Page 39

*Adira*

T he pack exchange is in full swing. We have helped James’ pack members take their belongings to the now new Dark Water Pack territory, and that was after we had given time for them to have the packhouse made ready.

I stood at the packhouse steps and prayed to my parents and forefathers that they not be angry with me for giving the pack territory to another pack. I’m not sure I would have been happy to live in the packhouse that my parents and grandparents lived in and then died.

It is going to take a few days to complete James moving out, especially all the cabinets from the office.

I think James is a secret hoarder, and when I mentioned that to him he looked shocked and disgusted.

But looking around at all the boxes that were from fifty years ago I think I made my point when he gave me a stricken look.

Thinking of James has him appear and I give him a hug, as has become our normal greeting. “How are you today, Head Alpha Council Member?” I ask, and watch as he cringes.

“Oh, don’t Adira. You know I didn’t want that position, but all the Alphas voted for me after my so-called brother nominated, and I haven’t forgotten, Rudik seconded that motion.”

“You will be a fair leader of the council James. You won’t get to do any voting unless there is a split, and it’s needed for you to give the decider.

I know it could be tough, but you are tough, James.

On top of that, you are fair, which is exactly what is needed and why they all voted for you.

” I give him another hug before stepping back and watching the last of James' pack members leave the packhouse they have lived in for years.

“That is the last of your pack members leaving, James. Are you sorry to go?”

“Yes, and no. A larger territory offers room for expansion.

I'll follow your lead, Adira. We'll accept all species and humans into the pack. The old law, excluding humans caused members to leave. I want to prevent that and I’ve already had members that have left the pack previously ask if they can return with their families.” James watches the last of his members leave.

Turning, he gives me a kiss on the cheek then walks away with his Beta at his side.

Leo steps up to my side and murmurs. “Are we ready to walk through the packhouse, Alpha Adira?”

“What have I told you about the Alpha title thing, Leo? You are my family, and I’m not going to be saying Beta Leo unless we are in an official capacity. I expect the same from you, or I’ll kick your butt in training next week.”

“Okay, Adira. I forgot,” Leo chuckles, “Barrik said he’ll be here in half an hour.”

“That’s good. Let’s get this walkthrough done.

” I walk into the packhouse and see it has been kept clean even though James' pack members were removing some of the furniture.

Most of that is what the pack members had purchased for themselves.

But as the Strongbow packhouse was still fully furnished James left what he had purchased with pack finances.

The walk around the packhouse seemed to take forever, but after an hour I decided enough was enough and Barrik had not arrived, so I was feeling rather peeved.

“I’m going back, Leo. You are staying here to run the packhouse, so I’m leaving it for you to do.

From what Robbie has said, he’s going to check out the kitchen later today.

I’m not getting involved in any of that. You can deal with him.”

“Oh, Adira, that’s not fair…”

“No, but never mind…” I giggle as I turn and leave Leo, watching my back disappear. It only takes a short distance before Rom is running to the side of me. Where he came from I don’t know!

‘Let’s run fast and make Rom sweat.’

“Yeah, Blue, lets.” I don’t give a warning I quickly turn my gentle run into a sprint, and hearing Rom mutter to Ramo that I’m a menace I laugh but pick up speed.

Back at the farmhouse I rush to the office where Barrik is sitting behind the desk with his head down, writing something on a sheet of paper. Looking up when he feels me watching him, he smiles. “I was coming to find you in a few minutes.”

“Well, you were supposed to be at the packhouse over ninety minutes ago, but here you are. What has kept you here?” I ask.

Sighing, Barrik beckons me to sit on his lap, which I do because, come on, he’s a hunk and he is mine. Once settled, Barrik kisses my neck over my mating mark causing me to shiver. “Stop that and tell me what’s going on.”

“James contacted me and said he’d seen you at the packhouse, but as soon as he reached his new packhouse he was contacted by Beta Paul of you guessed, the Blackbird Pack.

He wants an Alpha meeting regarding the pack's Alpha, Luna, Alpha heir and Joliee who no one will recognize as future Luna.” James pushes a finger under my chin to close my mouth, which has dropped open in shock.

