Chapter 41
**JAMES**
I yawn and stretch out in bed next to Moira, who is still asleep, her dark hair scattered over the pillow. It's the best view I can get when I wake up, my beautiful mate. I won't risk waking her and getting out of bed to get ready for the office. When I emerge from the bathroom, Elena is already waiting for her turn in the corridor.
"Good morning, sweetheart. Sleep well?"
She grunts and enters the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. I stifle a laugh. Ah, adolescence. Our lovely daughter is not a morning person. When I reach the kitchen, I turn on the radio and set about preparing breakfast. I'm soon joined by the two women in my life. I place a plate of eggs and bacon in front of each of them. Moira thanks me with a big smile that enlightens the room as our offspring pushes the plate away.
"I'll have an apple instead," she murmurs.
"You've got to eat. You need protein to start the day. How will you manage to concentrate?" I tell her, pushing the place back and Moira gives me a little nod.
"Honey, is everything okay at school?"
Lena nods, but neither of us is convinced.
"You know you can tell us anything. We know that adolescence is a dirty time, especially when everyone starts having a wolf and ours is slow in coming." Moira says softly, stroking her back.
"How old were you when you got your wolf?" She asks her. Touché so that's the problem. If I catch the kid or kids who dare to make fun of her...
"I was 17," Moira replies. "I must have been last in my class. I hated it, and then when she showed up, everything changed. I was finally complete and it's going to happen to you." She gets up to hug her and kiss the top of her head.
I love this woman so much, she's perfect, she always knows what to say and to everyone. After all, she was made to be Luna.
Lena ends up eating her plate and leaving for school after a quick hug to each of us.
"I'll tell them... I'll show them the evidence I have in the safe," I say to Moira.
"Do you think you can trust them? What if they tell Eric before you have a solid plan..."
"I have a plan and I know that when they find out they'll follow me."
"He's going to go crazy. When his father put you in charge, I thought he was going to..." She pauses, shaking her head. "Now I understand better why Caleb said you had the shoulders for it because you're an Alpha. That aura you give off, the confidence you draw to yourself..."
"And you were made to be Luna. That's why you're so sweet with everyone and always know what to say. He knew that's why he wanted you and why he was so angry that I was your mate."
"Be careful James. I don't know what Eric is capable of, but nothing good." She says, placing her palms on my chest.
"I will be. Tomorrow I'm going to meet Frank and Cillian and tell them everything and they'll support me, I know it."
"I trust you." She replies before kissing me.
**CALEB**
Everything my father told me was a fucking lie, everything my education is based on is a fucking lie. I am a fucking lie.
My great-grandfather stole the title of Alpha from Elena's great-grandfather by rigging the votes for the Alpha spot. When the last alpha of the Ascott line died without an heir, it was decided that the next alpha would be chosen by community vote and that his descendants would automatically become successors. That's why my grandfather gave the reins of the company to James, that's why he had the reputation of preferring him to my father because he was born for it. Fuck, this hatred for him and Elena. He was afraid she'd discover the truth and claim what was rightfully hers... my place as Alpha. That explains a lot. She was a born leader, which is why she managed to run two companies with a master's hand.
I couldn't bring myself to stay with the others for the time being. I don't want them to look at me with pity or tell me that they'll surely leave me a place at the head of the pack even if I'm not alpha. So I drove on and stopped near a forest to run. My wolf is as distraught as I am, for he too has been deceived. He forced me to do all this so she couldn't get justice. He was afraid James would tell Arthur before he died and who would tell her. Damn, he's worse than I thought. If my father had had the opportunity to mark Moira before she saw James after she turned eighteen, he would have even stolen his mate. How could our family have gone so far in its lust for power? Elena has it all, in the safe there was an airtight case with indisputable evidence, and I know she'll go to any lengths to bring justice to her family. Now that we have this information in our possession, we all have a target behind our backs. And I hope we'll have time to come up with a solid plan before my father learns what we know.
I shouldn't feel bad about things that were done by people other than myself, and yet I do. My father most certainly killed Elena's parents and my mother will confirm this in the next few days. And what should I do with this information? A werewolf who is guilty of killing one of his fellow werewolves in circumstances other than self-defense should be condemned to death. Our law is implacable. I'd have to kill my father... no, Elena would have to do it.