When We Were Mates (Demetra and Emris) novel Chapter 123

Chapter 123

Alpha Emris.

“I want Mommy!”

“Mommy’s passed out….alright?”

I say it with the calm of a wolf who is operating on two seconds of patience and has already redone this ponytail twice. I have been staring at the back of Amira’s head for the last twenty minutes trying to reverse–engineer the process and I’m almost there. Almost. One side is slightly higher than the other but I’m choosing to believe that’s personality rather than error.

The vaccination rollout completed across our territory last week with zero complications. Which means school resumes today, which means this morning is happening, which means I am on my knees in the living room getting the kids ready.

That being said, I’m not sure how to explain why Demetra is asleep other than the fact that I rocked her world last night.

“Mmmm…Mommy.” Amira’s face scrunches in real time…nose, brows, lips all converging toward the center of her face like she’s preparing a formal objection. The tears are loading. I can see them.

“Amira. Please. Not this morning.” I stand up, assess the ponytails one more time and decide they’re good enough.

I turn to find Milo.

“Milo…come here, say something to your sister-”

Amira folds her arms and her lower lip begins its descent,

“Morning.” Elena appears in the doorway. “I came to see if Milo was ready to go.”

“He is.”

She comes further in, looking at both children.

“Milo has learned not to test you on Monday mornings.” Her eyes move to Amira’s furious little face. “Seems like Amira is still working that out. You know she has your nose, right?”

I look at Amira.

She does.

I start to smile when-

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Chapter 123

“WAAAAAAANNHHH.”

Amira’s face crumples completely and the stored tears finally releases which is genuinely impressive in terms of volume for someone her size.

“A–Amira. Amira, stop-”

“WANNNNHH.”

Milo walks over and hugs her from the side without being asked. I stand there looking at both of them.

“I’m just going to put her in the car and hope for the best-”

“You clearly cannot manage this alone right now and the nannies aren’t gonna be here until they get back from school.” She looks at me pointedly. “Where is Demetra?”

Elena picks up the kids‘ bags.

“Sleeping. She’s tired.”

I scoop a crying Amira off the floor and tug the hem of her school uniform down to get her outside. She cries against my shoulder the whole way to the car. I buckle her into her seat, get the iPad set up in front of her and Milo before getting into the driver’s seat.

Look up at the pack house before I pull out… specifically at the Alpha Groove wing, at the windows were the curtains are still down.

She’s still asleep.

If Demetra were awake, the first thing she would do is push the windows open and reach for a glass of water. That’s her morning sequence. The windows being closed tells me she’s still deeply under, which means she needs it, and I’m not sending anyone to wake her.

Elena buckles herself in and I pull out of the pack house driveway.

Magnus School has the particular chaos of a first day back after a long absence. Cars are everywhere with parents who have clearly been ready to return their children back to school. I slow down as we reach the school entrance and the staff clock my car immediately.

I look in the rearview mirror.

Amira is still pouting while Milo holds out a piece of bread toward her in a peace offering. I genuinely don’t know where he got it. He must have taken it from the breakfast table when I wasn’t looking which means my son has a future in diplomatic relations.

Elena gets out and helps Milo with his bag. I come around to Amira’s door.

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Chapter 123

“When you get home, Mom will be there. Okay?”

She pouts harder.

“You don’t want me? You love Mom more than me?”

“I love Daddy.” A small pause. “Too.”

“And Daddy loves Amira.” I tap her nose. “But if you love Mommy, you’ll let her rest, won’t you? She needs her sleep.”

“I love Mommy,”

“I know

you

do, my love. I know that.”

I unbuckle her from the seat and then I kiss her forehead, both cheeks, the tip of her nose, until she begins to chuckle, squirming in my arms in a reluctant giggle.

“Be good in school, okay?”

Finally, she nods. I take her hand and we walk through the gate, where I ruffle Milo’s hair and press a quick kiss to the top of his head before they’re both released into the stream of returning students.

The principal, Warton spots me from across the entrance and moves toward us.

“Whoa.” Elena says somewhere in between.

I think it’s nothing until I see her blushing. Then I realize other parents are looking at us. We’re divorced. But also, we’re co–parenting. Why are they making it seem like two people can’t do that? Oh shit…it’s because we appeared in the same car which makes the rumour true that we are indeed still living together.