“It seems there is a lot of distrust, dissention, and downright hatred happening, and Beta Paul wants to speak to the alpha council regarding removal of the current Alpha and lineage.”

“Wow, who would have thought it would come to this?”

“Honestly, Adira, they deserve all the misfortune the Goddess sends to them. It all stems from Joliee’s greed to be the Luna of the pack.

Your Papa at least has gotten away from the toxicity of it all, and I have to tell you I like him.

He’s doing great in the kitchen garden, and his mating with Bella seems to have chipped years off him.

He looks younger and way happier than when he arrived here. ”

I kiss Barrik on the cheek and lean against him, resting my head under his chin.

“He may not be my biological father, but he is the father I’ve known all my life.

I loved him, as he was the only family member that showed me any genuine affection.

I love him still, and more as we build our relationship.

I don’t think he could have stopped Joliee or Gladys in their plans to rise in the pack hierarchy. ”

“If this happens, and they are found guilty of the things Beta Paul is bringing to the table, they could lose everything, and with a new Alpha they could be made nomads or rogues.” Barrik holds me in his arms as he stands and walks out of the office, up the stairs and into our bedroom. This male is insatiable!

‘Yes, he is, but so are we.’

“Shh, Blue, don’t tell anyone.” I respond but send her a pulse of love, laughter, and excitement.

Sitting in the Alpha Council meeting listening to the idiotic things Joliee has tried to pull off at the Blackbird Pack staggers me. There is no wonder the pack has had enough of her schoolgirl antics. She is long overdue growing up.

“Alpha Benedict, can you tell me why you allowed a pack member to beat on a young pup to teach her a so-called respect lesson?” Alpha Carmicheal asks, and every Alpha in the room is watching and waiting for an answer.

“Alpha Carmicheal, Alphas.” I have to inwardly smile as I watch Benedict lower himself to all the other Alpha’s. “I did not hear of this until well past the happening. Joliee was punished…”

“How was she punished?”

“She had to help in the kitchen, which to her was a huge punishment.”

“You think that a kitchen duty, which let’s be honest is what any good Luna would do. They’d step up and help anywhere in the pack when needed.” Alpha Ulrick snarls. “Let’s not waste any time here. What is the next question anyone has?”

I watch the color drain from Benedict's face and look over where Travis is sitting.

His face is set like stone, and I can see he is struggling to remain calm.

This has all come to roost with his idiocy at claiming a mate who the Goddess did not choose for him.

I, however, am more than pleased with the outcome of my future.

The Goddess gave me the best second chance mate she could find for me.

Alpha Owain stands, “Why would you allow your Alpha heir to reject his Goddess-given Luna, when she was away learning her duties? To have a useless she-wolf, which is what she is by all accounts, try to be a luna? Please make me understand?”

I refuse to acknowledge Benedict with his title of Alpha because to me he is not fit. Not after what he was compliant with. I remain quiet as this is too personal an issue for me to become involved with.

“Alpha heir Travis fell in love with Joliee while Adira was training. I and my mate tried to speak to them both about the fact that they were not mates, and that Travis had a true mate. They would not listen to reason, and when Joliee said she was pregnant with a future Alpha of the pack. I had to do what I did. But I do agree it could have been handled better and well before Adira came back to the pack.” Benedict replies but everyone in the room can see how embarrassed he is.

“When that became apparent, why did you not contact Adira and tell her what was happening instead of leaving her to walk into a mating ceremony. Do you realize how that could have affected her?” Alpha Charles of the Grayington Pack asks.

“It all happened quickly, and to be truthful I wanted my son's happiness and never gave Adira a third thought. I was going to contact her and bring her home early, but I got so involved with everything that she just slipped my mind.” Benedict looks over at me with an apologetic face, but it makes no difference to me at this point.

“I am sorry Alpha Adira. I wish I had considered your feelings more and dealt with the situation better.”

