Chapter 33: Thirty three
Remus.
I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples as Dante paced in front of me, his obstacle clear with every dense step. The stack of papers on the desk felt never-ending, even though the event was all I could think about.
Tonight, Shadowclaw was hosting, and while most of the werewolf community would be there, Silvermoon was excluded because of the feud. Dante, though, had other things on his mind.
"I don't get it," he muttered, running his hand through his hair for what felt like the tenth time in the last few minutes. "I've been patient, Remus. I've done everything right, but Rachel just... rejected me."
I glanced up from the papers I wasn't really paying attention to, giving him a small nod. "She'll come around. Just give her time."
Dante sighed, dropping into the chair opposite me. "What if she doesn't? I mean, I've been waiting for a mate for years, and when I finally think I've found someone who could be... something, she pulls away. It's maddening."
I understood his frustration. Rachel had always been difficult to read, stubborn in her own way. "Don't push her, Dante. She's got her reasons. You'll have to be patient."
He gave a huff of displeasure but didn't argue. "You think the event tonight will stir things up?"
I sighed, standing to stretch my legs. "It always does. Shadowclaw hosting means there's bound to be drama, especially with my mother making a scene over every little thing. The fact that Silvermoon isn't invited will only make things more complicated."
"Hmm," Dante scoffed, shaking his head. "Your mother never misses an opportunity, does she?"
I smirked, knowing full well the storm my mother could stir up at events like this. "No, she doesn't. I expect a full performance tonight."
We wrapped up the last-minute details for the event, and as Dante left the office, I let out a deep breath, knowing the real challenge would be dealing with the chaos once we arrived.
~~
I pushed open the door to our room, expecting a quiet moment to relax before the evening's chaos began. Instead, I found Rhea pacing back and forth across the room, her hands clenched into fists. The moment she heard the door creak, her eyes shot to mine, and I could see the storm brewing behind them.
I walked toward her, reaching out to pull her into a calming embrace, but she swatted my hand away before I could even touch her.
A small smile tugged at my lips. She was still furious, and I couldn't blame her. My mother had crossed the line again, treating her and her family with disrespect, like they didn't belong here.
"Rhea," I started, keeping my voice calm, "they're part of this pack now. No one, not my mother, not my father, no one is going to change that. I'm the Alpha, and my decision is final."
She stopped pacing but didn't look at me. Instead, she let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders still tense. "I'm tired, Remus," she said, her voice low but filled with defeat. "Tired of pretending I'm not hurt. Your mother treats me like I'm some outsider in my own pack. And I'm done acting like it doesn't get to me."
Her voice cracked, and I saw the tears welling in her eyes. My chest tightened at the sight, knowing how much she had been bottling up. I stepped closer, gently pulling her into my arms, holding her tightly as the first of her tears fell.
"I'm sorry, Rhea," I whispered into her hair. "I'll fix it. I swear, I'll make this right."
"I don't want you to fix it," she sobbed against my chest. "I want her to stop. I want her to respect me. To respect us. How much longer do I have to endure this?"
Her words hit me hard. I knew the toll my mother's attitude was taking on her, but hearing it like this, seeing her break down, made it painfully clear.
"I will," I promised, holding her tighter. "I'll make sure she does. She won't cross the line again."
We stood like that for a long moment, her crying softly into my chest while I held her. Eventually, I guided her toward the bathroom, the promise of a warm shower the only thing I could think of to help wash away the day's strain.
The hot water cascaded over us, and for the first time all day, I felt the pressure in Rhea's body start to ease. We stood together under the spray, her forehead resting against my chest, and for a moment, there was nothing but the sound of the water and our shared breaths. I tilted her chin up, kissing her softly, hoping to convey the depth of my apology without words.
Our movements became slower, more deliberate, and the heat of the water wasn't the only thing filling the space between us. In that moment, we weren't worried about anything or anyone. It was just us—together, connected.
