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“The visitors recently? Someone found out, and I’m doing my best to learn who leaked the information. Very few here know more than that you were a foundling. Most believe you are of the very lowest status.”
Which explained why they treated me that way. But did the alpha mean I was not?
“The high council is granting you the honor of convening at the pack’s lands. Go and hold your head high. Whatever happens, you represent us, at least for now.”
Are you coming?
His face flushed. “I would, but I have been forbidden. Your mates, however, will accompany you. Now go get ready. You’ll leave this afternoon. And remember who you are.”
Wasn’t that just the thing? I didn’t know who I was.
I trailed after my mates on the way back to the cottage. They were talking in low, angry voices, still trying to come up with a way they could keep me from having to leave, but they had to know as well as I did that it was impossible.
The high council didn’t often take an interest in individual cases, leaving the disposition of pack members to their alphas and other pack officials. I’d always thought I was of low status without any real information beyond the treatment I’d received. But I’d never heard of the high council leaving their headquarters to journey to some random pack to settle any issue. Much less something regarding a woman who lived in the woods in a hovel.
Okay, it was getting a little better than a hovel, now, but still.
We approached the former hovel and entered. Creek went to the stove and started to cook something, always a good way for him to focus. As the scent of bacon hit the air, the other guys moved restlessly around the cabin as if they had no idea what to do with themselves. As they probably did not.
I watched them for a while, just the four of us being in our home, getting ready to have a meal. It was a scene I’d thought we could look forward to for decades to come. Instead, this was the last one for a while. After we ate, we washed the dishes then packed.
My future awaited, and I wasn’t sure it was one I wanted to face.
Chapter Nineteen
Jillian
While the idea of taking a road trip sounded exciting, the thrill had flown out the window fairly quickly. Yeah, I had ridden in a car before, but after about three hours, Shane stopped at a gas station, and I got out…and threw up.
Creek approached, some hard paper towels in his fist, and handed them to me. “I should’ve told you that you can’t read while you are riding in a car. At least, you should look up every once in a while so your body knows you’re moving. Otherwise, you get out of the car and…well, that.”
“I’m getting her some of that lemon-lime drink.” Shane sprinted into the gas station store.
“You’re okay?” Dean asked, looking over the hood of the truck. I nodded, and he continued gassing up.
My gut felt like I’d been in a fight with someone who hated me.
I surrendered to Creek’s embrace while wiping my mouth.
“I wish we didn’t have to do this,” he whispered into my ear. “I hate shifter councils and kingdoms and all that bullshit. We just wanted a simple life and to be left alone.”
I looked up at him, surprised at his defeatist attitude. He was usually happy-go-lucky and easy on the complaining, but today, this even seemed to be getting to my calm mate.
“Maybe things will be okay. You will have a better idea of where you come from and then we’ll have stories to tell the cubs.” The words slipped from his mouth just as Dean came around the front of the truck and Shane was now in front of us as well, holding up a bag with a green bottle inside. “I’m sorry. I just…”
“Let’s get back on the road,” Shane offered. “The faster we get there, the sooner we can get back to our lives.”
We piled into the crew-cab truck with Dean behind the wheel this time, and soon, we were pulling back onto the highway. Silence filled the cab. Creek was sitting next to me in the backseat, holding my hand, and I sipped soda. Shane kept turning around to look at me, and Dean was doing the same in the rear-view mirror.
I blew out a breath and decided to eat the frog.
Unlinking my fingers from Creek’s, I scribbled.Let’s just talk about it and clear the air. It is probably going to happen one way or another, so let’s just say the things we need to say.
I’d written so much and so sloppily, it almost didn’t fit on the board.
Everyone looked at each other but, surprisingly, it was Dean who began to speak. “I think I have some thoughts on this subject, actually.”
Shane pinned him with a look that could kill.
