She had power within her. Potentially a lot of it. The unfortunate part was that I wasn’t willing to tell the pack everything yet. Not until we had more facts. I trusted them, but uncertainty made people do stupid shit. I couldn’t gamble my mate’s wellbeing on the choices others made. Not yet.

  My dad knocked at the door, and Vaughn welcomed him in. “How are things?” Dad asked.

  “If you’re here instead of fishing, then you know exactly how things are,” I replied.

  He nodded. “I might have heard a thing or two. From your mother and elsewhere.”

  “I was going to call a pack meeting for tomorrow. What do you think?” I asked him because I would have anyway after leaving Vaughn’s office. Dad was alpha for decades. I trusted his opinion when it came to things like this.

  “I think it’s a good idea, but don’t tell them anything you’re not certain about. If anyone asks a question you don’t know the answer to, tell them just that. They’ll be looking for lies and half-truths, wondering if Cait’s appearance in your life will make you choose her over the pack,” Dad said.

  I grunted. “And what if I would?”

  “I know you would, but they don’t need to know that. They only need to know that you’re still here and protecting them is just as important to you as it was before Cait’s arrival. Nothing about that is untrue.”

  I nodded. He was right about that.

  “I need to get back to Cait. I’d like to be there when she wakes up today,” I said.

  “Are things any better between the two of you?” Dad asked.

  I immediately thought about what had happened in her room. “They’re getting there.”

  “Good, but don’t let her make you question who you are. If Cait doesn’t want to be here, the best thing might be to let her go,” Dad said.

  Rage filled me in an instant. “How could letting my true mate walk away from me ever be the best thing?”

  “Not for you, but for her. She doesn’t understand our way of life and thinking. Some time apart might show her what she’s missing.”

  Even if he was right, I couldn’t think about that option at the moment. I already knew Cait leaving would break me. My wolves would have a real reason to question my sanity then.

  I’d tried to hold off having the meeting until Cait was better, but Vaughn convinced me that the longer I waited, the worse things would get. Unfortunately, he’d been right.

  Two full days after Kyle had shown up unannounced, half of the pack was ready to throw Cait out. It didn’t matter to them that she had a mark from our creator. She was not our equal and more importantly, she was unknown—something that instilled fear into most shifters.

  I didn’t blame them. My first reaction to Cait had been the same, and I continued to try to remember that, so I didn’t become angry with them. I’d once let the fear convince me she would be nothing other than trouble, but the other shifters didn’t have a bond to her like I did. Moving past their reservations wasn’t going to be an easy thing.

  We had nearly one-hundred-fifty members in our pack, including pups, within a thirty-mile radius. When I called the meeting, I expected about a third of them to show up, considering we always recorded the meetings and emailed the videos afterward.

  I’d been shown how important Cait’s presence was to the shifters when I arrived at the training field. We had no indoor area that was big enough to hold everyone, and there were clusters of shifters standing around when I got there.

  “You have your work cut out for you, boss,” Vaughn said, meeting me at the wooden platform he’d helped set up.

  “Did you at least warm them up for me?” I asked.

  Vaughn nodded. “You know I like my foreplay.”

  The comment caught me by surprise—even though it really shouldn’t have—and I nearly choked from the sudden laughter.

  He patted me on the back. “That’s better. You needed to lighten up a little. They’re going to sense your tension, and that won’t help anything.”

  “Thanks, Vaughn. For everything you’ve been taking care of since Cait arrived,” I said sincerely.

  “You know I got your back, bro. Now get up and calm the masses.” Vaughn smacked me on my ass before shoving me forward.

  When I stepped onto the stage, I waited until the crowd quieted before speaking, taking the extra few seconds to check on Cait since Embry had stayed home with her.

  How are things going? I asked Embry through our wolf connection.

  She’s fine, lover boy. Still sleeping. Now leave me alone. I’m watching a movie.

  Grabbing the microphone from the stand, I cleared my throat. “Thank you all for coming. First, I’d like to apologize for not doing this sooner. I know there have been a lot of questions, and we’ve tried to answer them individually, but I see now that wasn’t the best way to go about our current situation.

  “As you all know, when I came back from my vacation, a new addition arrived at the same time. Her name is Cait Jones. She was born human but has been marked by our creator. Some of you might have heard about the Luna Marked, some not. Either way, we understand how not knowing more about our guest has caused tension within the pack.”

  “But she’s not our guest. She’s your mate, right? You have a human mate,” Jerome said from the front.

  “It is true my wolf has claimed Cait as our mate. It’s also true that she was human, but the moment she became marked, that ceased to be the case,” I said.

  “Does she have a wolf then?” he pressed.

  “No, but she does have an energy within her that she has been learning to channel. As time goes on, I suspect Cait will be just as strong as us, even if she doesn’t have a wolf spirit within her,” I answered, hoping they would all focus on the strength portion of my comment.

  “Except we don’t know for sure. Others will be curious about your mate. What do you plan to do if people start sniffing around? What was Kyle doing here?” Trish asked next.