Afterward, we dried off in comfortable silence, the air between us lighter, the weight of her earlier anger gone, replaced by something warmer, more intimate.
As we dressed for the event, I caught Rhea's reflection in the mirror, her expression thoughtful, yet still a bit distant. She was calmer now, but I knew tonight would be a challenge for her. My mother would be there, in all her dramatic glory, and Rhea would have to endure it. But I'd be by her side, and I silently vowed not to let my mother get away with crossing the line again.
"You ready?" I asked, fixing the last button on my shirt.
Rhea turned to face me, her eyes calm. "Ready as I'll ever be."
~~
The grand hall of the Shadowclaw pack was packed with guests from every important pack. The air buzzed with conversation and laughter, but there was an underlying sense of anticipation. Events like this always had a way of stirring things up.
I spotted Rachel across the room, and I nudged Rhea gently, nodding in my sister's direction. "I'll be right back."
I made my way through the crowd, catching Rachel off guard as I approached. "You avoiding Dante on purpose?"
Her eyes widened, and she stammered, clearly flustered. "I—what? No, I'm not avoiding him, I just—"
"Give him a chance," I interrupted, my tone soft but firm. "He's a good man. You don't have to decide anything now, but think it over."
Rachel looked away, biting her lip. "I don't know, Remus. It's... complicated."
"Just think about it," I said, patting her shoulder before walking back toward Rhea.
As expected, my mother was in full performance mode. She made her way around the room, talking loudly about "proper pack behavior" and how things used to be better "before certain people started interfering with pack matters." It didn't take a genius to figure out who she was talking about.
Rhea smiled through it all, but I could see the strain in her eyes. My mother wasn't making it easy for her, and I was losing patience. I made my way over, slipping my hand around Rhea's waist just as she started talking about pregnancy.
"And you know," my mother said loudly, glancing at Rhea, "in our pack, it's always been expected for the Luna to... contribute. It's been nearly a year, hasn't it?"
Rhea's grip on my arm tightened, and I could feel her impatience rising again. I wasn't going to let this continue. "That's enough, Mother," I said, my voice low but firm. "Don't cause a scene."
She blinked at me, feigning innocence. "I'm just saying what everyone's thinking, Remus."
Before I could respond, a commotion at the entrance caught my attention. One of the pack members rushed over to me, whispering urgently in my ear. "Alpha, there's an unexpected visitor."
"Who?" I asked, frowning.
The pack member hesitated. "It's Damien. Alpha of Silvermoon."
I turned sharply, catching Rhea's shocked expression. Her eyes were wide, her face pale. "Damien?" she whispered.
I stormed toward the entrance, my blood boiling. "Who invited him?" I demanded.
Damien stood at the door, that familiar smug grin on his face. "Your lovely mother did," he said, gesturing toward her.
I turned to look at her, fury coursing through my veins.
I felt my blood boiling as I stormed toward my mother. The smug look on Damien's face was enough to push me over the edge, but her calm, unaffected demeanor only added to the rage building inside me.
"Mother," I bit out, my voice dangerously low as I approached her. "Why did you invite Damien? What the hell are you thinking?"
She didn't even flinch. She met my gaze with a practiced, indifferent smile, as if she couldn't understand why I was so upset. "Oh, Remus, don't be so dramatic," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "I invited him because it's the right thing to do. Damien's the Alpha of Silvermoon, after all. It would be rude to exclude his pack."
My fists clenched at my sides, the urge to punch something—or someone—growing stronger by the second. "You know damn well why Silvermoon wasn't invited. He's not welcome here. Not after everything he's done."
Her raised an eyebrow, still unfazed. "Everything he's done? Oh, Remus, you're making it sound so much worse than it actually is. Damien is just doing what any Alpha would do—he's here to collect his property."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. My heart pounded in my chest as her meaning sank in, and I felt Rhea's presence beside me, her body tensing at my mother's callous words.
I took a step closer, my voice low and deadly. "What do you mean by 'property'?"
