Page 95 of Conner's Luna

Tears fall down her cheeks. "My pup?"

I regain a modicum of respect for her. At least she asked for her son, first.

"Here. Safe."

Ariana makes a slight sobbing sound. "My family?"

"Also here," Uncle Alex says coldly.

She nods a few times, seeming to steel herself, before she looks at us, one by one. "Is my sister here?"

Uncle Alex frowns. Dad answers her, "she is not. She is mated and had no reason to leave RedMoon."

A new spate of tears fall down her cheeks. "She does," Ariana whispers.

"Why?" Uncle Gerald asks her, still speaking gently.

She looks right at me, "Nicki is pregnant. She's part of the program. Please, I..." she breaks down sobbing.

Uncle Alex sucks in a breath. "A program," he says in quiet disbelief. A chill dances down my spine.

"Come again?" Dad says. "What program?" he snarls.

"For stronger wolves," Ariana whispers.

"They're trying to create superwolves," Uncle Alex mutters, shaking his head.

"Didn't you?" Ariana's gaze darts to me.

Uncle Alex and Dad scoff, but Uncle Gerald nods his head. "ClearHowl wasn't powerful, even with an alpha for a Beta. Until that alpha-male had pups," Uncle Gerald points out. "It may seem like we are making superpups."

"Fertility enhancement and heat drugs are a long way from murder," Uncle Lyall points out.

"But the pups aren't superwolves," Uncle Alex inserts with a scowl. "They're just pups." His wolf's fur is bristling as he senses the danger to wolves he sees as his own family.

Ariana whispers into the silence, "didn't they make you in the lab?"

"I made him from my balls," Dad snaps, affronted. He snorts derisively, "My sperm makes superwolves, Con. Magic fucking bullets," he makes a rude gesture towards his dick.

"The lab..." Uncle Lyall mumbles. "Honekier Labs?" He and Uncle Alex share a significant look. He looks at Ariana, "who told you ClearHowl is making superwolves?"

She looks at him blankly at first, then it clears, "everyone. The entire pack has been talking about it. We've tried to make them, but... they're just pups, I guess," she shrugs helplessly, repeating Uncle Alex's words.

"Inmylab?" Uncle Alex asks in disbelief.

Ariana shrugs again, "I don't know."

"So," I say slowly, "your pack forced you to have a pup that wasn't your mate's? It wasn't an affair?"

Ariana's face went white. "Yes. I didn't..." her voice trails off again.

"How many females have gone through this?" Dad asks grimly.

"I don't know," she whispers. "I... I don't think it's been successful most of the time, actually. I just took the pills that I was told and..."

"How did you become pregnant?" Uncle Gerald asks her.

She doesn't answer. She looks like she can't answer.