Chapter 7 #2
So many emotions come over Brantley and his mate, who spins around and pulls Brantley to his side, ready to face us if we try to hurt them. It would take a hell of a person to take him on; he is huge. Don’t get me wrong, most bears are huge, but this guy is really enormous.
“You guys are safe with us,” Damon says as his alpha powers run over them.
“In this pack, everyone is welcome,” Brantley says loudly. Many people’s faces reflect pure disbelief, and I smile at everyone in the room. A bunch of shifters are ready to bolt, and I know that they want to join our pack. “Everyone,” Damon says firmly.
Maverick holds open the door, and we file out of the building. I feel like I can breathe for the first time in a long time. The air in there was suffocating.
I look for Brantley. His mate has pulled him to the side, away from everyone. He is looking at every single person to make sure they don’t intend to harm them.
“Trust me, this pack is not like the others,” Brantley reassures him, and his mate relaxes and focuses on him. I am so happy that he found his mate! This is exactly what I wanted to happen—well, not the people being bitches—but I want my pack to be happy.
Everyone is on edge; it was very intense in there. I could feel the hate coming off many members of other packs. Others were curious, and some were fearful.
I want to add more females to the pack. Tomorrow I will try to speak with them and offer them a place with us. Many of them, especially the ones with mixed breed parents, have not had many opportunities. I notice them way back in the corner, because they are not welcome among the others.
When we reach our house, Brantley’s mate asks, “Where is your tent?”
“I am in the house.”
His mate looks shocked. I take my cue. “Come on, guys. Let’s get inside and relax.” I let my power out, wanting to calm everyone down. Brantley smiles at me, thankful. Damon holds open the door, and we walk inside. Our three guards go upstairs to rest until it’s their shift.
“What is your name?” Damon asks Brantley’s new mate, who is standing in front of Brantley, looking around the room. I love how protective he is. Brantley needs someone to put him first at all costs. I wink at Brantley, who is trying to hide his smile,
“Jackson.” He looks at me, then at Brantley.
“Please sit down, Jackson,” Damon says. “You guys will not be harmed. You are welcome. You guys are fully accepted within my pack. If someone has a problem with it, then they are out.”
Jackson studies Damon for a minute before he sits beside Brantley on the couch. “It is not this way in my old pack.”
We nod. “Most packs are not like this, but love is love in our book.” I smile at him.
Little Aiden lets out a cry, and Jackson’s head snaps around like he is just noticing the baby.
“I adopted him.”
Jackson smiles at Brantley. “I have a son.”
I swoon, laying my head against Damon’s arm as I watch their reactions. My heart may just explode.
“You do.”
Jackson takes little Aiden out of his arms and rocks him from side to side. My heart! Brantley looks like he is a pile of goo, and Damon kisses the top of my head as we watch this new coupling together.
Aiden falls asleep within minutes. “Want me to lay him down?” Jackson asks.
“I will show you the way,” Brantley says.
“One day, many more to go,” I tell Damon, watching their retreating backs. I can feel the happiness coming off of both of them.
The next morning, Damon and I are up early.
We have plans today to recruit more members into the pack.
Plus I want to spread the word that everyone is welcome, so they know they have a safe haven if they need it.
We don’t have to worry about unintentionally recruiting anyone from the pack Aiden is from—they do not come to these events.
They are considered to be rogues of a sort and not welcome.
Seeing Brantley and Jackson together is fine example of that. I don’t even want to think of the life they would have had if it weren’t for our pack. Speaking of the love birds, they walk down the stairs, grinning ear to ear. They sit down at the table next to me.
“I believe some people had a very good night.” I laugh at the expressions on their faces.
They moved into the room beside ours—leaving Aiden in Brantley’s room, I guess—and they were very loud.
Damon laughs out loud, and Brantley is probably blushing right down to his toes.
I can’t help but tease him a little; he is like my little brother.
Damon breaks the mood. “Did Brantley tell you the danger Aiden is in?’ I can feel the room darken.
“No.” Jackson looks around at all of us.
“I forgot, honestly,” Brantley tells Damon.
“Aiden is from a mixed parent coupling in another pack,” Damon says. “This pack is just mean and, apparently, his parents died in a car accident—but my gut says that is not the case. The pack attempted to take Aiden back, because their alpha had sold him.”
Jackson stands so fast his chair hits the floor. “I will kill them all.” He snarls, and his body gets bigger as he almost starts to shift.
“They are safe, but we have to be cautious,” Damon reassures him.
Brantley touches his arm, and he settles back into himself.
I think Jackson is going to be a good dominant to have in the pack. Aiden starts crying, and Jackson takes him in his arms and puts the bottle in his mouth like he has been doing this his whole life.
How cute are they?