Chapter 48
LIZA
Ty insisted on following me to the clearing in his wolf form, making sure I shifted without any trouble.
Even though the Keller Estate had more security than the fucking White House, we were all on edge over Castro and his Houdini-like abilities to hunt us down and discover buried information about our pasts.
Having seen the bomb that could’ve blown our downtown area to bits made the situation all the more real to me.
Not that I’d thought it all make-believe, but it just brought everything into perspective.
Castro was willing not just to destroy property or leak information, but to kill innocent people.
I no longer argued about the bodyguards or the app on my phone that enabled Ty and his security team to pinpoint my location if needed.
I shifted back to human form and dressed quickly.
When I turned, I found Ty still watching.
I nodded in his direction to show my appreciation and that I’d be fine walking the rest of the way to the house, knowing full well he wouldn’t budge until I was safely inside.
Honestly, though, I felt safer just knowing he was close.
The run had been therapeutic for me. I’d been tied up in knots from everything that was happening around me.
It had been a welcome release of endorphins to run free under the full moon.
My head was clearer, my steps were lighter, which gave me courage to attempt to get better acquainted with Ty’s mom.
By the time I made it through the back door, I found Persephone putting the finishing touches on the buffet table. Several pack members had already completed their run and were lining up to eat.
Persephone smiled warmly, greeting each person by name, and handing them a plate.
How did she remember all their names? I could barely remember the names of my staff members and was certain I’d never memorize the upper echelon of the pack. There were so many of them, and even more of the lower pack members. Had she taken the time to learn their names as well? I doubted it.
“Hi, Persephone.” I approached the table cautiously. If what Ty had said was true and she was feeling pushed out, I didn’t want to piss her off just by being here.
She whipped around, narrowing her eyes at me, obviously confused as to why I was there and looking for an ulterior motive.
“Do you need any help?” I gestured toward the buffet line. “Ty’s still running, and I thought I’d join you inside. Looks like you’ve got a long line of people to feed.”
“Oh, er… Certainly.” She couldn’t have been any more surprised if I had sprouted wings and flown up into the vaulted ceilings of the mansion.
Regaining her composure, she gestured to a small table.
“Some help would be very much appreciated, Liza. Thank you. There’s a stack of plates over there that need to be filled. Would you mind taking care of that?”
I nodded and set to work filling the plates with food from the chafing dishes. While I worked, several more pack members arrived. I watched as Persephone welcomed each one with a warm smile and some personal commentary about their family, children, or work.
Not only did she know everyone by name, but she seemed to have some form of relationship with them, even if it was just surface level. She’d even asked one woman if her children had been accepted to daycare—Persephone had written a personal letter of recommendation.
It was truly baffling. I stared in awe as I mindlessly filled plates and handed them to the hungry line of shifters.
I hadn’t been to many of these full moon runs—I usually ran with the lower members—but the few I had attended since being acknowledged as Ty’s mate hadn’t included a big dinner afterward. It had always been light refreshments and snacks.
This was a full-blown meal, complete with a dessert table in the corner of the room and a wet bar with various wines and cocktails. Impressive, to say the least.
Finally, there was a lull in the line of people waiting for food, and Persephone turned in my direction. I felt uncomfortable, not knowing how to relate to the woman I had only ever known as the wife of the alpha.
Deciding to start with a safe topic, one I could easily relate to, I focused on the food. “So, is this a normal amount of food for a full moon event? How often do you host this many pack members inside your home?”
She grinned, dazzling me. “We only do it on the first day of the full moon. That’s when the moon is at its strongest. We usually invite the pack members to a large communal dinner so they can all celebrate together and share in the experience.”
I nodded slowly, taking it all in.
“The first night of the full moon can take a lot of energy as it pulls on our wolves’ connection to the moon and its power.
The run is a way to strengthen our ties as a pack, and the food is a way to replenish our energy.
” She paused and leaned in, lowering her voice.
“From your questions, I’m assuming this isn’t something you all do down the hill. ”
It took me a minute to realize that down the hill was referring to us middle class pack members—the ones who weren’t privy to such extravagant celebrations and feasts. I shook my head, refraining from making a snide remark.
Persephone sighed. “Maybe someone should change that and start doing something similar. It’s important for all pack members to come together to run and have sustenance on the first night of the full moon, not just the rich.”
Was I hearing her correctly? The great Persephone Keller, the one who turned her nose up at most people, thought that the lower class citizens of the pack should receive the same treatment as its elite members? I must have misunderstood.
All my life, I never thought Persephone—or Dominic, for that matter—cared much for those not in their ranks. Now, I was more confused than ever. Did she actually care about the shifters who didn’t have the means to make large donations to the causes she deemed worthy?
Persephone must’ve seen the surprise on my face, though I was trying hard to conceal it. She raised one of her perfectly groomed eyebrows, then she sighed and turned her attention to doling out plates of food as more shifters emerged from the trees.
She’d gone all out with the catering: smoked ribs, baked beans, chicken thighs, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, green beans. It all looked amazing. My stomach growled as I scooped it all onto the plates, hoping everyone would move quickly through the line so I could eat.
Once the wave of shifters had their food and moved away from the buffet table, Persephone turned back to me.
“It probably seems like we’re cold and uncaring,” she admitted.
“That’s not the case, though. We care deeply for all our pack members, not just the ones who are well off.
Everyone. Rich, middle, and lower. It’s just that it’s hard to relate when you’re seen as royalty.
It’s almost as if we scare the poorer people.
Like they don’t know how to act around us.
” She paused to say hello to a friend before continuing.
“We have people in place to take care of the different classes. They plan events and try to keep up the morale of our people, updating us on anything we could do to make their lives better. I hate to admit that I haven’t been diligent in keeping up with how they’ve been running things lately. That’s awful, isn’t it?”
I didn’t know how to respond, though I was thinking that, yeah, it was pretty fucked up not to keep tabs on the staff members tasked to take care of your pack members.
I wondered what had fallen through the cracks that could have made people’s lives better, or what morale-boosting events had gone unplanned because Persephone hadn’t taken the time to approve them.
I hadn’t had time to form a response to her question before she spoke again. Maybe it was hypothetical and she didn’t want to give me the chance to agree that it was, indeed, awful.
“As the mate of the alpha, that will also be one of your duties. Once you and Ty officially mate and go through with the mating ceremony, of course.”
I noted the sarcasm in her voice and assumed she was just as anxious for Ty and me to mate as Dominic was. Why was everyone getting their panties in a wad over us mating so quickly? What business was it of theirs? Couldn’t we take our time and solidify our relationship before the ceremony?
Everyone I’d ever known who had found their fated mate took the time to date and get to know each other on a deeper, emotional level before jumping into mating. It was simply good sense to know your partner and develop a strong bond before taking that next step.
Persephone broke through my thoughts. “People in positions of power tend to get a big head and need people they trust to keep them in line to stop them going off the rails with their ideas and proposed plans for the pack.” She gave me a wry look.
“It’s been a while since I checked in on my most trusted advisors, so I’ll be calling a meeting in the morning.
You should be there to get acquainted with the current council.
Obviously, you and Ty will decide if you want to keep them on board, or if you’d rather choose your own council members. ”
Wow. An invitation to a council meeting? I was shocked that she was being so open and accepting.
So much so that I couldn’t keep it to myself. “Persephone, I’m honored that you’d invite me to the meeting, but I must admit, it’s a bit surprising.”
“Oh, really?” The slightest line creased the skin between her brows. “Why is that?”
“Well, I’ve gotten the feeling that you hated me. At least, that’s how it seemed when Ty and I discovered we were fated mates. You wouldn’t even look me in the eye.”