Chapter 56
JASE
The possessive beast within me doesn’t want to share my mate’s attention. But the rest of me likes what I see. Pack members showing her support, the way she’s done for all of them.
She’s surrounded by others who value her, which is what she deserves.
She’s in a huddle with some of the council mates. By their expressions I’m sure they’re discussing this morning and that cunt formerly known as my sister. I push thoughts of that away, so I don’t storm to my childhood home and finish the job of strangling her, sedated and pregnant or not.
“A world of emotions on that face,” I hear and turn my head toward Riley who’s to my right.
He says, “Liked that look on your face a minute ago when your eyes were on her. Now you look like you wanna kill someone. Welcome to life as a protective alpha mate. How are you dealin’ tonight sharing her attention?”
“Wanna scoop her up and take her home until it’s time to go on our trip.”
And now I’m thinking about the fact that when we’re on the trip we’ll be dealing with more than just our friends, family, and pack members. We’ll be dealing with complete strangers. And we won’t be able to shift while we’re gone.
Shit. What was I thinking?
“Soon as you get back, I’m taking Rikki on a little trip, too. She’s got some shit to sort out back in Marblehead for one of her cases. After that’s done, I wanna take her to the Caribbean and do nothing but eat grilled fish, drink out of a coconut, swim and more than all of that… fuck.”
“Speaking of Marblehead, your in-laws hitting the road soon?” I ask.
“Some of them are already gone. Don’t mind havin’ them around, honestly. Rik’s close to her sisters and always happy when her family is nearby, but I’ll sure be glad when things settle down for us all.”
“You and me both,” I mutter.
Riley’s father comes over and after he congratulates me, they get caught up in conversation, so I grab a cup and pour a coffee, taking in more of what we’ve got going on here.
But then Riley’s mom comes over with Mitch Blakely and his wife, so Riley looks at me and says, “Right. Gonna check that for you right now.”
“Thanks, bro. Appreciated,” I play along.
Riley makes his exit with his teeth gritted.
It’ll be nice when Mitch Blakely no longer has reasons to be here so much, reminding Riley of all that shit he and Erica went through.
Blakely’s not a bad guy, I don’t think. I think things with the SCC are complicated. He’s helped out a lot, but clearly he has other supernatural council members to answer to.
On that thought, I’m not thrilled with the notion of my mate getting entrenched with SCC drama. Though, if she decides to do this project with him, I’ll absolutely support her.
Kids zing by me, giggling. Kids from Brody’s pack that have gone from timid, hungry, fearful, some of them at death’s door to running around and playing like kids are supposed to do.
This shifts my gears to thinking about how far things have come lately. Pride swells. I’m proud of my pack, my council.
The mood here tonight is an illustration of community, of helping others. Kids running around having fun with full bellies, clean water to drink, and carefree faces.
These Moonshine Springs folks are safe because of us.
They’re safe, fed, and have done a one-eighty compared to how we found them not long ago in that filthy junkyard.
They were sick, feeling defeated, and out of touch with their wolves.
Now they’re thriving in health and are about to begin the next chapter of their lives.
They’ll be building their community and forging their pack’s future with a new business.
Around two dozen members of our pack are going with them.
A couple families, a handful of betas that Brody is already tight with.
This means we can bring in some new shifters.
We’re gearing up to vote in ten new males who want to join our pack.
Strong betas with alpha-leaning tendencies who can thrive here and grow into their strengths.
Four of them have construction industry experience, which is good because Riley and Mase are slammed with jobs, have a long waiting list, and they’re ready to start a second crew and take Savage Construction up a level.
There are only a few dozen Arcana Falls people here tonight with the Moonshine Springs folks, keeping the party at a manageable size and making it so we’ve got extra feet on the ground keeping an eye on the perimeter of the village.
Brody sits off to the side watching over his flock the way all of us in the council do.
Riley’s folks and the Blakelys have moved on to the buffet and now I see Riley is back, by the door talking to Linc, but looking blissed out, so I follow his eyes and see that while he talks, he’s looking at his mate.
He watches with amusement as Erica stares at something on her phone, looking like she's concentrating too hard.
He’s finally happy. Truly happy. He’s been to hell and back, but he’s back. He’s back to who he’s supposed to be. He’s the Riley we lost for seven years. Because of her.
