Younger Tate Pov
“Daddy? What’s going on?” Alpha Titus whipped his head up from the map he was hovering over with the few he trusted. His Beta, his Gamma, and one of the Elite’s that he treats like the leader of the Elite. There were a few other Elites outside the door waiting who tried to stop the boy from entering, but they couldn’t touch him since he is the heir to the Alpha.
“Tate. What do you want, we are busy.” Tate bounced back and forth from his heels to his toes, a nervous habit he inherited from his mother that annoyed Titus to no end. He growled in exasperation, making the tiny two-year-old pup whimper.
“Where’s mommy?” He whispered, eyes darting around the room and taking in that more people were talking quietly in the back. He stepped around his father and saw with wide eyes his mother lying on a table with fresh blood spilling from her body. Hovering over her was the honored healer and the apprentice she had chosen. She wasn’t a true healer. True healers were born with a crescent shaped birthmark on their body, but the honorable healer was getting much too old and was worried that all she knew would be forgotten; so she chose the smartest in the pack and made her be her apprentice, to teach the new healer once she or he is born. Tate stifled a scream that was quickly cut off when his father leaned down and clamped his hand roughly over his mouth.
“Excuse us.” He growled out at his advisers as he picked Tate up, carrying him effortlessly to the next room. He placed him roughly on his feet and knelt down to his level, once again grabbing his face and forcing him to look him in the eyes. “Your mother hindered us.” He growled out into Tate’s face, making him blink rapidly, his tears threatening to spill over. “I met your mother when I was younger, a fresh new Alpha making a peace treaty with a neighboring pack. She was a lowly Omega but she was my mate and her status didn’t matter to me. I quickly made her my Luna, not caring that she was weak and useless. Lovette, your mother, allowed her sister to come to visit. She trusted her and because of that, she didn’t see the blade until it was thrust into her belly. You see, Tate, your aunt turned rogue, and in her jealousy of her sister becoming Luna, she killed her. In the confusion of us all rushing to that weak Luna’s side, the rogues broke in and killed quite a few of our Warriors and a handful of our Omegas that were in the kitchens where they snuck in. Those deaths are on your mother for her weakness and her pathetic trusting nature. Those deaths are on me for choosing her as the Luna and ignoring her status just because she was my mate. I will be replacing her with the strongest elite female, Silveen. You will be calling her mother from now on. And remember my lesson, pup. Mates are not important to Alphas. Make a strong and suitable woman as your Luna or else the defeat will be on your hands next time.”
Tate nodded his tiny head, tears welled up in his eyes and he tried with great effort to hold them back. He was confused, unsure of all his father had said, but knew by the tone that he needed to nod and remain quiet. All Tate’s life he grew up hearing this story again and again, until it was embedded into his being, and the code he lived by. He would not dishonor his father by crying for his weak-minded mother. He would honor what he said and do his best to make him proud, for his father, and the future of the Blood Moon pack.