Chapter 16
brONZE
Waiting for Flint to pick up his call is killing me. This is the third time I’ve rung and he hasn’t picked up. It’s not like him not to answer a phone call. If he doesn’t pick up this time, I’ll have to try to speak to another council member, and I don’t want to do that if I can help it.
“Hello, Flint speaking.”
“Is everything okay there?” I don’t bother with a greeting.
“Oh, yes. I went for a ride on my motorbike and forgot to put my phone in my pocket. Sorry about that.”
“I didn’t know you still had that old thing.” I remember him riding it when he visited the pack when I was a pup.
“I’ll never part with it. I love my bike. I haven’t had her out for a long time though and as I had a very rare free day, I thought I’d let her stretch her legs a bit. What can I do for you, anyway. You only get in touch when you want something.” I hear him laughing down the phone and think, yes, he’s probably right.
“I need you to clear your schedule for two or three days if you can, and come visit the Eclipse pack.”
“Two or three days from when and what for?” He asks suspiciously.
“Two or three days from tomorrow. My Luna is joining me any day now and my father will be handing over the reins.”
“That’s fantastic news, Bronze. Congratulations. Does Taria know?” Again, in his suspicious tone.
“Of course she knows. How would she not know?”
“I didn’t know if you’d just decided yourself and were going to Blackshadow Pack, throw her over your shoulder and drag her back, kicking and screaming. I wouldn’t have put it past you.”
“If she’d refused, that may have been an option to consider, but fortunately she is as keen as I am to be mates, and get on with our life together.” I don’t see myself doing that to my female somehow.
“I can certainly clear my schedule for something as momentous as that. Do the rest of the council know?”
Oh, my Goddess. What is with his suspicious nature today? “You’re always the first port of call when it comes to such ceremonies, you know that, Flint. I don’t think there’s a pack leader or heir that wouldn’t reach out to you before any other council member.” I’m happy that he can attend, although I doubt wild horses would’ve kept him away from a ceremony.
“Well, I’d better go and get packed if I’m going to be spending a few days with you. I’ll see you soon and thank you, Bronze.”
“See you soon, Flint.” Ending the call, I wonder where to turn next.
I should let the pack know there’s going to be a change, or should I leave that to my father? Yes, I think he should do that. I’ll mind link him and let him know it comes under his realm of responsibilities. First of all, I think I’ll grab some lunch.
Stepping into the canteen area, there’s a sudden silence and then a raucous cheer. I guess my father is a step ahead of me on the announcement front.
Taking a tray, I looked at the assortment of food available on the serving area and made my choice. Adding a bottle of water and a glass of fruit juice, I see Wesley gesturing for me to join him. Taking a seat, I don’t get a chance to say anything before I’m verbally accosted. He’s talking so fast I can’t follow what he’s trying to say.
“Hang on there, Wesley. Take a breath and start again, slowly this time, eh?” I don’t know what has got him so excited because he’s usually a laid back, placid and calm sort.
“Sorry, Alpha Heir Bronze. I was just saying that if Luna Taria is joining us earlier than expected, and coming straight from Blackshadow Pack, where she is currently, then perhaps it would be best if I head over there and begin my duties immediately. A lot could happen between now and her reaching Eclipse lands. I could take a couple of warriors and provide a safe escort for her. Giselle and Wylder are not on border patrol for the next 5 days, and if it’s okay with you, I’d like to take Ember, too.”
“Hold on a minute. Why do you think Taria needs to be escorted from the Blackshadow Pack? They will provide adequate protection to our border and then we’ll take over from there, surely?” This statement makes him look at me in horror, as I was hoping it would.
“No, no, no. That’s not good enough. This is our new Luna, your mate. We cannot trust her protection to others, Alpha Heir. What are you thinking? If necessary, I will go alone. I have no duties to perform until Luna Taria arrives, so I am surplus to pack requirements. Our new Luna needs to know that we, the Eclipse Pack, are there for her from the beginning, not just when she turns up at our border. No, no, no.”
“Also, I’m intrigued by your choice of escorts. Giselle and Wylder I understand, but Ember? She has not yet qualified as a warrior. Why take her?” I am genuinely curious as to that choice.
“Have you seen her wield that bat you gave her recently? She is the Devil incarnate with that thing, I swear. And she has more of them, too. She has been talking with Hannah from the carpenter's shop and between them, they have designed other bats that are suited for various purposes. She has a small one, like a cudgel, that she says is for personal defense. There is a longer one for taking into battle or on border patrols where trouble is to be expected. She has hard wood bats, aluminum bats. She even told me she was saving for a carbon fiber bat.” If I didn’t know better. I’d say he was in awe of Ember and her bat.
