The door opened and Bonnie spoke. “I thought you might want this. We don’t use it anymore since the girls are older, but it was priceless when they were your boys’ ages.”
“A monitor! Perfect! I can actually move around and see to my responsibilities while they’re napping,” Gwen said, still holding the same blanket wrapped around herself like a poncho she’d been draped in since everyone had made it up the mountain. Then her expression became clouded and her mood shifted. Her gaze came up from the baby monitor she held in her hands to meet Bonnie’s gaze. “I don’t have any responsibilities anymore. I’m not Reigna.”
“You don’t know that. And your people will always see you as Regina. They’ll always look to you for guidance. Only now you don’t have to be so sheltered and structured anymore. You have the freedom to decide what you want and what is best for your babies. And we have the privilege of sheltering you while you figure out what is next.”
Gwen smiled sadly. “You are so relaxed in your place. I never felt that I could be. I envy you that.”
“It’s because I’ve grown up in this Pride. They all know me — I’m just Bonnie. I don’t have to prove who I am. I kind of get the feeling that you might have had to earn your place?” Bonnie said.
“It was an arranged marriage, designed for political purposes, but I loved him deeply. The only people I had to win over were his people when I first arrived.”
“Ah! See? You’re like some kind of nobility, having to be perfect at all times. We’re not that formal, and thankfully so. Maybe now you don’t have to be either?” Bonnie said, but phrased it as more of a question.
Gwen smiled again, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I guess we’ll see.”
“There’s plenty of time,” Bonnie said.
“There is that. Would you mind showing me how to use this monitor?”
“Sure,” Bonnie said, stepping into the room when Gwen opened the door wider. “I could take a look at that side, too. I see you’re still favoring it.”
“It’s fine. I have it wrapped.”
Gwen moved to close the door behind Bonnie, but movement in the hallway caught her attention. She focused on the male standing near the staircase, her gaze locking with Rance’s.
He stood perfectly still, not moving at all as he watched her.
She took a long, slow breath, then let it out as her gaze remained locked with Rance’s. She inclined her head briefly to show that she saw him before she closed the door.
~~~
Rance rushed down the stairs and past the kitchen, only stopping and coming back when he realized Jack was in the kitchen. “I’m going to clean my house up real quick and grab some clothes.”
“Gwen moving in there?”
“No! It’s not big enough. Well, yeah, it’s home, but…” he stopped and thought about it. “I mean, not now. She’s in the bedroom next to mine upstairs, but I’m going to clean up my house so somebody else can use it for now if they need it.”
“Sounds good,” Jack said.
Rance headed toward the front door again, then stopped and looked back at Jack where he’d stepped out of the kitchen and was watching him with a slightly amused look on his face while he sipped his coffee.
“Something else?” Jack asked.
“Are you going to stay here until I get back?” Rance asked.
“I was going out to speak to the males of the Gamieyon Pride to see what information they may have.”
“What if I bring them to you?” Rance asked. “Maybe you could stay here until I get back?”
Jack grinned. “Would you like me to stay here until you get back?”
“If you could, please, Alpha,” Rance asked.
Jack’s head tilted slightly. It had been a long time since Rance addressed him as Alpha. It wasn’t a problem, it was just that it gave Jack an indication of just how far off kilter Rance was at this point in time. “Of course. You’re my best friend, you don’t even need to ask.”
“Keep her, I mean… them…” Rance looked at Jack, knowing what he needed, but not finding the right way to say it.
“Everyone under this roof, under all our roofs, on this mountain, will be kept safe,” Jack said.
