THIRTY-THREE

Xander

WE'VE RECONVENED AFTER a short break because we spent over an hour—over a freakin' hour—on funeral and burial arrangements alone. There were twenty-plus pages of his very detailed requirements, along with a USB drive containing pictures, videos, and readings he required to be shown and read. I rub the spot between my eyes, feeling a rare headache coming on, and we still have so much to go through. Both lawyers have their suit jackets off, ties loosened, and sleeves rolled up by the time we're ready to continue.

Billie's mouth dropped open when she saw how thick the packet was and muttered something about Micky's ashes and an old Chock Full O'Nuts coffee can, before setting to work on peeling two oranges. She proceeded to set up a little napkin picnic for us to share fruit, peanut-butter-and-cheese crackers, a few granola bars she broke into bite-size pieces, and some fruit snacks that she sorted into colors. She whispered to me in a voice like spider's silk, soft yet strong enough to strangle, that she loved me but to stay away from the grape ones. I also noticed that when she needed to release Jax's hand, she draped one leg over his, making sure to keep physical contact. I know he's grateful for it; his mother's presence here and how she's cozied up to the councilman must be ripping him apart.

Thankfully my gran and Bruce had received advanced copies of the funeral information and have been organizing most of it. The full-page obituary (which my father wrote the majority of and updated annually with Ken) will have his death listed as a heart attack, but everyone here and in the pack knows the truth. Councilman Hogan confirmed what my gran had told me this morning. He also added that Alpha Knight signed a confession in which he admitted to abusing his alpha power, physically, sexually, and mentally abusing his luna and other pack members, and actions that were indicative of treason, as they endangered all of shifter kind which resulted in him breaking several shifter laws.

Councilman Swanson called me on our ride over here, which eased some of my concerns about him. He agreed to messenger me a copy of the unabridged version of the Shifter Laws and Regulations and Code of Ethics as related to the Shifter High Council along with a complete Shifter Subspecies Manual (which I didn't know even existed), stating he had several copies on hand and that a wolf-shifter of my age with my lack of understanding is not uncommon. Just more evidence of the subterfuge and control of information perpetrated by our own leaders to support their narrative and manipulate the wolves under their authority.

With the burial requirements and funeral arrangements settled, Ken has handed out copies of my father's will to everyone except Councilman Hogan and my pack-mates. Seeing Jax's mother receive a copy has my stomach churning with apprehension. She's stayed relatively quiet for most of the proceedings, just some sniffling and dabbing of tears over the death of a man who was not her mate and who was in fact mated to the woman sitting across the table from her. To make things even more awkward, Councilman Hogan has been more than eager to comfort her, which she lapped up like a street dog would a leaky fire hydrant during a heat wave. She's shown absolutely no regard or care for how her actions are affecting her son, who's been slowly crumbling emotionally and physically before all of us, slouching farther down in his chair. Wilhelmina's leg hooked around one of his and my gran's hand clasped over his hand are the only things keeping him from sinking to the floor and succumbing to a complete emotional collapse.

"Now," Ken announces, rubbing his hands together before flipping to the first tabbed page in the will. His eyes flick to my mother, and a soft smile spreads over his face. "William has left his house and associated property in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, all possessions in the house, and vehicles, with the exception of his Corvette, to his wife, Ophelia Marie Knight, in addition to fifty percent of his savings and all of his life insurance." I glance over at my mother, who looks better than she has in years. She nods at the announcement, her hand clasped over Gran's. Ken dips his chin and then flips to the next tabbed page, cuing all of us to do so. His gaze lifts to me before quickly glancing at Jax's mother, and his brows furrow with unease as he takes a large steadying inhale through his mouth. "The other fifty percent of his savings have been left to his children. The new winter home in Naples, Florida, and his Corvette have been left to a Mrs. Veronica Prudence Benton."

The strangling sound of Jax choking on the rubble of his smashed childhood has Ken pausing. He looks at Jax, and the corners of his eyes and lips turn down in sorrow, yet his neck tints with a flush of light pink. Which is curious. Meanwhile, Jax's mother shimmies higher up in her chair and pleasantly hums, smiling to herself. Her blue eyes gleam with self-satisfaction as she reads the will, apparently unaware of or unwilling to acknowledge her son's torment. Even Hogan looks somewhat sympathetic toward Jax. Ken forces an exhale through his nose and presses his lips together, continuing in a terse voice. "In the event more than one of Mr. Knight's children are alive, their share of the savings shall be split equally." Ken reads a Post-It on his copy of the will and takes a sip of water before rushing on. "It seems we will have to wait seven months or so to determine exactly how many children William left behind."

