Chapter 4
TARIA
As I am waiting to be summoned before the Shifter Council, I feel my nerves starting to get the better of me. I’ve seen the council at Blood Pearl Pack in the past, but they were always there to have dealings with my mother, never me.
You are strong. Don’t let them take the lead.
‘I hear you, Maya, but it’s not that easy. I want to appear strong so they don’t put obstacles in the way of me going to the Eclipse Pack and Bronze.’
Don’t appear strong. Be strong.
Hearing my name spoken, I look up and see Councilman Flint standing by the Alpha’s office door.
“Taria, please join us.” Flint waits for me to proceed him into the office, and gestures to a chair at the table that Alpha Connell uses for his formal meetings.
The council members, Flint, Porter, Lykos, Roman, and Cinder, all introduce themselves formally, smiling and nodding. I must look a little puzzled, so Flint explains that not all council members are present. I certainly remember there being more when they came to the Blood Pearl Pack. There was one female member that my mother used to rant about whenever the council was mentioned. I wonder which she is?
“Taria, we visit all packs and especially when new leaders are emerging. As the Shifter Council, we try to encourage the best traits we can from each new Alpha, or Luna to benefit not only the individual packs but also the kingdom as a whole. The kingdom remains strong and safe for all when the packs are in harmony,” Flint recites this as though it has been said a million times before, and it probably has.
“Ladies and gentlemen, let me assure you that not only do I have my mother’s strength running in my veins, but also my father’s compassion. That does not make me a tyrant nor a pushover. In the last few months, I have seen that I was unaware of responsibilities that I could, no… should have taken onboard to assist in the running of the pack.” Taking the time to look each council member in the eye, I continue. “While being here, Luna Hope has opened my eyes further to simple acts that enhance the pack's morale, and their bond with each other. I have no doubt that with each Luna I visit, I will find things that will help me become the Luna that I’m expected to be, both for the Eclipse pack and my mate, Alpha Heir Bronze.”
The next hour involves the council members asking me questions, giving me scenarios and them giving lots of umm’s and ahh’s. Councilman Flint is supportive of me throughout, and Councilman Lykos says very little but watches me like a hawk the whole time with an occasional grin.
I am surprised by the questions that are put forward, as they are far more insightful and not as personal as I was expecting. When they have exhausted their questions, I thank them for their time and ask several questions of my own. How did my answers compare to their expectations? Was there anything else they needed to clarify? Would I get feedback on this experience, and would each member care to give me their own thoughts of the meeting, rather than just a simple, ‘It went well’ or ‘It could have gone better.’
Being escorted from the room by Councilman Flint, he asks if I would join him for lunch? He would be free in just a few moments and would be pleased if I would sit with him. Agreeing, I walk into the canteen area and find a quiet spot to wait for him.
Someone throwing themselves into the chair next to me has me letting out a little squeal and I turn to see Luna Hope. Eyes as wide as an owl’s she starts to fire questions at me so fast that I can’t possibly answer her. When she finally stops to draw breath, I can’t help but burst out laughing.
“I have no clue what you’ve just asked me, Hope. The questions came so fast I don’t know a single thing you said.”
“Well, I want to know everything, of course.” Luna Hope’s excitement is interrupted as Councilman Flint asks if he can join us.
As he takes a seat, Hope jumps up to leave, but I grab her arm and pull her back into her seat. “I’m not worried that you hear anything that Councilman Flint has to say, Luna Hope. What I’ve learned since being here has only been positive, so any negativity won’t reflect badly on you.”
“First of all, Taria, let’s dispense with the Councilman title when we’re not being formal. The meeting went on longer than any of us expected, but in a purely positive way. Your answers were more in-depth than we expected, and this led to more questions being asked than normal. Lykos thinks that you and his daughter, Tati, will become great friends. He believes that you are so alike that you could be sisters.”
“He didn’t say much, but I was aware of how he observed me throughout, and he kept having a sly grin at some of the points I raised,” looking from Flint to Hope to see what reaction they had to this.
“He said that some of your clarifications could have come straight from Tati’s mouth, and he grinned when he recognized her frustration in you, too.” Flint was also grinning as he passed this information on.
“Oh, I’m so relieved that it all went well. Not that I didn’t expect it to, but when you’re in front of the council, they can be so cold and impersonal sometimes.” Realizing that she’s saying this in front of one of them has Hope blushing furiously. “I have to get back to work,” she squeaks, jumps up, and runs into the kitchen.
Flint laughs as he watches her back disappear and says, “She is such a good Luna you can’t help but love her, even if she thinks I’m cold.
“You have impressed the council greatly, Taria. We have no doubt that unless something serious happens to throw you off track, you’ll be a great addition to the Eclipse pack and an excellent mate to Bronze.” Flint tilts his head to one side before uttering his next words. “Umm… Bronze asked me to ask you to contact him after the meeting, if you would be okay with it. He didn’t know how to approach it directly without it appearing he was checking up on your progress, rather than it being a genuine case of concern on your behalf.”
