Demonic Regime

Chapter 2: The Deal

Hector poured a shot and offered it to me.

"Thanks." I quickly threw it back. It was helping calm me down.

The alpha did one for himself. "The doctor said nothing can be done?"

I grabbed the beer on the coffee table. "No. Rudy is too young to shift. He won't be able to test it until he's around five."

"It's not a guarantee, though?"

Swallowing hard, I stared at his feet. "Sometimes, it takes longer."

Andreas sighed and popped the cap off his beer. "Who cares? The boy is a dominant. Pups still go to school in human form. He has plenty of time to figure it out."

"What if he doesn't?" Hector eyed me. "Then what?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. We're taking it a day at a time."

"We have that one drug we would try?"

Andreas jerked back, repulsed. "A werewolf form isn't worth killing a pup over."

Sitting up straight, I started to breathe quicker. They were not injecting anything into my child.

"Not now, but if Rudy never learns, we could try it," said the alpha. "It could give his body a jump start."

Andreas shrugged. "We're banning the drug for a reason. It is painful and has killed some humans."

"Rudy is a werewolf," stated the alpha. "If he wants to try it when he's older, then I will see to it that he can."

We fell quiet for a moment. I picked at the dark brown fur on my leg. I'd wait for Rudy to be ready to learn how to shift.

"We have to repay Northern Ridge for Marcy," said Hector. "That was the deal: an equal member." He pressed his finger into the chair's armrest.

That was the last thing I needed to hear or talk about. "Rudy won't be our only pup. We will keep up our end of the deal."

Andreas groaned. "Why the hell did you agree to that? Why give NR good werewolves? You should have paid the mate price for Marcy and ended it there."

"With her bloodline—" Hector rolled his eyes. "I paid plenty, and that was the discounted price. One of their pups will mate with a Northern Ridge werewolf. It's decided, and they agree to it."

"We plan to take plenty of trips to NR," I replied. "Marcy wants her family to be a part of our pups' lives, and it will be easy for whatever one has to change packs."

"It would be a shame to lose the little redhead," said Andreas in an airy voice. "You get more of those when you throw in some human." He glanced at his father.

Hector glared at him. "Don't start on the topic. I will not change my mind. You know where I stand. If you had gone to war and fought for our freedom to exist, you wouldn't be promoting human matings." He stood. "I'll be in my office."

We watched the alpha leave and remained quiet for a few moments after.

"I can try and get you out of it," said Andreas. "I can try."

I shook his head. "Ian and Gael are adamant that we will be giving them one of our pups. I've loved Marcy since our school days and would do anything to have her be my mate. With Rudy being born, I'm starting to realize what I agreed to. It'll be hard to give up one of my children, but it won't be like I'm giving them to Wolfsbane or another pack. Our borders are open, and we do plan on spending summers in Northern Ridge."

"Still, it's hard for any dominant to give up their pack."

I rubbed his muzzle. "I have eighteen years before Rudy is old enough to mate. It might not even be him that Northern Ridge wants. They're the ones who get to choose."