Malcolm and Jordan were well informed by the time they got to the penthouse level of the whereabouts of their mates and Malcolm’s mother. It didn’t take long to understand why this was so important. His mother was claiming she was being denied her due time with her son and grand pup. Malcolm didn’t have time for this, and it was clear by the reports he received, people weren’t sure which side of the argument to support. The fox shifter luna versus the disgraced former wolf shifter luna. This had to stop. He couldn’t function like this with so many distractions. “I have a question that one of you can answer me. Has my mate weighed in on this incidenyou.th you? Or was it only my mother’s side of the story?” Everyone realized Melody had kept the incident quiet while his mother told everyone she could find. It was a character assassination if he’d seen one. That was how fated mates went. Fate didn’t care if you people were good. You could end up with a horrible mate l
Malcolm just wanted to celebrate this one good thing before he had to go back and deal with all the rest. He’d handed off the fundraiser incident to his people who were trained to deal with it. The morning news would talk about the spin put on the incident and try not to put a damper on the event. He’d feel bad for them later and offer his money and time to compensate for any losses. The hotel would see business from him to help compensate them as well. His people would say nothing bad about either group publicly. “Malcolm, I need to talk to you. It’s about your mother.” Ellie and Jordan were gone now. They’d headed back to their condo so they could rest. They’d spoken of enlarging the penthouse floor eventually so that both families could share the space. Their pups and kits growing up together, living as an extended family. Not unheard of within the shifter communities. All adults parented, taught, and guided the pack’s pups to some extent. It meant there w
Jordan took Ellie home, and they happily settled into their space for the night. “I’m glad you’re finally trusting me.” He just listened to the voicemail from the healer, and he was glad he did. It changed everything tomorrow. Malcolm understood that he’d have to deal with things alone tomorrow. Jordan couldn’t be in two places at once. He was glad Malcolm was a reasonable Alpha and expected this. They would have to change ranks soon within the pack now that they added the firm to the pack’s portfolio. Malcolm needed Jordan’s assistance to handle the pack’s needs, and they’d have to train someone to assist with the firm, among other businesses. This happened with many prosperous packs. Malcolm was slowly gaining a staff and command structure. With a potential war, they’d have to step up their fighting forces too. That meant Jordan would be second only to Malcolm, and he’d speak for him when he couldn’t. There would be three others beneath him he’d delegate to. This w
Malcolm and Melody were up and out the door with David in daycare. He hated Melody going to the shop without him. But he ensured the daycare was well guarded and Melody had several guards in addition to her staff. But he wouldn’t be happy until she was back within the safety of his territory and his pack was all around her again. Ellie now had her own security within the atrium of the pack’s building after what had happened with the sick fox the night before. But that would be after she visited the pack healer. Malcolm hoped the pack healer would insist she take a day off work after everything she’d been through. Right now, he needed to deal with more attacks and supervise the move into his new work offices. At least, no one would question Jordan actually supervising the move, while he worked offsite. He had to visit two construction sites within his territory to survey the damage that occurred overnight. They’d been sabotaged during the night, and
Malcolm just got knee deep in the mess of the first site. He was speaking with the site manager and supervisor. Seeing the damage to himself when the call came through. The call he feared to get. The call he’d done everything possible to avoid. They had attacked Melody in broad daylight. An attempted kidnapping of his mate. Her security team could prevent it, but that wasn’t the point. It had happened. Two attacks in two days. Both are unrelated to each other. The police and media were having a heyday with it. First her partner and now her. What was so special about these women and their company? Was the connection between their husbands? Their money? This is what the police wanted to know. The media were no better when they latched onto the story. The police were now looking more closely at the incidents and questioning them as something other than random violence. It was a nightmare that pulled Malcolm away from his work and his mate. The two shifter
It took hours to get through the paperwork and Malcolm was tired of it. Two nights ruined and constant worry for his mate. They returned home, and Melody decided she’d spend time with David. Malcolm took them up to spend an evening into garden on the roof. While he satisfied himself with keeping them in sight at all times, Malcolm spoke to the enforcers that protected her. The media didn’t bat an eye after the first attack that Malcolm insisted; she has bodyguards. This put unnecessary attention on them from the media. They all wanted to be the first to get the scoop on the next attack. “Now I couldn’t ask for the real details. You’ll fill in the missing details.” The short enforcer, Brian, took up his report on the attack. “We objected when she left the building Alpha, but she wouldn’t listen. We kept her in sight and were keeping the entrance secure when the two appeared. The Luna never left our sight and was never far from us.”