“Very well,” I say, and he looks at me, perplexed.
“Very well? What do you mean, very well?”
“Do it. Go meet our future Luna and accompany her safely back to the Eclipse Pack. I think it is admirable that you have already taken on the role of Gamma and thought through your first assignment so thoroughly.”
Jumping to his feet, he lets out an ear-piercing whistle and then heads for the door. Looking around, I see three pack members rushing to follow him through the door. No surprise for which three they are. The third one looks me straight in the eye and has an enormous smile on her face. I certainly created a monster with that bat, I think to myself.
After finishing my lunch, I take my tray and Wesley’s to the kitchen, then head back to the office. Checking in with my father, I’m correct in assuming that he has informed the pack of the impending change in Alpha. He has also taken the liberty of announcing the earlier arrival of their new Luna. Well, one task less for me.
Informing Alpha Connell of the warriors heading his way to escort Taria here, I find that she has requested to go to the Wolfsfoot Pack before coming here. I’m surprised again that I’m not aware of her movements and decide I need to broach this subject with her. Mind linking with Wesley, I let him know that he will need to meet up with her at Wolfsfoot and escort her from there.
Next, I call Alpha Gabriel, who is aware that Taria is going to visit with Tati for an overnight stay on her way here. Letting him know that Wesley and three others will arrive as her escort, he states that he also has a designated escort for her, so she will have at least eight warriors in her protection detail.
I think my next call is going to have to be with Taria. She needs to tell me where she is going to be at any given time. If there is ever an emergency, I need to know where to get hold of her, or where to send help. I can feel my stress levels rising as I think of her needing my help and not being able to give it. As I reach for the phone, yet again, it rings before I pick it up.
“Alpha Heir Bronze speaking.”
“Hello, soon-to-be-alpha. Soon-to-be-your-luna here.” Taria’s voice floating down the phone has me smiling and some of my stress floats away with it. Some but not all.
“Taria, I was just going to call you. I hear that you are going to the Wolfsfoot Pack before coming here,” my tone is a little sharper than I intended, but I put that down to my concerns.
“How on earth have you found that out so fast? I was just calling to discuss it with you. I’ve only just got off the phone from Luna Tati and left Alpha Connell’s office. I wanted to know your thoughts before I fully committed to the journey.” Taria sounds quite put out that I know before she has had a chance to tell me herself.
“I’ve just spoken to Alpha Connell and Alpha Gabriel to let them know that there is an escort of four Eclipse Pack warriors heading their way. I didn’t want any incidents when our warriors turn up at their borders. That’s how I found out.”
“Oh, well, in that case. I thought for a moment there, you had spies watching me, or shadow warriors or something. I was about to throw my toys out of the stroller.”
“Toys out of the stroller? I’ve not heard that before. That sounds like something Eve, one of my inner council, would say.” I can’t help but let out a small laugh as I imagine her saying that after Coal had done something.
“Obviously I don’t know this Eve, but she sounds like someone I could get on with.”
“You’ll like her. And her pup, Coal. He’s so full of mischief, I don’t know how she hasn’t gone gray yet.” Thinking back to the soap dispenser episode, I tell Taria all about it and she is in fits of laughter.
“He actually did that? That is so cool that he thought of it by himself. And he actually hides his forehead so no one sees this star? Oh, my Goddess, that is genius on Eve’s part. I can’t wait to meet them.” Hearing her laugh is like music to my ears, and I have the biggest grin as I listen to her.
“So why the visit to the Wolfsfoot Pack? Any special reason I should be aware or worried about?” Nothing springs to mind, but I don’t want to be blindsided by anything.
“I wanted to meet Tati and then, apart from your mother, Luna Sage, I will have met all the lunas in the surrounding packs. Is there something you’re not telling me I should be aware of?” I think the suspicion in her voice is playful rather than serious, but it does jog my memory. Savannah!
“There is something you should know before arriving at the Wolfsfoot Pack. My father sent a female there as punishment, because he knew that Luna Tati would be able to punish her for her actions here at the Eclipse Pack, better than he could.” Explaining the Savannah saga to her, she listens silently to the incidents that Savannah has caused over time. When I tell her about Ember and her bat, she bursts out laughing again.
“Oh, I so want to meet Ember and her bat. That was priceless. To be knocked flat by her nemesis and with a bat given to her by the object of her desires! What a double shock that must have been for her.”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about meeting Ember. She is part of your escort. You’ll meet her soon enough. You just don’t want to meet her bat.” Listening to her, wanting to meet the characters of the Eclipse Pack, I can’t help but believe Taria is going to be good for the pack, as well as good for me.