Chapter 194

"Do we really have to go to the Pack House?" Diedre complains, a hand under her jaw as she stares unhappily out the window of the backseat.

"Yes, we do." Dia replies, brows furrowed as she thinks about the fact that Dream was all alone at home, she would have preferred that Diedre stay behind to keep an eye on him but they were required to all come, making excuses for just Dream wouldn't be so hard but for two of them would be pushing it.

"We've put it off for too long that the secretaries of both Packs have sent me emails."

"It's strange that two packs would stay in the same town." Darian notes, driving. "Think they'll expect us to choose one?"

"Yes, they will but there's also the option to pick none, as long as we don't cause troubles for the town they would leave us be." Dia explains.

"But you want us to pick one?" Deidre asks with something akin to disgust.

Dia sighs imperceptibly. "Yes, DD, I do, being in a Pack is very important, what with your dad on his business trips all the time."

"You mean he keeps ghosting on us to have quality time with his girlfriends." Deidre mutters darkly.

"DD!" Dia scolds wearily. "Not today, please."

"Fine." Deidre agrees, swallowing her scathing remarks about her never present father and returning her sulky gaze out the window.

Dia just sighs, noting Darian's tight jaw and his increased grip on the steering wheel. They didn't understand that she couldn't leave their father because of them, she didn't want them to not have a father figure in their lives and she was too busy with the bakery to think about remarrying.

While she had gotten mated pretty early, she was surprised to find out that she was still more than a couple years older than Renee, which meant the single mother also had her son quite early, not like she could judge when she was the same.

"Oh wow, you choose not to live there?" Deidre pipes up when both Pack Houses come into view, the two impressive buildings sitting side by side.

"Who side are you on?" Darian glares at her.

"My side." She scoffs haughtily.

"No fighting when we go in okay?" Dia scolds her children, picking up her purse when Darian parks the car in the garage of the first Pack House.

The siblings grumble but acquiesce anyway, unable to disobey their mom.

"Good, we have our first appointment with the Alpha of Dark Moon Pack then the second one, be polite and don't talk smack about people, especially you Darian…" She debriefs them while they get out of the car and walk to the entrance of the building.

"Leave the talking to me, please, and don't talk unless you're addressed…"

"There are more rules than an Ancient Chinese Sect, can't I just sit this one out in the car?" Deidre interrupts unhappily.

"No, you will stay put, keep quiet, and like it." Dia warns her darkly, shutting up the complaint that was about to bubble out.

The rest of the journey goes just as smoothly, they were headed to the top floor and every one of the Werewolves she had met was quite nice.

"Hi, I'm Erin." A slender brunette intercepts them when they climb up the final flight of stairs. "You must be the Micalls?"

"Yes, I'm Dia Micall and these are my children, Darian and Deidre."

Erin frowns, her eyes a constant silver, Deidre guesses it must be one of the perks of living with Werewolves, you didn't have to bother about things like that.

"I believe you have three children and your husband who is away on a business trip?" She inquires, consulting her filed like the facts were getting mixed up in her pretty head.

"Yes, my youngest son, Dream, he's a little under the weather so you'll have to pardon his absence." Dia says firmly, keeping eye contact with the secretary who accepts.

"Fine, please come this way." She leads them down the hallway and knocks on the door. "Alpha Aston?" She calls out, her voice slightly shaky.

"Yes, Erin." A booming voice replies her from within and Deidre doesn't blame the poor beta for trembling.

"The Micalls are h-here?"

"Splendid, let them in, and please fetch the Luna."

"O-Of course, Alpha, right away." She agrees, bowing slightly although the door is closed.

"You may go in." She turns around to face the family she had left there, a megawatt smile on her face as she opens the door slightly and steps away, no doubt to go get the Luna if the fast tap-tapping of her pumps against the carpeted floor is any indication.

Dia isn't sure what to expect but somehow isn't surprised by the formal decor of the room, they all settle on their assigned seats tentatively.

Alphas of Packs aren't necessarily born Alphas but the man sitting imposingly on the other side of the executive table is clearly a born Alpha, dark green eyes alternating between their usual green and an upsetting gold as he appraises them.

Introductions are done and Dia makes the usual excuse for Dream, if she thought she was intimidated by Alpha Aston, it didn't prepare her for his Luna.

A sleek woman in a fitted black suit and lots of red lipstick, Deidre couldn't remember taking a proper breath ever since the lady walked in and leveled her a look with her laser-like eyes.

Darian just stares coldly at them, leaning back casually in his seat as the Alpha appraises him.

"Let's not do that again, please." Deidre mutters to them when the meeting was finally over, it had just been them doing a background check and explaining the workings of their Packs, Deidre didn't need much more to tell her that she wasn't interested.

Erin, the pretty secretary, leads them to the other Pack House through a hallway that connects the top floor of the Dark Moon's Pack House to the other one.

It was the smartest thing to do because interaction between the two Pack Houses would involve going down all the flights of stairs then climbing up another, it also served as a protective exit.