Alpha King’s Wolfless Mate by Scarlett Higgins

Chapter 56

**Nora POV

Phill*p’s portrait stared out at us as we stood in awkward silence. All of this time, Blake had an uncle and a cousin that he knew nothing about. He had a family that he never had a chance to know.

My heart ached for him. I knew what it felt like to wonder about the family that you missed out on knowing.

Before the conversation could go any further, the au burn haired servant appeared in the doorway near us. She didn’t say a word, but Graham smiled at her the moment she arrived. She inclined her head in a slight bow, then turned and walked out again.

“The tea is ready,”Graham stated.“Please, followme into the sitting room.”

We followed Graham out of the room and into a small, cozy side room with plush chairs and settees arranged around a richly colored wooden table.

The woman had arranged a tray of pastries on the table along with several tea cups, sugar, and milk. Blake and I took a seat close together on one of the settees and the servant poured our drink before turning her attention to the others.

It was a show of respect and deference to the Lycan King, and was more along the lines of the treatment I had expected. Graham didn’t seem to notice, or at least didn’t seem surprised.

I took a sip of my tea, just for something to focus on besides the tension in the room. The food lookeddelicious, but I felt too nervous to eat. Once everyone had been served the woman silently sl*pped out of the room.

“How did you lose track of Phill*p?”Blake askedsuddenly. His tone was accusatory as he glared at his uncle.

“Chaos,” his uncle responded.“Years and years ofchaos through the lands.” He shook his head and stared into his tea.“You know of some of the circumstances that split the family apart, but not all. Maybe one day you’ll understand the full scope of what happened to our family…”

Blake’s posture was stif f and his face was a mask as he listened to his uncle speak. I had no idea what he might be thinking or feeling right now. Graham and Kelly were wise enough to keep silent as the conversation continued. Graham had a far away, sad look in his eyes as he listened.

“It wasn’t that long ago that I heard of Phill*p’s reignin Lanecreek. I was so hopeful when I arrived, but I was too late. He had already been lost in battle.”He suddenly looked up at Graham and smiled.“He left behind him a son. Graham was doing his best to hold the pack together, but he was completely on his own. He wasn’t able to become the Alpha yet.”

“I was lacking two things,” Graham took over.“I wastoo young and I needed a Luna. There was nothing we could do about my age but wait, so we turned our attention to searching for the perfect Luna for Lanecreek.”

He smiled lovingly at Kelly and she giggled flirtatiously.

“We started searching within the pack, but it quicklybecame apparent that there was no one with therank appropriate to become the Luna of Lanecreek,”their uncle explained.

I frowned at that. Did they not even attempt to find Graham’s mate? Shouldn’t that have been the logical place to start? Why did it seem that no one in Blake’s family had an interest in finding their fated mates?

“With the borders being closed for so long, theinterpack relationships needed to establish a marriage contract with a woman of high birth simply didn’t exist. It seemed hopeless, until we found Kelly,” Graham said.

“And how exactly did you find Kelly?” Blakedemanded. The anger in his voice was impossible to miss. Kelly shot him a cold look, but didn’t say anything.

“Go ahead,” Blake’s uncle pressed.“Tell the kinghow you came to us.”

Kelly shook her head and brought her cup to her l*ps for a slow, dainty sip.

“I’d rather not discuss it right now,”she noted.“It’s avery long, harrowing story. Maybe some other time I’ll be able to do it justice, but I don’t want to detract from your story by getting into it now.”

Blake scoffed, but covered it by clearing his throat.

“I understand,”their uncle said kindly. He turned hisattention back to Blake and continued speaking. “The problem of finding a suitable Luna resolved,we were able to focus on developing a plan for the future of the pack. I had no intention to stay, at first. It soon became clear that Graham hadn’t received the education a future Alpha needed to be successful.“Phill*p had spent so much time on the battlefield,he had neglected his sons instruction. I’m an old man, and traveling without a pack or allegiance to an Alpha didn’t suit me any longer. I decided to stay in Lanecreek and offer what guidance I could to Graham.”

“His assistance has been invaluable,” Graham said。ratefully.“I don’t know how I would have gottenon without him. It was only natural for him to become my Beta. He’s the best teacher I’ve ever had and his continued guidance will help me become the best Alpha I can be.”

This time, Blake scoffe d openly.

Graham looked at him, but his expression didn’t change.

“My father was a violent man,”he said seriously.“Hehad good intentions, but he was quick to anger and didn’t suffer fools to live…”He looked down at his hands and shook his head slightly.“Uncle has taught me that there’s a better way. Being thoughtful and cautious with your choices is the better way to lead. It spares lives and-”

“Is this a joke?” Blake demanded suddenly. His eyeswere ablaze with rage as he stared at Graham.“Not even a year ago this man,” he jabbed his finger accusingly toward their uncle,“was thrown from power by a pack that had grown disgusted with his violence and neglect. This, after he had underhandedly stolen my position as king!”

Graham and Kelly looked stunned and didn’t make a peep. Their uncle placed his hand over his chest and shook his head sadly.

“What I did was unforgivable,” he said softly.“I was afool. I thought that I was acting in the best interestof the kingdom. I know now that I was wrong. I want nothing more than to move past those mistakes. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I hope that you can find it in your heart to give it anyway.”

It was Blake’s turn to stare in stunned silence. I couldn’t believe the audacity of this man to even suggest that Blake should forgive what he had put him through. He had suffered through the hell of the Rogue Zone because of his uncle. I don’t even know how long he was there before we met.

Graham cleared his throat and drew our attention back to him.

“I don’t know the history between the two of you,”he said.“Not in any real detail. All I know is that the future of Lanecreek is my responsibility and I truly believe that rejoining the kingdom is the best way forward. I hope that we can work together to maintain peace, for the good of my people.”

“There has been enough fighting in these past fewyears, hasn’t there?” Blake’s uncle asked.“We can’t undo what’s been done, all we can do is try to be better as we move forward.”

Blake stood and I got to my feet beside him. He looked at Graham for a long, silent moment. The younger man stood and met his gaze steadily.

“We’re done here,”Blake said firmly.

He turned on his heel and walked toward the door. I kept pace with him and we walked out together. Before I turned away, I caught the look of disappointment and concern on Graham’s face. He seemed to be the only one of the three that was surprised by Blake’s reaction.The poor guy must not know much about thepeople he’s put his faith in and trusted with the future of his pack. I felt bad for him. However, I really hoped that my pity wasn’t misplaced.

If Graham was involved in whatever scheme the others were up to, he was a much better actor than the rest of them.