Chapter 41: An Unknown Ally

-Rogan-

I knocked on the door and then waited. I thought it would be a servant opening the door, but it wasn’t …

“Julianna …”

I stood there looking at Julianna, who seemed just as confused that I had shown up here, but I knew it was best to get this over with as fast as I could. I had a lot of work to do. We might just win this war after all, now with Serena’s help. She was still at home working with the others, and I truly hoped though they would look after her. I knew there was a lot of trust for her to build, but I knew she could do it. I had seen it. She truly regretted what she had done, but she had not known any better not long ago.

“Rogan,” she said. “My father says you have been ignoring him.”

“Why I have come,” I said.

She looked me up and down, and then pushed the door open before taking a step to the side.

“He is in his office,” she said.

I nodded thankfully and then walked away. I could hear her following me though, and I wondered if she hoped she could be part of this meeting. Julianna seemed very different from most people who would often be a little afraid of me, but she wasn’t. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing her look so calm, yet I didn’t say anything. I just placed myself in front of her father’s office door and knocked. He soon told me to enter, and I walked inside.

“Alpha Rogan?”

“Alpha Eric,” I said.

Eric stood up, looking confused.

“What are you doing here?”

“I thought we should talk,” I said.

Eric nodded.

“Julianna, please—”

“Stay,” his daughter interrupted. “Of course.”

Julianna came inside and closed the door behind her. It was clearly not what her father had meant, but he also seemed to know when to argue with her and when not to.

“Very well. Take a seat, Alpha Rogan,” Eric said.

I nodded and then went to sit in front of him, while Eric sat down again. He looked at me a little displeased though, and I didn’t blame him. I had ignored him because I had been focusing on Serena, and now I needed to explain myself.

“I am sorry for not getting back to you,” I said.

“Yes, I have been a little worried,” he said.

“A lot has happened.”

“Did you get the information we needed?”

“I did,” I said.

Eric smiled.

“But not in the way you had hoped.”

His smile slowly died and he looked confused.

“What?”

“Serena is my mate,” I said.

“Who?” he asked.

“The hunter,” I told him.

Eric first looked shocked, and then he got furious.

“THE HUNTER IS YOUR DAMN MATE?! WHY THE FUCK DID YOU NOT TELL ME THIS?!” he shouted.

“I … I needed some time to come to terms with it,” I said.

“You mean rejecting her?!”

I shook my head.

“I haven’t. I wasn’t able to.”

“She is a HUNTER!” he yelled.

“I’m aware.”

I tried my best to stay calm because I knew two alphas shouting at each other would do no one any good, and I didn’t want Eric as my enemy. I needed him as my ally.

“Have you lost your mind?!” Eric shouted.

“No, I—”

“You know what?! Don’t say another damn word! I want you out, hunter-lover,” he yelled.

“Dad!”

I looked over my shoulder, seeing Julianna stepping in. She had been standing further away, just listening, and now she was clearly not pleased with her father.

“Let him talk!” she said and stopped by my side.

“He is mated to a hunter and has lied about it! Do you understand what an insult it is to us?!”

“Oh please, why do you think he is here? If he truly wanted to insult us, he would have marked her and made it public. He wants to explain himself, so let him!” she said.

I stared at Julianna shocked. I mean, if Serena hadn’t been my mate, I believed we would have made one hell of a team. Eric calmed down though. It seemed like his daughter had a certain power over him. Would my future daughter too? I could just imagine her giving me headaches and becoming very spoiled. I smiled but quickly shook my head. That was a thing for the future, I told myself. A future I hopefully would have with Serena.

“Well then,” Eric said. “Go on.”

“I am very sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” I said. “I tried rejecting her. I truly did, but my wolf wouldn’t let me. I couldn’t even get the words out. So, I chose a different approach.”

“Accepting her.”

“Not at first,” I said. “I wanted to change her. Show her my world, and it seemed like I succeeded.”

“It isn’t even that long ago you caught her, and you have already changed her?” Eric asked.

“Serena and I realized some things last night. She is the daughter of some spies we once had,” I told him.

Eric looked shocked.

“Yes, I was surprised too, but it changed everything for her. She needed some time to wrap her head around it, but she is on our side now,” I said.

Eric seemed to think it all over, and leaned back in his chair. It was quiet for a little while before he finally broke the silence.

“And now you’re here to tell me you’re going to get mated to her, right?” he asked.

I sighed and then nodded.

“Yes.”

Eric let out a little laugh, and it confused me.

“Well, let us hope you win this war because I am coming for you afterwards,” he said darkly, and his eyes shone yellow.

Fuck …

“Please, Eric—”

“I don’t want to hear another word. You have said enough!” he growled.

“I just—”

“Father, don’t be stupid.”

We both turned to Julianna, who had her arms crossed over her chest, and looked at her father with an annoyed expression.

“Julianna!”

“No! Stop this ego trip right now! I don’t care if Rogan wants to break this engagement off. I didn’t even want it in the first place!” she said.

She didn’t?

“So let him go!” she said. “Don’t start an unnecessary fight we do not need.”

“But Juli-“

“No! Let it go!” she said and then turned to me. “You’re free. Don’t think about it. Just tell us when you need help with the hunters. We will be there.”

Julianna looked at her father one more time, telling him without words it was done, and then left the room. I turned to Eric, seeing the shocked look on his face before I stood up, pulling myself out of my trance.

“I am very sorry. Thank you for your time,” I said and then ran after Julianna.