The moonlight vanished.
There was a long pause before Jen spoke.“Does it make me awful that I suddenly have the urge to place bets on what child was born, who died, and for what person they died for?”She quickly held up her hand.“Don’t answer that.I already know.Pretty damn awful.But at this point, can anyone really blame me?”
A room full of “Yes’s” went up.
“Shut up,” Jen muttered.“I’m just the one who always says what everyone else is thinking.”
Suddenly a phone vibrated.
“It’s me,” Heather said as she pulled it from her pocket and tapped the screen.Her unseeing eyes looked in Kale’s direction as she answered.“Hello?You’ve reached the apocalypse hotline, please tell us your emergency.”
“And that is why I love the blind chick,” Jen chuckled.
“La-who?”Heather asked.“Wait, let me put you on speaker, I don’t want to have to repeat all this.”She handed the phone to Kale, and he tapped the screen and held the phone out so everyone could hear.
“I said, my name is LaVerna, though everyone here calls me Verna.Or Gram if you’re under a hundred-and-twenty-five.Once you reach a certain age, you become the resident grandparent of everyone.So it’s whichever you prefer.I’ll answer to either.”
Fane stared at the phone and then looked around at the others.Who looked just as confused as he did.
“Ooookay,” Heather said.“Um, LaVerna, Verna, Gram, how exactly did you get my number?”
“Kara gave it to me–rather, she gave me her phone after dialing your number.She’s busy nursing little Joyce, so I get to be the one to tell you I have another grandtroll.”
“She’s not a troll, Verna.How many times do I have to tell you that?”Nick’s voice came through the speaker.
“You can say it as many times as you like, wolf, and I’ll still tell you that you’re wrong and you’re too skinny to provide for your female.”
Jen perked up.“Oh, I like this Verna-Gram lady.She sounds feisty.”
“We just wanted to let you know that Kara and Nick and their little joyful noise are safe and sound in our realm and, at least for the moment, they can rest easy,” Verna said, her voice soft.
“We love you, Kara!”Heather called out.“And congratulations!Wait, how the hell did you have your baby already?”
“It’s a long story,” Kara called back.
“She’ll get back with you on that,” Verna said.“Oh, and Alpha,” she paused.
Fane looked at the phone as if he would be able to see her face.“I’m listening.”
“You’re young, let that be the reason you’re underestimated.Your battle isn’t against flesh and blood, Fane Lupei of the Romania pack.But you have the trolls, our people, our flesh and blood that will fight with you.”
Fane bowed his head.“You have my gratitude, Verna of the trolls.”
“We will be waiting on your call,” she said, and, before she hung up, she added, “And bring me all my new grandbabies to meet.Joyce is going to need playmates soon, or she will begin to think she’s a troll.Okay, bye now!”
The room went quiet and everyone kept staring at the phone.
“She sounds a little crazy,” Kale said as he handed the phone back to his mate.
Heather grinned.“Right.I like her already.”
To be continued…
