The Alpha's Rebel

Chapter 36

My eyes widen. I haven't thought much about Maddox's parents, and he hasn't mentioned them much either. He's a spitting replica of his dad, the only difference being their eye color. His dad's eyes are a deep forest green, whereas Maddox's eyes are darker than any I've seen before. He must have his mom's eyes. I wonder if his mother is anywhere around, but I have a sinking feeling that she may not be.

"You must be Harper," his dad smiles at me, the corners of his eyes crinkling. He looks older than I would have expected him to be if I had put much thought into it. For having a twenty three year old, he would be in his early to mid forties on a typical werewolf timeline. This man looks like he's at least in his mid fifties. I'm not making any judgement, but I do make note of it.

I nod in response to his question of who I am, and he formally introduces himself. "I'm Maddox's dad, Alan."

"It's nice to meet you, Alpha," I say respectfully, shaking his outstretched hand.

A friendly frown replaces his smile, and he shakes his head. "I haven't been alpha for five years. Alan is just fine." I nod again, pushing away the natural instincts to call him alpha. It's a wolf thing, respecting your leaders of the pack. Even now, technically a leader myself, the urge is there.

Let me make this clear, though: that urge is only for pack leaders. It's a natural born instinct, and one of the few instincts I've never fought. With any other authority figures or natural instincts (like wanting a mate), not so much. Even as a luna now, I don't plan on my rebellious streak going anywhere. It's much too iconic at this point.

Alan gestures for us to sit down at the patio table on the balcony, and we do. Maddox rests a hand on my bare thigh, and the touch sends comforting tingles up and down my leg. In a rare circumstance, I'm a little nervous. I know why, but that only helps a little bit. I want Maddox's dad to approve of me. I'm not self conscious at all, and despite being nervous, I'm still confident with myself. I'm not exactly the luna-to-bring-home-to-your-parents type, though.

"Dad, we have to talk to you about something," Maddox says, and even without us discussing it beforehand, I know it's about the hunter. His dad nods, a nonverbal sign for Maddox to continue. "Have you ever heard of a hunter?"

I don't know what I was expecting, but it was not the expression that appears on Alan's face. All of his features go dark, and it reminds me of the look I saw so often on Maddox before I accepted the mate bond. It's the same look he had when he would see Thay and I together. A panic begins to consume me. It's not easy to bring that kind of emotion out of someone, and all Maddox did was mention a hunter.

This threat feels like it just got a hundred times worse.

"Dad?" Maddox says when Alan doesn't respond right away. I rest a hand on top of the one that he's been resting on my thigh, gently squeezing while we wait to remind him I'm right here. He squeezes my thigh in response.

It's still a while before Alan speaks, a few minutes of nothing but the sounds of nature and a tension so thick that only Alan has the power to cut through. "Why do you ask?" Each word sounds forced but controlled, his voice steady with a very faint shake to it. This is not going to be an easy conversation.

When Maddox doesn't respond right away, I step in. "We've found two arrows on our lands with the hunter's symbol on it," I explain. "We've haven't able to track them once they cross the border. They're scent completely disappears. It's untraceable."

Alan takes these words in, and I can almost see each of them being fully processed in his mind before he responds. He's careful about his next words. "Maddox," he says quietly, and I hate the pain I'm already able to sense. "What do you remember about your mother?"

I turn to look at Maddox, curious to know anything about his mother while also fully understanding that she isn't with us anymore. It's not just a guess anymore. Maddox meets my gaze, and he holds it while responding to his dad's question. His dark eyes are hurt, but they don't have the same painful effect Alan's voice carries.

"She protected me from anything and everything, like it was her nature. She died when I was four. You told me she was attacked by rogues. I remember being sad, but I was still young. By the time I realized what death really meant, I already had grieved."

A silence settles over the three of us. Maddox flips his hand on my thigh over so he can fully hold the hand I've been resting on top of his. Our fingers entwine, and he brings our hands up to his mouth to plant a light kiss on the back of mine. I offer him a sad smile, mouthing I love you.

"She wasn't killed by rogues."

Maddox and I both turn to to look at Alan in shock.

"What?" Maddox asks, doing his best to control his anger. That one statement ruins almost everything he thought he knew about his mother.

"Your mother. She wasn't killed by rogues."

"Then why—" I hear the anger in Maddox's voice, and I squeeze his hand. He stops mid sentence and looks at me. I meet his gaze once again, watching as his chest rises up and down. The sight of me calms him, and I can't help the tiniest smile that grows on my lips. I will never be able to get over the effect I have on him.

"I'm going to start from the beginning, and hopefully you'll understand.

"I met your mother later than most wolves do. I was thirty, an age most already have families at." Now I understand why he looks older than I would have expected. "Your mother was twenty two when we met, and us meeting was a chance of fate. I had given up hope at that point, thinking I was meant to be alone forever. I was a cold leader, angry that the people around me were happy with their mates and families and I was alone.

"I spent a lot of time outside of the border, patrolling, just in case any threats were coming anywhere near us. One day, I picked up on the most amazing scent, and I knew right away what it was. I followed it until I came face to face with a girl.

"I still remember everything about her appearance the first time I saw her. She was wearing all black, she had her long blonde hair braided down her back, and she held a bow drawn back with an arrow directed right at my face. I shifted into my human form, hoping to seem like less of a threat. I saw her hesitate, the bow lowering ever so slightly, and even though she already had me in the palm of her hand, I knew I had her in the palm of mine, too."