Chapter Twenty
Once we were finished with my place, and we piled the rest of my bags outside the door, we went to Toya’s. We packed everything that was left and found the bag Wendy’s mom left with a sweet note attached. I tucked it into my backpack and piled everything inside their door.
“That’s everything.” Toya sighed. “I’m going to miss this place.” I nodded.
“On to better things.” I nudged her. “Let’s get the cart for all this bullshit. We have to hit my house before we figure out how the heck we are going to get all of this to the cabin.” I looked around, and I honestly had no fricken idea how we were going to do this.
Toya patted my back. “Thankfully, you have a truck.” I grunted as we closed the door behind us and headed down.
I was surprised to see Brandon and Vince waiting for us when we stepped off the elevator. I looked at Toya, but she gave me a tiny shake. She was confused, too. “Alpha Vince.” I smiled as I walked closer to the desk. “Brandon.” I gave him a tight nod as I turned to Sterling. “Sterling?”
“Amy. What can I do for you?” He stood from his seat, where he had been staring at the two men.
“I was hoping I could bug you for the cart. We have a lot of stuff to bring down.”
Sterling was out from behind the desk in an instant. I turned to follow him, but he waved me off. “I can grab your stuff.” He pointed a look at Vince. “You guys have things to discuss.”
“Sterling, my bags are inside the door. Amy’s are just in the hallway.” Toya followed behind him for a minute, looking back. “Actually, I’ll come up with you.” She winked at me as they stepped into the elevator.
I mouthed fuck you to her as the door closed them turned to full face Vince and Brandon. “I didn’t expect you to wait for us to pack. I would have been faster if I had known.”
Brandon stepped closer. “I was waiting to help you with your stuff.” He smiled and stepped closer. I looked at the man, my ex mate in front of me, and I was wondering if Megan ever felt any regrets rejecting him.
Absolutely not. She was looking at him through my eyes. He’s handsome enough, but inside he’s weak. He’s a puppet. And he killed my pup because he was too stupid to realize he was being tricked. She chuffed and flicked her tail as she turned away.
We have come too far to regret this man. Or any man. Nix chuffed, agreeing with Megan.
I laughed in my mind. Rowan.
Is obviously an exception to our extreme control. Nix rolled her eyes as she laid down, going back to ignoring me.
I jolted back to reality when Brandon grabbed my hand and I had to fight not to pull away. I looked at him and I guess I looked confused. “I asked if you wanted to grab dinner with me later?”
“Not tonight.” I watched his face fall. So I gave his hand a squeeze.
“I’m sorry, but I promised my mother we would have dinner.
Plus, after yesterday, she probably has some things to yell at me for.
” I smiled, looking down at the ground as I squeezed his hand.
I hoped it made him think I was flirting with him.
Nix and Megan both snorted, but I had to pull him in.
He grinned down at me. But Vince furrowed his brow. “Why would she yell at you?”
I sighed. “Because I got upset at what they were saying about my father.” I shook my head, allowing my fingers to relax, forcing Brandon to tighten his grip on my hand to keep the connection.
“I know he’s been dead for two years, and that he betrayed her when I was a child, but I still loved him.
And he set me up for my future.” I pulled my eyes up and looked at Brandon. “And my future children’s future.”
Vince nodded. But I saw a flash of greed behind his eyes. “Yes, the King came down and explained you spoke to him at length about rebuilding the Silvermoon pack.”
I nodded and allowed my face to settle into angry lines. Nix flashed my eyes for another bit of flair. Her laughter almost broke me.
I call it razzle dazzle Aim. Nix called back and I nearly lost it.
“He refused me. Saying it’s unsafe for a single female to rebuild, so I have to figure out something else.”
“Did he give you any conditions?” Vince was thinking about something but I needed to give a tiny push.
“Not really, just said the only way I would be able to rebuild would be if the rogues were gone or if I find my mate.” I rolled my eyes. “Like I know when that is ever going to happen.”
“A mate?” Brandon perked up, and I felt his hand convulse. “Like a Goddess, blessed mate, or a chosen mate?”
I furrowed my brow. “He didn’t specify. Why?”
