The Challenge Two Alphas,One Girl

Chapter 62: Turning up the Tension

Maze’s POV

 I got dressed quickly. Thankfully, Thaddeus had gone outside to meet Theo. I told Friday to take her time but she dressed in a hurry too. She wanted to meet my paternal grandparents. I held her hand, our fingers interlaced, and we went to the Alpha Dining Room where my grandparents supposedly were. 

 As soon as we walked in, my father and Felicity looked relieved as though they were happy they wouldn’t have to fend my grandparents off alone anymore. My grandfather, former Alpha Maximo Mason, stood up when he saw me. He was tall and olive skinned like my father and me with the same grey eyes and dark wavy hair. His hair was streaked with white though but it suited him. He shook my hand and he took Friday’s hand and kissed it. Friday blushed. 

 My grandmother, former Luna Maxine Madeline Mason curtsied for Friday and hugged me gently. She was petite with a waif-like figure, delicate and fragile-looking even more-so in her old age. She too was olive-skinned with dark eyes and dark hair flecked with white. Her hair was in an elaborate bun. She returned gracefully to her seat escorted by my father. Both of my grandparents were formally dressed in evening wear. I forgot that they usually dressed for dinner. I was in a black shirt with no tie and black trousers and Friday was in a simple black knee-length dress. I held her close to my side.

 “Can you believe after all this time, Maxine, Malachi and Felicity are to marry?” Drawled my grandfather.

 My father instinctively drew Felicity closer to him.

 “You’re divorcing Elizabeth, Kai,” whispered Grandmother, putting her hand to her mouth and using my father’s childhood nickname.

 “Mom, you known about this a few days now at least,” said Malachi, his tone slightly annoyed.

 “Also, Mom, Elizabeth has some interest in a gentleman, an old friend of hers, Cody,” I added.

 Mom was with Cody now and Dad was with Felicity and all four were much happier. What was the issue now? Did their happiness count for naught? My grandmother ignored this statement. Grandfather was staring at Friday, scrutinising her carefully as if appraising a complex work of art at a museum. All he need was a glass of wine in one hand and a monocle held to the eye and pinched between the thump and index finger of his other hand to complete the picture. My grandmother seemed to have not noticed Friday truly yet even though she had curtsied for her earlier. 

 “Cody,” mused my grandfather. “Cody, Cody, Cody. The name rings a bell.”

 “The faintest of bells, I’m sure,” mumbled my father.

 “What was that, Malachi, my son?” Said Grandfather.

 “You can’t seriously expect me to believe that you are here pretending you don’t remember Cody?” Said Dad, looking truly openly annoyed now and stepping in front of Felicity protectively.

 “I vaguely remember Cody, yes, and dear Felicity,” said Grandfather gesturing towards Felicity. Felicity was hiding, shrinking behind my father. In all fairness, my grandparents, specifically my grandfather, had essentially changed the course of her life, separating her from her mate for twenty-five years though they often met in secret.

 “Well, then, you will remember that Felicity is my fated mate and true Luna and Elizabeth who has blessed me with Maze is actually the mate of Cody. I wish them all the best and I hope one day Elizabeth might wish the same for Felicity and myself though the transitions was by no means a smooth one,” said Dad, sighing. Felicity put her hands on his shoulders and squeezed softly. He looked back at her and smiled.

 “Lovely,” said Grandfather as though it were anything but.

 “Let’s dine, shall we,” Grandmother suggested. “If it pleases my Maximo.”

 “Yes, let’s get this show on the road,” said Grandfather with a smile.

 We all took our seats. Friday was between me and her mother and on the other side of Felicity was my father. My grandparents faced us with Grandfather directly opposite Felicity, something she seemed upset about and Grandmother was across from Friday.

 “The resemblance between mother and daughter certainly is striking, isn’t it, Maximo?” Grandmother said as she placed her napkin on her lap.

 “It’s like looking into the past,” said Grandfather. “A young Malachi and Felicity all over again.”

 My grandmother nodded emphatically. Grandfather glanced at the empty chairs near place settings.

 “Are more joining us?” He said.

 “Yes,” said Friday eagerly, speaking for the first time. “Thaddeus and his parents are coming. So are my three brothers including Fang who is Maze’s Beta. Theo will come too. He is Thaddeus’ Beta.”

