Page 2 of Brandt's Rule

Tempest and Boon turned to see Lily gracefully making her way down the steps of her front porch to see her daughter off.

“Momma,” Tempest said, hurrying to her and hugging her just as she set foot on the ground.

“You be my good girl,” Lily said.

“I will.”

“No misting anyone into oblivion if they don’t live up to your expectations,” Lily said.

“I would never!” Tempest said dramatically.

“Yes, you would,” Boon teased.

“I’m going to miss you,” Tempest said.

“You can come home whenever you want to. And if you need me there, just call to me. I’ll hear you,” Lily said.

Tempest nodded.

Lily embraced Tempest, holding her tightly. “You’re going to be so happy, my girl.”

“I’m going to try, Momma.”

“I love you,” Lily said, kissing her cheek and standing back so Tempest could be on her way. For as strong, independent and solitary as she was, she was a marshmallow in the middle. Coming off gruff because she kept her heart buried down deep where no one could hurt it.

Boon hugged Tempest again then stepped up beside Lily on the bottom step where she’d moved to so Tempest wouldn’t feel like they were holding her there.

Tempest straddled her bike and smiled at her mother and her uncle. “I love you both. I’ll see you soon.”

Boon and Lily waved and smiled as Tempest cranked her bike and it roared to life beneath her, then left a rumble in its wake as she drove away.

Boon waited until Tempest had driven out of sight, then turned to his sister. “I’m surprised Carrik didn’t try to stop her.”

“He went fishing with Papa early this morning. I warned them both that if they tried to interfere, I’d make sure they wouldn’t catch a fish for years,” Lily said.

Boon chuckled.

“I’m going to have a cup of tea and sob for a while. Want to join me?” Lily asked.

“I’m not up for the sobbing, but the tea I can do,” Boon said.

~~~

Brandt stood at the counter waiting on his coffee order. The girl behind the counter smiled a little too brightly and flirted mercilessly, but Brandt pretended not to see. Not only was she far too flirtatious for him, he’d become accustomed to being alone. Since graduating high school he’d moved right into a supervisory position with his Uncle Kaid’s construction company at the same time he’d effortlessly begun the transition of assuming the mantle of Alpha of the shifter clan he’d grown up in. Uncle Kaid, of course, was still an authority figure, and out of respect for his position and the legacy he’d built for them all, Brandt consulted him more often than not before finalizing any decisions that would affect the whole of their clan, but in actuality Kaid was more like the Queen mother had been when Queen Elizabeth was alive. Kaid was still the more comfortable Alpha to those of his original clan. A reminder of a bar that they should all strive to maintain, Brandt included, as he lead them toward their future. Kaid shored him up, though, he didn’t really need it. And Kaid still didn’t mind snapping any of them into line if an issue arose, but he always did it with deference to Brandt since Brandt had officially assumed the mantle of Alpha, giving Kaid the opportunity to just live his life and enjoy his people.

As far as the company itself, most of Uncle Kaid’s generation had retired, at least partially, leaving their sons, daughters and whoever they chose to hire to carry on in their places in the company. There were a few of the first generation that showed up daily, but they arrived at their convenience and always left the same way, late to arrive, early to leave. They’d earned that right, though. Even those that had retired never went too long without stopping by the job site and giving their opinions on how things might be better done, and even pitching in to help once in a while.

Barron was president of the company, with Brandt working closely beside him. Barron ran the company. Brandt ran the shifter clan. It worked for them, and for everyone else as well. And it didn’t hurt that they’d always been best friends. They had each others’ backs in business, just as they always had in life. Just as all the clan did for one another.

As Avaleigh aged and wanted more time with Daniel and Angelle, Remi — who’d always had a thing for numbers — took over the books she’d always kept for the company. Accounting was something he did for fun, but his Dragon could only handle so much time in the office. After a couple of days Remi would join them on whatever work site they were on. The company had grown so large that there were usually three or four different work sites in progress at a time, which meant three or four different work crews, most of them human. Jobe had moved up to be main foreman answering only to Barron and Brandt. He preferred to be with the clan whenever he wasn’t needed on a different work site, but usually spent a fair amount of time at whatever site needed the most attention at the time, and the lead man at each of the sites reported to Jobe. He was usually moving between the sites and crews and making sure everybody had everything they needed. Of course Barron and Brandt did their own share of it as well, but it was after all, Jobe’s job to do so. Anytime school was out for a holiday break, Ronan put in time working with them every chance he got. On the rare occasion, so did Jonah, but he was usually at his father’s bar and grill when not in school. With the exception of Jobe, those clan members that did work for the family construction company, usually all worked on the same site leaving the other sites for their hired crews. It was easier that way. No need to explain particular shows of strength or physical abilities if one of the humans that worked for them happened to notice when they forgot to hide it.

As most of their generation left home to pursue their dreams, Brandt and Barron had settled easily into the positions they’d always known waited for them. Though Brandt was Alpha over an ever wavering number of present clan members, they were all clan members nonetheless, and they never failed to call him with each and every long term decision, or issue they found themselves facing. Which meant his phone was often a source of constant distraction. Like now. As he tried to pick up the coffee order for the job site.

Brandt handed the girl behind the counter his debit card while studiously ignoring her attempt at eye contact, while he snatched his phone out of his pocket. “Yo,” he said into his phone.

“Hey! Where you at?” his Uncle Maverik barked at him from the other end of the line.

“Getting coffee,” Brandt answered.

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