It was getting late and with Chris being afflicted as he was, Helena received several warnings to stay away from the packhouse. Aunty Mae offered her cabin, as she’d stay at the packhouse and help Brian manage the situation there. Helena now sat comfortably in Aunty Mae’s cabin while Jillian went to the packhouse and packed overnight bags for them. Davis wasn’t happy about losing his mate for the night, but he was busy assisting Brian and Aunty Mae, keeping Chris distracted. No one wanted to deal with the complications of drugging him again. Their plan this time was to let him run out of steam and sleep it off. She didn’t know how well that was working out for them. She needed to keep her phone free for when the High Priest of the local coven returned her call.
It’d been several hours now, and she&rsquo
Dimitri thought the speech went well. Jon was not as confident about it. The fallout made it’s appearance later in the morning. If they didn’t have enough trouble with a witch acting against them by leaving spelled traps for unaware wolves. Dimitri now dealt with fools wanting to change his mind. With questions like how many lovers, did he need? Why was he so selfish? Then he even got a comment from one person saying they couldn’t respect a leader that led with his dick. The only thing he was glad of was none of these wolves bore the responsibilities of having a prominent position within the pack. In fact, most did the bare minimum for the pack or others. Even Jon mentioned that as he heard from them. His take, though, was different. Jon believed these wolves were jealous, because they’d not found the courage
Chris was finally showing fatigue as he slowed his pace around the office. Aunty Mae sat in her straight-backed chair and watched his progress while everyone tried to predict how the plan would go and what Helena needed to be successful in this endeavour. Brian agreed with Chris, it should be them hunting the witch and not Helena. Aunty Mae didn’t agree with them. She pointed out that both have succumbed to her spells before and that made them more easily prone to future spells, with no form of protection. Aunty Mae wanted to wait until Helena called them, with the results of her conversation with the local coven’s leader. Brian could see the logic in that, but Chris wasn’t thinking clearly and vehemently made it know for quite some time that he didn’t want more witches involved. Aunty Mae, however, wav
With that call over and with a resolution she could live with. Though, in the morning, she’d clarify that she didn’t owe him anything, or he was expecting something in return. Helena just didn’t want to postpone the pain until later. Outsiders often confused this with their wish to isolate, but it was a culturally educated tradition. They taught Helena that favours were how the fae kept shifters under their foot even after they were freed. So it was a thing all wolves did. They rarely to never made deals to owe someone later without that job being specified before they made the agreement. She dialled Brian’s cellphone and waited for the line to connect. Helena sat in Aunty Mae’s home in the dark as she listened to the ring.
Asia watched the healer leave her room, and she looked at Nathan. He looked a mess. He’d admitted he’d not gone in search of the things he left behind. So now that they released her, that would be the next thing on the list to do before the meeting of the Alphas. They would also need to look in on the pack and see what they needed. Only the gods knew if the pack had any money left. “So, what do you want to do first?” Nathan smiled down at her from where he stood beside the bed. “We need to get things going. We need to get a change of clothes. Then we need to look in on the pack, so we know what the pack needs before we head for the meeting with the other alphas.”&
“What was that about?” Bethany Winters enter her life mate’s office and listened into the last of his phone call. She asked this as he disconnected the call on his cellphone. Alfred Winters, High Priest of the Greens County Coven, sent off texts to several stronger coven members. He needed a hunting party that could stand up against a renegade witch. She wasn’t playing by the rules anymore, and it had to stop. “Valorie.” “Oh, Gods. What has that twit done now?” Bethany disliked the woman as soon as she’d asked about becoming part of their coven, and Alfred gave her the benefit of the doubt. He ignored Bethany’s reservations and welcomed Valorie into their midst.&n
Jillian entered Aunty Mae’s cabin, juggling three bags. “I believe I have everything you wanted, and I stopped by the kitchen to get some munchies that I’m sure Aunty Mae won’t have in her kitchen. Also, grabbed a few books. Wait. What did I miss?” “It’s the middle of the night and people keep waking me up.” “It’s barely midnight. So, what happened then?” “The Coven master got back to me. He’s claiming it will be safest if he brings in people trained in capturing the witch. But they will listen to us about her punishment. Though I expect there’s a limit on what they’ll allow. I think I c