My face remains blank while my mind spins like a teacup ride taken over by a poltergeist, and my stomach has dropped to the subfloor. Is he saying I potentially have a sibling on the way? A brother or a sister? My mother was basically lying with one arm stretched over the threshold of death's door the last time I saw her; I don't see how her body could support another life. The whirling thoughts and questions slow down when I feel small familiar fingers dip under the hem of my zip-up and a supportive palm presses firmly into my lower back. My hand once again rests on my mate's nape, gripping a little tighter to stabilize me enough to focus on my breathing.

My mother straightens her spine and turns to address Kubrick. Her brown eyes, which are no longer hidden under heavy lids, are clear and sharp as she stares pointedly at him. She queries with an arched brow, "Excuse me, Ken, but I'm not pregnant, so who would be carrying my mate's child?" An image of two people fucking on a ping-pong table and another of the same woman prancing around naked in a garage with cum dripping down her thigh flash through my mind. Divine, please, no. Just no.

Jax's mother rubs her red-painted lips together and salaciously grins. "Oh, that would be me, Ophelia." Then she waves a manicured hand dismissively at my mother and scoffs, "I mean, is it really any surprise William went elsewhere when all he had at home was skin and bones?"

"Watch it," I growl with steel in my voice, the tone of which has Veronica whipping her head around to meet my glacial glare. As if she got slapped by a blast of arctic air, her face pales to chalk white, and she recoils back into her chair.

Jax's heavy head draws up. His blue eyes are a squall of hurt as he blurts out, "Are you kidding me, Mom?"

Not courageous enough to hold my stare, Veronica slides her gaze to Jax and relishes his pained expression with malicious glee. "I thought we cleared this up. You are no son of mine."

Billie's body tenses, and I feel her pulse spike under my fingers, while her other hand kneads the back of Jax's neck.

"I see," my mother drawls while adjusting the cuffs of her long-sleeved dark-purple velvet dress. Fluttering her eyelashes at Ken, she tilts her head to the side in contemplation. "A paternity test will definitely be needed, especially if Roni is the supposed mother. I mean, for all we know it could be Bruce's or... even yours, Ken."

"That is a preposterous assumption, Ophelia," Veronica blusters, but the color in her cheeks dampens the strength of her statement.

"You know it's not," Bruce groans, swiping a hand down his drawn face, not even looking at her. "At least concerning me. I might have been under his influence, but. . ." Bruce gulps and shakes his head. "The memories may be fuzzy, but they are memories." That explains him, but I don't remember Ken being in the garage. I spin my head around to look at Kubrick, his tan face suddenly pale. Shit.

My gran coughs and comments, "And if Ken is also included, we'll need a third party to verify the results in that case, no?" She gives my mother's hand an approving pat. I feel horrible for Jax having to witness this, for what this must be doing to him, and I can't even think about his father. Does Mr. Benton know? Those feelings are at odds with the hope l feel hearing not only my mother stand up for herself but also her poise while doing so. She came across as almost regal while making Veronica seem like a petulant hussy. Then I internally wince. Shit, Jax.

Ken turns to face DeLuca and replies in a scratchy voice, "Yes, Mr. DeLuca and I will agree on a third-party representative for the reading and verification of the paternity results."

Holy shit. My gaze swings back to Veronica, whose face is red with rage and embarrassment. Jax's head hangs lower, and Billie fingers play with the ends of his hair. His hand squeezes her thigh under the table.

"Mr. Kubrick," Wilhelmina chirps.

At the sound of her voice, his head shoots up to her like a hungry puppy who just heard the crinkling of a bag of dog treats. I noticed earlier how his lips curved up at the edges when his eyes drifted to her while she prepared our little snack picnic, Billie of course too focused on the food to notice. Kubrick gives her a genuine smile and comes damn close to purring. "Yes, Ms. Mahoney-Volpella."

My mate holds his gaze while her hand moves from low back to slip under the waistband of my warmup pants cresting the top of my bare ass cheek. Canting her head to the side, she slants her lips into a mischievous grin. "It's actually Duchessa , not Ms." To drive her message home, her green eyes light up with the white outline, and she casts a subtle ripple of her power over the room while sending a tidal wave of it into me. Everyone at the table sits up a little taller. Councilman Hogan gasps in shock, Kubrick gulps down a groan, and my gran tries to muffle her giggles with one hand. The warm push of her energy has me biting back a moan, and Jax's head flies up, his wide gaze connecting with mine over our mate's head, both of us surprised and impressed. He definitely got hit by a wave too.

