“She broke?” Lynn leaned over the seat, focused on the story. I nodded.
“She screamed at me. She asked me if I really thought that she wanted to be here? That she would want to be betrayed by her Goddess given mate, and have to settle for this pack.”
“What? That’s bull.” I held up my hand, stopping Ronnie from continuing.
“She screamed. She wanted to be alone with me for the rest of her life, but Alpha Vince didn’t leave her any options.”
Lynn gasped. “You can’t be serious.”
I looked up at her and nodded. But Ronnie was still so clueless. “Serious about what?”
“Beta. You have to know the old laws.” Lynn sat down heavily in her seat.
“I know the laws, but what does that have to do with anything?”
“The fact that you haven’t clued in shows that you’re a great man, and that you are privileged.” I sighed.
“What does that even mean?” Ronnie tossed his hands in the air.
“It means that because you are a man, you are able to not worry about old laws that can be invoked to take away your rights. All because of your sex.” Lynn’s voice was cold and angry.
Ronnie’s face was obviously confused, and I blew out a breath. “When we first moved to the Oakenfang pack, Alpha Vince invoked the betrayed wolf law.”
“What is that?” Ronnie closed his eyes, trying to remember the law.
“A betrayed female wolf is open property if she is unclaimed by the new moon. If her Goddess given mate didn’t want her, then it was expected that no one would. She could be claimed by any wolf strong enough to claim her.” Ronnie’s eyes snapped open.
“She would be treated as property from that moment onwards.” Lynn finished.
“Excuse me?” Ronnie jumped to his feet.
“So my mother had seven days after she and I had settled from him invoking the law to find a wolf that would marry her. Because she couldn’t mate again, and Morgan had just lost his mate and now had a pup to raise, they came to an agreement. One my mother wanted to stick to. But as time went on, Morgan wanted to renegotiate.” I could feel the bitterness on my tongue.
“Why would she renegotiate it?”
“Because Alpha Vince has made it obvious that if a divorce was ever completed, then he would invoke the law again. And until I came of age, I was a package deal.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
R
onnie’s face was still a mask of confusion. “So wait. You are saying your mother agreed to marry Morgan just to raise Shannon? But then when did he renegotiate and why?”
I rolled my eyes. “After a few years, he grew to enjoy my mother’s company. He fell in love with her. His mate was actually gone and his bond had faded. But my mother’s mate was still very much alive.”
“Her bond never faded…” Lynn’s voice was soft, as if realizing what that meant.
I just nodded. “My mother never let go of her mate. She never grew feelings for Morgan and was very content with their friendship. But then when he brought up becoming a couple in reality, my mom shot it down. But-”
“He used the threat of divorce to coerce her into it.” I leaned over the seat and met her eyes, then nodded.
“Exactly.”
“That’s why your dad never felt the betrayal pain for years until after you left.” Ronnie sounded a little breathless.
“Yeah. And that’s why she drinks.” I sat back in my seat and sighed. “She drinks herself almost dumb and then she gives herself to Morgan to keep him happy. It’s not often, and he tries to force her not to drink, but when he tried that last time, she almost killed him.”
“What?” Ronnie sank into himself.