 “I’m familiar with who is the Beta of whom Friday. I am not that out of the loop and I daresay I knew them all before any of us knew you existed,” said Grandfather with a fake smile plastered on his face.

 Friday’s bright smile slid off of her face. I was irked.

 “She’s just making conversation, Grandfather,” I said, with a huff. “And I doubt you knew Fang before Friday knew him!”

 “Yes I did,” insisted my grandfather childishly. Grandmother nodded encouragingly.

 “Yes, yes,” said Grandmother. “We met him as a newborn.”

 “We were introduced to him in the womb. Felicity came to the pack house a few times while pregnant for her husband, Farris, my son’s former Beta,” explained Grandfather unnecessary though he had just chastised Friday for unnecessary explanations. My Dad flinched and my heart went out to him. I couldn’t imagine what that must have felt like to see his mate pregnant for another. I wondered what it would be like to see Friday pregnant for Thaddeus. In that case, as long as I too, was still her mate, I didn’t feel offended. I would just hope the next child would be mine. I surprised even myself with that epiphany. I truly wouldn’t mind Friday bearing an heir for each of us. It just felt right somehow as if it were meant to be.

 “So are both comfortable with this situation, Kai and Mazey?” Said Grandmother. “Felicity is Friday’s mother. So essentially if Kai and Felicity marry first, Maze will marry his little stepsister.”

 “Mom,” said my Dad, taking a deep slow breath, “Not marrying my mate led to me resenting my Beta for years because he married her. He became an alcoholic. Felicity and I couldn’t stay away from each other because both of our marriages were terrible so we had an ongoing affair. Eventually, my Beta found out and shot me with a silver bullet laced with wolfsbane!” Snarled my father, raising his voice. “Then, Elizabeth attacked Felicity in the resuscitation room where I was being treated for my gun shot wound. I had to use my Alpha voice on Elizabeth to part the fight thus revealing to a room full of people that she was not the true Luna as she was not my fated mate. Elizabeth began drinking and sank into depression. She was found at a random motel drunk and confused. Fang brought her back to Maze so he could care for her. She tagged along to Berryndale luckily and Cody is what pulled her out of it after True re-acquainted them.” Dad took a big breath and continued. “My poor example led to Maze initially rejecting Friday and they would have repeated history. Maze,” said my father, pausing. I looked at him. He had tears in eyes and was clutching Felicity very close to his side.

 “I am so sorry for everything but I will never be sorry that I had you. You’ve made the long journey to my mate all worth it for me and now I have Felicity again and you have Friday and it is complicated but there is nothing more complicated than denying yourself what you want most in life for the sake of pleasing others, even if it’s your grandparents, even if it’s me. I hope you know that and I hope you can forgive me,” said my Dad.

 I didn’t respond right away because I was so emotional. Friday was probably the only person other than my mother who had seen me cry. I took a deep breath and went over to Dad and hugged him. He embraced me with a huge bear hug. His Felicity, my Friday and even Grandmother were tearing up. Grandfather remained stone-faced. Dad and I broke apart and I returned to my seat.

 “If you’re expecting some dramatic speech from me in which I beg for your forgiveness then I’m sorry to disappoint you. There won’t be any such thing,” said Grandfather sternly.

 “I’m not expecting anything like that from you,” said Dad pointedly.

 Grandfather scowled. I smiled, extremely proud of my father and feeling really close to him for the first time in a long time.



 Thaddeus’ POV

 I was late to dinner with my little Friday, my bro Maze and his snotty ass family. I felt guilty because I knew Maze was probably going through it without me or my parents there to deflect the tension. However, I had to have this chat with Theo. I owed it to him. He was my best bro, my childhood best friend. We were in my room. We had spent so much time at the pack house together over the years and now I had a big secret from him. It was new territory for me. Was I allowed to tell him? I was an Alpha. I usually did whatever I wanted but what if little Friday or Maze was upset. What if I ruined the new camaraderie we had formed. It felt solid to be honest. I sighed.

 “Theo,” I said hesitantly.

 “Yeah, Bro?” he replied.

 “Friday is so special to me and to Maze. I don’t think either one of us could live without her and if she’d be ok with having both of us, I’d be ok with that too,” I said plainly and there was no turning back.Chapter 64: Mermaids and Misgivings

Chapter 57 - The Challenge Two Alphas,One Girl