Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 120

I look back, but keep my eyes away from him as he finds his words. This time there's no physical contact. Just words.

"There's nothing wrong with him. That's important to understand," he says. "He's a great guy, great beta. The pack's just really terrible sometimes about things that don't matter. But, even though he's normal and like I said there's nothing wrong with him." He looks at me.

I nod to show him I understand. Or that I agree. I don't know which really.

He keeps going. "You can notice some things about him that are... different." He chooses his words carefully. "He has brown eyes. Werewolves generally don't have that. He's also quieter and more... Onai-like," he chuckles, but there isn't that much humor in it. "He's... lycur. But don't ever call him that."

"Why not?" I ask.

"It's a slur."

I frown.

He nods. "It means thing of wolves. Mutt. Crossbreed. Wolf boy. They took the words lycan and cur and smashed them together."

I don't know what either of those two words mean, but there is something I want to know. "Well, what's a nice word for what he is then?"

He shakes his head. "There isn't any. The polite thing to do is not mention it."

"I still don't understand," I say. "If he's not half human, then what's the problem? What is he?" I just want a straight answer, and that's exactly what he gives me.

"His father mated with a wolf."

I pause. I raise an eyebrow. "You mean... Another werewolf?"

"... No." He looks away, clearing his throat. The atmosphere gets hella awkward. "Just a wolf."

A regular, non-mythical, gray wolf? My eyes nearly fall out of their sockets. What?

He scratches the back of his neck. "Yeah, a lot of people have that reaction. They think it's wrong."

"I don't think it's wrong," I clarify. "Just a little... Maybe a little... Not to say it is, but just how I feel because this is new to me, it might seem a little..." I look for the right word "Strange? I mean... no offense, but a wolf? It's like a..." Besides that time with Onai, the only time I've ever seen a wolf was at the zoo. I feel so bad for thinking it. I'm so glad I don't have mindlink.

"An animal?" he asks.

I wave my hands. "No I wasn't going to say that." I don't want to insult his mother, but. "It's just a different species, you know? It's kind of... different." Am I allowed to say different? I want to say weird.

"But I'd be lying if I said the fact that my mate is human hasn't influenced my answer," he finishes.

Oh... That's not exactly the answer I was hoping for.

"Don't look at me like that." He leans forward so our foreheads are touching. He closes his eyes. "I won't let anyone treat our kids like that."

"Our what?" I ask, pushing away from him.

He smirks and buries his head in the crook of my neck. "I don't give a damn whether my kids are half porcupine, as long as they're yours."

"Well I don't even want kids," I say, poking his head since I can't push it away. "Have you ever been to the daycare? I have. Not fun."

He chuckles. "Our kids'll be worse than anything you've ever seen."

Is this his vision of romantic?

"They'll be spoiled, and bossy, and entitled because they'll be the rightful heirs" I feel his lips against my skin, grinning. "And everyone will obey their tiny tantrums if I've got anything to say about it. They'll be loved and respected by this pack, and we'll have them as soon as you're ready to complete the mate bond."