Page 126 of Unforgivable

"Who is it, sir?" Inuit asks Dad politely.

"Take Penny and the pups upstairs," Dad says.

"Dad?" I feel a flutter of panic. "Who is it?"

The knocking on the door persists. It's firm and demanding, that noise, nothing subtle. It's not a request for entry. It's a demand.

I try to cut off the whimper, but I can't.

"Upstairs, Penny, Inuit."

I go as far as the dining room, ducking inside and peeking out with Inuit, for once not arguing, right behind me.

"Ted Song," a deep voice calls out from the other side of the door.

Slowly, Dad opens the door. The former alpha, Alpha Macon, steps through the door, with his Luna, Elizabeth, on his heels.

I gasp, and the luna's eyes flit to me. She smiles softly, just the hint of wrinkles around her mouth and eyes. I always thought that she was pretty, especially considering how old she is. She's already, like, seventy, but looks good still.

Dad sees her looking and turns his head to glare at us. I'm totally losing my phone over this, but who cares? I only have a few friends now. Inuit is one of them, and even though he has a phone, he never uses it, ever. He'll send maybe one or two texts a day. I send him more, and he just waits to see me before he replies. He comes over here with Sarj after school. Giving Lyri privacy for reasons I don't need to think about.

"How are you, Ted?" Alpha Macon asks Dad in a quiet, respectful voice.

"I've been better," he snaps out. Not so respectful, Dad. My eyes widen. I've never heard Dad talk that way to one of the leaders of our pack. Alpha Macon may not be alpha anymore, but he's still... Alpha Macon.

"I imagine that's true," Alpha Macon is still respectful, even though he could beat the hell out of my Dad without even really trying. Dad's strong, working in lumber like he does, but he's not alpha-strong.

Mom comes home then, pulling in the driveway with Elder Bea in the passenger seat. Mom's always taking one of the elders shopping with her so they can get out of their homes and get some of their errands done. Lyri used to take them places, too.

I sniff back tears and feel Inuit pat my back comfortingly.

Mom comes flying into the house, her eyes wide on the former alpha couple.

"What's going on?" she gasps out. "Is my daughter OK?" her voice raises shrilly.

"She's fine," Luna Elizabeth soothes her. "We're here for... well." She looks at her mate.

"Is Inuit here?" Alpha Macon asks.

Of course, he knows that Inuit is here. He can scent him in the house. And, we're not precisely hidden well over here, spying on them from the dining room.

"Why do you need to know where Inuit is?" Dad crosses his arms over his chest just like Inuit.

"I would like to take him home and speak with his brothers," Alpha Macon says. Cray-cray former alpha say what? I glance at Inuit, eyes wide, but he just looks bored.

"Only one of the Genom males or myself will drive that pup anywhere," Dad claims.

Go, Dad! I silently cheer.

"If that would make you more comfortable, then, of course. But, we need to go quickly, before my son catches wind of our presence here."

Dad looks surprised. Even Inuit inhales in shock, and he's never surprised by anything. Yesterday, Joel Ruegen threw up in biology class when he was given a mouse to dissect, and Inuit was the only one who didn't even flinch. I mean, who throws up at the sight of a dead mouse? I guess Joel won't be the best hunter in the world.

"What do you want with me?" Inuit steps out from the dining room, his shoulders set back. I resist the urge to kick his ankle. He was hiding with me! Clearly, he doesn't understand the concept.

"We need to discuss your pack, young wolf," Alpha Macon tells him.

I've never seen Inuit look at someone so coldly before. "My pack is dead."

---