“She doesn’t like being left out of our meetings.” I cleared my throat. “She is also under the impression that Liza is getting special treatment, even though she’s not the mate to the alpha yet. I think she’s jealous of Liza and feels like her position as queen is being overrun prematurely.”
“Shit.” Dad sighed. “Persephone is overreacting, which comes as no shock. I mentioned something to her the other day, and I’m afraid that’s what’s gotten her all riled up.”
“Are you going to tell me or just leave me hanging?” I fidgeted with the round attachment on the back of my phone. Why would Dad say anything to piss Mother off? I thought he knew better than that.
“I brought up the fact that we’d be moving to the family home once you took over. I suggested we should start packing up some of our personal things and begin moving things over there now so that when the time comes, it’s an easier transition for everyone.”
“Oh. Fuck.”
“Fuck, indeed.” Dad huffed. “She didn’t take it very well and said that she was being pushed out of her home when she hadn’t even lost her place yet.”
Grimacing, I scratched the back of my head. I’d been so wrapped up in the drama with Castro and trying to convince Liza that we should perform the mating ceremony that I hadn’t given much thought to the logistics of becoming alpha.
When the alpha retired, he and his family moved out of the estate house and into the smaller family home. It was still on the same land, but it was a less grandiose home that sat on the other side of the property.
“You know, you guys don’t have to move out. You’re welcome to stay here.”
Dad pushed away from his desk and walked around it to stand in front of me. His lips turned up into a small smile as he reached out and patted my cheek. “Yes, Ty. We do need to move out. When you take over, this will be the place for you to grow and eventually start your own family. It’s where you’ll begin your legacy. If your mother is in this house, she’ll just railroad Liza and want to keep running things her way.”
I groaned. “She’s going to want to run everything her way, anyway. Might as well do it from within the estate instead of from a distance.”
Dad chuckled. “Change is scary for everyone, especially your mother. She’s a creature of habit who finds solace in the familiar. It was scary when we became king and queen, and it’ll be scary for us to step down. But don’t forget that you have a voice, too. You can make your own decisions and shape your future however you want to. We just want the best for you, always.”
I grinned, enjoying the side of Dad I didn’t see often in my life. I supposed aging and seeing his time as alpha coming to an end had left him feeling a little more nostalgic and sentimental than normal.
“I want you to know that I’ll always be there for counsel, son. You don’t have to do everything alone once you take on the alpha position.”
I sighed, a surge of emotions overtaking me. I stood and pressed my forehead against his. My wolf rumbled with recognition of not only our alpha but our sire.
An hour later, Liza arrived just in time for the pack run. I met her at the front door and scooped her off her feet. Tucking my face into her neck, I inhaled her scent, then kissed her deeply.
She giggled. “Wow, what a welcome.”
I curled my fingers in between hers. “Most of the pack are already here, but I wanted to talk to you about something before we join them.” I led her to the small parlor, where we took a seat near the fireplace. “I spoke with my mother today, and I get the sense she’s feeling a little left out.”
“Really? Why?”
“Well, she feels like you’re involved in all of the important meetings regarding Castro while she’s left on the outskirts, not knowing what the hell’s going on.”
Liza sat back and stroked her thumb over my knuckles. “Does she blame me? I don’t have any control over who attends what meetings. If it were up to me, I’d say she should be in every single one. It involves her just as much as it does me. Why leave her out?”
I shifted in my seat. “It’s not that Dad wants to keep her in the dark, per se, but he’s trying to protect her from the stress and anxiety. It doesn’t help that Dad told her they need to start moving their belongings to the other house on our property to make it an easy transition when you and I take over.”
Liza’s eyes widened. “I hadn’t thought about that. So, essentially, we’ll be kicking her out of her own home?”
“Well, yeah, but that’s just how these matters are handled. Custom dictates that the retired alpha and his mate move out so the new alpha can… raise a family in the larger house.”
“What should I do?” Liza lowered her voice to a whisper. “I don’t want your mother to hate me.”
“She doesn’t hate you,” I said, rubbing her arm. “I do think it would be a good idea for the two of you to get to know one another better.”
Liza glanced across the hall into the dining room, where Mother was directing the staff on how to set up the buffet table. She turned back to me. “Are you sure she even wants me around? I don’t want my presence to piss her off.”
I sighed because, honestly, I wasn’t sure. Liza was going to be my mate whether or not Mother liked her, and while it was important to me that the two of them got along, Liza would always come first. “I think it would be good for you to learn some things from Mother while she’s still in the queen’s role. She can give you a better idea of what’s expected from the mate of the alpha. It would also be a chance for you both to get better acquainted, and maybe give her the opportunity to warm up to you.”
Liza shrugged. “I’ll give it a shot, but I need to run first. My wolf is feeling angsty.”
I kissed her gently on the lips. “Then, we shall run.”
