Chapter 7
Unexpected
Duroc wasn’t sure what Damon was
looking for or what was happening now. It seemed it centered around
Bindi’s old pack and her family. This family that she knew little
about. He’d told her she might find out more about them, but he’d
not meant this way. She was upset and that was clear.
“Do you think she could be alive?”
Bindi asked.
“They may have let her give birth then
banished her.”
“To what end?”
“I don’t understand it either.” Duroc
admitted. “The leaders of this pack operate against the
rules.”
“What do the rules mean if no one has
to follow them?”
He couldn’t answer that, There was
also nothing he could do about it. They sat near Damon and Marissa
where they could talk if they wanted to. Bindi pulled out her
reader and put in ear plugs. It was clear she didn’t want to talk
right now to anyone. Duroc leaned back in his chair and went to
sleep.
A flight attendant came by and gave
them lunch about halfway there. Maybe his mate had calmed down by
now. “You, okay?”
“I’m fine. They never told me much and
it’s hard to deal with a history you don’t know anything about.”
Bindi admitted.
“I can understand that.”
“Do you know what’s going
on?”
“No one told me either. All I can
guess is something is happening with your old pack.” Duroc
suggested.
“That’s what I’m thinking
too.”
“We’ll know once we get there. I’d bet
on that.”
“Do I even want to know? I don’t think
so.”
“Damon said you didn’t have to have
anything to do with them.”
“True, but what if my mom is alive?”
Bindi asked. “Then what do I do?”
“Even if she is alive, they might not
find her.”
Bindi laughed. “Tyne would find her
fast. But Damon has mad skills too.”
“We’ll be there before long then
hopefully someone will share what’s going on.” Duroc
assessed.
“How long?”
“I think a little over an
hour.”
Bindi made a face. He could see her
lack of patience, but he could do nothing about it. They all had to
wait until they arrived. Why Damon was starting out with his pack
wasn’t clear, but he felt Bindi and he had something to do with
it.
They both took a nap. When they woke
it was to an announcement that they were about to land. Things
would get going now. The plane came in for a perfect landing. This
plane was an old one bought off an airline once they were done with
it. Being uncomfortable had been enough to deal with. At least Tyne
had a good pilot. Tyne had finally dove in and bought the plane off
his friend, maybe because he was retiring, and the plane was put up
for sale.
Bindi noticed they were nowhere near
the airport buildings. “Hey, I need to change and freshen
up.”
“Why?” Duroc asked
clueless.
“Are your parents picking us
up?”
“Of course, they are.”
“And you need to ask why?”
“Just come with me. I need to freshen
up too.” Marissa suggested.
Damon was smart and said nothing.
There was a small room at the back of the plane not far behind
where they sat. The others were unloading so they slipped to the
back with their purses and there was just enough room to change and
freshen up.
“You look wonderful.” Marissa
observed.
“You always look great.”
“Thank you. I don’t always feel that
way.”
“Are you saying all that confidence
you ooze is just a front?” Bindi asked.
“The confidence is a weapon. I know I
have some skills and I know Damon will support me. You have skills
too and a mate that will do the same.”
Bindi knew she was right. She followed
Marissa out where their mates waited for them. Damon led with
Marissa behind him then Duroc with her bringing up the rear. The
aisle wasn’t made for more than one person to navigate at a time.
As Bindi stood at the top of the stairs that would take her to the
ground, she had a feeling her life was about to be ripped
apart.
His parents stood in front of a
stretch limo. Tyne and Moe were already talking to them. They’d
been at the front of the plane. Moe had been copilot and she wasn’t
sure where Tyne had been exactly. He’d not made the announcements
which meant they’d had a pilot.
They were headed to where his parents
stood, and he had his arm around her as much in a claiming way as a
protective one. It made her feel safe and loved. His dad looked a
lot like him and not much older. His mom was pretty and looked
Bindi’s age. That couldn’t be since she had several grown
sons.
Everyone stopped talking and watched
them approach. “Mom, Dad this is Bindi my mate.” Duroc
introduced.
“Nice to meet both of you.” Bindi said
with a nod. She had no idea how to handle this.
His mom didn’t worry about that. She
rushed up to her and hugged her shocking her to death, but she
hugged her back. “You can just call me Mom if you want.”
Duroc’s dad seemed happy to meet her
too. “It’s a pleasure.” He said with a nod.