My eyes dip to Billie, who except for the crooked smile, shows no visible signs of doing what she just did. Jax adjusts himself in his seat as if the jolt of her energy shocked him out of his depressive posture, and he reaches for a bottle of water.

Billie creases her brows and exhales. "Paternity tests can be done in utero, can't they?"

"After the seventh week," DeLuca confirms, removing his light blue tie.

"What is the reason for waiting seven months to determine the validity of"—Billie looks directly at Veronica and sneers with absolute disdain— "the spawn inside Veronica?"

Jax almost chokes on his water, and Ethan leans into me, chuckling under his breath. "She's a feisty fox tonight." My head bobs in agreement and excitement, loving how she's starting to step into herself as a shifter, as a royal.

"Well," Ken grasps for an answer. "In the event the baby doesn't make it to delivery, this would be a moot point."

"It would be a moot point if the baby is determined to not be William Knight's," Warren amends, opening his arms with palms up. He points his pen at Billie. "Common practice in these situations is as the duchessa has stated. This is something you and I can discuss tomorrow as a point of contention, along with identifying a third party and whether or not you want to be included in the paternity test," our lawyer states it all matter-of-factly.

Ken, who went from tan to pale, is now going from pale to red and nods. "Right, we'll discuss that tomorrow."

He takes a large drink of water and sighs. "Next, we move on to his business holdings. The shares in five businesses and stocks, as well as three board positions, are to be transferred to his son, Alpha Alexander Xavier Knight. The three board positions are to be held for a contractually agreed interim period of one year, in which the board can then vote on whether he retains his current position or not, without affecting his shares. There is one contingency." Ken readjusts his position to lean forward and look up at me. "That Alexander is mated and bonded to a wolf-shifter." I roll my eyes and take a sip of water, letting it roll around in my mouth. Of course, my dickhead of a father would have me being mated to a wolf-shifter as a contingency for the majority of my inheritance. Ken coughs. "In the event he is not mated to a wolf-shifter within one year of the will reading, the current alpha of the Northeast White Mountain Wolf Pack, along with Bruce Newman and Brian Callahan, will determine what happens with the stock holdings, and the boards will determine his positions independently." My hand is on Wilhelmina's nape, my fingers sliding up and down her neck. We're talking multimillions of dollars in business holdings, and I couldn't care less. Feeling her pulse under my thumb is what matters most.

Wilhelmina pops a grape fruit snack into her mouth. Her gaze seems far away, staring out the windows that look over the parking lot. She turns to Ken and requests, "Mr. Kubrick, could you read the actual verbiage in the legal document regarding mates and the stipulations needed to be met?"

He reads it aloud. Knowing that she wouldn't have asked him to read this without a reason, I listen intently for a clue as to what she's thinking, and I smirk, picking up on it. Turning to Warren I request, "Please add the definition and stipulations of bonded mates as a point of contention to discuss with Mr. Kubrick tomorrow."

"What is there to be contested?" Councilman Hogan huffs from across the table. "We all know about your infatuation with the little vixen at your side." He leers, pointing a chubby finger at my mate. With the amount of rage I feel toward him and his treatment of her, that finger may as well be a knife. He continues, "You allowed yourself to be bonded to her, along with your two betas." He slips his hand to his lap and adjusts his cock, licking his lips and groaning. "I mean, she has a tight little ass, and spunk, as William had described. Not to mention... all that untapped potential power. But do we need to point out she's not a wolf?"

I still my hand on Wilhelmina's neck, afraid if I move it, my fingers will curl into a fist on their own. The slimy way he's been looking at her was bad enough, but his mention of her potential power, referring to it as untapped, has got my hackles raised, and my wolf's teeth baring. My pulse is racing, pumping blood through my veins, readying my body for an attack. In contrast, my mate's pulse is a steady, slow beat under my fingers. She casually brushes her hand up and down my spine as if we're hanging out on the back patio, enjoying the sunset. Her head is tilted to the side, watching Hogan with an amused smile on her face. She breathily laughs and coos, "Oh, I assure you, Councilman, Alexander is well aware that my tight little ass and spunk are all fox ." Then she fucking winks at him while trailing her hand lower down to pat—yes, pat — the top of my ass cheek.

My gran lets out a howl of approval, and my mother smiles wide underneath her hand, the skin around her eyes crinkling in amusement. The councilman adjusts his cock again. Veronica catches the movement. Her furious eyes glare at Billie like she's the one acting inappropriately. Billie meets her glare and softly snorts a short breath while hitching one shoulder up like whatcha gonna do? Veronica's top lip tugs into a snarl, and her hand snatches the councilman's out of his lap and into hers. Hogan doesn't even notice, his eyes and attention still thoroughly focused on my mate. With wet lips, he spits out, "So then what is there to be contested?"

