The claustrophobic feeling hadn’t left it’d been joined by anxiety. Kiera was resisting anything he said. But she wasn’t resistant to his presence. That meant his will outweighed hers. It wasn’t a permanent solution, but he hoped he could convince her things were different this time. He’d ensure it was starting now. The relief washed over him as he left the vehicle from the claustrophobic feeling at least. There was definitely a mob at the front entrance of the packhouse. Dean mounted the stairs as several pack members peppered him with questions. He turned to face the mob and raised his hands for silence. “Enough!” He paused only long enough to confirm that he received the silence he demanded. “I am sick and embarrassed to find out that many of you either lied or withheld information to me. That you would rather listen to an elder with an agenda than seek council and guidance in my leadership. I won’t name names, but you know who you are, and I will deal with y
Dean watched Elder Evans as he finally backed down and left the area. After he understood his plans were known and weren’t appreciated. “Alright, everyone go do what I told you. Be prepared for when I call on you.” Then he followed Oli and Ellie into the packhouse as they carried Kiera in. He liked the fact that several pack members made sure their way was clear and the main doors were held open for them. It took a bit to get her up the stairs. Dean ended up carrying her, as she protested most of the way. That he didn’t appreciate as the pack heard her, though they did learn that she wasn’t comfortable or willing to stay in her home. He didn’t understand how they thought she’d react to being treated as if she were something to be feared and avoided at all costs. “Alright put her on the bed and I’ll reassess her. She’s not as bad as I first thought, but she does have several more wounds that must be cleaned.” That’s the thing about shifters their wounds do heal faster
Dean let himself back into Kiera’s bedroom to find her sitting up on the side of the bed. “Get back into that bed right now.” He didn’t plan to use his presence, but it slipped out when he saw her. “Why am I here? I thought you said that me cabin is still available. Why am I not there? Or my cottage? Alpha Jonas, this doesn’t make any sense.” “Sense? You want this to make sense? I decided where my pack live, their position in my pack, and their worth to me. Your protection is my business, as are your health and welfare. I say this is where you’ll stay. Where I can assure, they’ll look after you properly, and there’s a guarantee about your safety.” Kiera sat there and her shoulders heaved with an exhausted sigh. He hoped the sigh hinted at her conceding to his will. “Well, back to bed now. I have no patience left. If you don’t obey, I will ensure that you obey me.” That turned her hopeless sigh into a frown of confusion. “What do you mean? You’l
Dean finally left two guards with instructions that only he was allowed in and to call him when her thing arrived. He’d oversee their installation into her apartment. Dean left Don a message that he’d found her. She was a mess and wouldn’t be returning to work. While putting in his time in the gym in the packhouse’s basement. He had Oli make a list of the people he would see, and he put the most likely offender to hurting Kiera and making her leave the first people on the list. They would become examples when their punishment became known. “This is quite a list of people, Dean. Um… I tried to get in to see her, but the enforcers said she wasn’t allowed visitors. I, uh… I wanted to apologize to her.” Dean looked at Oli. “I’m glad you’re taking responsibility for your part in all of this. I don’t want anyone near her right now because she needs her rest. Also, I don’t like the idea of you alone with her.” “About that. Is she your mate? It appears a littl
Trisha watched James mess around with things. “I know that one of these names is meant to mean something. I just can’t remember where I heard the name before. Keith, can you run this name and tell me what comes from the search?” “What name’s that?” She asked as Keith took the identification card in it’s plastic protective bag. “Henry Gingham. I swear I should know that name, but I can’t place where I heard it or when.” James just couldn’t pinpoint why the name was familiar. “Gingham? That’s the name of one of the older families in the Fort Granger Pack. The last one left before Dean or I were born. Really? How old was that guy?” Trisha looked at him, wondering how a Gingham got involved with all of this. Kidnapping? Black market blood sales? This created more questions and solved absolutely none. “Old, and looked like he’d been giving his blood or having it stolen from him for a long time by the state of his body. I don’t get it. If he were
Kiera looked at the tray before her and couldn’t believe the crap Dean stated before he’d left. She wasn’t locked in this room, but with guards at the door instructed to keep her in and everyone else out but Dean. Well, she might as well be a prisoner in the jail. It was just this cell had more amenities and a little more space. She still couldn’t get over the change in Dean and James. They both weren’t acting like themselves. How could Dean speak so calmly about James mating with Trisha? When did that happen? Why was Trisha looking for her? How did she know to look for her? Dean walked out before she could bombard him with so many questions about Trisha. He got away so easily because he’d dropped the mate piece of information. There was no way she could be his mate. They weren’t mates before they kidnapped her the first time, so why would they be mates now? Nothing made sense. Someone needed to intervene and bring some logic and common sense to all
“Elder Evans, I don’t care. She has done nothing. None of what you’ve claimed ever came to pass. I just spoke to a very upset mother who claims you gave her pups along with others candy to play in a location they were not to play. They claim you told them to tell anyone who asked why they were there to tell them Kiera chased them there and they feared for their safety. You had pups lie. For what? For some sick revenge on someone who wasn’t even involved. Who showed no signs of acting in such a manner?” “You weren’t there. You didn’t have to perform funeral rights on your own offspring. There’s no way you could understand. Don’t you dare sit there in judgement of me when you let that monster into our midst. I am trying to protect our people from the unblessed monsters.” “That’s it. They are my responsibility, not yours. She was born into this pack. She is one of MY people. Nothing that’s happened to her is her fault. Yet you are punishing her for something sh
Dean’s temper didn’t ease as he wrote the report to the Ruling Council. It would settle nothing, and he despised the pettiness, but he didn’t have time to deal with putting out fires others started because they were the petty people. But it sat in his belly, annoying him to no end. After that he dealt with the pack members who he’d found to be the more vocal or active in pushing for Kiera’s ostracizing. It was exactly as he expected. They’d mostly heard rumours rather than had experiences and they responded to the potential danger rather than any clear and present danger. He’d tried the understanding approach, but it was difficult to feel sympathy for their positions on this, with Kiera upstairs healing from her long trek through the woods to town. It didn’t help him at all that she ran past their territory to get there and didn’t stop for help. He wasn’t sure if she’d even considered stopping. That part made everything harder to swallow for him. Sh