Maybe he thought even a dad could set
off a newly mated male. Bindi wasn’t sure if that was true or not,
but maybe he was wise to play it safe.
“Let’s get everyone to our place.” The
alpha said and they all loaded up.
It was like a convoy as they headed
out with the limo at the front and several large SUVs full of
personnel behind them. He was happy the meeting between his parents
and his mate was done. Things would be better now. His mate no
longer had to worry about the meeting. They would have other things
to worry about.
The convoy arrived and they all got
out. Tyne’s people were led to the guest houses and other places
guests went. Damon, Marissa, Tyne, and Moe went with his parents
and Bindi and him. They went in the main house. Their group went
into the living room where everyone sat down.
“You know why I’m here.” Damon
observed.
“I do. The pack down south is a
multiple offender of the basic rules.” His father, Calvin,
explained.
“What action will you take to bring
them in line?” Tyne asked.
“They hope someone who was wronged or
even someone representing them will fight to take the pack.” Damon
explained.
Duroc knew what that meant
immediately. Someone was hoping he’d fight for the position of
alpha. He wouldn’t mind beating the hell out of the asshole who had
mistreated his mate, but he didn’t think she wanted to be an
alpha’s mate. Glancing at her, he saw she was figuring things out.
This was a surprise to her. Bindi was working something out in her
mind, but he kept his mouth shut. His mate would make this decision
not him.
Northern Oregon would be close to home
for him, and this was home for Bindi even if she never claimed it.
If she wanted this, he was all in. Tramp and Petie visited his
father sometimes in southern Oregon so they would have friends not
too far away. Tramp and Petie were along for this ride too. Now he
knew why.
It seemed they were trying to gather
potential players in this political game. If they dealt with things
according to their laws, the council wouldn’t have to do anything.
The fact that Bindi had the alpha family’s blood in her made her
case even more solid. If two local alphas supported this action,
Tramp’s dad and Duroc’s dad, no one could question
things.
The alphas in the two packs above and
below, never took part in anything. He’d heard rumors about them
too so this would let them know to behave or else. But would they?
This rogue alpha they were dealing with now had been warned but
refused to believe this applied to him. One way or the other, the
council would soon see him dealt with.
Why Duroc and Bindi? Looking at things
neutrally, he saw they were the best qualified. Not only by blood,
but he was a fully trained alpha, his dad had said so often since
he’d seen to that training. Duroc could fight. Although he always
had, he was better due to Tyne’s training.
Bindi was qualified by blood. She also
associated with the white wolves, and they looked out after their
own. Working with Tyne made it clear she could fight, at least in
human form and she was able to get along with most people. Had they
been less qualified, the council might have looked for someone
else. Maybe they even had been until they heard he’d mated
Bindi.
Gold wolves weren’t revered as white
and red ones were, but they were respected as no one knew if they
were capable of something more. They were always capable and
successful, but hid any possible talents so people wondered if they
had magic as the other two colors did.
Duroc looked at Bindi. Yeah, he could
see she’d figured things out. He couldn’t tell what her thinking
was. Damon was looking at him. Actually, they all were.
“When was all this decided? The moment
we mated?”
Damon had the nerve to smile. Marissa,
on the other hand looked at Bindi with a serious
expression.
“Do you need to speak to your mate?”
Marissa asked.
Bindi looked up and her eyes met
Duroc’s. He was uncertain about what to do. “Do you want to go see
our room?”
“Why not?”
Duroc led her away. He hadn’t the
slightest idea where her head was at on this. Bindi might not even
be sure about this herself. She had so much happen so soon that he
didn’t believe she’d managed to keep up with it.
“I’m sure you know what they’re
talking about?” He asked as he closed their room door.
“They want you to fight the alpha for
the pack.”
“Yes, because of how he treated
you.”
“My knight in shining armor? Isn’t
this to the death?” Bindi asked.
“Usually. It doesn’t have to
be.”
“You may decide not to kill him, but
that guy is a monster. He’ll kill you in the blink of an
eye.”
“I know. You may be surprised to know
he’d prefer to be killed if he loses.” Duroc explained.
“Why?”
“He’ll go to the council’s prison with
no hope of getting out.”
“Okay, even I understand
that.”
“This is a hard decision, but I can be
a pack alpha or take the job my dad has for me. The question is how
do you feel about being the pack bitch?”
“Do they really call it that?” Bindi
asked.
“They do unless they find the lady in
question doesn’t like it. This is your home we’re talking about,