Page 43 of Escalating Alpha

“Wait, I even get what you mean, but do not say it that way, man,” Axel interjected as he came into the shower.

“I was going to say that I also grew up where this type of relationship was accepted,” Hagan continued. “We all knew someone or one person had a few mates in a pack—it happens and at times not with sirens. Or—my aunt had her mate, but there was a guy that was her regular moon mate.”

“You never talk about your extended family,” I hedged.

He nodded. “They moved after we went into the Marines. I didn’t get it then, but they saw the signs of the pack going to shit.” He swallowed loudly.

“Oh, someone’s about to be in trouble,” Axel chuckled darkly.

“Hey, hey, it’s fine,” I interjected when Hagan shot Axel a shit look. “You didn’t want to burden me. I know you well enough to know that. We’re drowning in—just tell me where.”

“Columbus,” he mumbled.

The pack we had a problem with in Ohio.

The asshole who beat up his mate and kids and was warned to stop in very strong language or he’d end up dead. Dain had given her his card and how to contact him. He was getting regular updates, and he didn’t like what he heard, but… We were drowning.

I couldn’t keep saving people if it meant we all sank in the end.

I studied Hagan’s eyes. “There’s more.”

“My aunt and uncle started calling a few months ago saying you should take over and name my cousin as Alpha,” he confessed. “They’ve been giving Reagan shit—were for weeks before they tried me.”

“And?” Axel pushed.

“My cousin himself called last week saying that no one has seen the Alpha’s mate and kids for weeks. They’ve skipped twofull moon gatherings and the Alpha told everyone to mind their business.”

“I really wish Melicent had taken that road trip and handled some people,” I grumbled.

“Yeah, except you’d have the mess to clean up, Sera. We couldn’t—we can’t,” Hagan said.

“Would your cousin really be…” I nodded at what I got off of him.

“I can’t say he would be a bad Alpha or he’s not qualified for the gig,” he clarified. “He’s like ten years older than us and was kind of an ass when our parents died, but we hated everyone. I never really liked him but again, different age group.”

“What did your parents think of him? They were good judges of character?” I asked as he focused back on showering me… Which I was all about.

“That he was a lazy, entitled dipshit basically,” Hagan said with a sigh. “But that was so long ago. He could have changed. Reagan’s just pissed that they never really reached out to us while we were in the Marines and now they call? Never invited us to come for the holidays or when we were on leave. It was like they moved on and it was done. Mom would be crushed at that.”

“So they reached out when you came back? Congratulated you on becoming Betas of their old pack? Anything before just ‘asking’ for help and probably laying all the guilt trips down?”

“You’ve nailed it pretty well,” he chuckled darkly. “Reagan’s struggling. He’s two seconds from driving there and reaming them about being so selfish when they basically forgot Mom by cutting her kids loose. They can’t play the family card now that we’re useful. But he’s this pack’s Beta, so it’s not easy.”

“No, nothing ever is,” I mumbled. I gave him a soft kiss. “I’m not mad, and thank you for not burdening me when I was—”

“Am,” he corrected.

I could accept that. “Am struggling with my own family bullshit.” It was clearly enough on the topic for the moment.

We got back to the fun and were all tired out in the end, but my mind kept circling back to the conversation. It killed me that there was so much crazy always going on that I couldn’t be there for something simple like overbearing family for the twins when they needed it.

But there wasn’t a ball I could drop. What part could I let go or step back from?

None. It was always the same answer.

I could only do it better, which I really thought I was doing with Mauro now. I hoped it was the answer. But clearly, I had to go to Ohio and see what was really going on.

11

---