My question hung in the air for a minute before Brandon smiled and waved his hands in the air, dropping mine in the process. “Oh. Ha ha, no reason. I was just wondering.”
I just nodded. “Anyway, I need to figure everything out.” I turned to Vince. “So I’ll be stuck on pack lands for a while as I wait it all out.” I smile. “If that is still okay with you?”
Vince, whose brain was running a mile a minute, stared at me blankly for a second before he just nodded. “Of course. The place and position are yours.”
“Oh, I don’t know about the position. I couldn’t possibly take that away from a wolf knowing I was planning to leave as soon as I’m able. Who knows, maybe I’ll find a mate pretty quickly.”
Vince’s eyes darted to Brandon. “So you intend to head back to your father’s pack lands as soon as you mate?”
I pretended to think about it. “I’m not exactly sure.
My father raised me to take after him. And these last few years, I focused on that.
Rebuilding our pack. I have the resources, the investments, the land, the buildings are already there.
I just need the numbers, and the okay from the King.
If that’s the eradication of the rogues or a mate, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.
” I bit my lip, looking uncertain. “But…” I trailed off and looked up at him.
Vince’s eyes danced with something I couldn’t pinpoint. “But?”
“But if you don’t mind, I might come and pick your brain. I didn’t get to finish my Alpha training.”
He nodded. “Maybe you will get lucky and mate another Alpha.” I just smiled.
“Is anyone really lucky anymore?” I tossed back and earned a chuckle.
“What is Toya doing?” Vince glanced at the elevator, waiting for Sterling and Toya to come back down.
“She is going to help me bring my stuff home, then she is heading back to her pack lands.” I looked down. “She is going to rebuild her pack.”
“Wait.” Brandon settled against my side and I had to fight the urge not to pull away.
“Why does she get to go back to her pack lands, but you don’t?
” He looked at me with innocent eyes, but that question caught Vince’s attention.
Because it was one of the few times Brandon ever showed any intelligence.
I huffed out a breath. “Her pack just moved closer to my father’s pack lands.
She has two options. She can go back to Africa, where her father’s pack split from her grandfather’s pack.
Or go to the piece of land her father was gifted when they first moved over.
It was an island off the coast around here.
The king said it is still hers. She can rebuild there. ”
Vince nodded. “It makes sense.” I just nodded.
Brandon opened his mouth, but the elevator dinged and slid open. Sterling came out, pushing the cart full of our bags. “Here ya go Amy.”
“Where is Toya?” I looked behind him.
“I dropped her off downstairs. She said she was going to pull your truck around front.” I furrowed my brow and patted my pockets. My keys were missing.
“That little bitch…” I whispered, and Sterling laughed. My truck pulled up in front of the door and she hopped out. She walked in the door with a smile. I pointed at her. “You bitch.” She tossed her head back and laughed.
“I was wondering when you were going to notice.”
‘I didn’t. Sterling told me.” I pointed at him and Toya laughed again.
“Figures.” She tossed me the keys and then turned to look at Brandon and Vince. “Alpha Vince, I hope you will allow me onto your pack lands so I can help Amy settle. I promise I won’t stay.”
Vince smiled. “Even if you did, it would be fine. I was planning on offering you a position in my pack, anyway. But the King told me you were planning on rebuilding.” Vince offered her a sweet smile.
Toya’s gaze flicked to mine. “I am. He offered me the island back, so I’ll take it.”
Brandon rubbed his fingers over my hand. “Aren’t you afraid of being alone?”
Toya laughed. “No. I have my family back home. I’ve already spoken to my grandfather.”
Brandon nodded, then turned to me. “Do you have any family?” He looked at me with longing.
“Just my mother.”
Vince glanced at me. “You still don’t consider Morgan and Shannon family? Are you really that hard to please?”
I snorted. “No. I had my father. Morgan will never be that. And to be honest, he never even tried. I appreciate that about him.” Nix snarled at his tone, but I let it go. I turned to grab the cart, but Sterling was already pushing past me.
“I’ll get this loaded for you two.” His smile said it all. He needed to get away from Vince. I nodded, understanding.