She tilted her head, her smile still in place as if this were all a game to her. "The slaves, of course. You didn't think Rhea's family could just waltz into our pack and stay here indefinitely, did you? They belong to Silvermoon, and Damien is here to collect them."
Rhea let out a sharp gasp beside me, and I could feel the way her body trembled. My wolf roared inside me, the need to protect my mate and her family surging forward with a violent intensity. But I kept my focus on my mother, trying to keep my anger in check.
"You're out of your mind," I growled, my eyes narrowing at her. "They're part of our pack now. They're not going anywhere."
She gave a small, amused chuckle, as though I were a child throwing a tantrum. "Don't be so sentimental. You know as well as I do that pack politics can't be avoided. Damien has every right to take back what's his."
I felt Rhea's hand tighten on my arm, her silent plea for me to stop before things spiraled out of control. But I couldn't just stand there and listen to my mother talk about her family as if they were nothing more than objects to be traded or discarded. My jaw tightened, and I took a step forward, towering over my mother.
"They're not his slaves. They're under my protection now. You had no right to invite Damien here, and I won't let you hand them over like they're property."
Her smile faded slightly, but the steel behind her eyes remained. "You're an Alpha, Remus. You should understand how important these kinds of arrangements are. The balance of power between packs relies on us following the rules."
"The rules?" I scoffed, incredulous. "Since when do you care about rules? You're just doing this to spite Rhea and her family. Don't think I don't see that."
Her eyes narrowed at my accusation, but before she could respond, Damien stepped forward, his voice dripping with false politeness. "Let's not get too heated, Remus. I'm here to settle things peacefully. No need to turn this into a scene."
I turned on him, my wolf pushing against the surface as I glared at him. "You think this is going to end peacefully? You're delusional if you think I'm going to let you walk out of here with Rhea's family."
Damien shrugged, unfazed by my hostility. "They belong to me, Remus. It's not personal. Just business."
"Not anymore," I growled. "They're part of my pack now, and they're not going anywhere."
For the first time, Damien's smug expression faltered, a hint of annoyance creeping into his features. "You're making a mistake. This doesn't have to get messy."
"I think it's already messy," I shot back, stepping in front of Rhea protectively. "If you want them, you'll have to go through me."
The anxiety in the room thickened, and I could feel the eyes of everyone around us, watching, waiting to see what would happen next. My wolf growled low in my chest, ready to tear Damien apart if he so much as took a step toward Rhea or her family.
My mother sighed dramatically, as if this whole situation was some minor inconvenience. "Honestly, Remus, you're being unreasonable. Why are you letting your emotions get in the way of what needs to be done?"
I turned back to my mother, my voice filled with a venom I didn't try to hide. "Because this is my family we're talking about. Rhea is my mate. Her family is mine to protect, and I won't let you—or Damien—tear us apart."
Her eyes flicked to Rhea, the disdain in her gaze unmistakable. "You're letting that girl cloud your judgment. You're an Alpha, Remus. You need to think like one."
"I am," I growled, stepping closer, my patience running thin. "And as an Alpha, I'm telling you this now—Rhea's family stays here. End of discussion."
Damien's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "You're going to regret this, Remus. I'll make sure of it."
"I'd like to see you try," I spat, my voice ice-cold.
Just then, Rhea stepped forward, her hand slipping into mine as she faced Damien and my mother. Her voice, though quiet, was steady. "You can threaten all you want, Damien, but I'm not afraid of you. My family is under Remus' protection now. And I trust him to keep us safe."
Damien's gaze flickered to Rhea, a dangerous smirk playing at his lips. "We'll see about that."
He turned and stalked out of the room, his parting words hanging in the air like a dark cloud over the celebration.
My mother, still standing with that infuriatingly calm expression, simply shrugged. "Well, I suppose that's settled, then. I hope you know what you're doing, Remus."
I watched her walk away, my hands shaking with barely contained fury. As the fuss in the room slowly began to dissipate, I felt Rhea's grip on my hand tighten.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone