Chapter 24: Livin' La Vida Loca

I am livid.

I was so excited to bring Carlisle to my work place. Eager to show him off and introduce him to my coworkers, let him see where I work most of the days. I was really looking forward to that.

But as soon as I opened the door to the training center, I overheard Wilkins ripping Owen to shreds for being late for work. I am not mad at him, a team leader, for reprimanding a probational warrior for his tardiness. What I hated is that he called Owen the 'Beta's pet' again and to his face, while my mate was listening to this.

Upon looking back at how badly I overreacted to this, I see now that I could have played this totally different and acted as if it was a joke of sorts. Sure, I could have spun that to my mate somehow. But I am an honest man and at that moment I was furious.

I was already raging about this characterization even before I was mated, let alone now that my mate was right there with me. I couldn't hold my frustration back nor my anger at how this one night stand turned into a joke. Owen is not a kept boy, least of all is that I was the one keeping him. The boy works two jobs, for Goddess' sake!

Anyway, I am not shading who likes to be kept. By all means, I would pay good money to keep my mate at home taking care of his son and me, maybe one day our child as well. I have no problem with the concept of being kept, but I hate that Owen got called that because that's not who he is.

He is a smart boy, a legacy warrior who is probably biting more than he can chew with two jobs back to back. I am all for teens helping out their parents during summer or after school, but he is an adult now. It's past time he makes a choice or I'll make it for him. He has been warned.

Apart from that awkward start, I had the chance to show Carlisle all parts of the complex. From the gym to the fighting cage, the small room we use to shift into a wolf for live practice - you have to be naked in order to shift, so one cannot be expected to do that in front of all his coworkers; especially not the females. And vice versa.

Then we walked upstairs to the second floor where I could introduce him to Thomas, show him all the offices that take part in the administration of the pack. It does take a village to run 122 warriors employed. Plus Phillip, me and all the employees who work at the pack house: cooks, maids, gardener, secretary.

It's a massive enterprise that works because everyone knows the part they must play in it.

Carlisle was mesmerized by the magnitude of the building with all its offices and spaces dedicated to make this the most fearsome wolf army of the South. He was ecstatic at seeing it all and I could tell it brought back memories when he was still in contention to be the next Beta of his (old) pack.

"I am so sorry if this is triggering you. I think you would make a formidable Beta and it's appalling to me that anyone thought you couldn't be one because you're an Omega. If Mr. Lockwood hears about this, he is going to throw a fit. He is a very fierce Omega advocate. And rumor has it he was the first Omega to ever defeat an Alpha in combat." I told my mate near the front door of the center, just before we were about to exit.

"Oh really? He must be some Omega then..." Carlisle muttered, impressed by him.

"Yes, he is. If the stories are to be believed he was the most fearsome wrestler of his senior class in high school. He was supposed to become a warrior for the pack but of course he got mated to Felix Hollingsworth instead. And now their son leads the pack." I informed him, feeling proud of this.

I have always been proud of our Alpha and Luna growing up. It was the perfect picture of what a queer couple could achieve in life. After all, in werewolf society, there is nothing a queer man can be precluded from achieving in life. The same way an Omega shouldn't be prohibited from becoming Beta of the pack because of his breed.

"Wow. I need to meet this powerful Omega one day who even defeated the Alpha." Carlisle said, admiring the former Luna of the pack.

"I'll introduce him to you some time. He is a remarkable man, indeed." I told him, in awe of Elliott.

"See you later, Iris. I'm in the pack house if you need me." I said goodbye to her, who was a few feet away from us.

"It was nice to meet you all. Keep up the excellent work. Goodbye, Delta. Congratulations on the baby!" Carlisle said nonchalantly and I could literally see dozens of men turning their gaze at her all at once.

"What?" I gasped in shock at my mate, who looked uncomfortable by this.

"I'm sorry, was that not public information?" He trembled, blushing from having made such a declaration in front of everybody. Iris was flustered under the piercing gazes she was receiving.

"No, it wasn't public just yet, Carlisle. Yes, I am pregnant as it turns out." She admitted, painstakingly.

"I am so sorry, Delta. I am mortified to have stolen your thunder like this. I thought everybody could smell the pregnancy on you." Carlisle apologized, mortified.

