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Chapter 80
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A Time for Strength Chapter 81
There are shadows in my dream. They make my heart race and all my senses heighten as they creep just out of view in the long grasses. They’re whispering about Leni, but I can’t hear what they’re saying. It doesn’t matter. Ghost bristles and backs away. He pulls on my consciousness and howls to wake me up, just like we practiced with Doctor Stanton.I blink my eyes open and take a sharp breath in. The moon is already up, shining into the bedroom. I reach out to pull my mate close. Her scent always helps me fall back asleep quickly, but she’s not in bed. I sit up and look around. The light in the bathroom is on. I hear her moving around in there, so I lay back on my side to wait for her. Oh yeah, I forgot to call Ashley. I take my phone off the nightstand and see two messages.Ashley: Tracked your phone. No need to call.Ashley: Have fun. NO NOISE COMPLAINTS! Milo: No promises.I add a devil emoji face just to mess with her and toss my phone down, chuckling to myself. As I settle bac
A Time for Strength Chapter 82
Bronx’s POV1 Year Later“Bronx Mason speaking.” I don’t recognize the phone number, but these days, I get so many fucking calls from private or restricted numbers that I have to answer everything. Carly tries to catch most of the calls, but I think she’s off today. She didn’t bring my coffee for me, so she must be off. I look at the clock. It’s seven in the morning. I think she doesn’t get to work until eight a.m. Maybe I could convince her to change her hours if I give her a raise? I’ll ask Ashley if I’m allowed to do that.“Alpha Bronx, hello. It’s Randall Smith. I hope this is a good time.” His voice still grates my ears after all these years.“Elder Randall.” I roll my eye and lean back in my chair. “To what do I owe the displeasure of this call?”“I want to make amends with Lenora, Bronx. I was hoping you could facilitate that.” He whines. “It aches my heart every day that the Blood River pack still considers me a traitor.”“Are you sure you aren’t just having a fucking heart a
A Time for Strength Chapter 83
Lenora’s POV“Thank you for seeing me, Mister Saad.” I take a sip of the potent smelling tea. “Your wife has been so kind to entertain me until you finished your business call. I read the dossier about your daughter. Why don’t you tell me a little more about her?”“It’s an honor to meet you, Luna Stone. I’ve been told you prefer anonymity, but your reputation precedes you. My family is blessed to have you assigned to this matter.” He smiles with a wistful expression. “Rita is the jewel of my eye. I can’t imagine not having her in my life.”“I understand, Sir and we are going to do everything in our power to reunite you with her. It says here she was adopted. Is there any possibility that her birth parents could be involved with her disappearance?”“No, no. They abandoned her when she was very young.” He waves his hands dismissively, then his demeanor changes. It looks like he’s sad, but trying to fight off a surge of anger. “I believe she was pupnapped by a jealous competitor of mine.
A Time for Strength Chapter 84
1 Year Later“Well, we’ve run all the tests we can think of, Luna. You and Beta Milo are both healthy inside and out. Our next step would be to do a complete physical for Justice and Ghost.” Doctor Nolan closes his folder.“Excuse me?” Justice gasps. “You may be fine with an examination, but I don’t want some stranger examining my lady bits!”“Justice, we just need to make sure there isn’t something preventing us from having a pup.” I try to reason with her.“No. Unless I’m bleeding too profusely to heal myself, I don’t want an examination.” She stands her ground, then moves to the back of my mind.“I don’t think Justice is interested in a checkup.” I pinch the bridge of my nose.“Same with Ghost.” Milo looks confused. “He says he only wants to see another doctor if he’s dying.”“Basically, the same for Justice.” I twist my mouth.“Well, we can’t force them to be examined. They get a say in their care, too. You know, sometimes these things just take time. Your work is very stressful,
A Time for Strength Chapter 85
“Sobo?” Rin looks at her grandmother.“Hush, mago.” Asuka shakes her head, still unable to look away from her new found mate.“This little creature is your granddaughter?” Ryuu snaps his head toward Rin.Threads of steam rise from his nostrils as he stares her down, unblinking with his parietal eyes. Rin gasps and steps back, hiding behind me. I can feel her grab my shirt to hide her eyes from the intimidating features of the ancient dragon.“Guys!” I hold my hands back to hide Rin further.I know how male wolves react when they find their mates outside of the Mating Gathering. I have no idea what happens when a werewolf finds a male dragon as a mate. The pounding in my heart makes me nervous about the potential.“Dragons are extremely protective of their mates, Lenora.” Justice comes forward to help my reflexes. “If he sees that pup as a threat, she’s in danger. He was civil with Dina because she was just a companion for him, not his actual mate.”“Take the pups to our room, Leni.” M
A Time for Strength Chapter 86
I can’t catch my breath. I look at the Ikeda family. Mrs. Ikeda puts her hand over her mouth with tears in her eyes. Arnie and her husband comfort her.“Rin-” I’m going to protest her decision, but Bronx holds his hand up, hushing everyone.“Rin, I saw how scared you were of Ryuu when you came into my office and when you were in the Luna and Beta’s apartment.” Bronx bends his head down to look her in the eye. “Why would you want to go to Japan with him and your grandmother?”“When Luna Lenora comes to our class, she tells us to always be brave and stand our ground.” Rin twists her fingers. “And Sofu and Sobo Ikeda have Uncle Arnie to be with them, but Sobo Azuma only has me… and I guess Mister Ryuu now, too.”“That’s right, she does.” Milo steps forward and places his hand on my shoulder. “Is there something that scares you here at Blood River that would make you want to leave, Rin? Or maybe someone? Because if there is, we’ll take care of it right away. We won’t tell anyone you told
A Time for Strength Chapter 87
Milo’s POV18 Months Later“Alright, guys, no assignment this week.” Reggie announces earning a smattering of applause from the teams.“Actually…” Bronx comes in and drops a folder on the table. “Volunteer assignment through Mason, Stone, and Slater.”“Covert mission?” I grab the folder and skim through the pages. “Missing girls?”“Not just missing girls. Missing girls no one has reported missing. And from whose packs have had visits from our favorite bitch of an Elder wolf.”“How did you know they disappeared if no one reported it?” I flip the pages.“School attendance reports.” Bronx leans on the table.“Okay, so what’s the mission?” Reggie takes some pages out of my hand.“Go to Glitter and the surrounding areas. Make sure none of these girls are working in the club or turning tricks before we look further into Randall.”Reggie and I look at each other. The look in his eye is exactly how I feel. We burst into howls of laughter.“Bro, you’re fucking kidding me.” Reggie wipes tears a
A Time for Strength Chapter 88
“Where is she?!” Bronx yells. “I’m in the alley to the right of the building. She’s running away from me! Go to the left! Intercept her!” I sprint through the dark alley trying to catch the woman. “MINNIE! IT’S MILO! COME BACK!” The shadow turns a bend in the back of the building as it rounds the corner without looking back. “She’s behind the building! Lost eyes on her!” I call into the mindlink. As I round the corner, I run into a group of women standing on the corner of the block. Instinctively, I grab a brunette and shift my weight to break her fall before she hits the ground. I jump up and help her stand upright. “Sorry, are you okay?” “Yeah, hon.” She grins, exposing multiple missing teeth. “You looking for a date?” “Date? No. Sorry, ladies. I’m married…” I back away and turn to keep running. Bronx, Reggie, and James turn the corner on the other end of the building. What the fuck? Minnie is fast, but no one is that fast. I sniff the air. There are too many scents to focu
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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
A Time for Strength Chapter 150
“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
