Page 70 of Conner's Luna

"And that's good!" I interrupt him, feeling a little desperate and hating it. The thought of losing Bailey makes me break out in a cold sweat. Maybe Uncle Alex is on to something. Did Trey reject Bailey because he's an emotional coward? Months ago, I figured that he wanted Lydia because I wanted Lydia. She was worth fighting for, worth rejecting your goddess-given mate for. Now, I can't imagine being stupid enough to dismiss Bailey so easily. She's such a gorgeous person, inside and out. And edible. I discreetly roll my tongue around the inside of my mouth. Delicious.

"If it's not a fleeting improvement, it is," Uncle Alex says harshly. "I didn't want to damage your recovery. That's why I didn't let your dad come here to give you this lecture."

"I thought you came to investigate Bailey," I call him out on his bullshit. He's already mentioned meeting with her over her scholarship. He's curious, I can tell. My wolf's hackles rise. He doesn't like another male being so interested in his female.

Uncle Alex laughs, "I know all there is to know about Bailey, Conner. I've been investigating her for months. I didn't tell your parents about her because I know your dad, better than you, I'd say."

"What are you saying?" I bark out, feeling offended and not sure why.

"Your father is an alpha, Conner. You, however, aren't an alpha yet," Uncle Alex points out.

My wolf snaps his jaws, growling. "I am," I spit out.We are.

"No," Uncle Alex says. "You aren't. Alphas aren'tborn, Conner. They aren't created from bloodlines or the goddess or any of that shit. Lunas are born. Lunas are fated. We are made. Forged in suffering and strength to lead what is literally a pack of animals."

"You weren't born to a true alpha pairing. Neither was I, or my father. Your bloodline is strong but think about how easily it can be corrupted. If you have truly abandoned Lydia as your truemate, then you are a MateLess alphason."

It's a devastating punch to the gut. "I'm a strong alpha," I say through a tight throat, "and I have Bailey. I have a mate." Goddess, please let me have a mate.

"One day, Conner. I hope so."

"I will be. I will - she will be - sheis," I say in a thick voice. My wolf is clawing at my throat, furious at the implication that we are anything other than strong and livid at the idea that Bailey isn't his.

Uncle Alex gives me a sympathetic look. "I know that feeling," he says quietly, pointing at my swelling throat. "I felt it every day that Lyall wasn't with me. I had to accept that I was a different type of alpha before that feeling stopped."

I shake my head, mute. I don't want to hear this. At this point, I'm praying to the goddess that my dad pops out of the kitchen and saves me from this conversation.

"Think about what is happening all around us. Females going missing. A possible human connection. A TrueBorn taking over the north. Packs disappearing in South America. ClearHowl has a MateLess Alphason after all we've done to try and prevent that. We need to be strong enough that we can survive."

"You make it sound like we're falling apart. We aren't," I insist.

He pins me with a steely look. "We don't have a luna, Conner. We don't have a goddess's gift to grace our pack. Your mom, who is wonderful, isn't a luna. My Lyall is male. We had Cassie on borrowed time. We don't have a luna and haven't since my own mother died over forty years ago."

"We've done well, anyway," I point out quietly.

He nods. "Packs need a luna. Without a luna we are rudderless. A weak luna is worse than a weak alpha. She is the heart of the pack and we are sorely missing her."

"And I've lost our luna?" I say slowly. My wolf snaps. He doesn't need a luna, he needs amate. His mate doesn't want him, so he found a pretty human to be his.

"I just told you that a weak luna is a terrible thing," Alpha Alex points out.

"I don't get what you're saying, Unc. Spit it out!" I snap, frustrated.

Instead of getting angry, Uncle Alex smiles and switches the direction of the conversation again. "Your dad is an alpha. If he knew about Bailey, knew everything that you know, that I know, he would steal her for ClearHowl."

I snarl, growling insanely at the idea that any male would steal Bailey, even if it's my happily-mated dad.

Uncle Alex continues as if I didn't react, "Teague's wolf would drive him to secure a luna for his pack. Then he would pressure you and her to mate and have pups. He would be relentless." He pauses, letting me absorb that, "Alpha Antony thinks the same way, Conner. He needs a luna for that pack."

"Only," I say slowly, my brain catching on, "he thinks that Bailey is the weak luna, and Lydia is the strong one." I take a deep breath. Eventually, even the idiots at RedMoon will realize what they've let slip through their fingers. A snarl bubbles up in my gut. "He won't take my girl from me!" I rage for a moment, claws bursting forth, canines snapping my uncle's face. I can Mark Bailey today.

My wolf tosses his head, opening his maw wide as a stream of saliva falls to the ground at his paws. Mating venom wells and I'm nearly sent to my knees at the sharp taste that invades my mouth. I haven't felt it in months.

I swallow, my eyelids fluttering at the thought of sinking my fangs into that silky-smooth, plump flesh. If she protests I can eat her pussy until she doesn't even notice my teeth. A mating Mark typically goes on the neck and collarbone of a she-wolf, but we can bite her on her pretty thighs, too. My cock is an iron-hard spike at the thought. Fuck, I can Mark her all over those thighs... herass. Once you place one Mark, what's a few more?

My uncle tosses his head back, howling in laughter. When he recovers, I'm still fighting my wolf for control and my dick is so hard if anything touches it I worry it might crack like broken marble. Uncle Alex reaches out and clasps me on the shoulder. "That," he points at my face, "is how an alpha reacts. Find a way to keep your human luna, Conner. My advice would be to woo her but tell her the truth before too much time passes by. Now, you're picking her up, correct?"

I go still as the truth washes over me. "You're the one who bugged her MacBooks. Shit, Unc! It scared the piss out of her!"

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