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“Would you ladies like some eggs for breakfast?”
“That sounds great, thank you.”
“Wanna help me, Princess?”
“Me cook!”
“Alright, let's get you and your mom fed, eh.” I set Maddie down on the counter and grab a bowl and spoon for her to play with while I make breakfast.
“I need to go to the pack house today to sort through some stuff. Mom offered to have you guys over there while I took care of business. Does that sound OK, Quinn?”
“Oh yeah, I guess that’s fine. We can also stay here if that’s easier.” I put the eggs in the frying pan to start cooking and turn to Quinn at the breakfast bar.
“Well, Mom’s pretty excited to have you guys come over, so if you're comfortable, she would be very happy to have you.”
“And your dad won’t be there?”
I know why she’s asking. He really did leave a bad impression yesterday, but he means well, and once he gets over himself, he will be thrilled to have Quinn and Maddie in his life. Maybe I should tell them she is my true mate. That might change their perspective.
“No, he is on patrol today and then has some work to do on one of our active sites.”
“OK. We’ll go to your mom's place, she is really nice. We had a great time with her yesterday.”
Mom has always been a welcoming person, and I know she wants to spend time with Maddie and get to know Quinn. After finishing up the eggs and toast, we sit down to eat breakfast.
“Great. Then let's eat and head out.”
It doesn’t take long before we are all loaded up and heading over to my parents'. The fall colors make the area vibrant; Maddie is captivated by the yellows, oranges, and browns. The wind blows the trees around, kicking up leaves and reminding us that winter is on its way. I would much rather spend the day with my girls than head into the office, but protecting them is my top priority right now. After I drop off my girls, I head to the pack house. The Elders wanted to meet, and I needed to deal with Jake. The Elders are all in the big conference room in the pack house, the same room where we had the ‘peace talks’ with Jake. I try not to show too much of myself at the pack house because they need a strong leader, and I intend to keep our pack strong. Before I even get to the front of the room where Dean is standing, one of the Elders, Jim, asks a question.
“Is it true you have brought a member from the Clearwater pack here?” The room is filled with tension, and the rumors have already been circulating, it would seem. Finally reaching the front, I stare at the half-dozen men sitting around the table. I let my wolf come to the surface to remind them I am not their equal, but their Alpha. I may have advisors to help make sound and wise decisions, but I will ultimately do what I think is right for our pack and right for my family.
“As a matter of fact, Jim, I did bring someone into the pack. Her name is Quinn.”
Wilson, one of the oldest members in our pack, speaks next. “Isn’t that the she-wolf from a few years back? The one you rejected at the peace talks?”
He may be old, but his memory is impeccable, and the twisting in my gut constantly reminds me of what I did. The mumbles around the room have increased, but I plan to make my thoughts clear.
“Yes, Wilson. However, what you might not know is that she had my pup after I rejected her.”
The volume in the room significantly increases after that statement. Jim doesn’t let it go for too long and speaks above the voices.
“What is she doing here, then? I thought you couldn’t find her. What happened to finding a mate on that app thing?”
“Well, I did join that app at everyone’s request, and it was Seluna’s gift that the person on the other side of the screen was Quinn and our daughter.”
“This isn’t going to show strong leadership. It's just going to cause unease in the pack. People are going to question your leadership abilities if you mate with a disgusting Clearwater Pack member.” Jim has always been too outspoken at these meetings. He may have a lot of sway in the pack, but I have no problem putting him in his place if he persists. He was around when the old Alpha was in control of the pack and holds some of the same sentiments about how to deal with the Clearwater Pack. My wolf is very agitated that they are attacking my mate in such a way, so controlling him will be difficult if they keep this line of questioning up.
“Let me make this very clear to ALL of you.” Leaning over, hands placed flat against the table, I stare down at the Elders in the room.
“QUINN has not been a part of that pack for years, and has sacrificed much while raising our daughter to protect her from Jake's unpredictable nature. Which is the very reason I called this meeting. In case you don’t know, Quinn comes from an ancient line of psychic shifters. She has visions that could help or hinder a pack if the information she obtains is used wisely or not. As such, Jake coveted her for years, and she ran because Jake would not have second-guessed destroying our child to mate with her.” The room falls silent as my power flows around me. They obviously need a reminder of the strength I have. I didn’t just challenge my old Alpha; I destroyed him, and if they don’t remember that, I will demonstrate it all over again.
“Jake has figured out where she is, and no doubt knows she is with me. He is twisted and relentless, and he will no doubt try to get Quinn. She had a vision showing as much. So what we are going to do is protect her and MY daughter. If anyone has a problem with that, you can leave this pack, or I can show you what questioning my authority will get you.” I straighten up and look over at my Beta.
“What did you find out?”
“Not as much as I had hoped. Everyone I talked to said Jake is acting even more paranoid and irrational lately. There were rumors that he had found Quinn and would try to bring her back. Many commented that he has been obsessed with finding her for years; initially, it seemed to be out of concern for her, but it has morphed into a full-blown obsession. I couldn’t find any solid leads on what he was planning or what he hoped to gain from getting to her, but it does seem he knows she has found safety here. There is talk of something big happening, but nothing concrete we can find out right now.”
I push out a breath, trying to relieve the tension in my chest. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I do know I don’t like my girls being in so much danger.
