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I also know Graydon sought Aunt Lyrica and Soleil’s help in locating him, in finding out the truth about whether Tyson was alive or not, but Soleil had been stripped of her magic and Aunt Lyrica couldn’t give Graydon any information without breaking our rules, so refused to answer questions and after that, the relationship between this pack and our coven was strained. Graydon then only dealt with us when he felt he absolutely had to. And he refused to let anyone named Young near his son.
“Why are you here?” he demands.
“I’m here to deal with something between Riley Savage and myself. I’m under sanctions and I won’t use any powers while I’m within the village of Arcana Falls.”
“No powers?” he checks.
“Not for the foreseeable.”
“I’ll check,” he warns.
“Feel free to do that,” I invite. “The only way I’m allowed to use power here is if Riley invites me to stay.”
And that won’t happen.
“There was drama at Roxy’s,” Bailey speaks up. “So I’ve brought Erica here for breakfast. We’ll eat, have a gab, and then I’m taking her to the library with me for the day.”
“Where’s Rye?” Graydon demands. “I’m not sure I want this one in our house.”
“Maybe talk to someone on the council, Dad. Erica needs a minute to regroup, and I’d like to help her with that. She could wind up being a member of our pack and there’s no reason not to be hospitable.”
“That’s not what I heard,” Graydon grumbles.
“I’m okay,” I insist. “The walk over here helped a little. I’ll just go back to my bus and-” I take a step backwards.
“You’re not okay; I can tell,” Bailey says, clasping my hand and giving it a squeeze.
My heart squeezes, too, at the affection in her touch and in her eyes.
Graydon growls, eyes on our joined hands.
“It’s fine, Dad,” she insists. “Do we have eggs, Mom?”
“We do. Bacon, too. Or ham or sausage. I’ve been cooking up a storm for your brother and his new mate, but I can whip something up for you both.”
“I’ll do it,” Bailey declares.
“Maybe I should do it while you girls have a chat. Go ahead in. I’ll bring it,” Carrie offers.
“Sunroom only. Enter through the back door. No letting her in the house,” Graydon declares.
“I really don’t want anyone to go to any trouble,” I protest.
“It’ll only be trouble if our daughter cooks it,” Carrie says lightheartedly, humor sparking in her eyes.
Bailey rolls her eyes. “I’d defend myself and say I can cook something as simple as breakfast, but my mom’s right.”
“Water burner,” Graydon puts in with a touch of humor.
“I got distracted.”
“Nose always in a book,” Carrie says affectionately.
“When there’s a plot twist, sometimes you just gotta keep reading to find out what happens.”
Carrie snickers. “Go ahead girls,” she invites, “I’ll brew some fresh coffee.”
Graydon’s eyes are still on me and hard as nails.
“I’m not here to cause any trouble, Mr. Blackwood. I’m here to fix things.”
One way or another.
He says nothing, but his eyes continue to bore into me with warning.
He might be retired from the alpha council, but though you can take the alpha off the council, he’ll still see his pack as his responsibility.
***
Carrie Blackwood delivered clubhouse sandwiches, fried potatoes, coffees, and a pitcher of orange juice to us in the sunroom on the back of the house, a pretty space overlooking lush flowerbeds and fruit trees in their big backyard. We’re seated at a rattan with smoked glass dining set, flowers in the center.
I’ve forced myself to eat more than half, despite lack of appetite, because the effort was made, and these folks are being hospitable. But I’m finding myself more upset now than even earlier.
“So… you and Riley?” Bailey says.
I set my fork down and wait for her to ask whatever she’s going to ask. And then I’ll repeat myself. Again.
“I know you can’t tell me much, but can you tell me this?”
I wait.
“Are you here because you’re forced to be here?”
I moisten my lips and consider my words carefully for a moment.
“Do you want to be with Riley?” she asks before I’ve had a chance to answer.
And then her face changes and I know she can see my answer on my face.
“I fucked everything up,” I whisper brokenly. “He’s not gonna want me.”
“Maybe after you-”
I shake my head and she stops talking. “The look in his eyes just now and last night? No. I need to say what I have to say and then give him his options.”
“And those are?”
“I won’t talk about this with anyone until I’ve talked to him.”
She nods slowly, pushing food around her plate. “Do you know much about shifters? About our pack?”
“Yes, I know quite a lot.”
“So, you know what your ‘death’ did to him.” She uses air quotes over the word death.
And though I didn’t really die, it felt like part of me did when I realized how Riley would be punished for my sins.
