Cracks in the Mask
sixteen
*ROSEA*
Ayoung she-wolf brings me some coffee. I smile at her. “Thank you, Sabina.”
Her eyes widen in utter shock, then her cheeks heat up, and her eyes sparkle with joy. “It’s a pleasure, Luna! I… anytime!”
“You already know their names?” Martin asks.
“I think it’s important to learn all the pack members’ names,” I tell him. “Particularly those who are so important to keep a pack’s infrastructure running. Forest knows all the names, too. I just went by his example.”
One of the warriors who is walking by us glances at Forest while Martin looks at him in surprise. “I wasn’t aware, Alpha.”
“It’s like Rose said,” Forest explains in his calm, composed manner.
His parents apparently made it look like a weakness, while he is simply a very kind, fair and level-headed man.
Once the pack members notice it, they will warm to him.
“A pack can’t run without its members. Every single person is crucial to it. ”
“Do you drink your coffee with milk?” Griffin asks me.
I nod, smiling when he pours some milk into my cup, just to be confused when he pours himself some, too. Forest grins when he sees my surprise. “Griffin is a weirdo,” he says.
“I am not weird!”
“He drinks his tea with milk,” Forest adds.
“I have a refined taste,” he tells me while he pours four teaspoons of sugar into his tea.
I turn to look at Forest. “I kind of get what you mean now.”
Griffin frowns. “Hey there, Beta. Help me! I am getting bullied by the alpha couple.”
“I can’t,” Martin says. “It’s my job to have the alpha’s back.”
“His back! Doesn’t mean you need to kiss up to him.”
Martin chuckles. “Sometimes that’s the same.”
“Funny,” Griffin says with a glint in his eyes. “I thought the future beta would be a boring, stuck-up guy.”
Martin frowns, but there is a similar glint in his eyes. “Are you trying to provoke me on purpose?”
“Maybe I am,” Griffin says with a grin.
“Could you maybe not argue with each other when Rose and I are in between?” Forest asks.
“I agree.” I take a bite from my croissant.
It’s been so long since I was able to have a normal breakfast. With Jordan, I was always tense and scared he would try something shady; I barely ate around him.
Besides, eating with the pack always meant being humiliated by him.
“It sounds like a lover’s quarrel. You must be good friends! ”
“Luna, don’t make it sound weird, please,” Griffin exclaims, but his grin betrays his shocked tone.
Also, he is calling me ‘Luna’ in front of the current luna, not even caring she might hear him.
Usually, when the future luna and alpha are addressed, pack members and those who care use the alpha and luna titles out of respect for their position and future rank, but usually add the name to it.
That’s why they call Harry Alpha and Forest Alpha Forest.
No one would just call me Luna without adding my name to it in front of the actual reigning luna, unless they very much intended to make a statement. And by the shocked and angry expression on Forest’s mother, Donna’s, face, it’s obvious she noticed.
We might have an ally sooner than later.
“I have to agree,” Martin says to me. “I have standards, Luna.”
He did the same; called me Luna in front of Donna.
Griffin laughs. “Bold of you to assume I would go for you.”
“Please,” Forest says. “Don’t make me separate you and place you on two different tables.”
“They should probably spar together,” I say. “And battle it out.”
Both Martin’s and Griffin’s eyes light up. Typical male shifters, especially when they are eligible for a rank. They just love to have a good fight.
“That’s a good idea,” Forest says to me. “Keep that thought, love. We need to discuss it later.”
Forest’s father clears his throat. “Since it’s impossible to have a conversation here,” he says, standing up. “I will retire for now.”
He is showing his true colors, again, Alora tells me. Not a good look for him. He should be over the moon that his son has a strong mate at his side and two strong warriors in the running for a rank.
I know, I say. And Griffin is clearly playing into that, just like we are. He wants the parents to lose face.
And Martin?
I am not sure, but he plays along almost too well for it to be a coincidence. I carefully glance around, noticing that indeed some of the pack members sitting closer to us look confused at their alpha’s reaction.
Harry must have realized, too, because he clears his throat. “Rose, maybe you would like to visit us for a quiet dinner? With Forest, tonight?”
I can almost instantly feel Forest tense next to me, instinctively making me put a hand on his leg before I can stop myself or even realize what I am doing. Forest looks surprised for a moment, but then relaxes a little. “We will come,” he says, because he obviously can’t decline.
“Fantastic,” his mother mutters. “We’ll expect you at 6 p.m.”
It’s not enough yet to change the opinion of the pack on the old alpha couple, but their mask is starting to show cracks. This is something I can build on.
Forest and I spend almost the whole day setting up a new schedule for the warriors.
We redid Griffin’s whole schedule first. From now on, he will be in the same loop as the other warriors and be around them more.
