Miss Mabel sat across the dinner table from Doc. J.J. He’d brought dinner like he did most nights when his work didn’t require his attention. The man’s heart was golden. She admired how he kept up with it as old as he was.
“So, tell me again. Jessie is good? She’s happy? That girl’s been holding things together for too long for everyone else. The Alpha’s learnt to treat her better?” She’d lived so long. All she could do was live vicariously through other’s stories. Many of those stories were repeats of generations past. It was better than television. Most of the time, anyway.
“I’m not sure yet. I see her tomorrow for the first tim
Ashley talked herself into what she’d expect would happen when Sal talked to her father. They’d never talked about her finding a mate or how their relationship would change. He’d told her many times that he lived for her, and she was his life. Even thinking about this, sent Ashley’s world into cataclysmic shock. The guilt of her father’s perceived reaction was too much. She wasn’t ready to take a mate. It’s happening all too quickly. Sal is far too forceful. Ashley felt many confusing feelings toward many within the pack. Every decision she looked at didn’t make her happy. She kept running back to the safer options that she knew. She knew nothing about Sal. He could be a monster. She didn’t know. Sal sat there, trying not to grind his teeth. He
Jessie sat listening to the two men talk. They discussed the situation and sweeping changes to the current pack formation. She couldn’t predict how the pack would react to this. They’d not settled from taking in the Iron Hill Pack. But what else could they do? They needed more members to expand. There were people looking for homes. Albeit not the people Alrick would choose. Could they get the pack to band together for this? It could benefit them. Or spectacularly fail. “So you have this part vaguely sketched out. You’ve started the process for housing. We’ll need to know housing placement. There’s also demolishing the buildings there now. Finishing the clean up the horror show. Then we’ll see about adding space for them to add sheep and free-range chickens. They can come in and
Ashley watched the cottages and cabins passed the SUV moved through the community. They’re headed to the visitor’s cabins. “You’re quiet. What are you thinking?” “I’m wondering whether you’re wrong and what I'll do when you get fed up and leave.” “Have you experienced many people become fed up and walk away?” Ashley didn’t respond. Sal now understood her attitude. This would be harder to fix. But she didn’t know Sal enjoyed her resistance. Sal’s convinced he’s a patient man most of the time.
Two hours ago messages went out to every pack member. This was a mandatory meeting about an urgent matter. Everyone would arrive within minutes. Again, Jessie stood in the large gathering area and looked around. “I’m wondering Alrick. With the increase in pack members will this room safely house everyone. Or will we need a larger space?” Alrick stopped helping with chairs and looked at his mate. She insisted on setting up drinks for the people before the meeting. He looked around him and thought about her question. “I’ll look into the number of people we can host here. It may force us to hold these things outside until we can fix this issue. But I suspect you’re cor
Ashley followed Sal to a cottage not far down the road. They were now in the dark. She saw where they were going from; the moonlight reflecting off the leftover snow. A day that snow piles would disappear. It was just one of those things. Rachel met them at the door. “Hi, come in, both of you. We’ll get started soon. Craig won’t be with us. Something is happening at the packhouse tonight. He’s needed there. Get comfortable and have a seat. I’ll be with you in a minute.” She disappeared into a room while they settled themselves in the main living area. A laptop rested open on the coffee table. The silence was more noticeable because of the anticipation and fear of job loss. Ashley glanced at Sal. He sat across from her. His elbows rested on his kn
Bonnie called many of the pack’s more maternal members and asked them to meet with Jessie later this morning. It was a hard night to sleep for Jessie, and she kept. Waking Alrick up with her, tossing and turning. Now tired as she was, Jessie waited for help to arrive. If they arrived. Bonnie sat with Jessie as she waited. “If they don’t come, then we’ll do this ourselves. When they come around, they’ll regret their decision when they can’t benefit from our work.” “That sounds drastic, and it goes against what Alrick said. No, we’ll do what we can and leave it like that. I won’t put an entitlement barrier up between the groups. It wouldn’t be right or fair to anyone.’&nb
Ashley and Sal left Rachel’s cabin to return to what Ashley realized was their home currently. She realized she felt numb. Numb from shock because she didn’t have anywhere to turn. Everyone abandoned her, even her father left her to her own devices. What was she going to do? She couldn’t believe this was happening. She either accepted Sal or abandon her life. Meaning she’d have to find a new pack. Either way, she’d be walking away from her life. That was terrifying to her. Inside again, with coats off, Sal moved into the kitchen and Ashley settled onto a sofa. She contemplated what to do. With a staggeringly larger number of confusing and conflicting things floating in her head, she watched Sal moved through the kitchen. Curiously, she watched him for the first time move about in the kitchen. It wasn&r
Rachel sat back after closing the last file and looked at Davie. “Well dear. I think we need to interrogate Hector Kilian. I can’t hand over this case to the council with these gaping holes.” Davie shifted in his seat and looked at her in all seriousness. “I agree. We may have the head of the monster dealt with, and one of its claws. But there’s still the arm of the problem we need to annex. Someone is pulling Kilian’s strings and receiving these shipments. I suspect person is the one tampering with the facts we’ve been receiving.” “I suspect it’s a local, but I can’t be sure if we’ve encountered them or not. Things appear very well buried. It’s someone the Alpha doesn’t