Chapter 49
TY
Istared at my parents, wishing they’d have given me a heads up before they dumped all this shit on Liza and basically told her that she needed to mate with me before Dad’s alpha power faded away. Talk about added pressure.
All this after such a pleasant run, too, and a real moment where I felt I connected with my father on a new level.
And during a wonderful meal outside with my parents and the woman fate had decided was mine.
I’d hoped we could talk about normal stuff so my parents could get to know Liza better, and for Liza to be more comfortable around them.
Plus, it was important for Liza to see a different side of my parents, and to see they weren’t defined by the royalty aspect. They were regular shifters just like everyone else, except Dad just happened to be the alpha, and my mother just happened to be his mate.
After the revelation of what the Keller pack had done to Liza’s pack, I thought my parents would recognize the need for some normalcy and lighter conversation.
Nope. They had to drop a fuck-load of reality right into Liza’s unsuspecting lap while I sat there sheepishly, attempting to avoid her gaze. If I’d known, I could have been prepared for Liza’s inevitable questions as to why I hadn’t been the one to tell her.
It had been a few days since the pack run, and Liza had been quieter than usual. I wanted to give her time to process everything my parents had told her and to allow her to bring it up when she was ready, but so far, she hadn’t mentioned it.
I found myself walking on eggshells, never knowing when she might blow up on me for not telling her the truth about Dad’s condition and the need for us to complete the mating ceremony as soon as possible. But it didn’t happen.
Instead, she seemed almost numb and lost in her thoughts, as if she didn’t know how to react.
We needed to talk about it, though. We couldn’t just ignore that Dad’s alpha power was quickly fading.
I wanted to be the one to bring it up and to get everything out in the open and discuss it like a mature, fated couple, but on the other hand, I didn’t want to stir the pot.
I was certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Liza now felt the same pressure as I had when I discovered we were running out of time. She’d already dealt with so much in such a short period of time, I worried this would be too much for her.
I’d already been awake for an hour when my alarm went off. Liza hadn’t been in bed when I woke. I lay in the darkness of the dimly lit room, contemplating the whole situation and replaying my parents’ words.
As much as I wanted to sit down with Liza and talk to her, I had a business meeting to attend. Bryce was already out of town, tending to another Keller Enterprises matter, so he couldn’t fill in for me.
The meeting was just a few hours away from Presley Acres, but with Castro’s fucking scavenger hunt, I wasn’t all too eager to be away for any length of time. We couldn’t afford to underestimate him. He was fixated and determined. Anything could happen, and it worried me to damn near death.
The unmistakable scent of coffee wafted from the kitchen.
I quickly pulled on my shorts and T-shirt, then went through to the bathroom.
Like most mornings, I woke with a massive boner, but I ignored it and thought through this morning’s meeting as I pissed, waiting for my erection to soften before making my way to the kitchen.
Liza didn’t need a hard dick poking her in the back when she was contemplative and stressed out.
When I entered the kitchen, Liza was pouring creamer into our coffee cups. She wasn’t paying attention to anything else around her, just staring off into space, her usual sweet smile nowhere to be seen.
I sighed and hugged her from behind, pulling her back to my chest, thankful that my cock was back in its regular resting position in my boxers. “Good morning,” I murmured against her ear.
She startled at the contact, spilling creamer all over the kitchen counter.
“Damn it!” She moved back and grabbed a kitchen towel from the sink, sopping up the mess and muttering under her breath.
“Oops. Sorry, Liza. I didn’t mean to scare you.” I took a step back. “You aren’t really here today, are you? You seem kind of… distant.”
Liza’s face was flushed, her hands trembling ever so slightly as she cleaned up the creamer. Her breathing was shallow, and her eyes were downcast.
“What’s on your mind? You okay?”
She stopped cleaning and lifted her head. “It’s nothing.”
It was more than nothing, but I didn’t want to push her to talk until she was ready. I thought that was the end of the discussion, but then she said, “Why didn’t you just tell me about your dad and his alpha powers fading?”
Liza tossed the dirty towel into the sink and handed me a mug of coffee as she waited for me to respond.
I gestured to the kitchen table, and she sat down across from me.