Forest himself was over the moon with my suggestion, and he also stuck true to his words, asking me to take over some tasks for him, so that he could join the warriors more.
“I feel like for the first time today, some of my warriors and I clicked,” he says.
“It will only get better,” I reassure him. “You are strong, and they will be drawn to your strength. And over time, you will form a bond of trust with them. However, we should start with it immediately.”
“I agree. I want to join the training tomorrow. Are you sure you have it covered here?”
“Don’t worry. I am good at paperwork,” I say. “What about Griffin and Martin? They seemed to get along well.”
Forest smiles joyfully. “I noticed. Do you think it would be good for them to train together?”
“Absolutely. I was going to suggest the same.” I pause. “Forest, just an idea… but are you considering Griffin for a rank?”
“I am,” he admits. “I was thinking of making him my gamma once everything is settled. What do you think?”
“Yes, I think that would be the logical choice,” I agree.
“What else do you suggest?”
“We’ll move your office from your suite to the regular first floor of the packhouse. And we’ll set up office hours for you there, where pack members can come and talk to you.”
He nods thoughtfully. “That never occurred to me, but you are right; that way I am more accessible to the pack members.”
“I will start getting involved in the schedule of the rest of the staff,” I say.
“Do whatever you want,” he reassures me. “You have my okay in everything.”
I grab the many folders that are lying around. “I will digitize all of it, and if you want to hear my first piece of advice, we need to get rid of half of these pointless deals and meetings. They are absolutely useless.”
Forest looks surprised. “Really?”
“Yes.” I show him three appointments his father has made for him. They are absolutely bullshit. “You gain nothing from these, and they are not even with packs you want as your allies. This meeting is just to show off, but the only ones benefiting are the other parties.”
“Why did Dad even set me up with them, then?” Forest says.
Before I can answer, he lowers his head, biting on his lip.
“Fuck! Probably to show everyone how much I waste my time with bullshit things.
And how I flounder at expensive parties.
You are right…“ He gestures at another point in his schedule. “Why do I need to attend a ceremonial ship launching? What do I care about a random alpha’s yacht?”
“Exactly!” I agree. “Forest… your father is the villain, not you. You trusted him because he is your dad. This is not your fault.”
“I should have noticed.”
“You did. That’s why we are doing what we are doing,” I say. “And you already made up with Griffin. Plus, if I may say so, Martin does seem to like working for you.”
“This just strengthens my resolve,” he says. “I want you to look over everything, Rose. Including the investments. I know this is one of your strong points.”
“I have some ideas,” I admit. “For example, raise the investments for childcare and healthcare in the pack, and invest more in security. And dump some of the more luxurious investments. Why do we need top-notch wine, for example? This is just beneficial for the alpha family, but for no one else.”
“Like I said,” Forest frowns. “Do it. And please, double-check everything my father has set up.”
“I should have your new schedule set by this evening,” I promise. “Good thing you were always pretty well organized. You have all the data and contact dates yourself.”
“I wanted to do things properly,” he admits.
“And that’s what’s going to do you good now,” I say. “You are reliable and responsible. Good traits for an alpha. It will also show in the way you’ll train with the warriors. Do you have a plan for them already?”
“Yes, I want Martin to train the advanced warrior group, Griffin the beginners, and I want to work with the elites. From today on, I will be very present in the pack, and you are right, the warriors are a good start.”
He balls his hands into fists and nods grimly.
“Let’s start with moving your office,” I suggest.
“Got you, I will link Martin for help.”
I wish I were able to link him, too, but I would only be able to be part of the pack if Forest marked me, and technically, he can only do it during a full moon night, which is why our shtick still works so well.
No one is suspicious that he hasn’t marked me yet.
However, it makes things a bit more difficult that I can’t link anyone in an emergency.
“I would like to stroll around the pack later,” I say. “Actually, maybe tomorrow, since today, I want to focus on your schedule and cancel some investments.”
“You can go anywhere you like, but tell me beforehand. I want someone to accompany you, preferably Griffin or Martin. I don’t trust my parents,” he says quietly, a hint of pain in his eyes.
“Me neither,” I mutter. “And I did not escape Jordan just to die here. We are not done here yet.”
He smiles. “We are not.”
“Forest.” I put a hand on his arm. “You are a good man. Don’t let your parents live in your head.
You are not your father; you are not brash and arrogant, or lunge into danger headfirst, and that’s not a bad thing.
You are much more levelheaded, and frankly, for the pack it’s much better to have an alpha who can see the bigger picture. ”
He gently puts his hand on mine, squeezing it slightly.
“Thank you, and just so we are clear: Jordan is the biggest idiot in the universe. He could have had it all with you at his side, but unfortunately, his ego was too big to understand what a loser he is without you. I will never allow you to get hurt and be chased away!”