Kai POV
The Luna Queen returns from the dungeons with her arm looped in Cedric's. Her mates are following closely behind, but they do not seem upset or threatened that she is touching another man. Kaden is running his fingers through his hair, and he looks stressed. I wonder what happened down in the dungeons.
With a brilliant smile on her face, the Luna Queen waves for my father to come to her. Dad starts walking down the porch, but Mother won't leave his side. Whatever the Luna Queen has to say, my mother will want to be a part of too.
Kaden stops at the bottom of the stairs and stands awkwardly. He isn't sure if he is supposed to come inside without the Luna Queen.
"What do you mean you are letting him go?" My mother shrieks.
Both Kaden and I look in the direction of her voice. She is pointing her finger at the Luna Queen and screaming in her face. Dad desperately tries to pull her away from the Queen, but Mom fights against him. The Luna Queen stands stoically with her head held high. My mother is obviously not the first irrational Luna she has dealt with.
"All of this is ridiculous," Mom throws her arms in the air. "I won't have the Elder Council traipsing around my pack."
"With all due respect," the Luna Queen replies. "I never said the Elder Council was staying. Just me."
"You got the information you need," Mom growls at her. "You are free to go home."
"If you are concerned that my presence will disrupt pack functions. I can stay at a hotel just outside of pack territory," she says sweetly.
"No," both of her mates yell at once.
Alpha Leo steps forward. "We will be staying within the pack. It will be dangerous enough within your borders."
Dad smiles awkwardly. "What makes you say that?"
"We know about your policy on rogues," the Luna Queen says quietly. "And while it is not one that we agree with. We will not be forcing any changes… for now."
"This is why your brother should have been King," my mother spits out. "She is going to come in here and force her changes on our pack. We have been running things perfectly fine without your intervention. You are not welcome here."
Everyone gasps except for Raven. She cocks her head to the side and studies my mother carefully. I heard a rumor that she can go into people's minds and see their thoughts and memories. I wonder if that is what she is doing right now.
Pushing everyone to the side, Kieran takes his place beside his sister. His face is red, and his eyes are turning black.
"You are lucky that I am not the fucking King," he warns my mother. "From what I have seen and learned since I have been here, I would have stripped you both of your titles and your sons. This pack is a shit show."
The Luna Queen is still staring at my mother in quiet observation. It has not gone unnoticed by my Mom. She crosses her arms over her chest and huffs loudly.
"Are you breaking one of your rules?" My mother taunts her. "Are you reading my mind?"
The Luna Queen breaks eye contact and smiles sweetly. "If I were in your mind, you would know it," she tells my mother. There is a twinkle of warning in her eyes.
Clearing her throat loudly, my mother takes a small step toward Dad. "I am afraid we don't have a room big enough to accommodate you and both of your mates."
"That's okay," Leo chuckles. "We don't mind sleeping close."
He winks in Mom's direction and she wrinkles her nose in disgust. She is about to storm back to the pack house without being dismissed when Kaden buts in.
"Luna Queen, you can use the suite we had prepared for Tish and us," he tells the Luna Queen. "It may not be as large as you are used to, but you should be comfortable."
"Please, you and your brother can call me Raven," she smiles at him. "But I would hate to take a space you have created for your mate. It doesn't seem right."
Kaden smiles weakly. "I don't think Tish is returning to us. Even if she isn't captive. We have messed up badly."
She looks Kaden up and down and then turns her eyes to me. "When I was made the Luna Queen, I still didn't have control of my powers. The Blue Moon Pack was my first stop on my Luna tour, and when I met Leo, I accidentally went through his mind. Every woman he had ever slept with was at the forefront. He was thinking about them when he was meeting me.
"I was appalled and disgusted. Plus, he laughed at me when I tripped up the stairs. To say our first weeks of being mates were strained is an understatement. But he proved himself and showed me that he loved me. Not all is lost because of a few mistakes."
"I betrayed the bond," I blurt out.
"I know you did," Raven sighs. "I saw her pain in Cedric's mind. I still don't believe it cannot be fixed."
I am overcome with emotions, and my intrusive thoughts win. I lunge forward, wrap my arms around the Luna Queen, and hold her close. Tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. Her mates are growling angrily behind her, but they don't attack me. Dad grabs me by the collar and pulls me back. I fall to the ground, and he rolls his eyes in disappointment.
"You will have to forgive my son," he says. "He is a hugger."
"I think I can forgive it," Raven says, "just this once."
"Raven," my mother calls out to her. "I will show you to a guest room."
"You can call me Luna Queen," Raven snarls in her direction.
My mother clamps her mouth shut and nods before turning back to the pack house. None of us follow her. Kieran's phone rings and he is having a very hushed phone conversation. All of us are invested in the drama on the other side of the driveway.
"Mae," he sighs. "I didn't want to upset you in your condition. We are working on finding Tish and bringing her back. I promise."
We can all hear her screaming at him through the phone. Kaden and I pretend not to be listening but Leo and Oliver are clearly amused.
"Raven," Kieran screams. "She won't talk to me like a person."
"That's because you fucked up," Raven says, grabbing the phone from Kieran. Quietly, she listens to what Luna Mae is saying on the other end. "What have you seen?"
Kieran fidgets like a kid in front of the principal until Raven hangs up the call. She glares in his direction before turning to Cedric.
"I know you can't take us to the rogue pack house, but what if we followed you?" She asks calmly. Her once cheerful voice is serious. Whatever was said on that call was important.
"I think I can do that," Cedric smiles.
"Okay," Raven says calmly before turning to my Dad. "We need to evacuate the women and children. All rogues need to be moved out of the territory immediately. And do you happen to have a safe house or a bunker?"