Elena's POV:
After indulging in the ice cream therapy and letting the tears flow, I started to feel a little better—though not completely. The pain still lingered, but it was duller now, like a bruise instead of a fresh wound. I sighed, resting my head on my mom's shoulder, finding comfort in the steady rhythm of her breathing.
"Where's Dad?" I finally asked, my voice still a bit hoarse from crying.
Mom hesitated for a second, her fingers brushing through my hair gently. "He went to meet with Alpha Kane."
I stiffened at the mention of that name. A sour taste filled my mouth, washing away the sweetness of the ice cream. Alpha Kane. Just hearing his name was enough to make my blood boil.
Urgh. I hated that man.
Sure, he had helped our pack when we needed it most—saving us from financial ruin and protecting us from external attacks. Without his intervention, who knows what might've happened to the Moonlight Pack. We were indebted to him for that, and I knew my father was grateful, but that didn't mean I had to like him. Not with the way he treated my dad.
My father, the Alpha of the Moonlight Pack, was a proud, honorable man. He had always carried himself with grace and strength, someone our pack could look up to. But around Alpha Kane, it was different. Alpha Kane treated him like he was beneath him, like he was nothing more than a tool to be used whenever it suited him. And I hated that.
"Dad is older than him, and an Alpha like him, but..." I trailed off, the frustration rising in my chest. "Why does he have to treat Dad like he's his subordinate? It's like he doesn't even respect him."
Mom sighed softly, leaning back against the couch as she folded her hands in her lap. "Alpha Kane is... complicated," she said carefully, choosing her words. "He's helped us, yes. But his ways are... different."
"Different?" I scoffed. "You mean cold. Cruel. Manipulative." I could feel my fists clenching in my lap just thinking about him. "He doesn't care about anyone but himself."
Mom glanced at me, her expression soft but serious. "Elena, it's not that simple."
"Isn't it? Every time Dad comes back from one of those meetings with him, he looks... defeated," I muttered, feeling my heart ache a little at the thought. "I hate seeing him like that. Dad's a great Alpha—strong, fair, compassionate. He deserves respect."
"And he has it," Mom replied gently. "From his pack, from his family. But Alpha Kane is a different kind of leader. He's known for his ruthlessness. His ways aren't ours, but... he's an Alpha who commands power and respect in his own way. It's just... not the way we're used to."
"Yeah, well, it still doesn't make it right." I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "It's like he enjoys putting Dad down, like he gets some sick pleasure from it."
I couldn't stand it. The idea of anyone treating my father like he was less than the Alpha he was, especially someone like Kane, made my blood boil. He might've been a powerful Alpha, and yes, he might've helped us when we needed it most, but that didn't give him the right to treat my father like he was nothing more than a pawn in some twisted game.
Alpha Kane was known for being ruthless, both in and out of the battlefield. I'd heard the stories, whispers that floated around the pack about his dominance—how he ruled with an iron fist, how his pack feared and revered him in equal measure. But that wasn't the kind of Alpha I respected. My father ruled with compassion, with the strength of heart, not just force. That's what made him a great leader.
Mom's voice broke through my thoughts, soft but firm. "Your father does what he has to do for the good of the pack, Elena. He doesn't enjoy working with Alpha Kane, but he knows it's necessary. Alpha Kane holds a lot of power, and for now, our alliance with him keeps us safe."
"I know," I muttered, biting my lip. "I just... I hate seeing Dad treated like that."
Mom smiled sadly, reaching out to take my hand. "So do I, sweetie. But sometimes, being a leader means making sacrifices for the greater good. And your father is a great leader."
I nodded, but the frustration still simmered under the surface. I couldn't help but think about how different things would be if our pack wasn't indebted to someone like Kane. If we didn't have to rely on him for protection and financial stability. But that was just a fantasy. The truth was, we needed his alliance, no matter how much I hated it.
"Why can't we just break the contract?" I asked, even though I knew the answer before the words left my mouth.
Mom sighed again, her thumb gently rubbing the back of my hand. "It's not that simple, Elena. The contract with Alpha Kane is ironclad. If we break it, he has the right to take over the pack completely."
I swallowed hard, my stomach churning at the thought. Alpha Kane ruling over the Moonlight Pack? That was a nightmare I didn't even want to entertain. Our pack was strong, but we were still recovering from everything we'd been through before Kane had intervened. If we tried to defy him, there was no doubt he'd crush us. And then what? Our family... our home... everything we'd worked so hard for would be gone.
"I just wish things were different," I whispered, leaning into my mom's comforting embrace.
"I know," she said softly, kissing the top of my head. "But your father is doing everything he can to protect this pack. And as much as we may not like it, Alpha Kane's alliance has kept us safe."
Her words made sense, but they didn't make me feel any better. There had to be more to Alpha Kane than the ruthless, cold-hearted Alpha I'd heard so much about. But from what I had seen and heard, there wasn't a single redeeming quality to the man.
"I just don't understand why he has to be such a... jerk," I muttered, earning a soft laugh from my mom.
"Some people wear their strength like armor, sweetheart. They think it's the only way to survive in this world," she said, her tone tinged with sadness. "But not everyone who appears strong on the outside is strong on the inside."
I didn't respond, too caught up in my thoughts to argue anymore. I knew Mom was trying to help me see things from a different perspective, but all I could think about was how much I despised Alpha Kane. If he was really as cold and ruthless as everyone said, then I hoped I never had to meet him.
But little did I know, fate had a different plan for me. A plan that would bring Alpha Kane and me face to face in ways I could never have imagined.