Kieran POV
Tish doesn't respond to my outburst. I expected her to fight with me some more, but she doesn't. Surprisingly, she looks remorseful.
She pushes her dark hair out of her face, and her green eyes are sparkling with tears. "I won't come between you two anymore," she tells me. "I just want Mae to be happy."
"She will be happy with me," I assure Tish. "Mae and I were made for each other."
"Just promise me you won't throw her into your world too quickly," Tish sighs. "She is delicate."
"You keep saying that," I growl at Tish. "But the Moon Goddess wouldn't have paired us together if Mae wasn't strong enough to be my mate."
Tish wipes her tears before they can fall from her eyes. "You don't know her like I do."
"I assure you, the Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes," I snarl in her direction.
Tish crosses her arms over her chest and lets out a huff of frustration. I don't know why she keeps insisting that Mae is delicate, but it is pissing me off.
Tish is glaring at me, and I can tell that this conversation is over.
I am ready to dismiss her from my office when the door swings open. My father comes storming into my office with an irritated look on his face. He glances between Tish and me and raises an eyebrow in my direction.
I shake my head, hoping that he will take the hint not to say anything. But, of course, my father is not very subtle.
"I didn't realize you were having a meeting," Father says skeptically, putting the word meeting in air quotes..
"Tish was just leaving," I growl.
Tish gets to her feet and shuffles out of my office without acknowledging my father at all. My father glares at her as she passes him but doesn't say anything to her.
As soon as Tish disappears from the office, my father shuts the door, and crosses his arms over his chest.
"If you are going to keep a familiar, you need to teach her some manners," he says grumpily.
I roll my eyes at him. "I am not keeping a familiar. She is only here to make sure my mate stays."
"I don't like it," Father growls.
"There isn't anything I can do," I groan. "We just need to be patient with Mae. She is new to our world."
"I understand that," my father replies. "I just don't understand why the familiar is here."
I run my fingers through my hair in frustration. "It is difficult to explain."
"Then maybe you can explain why you two were alone in your office," Father asks accusingly.
"We were only having a conversation," I defend myself.
"You are an unmated male with a fated mate that you have yet to mark," my father says accusingly. "You need to be more careful about the company that you keep in private. I would hate for nasty rumors to get back to your mate."
"Noted," I growl, but I know my father is right. If Mae found out Tish and I were alone together, I don't think she would take it well.
My father stares at me with knowing eyes. "Are you sure there isn't a history between you two?" Father asks.
"One drunken night," I roll my eyes. "It was before I knew Mae existed."
My father snickers under his breath. "This has to be comfortable for the three of you."
"Did you need something?" I growl at my father. "Or are you just here to make my life more miserable than it already is?"
A serious look returns to my father's face. "Your sister is coming for a visit with her mates."
"That is great news," I say excitedly. "Why don't you look more pleased?"
"Because she isn't coming for a family visit," my father groans. "She is coming on official business."
My eyebrows furrow in confusion. "What do you mean official business?"
"She heard about the rogue attack and how we lost a prisoner," my father says through gritted teeth.
I press my fingers to my temples. "She is coming for an inspection?"
Father nods his head. "Just because we are family doesn't mean we get special treatment."
"We are nowhere ready for an inspection," I groan. "We didn't even know about the gaps in our security until last night. We have no idea who the mole is in our pack."
"We are lucky Raven gave us a heads up," Father sighs. "She didn't have to tell us she was coming."
"I will call the warriors for a meeting today," I inform my father. "We won't fail this inspection. The last thing we need is Raven camping out in the North Pack while the recusants are after me. It would put her in danger."
"Our security isn't the only problem," Father says as he scratches the back of his head.
"What is it now?"
"It is two things, actually," Father begins.
"Number one?" I ask.
"Firstly, you will have to explain why you are keeping a familiar," my father says.
"Would you stop calling her that?" I growl. "She has a name."
As much as I dislike Tish, I know she hates being called a familiar. It implies that she is our pet.
"Fine," my father rolls his eyes at me. "You will have to explain why Tish is here."
"I am sure Raven will understand," I hiss through my teeth. "What is the second thing?"
"Secondly," my father grins. "Your mother would like your mate's help preparing for your sister's arrival. Consider it part of her Luna training."
My mouth drops open and I look at my father as if he has lost his mind. "She has been here all of a day, and you are ready to thrust her into Luna training? She isn't ready."
"If she were a werewolf, she would have started her training the moment you scented her as your mate," Father tells me.
"But as it is, she is not a werewolf," I snap at my father. "She needs time to acclimate."
"She can acclimate while she learns," Father says harshly.