"No one can smell anything here with 80 men training all at once, but it's fine. I was going to tell people, I was just in my head about it." She tried to not crucify him for the slip up.

"Again, I am so sorry for shooting my mouth, I wish you nothing but a blessed pregnancy and a beautiful baby." Carlisle told her, still blushing from the whole mix up.

"Thank you, Carlisle. You two make a handsome couple. I am really happy for the both of you." She said, gracefully. I smiled at her, my mate thanked her and we returned to the pack house together. I am going to return here in the afternoon, but for now it's almost time for lunch.

Despite all the commotion this morning, I was happy that I could have this time with my mate and show him where I go to work every morning. After we walked inside the pack house, we were startled by Luna Linda rushing into the entrance hall with a distressed look on her face.

"Good morning. Your son's school called. It seems like there was an altercation involving Charlie. You need to go over there right now." She informed my mate, who looked troubled by this.

"Yes, of course. Thank you, Luna." Carlisle said, rushing out of the pack house. I didn't hesitate in joining him once again as my mate drove us to the town middle school.

As soon as we got there, the principal was waiting for us in her office where Charlie, Clarissa and her parents were also present.

I frowned at Iris and Leonard's presence at first, not knowing how this relates to their daughter. But I am sure we are about to find out. The children and the principal were seated while the parents were standing.

"Good morning, Mr. Aragon. Good morning, Beta. I am sorry for pulling you out of your work today, but a situation has developed." Mrs. Johnson started off with a concerned expression on her face.

"You said something about an altercation... please don't tell me my son fought with Clarissa..." Carlisle conjectured apprehensively, failing to see why she would be here with us.

At this, Clarissa and Charlie revolted at the notion, looking appalled by the suggestion. Iris and Leo were not pleased either.

"No, no... The boy who your son had a misunderstanding with was already released. Please hear me out." She clarified the situation, leading up to something much more troublesome.

"Here's the thing. Ever since Monday, Clarissa and Charles have been spreading all around the school that they're mates." Principal Johnson informed us in a concerned tone.

"What?!" Literally all the adults gasped in shock.

The two eleven year old held hands as they sat close to each other across from the principal.

"Are you serious? Have I not taught you that you can't discover your mate until either you or he is 18 years old? What's going on, Clary?" Iris chastised her daughter, troubled by this statement.

"Yeah mom, you did. But Charlie and I are special. We are bound by Moon mates." The little girl said, sounding convincing.

"What? Where did you get that? I told you everything about mates just the other day. In no way have I said anything about this! Where did you even get this theory anyway?" Carlisle asked his son, sounding distraught. Both Iris and Leonard were appalled by this.

"It came to us in a dream." Clarissa responded, looking at my mate.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Leo gasped in shock, incredulously.

"Pardon for the intrusion, but what does any of this have to do with the altercation?" I chimed in, looking at the principal for an answer.

"Because the other kids started to pick on them for saying that. One of their classmates was calling out Clarissa during the fourth period, so Charles sought to 'defend his mate', according to him." She explained to all our perplexed faces. She used air quotes for obvious reasons.

"Oh my Goddess!" Carlisle was baffled to learn this.

"Have you ever heard about this? How could they even make up such a thing?" Leonard questioned the principal, extremely troubled by this.

"We are not making it up! The Goddess appeared to me in a dream, telling me my wolf and Charlie's wolf are bound for life. That's why I shifted for the first time on the night that I met him." Clarissa argued in a fierce tone.

All the adults were flabbergasted by the young girl making a compelling case for herself.

"Oh my Goddess!" Iris gasped in shock, beyond gobsmacked to hear this. As were all of us.

"It's okay, daddy. It's not a coincidence that you ended up stopping in this town when you did. We were supposed to meet each other. I was selected for Clary from the day that I was born. We were born for each other." Charlie declared to his father, shocking us with his mature tone.

"This is freaking me out!" Iris muttered, baffled by all of this.

"I'm not sure if it's relevant, but when I pulled their files I couldn't help but notice a coincidence. Charles and Clarissa share the same birthday." Principal Johnson informed us, tentatively.

