Mason


    | didn’t want to repeat myself. Even saying it one time instead of only thinking it left a sour taste in my


    mouth. Gabri was taking her head.


    “Leaving won’t make anything better for you. It would be so much worse. You''d be breaking your mate bond... And aside from


    the repercussions of that, you’d be so sad, Mason.”


    “What if | wasn’t really meant to be a part of them?” | hate even asking, but who else can | talk to about


    this?n’s power only passed to me because he died. He didn’t give it to me. | just...got it. What if it was by


    ident?”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    “The Moon Goddess doesn’t do idents,” Gabri said kindly. “If you four are bound it is because she meant for it to happen


    that way.”


    I


    “| feel like an outsider. More than | ever did even when | was growing up, knowing | didn’t belong.”


    There. | had admitted it.


    All of the thoughts and feelings that had been haunting me since | first discovered that the woman | loved was in fact my


    brother''s mate.


    I''d spent my life fighting the fact my own father had abandoned me, focused my energy and efforts on destroying his other, more


    prized son. | couldn’t regret discovering that leading alongside my brother was better than sI aughtering him to take his


    ce....but | also couldn’tpletely shake the worry that | might always be on the outside looking in.


    “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. That can’t be good.” Gabri’s brow creased between her eyes as her mou curved down. “I know


    there’s nothing | can do that can change how you feel, but | hope | can help you understand that none of that is true. You and


    your brother might butt heads. You''ll have to face some resentments. Both of you are strong men with big personalities.. just like


    your father. You might not have known him growing up, but you inherited a lot from him.”


    She chuckled and pursed her lips. | had tough a little, too. The situation wasn’t humorous, butughin was better than


    screaming.


    “When | found out that Orion’s death had passed you the Alpha role, | won''t lie. | was extremely concerned for Xander, but also


    for you. | wasn’t sure if you’d be able to get along, first of all, | didn’t know if your inheritance would manifest itself with full Alpha


    powers, or if there’d be some kind of restrictions.


    “| worried that perhaps your gain would mean my son’s loss. Not because | didn’t feel you deserved it,” she added. “But because,


    of course, no mother wants to see her child in pain ore to harm. But, as | saw the two of you managing to put aside the past


    and work beyond the damage your father had done, | became so very proud of you both.


    “| know | had no hand in raising you, Mason, so | can take no credit. I’m still proud of you.


    1. You''ve ovee a lot. More than | think many others could have done. I’d hate to see you and Xander at odds with


    | nodded. “Yeah...he might be a giant pain in my as s sometimes, but no, | don’t want us fighting, either.”


    “And you don’t really want to leave,” Gabri said softly. “Not in your heart.”


    | grumbled. “No. Even if | think it would be easier to run away with Lanie....but | couldn’t leave the pups behind. She’d never


    allow it, and my brother would never allow his children to be taken from him.”


    “You are both exemry fathers, which also makes me very proud.” Gabri beamed, even though a faint. shadow remained in


    her gaze. “Your rtionship with your brother isplicated, but that’s how families work. Being part of a pack means


    negotiation andpromise. You''re a strong leader, Mason. You''ll find


    way.”


    “Thanks,” | said. | almost called her “Mom,” but at thest second decided against it. | didn’t want to


    dishonor my mother..


    “You said you both turned on Zane when he tried to Beta you?”


    | made a disgusted noise at myself. “Yeah. Tempers were ring.”


    your


    She looked thoughtful. “Xander and Zane have always had each other. They''ve been bonded, oh, since they were pups. I''ve


    known them to get on each other’s nerves on asion, but it sounds like the fight you all


    had was worse than that.”


    “Yeah. Like | said, tempers were ring. To be honest, Zane tried to Beta us into calming down, but when we didn''t, he got pi


    ssed off at us and ran off. I’m not saying he didn’t have a right,” | added hastily at Gabri’s stern look. “I know we were acting


    like as sholes, but he just up and left.”


    She shook her head, looking solemn. “You two better get your act together, or else he might do more than


    leave to cool off. He might up and quit you both entirely.”


    212