Second chance mate

Chapter 25 (final draft)

She was holding her pup in the living room, feeding him his lunch when Cortez entered the pack house. She sensed him enter the living room but she didn't look at him and instead focused on Henry who was sitting next to her, playing with his own food.

"Eat, Henry." She said softly when he put his fork down and stiffened upon sensing the Alpha enter. "You have to take your meds."

He slowly nodded and started pushing his food around the plate.

"Henry." She said, her tone a bit more stern. He started eating under her watchful eyes. She ignored Cortez and the rest of the guys who were sitting around her. Some men from both packs were there and their eyes were flitting between the two Alphas, one who was staring the other and the other who was ignoring the first.

"Ariel." Cortez said softly. She didn't reply and merely shifted her pup to her shoulder to burp him. Cortez moved in front of her and sat down on the table in front of where she was sitting. "Ariel, look at me."

She raised her eyes and met his.

"Why are you mad?"

She raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "You don't even know that."

HE sighed when she turned away from him and towards the sixteen year old next to her. He had cleaned his plate.

"Henry, go and take the meds." She ordered and watched as he walked out of the room. Then she turned to the other boy. "Drake, make sure he swallows them."

"You think he might not?" Drake asked worriedly, standing up.

"His wolf is depressed, hon. I know I didn't take them after... It depends on him but I don't want to risk it." She replied with a tight smile. He nodded and jogged after his friend. She pulled her pup from her shoulder and kissed his forehead. "Hey, bud."

He giggled, making incoherent noises as he grabbed for her face.

"Momma loves you too." She smiled at him but turned away from the pup when she felt hands on her knees. She was sitting cross-legged on the couch and now Cortez had moved to the floor to get her attention. She sighed and met his eyes, feeling the ripple of shock from around the room.

Kneeling for an alpha was a sign of weakness, other than when they did for their mate. Rarely, they did it for their family too. But that was only when they knew they had wronged them somehow and needed forgiveness.

"What did I do, Ariel?"

"I told you to stay back. You had no right, no right to come after me. You undermined my authority as an alpha." She replied calmly. She was placated now that he had shown that he really hadn't meant to anger her.

"I am sorry for that. That was nowhere my intention. I respect your authority and I respect you as a person. You are strong and you mean business." He paused. "But, Ariel, I was worried. I am not used to being worried like that. My wolf, he wouldn't settle down knowing you could potentially be in danger. It's not normal for me. I am not used to..."

He trailed off. She moved her son to her lap and cupped Cortez's cheek, making him nuzzle her hand. "I know. It will get easier. Especially if you keep hanging around your nephew." She smiled at him. "But not again."

"Never." He vowed. She pat his cheek and he stood up, moving to sit next to her. "Can I have my nephew now?"

She chuckled and handed him the boy. Zane laughed loudly when Cortez blew raspberries on his stomach. Ariel watched on as both of them played around. "Be careful before he pukes on you. He just fed."