Blackshadow (Kingdom of Wolves #2)

Flint rubs his forehead, then turns to Eve. “I know you have never been keen on female Alphas Eve, but to speak as you did was totally out of order. You never allowed her to say why she hasn’t sent warriors to assist Alpha Lyle. From now on, when we have dealings with Alpha Aurora, you will not be included. Are all other council members in agreement with that?”

One by one, the council members give an aye vote and Eve looks more than a little ashamed of her outburst. The problem being, once this sort of thing is said, it can never be taken back and her relationship with the Blood Pearl Pack Alpha is now damaged beyond repair. We all know how hard Aurora worked to get her pack to the place they are now, and it is strange she is not assisting, because she is usually the first to step forward.

“I don’t know what is happening at Blood Pearl Pack, but it is not like Alpha Aurora to not offer support, and in any form she can. Something is wrong, and I’ve asked her, but she won’t tell me,” Lyle states calmly and looks at the council members before continuing. “I think we should leave her to whatever she is dealing with, and if we get the opportunity, we offer any help we can, the same as she has done for all of us in the past.”

Ulmer Oakfold taps his fingertips on the table. “I agree, and I’ve known Alpha Aurora since she was a pup. I’m going to visit her pack and see if I can figure out what is happening. Leave it with me, and I’ll bring anything I find back to the council.”

“Okay, let’s move on. The rogue issue is slowly getting worse, and Alpha Lyle has seen an increase, in both the frequency, and the number of rogues active in the attacks. The council have sent warriors, Alpha Chet and Alpha Gabriel have sent warriors.” Flint is ticking off on his fingers as he speaks. “Alpha Connell is training new warriors and is happy to assist with warriors as soon as he is able. Is everyone happy with how things are progressing with supplying help to Alpha Lyle?”

“I’m doing all I can to increase the size of my pack. I’m training warriors for border patrol, and as soon as I have the numbers, I’ll send to you, Alpha Lyle, however many I can spare. I consider at this time your border to be my border because if you are breached, it will only be the next step before they are breaching mine. Anything I can do to help, please call me.” I’m looking directly at Lyle as I speak so he can see how earnest I am.

Chet has supplied warriors and is rotating the warriors, so they stay fresh, and at their highest fighting energy. Gabriel is doing the same, much to the council members’ relief. I’m sure with the words spoken toward Aurora this morning, they don’t want to irritate another alpha.

“Let us move on. I am thrilled to announce that Alpha Connell has met his mate. Hope came to the Blackshadow Pack from the Northern Parklands where Alpha Connell was finding new pack members. Most of the shifters have been abused by their last packs, family, or have had terrible circumstances leading to them being rogues. We are finding more of them have come from other regions too.

“The council will look into what is going on, and see if others are in the Parklands that want to become members of a pack.” Flint covered two topics easily here and I can’t help but grin to myself at how easily he can do that.

A squeeze on my left shoulder has me look at Gabriel. “Congratulations Alpha Connell. There is nothing better than finding your mate.”

“Thank you.” I don’t follow with anything more as Gabriel was once going to be Beta of my pack until he found his mate and consequently became Alpha of the Wolfsfoot Pack. We’ve had a strained relationship, but it has improved since my father died. He is another who, if proof were needed, can say I’ve become a better person, and deserve the respect that my position calls for.

Receiving congratulations from the other alphas, and the council, pleases me because I would never step away from Hope and she may have been a rogue, but she is a member of my pack, and now the Luna.

“I forgot to tell you Alpha Connell, but I caught a young female, newly rogue, dashing in and out of your border. From what she tells me, she was running from her brother who wanted to arrange a mating so he would enhance his pack position. But she was having none of it,” grinning broadly, Chet continues. “She’s a feisty one, but she was staying in the lodge near the border and what sounds like Merry’s old cabin when her brother got too close. She’s now a member of my pack, so she won’t be infringing on your border again,” he informs me.

“That’s good then. It’s something I can stop worrying about. We’ve been watching and waiting to see if we could catch whoever it was. She didn’t do any damage at all. It only appeared that someone was sleeping or resting there.”

Flint rubs his hands together and has a huge smile on his face. “Last order of business, and an exciting one. Alpha Connell is going to be hosting a mating ball at the Blackshadow Pack. After some discussion, we decided to invite wolf shifters from the other Kingdoms. We know some went from all areas of our Kingdom, but their offspring have never come back, and they may need to do that to find their fated mates. I’ve put out feelers and am waiting for responses at the moment. Alpha Connell, I’ll keep you informed so you know the numbers that may partake.”

“Okay, thank you. My only worry is the sleeping arrangements because we are only now in the process of building new cabins and I wouldn’t want guests to sleep in the dining room.” I grin because I can just imagine it looking like a camping expedition.

“You could call it a camping ball,” Chet chuckles.

Councilman Roman Walker slaps his hand on the table, laughing loudly, much to his mate’s amusement. “C-can you im-imagine…” he stutters through his laughter, “someone like Alpha Benedict sleeping on the floor of a dining room.”

Now we all know Alpha Benedict may be young, but he is so stern and boring that nobody ever mingles with him. The vision of his pompous ass sleeping on the dining room floor has me laughing along with Roman.

We discuss a few minor things before leaving and I head home, filling Caleb in on what was discussed. He’s as surprised as I am about the development regarding Alpha Aurora, but he also has a feeling something is not right with her, and maybe her pack. But until she spills what’s going on, nobody can do anything to help her.

Knight is giddy knowing we are nearly home and he’ll be seeing Hope and Briar at any minute. ‘Calm yourself. I’m as eager to get to Hope as you are, but we don’t want to frighten her.’

Ok, but you better get your human self-mated or I’ll make sure I mate Briar again. She enjoys mating, and I am happy to mate as much as she wants.

‘Stop. Stop thinking about mating.’

Why? I need to be sexier than you because you are slow at getting us mated.

‘Go away and let me do this in my own time.’ I quickly slam the block between us closed and grin because I know he’ll be pacing back and forth and cursing me for doing it.

Turning as I walk through the front door of the packhouse, I smile at Caleb. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Get a good night’s sleep. It’s been a heck of a long day.”

“Goodnight, Alpha.”

I don’t wait to hear if he says anymore. I’m already striding through the packhouse and up the stairs to the alpha suite where I’m going to find my mate, my Luna, and hopefully make love to her for the first time.

Entering the suite, it’s quiet and, as I expected, Hope is in bed and sleeping. I make my way into the bathroom and quickly shower before stalking to the bed where I stand for a few moments, enjoying the soft look on Hope’s face as she sleeps.

Climbing into bed, I gently draw Hope to me, pushing my nose into her hair and taking a large sniff of her aroma, which is lavender, honey and chamomile. It is such a relaxing but enticing aroma, to me anyway. If anyone else tries to sniff her, I’ll kill them.