“I’ll do it straight away and thank you, Flint. You have been very kind throughout this meeting and I hope that our friendship will flourish in the future. I’d be happy to count you as one of my circle of good friends.”
“I have things to attend to, so perhaps we can have a rain check on lunch?”
“I can do that. Whenever you have some free time, let me know and I’ll be happy to join you. I’ll go put a call through to Bronze and let him know how the ‘Cold and impersonal’ council treated me.” Both laughing, we go our separate ways as we leave the canteen area.
Sitting in my room with my phone in my hand, I suddenly get butterflies and come over all girlie and giggly.
It’s only a phone call. You’re not going to mate with him.
‘Trust you to jump straight to mating, Maya. You wolves have a one-track mind.’
Two, if you want to be precise. You forgot food. There’s nothing like a warm rabbit in your teeth to make you feel good.
‘I haven’t fully got used to that yet. Not sure I ever will.’
When we’re out in the forest and you’re hungry, you’ll appreciate it then. Now get this call made while I rest and don’t have to listen to you gushing.
Maya turns around a few times and then throws herself to the floor of my mind with her back to me.
Placing the call to Bronze, it hardly rings when I hear his voice. “Taria, thank you for calling. Are you okay? Did it go well? How hard were you questioned? Flint passed my message okay, then?”
“Yes, yes. Not too hard and yes.”
“I’m sorry. That was a bit of a mouthful, wasn’t it? I was just concerned that they would find something to delay you coming here.”
“Honestly?” I tease him, as I’m sure that he wants me there as much as I want to be there with him.
“Of course, honestly. I can’t wait for you to join me here and start our lives together. I think you’re going to be a top rate Luna for the pack, and you’ll see where we can make improvements. I don’t mean my parents weren’t good for the pack, but there are always things that someone coming from the outside can see more clearly.”
“I wonder what Luna Sage will think of me when we meet.”
“Don’t worry on that score. Mom is already excited about you coming here. She has been making lists of things she wants to show you, places to take you, recipes to teach you. She’s confident that by the time you get here there’ll be nothing left to teach you about being a Luna to the pack.”
“You tell her together, we’ll tick the boxes of everything on her lists. She sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to join her.” My laughter stops with his next words.
“I can’t wait for you to join me, Taria. If there was a way to speed things up, I’d gladly do it. I wish we didn’t have to go through this training period. And don’t get me started on Titan. He’s driving me insane with his constant whining for Maya. I wouldn’t mind, but they have one-track minds!” He sounds exactly like I did when I spoke with Maya.
“If you say that to Titan, Bronze, see if he gives you the same answer that Maya gave me earlier when we had the very same conversation. She pointed out that she had a two-track mind, as I had forgotten about food.”
“Give me a second to say that…” There’s a brief silence and then Bronze is back. “He mentioned rabbits in his mouth and the salty taste of their blood.”
“They’ll get on well together. She said rabbits, too.” I feel Maya stir in my mind.
Standing and stretching, she says, I told you so. And we need pups, too. We should have heirs.
“I’m not telling him we want heirs, Maya. That’s a conversation for further down the line, not this soon.”
Hearing Bronze laughing loudly brings me back to the phone call.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Oh, Taria. You said that out loud. I think that was a conversation that should have been in your mind and not to me. I must admit, though, I’m certainly with Maya on wanting a family. How do you feel about it?”
“Of course I want a family, but not within minutes of getting together. Jeez, you guys kill me.”
Hearing someone in Bronze's background, he tells me he’s sorry but has to go. Saying goodbye and hearing the silence has me feeling sad.
See! You, too, are ready for pups!
Walking from my room heading for the gardens, I see Alpha Connell by his office door. Waving for me to join him, I follow him into his office. Taking the seat that he indicates in front of his desk, I wonder what he wants me for.
“Hi, Taria. I’ve been talking to Flint and the other council members. It seems you have made quite an impression at your meeting. Porter made several complimentary statements about you, and for him to make a single compliment about someone is unusual. You should be very proud of yourself. Hope and I are proud of what you have achieved, and we think you have such a lot to give.”
“I don’t know what to say, Alpha Connell, except thank you for everything that you and Luna Hope are doing to help me develop myself.” I feel a little embarrassed by the positive feedback I’m getting after the council meeting. I thought I’d held my own, but apparently, I excelled. Wow.
I told you, be strong and you were. Now you are reaping the benefits.
“I don’t want to keep you, but I felt it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t pass on the feelings of everyone that has been associated with your training. With everything that is being thrown at you, I think you are processing it all extremely well.”
Standing up and offering my hand across the desk, Alpha Connell steps around and gives me a hug. “I think that deserves more than a handshake, Taria.”
The door bursts open and the whirlwind that is Hope rushes in. “You spoke to her already? I wanted to do that, Connell. You stole my thunder.”
Hope replaces Connell and gives me an enormous hug that almost takes my breath away.
“That’s what you get for insulting a councilman to his face.” Connell laughs at the shocked look on Hope’s face.
“Oh, my God. He told you that? I was so mortified when I realized.”
Slipping away as they discuss Hope’s unintended insult, I finally make my way to the garden.