Blackshadow (Kingdom of Wolves #2)

Wednesday came around far too quickly, but with the garden taking shape and the greenhouse delivered, we have spent the morning working out how to build the thing. It’s like a puzzle, put piece A to piece B and turn piece C. Maybe I should have told Zoella to pay for the damn thing to be erected too.

“Will you stop growling under your breath!” Caleb snaps, and looking up, I can see his wolf Magnum is close to the surface.

Stepping away from everyone, I take a few calming minutes. I know that my agitation is rubbing off on the pack members working alongside me.

Silas walks over and hands me a bottle of water, which I thank him for, and as I drink, I turn to look at him as he quietly speaks to me.

“You are a good alpha to the pack. Don’t try to do everything too fast, as it’s impossible to change things overnight. I know you want the best for the pack, but Alpha Connell, so does the pack, plus they all see the huge effort you are making to turn things around.” Squeezing my forearm Silas walks back to Caleb, Noah, Armon and Sterling who have all stepped up to help get the greenhouse, potting shed and equipment shed built.

Rubbing my forehead, I can’t stop the thought that I need a Luna, my other half, the one that could calm me with a look or touch. I would dearly love to find my mate, but don’t have any time to travel around the packs to see if she is in our area. If she is not, it would mean my traveling out of area and visiting packs we’ve had low dealings with in the past, and ones that we’ve not always had good relations with.

“Are you alright?” Turning, I give a nod to Flint, who has taken me by surprise arriving before lunch.

“I’m good. Thank you for asking. Have you just arrived?”

Flint grins, “Yes, just in time I think.”

“Come on, let’s get to the office, and I’ll tell Dahlia to bring us some lunch.”

“Sounds good to me, Alpha Connell.” Flint walks alongside me, and I’m aware he’s watching and listening to everything as we head into the packhouse.

Once we are settled in my office with a light lunch of sandwiches, cookies and a drink, I get to the business at hand, and the reason Flint is here.

“There are various things I want to discuss with you, Councilman Flint. Advice that may help me move the pack forward, and into a better pack than it has been since before the last Alpha.” I give nothing on my thoughts of my father because Flint was here and saw much of what had been happening. “I’m thinking of holding a mating ball and opening up the offer to packs outside our territory. I’ll limit the number of attendees from each pack. If we get too many that accept I’ll speak to the other Alphas in our area to see if they can accept any overnight visitors.”

Flint leans forward in his seat, “I like that idea, and to bring other packs in from outside our area will give a chance for some you would ordinarily never encounter to come to this meeting.”

“I could also contact the other kingdoms and see if they have any wolf shifters that would like to attend?”

“We haven’t mixed with those in a lot of years, but I think it may be an idea for the future. Let’s not do that now. Let’s keep it to our kingdom and look at the others later.” Flint is rubbing his chin and I know I have him thinking about the Kingdoms of Dragons, Bears, Cats and Vampires.

“Well, we could use this as an opportunity for first contact? I think it would be a good move.”

Flint gives me a serious look. “Have you already made contact?”

“No, I haven’t. I wanted your opinion first. There may well have been a reason that we don’t have contact that I’m not aware of. I’m very ‘aware’ that, as a new Alpha, there are going to be things I don’t know, or perhaps political boundaries that I shouldn’t cross.” Watching for Flint’s reaction, I see nothing to cause me concern.

“If you feel that this could be a stepping stone to opening a line of communication between Blackshadow and the Kingdoms, then give it a shot. Just be sure that all communications are based solely on and around Blackshadow.

“Do not include any of the other packs or the shifter council, in any way, shape, or form. If you can guarantee that, I’m ok with it. Don’t be surprised though, if a pack pulls out of the mating ball when you announce that there may be representatives from the Kingdoms present at the ball.”

“I will arrange a date for the ball and let you know when that is. If you can speak to the council to get the ball approved, that would help enormously. I’ll give your input some thought before deciding.

“Meanwhile, I’m working on improving the pack grounds and giving everyone in the pack the opportunity to do something useful, and get a payment for what they do, too.”

“Yes, I will do that. It will not be a problem as we all want to find our mates, and for now this is the best way to get mates meeting in a controlled atmosphere. We all know how irate a male shifter can be when they first find their mate. I’ve seen my share of fights until they are fully marked and it’s not a pretty sight.” Flint looks at me thoughtfully then states, “In hindsight, let me deal with invitations to the Kingdoms. There could be repercussions that you don’t need to deal with if this went awry. It’s a good idea you had, but I don’t want you caught up in anything you’re not prepared for.”

“Do you know if Merry has any plans about coming back here eventually or if she’s going to be staying on the shifter council land? I’m asking because of her cabin; it needs to be maintained and I don’t want the pack to be financing that if nobody is going to be benefitting from living in it. It is an hour away from the packhouse and if I’m honest, Flint, it may be better to demolish it or keep it as a warrior patrol house, where they can stop and rest when needed.”

“Actually, Merry told me to give you this letter,” taking an envelope out of his jacket pocket which he hands to me. “Merry said she’s not coming back except for council member work. She’s loving living where she is and she has many people to speak with and go around the area with. She wants to gift the log cabin to the pack and you do with it what you will.”

Opening the envelope, I take out the sheet of paper and read the message that the house is donated to the Blackshadow Pack and that Alpha Connell may do as he pleases with the cabin.

“I will write to Merry and thank her for her donation of the cabin, and if you would give that letter to her when you return, I would appreciate it.”

Flint smiles. “Of course I will give it to her. Now you just have to decide what to do with it. But a stopping place for the patrol warriors is a good idea.”

Nodding as I place the letter in the top drawer of my desk whilst thinking I’ll place it in the safe when my meeting with Flint has finished.