Page 94 of Conner's Luna

"Thank you, Velia," I whisper, before shutting the bathroom in her face. I stand under the warm spray, letting the water beat down on me, soothing me.

Worst parent-introduction ever.

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24 - Superwolves Have Mates

Conner

I pace restlessly as Dad finishes securing Ariana in her new home. We brought her to the warehouse on the edge of ClearHowl territory. It used to have offices so we outfitted it as living space. It's not bad, nothing to lose sleep over. Nothing I need to waste my time on when Bailey is at my house.

"She's ready to wake up," Dad says to me. "I expect she'll want to see her pup, first."

I grunt. Sure she will. That's why Ariana left her son behind and ran away.

"You seem to lack sympathy," Uncle Gerald says mildly to me.

"She left her pup. Where's her fucking maternal instinct? At least take him with you." My parents would do anything for their pups. It sits raw on my wolf to know that a mother doesn't protect her pup.

"We don't know everything," Uncle Gerald continues. "We don't know if she was targeted by whoever killed those other females."

"Velia did tell me that the LaNu organization suspects ClearHowl involvement," I admit.

Uncle Alex takes a drag of his cigarette. I know shit's going south when he starts smoking again. He and I are alike that way. "I was worried about that," he says in a low voice. He glares at the still-unconscious female. "We've built up alliances with other packs, but I can't break through with the damn witches."

Dad chimes in with a low growl, "even the Punk has witch alliances." His panties are still in a bunch that Carmichael, with his pack of desperados that are two-thirds male, has alliances with witches.

"Because his Beta is mated to a witch, Dad," I tell him.

"It's an idea," Uncle Alex murmurs. "Matings can form alliances."

"Or break them," I shoot out. "Dad's arranged mating to Trey's auntie was a fucking disaster."

"She was a cunt," Dad says with a shrug. "Can't even compare it to your papa and mommy."

"I'm not mating with a witch," I say, feeling a little panicked. "I-" I cut off my own confession before I can blab too much. My wolf shakes out his fur, completely unruffled. Unless a witch is plopped right in front of his nose, he'll be unconcerned. Sometimes I worry that Bailey will figure out how dumb he is.

Uncle Alex's eyebrows quirk up at me. "I never mentioned that, did I?"

"It was implied," I growl.

Uncle Alex flicks his cigarette to the cement floor of the warehouse. Down the hall lie the bodies of the murdered females, frozen in deep refrigeration while we hunt the ones who killed them. Uncle Alex figures if all else fails, we can use the corpses to ensure Ariana's cooperation.

Uncle Lyall, Uncle Alex's mate, walks into the room with a look of frustration on his face. "The LaNu's are calling. The Chicago office. They want to know if Conner has something to do with Ariana's disappearance."

"Odd how quickly they jumped," Uncle Alex says.

Uncle Lyall nods. "They never called us about the missing and dead females, but they reach out about this?"

"Do you think they even know about those girls?" I ask him. I'm not as surprised at the LaNu's quick response. I stole her right under their noses. Hell, some of the LoboGris saw me take her. They probably called the LoboGris witch, who called the Chicago office, who called Uncle Lyall.

Dad responds, "those females came from the same trafficking ring that Uncle Dev and the Punk have been chasing for years. The LaNu's know about the ring."

We are all quiet for a beat, then a soft, groggy feminine voice asks, "where am I?"

We all look towards Ariana. The female is looking around with tears in her eyes. She sees me, then my dad and her lower lip starts to tremble. "I'm in ClearHowl, aren't I?"

"You are," Uncle Gerald says kindly.

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