  Those two questions went together, whether I liked it or not, and I knew I was going to have to address them. I’d just hoped to get there on my own instead of being interrogated.

  “Kyle was here asking about the Tuttle property. I’ve denied his request. He did meet Cait, and we told him she was just passing through. He doesn’t know what she is, and we hope to keep it that way for the time being. As for others coming around, we have increased the security system around our land here and will be watching for anyone uninvited.

  “I would also like to ask that the pack keep their eyes and ears out. Even if you’re not tasked with guard duties, we are still family, and Cait’s arrival shouldn’t change that. I know that the unknown is unnerving, but I promise you that I am doing everything in my power to keep you all safe. That remains a top priority for me.”

  I scanned the crowd and was met with disapproving frowns. It didn’t appear as if I was getting through to any of them. This was not going well.

  “How can we expect you to keep us safe when your mate is a liability?” someone from the back yelled, and I didn’t catch who it was.

  “A group of us are actively working with Cait to ensure she learns how to protect herself, and we are researching the Luna Marked to make sure we understand what her power means for the rest of us,” I answered.

  “If she’s your mate, why is she staying with Embry?” Jerome asked from the front again.

  “Cait didn’t grow up learning about the meaning of true mates. It’s going to take her some time to acclimate to our ways.” Jesus, they weren’t holding anything back. My private life was on attack, and there wasn’t a damned thing I could do about it without upsetting a majority of them.

  “And if she never acclimates? What then? We’ve let a stranger into our home who’s learned things about us that she has no right to know. You’re putting us all in danger, Roman,” Jerome said loudly.

  He was going on my list of wolves to keep an eye on. I was all for being transparent, but his questions were boarding on insubordinate.

  “This is the last set of questions I will answer. I understand your fears and I respect them, but I am still your alpha. You need to trust that I will make the right choice for the best of the pack. Fate would not have matched me to Cait if she wasn’t going to make me a better alpha. Remember who we are, what we come from, and the true meaning behind mates before you judge Cait so harshly. It is not her fault she is in this situation. She did not ask for it, and if you took the time to see things from her perspective, you’d know she was handling all of this amazingly well,” I said, pausing before I answered questions I really shouldn’t need to.

  Nobody else argued with my statements, so I continued, “If you think I haven’t thought about Cait rejecting our way of life, then you’re wrong. As I said before, I am always considering the pack as a whole. If Cait chooses not to stay here, then we will have her memory wiped. There is no risk of her sharing anything she’s learned so far, and wolves will remain safe within our territory.”

  “And the risk to you?” a different voice yelled from the back.

  “As I already stated, I’m not answering any other questions. I need you all to trust me to make the right decision, not only for myself, but the pack as well. If I’ve lost your trust, then you’re welcome to see me in private to voice any further concerns. For now, the subject is closed. I expect you all to either treat Cait with respect or stay away from her while we figure things out. Even though we’re not bonded, she is still my mate and your potential future alpha female.

  “When we learn anything in regard to Cait’s mark, I will update you all, because I believe that is pertinent information for everyone. Anything outside of what she is capable of is none of anyone’s business. If you have any further concerns or questions that don’t require immediate action, direct them to my email or to Vaughn and we will handle them as quickly as we can. Thank you all for coming here, and I hope this meeting has helped you understand a little more about my mate.” I put the microphone back in its spot and stepped away.

  I didn’t for one moment believe that the meeting had gone well. I could force my way into their thoughts, but it wasn’t necessary. There wasn’t a single person who had come to Cait’s defense, and that said all I needed to know.

  The pack wanted her gone, but that wasn’t going to happen. She was mine, and I wasn’t letting her go unless she asked.

  25

  Cait

  Three days passed before I was able to get out of bed. By the time my body didn’t feel like it had been run over any longer, I was experiencing full-on cabin fever. Embry, Roman, and Ramona had all taken turns spending time with me, and Serene had checked in twice, but it wasn’t the same as leaving the house.

  On top of all that, I’d had a near-constant headache, which made reading nonexistent. Being sick was officially my least favorite thing.

  I walked out of my bedroom, freshly showered and feeling human with no fever and only minor aches. Embry was grabbing her bag from the hook, and I practically attacked her.

  My hands wrapped around her shoulders, and I spun her toward me. “Where are you going?”

  She didn’t seem the least bit fazed. “To work. You’re supposed to be in bed. I only let you take a shower because I was beginning to smell you from the living room.”

  I sighed. Heavily. “Feel my head. The fever is gone. I need to get out of here. If you don’t take me with you, then I’ll just leave when you’re gone.”

  Embry peeled my fingers away. “You’re a pain in my ass.”

  “But you love me anyway, so you’re not going to make this harder than it needs to be.” I grinned, because I knew she had no argument. I might not be back to normal, but was there even such a thing as normal anymore? I didn’t think so.

  “Fine, but I need to tell you something,” she said, shifting her feet while avoiding eye contact.

  I shook my head. “Not now, please. Just give me this one day before everything goes back to weird wolfy things. I just want one regular day.”

