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Chapter 31
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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A Time for Strength Chapter 32
“How about this? Let me mindlink Ashley. Maybe I can wake her up and ask her to come out to the hall without waking the other two up.” He looks at the door with a shrug. “Unless you have a better idea?”“Uhh… no. I’ve only mindlinked Leni a few times. If I mindlink her out of a dead sleep, she might freak out.”He puts his hands on his hips and taps his foot while he thinks. “Alright. I’ll tell Ashley I have a surprise for her and to meet me in the hall.” “Cool. Let’s go stand by the front door so we don’t look like creepers outside the bedroom door.” I wave him back to the foyer.A minute later, Ashley peeks her head out from the bedroom hallway. When she sees Reggie, her face brightens up. She runs down the hall with a blanket wrapped around her and throws herself at him. I feel like I should look away when he gives her a deep kiss. Especially after what we just saw.“Awww Reggie, what are you doing here?” She squeals between kisses.“We wanted to surprise you, Honey, but um, we we
A Time for Strength Chapter 33
Leni tilts her head and looks at me like I’m insane. “That I was crying. What else would I want to hide from my brother?” Did I hear her right? No way I heard her right. “Is she for real?” Ghost whispers. “This has to be a trap.” “I don’t know if it is, but I think anything I say right now could set her off like a grenade.” She clears her throat and sets her shoulders. “Don’t tell him. I don’t want him to worry about me. He needs to focus on himself right now.” “Uh… Okay. Yeah. I promise.” A huge weight lifts off my shoulders, but another one takes its place. She doesn’t know Bronx already pulled us into his suite to show us exactly what he’s been working on. Now probably isn’t a good time to mention it to her. “Thank you.” She smoothes the hair in her ponytail, suddenly unbothered. “Why did they let you leave early?” She isn’t holding a gun at me, but the level of danger in the room is right up there. She was just sobbing. Now she’s fine? I kinda feel like I have whiplash. Som
A Time for Strength Chapter 34
Lenora’s POV 3 MONTHS LATER “Hey, Lenora.” Ashley’s voice rings in my mind. “Hey, what’s up?” “Just checking to see if you are still on the phone.” “Nope. Signing invoices.” “Good.” She says as she opens the door. Carly is behind her holding a plate of cupcakes. There are lit candles on each one. “Happy birthday tooooooo yooouuuu….” They sing with shit-eating grins on their faces. “Oh, you bitches.” I roll my eyes. Ashley grabs my chair and rolls it to the sitting area with me still in it, as my best friends continue to serenade me. They sit on the floor, watching me expectantly when they finish. “Make a wiiiiiiiish, neeerrrd.” Ashley says in her sing-song voice. “I wish something to go right. Just one thing, because a couple hours to relax would be sublime.” I close my eyes and blow out the candles. I leave my eyes closed for a moment. What if I open them and the world goes to shit? It wouldn’t surprise me, actually. “Is it your birthday too, Justice?” “No. Time was d
A Time for Strength Chapter 35
“How the fuck did Snell get on pack territory?!” My anger bubbles over. “No one called out an alert?! We have protocols for a reason!” “Luna, we removed three sections of broken fencing. His wolf ran through before we replaced the last piece.” A landscaper bows. “We alerted guards, but he had a mile head start on them.” “We didn’t know who it was, Luna. We thought it was just another rogue.” The guard steps forward. “That’s why we only sent a small team. If we thought he was important, we would have called for a lockdown.” “Well, guess what? He was important. So lock it the fuck down!” I point to the ground, unable to contain my rage. “NOW! Quit standing around! GO!” All the work to keep this pack safe goes to shit because a guard doesn’t think it’s important to follow procedures? Seriously. What’s next? The guard’s eyes haze over as the medical team arrives. I go to the medics to explain what I saw while they examine Clash. I stroke his face and murmur reassuring words as they p
A Time for Strength Chapter 36
“Hi Milo, can I help you with something?” I step around and lean on the desk in front of him. 'I just saw Ashley in the hall. She mentioned you updated your Friday schedule.” “Oh yeah. She’s taking tonight’s shift so you and I can spend time together.” I feel my cheeks flush. “Well thennnn, I was wondering if I could take you on a date? Like, a real one. In town. Not the dining room with hundreds of our pack mates. Rogue activity is basically non-existent. So, you know, it’s safe.” “I guess that’s true.” “You better say yes,” Justice hisses at me. “Pizza and a movie? Casual. I mean, if you want.” Milo’s face is beat red. He’s embarrassed? He’s certainly flustered. “Um, sure.” I look down at my desk. Ashley scribbled a little heart on the blotter paper with an L+M in the middle. This could really work, right? He is my mate, after all. Ashley and Marco are right. I need to at least give him a chance. “I… I’d like that.” “Sick.” He mumbles under his breath, then gives me a lopsid
A Time for Strength Chapter 37
“I’ve never been here before.” I look around the quaint pizza shop. The walls have movie posters from the seventies and eighties with two arcade machines in the back. I vaguely recognize the music playing. It’s upbeat and inviting. “This place has the best wings. They are killer hot, but delicious.” He pulls my chair out and waits for me to sit before he sits across from me. “Better than Mrs. Miller’s? Because her homemade wing sauce is preeeetty sick.” I raise an eyebrow at him. "Ahhh… I see what you did there. Hilarious. Alright, we’ll get an order. You’ll see.” He puts his finger up and flags down a waitress. The human girl looks like she’s about my age. “Milo! Where have you been, hon?” She bounces up to us happily. “Hey, Rita.” He gives her a warm smile. “How have you been?” I bite the corner of my lip and swallow back the jealousy Justice is trying to overwhelm me with. “She’s not a threat, Justice.” “I don’t like it.” She warns. “He’s our mate.” I lace my fingers and w
A Time for Strength Chapter 38
My eyes snap open, startled by the backfire of a passing car. Milo’s eyes turn black and Ghost pulls me to the ground, completely covering me with a deep growl. “My gun?” Milo hulks over me. He pats his body down with one hand while he holds me with the other. “They took my gun.” “What? Milo, your gun is in the armory.” I press against him. “It was just a car backfiring. Come on, let me up.” “They took my knife. Shit. They took my fucking knife.” He becomes more panicked. “Hold on, Bronx. They took my knife, too. I’ve got you.” “What knife are you talking about?” I feel confused. “Bronx? No. Wait, Milo!” “There’s a foxhole twenty yards to the west. We’ll be safe there.” He secures his arm around me, hooking his thumb in my armpit. “Hang in there, bro.” Foxhole? Oh shit. I ignored all the signs that there could be a problem. The fidgeting, the distracted blank stare, being startled by a glass on the table. “Milo, I’m Lenora, not Bronx. There’s no foxhole, Babe. We’re downtown.”
A Time for Strength Chapter 39
Justice’s POV“Ghost, are you okay, my darling?” I didn’t intend to barrel into him, but I had to stop him, not just corral him to pack territory as Lenora requested.“You’re my mate?” Ghost takes a step back. He seems confused. I hope he didn’t hit his head in the collision.“Yes. I’m Justice.” I lower my head and step closer. “I’m your mate. Did I hurt you?”“No. I was… I got disoriented trying to protect Milo.” He looks at me through his handsome dark gray eyes. His expression changes from perplexed and guarded to one of perception. He accepts my display of submission by resting his chin between my ears for a moment, then lies down in front of me. “You’re beautiful. And you’re different too? Older? I can sense it.”“Is Milo listening? This conversation needs to be between the two of us.”“No, I forced him back to safeguard him from thinking we were in danger.” He lowers his head. “War broke us. We’re still figuring out how to live now that we’re home. The doctor is trying to help u
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“Good Morning, Beta.” Sondi Eklund pokes her head into my office. “Would you be able to review these retirement package updates I’m proposing to the Alpha?”I look up from my spreadsheet and try to smile at her. “Of course, Sondi. Please come in.”“I already highlighted the sections in question.” Sondi comes in with her staccato, bird-like movements. “Oh, Beta Lenora, are you ill? Forgive me if I’m overstepping, but you look exhausted.”“I’m alright, Sondi. Being a new mom is exhausting.” I’m careful not to go into too much detail. Sondi and Scott still haven’t found their daughter. I don’t want to be insensitive. I quickly change the subject. “That and I feel like I’m running in circles trying to decipher some of the information on this spreadsheet. They’re supposed to be client names, but I can’t figure out how they’re coded.”“Would you like a fresh set of eyes?” She looks eternally hopeful. “I’m happy to help.”“Um, sure.” I turn the laptop to her. “I’ll look at these updates whil
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“Kaaas?! Are you sure you and Codi will be okay?” I yell into the living room. “I can call the daycare and see if they have someone who can come up.”“No, we’re fine.” Kas’s voice sounds strangled.Milo peeks his head into the living room and pulls back quickly. He doubles over in a silent laugh, pointing to the living room. I look out to see Codi had a handful of Kas’s hair in a death grip. Kas’s mouth is open in a restrained cry of pain, trying to untangle the chubby fingers from her sparkly locks of hair. I nudge Milo who’s on the floor in tears with his hand over his mouth. “Knock it off, Milo. She’s trying her best.” I pull him off the floor. “Kas, give her the rattle that’s on the coffee table. The one that looks like a tiger's face. She’ll let go in a heartbeat.”After a pause, Kas calls back. “Oh my Goddess, it worked! Thank you!”“Okay. We won’t be gone long. Mindlink if you need ANYTHING.” I walk to the living room and kiss Codi on her chubby cheek, then kiss Kas on her for
A Time for Strength Chapter 149
“And this is the Alpha’s private archival library.” I hold up a slip of paper for Musu to read. “Memorize this number. It’s your personal access code and don’t share it. Understand?”“Yes, Beta.” She stares at the paper. “I got it.”“Good.” I punch in my code and let the door slide open. I step inside, motioning for Musu to follow. She steps in and looks around in awe.“The Goddess has truly blessed our Alpha.” She takes a few more steps trying to take in the library's beauty. “I’ve never seen a private collection this large.”“Well, he’s been collecting them since he was a child, and it has proved useful.” I clasp my hands behind my back and look around, then point to a book on a pedestal covered with a glass case. The page is open to the painting of The Moon Goddess with the Menae. “This is how we found out Kas is a goddess.”Musu looks down on the image and chuckles. “Is it inappropriate to say The Moon Goddess and Endymion were more like rabbits than wolves?”Justice lets out a wh
A Time for Strength Chapter 148
Lenora’s POV“Delilah, if anyone asks, your family is from France. You went to culinary school there. That’s how you met James. Bronx gifted Kas private lessons. James was a security guard for Kas while she attended the school. You’re twenty-three-”“But, no, Carly Ann Miller, I am one hundred and-”“You. Are. Twenty-THREE. Delilah.” Ashley interrupts. “No arguing.”“You expect me to just LIE?!” Delilah holds her hands to her chest and looks mortified at the thought.“Yes.” Ashley, Carly, and I all say in unison.Delilah falls back in her seat, distraught.“It’s not that we want you to be dishonest, Delilah.” Ashley softens her tone. “It’s a matter of self preservation. For all of us. You included. Whatever technique you’ve used in the past to deflect attention won’t cut it anymore. You and Kas are going to be approached by paparazzi all the time now. They need to believe you’re human. We’ve given both of you believable, respectable human profiles. The fewer people trying to dig into
A Time for Strength Chapter 147
“Alright, Big Guy.” I toss the plastic gun on the arcade game. “You win. I’ll never beat you at Duck Hunt. I’m out of cash to feed the machine anyway.”“I mean, you tried. I’ll give you some props, man.” Marco blows into the barrel of the plastic gun and looks at his watch. “It’s been two hours. That’s gotta be a good sign. Right? Musu woulda called me if Lenora chased her out.”“Yeah.” I pout my lip. “No mindlinks either. Down your beer. Let’s check on them.”Marco raises his pint glass and chugs the remaining beer. “Rita! Thanks, darlin’!” I hold up more than enough cash for our tab and toss it on the table. She gives me a thumbs up from across the restaurant. “Don’t be strangers!”“Ah man, that fresh air.” Marco takes a deep breath when we step outside. “Nothing beats summer in Montana except maybe spring in the Coven’s realm.”“Did you hear that?” Ghost gasps, suddenly at attention.“Huh? Hear what?” I shorten my stride and look around.“A warbler.”“Okay… and?”“They leave afte
A Time for Strength Chapter 146
There’s a quiet knock on my office door. Instinctively, I look down at Codi. She’s still fast asleep. I set down the report explaining there were absolutely zero useful bits of information on Randall’s tape recorder other than rambling about a trip to Portland to see a warehouse or something.We still haven’t been able to determine the identities of the girls in the photos other than Evie. There was no rhyme or reason to the codes associated with each one. The unusual names don’t exist anywhere either. The team is still looking into it, but I’m not very hopeful. Randall sneaks under the radar on everything.“Come in.” I say in a hoarse whisper.Milo peeks his head in with a huge smile on his face. I put a finger to my lips and point to the travel bassinet next to my desk. He tiptoes in and silently closes the door behind him.“Hey Sugar.” Milo whispers. “Is this a bad time? Are you busy?”“I always have a minute for you, Milo.” I blush when he hands me a bouquet of wildflowers. “They’
A Time for Strength Chapter 145
“Tyree, have you finished the sweep of Randall’s suite?” Milo paces behind his desk.“Just about Beta.” Tyree’s voice comes through the speakerphone. “He took most of his stuff, but there were a few things left on the kitchenette counter. A folder with some paperwork, an envelope, like one of those ones you mail photos in. Ya know? Feels like there’s something inside. And a voice recorder.”“A voice recorder?” Milo asks, confused.“Yeah. I don’t want to open anything or push play in case it’s booby trapped.” Tyree replies. “Fool me once.”“Good call. Bring everything to my office.” Milo pushes his finger into the desk. “I’ll get a forensics team to take it off our hands.”“Yes, Beta.”“Don’t let anyone in that room until they get a deeper sweep.”“Yes, Beta. Marco will stand guard. I’ll be up in ten minutes.” Tyree confirms and hangs up.“Milo, what do you think he was up to?” I bounce Codi gently in my arms. It’s not because she needs it. I have too much nervous energy to hold still.
A Time for Strength Chapter 144
“An apartment in Paris? Who would have ever pegged your brother as a hopeless romantic?” Mom swipes through images of the apartment Bronx bought for Kas as a wedding present. “It’s absolutely gorgeous!”“Yep. She needs to sign some paperwork, but I don’t think she understands enough about real est-” I bite my lip and point at Dad who’s making wolf faces at Codi on the other end of the sofa. Mace tests out a growl to see if it will startle her. She makes a sound that could be a growl back at him.“So sweet.” Mom places a hand on her heart. “Meeting codi is all he’s talked about since we got the news that you were pregnant. So what's next? Have you thought about a little brother for Codi, maybe?”My heart squeezes. “Justice, what do I say?”“As much of the truth as you can.” She sounds unsettled. “We don’t really know anymore. Do we?”“You know how hard it was for me to get pregnant, Mom. Let alone survive Codi’s pregnancy. We haven’t really talked about having more yet. If the Goddess
A Time for Strength Chapter 143
It’s been two days. Kas has isolated herself in her apartment, still convinced that she needs to hide herself away. I brought Codi up so she could snuggle with her niece in hopes it would lift her spirits. I let her take Codi to the bedroom while I go talk to Marco.“Hey, Beta. Everything okay?” He salutes me.“She’s not handling it well. Maybe I should invite her to go to the meadow?”“I wasn’t talkin’ about the Luna.” He lowers his chin. “You been avoiding me?”I immediately feel my face flush. “Wh-what? I-”“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like that. I know you’re busy with your pup.” His tone softens. “I need to stay in my lane.”“I mean, I-I guess I kinda thought, um, your mate wouldn’t want me talking to you.” I confess. “So… yeah. I guess I have been avoiding you?”“Ah, Leni, come on. I’m fuckin with you… kinda.” He looks sheepish. “Me and Musu was talking about our ranked members. I didn’t tell her about US, but I told her you and me grew up together and that we still close frie