Davis leaned against the wall, watching Chris rip into another target dummy. It was painful to watch him switch from one form to another. He wasn’t sure where Chris found the energy to switch forms so much. Davis lost count of the shifts a long time ago. Even exhausted, Chris wasn’t calming down or flagging. Davis wasn’t sure what they could do for him right now, but it was getting worse. They’d have to get him locked up for everyone’s safety before the witches got here.Brian stopped by to ensure everything was fine and explained what Helena had told him. Davis wasn’t sure if he liked this idea, but Brian informed him that the witches let her go without punishment and demanded their own pound of flesh. The witches were also claiming they would have more success in capturing the witch since they could protect themselves from her magic and use magic to capture her. Or t
Nathan stood in the encampment of the surviving healthy Blue Mountain Pack. It was still a sad thing to behold. Most were female or pups and anyone coming into the encampment could smell the quiet fear emanating off the camp. He didn’t like this, but what surprised him the most was how quickly word passed through the camp that he’d arrived. Nathan didn’t realize the impression he’d given these people. But there was some sort of respect or a certain amount of awe. Whatever caused it, he wasn’t sure. Quickly enough, a male who glared at him with open hostility confronted him. “What are you doing here?” The reaction of the crowd was that of surprise, and a few appeared upset at his tone. Thankfully, though, none confronted or complained to him. &ldquo
Life settled down for them after that, and a routine formed. Their pack understood their unique relationship. It helped when Alfred could come up with some documentation he’d found while doing his own study on their unique bond. It and Bethany fascinated the man became a friend to Helena and Jillian. Nathan and Asia eventually settled on a date to be formally accepted by their pack and to acknowledge their mating. It was something their pack needed to. Life for them soon became full of creating and building. Several of the lone wolves filtered in and requested a place within Nathan’s pack. Davis helped greatly with that because he could identify these lone wolves and vet their stories. By winter, there were enough homes to keep the Blue Mountain Pack safe from the elements. Money appeared out of the rambling and incomplete financial status. Helena didn’t look too closely, but she suspected several packs contributed funds and investments so that they could start agai
Asia now understood how much she didn’t know about wolf shifters and their society. The mating ceremony wasn’t elaborate, but there were meanings behind everything. Luck and good fortune were part of the reason everything was being done. Prosperity and abundance. She was told so many stories and traditions that her head spun from all of them. It was so different from what she’d learned in her time underground with them. The other women were afraid to speak of these things while Clarence was alive. Afterward, there were other things to think about. Now they were looking forward to the Alpha Acceptance Ceremony and their Mating Recognition Ceremony. It was so busy that most nights everyone went to bed exhausted to start again the next day. They could get the new packhouse built and several outbuildings so that they could winter with a roof over all their heads. They planned a school for the new year for all the packs in the area to send their pups, too. So the
The pack came alive with the discovery of the celebration. These were things they lived for. Births, matings, and all the little cornerstones of member lives. They were a close knit family and community. This was something they could sink their proverbial teeth into. Presents weren’t necessary, but someone would always find something to bring.They planned a nighttime ceremony as tradition dictated and that gave most of the day to prepare the simple things for the ceremony.Dusk was falling and Helena cornered Jillian in her apartment to get ready. Davis took an hour and greeted those attending. Jillian fluttered about in a distracted and nervous state. Helena couldn’t figure out what would calm her down. But she started out with some logic.“First off. Here’s the dress. Let’s get you dressed. Honestly, you’d think Davis wasn’t yours already. At least, your instincts were smart enough to catch him. Everything is already recorded and technically, this is just to get your sister to leav
The work lunch was going well, but as the meeting came to an end, Chris noticed Jillian again adjusting the collar of her top. With a frown, he watched her for a little longer. “Is that a bite on your neck, Jillian?” Her response was to put her hand over the mark and blush. “It is! Well, I guess congratulations are in order for both of you. When are you planning to have your mating recognition ceremony?” “We’ll see. We’ve not set a date yet. There’s no hurry after all this stuff happening.” Jillian tried to take the pressure off of the subject, because she hoped they would drop it. “We’re going to have one as soon as it’s possible. No time to waste pretending things might change.” Davis interrupted Jillian’s uncomfortably nervous rambling to state the opposite of his mate’s words. “Davis! What are you talking about? We can’t do that. It’s too soon after all the deaths.” Jillian looked askance at Davis, unable to believe he’d said none of this to her
