Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 262

He puts his arm around me.

I stop talking. I can't even remember what I was saying.

He doesn't try to pull me closer, the way Carson does. He just puts his arm along the back of the chair, and I happen to be in that space. There's something so Aiden about that, the way he does it. The way he keeps his eyes off of me, but I know he cares without having to always physically see that.

I know how we feel about each other, and suddenly the whole thing seems silly. Because I don't need to explain this-the four of us-to anyone.

---

"Bloodmoon was having internal issues after the war. The pack had divided into two groups, the Blood (those who wanted to accept Eclipse members back into the pack) and the New Moon (those who wanted them killed). The southern border was the territory of the Blood faction, but it was the New Moon that signed it over to the Silvermoon. The Silvermoon knew this, and yet, they agreed to the trade anway in the hopes of gaining new land and seeing their strongest competitor tear themself apart.

Another war broke out because of this, and to this day, Silvermoon and Bloodmoon have always had a... tense relationship."

"So both of us were responsible?" Suzie asks.

"Yes," Mr. Reynolds says.

---

The questions get more serious. They ask about my ideas on education. Homelessness. Sustainability. I love that they respect both when I have a clear answer and when I admit to not knowing.

When it gets to the topics that really hit home for our pack though, the brothers and even our betas seems to have a way of preventing specific details from being shared. The alpha of the Moonlight Pack seems especially curious about my thoughts on the border issues, but every time she speaks, someone interrupts. "Oh yeah, that day." "Well, we're actually working on that now, so we'll get back to you." "That was very real for all of us. I don't think we need a reminder." Eventually the questions about border issues die altogether, and we split into groups of our own. To say I'm frustrated would be an understatement. I don't think the allies thought I was being sheltered or anything, because they understand that as a human this is all so new to me, but it's how I feel. I feel like the brothers are making me look stupid.

I stand with the luna and lunai, discussing how to win pack favor. "Yeah," the lunai says. "They hated me."

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow.

He nods.

"Well..." I wait for him to expand on that. He never does.

Hazel chuckles under her breath. "As talkative as ever I see, Dustin."

His eyes look past her and land on the girl in the corner, who's entertaining herself with the walls. He sighs and starts walking towards her.

"Wanna go see what the alphas and betas are talking about?" Hazel offers.

I look at the brothers. Carson's having the time of his life, as always. Axel and Aiden seem to be in their elements too, discussing plans. I shake my head, because I know I won't get any information there. "Go ahead," I tell her. "I think I'll see what they're doing."

She eyes the Moonlight werewolves carefully before nodding. "Suit yourself."

When I make it over to them, their whispering stops.

"Hi," I say. I don't know if anyone's watching us. I don't really care. I plan on confessing to the brothers everything I know once this event is over anyway.

The alpha smiles. "Hello."