Chapter 10 #2
“I don’t want to cause trouble for you, but we don’t know anything about demons, and right now, you’re our only connection to the one that attacked the cubs. We don’t know how it got in or how to protect ourselves against it. What if it tries to go after Garon or the other cubs again?”
“I understand what you’re saying, Gray, but the thing is, I didn’t know what I was doing when I went up against it.
My instincts led me there and helped me save them.
I don’t have the answers to your questions, and I honestly don’t know what I can do to help.
With this Conclave meeting hanging over my head, I could make things worse for both of us by staying involved. ”
It frustrated Gray to admit Simon had a point. He’d already said he had limited knowledge of Others, but Gray’s instincts told him to keep Simon close. On the other hand, he didn’t want to add to Simon’s problems.
Gray decided he had to figure out a way for them to meet in the middle. “This is getting more complicated by the minute, isn’t it?”
Simon leaned into him and nodded. “I want to help, but this is all so confusing. I don’t know what to do.”
“It’s okay, Simon. I don’t want to cause you any more problems, and if associating with the pack is going to do that, maybe you shouldn’t come to the meeting tonight. Besides, I know you’re here if we need you or have questions.”
Simon tilted his head to the side and looked into Gray’s eyes as if searching for some clue.
Gray kept his gaze steady, showing Simon he didn’t need to be reluctant.
Simon seemed to find the answer he sought, because after a moment, he nodded.
“Okay. I’m sorry you had to wait around here for nothing. ”
Gray ran his finger over Simon’s cheek and smiled. “It was worth it,” he said and kissed Simon again to prove it. “Okay. The full moon is this weekend, so I’ll be tied up with the pack. Can I call you on Monday?”
“Absolutely.”
“If you need me before then—”
“I’ll call. I promise.”
Leaving Simon behind was one of the hardest things Gray had ever done. Every instinct screamed at him to turn around, go back and get Simon, and bring him to the compound where he would be safe. Gray knew he couldn’t do that, and it made the drive home difficult.
The drive was nothing compared to the icy reception he received from his family when he returned alone.
Aunt Maggie and Garon both glared at him, demanding to know where Simon was.
He tried to explain, but they weren’t having it.
Garon threw a tantrum and had to be sent to his room.
His bedroom door slammed behind him so hard the windows rattled.
Aunt Maggie retreated to the kitchen, where pots and dishes started clanging with alarming ferocity. He decided she was the lesser of two evils and followed her. “Auntie, I couldn’t force him to come.”
She gave him the look.
“Okay, I could have forced him. But what kind of person would that make me? Not the man my father raised, I know that much.”
She huffed and rearranged the contents of the cabinets.
“It has to be his choice. He wants to be a mage, and if he stays here, he gives up the dream he’s had his entire life. He just needs a little time.”
She slammed a tin can down so hard Gray thought he might have to replace the cabinet shelf. “A little time? How much is a little? And what happens if we need him again? What if something happens to Garon or the cubs?”
“I’ll get him here as fast as I can.”
She hmphed at him and straightened out the cans she’d knocked over. “Well, he needs to be here. He’s family now. Family stays together. It’s the pack way.”
“I know, Auntie.”
“That boy needs a family.”
“Yes.”
“And this is it.”
“Agreed.”
“Those mages hurt my boy, and they’ll be facing me.”
“And me.” They both jumped at the voice behind them. Garon stood in the doorway to the kitchen with a determined look on his face. “They won’t hurt him, will they, Dad?”
“No, son. Not if I can help it.”
“They better not, or it’ll piss me off.”
“Garon! Language!”
“I’m sorry, Aunt Maggie, but Dad says that sometimes you just need a bad word to make your point, and I mean it.”
Gray tried not to laugh. “It’s fine this time, but watch it, okay?”
“Okay. Dad, can you help me with my math homework? Cade brought up my work for me today since I couldn’t go to school ’cause of being up most of the night.”
One of the mothers had stepped into the role of teacher while Valerie recovered.
Although she’d regained consciousness on her own, she wasn’t ready to go back to teaching classes yet.
Her husband was keeping Gray updated on her condition, and he knew from their link she was having terrible nightmares.
She’d called out to him several times in the past week for help, only to wake up and apologize.
Gray kept assuring her it was okay, but he didn’t know if she’d ever be able to teach again.
In the meantime, he had to keep Garon moving forward with his studies, as much as his son hated doing his homework. “Sure, kiddo. Let’s go into the office. Those multiplication problems still giving you trouble?”
“Yeah. Stupid sevens. I can’t remember them. Who needs sevens anyway?”
Gray winked at Aunt Maggie and followed Garon into the office. Several hours passed relatively quietly before the pack members began to gather for the meeting that evening.
Cade and Liam arrived first, followed by one parent of each of the cubs involved. The pack elders entered last, including Aunt Maggie, who set several trays of food around the crowded living room before taking a seat beside Gray on the sofa. Liam, as his beta, sat on his other side.
Gray waited a moment, his ears focused upstairs for the distinctive noises that came from Garon’s favorite racing video game. He heard the crashes and Garon’s laughter and knew his son was distracted for the time being.
“Tonight we’re here to discuss what’s going on with the cubs.” It seemed so simple to say it that way, when they all knew the situation facing their pack was very critical. Gray recapped what he’d learned so far and let the other parents describe the effects their cubs were experiencing.
The elders asked several direct questions to clarify points beyond what Gray had explained to them previously. It didn’t take long for the conversation to turn to Simon.
Gray fielded the questions as best he could before Aunt Maggie stepped in to help. “We need to give him some time. Those of you here this morning for breakfast saw as well as I did that he didn’t know what to do with all of us.”
Jessie’s dad spoke up. “That’s true. He didn’t seem to know how to act in a family.”
Aunt Maggie nodded. “Exactly. Now we just have to give him time. He’s”—she looked at Gray— “one of us now. We take care of our own.”
Cade leaned forward in his seat. “I agree. At the least, he’s earned our protection.”
Everyone nodded their agreement. Gray was glad they all wanted to keep Simon safe. He felt the same. “What do you suggest?”
It was Liam’s turn to add to the discussion. “I think we should alter the new guard routine and add Simon’s place to the schedule.”
“We can do that,” Cade said. “I’ve got plenty of volunteers for guard duty since this all happened, and I don’t think anyone would mind.”
Jackson, one of the elders, ran his hands through his nearly white hair. “I hope we know what we’re getting ourselves into with this. Gray, what has the Pack Council said?”
“Not much, Jack. They’re looking into it. Same as they were last week. No one seems to know what to think of all this, that’s for sure.”
They all seemed at a loss. None of them knew anything about mages or their magic either. In the end, the only thing they all agreed on was that Simon should be watched over.