Ellie listened to Jordan as they made their way to the police station. The man was in full damage control. He wouldn’t let her out of his sight right now, and she witnessed the confusion of several pack members. Melody and Ellie weren’t tough shifters known for fighting. They were cute fluffy foxes, and they weren’t sure if they should worry or be relieved that this happened. It hurt Ellie’s feelings that some felt she and Melody didn’t measure up in their opinion. What were they supposed to do to earn their respect? Could they earn it? Or was it a losing battle? Jordan wasn’t paying all that much attention to the quiet comments. When he did, he growled at them and warned them that Malcolm wouldn’t put up with those words. But he didn’t waste his breath as he was passing through to get into the car to follow Malcolm. Ellie just wanted to know that Melody was okay. Two attacks in two days. That wasn’t normal and now she was afraid to go out alone.
“That’s it? We’re just leaving this to a could of shifters that have no connections to us. I don’t get it.” Ellie had watched Jordan work, Melody’s statement was taken, and the media in general got a highly edited version of the story.That version mentioned nothing about shifters and pack wars. Only that it was a mugging gone wrong, and it had no connection to anything else that has happened in recent days. Mrs. Richards wasn’t injured, and they are pursuing leads now. Ellie watched as the officer and Jordan spoke in a type of code, right under the watchful gaze of their very human superiors.“Those shifters may not be known to you, but they’re known by the Ruling Council. They don’t answer to us, but to the council themselves. They have the contacts needed to keep what we want quiet. I’ve done business with them before, and they do very through work.”“Oh, I don’t know a lot about the Ruling Council. It’s not like we have any business with them.” Fox shifters as a whole didn’t
The investigation took weeks, and by then they’d moved into the packhouse. Life slowly got back to normal. The pack warmed up to Melody and Ellie. When they realized they were the minds behind their products. The she-wolves embraced them readily. Malcolm and Jordan split their time between the city and the Muskoka territory. Even the various construction projects were progressing well, with no more interference. The Fae were nowhere to be seen. But there were new rogues in the shadows of the neutral zones, and they weren’t living there quietly. The council of alphas were making plans to deal with them along with an ever pending war between the Toronto packs, the Scarborough Grove, and the Don Valley. It was something that cropped up again and again. They had history and family conflict. No one could blame them for the father they had. Now there’s a girl driving a wedge between them again, with her mere existence. Ellie was concerned about Jordan. He’d have to come to terms wi
“When I stepped into leadership of this pack, I made it clear we wouldn’t hold on to old prejudices. This might not be a message that got to some of the most recent pack members. This is a historic time and events have been fast and furious. So, I will state this again without naming names or telling tales out of school, as the humans say.” He paused and looked about. Several uneasy people were now relaxed. “That’s not to say those people will avoid the appropriate punishments later. Now, we are a wolf pack who recognizes fate can grant us mates who aren’t wolves. We don’t punish a person for their species, race, lack of magic, or anything like that. If you have a problem with another, you seek to resolve it without harming each other. Yes, I know for some that is a tough thing to do. But we do that within this pack. I have heard that someone has used their station and position of responsibility to force their political beliefs onto the pack as a whole. The reports I rece
“Now you’re sure we have everything. I’d hate to get there and find out we’re missing something.” Melody was checking her bags again. Malcolm could see her anxiety in her actions. Normally, she would never reveal it. Now he figured it was her motherly instincts kicking in to protect and care for her pups. “Melody, there will be other families there. I’m sure if you’ve forgotten something, someone will have it.” If looks could kill, Malcolm would need a healer, at least if not an undertaker, as the humans would say. Melody didn’t appreciate his assurances. As Jordan passed him with another car seat. They had to install three of them and that was the last. Jordan made eye contact with Malcolm, and they exchanged a sense of commiseration. Malcolm figured it was because Jordan just escaped a similar situation upstairs. “Ellie, let me get the base in the car and then I’ll come get the pups for you. I don’t want you to carry two of those heavy car seats. Just
