Chapter 20
brONZE
I think it’s a great idea. I like the way she thinks. Dressing alike at the ceremony and also forming the mate bond at that time is pure genius.
‘I think the pack will love it, too, Titan. Sharing such an important moment with them will endear her to them even more. They certainly seem to have embraced everything they have heard about her so far.’
I wish we could have been there when she dispatched Savannah. I would have given all your teeth to have seen that.
‘My teeth? Don’t you mean your teeth?’
No. I can’t live without my teeth. I need to be able to chew my rabbit meat. You could live on rabbit food!
Laughingly I reply, ‘There are times when I think I could live without a wolf!’
Thinking of the mating bond reminds me I need to speak to Eve. Mind linking with her, I ask her to join me at the alpha office and when there’s a knock at the door only seconds later, it takes me by surprise. Looking up, I’m even more surprised to see Xander of my inner council.
“Alpha Heir Bronze, can you spare a moment?”
“Of course I can. Come in. What can I do for you, Xander?” Gesturing for him to take a seat, he settles into a chair and looks apprehensive.
“I was wondering if I could ask your advice on something?”
“I’ll help if I can. What’s the problem?” I’ve never been asked for advice before, so I hope it's something simple, I think to myself.
“Well, it’s relationship advice, I suppose you’d call it. I’ve never had a relationship yet and I’m drawn to someone that I can’t approach due to her circumstances. I don’t know if it’s typical mating bond stuff as she is already mated. I’m so confused by it I don’t know what I should do.” He looks so confused, and I can see that this isn’t just some passing fancy or childish infatuation. He looks completely lost.
“You’re quite right that it doesn’t sound like a typical mating bond if she’s with another male. Does she feel the same?”
“Oh, my Goddess, she doesn’t know I exist. I wouldn’t dream of putting her in such a position as to tell her my feelings while she’s with another male.” He looks at me as though I were mad to even think of such a thing.
“I have to be honest with you, Xander, I’ve never heard of anything similar, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened. Can you leave it with me and I’ll do some discreet research to see where we stand? Do you at least know if the female is in a happy, stable relationship?” If she’s not, I’m wondering if Xander is feeling protective of her or maybe just sorry for her.
His sad look tells me she isn’t, before he answers, and I can also see his pain as he speaks. “She is not happy at all. I’ve watched from afar as she has become steadily less of her normal lovely self, and more and more miserable. She hides it well from others, but I see it. It isn’t hidden from me, Alpha Heir Bronze.”
“I have to ask, Xander. Who is the female?” I don’t expect an answer and he doesn’t disappoint me.
“No. Sorry. I cannot reveal who she is. That would not be an honorable thing to do.”
“Leave it with me, Xander. I don’t want to give you poor advice, so I need to discreetly look into this and see if we’ve encountered any similar situations in the past. I will see what can be done.”
“Thank you, Alpha Heir Bronze. It feels better to have at least shared my problem. I will wait for any suggestion you may come back to me with.” As Xander leaves the office, I sit there wondering how on earth I am going to find a solution to such a situation.
A knock at the door and I think to myself, is there no peace anymore? The guard opens the door at my bidding and in steps Eve. I’d forgotten that I’d called her here. Damn, that’s why I’m not getting any peace, I think to myself. Maybe I should have a secretary and let them run my schedule.
Once she’s seated, I look at her in more detail. She is clean, smart and respectable, but I think Madison hit the nail on the head. Things are a little less than satisfactory within her purse strings.
“Eve, I have a problem that I need help with, and you could be the answer to my prayer. Do you have any commitments ongoing at this time? Anything that could prevent you from helping me out?” I want this to be her decision to take it on rather than me having to order it.
“Alpha Heir Bronze, there would be nothing that could prevent me from helping you out. You have only to command me.” Well, that went well, I think to myself.
“This isn’t something that should be a command, Eve. I need a new schoolteacher and I need one fast. I also don’t just want anyone to fill a vacancy. This needs to be someone that I can have one hundred and ten percent faith in to do right by the pups. Madison is doing a fantastic job with them, but I need someone else on that same level of commitment. I want that person to be you.” I can see the confusion in her eyes and I know I’m going to have to tell her of Lincoln raising his hand to Coal.
“Where is Lincoln going to be, or will there be three of us teaching?” There it is, the stinger I knew was coming.
“I have relieved Lincoln of his position as of this morning. He will no longer have a part to play in the pack at all. He has been requested at the shifter council warrior training school.” Taking a deep breath, I explain the situation that I walked into in the classroom and the subsequent removal of Lincoln, which also brings to mind the removal of her mate, Miles.
Eve takes the news of Lincoln’s behavior better than I expect, I have to say. Knowing that the pups are back in safe hands is a relief and I can see Madison and Eve making the learning experience much better all round. I’m not sure how she will take the news of Miles’ departure, though. I would have thought she would welcome him gone, to be honest.