“Alpha Emris.” Principal Warton arrives.

“Principal Warton.” Elena says beside me, warmly, like she’s been expecting this interaction.

“It’s lovely to see you both.” Warton clears her throat fast. “There is a parent–teacher conference coming up for our little young leaders. Will you be able to attend? We’d love to have both of you-”

“When?” I ask, trying to see if I can fit it into my schedule.

“Of course, Emris and I will be able to make it!” Elena says with so much passion that I raise an eyebrow at her.

“I think you should sit this one out. Demetra and I will go.”

nk you should sit this o

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Chapter 123

“What?” Elena looks at me strangely.

“Three parents at a parent–teacher conference,” I say, already turning back toward the car. “That’s not ideal. I’ll have my secretary confirm the date with your office.” I tell Warton and Elena gets in behind me, shutting the door harshly.

“Milo is my son-”

“I never said he wasn’t. You’ve already attended enough parent–teacher conferences for Milo. Can you not sit this one out?”

I frown, waiting for her to tell me no so I can tell her just how much she’s overstayed her welcome in the fucking pack house or should I bring back her father’s crimes in her face?

We pull back into the pack house driveway and I see Regan, waiting out there before I’ve even cut the engine..

“He acts like he’s your mate or something,” I murmur, mostly to myself, watching him through the windscreen.

“WHAT! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY—”

I turn to look at her in genuine shock.

“I’m kidding.”

Her hands are shaking. Actually trembling and her heartbeat has spiked… I can hear it from here as she’s unbuckling her seatbelt to be out of this vehicle immediately.

Regan watches her storm past him.

I get out.

I’ve already done my morning run so I have approximately two hours before I need to be in the office….enough time for a protein shake from the kitchen, possibly have a time to rest horizontal if I’m lucky, and then the day begins properly. I’m calculating this as I walk toward the entrance and Regan steps directly into my path, which is a decision I find immediately irritating.

“What do you want?”

“There’s someone we should consider inviting to the gala.”

I stop. “Since when do you care about the gala guest list?”

“Since we have a lycan situation. You remember what Ronin said…this Lycan who taken away as a baby was taken with the exclusive Zetas. Those Zetas have been with him his entire life. They know the full history. They know what happened, who did what, and exactly what the

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bloodline record looks like.” He meets my eyes. “If they come back and decide to surface that information, your claim to the Alpha seat becomes contestable.

I move my brows up.

“What does any of that have to do with an invitation?”

licly.

“Someone just purchased an estate on our territory. Four hundred and fifty acres, sits at the eastern boundary where the valley opens up. Whoever bought it didn’t negotiate on price. They just paid. That kind of money doesn’t move without power behind it. We should know who that is and we should have them at the gala. We need as many influential people on our side as possible.”

I look at him for a moment.

Then I put my hand on his shoulder the way you do when you want someone to actually hear what you’re about to say.

“I have powerful friends, Regan but that’s not how the Alpha seat works. One doesn’t get to magically sit on it because they’ve got socialite friends. It’s

promise you, it’s not gonna hold the seat down if some good to have rich friends, but I

bastard wants a contest. I don’t care who this Lycan is. If he wants to come, let him. If he wants and fight for the Alpha seat-” I meet Regan’s eyes.

“I’ll give him a chance. And I’ll beat him.”

“Emris is right.”

to conte

Mom says, standing slightly to the side of the entrance,

close gh that I know she’s heard

the whole conversation.

“He’s a Trybrid,” she continues. “Wolf, vampyr, and Lycan. Hor

and they don’t cancel each other out. They stack.”

ot three bloodlines in him,

“Yeah, no kidding. A Lycan can compel you to blow your own head off, so let’s not get comfortable.”

“He can’t do that to Emris-”

“And where did you read that? Cause the Emris I know doesn’t even have the ability to compel which tells me that whatever Lycan percentage he actually carries, it’s not dominant. It’s not even close to dominant. So if this Lycan coming is pure then your theory about Emris being resistant falls apart completely. That’s what makes our dear cousin dangerous and I’m not about to be a rogue because of it.”

Regan says, then walks off.

18

III

O

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“I’m inviting whoever bought that estate,” he says, over his shoulder. “Whether you agree with

me or not.”

AD