I sighed. “Believe it or not, I had several reasons for not telling you.”
“I’m all ears.” She took a sip of coffee and leaned back in her chair.
“You need to understand that it’s an extremely delicate subject for Dad.
After being alpha for so many years, it can hurt a man’s pride to slowly lose his powers.
Losing the alpha power… it’s almost like a slow death.
You’re waiting for your strength to diminish entirely, turning you into a mere shadow and a shell of the man you used to be. ”
Liza frowned. “That sounds horrible.”
I shrugged. “It’s all part of the process; circle of life and all that.
Just because it’s a normal process to pass those powers down to your son doesn’t make it easy.
Sure, Dad’s proud of me, and he’s excited to see me lead the next generations of the Keller pack, but I can tell he’s grieving over losing his position. Though, I doubt he’d ever admit it.”
Liza set her cup on the table and folded her hands in her lap. “What else? You said there were several reasons for keeping this from me.”
I nodded. “It wasn’t my secret to tell. It was my father’s. The changes his body is going through are only obvious to Mother and me because we’re his family and we’re around him all the time. It’s not so noticeable to others yet. Who was I to strip that dignity from him by telling anyone about it?”
Liza pondered my question, and when she spoke again, her tone was gentle. “I’m not just anyone, though, Ty. I’m your fated mate.”
Good fucking point.
“Yes, I know, but I didn’t want to betray my father’s confidence. If I’m going to be the next alpha, I have to prove myself to him—not that he’d ever say that out loud. If he tells me something in confidence, I’m expected to keep it to myself.”
I paused. I’d told Bryce about it, but that was different, right? He was my righthand man, the Nico to my Dominic. If he didn’t know what was going on, how could he help and advise me?
“If I’m being honest, one of the biggest reasons I kept the information from you was because I didn’t want you to carry my burden.
” I stared at my feet, hoping she’d hear the sincerity in my words.
“I care so much for you, Liza. I’ve had to watch as you’ve been mentally tormented by Castro and the memories of my dad attacking your pack ravage you.
Not to mention the changes you’ve experienced in your body due to being an omega.
Me heaping more pressure on you and telling you that it was up to us to mate now in order to keep the alpha powers within the Keller pack might have…
” I trailed off, but Liza finished my sentence for me.
“It might have sent me into another rage and made me shift against my will. Right?” Her huge, beautiful eyes bore into my own.
“Yes.” She had hit the nail right on the head.
Liza reached across the table and took my hand, linking her fingers with mine. “I understand your reasoning, and it make sense now why you and your parents were in such a rush to move forward with the claiming.”
I sighed, and it was as if all the tension in my neck and shoulders evaporated.
“Thank you for understanding. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before my parents blindsided us.
” I felt lighter now that Liza knew what was at stake.
Hopefully, we could face it together. “Are you okay? How are you feeling?”
“I’ve been replaying the conversation with your parents over and over again, giving everything they said a lot of consideration.
I’ve also been spending a lot of time with your mom.
” Liza’s smile at the mention of my mother made my heart swell.
“I’m just now starting to realize what my role would be as the alpha’s mate and how important it is.
I admit that it’s a lot of pressure—more than I would’ve imagined. ”
Liza paused, and I squeezed her hand. “What else? You can tell me no matter what it is.”
She smiled. “I also realize now that keeping a pack running properly requires a lot of love. I sort of thought your mom was more of a figurehead. I never imagined Persephone getting her hands dirty and doing all of the behind-the-scenes tasks she does, or working with the council to ensure that all members are taken care of—mentally, physically, even financially. It’s a lot to wrap my mind around. ”
“How are you handling all of this? Mentally, I mean.” I hoped my asking that wouldn’t piss her off, but now was my chance to understand how she was really doing.
Could she handle all of it or was she on the verge of shifting against her will again?
Liza took her empty cup in the sink, then came to stand next to me. Looking at me, she bit her lip before answering. “It feels like a lot more pressure has been put on me now that I better understand the gravity of the situation.”
“That’s the issue in my mind. I don’t want you to feel as if you have to move faster than you’re willing.” I took a chance and tugged her onto my lap, taking a second to smell her hair and enjoy her ass on my thighs.