AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you, everyone, for gathering today,” Caleb said in greeting as we stopped at the steps of the gazebo to talk to everyone. “We wanted to inform you that we are going to be heading out on a short trip again. We will be provided guards, though, after the incident at the Summit, we hope that they do not end up being necessary.”
“How long will you be gone?” Kieran asked.
“Two to four days,” I answered. “We aren’t sure what we’ll find there, so it may be longer than the two days we anticipated. We will take a train and then a boat to and from the island.”
“You’re going to the island?” Kieran asked with a scowl. “Do you have any idea what’s there?”
“Wilderness and wildlife, from what we’ve been told, but no one has set foot on it in quite a long time,” Caleb replied.
“Don’t worry about things here,” Dominick, one of the first alphas to come after the Summit, said. “We’ll keep things safe here.” Dominick had one of the most unique animal forms, a gorilla.
Lily was terrified of him and I didn’t blame her. He was huge in gorilla form and when you are a small shifter, it’s disconcerting to face someone that much larger. Thankfully, he was a gentle giant. Eventually, Lily would warm up to him like she had with Branson.
“Thank you, that makes me feel better,” I said and smiled at him.
“If there’s anything you need before we leave, please let us know so we can make the necessary arrangements,” Triston said.
“More treats!” Arthur, a toddler who shifted into a racoon yelled.
The adults laughed and his mother shook her head at him. “We have treats at home, Arthur.”
“More!” he yelled.
Triston pulled off a backpack I hadn’t realized he was wearing, pulled out a plastic bag, and opened it to reveal several small packets of jerky. “I happen to have some treats.”
Arthur gasped, looked up at his mom, and after she nodded, he, and several other kids, ran over to get a bag. Even Lily ran over.
“Alright, we’re going to return to the main house, but let us know if anything comes to mind,” Caleb said.
Branson snagged Lily and tossed her up into the air before catching her. He repeated this all the way to the house, and she giggled the entire time.
We had debated for several hours about taking Lily or not. Jolie had even offered to keep her at their house, which would have been a safe space for her. Ultimately, we didn’t want to be separated from her, plus Ezio had offered to come with us as her personal guard.
“What’s for dinner?” I asked. “I’m starving.”
“Riddick is making dinner as we speak,” Triston answered.
“Oh, nice. He’s a great cook.” Whatever he was making, I was certain I would love it.
“I want fish!” Lily shouted.
“Fish?” I asked. “You want fish?”
She nodded. “We had samson at school today and it was really yummy fish!”
“Salmon,” Caleb corrected.
“Yes, that!” she said and pointed at his face.
“We aren’t having salmon tonight, but it’s good to know you like it so we can make it in the future,” Branson said. “Salmon is one of my favorites.”
“Did you have time to pack at all?” I asked Triston.
“My friends are sad I’m leaving already,” Lily commented and pouted. Quickly, the pout turned into a smile. “I promised I’d come back soon, though, and we played tag!”
“Did you learn anything new today?” Branson asked and set her on the porch on her feet.
“Math!” she hissed. “But teacher showed us in a … fun way.”
