Page 10

10

Kaylee

Sitting in my office, hand on my stomach, I read the reports sent by the Council early this morning for the third time and sighed. The investigation into Nathaniel, Ramos, and Marilyn has taken a turn that surprises even me, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. Marilyn is indeed pregnant, and the father is indeed Ramos, but that’s not the worst news. The worst news is that Nathaniel is onto his fifth mate after killing his fourth—the she-wolf who had rejected Marco.

David had called, saying he couldn’t reach Amelia and wanted to let me know he was a few hours away from the pack. He also mentioned that the Harvest Willow wolves have decided to talk with our Council Representative, Amos Carter. After hanging up, I emailed Amos, confirming that our new packmates would like to discuss the attack on Harvest Willow. The date was set for a week from now to coincide with Amos bringing the other thirty newcomers on the Council list to the pack.

“You shouldn’t be working so hard,” Lucas calls out, surprising me as he walks into my office.

“I’m the beta. Whether I like working or not, I need to do my job,” I shrug, motioning for him to join me. He shakes his head in amusement, standing beside my chair as I tell him to read the emails I received. At first, Lucas is reluctant, but as soon as he realizes it’s about our enemies, Lucas becomes excited.

“They’re going to trial?” he asks in disbelief.

“They hope to arrest everyone by the next Annual Assembly of Alphas. The Council is still collecting evidence, but the Harvest Willow wolves agreed to testify against Ramos. You’ll have to testify against all three of them when the trial happens,” I explain as he sighs exasperatedly.

“Will you be there beside me?” he asks, leaning against the wall. I can feel his nervousness and pain through the bond, and I feel my heart clench.

“I’ll be there. I have a few choice words to say about Ramos and Marilyn myself.” Lucas laughs at this, bending down to place a soft kiss on top of my head.

“Can I ask you about this chosen mate that Nathaniel killed?” I ask. Turning to look at Lucas, I watch as he takes a deep breath before answering.

“I don’t remember much of her, but I know she rejected her mate for Nathaniel. Unfortunately, Nathaniel killed her for being infertile a year and a half later.”

Shocked by his answer, I search through the files we have on all the wolves from when the pack was known as Silver Paw. After pulling up a file of a she-wolf with long chestnut hair and striking blue eyes, I ask Lucas to take a look.

“That’s her,” he confirms. A low growl escapes my lips, and I close the file, running my hands through my hair.

“Why are you asking about her, Kaylee?” Lucas asks, turning my chair so that I am looking at him.

“Because she’s Marco’s ex,” I answer. I then explain the pain I went through the night I became Ivory Fangs’ beta—how Marco had helped me through it because he’d gone through similar pain. Lucas is silent after my explanation, only muttering that he’d had a feeling Marco was the one who’d helped me.

My office grows silent after this as I realize with a heavy heart that one of us will have to inform Marco of his mate’s passing soon.

“So when will Kurt and David be back?” Lucas asks, changing the subject, leaning on the wall again. I smile, happy to change the subject, and reach out to take his hand as I think about David, Kurt, Ash, and Eddison’s return.

“Around eight tonight. We’ll be throwing a small welcome dinner at the packhouse for Harvest Willow,” I answer as he moves to the chair before my desk. “Don’t you have training to do?”

The threat of war from Oak Fur still looms over us, even with the knowledge that the Council is preparing to arrest Ramos, Nathaniel, and Marilyn. I need to focus on safety drills, training schedules, hunting parties, and the building project for the new wolves joining the pack.

“Where do you think I came from? I thought you’d like to get lunch in the dining hall with me,” Lucas says, laughing as my stomach growls with hunger. I blush, saving the documents to my laptop before logging off.

“I could do with lunch.” I shrug with a helpless smile, standing from my desk. The two of us leave my office and make our way down the stairs. The smell of stew and fresh bread reaches my nose as soon as we enter the dining hall. Amelia is already there with Marco and Royce, the three discussing which wolves can go for the warrior and hunter tests now that many of our wolves will be turning eighteen. I wave to them as I pass, Amelia telling Lucas and me to join them after we’ve grabbed our food.

It only takes a few minutes before we’re seated at the round table. Marco looks on edge, and his legs shake as if he’s drunk too many cups of coffee. I ask if he’s okay.

“Something feels off,” he says, running a hand through his red hair. “It’s like I can feel my mate again, but I haven’t felt her since Nathaniel marked her.”

Lucas and I look at each other. It’s clear Marco hasn’t yet learned about his Goddess-given mate being killed.

“Marco, we have some news about her,” I say slowly, taking his hand in mine. I feel Lucas’ jealousy coming through the bond and give him a warning look. My friend needs me—Lucas can go be possessive somewhere else.

“What? Did Nathaniel get her pregnant?” Marco asks sarcastically, but I see a hurt flash across his eyes.

“No.” I sigh, squeezing his hand. “He killed her for being infertile.”

The table goes quiet as Marco looks at me in shock. Grief, anger, and acceptance flash through his eyes.

“Then why do I feel like I will finally find my mate today?” he asks sadly. I shrug, unsure what to say.

“Maybe the Goddess felt bad for what happened and assigned you a new one?” Lucas suggests.

I go to refute this, considering no one has been given a second-chance mate. But what if I’m wrong? What if there have been instances of second-chance mates, but no one had documented them?

“We won’t know for sure, but I have a feeling Lucas is right,” Amelia chimes in, smiling at Marco. “Everyone deserves a second chance at life and love. I have a feeling we’ll know later tonight if this is true.”

Marco thanked her before leaving for his patrol shift. After telling him to be safe, only Amelia, Royce, Lucas, and I remain.

“So, how are the plans for the Harvest Willow accommodations coming along?” Royce asks, making me groan in frustration.

“That bad?” Amelia questions with concern, and I shake my head.

“We have rooms in the dormitories, but the thing is, these wolves have known only each other for the last seven years. I want to find them a house they can live in together or several close to each other, but there aren’t many,” I admit with a sigh, breaking off a piece of bread and dunking it into the stew. “The only place with enough room for all fifteen wolves to live together would be the guest house.”

Popping the stew-soaked bread into my mouth, I chew on it while waiting for Amelia’s response.

“Then give them the guest house for now. We can talk to each wolf individually. Anyone willing to live on their own in the dorms can be moved, and we can find houses closer to each other for the rest,” she suggests. I smile at this decision and make a mental note to prepare everything accordingly.

The rest of lunch is spent with us discussing preparations for the welcome dinner and how Amelia is excited to have David home again. Royce informs us that Chastity and the others are on their way home, too, and should be back within the hour. Apparently, Simon and Evette had hunted down a few deer, and Chastity was proud of them. Lucas and I smile at this, happy to hear that our friends are doing well in their new roles. Perhaps Marco should transfer Evette from a warrior into a hunter.

After lunch, Amelia and I leave the men to talk to the omegas about preparing the guest house. Lucas offers to help, but Royce quickly steps in and asks him to assist with processing the meat the hunting party is bringing in instead. Wishing my mate good luck, I quickly escape the dining hall in search of the omegas in charge of cleaning while Lucas reluctantly trails after Royce toward the packed kitchen.