My fists are clenched and I’m holding Blue back because she’d love to burst out and shred Benedict and Travis for what they did to us. I, however, hold our form, and show the other alphas here that we are worthy of being here amongst them.

When the conversation flows to how the situation of trust, and how the pack foresee their future, I stand gaining the attention of the others.

“Can I ask that I be removed from this meeting? With my history with the Blackbird Pack, I think it would be wise I leave and allow all of you to determine what is required.”

James, as the Head of the Alpha Council asks for a vote for me to leave the meeting. Once all hands are raised apart from Benedict and Travis of course, I step out of the meeting and walk to the room where refreshments are served.

Two hours I sit in the garden next to the refreshments room and listen to the birds singing, and relax my mind.

I talk with Blue, and we bring forth memories of good and bad times.

We know how fortunate we are to be in the position of Alpha, and when all this is settled I am thinking of standing down as Alpha and becoming a Luna, as I was taught to be.

Leaning my back against the large tree I settled under, I watch Thorn stroll over to me and take a seat beside me. “You okay, Alpha Adira?”

“Yes, just waiting. It’s taking a long time for them to decide what is to happen. It is making me nervous.”

“Come on, let’s go for a walk. There is a small stream over this way, and we can have a stroll while we wait.” Thorn holds his elbow out for me to link my arm, and I give him a smile as we set off to the stream.

Twenty minutes later I am mind linked by Barrik to return to the meeting area. “Come on, Thorn, we need to get back now. Barrik wants me at the meeting room, or outside of it?”

Barrik is waiting, and as I arrive he quickly wraps an arm around me and kisses me. “You need to be inside the meeting room to be informed of the verdict.”

Walking inside, I don’t see Benedict or Travis, and take a seat Barrik leads me to. Taking the seat, I look at James, who is standing at the front of the room, with all Alphas quietly sitting in place.

James looks my way and gives me a small smile.

“Alpha Adira, the council have discussed the positions of Alpha Benedict, and Alpha heir Travis of the Blackbird Pack. We had to consider all the complaints that were brought to our attention by Beta Paul and Gamma Ray confirmed all were legitimate complaints.”

I give a slight nod I understand as James pauses in his statement, but wait quietly for him to say more.

“The Alpha Council voted on the positions of the pack members of the said pack. We hereby stripped Alpha Benedict of his position due to negligence and abuse of power. We also stripped Alpha heir Travis of his position due to the negligence of his Goddess given Luna and introducing a chosen mate. The chosen mate not being of the standard a Luna should be, and by that we mean no training for the position, or in her case ability to fulfill her role.”

To say I am shocked would be an understatement. I never would have expected them to do what they have. It’s not something that happens or has happened in generations.

James adds more to his speech. “We also learned during our investigation that Alpha Benedict knew about the forthcoming attack on the Strongbow Pack, and it was his conscience alone that he took you back to his pack. Keeping the secret, he held closely, knowing it would be his downfall if found out. Knowing what was going to happen and doing nothing still makes you an accomplice, whether you agree with that or not. As alphas, we feel it was the best choice of action to remove Benedict, as he will be known from this point forward, and to promote Beta Paul to Alpha Paul, and Gamma Ray to Beta Ray.”

I stand and look at each of the Alpha’s in the room, making sure I give a slight eye contact as I move to the next.

When I am looking at James, I speak. “I would like to thank the Alpha Council for investigating all the issues within the Blackbird Pack, and the destruction of the Strongbow Pack. I would like this to be the end of it, and we speak of it no more.” Each Alpha gave me a nod of agreement, and I retake my seat.

“Okay, let me ask if we can vote on packs becoming open to other species, as Alpha Adira’s Pack.

I’m not debating it, and I am not really asking because I will do it anyway, but I would like to get everyone here to say aye, which makes it legal.

” Alpha Tyronne of the Western Wind Pack states and gives a fierce look at the alphas he presumes will disagree.

Each Alpha raises a hand and James states it will be entered into the ledger and become a law. We are quickly released from the meeting, and although I am still in shock, I can’t help but feel relieved it is over, and the Blackbird Pack can thrive.