Kubrick and DeLuca have been ignoring the drama and are instead rereading the sections together. DeLuca puffs out a short laugh and pushes his glasses up his nose while leaning back into his chair. Kubrick swipes a hand down his face and grumbles, "Shit."

We all turn to them.

Ken pulls out his orange pocket square from the jacket draped over the back of his chair and begins dabbing the beads of sweat from his brow and temple. Placing the pocket square into the chest pocket of his Winchester dress shirt, he grimaces. "William was extremely specific about the verbiage used in the will regarding the wolf-mate contingency. At first, he required the mate be"—his eyes slide to Bruce before returning to the rest of the table— "Cortney Jaqueline Newman. Then about two months ago, he had it changed to any wolf-shifter." I'm surprised my words about Cortney not being my true-mate affected him enough to change his will. Ken continues, "I had suggested we have it listed as ‘a bonded divinely-chosen true-mate wolf-shifter,' but William was hesitant to list it as such. His most recent and final decision was to require Alexander be bonded and mated to a wolf-shifter, with no further defining requirements."

The councilman slams a meaty hand down on the table and growls. "And I'm still not seeing what's to be contested."

DeLuca shrugs a shoulder and proclaims. "I guess nothing really needs to be contested. The requirement as stipulated in the will has been met." He jerks his chin to me. "My client is bonded and mated to two wolf-shifters. Beta Ethan Edgar Emerson and Beta Jaxson Lewis Benton are wolf-shifters and have been legally registered as his bonded pack-mates."

Hogan bolts up to standing with enough force his rolling chair slams into the short metal file cabinets behind him. He slashes an arm through the air and roars, "That's outrageous and not in line with what Alpha William Knight wanted!" Pointing a finger to his chest, he declares, "I will not approve the validity of this will."

My gaze trails to the two lawyers, who are looking at each other with a mutual understanding. Kubrick nods and reangles his chair to face Hogan. Scratching his forehead, he sighs. "Councilman, I understand your concerns. I have the conversations with William recorded, and the will accurately represents his wishes as he stated them. As you're well aware, wills do not go through the Shifter High Council for approval. There are far too many to have them processed as such."

I'm tiring of this, not to mention Wilhelmina's hand has not left its lower excursion, and looking over I can see her other hand has moved to Jax's thigh. Both of his are massaging and kneading her thigh as well. I exhale a long breath and ask, "Councilman Hogan, what is the purpose of your presence here?"

"What do you mean?" he huffs, reclaiming his chair and flattening out the front of his suit jacket before sitting back down. "I'm a councilman and alpha of the Midwest Pack. Why shouldn't I be here?"

"Are you listed in the will?" Jax queries with a hitched brow.

Bruce coughs and interlaces his fingers on top of the table. "He's here because of his interest in taking over as our alpha." His dark eyes are on me, and his brows are creased with concern. "His views are similar to those of our late alpha, and without one of our own, he wishes to continue as William had."

"What does the pack want?" Ethan queries, leaning back into his chair with elbows resting on the armrests and fingers threaded together over his lap in a causal, confident posture.

"We want Xander," Bruce answers without hesitation, and I see both Ken and Warren nodding their heads in agreement. Bruce's gaze slides to Billie, and he dips his chin adding, "We want Xander, and many of us want him with his true-mate." That was something I never expected to hear from Bruce, but then again, Wilhelmina did stop my father's sexual assault of Cortney, Bruce's daughter, from going any further. Regardless, I'm still not keen on being an alpha to more than the four of us, let alone one to a pack who turned a blind eye to my father's abuse of me as a child or to members who tried to kill my mate. The unwelcome thought of what may happen to the pack, to the blameless wolves, and even more so, to the innocent pups tries to creep its way into my mind. Feelings of dread and guilt that I don't want to own begin to constrict my chest. Not wanting to address or acknowledge any of it, I keep my face blank and my mouth shut. Eventually, Warren takes over.

"So, Ken," DeLuca utters while going through his notes. "From what I can gather, the funeral and burial arrangements are underway and are in alignment with William Knight's wishes. According to the will, Alpha William Knight held a board position on three boards and has shares for all including two others. We need to determine when their information will be messengered over to my client, when the business holdings will be transferred to my client, and when he will receive all information regarding the board positions. Also, there's the matter of what the will states in regard to the alpha position of the Northeast White Mountain Wolf Pack. As for tomorrow, we have the paternity test to discuss."

Ken nods while leafing through the packet, instructing DeLuca to a specific section. They both read it over and then Kubrick looks at me. "According to the will, all of the board information, quarterly reports, mission and vision statements, etcetera, can be messengered over to Alexander Knight tomorrow."