Having Miles out of her life doesn’t faze her in the least, in fact, I think she has welcomed it. When I get to the part about her having to reject him, that’s when I meet resistance. There seems to be some form of stigma attached to rejecting a mate and I get the feeling that it is some form of familial thing about a female doing it. She’s asked if Miles can do it, but I’m not having him off the hook that easily. Explaining to her I don’t agree that she should be the one to feel the pain of rejection when she has done nothing wrong, takes some doing. In the end I give Eve a couple of days to think it over and then we’ll talk again. I know one thing for sure though, if it comes down to it, I will make it an alpha order that she rejects that worthless shifter.
Next, going in search of my mother, the sum of all knowledge when it comes to feelings in our family, I’ll put Xander’s problem to her and see what she suggests. Asking my father about such things is as much use as having a chocolate fireguard.
‘Mother? Where are you?’
‘I’m outside in the new orchard, Bronze. Is everything okay?’
‘Need some of your wisdom. I’ll be there shortly.’
Heading to the orchard, I’m reminded once again of the lack of color we have going on. Finding my mother waiting for me, I’m reminded how beautiful she is when she smiles at me. Giving her a big hug, she seems surprised.
“Wow. It’s been a long time since I had one of those,” she gushes.
“Honestly? It can’t be that long, surely?”
“You tell me the last time you gave me a hug, then? You’ve been so busy growing up, you forgot to keep hugging me, but it’s okay. Every mother goes through it.”
“Well, they shouldn’t. Anytime you feel I’ve forgotten, you have my permission to remind me. By the same token, you look beautiful today. I guess I have not been complimenting you, either?” I smile at her and see her cheeks take on a little pink.
“Your father never goes more than a day without telling me, but I think his eyesight is fading, if I’m honest.” Her laughter echoes through the trees. “Now, what can I help you with? It can’t be anything serious or you’d be knocking on your father’s door.”
“Mother, that’s not fair. I come to you for advice all the time, and this is a big thing.” Explaining all about Xander’s problem, she listens quietly, nodding occasionally.
“That’s not as uncommon as you may think. Some of it is lust, envy, jealousy, but it sounds to me like the Goddess is trying to right a wrong mating.”
“That can happen? I wasn’t aware that the Goddess ever got a mating wrong?” I’m stunned by that revelation.
“It isn’t necessarily that the Goddess has got it wrong, per se. Shifters change, personalities clash, their priorities don’t align. Most grow together and the bond grows with them. Occasionally, a shifter can be too selfish or too stubborn to change. They may look at someone else's’ priorities as unimportant or restrictive. It’s usually the human in us and rarely do our wolves suffer these differences.” Looking into my eyes, she must sense my unease. “I don’t think you need worry on your and Taria’s behalf, Bronze. I think the Goddess has this one nailed to perfection. I can’t wait for you to take over the pack, as I only sense good things for you both. Your father has said the same to me about the fact you are both so well suited. As for Xander, let me make some enquiries. My spies may know something.” She taps the side of her nose and I laugh at her amateur dramatics.
“Thank you. I appreciate it immensely.” Giving her another hug, I leave her smiling and head off in search of Herb. Being in the orchard has reminded me of my need to speak with him.
Finding Herb deep in conversation with two others, I give him a few moments until he sees me waiting, and he quickly cuts it short and walks over to me.
“Alpha Heir Bronze, what can I do for you today?” As usual, he sounds very upbeat and enthusiastic.
“Quick question first of all. I’m not very green fingered, so this is just a question and not a criticism, okay? We don’t seem to have much color going on. Is that a change of season thing, or are we so busy with the fruit and vegetables that we haven’t got round to brightening the place up yet?” I watch as he digs through his trouser pockets and he pulls out some crumpled sheets of paper.
“We’re in the middle of redesigning the gardens at the moment, so things do look a bit unloved. The vegetables we can’t do anything with until after harvest, but I want more flower beds around the packhouse to greet guests with a riot of color and scents. I thought of having the Eclipse Pack written in flowers at the front, but that just doesn’t cut it. It would be really cheesy and tacky.” He pulls a face at the thought and I give him a brief nod of agreement on that.
“I haven’t seen any requests coming through the Alpha’s office for any gardening equipment or supplies lately. I hope that means you have everything and are not paying for it out of your own pocket?” Giving him a squint-eyed stare, he quickly lets me know that my father had already signed off on what he is currently using.
“Alpha Chet signed off on a huge order of stuff not too long ago, so we should be good for some time. A lot of what we grow, we can keep seeds or tubers and perpetuate our crops that way.” He looks at me shyly and asks, “I hear a rumor that Luna Taria is interested in gardening. Is that right? I’d love her to give me an outsider's view of what the gardens look like.”
“As soon as she’s settled in, I will personally introduce you, and I’m positive that she will have feedback for you. I bet she’ll want to go through that project folder of yours, too. I haven’t forgotten it but feel that I’ve ignored my responsibility there.”
“Not at all, Alpha Heir Bronze. I understand how busy you must be. Rest assured, if I needed you to see something or sign off on a major change, I would be beating down your door.” His smile when he speaks of his work shows just how much he puts in of himself. If ever there was a shifter in the right role, Herb is it. Telling him so almost has him bursting with pride.