Page 58 of Mating at Midnight: Book 1

She removes her hand from my stomach, glancing at the other Elder women. They stared back at her with astonishment.

Did I offend her in some type of way? I wasn’t trying to do that. I honestly know why she and the other Elders responded the way they did. In their time, when a female wolf was mated with an Alpha, they got pregnant quickly to secure their status in case he chose to take on other mates. That wasn’t going to happen with me and Braxton, so I stated with absolute confidence, “I will be the only one who will carry Braxton’s children. As for him taking another mate, that ship has sailed off and sank.” I politely take her hand in mine, shaking it. “Trust me, within two to three years from now, this backyard will be filled with Lightfeather babies. The way daddy is acting with Crown, I know he will be just as protective with his grandchildren.”

Elder Lelah laughs, pulling me into a hug. She leans back, responding, “If Alpha Lightfeather has his way, his grandchildren will never leave this Pack. You and Kenia are going to have a fight on your hands.”

Rolling my eyes, I move my head from side to side, giggling. “I hope not, but I guess we’ll have to deal with it when the time comes.”

“Good luck with that,” she sings, letting me go. We pick up the conversation with the other ladies as we continue to prepare the food.

Almost four hours later, pans of tossed salad, cole slaw, pinto beans, homemade hushpuppies (ready for the hot grease), andcondiments were finished. The men arrived back to the cabin shortly after with Bryant carrying a wild boar over his shoulders.

Daddy waved over two male members that were with them and pointed to the dangling hooks on the device he created to skin and clean game. They nodded before one of them took the boar from Bryant.

If daddy was tired, he never showed it as he went into his shed and pulled out two large fish cookers. Once he had them in place, he walked over to the water hose and turned it on, washing his hands and face. Braxton, Levi, Bryant, and James came to the table that we were sitting at.

Braxton flops in the chair next to me and Levi does the same by Kenia. Braxton leans over and whispers, “Now, I know why you all eat so much meat. I hope the fish we’re about to consume comes close to the equivalent amount of red meat I would consume.”

I snorted, bumping my shoulder with his. “The fish and everything else will have you full in no time. There’s plenty, so you can have fourths or fifths.”

“Haha, you got jokes,” he returns. “I hope you’re right because it’s been a long time since I did work like this, and I am starving.”

Kenia jumps in, saying, “Okay, so the four of you go inside and get cleaned up. By the time you return, daddy will have the first batches of fish frying.”

Braxton kisses my cheek before getting out of his chair. Levi does the same with Kenia as Bryant points to the men who now have the boar hanging from the hooks. “Will you please make sure they get everything bagged up. Noah said I could store the meat in one of his deep freezers. I’m going to take it all back to Texas with me. The boar is my first take down in Oklahoma.”

“I will,” I reply. “But I’m sure they will still be working on it when you return.”

“Okay,” he says as they head towards the house.

Minutes after they went inside, a black four door Lexus drives up to the backyard and parks. The driver gets out, goes to the back passenger door, then opens it. I didn’t have to wonder long who was inside when Ramona appeared.

Chapter 30

Nyah

At this point, I wasn’t going to let Ramona being here put a damper on the good mood everyone is having today but when the driver goes to the other side and opens the door, that shit went out the window as Megan steps out. How dare Ramona bring this woman to my Pack lands. The only thing that keeps me from attacking the two of them is Kenia grasping my wrist, keeping me in my seat.

I look over at daddy who now has Crown in one arm and lowering a basket of battered fish into the grease. He peers at me, using hand signals I decipher as,An Alpha knows when to pick and choose their battles.I get what he was saying but I choose the one he probably wasn’t thinking of.

“Now is not the time, little sister. I know you and your wolf want to tear them limb from limb but let them dig their own graves, so you be vindicated for doing so,” Kenia implores.

Her words flow through me but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to unleash my wolf on them. My wolf connects with me, ready to do damage. I snarl, displaying my wolf’s teeth. Kenia’s attempt to hold me back almost fails until Elder Nelah places her hands on my shoulders. Her soothing touch comforts me as her positive energy flows through, finally putting me and my wolf at ease.

Elder Nelah massages my shoulders before saying, “Your quick response is what they want you to do, so they can show Alpha Braxton, Alpha Lightfeather, and the others you are not a suitable mate for Braxton.” She applies more pressure to my right shoulder.

“Under the Gods and us as witnesses, say that you will not strike against them unless it is necessary?”

I grit my teeth, baring through the pain to reply, “I won’t.” I might have said it, but given the opportune time, I’m going to put a hurting on Megan. Although I wanted to do the same with Ramona, she is still Braxton’s mother. Hell from what I saw, Braxton is closer to Bryant than her. Maybe he wouldn’t look negatively on me for sending his mother to the Gods before they called her home.

Taking my word, Elder Nelah taps my shoulders, then takes a step back.

Keeping my emotions in check, I question Ramona. “Why are you here?”

She flicks her blonde hair extensions over her shoulder. I’m sorry, but I’ve seen better fake hair on my dolls growing up.

Ramona feigns a worried face, responding, “I’ve been trying to get in contact with Bryant and Braxton since last night. I thought something might have been wrong, so I had the driver bring me here to check on them.”

“And your assistant?” I question, pointing at Megan.

---