After dinner, Eli and | went up to our room. “Baby, what do you need to prepare for your battle with


    your father?”


    | turn and look at him, confused. “What do you mean? There’s no way he’s going to defeat me.


    He walks over, pulling my hips against his, putting his forehead on mine. “Grace, every Alpha there saw what you can do. There


    is no way your father is going to fight fair. He’s lost before the battle begins. So, what do you think he would do?”


    | understand what he means. If my father intends to fight me for the pack, he knows he can’t beat


    me outright. “What do you think he will do?”


    “Well, | think we need to make sure that the battle is as fair as possible. We''re going to bring


    some of our pack members with us. But | also want to talk to Alpha Anders. He’s an elder and if


    he’s there, it would mean that any cheating would immediately disqualify your father from the


    challenge.”


    “Do you think Alpha Anders would be willing toe with us?”


    “All we can do is ask.” Eli says.


    The next day, | speak to Cara and Angel and they are happy to have our next training session with King Ailduin at our pack. “It


    will give us a chance to take a look at your new shops!” Cara says


    excitedly.


    “Well, if youe next weekend for the mate gathering, you can take a look at our new clothing store. Anna makes clothes to


    order, as well as some that she is making to sell off the rack. But Lily could have her own, one-of-a-kind outfit, handmade by a


    seamstress.” | tell her excitedly. | had walked the new ‘main street’ yesterday and can see that it ising together beautifully.


    One of our kitchen omegas opened a coffee and pastry shop, and there are three other stores that are nearingpletion.


    “Richie, too!” Angel says excitedly.


    “Yes, Richie, too.” |ugh.


    “We coulde early to shop, stay for dinner then head back. Then the following weekend, we would be back to pick up our


    baby clothes.”


    Afterward, | called King Ailduin. | talked to him about having the next training session in our pack.” There’s something else |


    wanted to speak to you about Ailduin.” When | tell him about T, he says there may be something he can do, but he’ll need to


    see her injury when he’s here.


    | met with Summer to make sure we have enough space for our new pack members, but now we''re also going to be hosting


    another pack for our mate gathering. Thankfully, there are many rooms that have emptied out with thepletion of the homes.


    We decide to put Alpha


    Christopher and his daughter on our floor and any other ranked members will have to be divided


    between the Beta and Gamma floors.


    Several pack members approached Eli and | to volunteer to take in the new pack members until


    they can get their homes built. With everyone working together, | think it can be done.


    Eli spoke to Alpha Anders and he agreed to join us for the challenge. He agreed that it was likely. that my father would try to


    cheat and having an elder would ensure that things were fair.


    The week went by quickly. There is still so much to do, and building homes is exhausting work. Eli and | were back to working


    long hours and falling into bed seconds before our eyes closed.


    The night before the challenge, Eli insisted that | stop work early. “You need your rest. | know you don’t need to practice to defeat


    your father, but you still need some rest. You''re not a machine, baby.” He ordered dinner in our room, so we had some quiet,


    alone time.


    “How are you feeling about tomorrow?” He asks me, watching me intently.


    I shrug. “I guess | have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, he’s my father and | wish | wasn’t in a position where this


    challenge had to happen. On the other, he did this to himself. He did this by banishing me, hurting my mother and taking another


    mate. Every time | begin to feel sorry for him, | remember my mother, clutching her chest, rolling on the floor in pain. Or I


    remember thatst moment, when she seemed to realize something was wrong, right before her heart stopped. When |


    remember that, | realize, there is no one else that can do this. That pack is my right. If he had been the kind of father he should


    have been, he would have passed the pack, to me. But he isn’t that person, and I’m not the person | used to be. If he doesn’t


    submit, | will kill him.”


    “Can you live with that?” Eli asks me softly.


    “Yes, | can now. | wouldn’t have always been able to say that. But, when | take the anger and hurt


    away, | still see a man who has abused his position as Alpha, who abused the mate bond given to


    him by the Moon Goddess and who abused the privilege of being a father.”


    “No matter what happens tomorrow, I''ll be there for you.” Eli tells me before pulling me into hisp.


    I curl up against him and just let him hold me while | think about tomorrow.


    The next morning. Anders shows up early. “Alpha Anders. Thank you for taking time toe with us today.”


    HS


    BONOS.


    “Of course. Luna. It’s my pleasure and | think we can both agree, it''s much needed.”


    “Yes, unfortunately. And please, call me Grace.”


    “Only if you call me Anders.”


    By 7am, our caravan is on its way to my father’s pack. It’s nearly 3 hours to get to his packnds. As we drive through what used


    to be my home, | can’t believe the change. The homes that once were fresh and vibrant looking with blooming flowers and


    nts, now look nearly dpidated. Paint is peeling on the outside of the houses, the streets are cracked with potholes, the grass


    is unkempt and overgrown.


    As we turn to down the road to the pack house, the difference is startling. The pack house is sparkling on the outside. green


    lawns with flowering nts all around the entrance and driveway. Eli looks at me and shakes his head.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Cooper


    Author