Page 66 of Broken Souls

“No. Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of Elora.”

I want to leave the room but I'm planted to my seat.

“In fact, let's talk about what happened to her as a baby. I'm sure everyone wants to fucking know.” Axe is still standing and glaring at his father.

“What's there to say?” Manson questions.

“Why didn't you let her mother join the pack? You said family sticks together, yet you didn’t let Ardryan bring the mother of his child with him.”

I look at Manson, hoping to get an answer because he's the only source I have. I want to know what happened.

“Ardryan never asked,” Manson states, his voice cool and collected unlike Axe's. “One day he came back from his patrol with a baby. He said the mother ran off.”

Wait, so my father didn't even ask Manson if my mother could join the pack? He just assumed it was a no. I feel sick.

“There are a lot of missing pieces but that's what he told me,” Manson says.

“Why'd you let her stay?” Axe asks, and I look at Manson.

“There was no other option. The rogue ran off. Giving her up for adoption would have been impossible because she would have shifted and outed werewolves. Ardryan was a dumbfuck and I couldn't punish him because he was all she had. You did the right thing kicking that sorry excuse out of the pack. However, I don't agree with all your new rules, which I'm guessing are because of her as you were never like this.”

“What rules don't you agree with?” Axe crosses his arms over his chest.

“What you said about accepting mates no matter who they are. So you're going to let rogues join our pure pack?” Manson frowns in disgust.

“You're a hypocrite. Just now you said a wolf should only be with its mate. But if that mate's a rogue, what then?”

“Look, rogues are looked down upon, simple as that. Mates should be together but if it's a rogue, that's everyone's personal choice but most packs don't accept that. I raised my pack the way my father did and so on. Now you're trying to change that.”

“Because it's a stupid way to live. The dynamics of being a werewolf change all the time. Have you read the werewolf history books? Because I have. Werewolves once chose their mates. Every rogue was a pack member who was outcasted for whatever reason. We've evolved and rules are always changing. This is my fucking reign and I'm making it the way I want. If you don't agree with that, the only way is to challenge me.”

Manson turns to Mandy. He looks deep in thought and we're all waiting for what he has to say.

“We need to keep this pack strong, and if you change too much, there could be an uprising,” Manson speaks.

“We have the power, don't you understand that?”

“We only keep the power by…”

“I don't care. I want you both to leave and actually think about what I said. Trust that I know what I'm doing. Be fucking happy I found someone after Alina.” Axe's chest is rising in anger.

“Okay, son.” Manson stands. Mandy gives Axe an awkward hug and actually says goodbye to me.

Axe sits back down in his chair after they leave. He lets out a sigh then his eyes lock on mine.

“I'm sorry.”

“Don't be.”

“Are you okay after what he said about your mother?” Axe's eyes hold concern.

“My dad said my mother gave me to him because he could give me more opportunities. But your dad said my mother ran off.” I look down, feeling upset about my fuck up of a family.

“Elora, I'm sorry I can't give you the answers you need. But you're my family and I'm never going anywhere.” Axe grabs my hand.

I move myself from my seat and onto his lap. I bury my head in his chest as his arms wrap around my back tightly. Axe rubs up and down my back while a few tears fall from my eyes. I will never get the answers I've asked for my whole life.

Chapter Forty-Six