AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, but as soon as I hear anything, I promise you will be the first to know. There have been talks about a city meeting in the coming weeks to figure out something to do about the forsaken sightings and missing rogue situation. Pack members are becoming nervous, and it might also be a good time to bring up the rogue issues?” I tell her, and Everly nods.
“Yes, let's hope the petition goes well, and I get a date to be heard sometime today,” Everly sighs and rubs her temples when her phone goes off in her handbag. She pulls it out, glances at the screen, and shakes her head.
“What's wrong?” I ask, watching her as I tie my shoelaces.
“Nothing. Mom has been pestering me to pull the petition and drop the rogue issue,” she says, and I notice she sounds tired. Shelookstired, actually. And I noticed she was tossing and turning all night in her sleep.
“What did she say?”
“That I would start a war,” she says with a shrug.
“Funny, your father said something along those lines at the hospital,” I tell her. Everly chews her lip nervously.
“What war, though?” we say simultaneously, and she giggles.
“Jinx,” I tell her while getting to my feet.
“I have no idea. Mom called me last night,” Everly explains.
“So that’s why you’ve been in a weird mood, then,” I tell her while wrapping my arms around her shoulders.
“Maybe I can try to get a hold of Ava. I’m not sure what’s happening, but even your father thought something was going on behind the scenes with my dad,” she tells me.
“Try your sister and come see me at the homeless shelter when you aren't busy. I’ll be there all day; I have contractors coming to assess the damage,” I tell her. I’m dreading the bill for that.
“Well, you’re going in the opposite direction, so I’ll run Valarian to school,” she tells me before calling out to our son.
“Yeah, I am coming,” Valarian growls, making me raise an eyebrow at his grumpy mood.
“What's wrong with you?” I ask him.
“I don't want to go to school. I want to come to the homeless shelter,” he pouts.
“Not today, Maybe on the weekend. Besides, there’s too much machinery and people working there at the moment. It isn't safe,” I explain, and he sighs. Everly quickly fixes his school tie and blazer while I place his lunch in his bag.
Waiting for them to leave, I quickly clean the kitchen, packing up the school supplies Everly left out. I didn't want to say anything, but when she’s rushing around, she tends to forget to put stuff away and leaves it out. It’s a pet peeve, but damn, it makes me flustered. Finally leaving, I catch the elevator to the underground parking lot. But I don’t go straight to the homeless shelter. Instead, I head to the jeweler.
Valarian said Everly doesn’t like diamonds, which I had wanted to put in my mother's ring, but Valarian wanted to pick. And he chose Serendibite—he liked the color of it. The only issue is sourcing one to fit in the ring because Serendibite is a rare mineral and hard to source. The jeweler only had one, but it was tiny, and the ring I want it in would need to be altered to hold the stone.
Once I get to the mall, I walk up the side alley where the jeweler is, pushing the door open. The bell sounds to alert Dion of customers. He’s around my age, and we went to school together.
“Hey, Dion, any luck?” I ask, closing the door behind me and walking toward the counter. Dion is looking at his laptop, chin propped on his hand; his glasses are perched on his nose as he stares at the screen. He sighs, pulling his glasses off and placing them on the glass display cabinet.
“Your sonhadto pick Serendibite,” he chuckles while shaking his head and running his hand through his gelled hair. He leans back in his chair, folding his tattooed arms across his chest. Dion looks more like a biker than a jeweler.
“Can't source one?” I ask.
“Oh, I can get one, but are you sure you want to use that ring? Your mother's ring? I can melt it down and remake a nicer one using the gold?”
I shake my head, and he sighs.
“Well then, you best get your wallet out then, Alpha. Serendibite is $18,000 a carat, and the earliest I can get it is in six weeks. Then, I’ll have to cut it to fit. I can only find raw material so far,” he tells me. I did already research it last night while Everly was asleep and knew it would be costly before I walked in because they’re rare and in scarce supply.
“Invoice me and I’ll transfer it. Also, the band, you said it was thick enough to engrave?” I ask. Dion nods. I pull the piece of paper from my pocket and hand it to him, and he reads it.
“So much for big, bad Alpha, you big softy,” he smiles.
“Send me the invoice and call when it’s ready,” I laugh, turning and heading for the door.
