Chapter 5
Rance stopped once he got to the top of the stairs and closed his eyes, his senses focused on locating Gwen.
He inhaled at Draven’s door, which was right across the hall from his, but scented only females that weren’t familiar to him.
He scented the guest bathroom between Draven’s and Niko’s room, again, only scenting a female he didn’t know.
Niko’s room reeked of just Niko, and only Izzie’s and Bella’s rooms were at the end of the hallway.
Rance moved slowly back toward the guest suite and his room closer to the stairs leading from downstairs to the second floor.
He stopped at the guest suite and leaned close to the door, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled, searching for the unique scent that was only Gwen’s.
When it hit him, he almost went to his knees.
He braced his hands against the door, inhaling so deeply over and over again, he was actually dizzy.
He pressed his ear to the door and listened carefully, smiling as he heard her voice as she sang a lullabye to her sons.
He could hear the rustling of the bedding as the boys tossed and turned, then finally their steady, even breaths as they drifted off to sleep.
His Lion picked up the sound of someone coming upstairs and quickly moved toward his own bedroom suite, turning the knob, but not quite opening it.
Bonnie came around the corner and stopped when she saw him standing there. “Hey, Rance. You might want to knock before you go in there. I’ve got a lady taking a shower in your bathroom, remember?”
“Aw, crap! Yeah, I remember now. I almost gave her a fright. Glad you came up.”
“She won’t be long. I’m sure she’ll be down right after. The only rooms I actually assigned are the guest room and Draven’s. Who by the way told me that you said your house is available if we need it.”
“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll just stay in my room here, and you can let somebody stay in my house — you can get more in it than my room here, if there’s not enough room for everyone, until there is more space available.”
“Thanks, that’s very generous.”
“Having some private space to decompress can make a huge difference,” Rance said.
“True. Jack is going to handle logistics once everyone is rested and better able to think straight a little later today.”
“I’ll go and grab a few things and make sure it’s not a disaster for anybody walking into it looking for a calming place to be,” Rance said.
“Thank you,” Bonnie said. But she continued standing there and watching Rance.
Rance stood there watching Bonnie.
“You, uh, you said you assigned the guest rooms and Draven’s room?” he asked.
“I did. There are two ladies and their kids staying in Draven’s room, and Gwen and her sons are in the room next door to you. Is that okay with you?” she asked, canting her head slightly as she watched him closely.
“Reigna, it’s your house, whatever you want is fine with me.”
“Maybe I should offer Gwen and her sons your house…”
“No! I think right beside me is the best place. I’ll pay special attention to them and make sure they know they’re safe and protected at all times.”
“You’re sure?” she asked, a small smile playing at the corner of her mouth.
“Very. I think near me is the best place.”
“Alright, if you’re sure it’s not putting you out.”
“Not at all. In fact, I’ll go grab some clothes and things I’ll need and get my house ready for whoever you think it would best serve. I won’t be long.”
“We’ll see you when you get back.”
Rance nodded and moved toward the steps as Bonnie went to knock softly on the guest suite door. Rance couldn’t help himself, he moved a few steps toward Bonnie, keeping himself to the wall across from his room and the guest suite.
The door opened and Bonnie spoke. “I thought you might want this. We don’t use it anymore since the girls are older, but it was priceless when they were your boys’ ages.”
“A monitor! Perfect! I can actually move around and see to my responsibilities while they’re napping,” Gwen said, still holding the same blanket wrapped around herself like a poncho she’d been draped in since everyone had made it up the mountain.
Then her expression became clouded and her mood shifted.
Her gaze came up from the baby monitor she held in her hands to meet Bonnie’s gaze.
“I don’t have any responsibilities anymore. I’m not Reigna.”
“You don’t know that. And your people will always see you as Regina.
They’ll always look to you for guidance.
Only now you don’t have to be so sheltered and structured anymore.
You have the freedom to decide what you want and what is best for your babies.
And we have the privilege of sheltering you while you figure out what is next. ”
Gwen smiled sadly. “You are so relaxed in your place. I never felt that I could be. I envy you that.”
“It’s because I’ve grown up in this Pride. They all know me — I’m just Bonnie. I don’t have to prove who I am. I kind of get the feeling that you might have had to earn your place?” Bonnie said.