I hear Tyson and Mase talking behind me. Tyson’s saying if the pack builds a few low-rise apartment buildings and maybe some rowhouses we could add even more people from our waiting list to the pack.
I pipe up. “That’s a great idea, Tyson. You should draw some plans up, Mase. We can talk about it. Me and Grey could manage it under our property umbrella.”
“I’ll do that,” Mase agrees.
These two have become tight. A vast difference from when Tyson wanted to kill him and Mase had an air of, I dare you to try. They're now like brothers, which works well because their mates are inseparable. And their mates fit here like they’ve always been part of the pack.
Grey and Stacy stroll in and Grey surveys the space wearing a lazy smile, a way about him that every mated alpha in the space recognizes.
Because his mate looks like she’s on top of the world and without a care.
The scent of fresh sex on them tells me they’re late because they lost track of time while connecting.
Lost track of time or maybe just didn’t give a shit.
Grey’s eyes hit me before bouncing to his sister, then back. He grins. I return it. Stacy waves at me with a big smile, then moves toward Bailey. Grey heads my way. His approval of my relationship with his sister means everything.
Despite the great vibe, me and the rest of the council are braced. We’re on orange alert around here with Linc by the entrance and Joel by the back door. Linc’s casual stance is a facade. He’s watching for signs it’s his time to hit centerstage while also keeping his eyes peeled for any bullshit.
Sensing eyes on me, I catch the sight of my nephew. I lift my chin toward him as he stands near the back door with Gus, Cade, and Joel. Evander’s got trouble in his eyes, but nods in return.
Joel assured me the other day that Evander has turned over a new, more serious leaf.
He’s determined to prove himself after Sherry gave him the slip the other night, telling him his grandmother baked cookies that day.
When he slipped into the kitchen for some, she took off and went to the falls.
I should’ve spoken to him about it by now, taken his pulse.
“Back in a minute,” I say to Grey and move toward Evander.
“You all right?” I ask.
Evander’s father Chuck is a good shit, but he’s a softer beta raising an alpha male. He’s so soft, veering toward omega, that he took the Creed name when he shacked up with Taylor. Evander has always looked to me for influence, recognizing early on that he’s more like me than his old man.
“Meh.” He shrugs. “Congratulations Uncle Jase. Always liked Bailey. Really cool for her since she’s been crushin’ on you for years.”
“Thanks. I’m the lucky one.”
The teenaged girl from Brody’s pack who helps Bailey in the library walks by us and sticks her tongue out at Evander.
He quirks one brow up while giving her a carnal once-over.
Evander says, “Thinkin’ maybe I should go help out at Brody’s new digs. Give a hand for a couple weeks. Get away from town, clear my head.”
“Clear your head, huh?” I mutter with doubt.
His eyes hit mine with some cockiness, but then his expression changes and his guilt is written all over his face.. He could probably use a break from that. But helping Brody isn’t the only thing on his mind. He was staring at that girl’s ass.
“Your Aunt Sherry played you. That shit isn’t your fault and I don’t want you takin’ any of it on.”
“Oh, well now I can sleep like a baby. Thanks, Uncle Jase,” he mutters with an eyeroll.
I resist the urge to lay him out for the sarcasm, which would partly be because of the day I’ve had. I remind myself he’s not a kid anymore. He’s nineteen. He’s alpha. And he’s pissed off.
“Just sayin’, she’s been known to play men twice your age, too, so don’t feel too bad.”
He grinds his teeth. “True. You really done with her for life?”
“Family means a lot, Evander, but in her case, I’m done. She did more than cross the line. She obliterated it.”
“I’d be the same,” he agrees. “When she sees Bailey it’s like it flips a bitch switch. And just sayin… that switch doesn’t have an off setting, just degrees of bitch.”
“If you’re serious about goin’ to help Brody, talk to Joel first. See if he can cover you without issue on the schedule for pack security. If he says yeah, ask Brody.”
“I’ll do that. Thanks, Uncle Jase.”
Evander heads to the dessert table where that girl is standing, talking to Brody’s mate.
He grabs a cupcake and whispers something in her ear before he moves to where Joel stands. And the girl watches him walk away with pink hitting her cheeks, an expression I recognize from the years of Bailey watching me.
My gaze meets Joel’s as Evander speaks to him.
Joel asks my nephew to wait a second and grabs his phone, answering it and stepping down the back hall.