Chapter 361: Chapter 361

Mason | didn’t want to repeat myself. Even saying it one time instead of only thinking it left a sour taste in my mouth. Gabriela was taking her head.

“Leaving won’t make anything better for you. It would be so much worse. You'd be breaking your mate bond... And aside from the repercussions of that, you’d be so sad, Mason.”

“What if | wasn’t really meant to be a part of them?” | hate even asking, but who else can | talk to about this?n’s power only passed to me because he died. He didn’t give it to me. | just...got it. What if it was by accident?”

“The Moon Goddess doesn’t do accidents,” Gabriela said kindly. “If you four are bound it is because she meant for it to happen that way.”

I “| feel like an outsider. More than | ever did even when | was growing up, knowing | didn’t belong.”

There. | had admitted it.

All of the thoughts and feelings that had been haunting me since | first discovered that the woman | loved was in fact my brother's mate.

I'd spent my life fighting the fact my own father had abandoned me, focused my energy and efforts on destroying his other, more prized son. | couldn’t regret discovering that leading alongside my brother was better than sI aughtering him to take his place....but | also couldn’t completely shake the worry that | might always be on the outside looking in.

“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. That can’t be good.” Gabriela’s brow creased between her eyes as her mou curved down. “I know there’s nothing | can do that can change how you feel, but | hope | can help you understand that none of that is true. You and your brother might butt heads. You'll have to face some resentments. Both of you are strong men with big personalities.. just like your father. You might not have known him growing up, but you inherited a lot from him.”

She chuckled and pursed her lips. | had to laugh a little, too. The situation wasn’t humorous, but laughin was better than screaming.

“When | found out that Orion’s death had passed you the Alpha role, | won't lie. | was extremely concerned for Xander, but also for you. | wasn’t sure if you’d be able to get along, first of all, | didn’t know if your inheritance would manifest itself with full Alpha powers, or if there’d be some kind of restrictions.

“| worried that perhaps your gain would mean my son’s loss. Not because | didn’t feel you deserved it,” she added. “But because, of course, no mother wants to see her child in pain or come to harm. But, as | saw the two of you managing to put aside the past and work beyond the damage your father had done, | became so very proud of you both.

“| know | had no hand in raising you, Mason, so | can take no credit. I’m still proud of you.

1. You've overcome a lot. More than | think many others could have done. I’d hate to see you and Xander at odds with | nodded. “Yeah...he might be a giant pain in my as s sometimes, but no, | don’t want us fighting, either.”

“And you don’t really want to leave,” Gabriela said softly. “Not in your heart.”

| grumbled. “No. Even if | think it would be easier to run away with Lanie....but | couldn’t leave the pups behind. She’d never allow it, and my brother would never allow his children to be taken from him.”

“You are both exemplary fathers, which also makes me very proud.” Gabriela beamed, even though a faint. shadow remained in her gaze. “Your relationship with your brother is complicated, but that’s how families work. Being part of a pack means negotiation and compromise. You're a strong leader, Mason. You'll find way.”

“Thanks,” | said. | almost called her “Mom,” but at the last second decided against it. | didn’t want to dishonor my mother..

“You said you both turned on Zane when he tried to Beta you?”

| made a disgusted noise at myself. “Yeah. Tempers were flaring.”

your She looked thoughtful. “Xander and Zane have always had each other. They've been bonded, oh, since they were pups. I've known them to get on each other’s nerves on occasion, but it sounds like the fight you all had was worse than that.”

“Yeah. Like | said, tempers were flaring. To be honest, Zane tried to Beta us into calming down, but when we didn't, he got pi ssed off at us and ran off. I’m not saying he didn’t have a right,” | added hastily at Gabriela’s stern look. “I know we were acting like as sholes, but he just up and left.”

She shook her head, looking solemn. “You two better get your act together, or else he might do more than leave to cool off. He might up and quit you both entirely.”

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