Dual groans of pain sound from my side, causing Ethan and I both to smirk. Leaning over, I nuzzle behind Billie's ear and whisper, "Sounds like you'd love to review those documents with me."

"Sounds like you need to get your hearing checked," she retorts with a pinch of my ass.

"Concerning the alpha position," Kubrick continues, pulling my attention away from my mate and reluctantly back to him. "Alpha Alexander Knight is listed as his predecessor. In the event he is too young, his mother, Luna Ophelia Marie Knight, will take on as acting alpha with the guidance of Beta Bruce Jerimiah Newman." I bob my head, feeling some of the tension in my chest ease.

My gran slaps the table, hoots "Hot damn!" and hugs my mother.

Jax bursts out, "Holy shit, didn't expect that one, yea!" Then both Jax and Gran high five each other.

Ken looks down his nose at both of them as if they're unruly students in the back of class. "If Alexander is between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, he can choose to take on the role fully or defer to his mother and Bruce until his twenty-fifth birthday, at his discretion. Regardless, he will need to maintain a consistent presence in the pack, attend all pack meetings, and he is the only one with the authority to cast any votes for the Northeast White Mountain Wolf Pack when representing them nationally." I retract my shoulder blades, refusing to let them round under the additional weight and responsibilities that were just dropped on me like a baby grand piano.

Ethan grasps my shoulder with one hand, helping keep me upright. He brings his mouth to my ear and asserts in a soft voice, "You're not alone. We've got you. All of us. We'll figure it out together." I nod. He gives my shoulder a firm squeeze and keeps his hand there.

"Well, on that note," Veronica snips pressing up to standing and pulling Hogan along with her. "The councilman and I have to leave," she says in a haughty tone, hanging the strap of her handbag over one shoulder and pushing her chest out. Looking at Hogan, she purrs. "We have a prior engagement that I'd hate to be late for."

The councilman's head is tilted down, his eyes staring at Veronica's breasts, which are on full display under the sheer blouse and sheer bra she wore to this meeting. He grunts. "Yes, I wouldn't want to be late." Then standing tall, he sneers, his eyes narrow and his gaze swinging between my mother and Bruce. "You may have been listed as heads of the pack for the interim, but don't think you'll be able to replace an alpha. You won't. You'll need one." There's a certainty in his voice that makes me uneasy, as if he's speaking words that I don't want to acknowledge, ones that ring with an innate truth. Flattening down his hair, he adds, "I hope you both keep in line with how William was running things. He amassed a huge amount of wealth and power for this pack."

"You mean for him," my mother tuts. Leaning back in her chair, she folds her arms over her chest. "Our pack hardly saw any of the profits that came from the businesses allied with other packs, especially those with the Midwest and Southeast Packs. The money never really came to us, and very few positions of high wealth and power in the associated companies and endeavors were actually given to members of the Northeast White Mountain Wolf Pack." Shaking her head, she solemnly tsks. "He never really stood up to any of you, did he? He just rolled over, went along with what you wanted, and took the money that was offered."

The councilman's eyes glow ochre, and he sends out an alpha growl at my mother, trying to get her to cower under his power, trying to get her to heel. To my complete shock, my mother doesn't bow like she did every time with my father. Hell no, she pushes up to standing, splays her hands out on the top of the table, and leans toward Hogan. With eyes glowing like molten copper, she answers his growl with her own. "My forced-bonded mate is dead, Councilman," she states in a low, menacing voice through lips that are curved into a scathing smile. "Do you know what happens then?" she queries with a lifted brow while standing up and crossing her arms over her chest. "My wolf and all her power return to me. And let me tell you. . ." She pauses and looks down at her violet-painted nails before lifting her gaze back up to Hogan, who's gone from domineering and growling to stunned and silent. My mother clicks her tongue. "She's all luna. She's pissed. And she'll never let anyone silence her again."

Wilhelmina laughs out loud. "In Z-formation!" she cheers, accompanying her words with the appropriate hand gestures. When her hand returns to Jax's lap, it's on his crotch.

My mom looks down at my mate, and her face softens. Then... then my mother actually laughs. It's rough and squeaky, but she laughs, and my gran and Jax join in. My mother raises her gaze to me, and with unshed tears in her eyes, she asserts in a hopeful voice, "And I plan on working with my son, Bruce, and our pack elders to educate and realign ourselves with our wolves. To connect with their shifter's true desires and needs. For they've been ignored for far too long."

The whole meeting has left me with two questions: (1) What the hell has gotten into my mom? (2) What the fuck has gotten into our mate?