  After spending so much time with myself, I knew that I had to reevaluate my thinking. Yes, I wanted my freedom and free will, but Beatrix had made me think a little harder about how I needed to go about things.

  Just because I was in the pack didn’t mean I had to have a bond with Roman. I was smart enough to realize that the only way I could be safe back out in the world was if I stuck around long enough to get myself under control.

  Serene had mentioned having me come by when I was feeling better so we could work together again. With as old as she was and the fact that she was the historian, I didn’t think it would be smart to turn her down.

  Today, I wanted as much normalcy as I could get. Then, first thing tomorrow, I’d be going to Serene’s while Embry worked. Even though I’d have preferred my best friend to be the one training me, she had an important role in the pack herself. I didn’t want to be a distraction to her.

  Embry seemed hesitant to keep her thoughts to herself. “Is what you want to say life or death?” I asked.

  “Not that I’m aware of,” she replied.

  “Then, it can wait.” My eyes pleaded with her to agree.

  She grabbed my hand. “I repeat, you’re a pain in my ass.”

  I didn’t bother to reply. I knew she was right, but she also knew I needed this. Hopefully, after she was done doing whatever was required in the office, we’d be able to go do something fun. Maybe go out to dinner or something human. I needed that more than anything.

  We got in the jeep, and I enjoyed the sunshine soaking into my skin as she drove the short distance to the mill. My eyes closed as hair whipped around my face, and I let my hand bounce around in the wind. As we slowed down, I tamed my strands and took in the mill.

  It was busier than the last time we’d been there. More trucks were waiting for loads of supplies, and people, most likely shifters, moved about like a well-oiled machine. Embry guided me into the main store entrance, and we headed straight to her office, which was already remodeled.

  Vaughn sat with his feet on top of his new metal desk. “About time you showed your face around here. I was going to recommend you be relieved of duties.”

  The room was a soft yellow like I’d previously suggested with a black silhouette painting covering the whole left side of the room. A large moon took up the center with trees all around and wolves placed casually along rolling hills. It didn’t seem unnatural or call attention to anything supernatural.

  Embry grunted. “You touched my stuff.”

  “You weren’t here to move it yourself, and I warned you I was changing things up,” Vaughn replied, dropping his feet to the floor and getting up.

  “Yeah, well, I was a little busy,” Embry huffed. Busy because of me, but I didn’t feel too bad. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been able to work while I was sick.

  Vaughn stalked toward me, a grin on his face. “You’re causing all sorts—”

  A stapler came an inch from breaking Vaughn’s nose, and he turned toward Embry as he caught it. “That won’t go unpunished.”

  Embry laughed, but it sounded forced. “Get over it.”

  Vaughn nodded and sat back down as tension fell over the room. “I guess I’ll just sit here and look pretty. You’re lucky it’s not a hardship on my behalf.”

  I chuckled, and Embry glared at me, but I ignored her. I liked Vaughn. He kept things light and fun and made me forget all the shit going on. I wished Embry was attracted to him. I could see them being good together.

  Embry sorted through the papers I assumed Vaughn had left on her desk. She used a red pen and marked all over them, mumbling words I was probably better not hearing. Vaughn’s smile, on the other hand, got bigger the more she grumbled.

  “Want to play tic-tac-toe?” Vaughn asked me.

  “Sure,” I replied, moving my chair to his desk.

  “Traitor,” Embry complained, but I was bored and didn’t care.

  We played too many rounds to count before Embry was done. I kicked his ass the first half-dozen games until he figured out my trick, and the rest of the rounds ended in a tie.

  “I need Vaughn to show me one of the loads that isn’t right. We’ll be gone maybe ten minutes. Don’t leave this room. Do you understand?” Embry said, her face creased with worry.

  “I think I can manage to keep myself entertained for that long,” I replied, not understanding why she was so tense.

  “Good.” She smacked Vaughn on the back of the head. “Let’s go.”

  The two of them left, and I began to doodle on the paper we’d been using for the child’s game. Too bad I hadn’t thought to bring my phone. I never was able to finish the book that had finally started getting good.

  Vaughn had left the door cracked when they went out the back and the saws were going. I tried to ignore the sound, but it was grating on my nerves after a couple minutes. When I closed the door, the noise became a dull roar.

  Poking around the room, I didn’t find anything interesting, and only another minute had passed. I leaned back in Embry’s chair, staring at the ceiling until I couldn’t take it anymore.

  When I glanced at the clock, it had only been four minutes since Embry and Vaughn disappeared. I’d been cooped up in my room for too long, and the need to be outside was driving me nearly crazy.

  I peeked out the back door and didn’t see anyone. Given I knew nothing about the mill, I decided to wait out front instead, then scribbled a note to them and left it on Embry’s desk.

  Going into the store front, I noticed Chloe, the cashier from before, was stocking shelves. I snuck past her and slid quietly out the front door.

  A breeze brushed against my skin, and I sighed. “This is so much better.”

  Embry’s jeep wasn’t locked, so I headed there. I didn’t want to freak her out by leaving the parking lot. The sun was out, but with the wind, the heat wasn’t as unbearable as it had been the first few days I’d been here.