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Chapter Thirty-Five
Edie
Jasperdraggedafinalchair into place.“I think that’s enough.”
I pushed my glasses up my nose.We’d built up the fire because a fall chill had settled into the air, but now I worried that it might be too hot in the cabin once everyone arrived.“You know, I’ve had more visitors in this cabin than I ever had in my apartment in Baltimore.”
“You’ll never lack for company in a clan, if you want it.”He gathered me up in his arms and kissed me.“Personally, I’d rather have you to myself for a while.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”I kissed him, then wrestled my way free when he started to walk us toward the bedroom.“I meant that metaphorically.I have a lot to do today, starting with a meeting that starts…now,” I said, as someone knocked at the door.
Micah was first to arrive, followed by Dom and Dylan.My mother was staying with Melinda at the clinic, who hadn’t shown any improvement overnight.My mother had cancelled her flight, told her job she wanted to take the rest of her vacation time for the year.If I knew her, she was thinking about following me here, the same way she’d followed me to New York and Baltimore.I found I didn’t hate the idea.I needed a nurse to assist me if I was going to be the doctor in Twisted Pines, and she was the only part of my old life that I wanted to hang on to.
Flint came next, barely looking at any of us.Mona was the last to arrive.
She was a small woman who held herself confidently in her sturdy boots and overalls.Her auburn hair fell in heavy waves over her shoulders and her green eyes tracked over us cautiously as she sat down.Her gaze tripped on the cut on Micah’s face, Dom’s arm still in a sling.“What happened?”
We told her.She could hardly believe it, even when we showed her the pictures of what Dr.Barnes had become.“How is this possible?”
“We were hoping you knew,” I said.“I’m going to do an autopsy later today, but if you have any idea what we should be looking for, I’d appreciate some direction.”
Mona shook her head.“I’ve never seen anything like this.This is far beyond my expertise,” she said apologetically.“And you said there were more of them?”
“We buried them,” Flint said, nodding to Dylan.
“Where?”
“Someplace they won’t be found.We were supposed to leave them out on the road?”
“No.No, of course not.”Mona blew out a breath.“And Melinda.She’s incapacitated?”
“She’s in a coma.I think she has a strong chance of waking up, but I can’t guarantee that outcome,” I said.“And, well, Ethan made a point of saying that the toxin would kill her wolf.”
Mona sat back in her chair.“I have to tell the council about this.And the rest of the clan.If she can’t lead us, if we don’t have an Alpha, then what are we?”
“As soon as word gets out, challengers are going to come out of the woodwork,” Dylan said.“From our clan, and others.We need a plan on how to deal with this.”
Mona nodded, then seemed to realize that everyone was staring at her.“Wait.Were you thinking thatIwould become Alpha?”
“Not officially,” Jasper said.“But this is part of the reason why my mother established a council: so that power didn’t have to reside in one person and one person only.If you took over the role as a steward--”
“No,” Mona said.“I agreed to take this spot on the council in order to curb the power of the Alpha.I have no desire to take on that role, none.”
Jasper and Flint looked at each other, but it was Jasper who spoke.“It would be temporary.Only until our mother gets better.”
“And if she doesn’t?Would I have to ceremonially kill her while she’s in a coma, and then prepare to face all the challengers who want to topple a new Alpha?”
“You could marry me,” Micah said.Uncharacteristically, he was standing in a corner with his arms crossed.“If you did, you’d be the daughter of the Alpha.You could take her role without bloodshed.”
“Oh Mico,” Mona said after a stunned silence.“My sweet boy.Thank you for the offer, but I don’t want to marry you.”She turned toward the rest of us and didn’t see Micah’s face crumble.“And I don’t want to be Alpha.”
“Well, if you won’t do it, we need another plan,” Dominic said hoarsely.“I will be loyal to Melinda for the rest of my life, but if she can’t shift, she can’t be Alpha.”
No one replied.The only sound was the crackle of firewood, the only movement was the dance of light over their faces.Even though Dom and Dylan had darker skin and a stockier build than the Moreau men, there could be no doubt that the five of them were family.
“There’s another option,” Flint said, clearing his throat.“Marisol called me yesterday.”
Jasper stiffened.“Why would Marisol callyou?”
