Chapter Sixteen.

Leon

"Alpha, Alpha Sterling is here to see you." I looked up and saw Andrew standing there. I nodded at him.

"Let him in." I said and Andrew nodded.

"Alpha Sterling?" Jennifer asked as she stood beside me just as Zack Sterling came in the office. He was a man in his mid-forties, blonde with brown eyes, and a sharp jaw structure.

"Alpha Wolf." He greeted me and I nodded at him. Getting up from my chair, I held my hand out to him.

"Alpha Sterling. Welcome to my pack." I said and he gave me a small smile, shaking my hand. I motioned for him to take the chair in front of me and he sat down. "How can we help you today, Zack?" I asked and he frowned.

"Look, Leon, we Alpha's have had a meeting with the Elders. We were summoned there actually." He started and I frowned.

"But why wasn't I?" I asked and he gave out a breath.

"Them and the other Alpha's have appointed me to tell you this since your father and I have been great friends, so they think that I can make you understand this better than anyone. The Elders have had enough, Leon. They are giving you a deadline of a month to find your mate or make someone else from your pack as a Luna. It isn't sitting well with them how you have been mateless for so long as well as that this pack doesn't have a Luna to rule with you." Zack said and I frowned.

"But why? The Elders are only there to make sure there isn't anything wrong going on with the packs. And as for the other Alpha's, why are they so concerned about me finding my mate? It's none of their business." I said and Jennifer stepped closer to me. Zack gave Jennifer a sidelong look before looking back at me.

"The Elders are really... It's being a thorn in their side how you're managing the pack and your business so well without a Luna. And as for the Alpha's, they're all hoping you'd pick their daughter as your mate." Zack said and I sighed, leaning back against my chair.

"Leon?" Jennifer asked quietly and I gave her a reassuring smile.

"It's alright." I said and then looked back at Zack. "Look, Zack, there is no way in earth I'm going to choose someone as a Luna who is not my mate. Secondly, I'd like to know what the Elders have planned if the deadline is not met." I said and he sighed, rubbing his hand on his forehead.

"They plan to overthrow you. According to their rules they're imposing on you, you need to find a Luna and mark her. Mating is there as well, but they just want you to see your mark on a she-wolfs neck." Zack said and I sighed.

"Well, then they'll be happy to know that I've found my mate." I said and Zack grinned.

"Finally! Now where is that she-wolf? We need to talk to her about being gone for so long." Zack said and I chuckled while Jennifer blushed.

"Zack, meet Jennifer, my mate. Jennifer, this is Zack. He has been dad's friend since he took over his pack." I said and Zack looked at Jennifer shocked.

"A human? The Moon Goddess chose a human mate for you?" Zack asked and I nodded.

"She did. And I'm very glad she chose Jennifer." I said and Jennifer blushed even more.

"It's nice to meet you, Alpha Sterling." Jennifer said but Zack narrowed his eyes at her. Specifically speaking, her neck.

"You're not wearing his mark." He accused. Jennifer looked taken aback and I couldn't help but growl.

"Alpha Sterling, there are things to consider before I mark her." I said.

"Like?" He asked. As if on cue, the door opened and Bella ran in.

"Mommy! Guess what I did in class today!" Bella ran towards us and jumped on my lap in excitement.

"I punched a tile and it broke!" She said excitedly, not waiting Jennifer or I to ask her what she was so excited about. At that moment, I forgot we had company.

"Did it hurt?" I asked and she shook the head, her eyes gleaming.

"No, daddy! Look! It just got dusty." She said and showed me her knuckles. Since the night I had told her the story, she had started calling me 'daddy'. It had left all of us a little shocked at first, but I felt honored beyond compare and never stopped her from saying it. And neither did Jennifer.

"Daddy?" Zack asked, breaking us out of our moment. He was looking at us in shock, especially at Bella.

"Jennifer, can you get Bella changed? She's sweating badly." I said and Jennifer nodded knowing this was a private conversation.

"Come on, Bella." Jennifer said and Bella took her hand, getting off my lap before exiting the office.

"What is going on here!?" Zack demanded as soon as Jennifer closed the door behind her.

"She's my mate’s child. I'm not her biological father, but she's living here as my child." I said and Zack gave me a glare.

"You realise that your mate is not pure?" He asked and I growled loudly, slamming my hands on the desk as I glared at Zack.

"Of course, I realise that! But it's not my mate’s fault she got raped!" I shouted and Zack paled. "She's still pure in my eyes. Don't you or any of the Alpha's dare mess with my mate or her child. She'll be respected. They both will. Am I clear about that!?" I asked and Zack nodded as if he was in a daze.

"The Elders..."

"Will have to accept her. If it's not her then there is no one." I said firmly and Zack nodded slowly.

"I understand. I'll convey this to the Elders." He said and got up. Nodding at me, he left the office. I fell back against the chair with a sigh.

I could feel a storm coming.

"Leon? What are you doing here?" Dad asked when I entered the library. He was sitting on one if the lounge chairs, a book in his hand. I chuckled.

"Bella wants me to read a story on the original werewolves. I just came here for the book." I said and heard my dad chuckle.

"She's got you wrapped around her finger. And she's not even your pup biologically." Dad said and I nodded.

"I know. But it feels as if she was." I said, looking at the aisle of books, searching for that old one.

"It's there at the end." He said pointing towards the end of the aisle I was looking through. I thanked him and moved down the aisle.

My eyes found the book quickly and I pulled it out of the aisle. With another quick thanks to my dad, I left the library.

"Did you find the book, daddy!?" Bella asked eagerly from the bed and I chuckled with a nod, holding the book up for her. She clapped in delight and eagerly pat the seat next to her. Jennifer was looking at me with a knowing look, making me chuckle again as I took my seat next to Bella on the bed.

"Oh sorry. Can I have Jennifer for a moment?" We looked up and see mom looking at us curiously.

"Of course. I'll be right back." Jennifer said and got off the bed, going towards mom before they both left the room, closing the door behind them.

"Daddy!" Bella whined and I chuckled.

"I'm opening it." I said and lay the book on my lap before opening it. Bella cuddled closer to me and peered at the picture of a family that was on the first page. "That's the prince I told you about." I said before she could ask.

"In the late fifteen hundreds," I started reading. "The Ashford's were the largest royal family. Their son, Adam, was always wondering about the myths and legends. He was very fascinated about the stories of werewolf's, vampires and even witches. One night, on the day of the first blood moon in centuries, he ventured out into the woods behind the castle he called home."

"And then he got killed." Bella said quietly and I nodded.

"Yes. And then he got killed. The whole royal family and the kingdom was devastated. Many came from far and wide to attend his funeral. And you remember what happened at his funeral, don't you, Bella?" I asked and she nodded. I flipped the page.

"After running away, the prince found a mate. A person who lived with him as his wife, accepting his werewolf side. She gave him a daughter who carried on his legacy of the wolf genes." I said softly as I turned towards the next page to show her the picture of their daughter. But suddenly Bella breathed out.

"Grandma?"