"Oh my Goddess! This is so weird!" I couldn't help myself in this strange situation. Iris, Leo, Carlisle and I were all jaw dropped.

"Can I take my daughter home now? I need time to process all this." Iris asked the principal, deeply disturbed by the discovery.

"Of course, Delta. She is free to go." Principal Johnson showed no objection.

"Unfortunately, there's a zero tolerance policy towards aggression in this school. I am afraid Charles is suspended for a week." She turned to Carlisle as she said that with a pained expression on her face.

"I understand, ma'am. I'll make sure he'll apologize to the boy he hit today." My mate said, remorseful. He grabbed his son's hand and we left the principal's office not long after Clarissa and her parents.

From the moment they left school, Carlisle scolded his son telling him violence is never an answer and all the restrictions he was going to have now that he was suspended. I kid you not, the boy started crying when his father told him no more video games for a week.

He also said that he is no longer going to the movies with me this upcoming Saturday as I had promised to him. I was supposed to ask Iris' permission for Clarissa to go too but now that is impossible. Especially after the 'bound by the Moon mates' conversation.

Charlie kept on crying all the way to his bedroom at the pack house, but Carlisle was adamant. There will be no video games for a boy in suspension from school. That would be rewarding for his bad behavior. Woof... parenting is not for the faint of heart.

Needless to say, this put a stopper in all our plans for the day. Considering it was time for lunch already, I made my way to the main dining hall to share a meal with the Alpha family like I always do when I am at work.

Since I went on vacation, the kitchen was notified that I would be away and therefore I wouldn't eat with the Alpha family like I do every business day. That is why I haven't eaten here even after my plans got canceled. But today is my first day back to work.

Though I haven't been able to actually start working yet with Carlisle' visit this morning and now with this issue at school. Anyway, the day is still young. I am sure there won't be too many issues for me to deal with.

Naturally, I could not refrain from commenting on what happened today at Charlie's school since Linda was the one who answered the call from the principal and notified my mate. It was the first thing that she asked as soon as she saw me.

Both Phillip and Linda were baffled by the kids' theory. Nobody has ever heard of mates bound by the moon who are paired at birth and notified of this at such a tender age. They are only 11 years old for Goddess' sake.

After lunch, I returned to the training center to find a distraught looking Iris. I greeted her with a concerned look on my face and kept things professional. I don't want to comment on today's troubles unless she brings it up first. I cannot mistake myself for the father. I have no stake in this issue.

Though I would love nothing more than to talk things out with everyone. But this does seem troubling to hear and understand. It is for me as well. I took my time to sit down with all the leaders of the force and get their reports on my time away like I always do once I return from vacation.

I sat down with Iris as well, but she looked too distracted to offer me anything valuable. By 3 p.m. I sent her home for the day. There is no use keeping her here when her head is not in the game.

That night, I returned to the pack house to talk to my mate about his feelings towards all this. I understand kids are inventive and imaginative, but this is beyond even my wildest imaginations. I could not have pulled this off at their age, at least not as convincingly as they did.

They share the same birthday? That is crazy, right?

"Are you okay?" I asked my distraught looking mate inside the living room. We were alone here, as usual. Charlie was sulking in his room since he could not play video games anymore.

"Not really. I have no idea how my son could have made this up..." He mumbled a reply, deeply disturbed by this concept.

"Me neither. I could never be that creative." I admitted, wide eyed at this story.

"I am going to have to take you up on the private tutor after all. I cannot let my son slip up with his school work now that he is suspended for a week." He told me with some reluctance.

"I'll call my mom and ask her for a name of who is available to start right away. I am sorry for all of this. I am sure Charlie is not a violent person by nature, just an Alpha taking care of what's dear to him." I argued, trying to put him at ease.

"You mean an Alpha defending his mate, right?" He said in a humorous tone, not that anyone is laughing at this.

"You said it, not me." I muttered under my breath. These are crazy times indeed, but that one really takes the cake.

A|N: BOOM!

I bet you didn't see this one coming, huh?

Full disclosure, I did not come up with this concept. I read about it in another book, I just used a different nomenclature. It is so irresistible to innovate in my novels. It was too good a chance to pass up.

Next is "Your Love Is King".

Love,

Léo.