"This is a problem. I thought doctors had found a way to keep this from happening," Garrett said, his voice filled with concern and a touch of frustration. The days when heat cycles would throw the whole were community into chaos were before him, but the stories of bloodshed and turmoil still echoed in his mind. The mere thought of Lily causing such a disruption made him uncomfortable.
'She is a rejected and unmated female that you keep overstimulating. It was bound to happen," Berric replied, his tone matter of fact.
'This is your fault as well,' Garrett responded, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his voice.
'If you had allowed me to mark her or marked her yourself, we wouldn't be facing this situation,' Berric retorted.
'You're right, but you also know it wouldn't be right to mark her now. We made that decision together,' Garrett said, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders. 'Regardless of the reasons, we need to find a solution. We can't afford to let this interfere with the Winter Moon celebration. We've built up Lily's excitement, and we can't let her down.'
'We need a Plan B. If marking her is out of the question, we'll have to consider alternatives,' Berric agreed.
Garrett's thoughts raced, searching for a solution. He reached out to Adam through their telepathic connection, sensing that he was sleeping. His wolf, Thad, responded instead, 'My Alpha.'
'Hello, Thad. It's good to speak with you. Please have Adam reach out to the doctor. We need to acquire the medication Ovarilock,' Garrett instructed, his urgency seeping into his voice.
'Ovarilock?' Thad repeated, surprise evident in his tone, rousing Adam from his sleep.
'Yes, I will explain later. Just have Adam contact the doctor as soon as possible,' Garrett confirmed.
'Understood, my Alpha,' Thad acknowledged.
Garrett released the telepathic connection. The medication Ovarilock held the key to managing Lily's situation, preventing any potential chaos and disruption caused by her heat cycle. It was an unconventional approach, but there wasn't really any other chance. He would have it placed it in her food with a strong enough dosage to get her through the Winter Moon celebration.
'The lies are adding up Garrett. It would be better if you just explained everything to her,' Berric's voice echoed in her mind.
'No, right now is not the time. I will tell her in time,' Garrett disagreed.
The atmosphere in the study crackled with tension as Kelly and Jack engaged in a heated argument. The scent of old books mixed with their conflicting emotions, creating an almost suffocating environment.
Kelly's voice trembled with concern as she pleaded with Jack. "Jack, we need to warn Garrett about Mandy's scheming with Brandy. The Winter Moon celebration is approaching, and the Lycan King will be there. It's not safe to let everything play out without taking precautions."
Jack, aggressive and straight to the point, towered over Kelly. Kelly didn't shrink away from him because as his Luna, she was his equal. She glared back up at him in defiance. "Don't try to bully me, Jack. I have a valid concern."
"Garrett can handle himself, and we can't interfere in every aspect of his life. The Lycan King's presence shouldn't dictate our actions. We have to trust our pack's ability to handle any situation. Garrett knows what is at stake, so he will act accordingly," Jack responded.
Kelly's frustration grew, and she stood her ground, her gaze unwavering. "I understand the need to let Garrett make his own choices, but this is different. Mandy will try to use Brandy to manipulate him, or Goddess knows what else she plans to do. We can't risk our son's well-being, especially with the Lycan King present. We need to intervene."
Jack's face contorted with anger, his voice dripping with resentment. "You always take Garrett's side. You're too lenient, too protective. He needs to face challenges on his own. He decided to distance himself from the pack and will deal with the consequences. We won't baby him."
"Is that what this is? You're upset because he left? He was hurting!" Kelly exclaimed.
"And like the selfish brat he is, he didn't think I wasn't hurting or you or Matthew?" Jack countered.
Kelly's voice trembled, tinged with sorrow. "Look, this isn't about favoring Garrett, Jack. It's about protecting our family and our pack's reputation. The Lycan King's opinion holds weight. If he witnesses internal strife, it could jeopardize everything we've worked for."
Jack's expression hardened, his alpha instincts taking over. "Don't you think I know that? I am the Alpha, and I make the decisions. I know what could and what may happen. And I still will not intervene."
"No. I will not accept this. I..." Kelly started and Jack snarled at her, causing her to close her to snarl back at him. She wouldn't let him bully her into being quiet about this.
"I command you not to inform Garrett or Lily about the Lycan King's presence," Jack said firmly. The Alpha call hit Kelly hard in the chest, choking her. She cried angry tears as she glared at Jack as many years ago, he promised never to command her into submission. "Your intense dislike of Brandy and Mandy is clouding your judgment."
"You're putting our family at risk, Jack. We must be honest with our son and prepare him for what's to come. Keeping him in the dark is unfair, especially with Mandy's manipulations," Kelly finally said after composing herself.
Jack's gaze turned steely; his resolve unyielding. "You need to give Garrett more credit. He reads situations better than you think."
"You underestimate the cunning of a she-wolf driven by motivation," Kelly warned. She met many she-wolves like Mandy. When they wanted something, it didn't matter who got hurt as long as they got what they wanted. And just like a male, Jack was underestimating her very apparent threat.
"I won't argue about this anymore. My decision is final," Jack said leaving Kelly in the study by herself.