Page 55 of Knot Quite Ready

Okay, Aneira. It is time to Luna up and give these fuckers something to remember.I am not the child who left here so many years ago. I’m stronger, smarter, mated, and a fucking Luna. My grandfather can suck it.

“Remember. You’re the fucking Luna of the Cabria Wolf Pack. So give them fucking hell and save a murder or two for me,” Tristan looks back in the rearview mirror with a roguish smile.

I laugh, “You got it.”

As the car rolls to a stop, a massive shifter in tactical gear opens the door, and I step out of the car, my slippered feet touching the cool marble of the driveway. I spot several wolves dressed similarly, and I pause. What in the Pedigree is going on here?

Calian says, if Kathleen is working for your grandfather, she probably tipped them off that we would be coming for you.

I resist the urge to nod. That certainly would make sense.

10-4, momma-wolf preparing to infiltrate.

His warm laugh echoes in my head, and I smile. I’m not sure if the formal recognition triggered something in our bond, but the ability to speak to Casimir mind to mind is a damn gift. Him realizing it when I was sharing our sex stories with Storm and Aoife…not so much. Storm had reluctantly given Casimir the bracelet so he could communicate with me without interference.

I’m sure she will be having a shit ton of them made now for backup.

I move past the guard and my eyes take in the sprawling staircase and large oak doors that lead into the pack house all the while taking a mental tally of who is posted where and how many, and relay that information back to Casimir. Safe to say, if I tried to murder and run, I would be captured faster than a Brit drains a cup of tea.

When I reach the doors, I’m led inside until I’m facing a small group of wolves. But I ignore them as my eyes are drawn to the two people that I never thought I would see again—my mother and grandfather.Well, one that I hoped I wouldn’t.

She is alive.

A soft ‘Aneria’ falls from my mother’s mouth before she is silenced with one look from my grandfather, and I struggle to fill my lungs as I’m hit with the overwhelming urge to run into her arms.

Breathe. You will get that chance, my love.

I take a calming breath to clear my thoughts as I take in their fancy designer gowns and suits. They were dressed…for a wedding. Pushing my shoulders back I smile brightly, “Grandfather. Casemiro is a bit delayed, so he sent me ahead. He said to carry on with dinner. He is waiting for a package of some sort.”

My grandfather’s eyes flash in irritation before they go blank. Ah, so he is aware of Miro’s addiction. Not to worry, it won’t be a problem anymore, I cackle to myself.

As I step closer, my mom takes a breath, and despite my grandfathers’ previous look, her eyes are frozen in horror as she takes me in. She mouths the word,pregnant,and I nod. Her eyes steel, and I feel her mind working double time. I can’t tell her that there is nothing to worry about, so instead, I bite back a smile because not only has she not changed, but my grandfather has not broken her.

My grandfather pauses as he looks at me up and down, taking in my designer gown. He looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to acknowledge him as the pack’s Alpha. But I stare at him blankly. “Duncan,” I say dryly, calling him by his first name.

He frowns, “Aneira. I’m so glad to see you home, back into the family fold where you belong.”

“Yeah, well. Aiding and abetting a kidnapping will certainly do that,” I reply.

My Grandfather looks at me disapprovingly but claps his hands together loudly. “Anyway. We must convene for dinner. There is much to discuss, and I think it’s time you knew the truth about your family.” He turns on his heels and strides ahead.

My mother hangs back just slightly and whispers, “I will get you out, my baby.”

“I have a plan. We will both get out. ,” I mutter, give her a nod and follow my grandfather and his ‘party’ further into the house. Which hasn’t changed at all since the last time I was here. Strangely, my life has changed so drastically, yet it’s as if I never left. Pictures of me as a child dotted the walls. Photos that I fucking hated. I spent most of my childhood within the commune with the other Omegas, but he would have pictures taken of me when I was playing, looking happy, and would hang them around to appear like a doting and forgiving Alpha and grandfather, despite my mother’s crime of defection. Toxic.

“Whisky all around?” Duncan asks but doesn’t wait for an answer before pouring a healthy amount into the glasses and handing them out to us all. I take it with a grimace as my stomach rebels at the scent of watered-down troll piss coming from the cup. Either he hasn’t scented my pregnancy, Kathleen hasn’t had a chance to tell him, or he doesn’t care. Either way, I rather it not make it a topic of conversation. I’m sure it would just take him down a trip of memory lane, and as long as he plays nice, I can gather informationbeforeI kill him.

We filter through to his stuffy sitting room, which also has a few animal heads gracing the wall, but is nowhere near as morbid as Miro’s place.

Duncan props himself up against the bar and raises his glass. “A toast. To family. After all, if we don’t have that, what do we have?” He raises his brow and waits for us all to raise our glasses. “To family,” we echo in unison, although mine falls flat.

If it isn’t Vin Diesel talking about family while driving fast cars, I don’t want to hear it.

Taking a seat on a small couch, I tip the glass over the edge of the armrest, letting the whiskey soak into the ugly, outdated carpet. Twenty million for a bounty but can’t get a new carpet? I mean, he should thank me.

“You stupid bitch,” my grandfather shouts, his voice slightly hoarse, as he strides over to me. He stands over me, and in the same tone as one would take with a petulant child, he says, “Do you know how much a single drop of that whiskey costs? There will be no more for you now.”

“Gee, can I still stay up and watch cartoons?” I roll my eyes.

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