Malcolm didn’t stay long after that at the meeting. The elders clearly had a lot to chew on and get straight. He’d gone on to remind them their job wasn’t to run the pack or tell people what and how to do things. They weren’t to threaten the pack members if they said or did anything. Their job was to advise and give council. Use their experience and list, assist in finding answers. Guide the next generation. Someone had lost their way and Malcolm would keep an eye on them. So this wouldn’t happen again. They were getting ready to settle down for the rest of the evening when the elders appeared at their door. This time they requested if we could introduce them to the new pack members. A far cry from the morning. Malcolm noticed the speaker wasn’t there, but Cathleen was. “I’m sorry about all of this, Alpha. I truly didn’t believe it. Gisselle was sent by the others. However, I spoke with her about how unreasonable the horrible words were. She agreed with me. I just ask that you
Malcolm was unhappy when he entered the elder’s meeting room to hear this information. What were they thinking, pulling this? Running on rumours and speculation. That wasn’t how he or how he expected his pack to run. Malcolm waiting rather impatiently for a response that didn’t appear to come fast enough for his liking. “Tight lipped, are we? Anyone else like to step up to the speaker’s spot and inform me of exactly what my mate, they accused your Luna of what and by whom?” “I can’t tell you who reported this to us, but I would love to fill you in on this. It’s rather disgraceful, over-the-top, and factually unbelievable.” Cathleen stood up from her seat, a look of sour disapproval on her face. “To make matters worse, they kept me out of the loop on the births that happened at the cottage. This, I gather, was to ensure that I didn’t spill the beans about what they were doing.” “Madam, if you’d please state the accusations that they forced m
Gisselle found herself basically being escorted to the elders. She was sure they weren’t pleased with her right now after the subtle stance she took. Now she’s having to tell them their information about the Luna was full of misleading or outright false information. That wouldn’t go down well either. She entered the building that the elders used for their private meeting. Cathleen was there this time. She’d been missing when the elders stopped in to see the Luna and recognize the pups. “I hear they left me out of the loop in being told the pup was born early this morning.” Cathleen cornered Gisselle about this as soon as she got there. “For that, I’m sorry. I left a message with someone, and they were supposed to contact everyone. Whatever happened, it wasn’t on my part, I had my hands full at the time.” “Tell me you found these fools were acting out of ignorance and that none of this is true.” “Truthfully, none of it was true. Not
When Malcolm woke up, his phone was inundated with messages, wanting to know about everything. From where was he, to be everyone alright, even a few inquiries about complaints from a couple of elders about him throwing tradition to the wind? Business seemed to be well contained, with only a few reassurances that he takes his time, and it would be managed for him. That meant he would need to deal with several things here at home, make several decisions, and find his footing in this new dynamic. If someone told him he’d be mated and a father of two right now, three years ago, he’d have laughed at them and asked them what they were smoking. Now he had one almost running. They needed to get some safety items set up in the cottage. Malcolm was there to catch David this time before he fell down the stairs. No one told him pups moved that fast. Now there were four! He thought he’d let Melody look after this. But with the mess in how people were communicati
Malcolm was more than annoyed with the elders. This was his family and his pack. That meant his word was law and what they did was overstep their place. He didn’t have to listen to their advice, and that’s all their words should be. A voice of experience or a different perspective. They shouldn’t be demanding anything. “What is going on out there?” “Insensitive, self-important ninnies every one of them. The elders were downstairs. They expected you to give birth and then get up and walk down to them so we can present the boys to them officially.” “Is that what it was?” Melody sighed and kissed David’s head as he cuddled. He was still trying to wake up after being woken up several times during the night. “I would have thought you’d want to get it over with.” “We don’t have a name for this little one. I’m not leaving anything to chance. They make me worry that if we don’t have a name, then they’ll select one themselves to expedite things. Are they still giving yo
Three hours after returning to the cottage, Malcolm saw his pup come into the world. It wasn’t at all what he’d expected and if they had any more, he’d gladly wait elsewhere. Gisselle believed the little male would be another pup. So, Malcolm finally made a list of the information he needed to add to the pack’s registry. He couldn’t believe that he’d not added Melody or David to the registry. They’d added Ellie along with the twins. He hoped that’s why no one was respecting them before this. Once things quieted down, it was late enough in the morning for the elders to make their appearance and demands clear. They wanted to be introduced to both pups and do it all official. Malcolm was more than annoyed by this. They expected to be catered to without thought to Melody’s health or anyone else. Why did it even have to be today at all? “Alpha, could you let me handle this as the Luna’s healer? It’s my duty to ensure she recovers. I know you haven’t said anyth