Nathan all but dragged himself back to the camp. He’d not fought all that much. It’d just been a long night. Too long if you asked him. But he represented the Blue Mountain Pack until the end. The witches would not all him to sit in and watch the trial. But he knew that witch and golem were now no longer a threat to the Blue Mountain. Now what would he do since the pack chose him to be their leader? Did he dare think of himself as the perfect candidate? He’d done a right fine job of being a roadblock to the current leadership there. Would he bring that blindness to this pack? Or could he be confident that he’d learned his lesson? If only he could see into the future and everything it held. Asia would see him as the stuff Alpha’s were made of. But he knew she’d read far too many romance novels involving werewolves, and they were far from correct in most things about wolf shifters. The camp was moving today, which meant he wouldn’t get much sleep, nor would the few peo
Jillian watched Davis make sure that her sister and mother, with her mother’s latest side piece, were settled in their cabin. Gods, the guy wasn’t much older than her sister. He’d be better suited to her sister. What did these men see in her mother? She had two adult daughters. She didn’t care if her mother found someone. Actually, Jillian would love her mother to find someone she had something in common with. This guy wouldn’t be able to keep up with her in a conversation and she wouldn’t be able to keep up with him in pretty much any physical activity. Jillian could see this becoming another crash and burn. She bet he’d not met his fated mate and when he did, he’d have a devil of a time removing her clinging mother from him. Or Jillian would have to deal with the high drama. At least, right now, Davis showed no interest in her sister’s advances. He’d spoken to her once already, and her sister acted like he must be mistaken. Now Jillian wasn’t sure if she m
“If we are going to return to some form of normal, we need to finish preparing the Alpha apartments for us. You know. Get all our ducks in a row.” Chris mentioned as they ate breakfast in their apartment. This was the first day of the rest of their lives together in his estimation, and he was becoming impatient at how must mess it left and the sheer number of strings that weren’t tied down. This wasn’t something he wanted to have happened again. “As long as those ducks don’t turn into raccoons or squirrels, I’ll be happy. I thought we setup for them to be renovated by now?” Helena pushed her plate away from her. How this would play out, she didn’t know, but she had to get it going or she’d get bogged down in her grief. “We did, but half of the work crew was called up to hunt. Which put the schedule back and I’ve not been given a revised schedule.” Brian added, and he clearly felt horrible about that. They didn’t need so many people to hunt down the golem or
Alfred walked from the room they used for their courts and formal audiences. It wasn’t used much these days, but it was never pleasant. The council agreed to punish Veronica with imprisonment and being stripped of her abilities. Not a simple thing to do. She’d never live a normal life if she finished her imprisonment. Veronica would have to stay hidden from the mortal world because of the knowledge she could spread. Basically, she’d just trade one prison for another and the identity she knew once would always be a faint memory. In the old day, they’d have just killed her, and Alfred believed that was a far more merciful thing to do. None of this gives her hope and then lets someone else deal with the fallout. Though he could wash his hands of her. She’d go with the elders of the council back to their homeland, which was secreted away. That’s where the sentence would occur. Their coven didn’t have the resources or place to keep her during her punishment. This was the end of th
Veronica didn’t know how long she’d been there. The light turned off and on several times. She could have been there for hours or days. She didn’t know. Finally, someone gave her food. Once she ate, it didn’t take long for a small group of people to come along and haul her out of the prison, she found herself in. She was prepared to celebrate her freedom until she found herself locked in a chair in another dark room. Veronica could hear the movement of people in robes on the edges of the large empty room. She wasn’t sure what to expect from these people. Veronica schooled herself not to give into the fear. She couldn’t quite achieve that, so she sat there attempting not to admit to anything incriminating or to give up on her very life. Finally, the lights came up enough within the room, that left little to the imagination of what they used this room for. It was a courtroom, and she was on trial. They dared to force their views and rules on her. That, alone burst her