“Well, I think you're saying that the same human girl from thirteen years ago is the mother of your heir,” Elder Rook said.
“Then you're not wrong.”
There was a sudden silence that fell in that instance as they took some time to digest this revelation.
“Impossible,” Elder Ember said with an uncertain tone.
“Is it, though?” Xander replied. “Because I saw the kid Shadow Jump into my room. I've looked into his eyes… he's mine and hers also. Therefore, it's not impossible,” he declared. “You were wrong, all of you.” He pointed at them.
“Alpha Xander, listen to me…”
“Admit it, Eldress Lana,” he cut her off. “You all are the reason that I had been loveless this past thirteen years—the reason she never told me about the existence of my son.”
“You're hurting… I know,” she said to him with a soothing voice. “But believe me when I tell you that fate happens. Fate drove you two apart, and fate has brought you back together again.”
“This wasn't fate, Eldress. This was your mistake… our mistake,” he replied.
“The concept of destiny can sometimes be too difficult to comprehend even for supernatural beings like us,” she said to him. “There's always a lesson to be learned, a reason why things happen when they do and how they do.”
What she said didn't make much sense to him, but then again, he wasn't going to spend his time trying to analyze this or make a meaning out of it.
“I have an heir for the pack. I hope you're all happy now,” he said to them and turned to leave.
“Alpha Xander,” the Eldress called out to him. He stopped in his tracks. “Do you believe in destiny?”
He turned and stared at them for a moment.
“I believe in free will,” Xander replied and walked out through the shadow portal, which vanished after him.
He was really pissed and needed to get his mind off the things that were triggering his anger. His phone rang and he picked it up. It was Asher Grey.
“Hey,” he said, massaging his temple.
“Hey, buddy, where are you?” Asher asked on the other line. “We're all here, waiting for you. Are you still coming?”
Shit!
He had forgotten that he and his friends were supposed to gather at the Full Moon Bar today.
Xander could hear Articus' gentle laughs in the background and Callahan's joke as they conversed. He needed to be around them in order to stay sane.
“Yeah, I'll be there soon.”
“I don't doubt that,” Asher replied and ended the call.
Xander set his phone down, and with his mind, he conjured the shadows. With a flick of his fingers, they spread over a wall. He took his jacket off a hanger and walked right through the wall. Seconds later, he walked out of a wall in an alley. A few steps forward, and he could see the bar across the street.
The bells jingled as the doors parted and he walked in, then sighted Callahan waving at him from their usual spot. Amidst the clinks of glasses and the voices of both drunk and sober supernatural beings, he made his way to his friends.
“Someone looks pissed,” Asher said to him.
“You have no idea,” he replied and took a seat.
“Well, it looks like you have a lot on your mind,” Callahan said and whistled at the waiter behind the counter. “I think we're going to need stronger beer!” he said to him.
“What's going on? Still the problem of finding a mate and having an heir?” Articus asked.
Xander had told them about the situation on the ground the last time they were here.