Chapter 250


    Mason


    Xander and Zane had gone off for a run in the woods and what | assumed was some private time between the two of them. |


    hadn''t been able to hear them through the link, but | could tell they were having a pretty deep discussion before they left. Maybe


    it should’ve bothered me more, being left out like that, but...Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    “It''s going to take you all some time to get used to how it all works.” Gabri said this from the kitchen doorway to me in the


    living room. She held up a te of cake. “I made this. It’s carrot with cream cheese icing. Want some?”


    himself up to


    | checked the babies, who were all ying happily in their ypen. Isaac had pulled up babble at his sisters, who were watching


    him with a keen intent | knew would lead to them trying it next. They were safe where they were, though, and my stomach was


    rumbling.


    Plus, | wanted to spend some time getting to know the woman my father had married.


    “Coffee?” Gabri asked as she cut a thick slice of dake for me.


    | dug my fork in and took a big bite. F uck, it was good. | nodded with my mouth full, and she slid a mug. toward me, then filled it


    with hot coffee.


    “It''s a good thing you boys urged Lanie to take some time to herself. She was getting a little stir crazy here in the


    Oge. By the way my son and his Beta took off a little while ago, I’d say we all are. Do you need to run off somewhere, too?”


    | shook my head as | took another bite. “Not right now. Anyway, someone has to stay and help out with those three pups. They’re


    too much of a handful for one person alone.”


    “It was certainly easier when they couldn’t move around.” Gabri twisted to look into the living room fondly. “They''re so


    precious. What a gift.”


    “An unexpected one,” | told her sincerely. “I never thought I’d be part of a family like this.”


    Xander’s mother studied me solemnly. “I never in a million full moons would have believed I''d ever be sitting across a kitchen


    table feeding the son of my husband''s mistress carrot cake.”


    “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry Orion did that to you”


    Gabri shook her head. “You don’t need to apologize for the cruelties your parents did. None of us are without w. | was


    foolish to trust him the way | did. At any rate, I’m d to have the chance to know you, Mason. | always wanted Xander to have a


    brother. Zane has filled part of that need in him, but not exactly the same as you can”


    “No,” | said after a second,ughing. “I don’t think | can do that.”


    She smiled, but it looked a little sad. “Lanie was right, you know. There is change on the h orizon. Big things areing. I''ve


    tried to ask the Goddess for insight, but since | am no longer the Luna, my ess to


    her is much dimmer”


    “Ah. So you did overhear us. | wasn’t sure.”


    Xander’s mother nodded. “I heard.”


    “Is it hard for you? Having Lanie be the Luna now, | mean. Since you were the Luna for so long...” | licked the tines of my fork,


    adding, “Xander wasn’t happy about having to share his Alpha status with me, but at least he didn’t lose it altogether.”


    “Yes,” Gabri said so bluntly it surprised me. “It is hard to give up my role, my status, all of it. I’m used to a certain amount of


    power, and of course it’s difficult to lose that, no matter how certain | am that Lanie deserves it. She’s incredibly strong, Mason.”


    Something in her voice clued me in. “And you’re worried about that for some reason,”


    “Lanie is a hybrid,” Gabri said with that same bluntness. “None of us knows what that all means, and while | cannot condone


    what the High Council and my former husband were trying to do to the hybrids...1 can’t help but wonder if we do need to be


    concerned about how they are able to ess their powers. She’s not just a wolf, Mason. Not a simple Luna. She''s got the


    vampire powers, and she’s the only Luna I’ve ever heard of who has three mates.”


    I scowled. “You think | shouldn''t be mated to her...?”


    “| didn’t say that. The fact is, no matter what | think, she is your mate. And Xander’s. And Zane’s. And it’s clear the Goddess


    blessed that union of you four,” Gabri shook her head. “But it''s also clear to me that with great power and strengthes a


    vast amount of stress not to mention responsibility”


    “And you think she can’t handle it?” | used, angry on Lanie’s behalf.


    “| don’t think anything.” Gabri snapped. “But we don’t know anything, either. Like | said, she’s very strong. Maybe that’s why


    she has three mates. She needs all three of you to help her. If something should happen to that bond...”


    | calmed down. “It won''t. Nothing can break us apart


    Gabri shook her head and gave me a sad smile. “Thope you''re right,: son.”


    But something in the way she said it made me think she didn’t have the same confidence | did.