“Anyway, we will see you back at the pack. I know you said you were busy tonight, and we understand, but I’ll need you at the pack house first thing in the morning.
” I smiled and nodded as Vince turned away.
“Brandon…let’s go.” Brandon looked at me and I wanted to gag.
He was leaning in and I wanted to pull away, but Vince called him again. Thankfully. “Brandon.”
He jolted back from me, gave a pained smile, then trotted after his father. Toya turned to me with a grimace. “That was…”
“Illuminating.” I nodded to the door. “Let’s head out. We have a lot to do today.” Toya sighed and turned on her heels. We headed out the door to see Sterling loading the last of my bags.
“This is everything.” He nodded to the truck as he swung up the tailgate. Then he turned to us and bowed at the waist.
I reached out to stop him, but he held up his hand. “Sterling.” My voice was soft, but he bowed again.
“It has been an absolute pleasure serving you here, Amy.” He stood and then bowed to Toya.
“You as well.” He stood back up. “You both have proven to me and my mate that not all Alphas are assholes. Not everyone throws their weight around just to feel like they have power, and I know Jora and I appreciate it.” He bowed one final time. “Thank you.”
“Sterling.” I grabbed his hands. “You are my friend. Please stop.” His smile was wide as he pulled me into a hug.
“You have become family. Never forget that.” I pulled back and looked up into his face. “Family.” He said again and I smiled back at him.
“I’ll message you when I’m settled and we can set up a dinner.”
“I’d like that.” Then he released me and then headed back inside.
Toya sighed. “I’m happy I got my hug yesterday.”
I laughed. “You can go get one now.”
She shook her head. “He’s a male, and he is emotional. He feels like he is losing a part of his family. And he won’t want to be seen like that.” She headed to the passenger door and hopped into the truck. “Let’s go.”
I hopped into the driver’s seat. Then I sealed the truck. I knew she was going to ask me questions. I pulled away and she pivoted to face me. “So what the fuck is going on?”
I threw back my head and laughed. “What are you talking about?”
“Rowan and Verity.” She tossed out. “You know she is using magic on him, but you haven’t saved him.”
I wiped my face. Right into the deep end.
“Rowan is…” I struggled to find the words.
“He has spent the last twenty years being surrounded by people who have been working against him. I’m not stupid enough to believe that Verity is the only wolf around him that has powers.
If I cut her off, then I alert them I know. I have to play this smart. So does he.”
“You are worried.” She could hear it in my voice.
I nodded. “Someone killed his father. Tried to kill ours. And he is the primary target. If we show our cards before we know everything, then it’s over. We need to take our time and wheedle out who is working against us, or else Rowan…”
Toya slammed her back against the seat. “He’s dead.” I nodded. I wasn’t too stupid to believe that they wouldn’t kill him instantly. “Then why did you save me and Micca?”
I tapped my fingers against the wheel. “That was a test.”
Her face scrunched up in confusion. “A test?”
“I’ve been thinking about it.” I pointed at her with my lips, while keeping my eyes on the road.
“She used more power hiding herself than actually attacking you.” My eyes darted to hers.
“She could have had you all turned on me before the battle if she had focused fully on it. We had no idea she was even there. After I cast her out, I tried to find a spell, or whatever that she could have used. The attack she corrupted is almost instant. She just had to get past your defenses.”
“Then why didn’t she?”
I switched lanes and debated my answer. “Because.” I glanced at her. “That wasn’t her main goal. Not really. She used most of her power to hide who she really was and chipped away at you. Testing our bonds, my abilities, and most importantly. My power.”
Toya chewed at her lip. “She wanted to find out how powerful you were.” She turned to me and I hummed my agreement.
“If she broke our bond, she would have been extremely happy. Two birds, one stone, but it was just about seeing how strong I was. How observant I was. If I would catch the attack before it was too late. She used both her sisters as decoys, thinking I wouldn’t get past both.”
“But you did,” Toya pointed out.
I nodded. “And now she is being super vigilant. If I so much as glance at Rowan the wrong way, then he’s…” I turned into my driveway and sighed.
“He’s fucked.” Toya finished.