“It was an arranged marriage, designed for political purposes, but I loved him deeply. The only people I had to win over were his people when I first arrived.”
“Ah! See? You’re like some kind of nobility, having to be perfect at all times. We’re not that formal, and thankfully so. Maybe now you don’t have to be either?” Bonnie said, but phrased it as more of a question.
Gwen smiled again, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I guess we’ll see.”
“There’s plenty of time,” Bonnie said.
“There is that. Would you mind showing me how to use this monitor?”
“Sure,” Bonnie said, stepping into the room when Gwen opened the door wider. “I could take a look at that side, too. I see you’re still favoring it.”
“It’s fine. I have it wrapped.”
Gwen moved to close the door behind Bonnie, but movement in the hallway caught her attention. She focused on the male standing near the staircase, her gaze locking with Rance’s.
He stood perfectly still, not moving at all as he watched her.
She took a long, slow breath, then let it out as her gaze remained locked with Rance’s. She inclined her head briefly to show that she saw him before she closed the door.
~~~
Rance rushed down the stairs and past the kitchen, only stopping and coming back when he realized Jack was in the kitchen. “I’m going to clean my house up real quick and grab some clothes.”
“Gwen moving in there?”
“No! It’s not big enough. Well, yeah, it’s home, but…” he stopped and thought about it. “I mean, not now. She’s in the bedroom next to mine upstairs, but I’m going to clean up my house so somebody else can use it for now if they need it.”
“Sounds good,” Jack said.
Rance headed toward the front door again, then stopped and looked back at Jack where he’d stepped out of the kitchen and was watching him with a slightly amused look on his face while he sipped his coffee.
“Something else?” Jack asked.
“Are you going to stay here until I get back?” Rance asked.
“I was going out to speak to the males of the Gamieyon Pride to see what information they may have.”
“What if I bring them to you?” Rance asked. “Maybe you could stay here until I get back?”
Jack grinned. “Would you like me to stay here until you get back?”
“If you could, please, Alpha,” Rance asked.
Jack’s head tilted slightly. It had been a long time since Rance addressed him as Alpha. It wasn’t a problem, it was just that it gave Jack an indication of just how far off kilter Rance was at this point in time. “Of course. You’re my best friend, you don’t even need to ask.”
“Keep her, I mean… them…” Rance looked at Jack, knowing what he needed, but not finding the right way to say it.
“Everyone under this roof, under all our roofs, on this mountain, will be kept safe,” Jack said.
“Thank you, Alpha,” Rance said. He reached for the doorknob of the front door and pulled the door open.
“Rance?”
Rance looked back at Jack.
“Your home is perfect for you, but it’s very, very small.”
“Yes,” Rance said.
“Maybe get with Titus sometime soon after he finishes with the rushed houses we’re throwing up for those requesting sanctuary, and discuss plans to renovate it, or even build a new one. Whatever you’d prefer. Something that can accommodate a growing family.”
Rance smiled at Jack. He nodded, then bolted through the door, not even closing it behind himself.
Jack walked over and closed the door, locking the doorknob when he did, then went back to the kitchen to serve himself some of the buffet the females of his Pride had laid out for Gwen and her people. It wasn’t long before Bonnie joined him.
“Where is everybody?” she asked.
“The females went home to see about their own families. They said they’ll be back in a few hours,” Jack said.
“I’m really glad you’re home. I missed you so much,” Bonnie said.
“You have no idea how badly I wanted to get home. I am so looking forward to climbing in bed and holding you all night while I catch up on some sleep.”
“Same. I don’t sleep well when you’re not here.”
He kissed her and held her tight. Then he glanced around himself. “You have any idea on where we’re going to put everybody?” Jack asked.
“Not really. I just know we’ve got some new places ready, and if we need it Rance said his place is available, too.
“I think we have enough available for everybody. Some of the females will have to share for now, but they’ll have their own places soon enough.”
“Yeah, and like you said, we’ll put the guys with some of our guys. It’ll be fine.”
It wasn’t long until loud, insistent footsteps came down the steps.
Their daughters came downstairs completely unaware that anyone else was in their house.
They reached the bottom of the steps and glanced to their left into the family room, and came to a sudden stop when they saw all the kids sleeping on their sofa and on the soft, thick carpet of the family room.
“Momma!” Izzie shouted.