the world that know of The Collectors and want to help.” I tell him as I lean back in my chair to get comfortable.

“What precautions have you taken to ensure the safety of the pack while you help your mate get her daughter and others free?” He asks me. No arguing, no concerns about where my head is at, and no statements over my past history with Gia and sex. My father has made me feel calmer just by listening and not condemning me like my sister has.

“I got with Flint and Justin about the security of the borders. Flint has all his scouts that can mask their scent out around the border five miles out in tree stands. Then we have changed the patrol patterns to rotating ones and doubled the number of guards patrolling. The territory is safe, or as safe as I can make it for now,” I tell him more of what Flint and I made happen.

“I will inform the council of what is going on, but I need the name of the human that is planning to trap my children. As for your sister and what she said to you, I think you really need to tell her how her words hurt you. She is a mother and is concerned about her family. I know you understand that after what you went through with Jace. The rest of what she said is just uncalled for. Share with her how you really felt for Gia. Share with her how it wasn’t one sided all the time.”

“Wait, what are you saying?” I ask him, shocked at what he was alluding to.

“Gia may have been a lot of things, but I know from watching the two of you as teenagers, she loved you once. How much? I don’t care. It matters to you that she did,” he stood from the sofa to walk to the door of my office.

“Thank you,” I tell him.

“Get me that name, then we will deal with the bigger issue as we go. Talk to your sister,” He opens the door and leaves me to my thoughts.

“Goodnight,” I tell him as the door closed behind him.