Page 92 of Conner's Luna

Silence falls between us. Dad waits, patient. Another lesson that I haven't learned. "Dad..."

"Who is she, Conner?"

"Bailey Madison Washin-"

"Conner," Dad's voice falls like a steel trap. "I read her spec report. Who the fuck is she?"

I'm silent. I feel like a dumb little pup getting scolded by his father, unable to admit that I broke mom's favorite ceramic platter by using it to dig for gold.

"I was standing there for a while, Conner. I saw how she resolved that dispute. Carter and Raul have been trying to beat the shit out of each other for almost a year and she worked some voodoo shit on them real damn fast. So I'll ask again; who is she?"

"Trey Wilkinson's truemate," I admit, feeling hollow.

Dad's eyes slide closed. "Conner," his voice is filled with pity.

"No!" I shout. "She doesn't like him! He rejected her so fuck that piece of shit, Dad. She's mine."

His eyes open. He pins me in place with a hard stare. "Conner. She belongs to another male. She's aluna. He won't give her up. This is the war we were trying to avoid."

"I won't let her go." Dad made me let Lydia go, sort of. How is this fair?

"She's human, Conner. You can't take away her choice. She wouldn't forgive you if you did."

"She'll fall in love with me and choose me," I replied stubbornly. Hell, I'll let her biopsy my ass. That'll keep her close to me.

Dad nods, looking stone-faced. "Conner... You have to tell her the truth. Tell her everything." I nod, looking away for the first time. "Conner. What does she already know?" Dad asks.

"About wolves. She's probably terrified without me, meeting wolves for the first time," I say petulantly. Dad can reduce me to a pup like no one else.

"She stared at me like she wanted to take my measurements for her science fair project," Dad dismisses my comment. "Does she know about Trey?"

I can't look at him. Fear steals my breath. "No," I whisper.

"Did she figure out that you're a wolf on her own?" Dad asks, but there's no question in his tone. He already knows the answer. I nod my head, yes, and he sighs. "She'll figure all this out if she hasn't already. How will she feel if she knows you've kept shit from her? You want this girl to choose you? You need to tell her everything. Do it before that dumb-fuck Wilkinson prick wises up."

"Shit," I exhale explosively.

---

Bailey

"Let's talk about this," I plead to Velia.

She rolls her eyes so hard I worry that we'll crash. "Mom and Papa will love you. Like, they already love you before even meeting you. Besides, this is your chance to breathe and pee and stuff without my brother following you like he's your shadow."

"You can drive more slowly, at least."

She slides a glare my way. "I'm driving the speed limit, Bailey. Twenty-five miles an hour.Twenty-five."

She is driving really slowly. It's a bit bizarre, to tell the truth. Velia must see my expression because she explains. "Dad has all these radar detectors installed everywhere and my car has a tracker that tells him if I drive over the speed limit. Before you ask; no - Conner and Braxton do not have it on their trucks."

I'm still laughing as we pull up to a mansion. My laughter cuts off at the sight of the gorgeous log-cabin-style house, lights blazing from every window. It's exactly what I would have picked for billionaire wolves to live in. This, or a castle.

A woman runs out of the house as soon as Velia pulls up. Light hair sprinkled with a few greys and the slightest laugh-lines around her mouth and eyes are the only hints at her real age. Otherwise, she could pass as Velia's older sister.

"Mommy!" Velia tosses herself from the car and into her mom's arms. They hug as if they didn't just see each other an hour ago.

A lump rises in my throat. I blink my eyes rapidly. I miss my mom.

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