Chapter 10
TEN
Crew
Everyone is already gathered when Vera and I walk into the Alphas’ office a few minutes later. Everyone in this room is either an Alpha, or one of the first responders who work in the Twisted Oak Pack. I look around the table, taking in everyone’s steely faces.
Logan and Harris, the pack’s firefighters, are whispering to each other about something, but everyone else’s eyes are locked on Vera and me. Tucker smiles, knowing that I’ve already made up with my mate, but the rest all look a little suspicious. I’ll have to put their minds at ease. Miles and Jensen, two EMTs, seem to relax as they see how I’m acting with Vera, and my bear starts to relax when we see that no one in this room is a threat to our mate.
I nod at my friends and pull out a chair for Vera next to Logan. He smiles at her, and I see my mate start to relax as I take a seat next to Miles.
“It’s nice to meet you, Vera,” Griffin says. “I’m just sorry that it’s under these conditions.”
Vera nods at the Alpha and swallows hard.
“I’m sorry for all of the trouble that my dad and brother have been causing,” she starts.
“It’s not your fault,” Ryker assures her, and she nods.
“It feels…like I could have done more. I should have tried to stop them somehow.”
“I doubt that you could,” Tucker says. “They seem…determined.”
“They are,” she agrees.
“Why?” Harris asks.
“I don’t know. My best guess is that they’re pissed that they were kicked out of this pack when the Alphas came here and took over. It was embarrassing that they were dethroned in front of everyone. I thought that maybe they were trying to prove their strength by taking back this pack or at least the land.”
“I had forgotten all about that,” Griffin murmurs, and I nod.
“Me too. It’s been years.”
The Twisted Oak Pack used to be a really sketchy pack. There were a bunch of criminals here, either hiding out or working for the Alpha. When Ryker and Griffin came to town and took it over, they kicked all of the bad seeds out and really turned this place around.
I’m not surprised that Vera’s dad and brother haven’t moved on. They were always known for holding grudges.
“It got worse when you guys kept Nori. Her uncle is close with my dad and brother, and they took it as a major slight. They’re pissed, and they want her back and this pack.”
“Like hell. They’re never getting their hands on my mate,” Tucker snarls.
“No, they’re not,” Griffin agrees.
“They’ve made threats, and I’ve seen some papers. They have borders of this town’s land and some blueprints for places in town. I’m not sure what they have planned. Just that they have that stuff.”
“We need to handle this. Hit them before they come after us,” Harris says, looking pissed.
“We can’t. That would start a war,” Ryker argues.
“They want a war!” Tucker snaps, still furious about them coming after his mate.
“I know, but I don’t want to give it to them. We need to try to talk to them. Maybe we can see what they have planned, in order to stop it.”
“It won’t be any use,” Vera says. “They can’t be reasoned with.”
“We still need to try. We need to exhaust every option before we start a war and endanger all of our pack members’ lives,” Griffin says.
I nod, and I can see that no one is happy about what the Alphas have decided, but they agree. I agree with Vera, though. They can’t be reasoned with, and I think that it’s just a matter of time before we have to fight back.
“Thanks for telling us all of this, Vera,” Ryker says, and she nods.
“If you hear from them again,” Griffin starts, but my mate shakes her head.
“I won’t. I told them that I wouldn’t spy for them and that I had found my mate here, and they cut me off. They won’t reach out again.”
I squeeze her hand, and she looks at me.
“Well, you have a new pack and a new family here,” Tucker tells her, and all of my friends nod.
“Thank you,” she says softly.
I squeeze her hand again, and then I stand and pull Vera up beside me.
“We’re headed home. Let me know if anything else happens,” I say as I turn to leave.
“Will do,” Griffin says, and I tug Vera down the hall and out to my car.
I open the door for her and then crouch down next to her.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“They were all so nice. It’s crazy that my pack hates them and thinks of them like the enemy when they were so nice.”
“They have to twist it in their heads to justify doing what they want,” I tell her, and she nods.
“I know. It still sucks.”
“I know. I’m sorry that you were cut off.”
“I’m not. I never wanted to go back there. It’s like I told you. I was looking for an escape. If you hadn’t been my mate, I would have only stayed here long enough to save up some more money, and then I would have disappeared.”
“Do you not want to live here?” I ask and my bear paws at me.
We want our mate to be happy, and I know that we would move without a thought to ensure that.
“I love it here. It feels like home. I just wish that it wasn’t so close to my dad and brother or the Red Fog Pack.”
“Me too, but we’ll take care of them. You’ll be safe here. I promise.”
She nods and I squeeze her hands.
“I love you, Vera. I’m sorry that I didn’t trust you earlier. I should have given you a chance to explain.”
“It’s okay. I messed up too. I should have told you when we first met.”
“I promise to always listen in the future. I’ll always trust you and protect you.”
“And I’ll always trust and protect you,” she whispers.
I smile and lean in, brushing my lips against hers.
“I love you, mate,” I whisper against her lips.
“I love you too,” she whispers back, smiling against my mouth.
“Now, let’s go home.”
She nods, and I kiss her once more before I stand and head around the car. I climb behind the wheel and take Vera’s hand in mine as we head home. My bear is happy and settled inside of me now that we’re alone with our mate, and I smile as he looks lovingly at her.
Things might still be tense between us and the Red Fog Pack, but at least my mate and I are alright. We’ll deal with her old pack soon. For now, I’m going to enjoy being with my fated mate.