Page 57 of Promise & Artem

“Yes and no,” she said. They reached the front door and stopped to face each other. “So within the pack ranking system, technically if someone wanted to take over, they’d have to fight their way up. But if someone just wanted to outright challenge him, they could. But he can turn down the challenge if he wants and kick the wolf out of the pack.”

“Has that happened?”

“It did a little while ago when his niece Jessi and her mates had come for the full moon. A family in the pack conspired to challenge Jason and tried to cheat with a syringe full of drugs,but one of Jessi’s mates saw what was happening and stopped it.”

“That’s wild,” he said.

She opened the front door and he held it while she stepped in and then followed her inside. “I take it that no one has tried to take over the baro?”

“Well to be fair they’d have to fight all the heads of the individual clans and wouldn’t just have one person to challenge.”

“That’s a good point.”

They found her parents in the family room watching TV. Her dad stood and shut off the show and her mom got up and gave her a hug.

“Mom, Dad, this is Artem Connelley. Artem, these are my parents, Bo and Reika Elliot.”

He shook their hands. “It’s nice to meet you in person finally,” he said.

“You too,” Bo said. “Have a seat.”

As they sat on part of the sectional sofa, Reika asked, “Are you thirsty or hungry?”

“We’re good Mom, thanks.”

“So you’ve had quite a crazy week,” Bo said, putting his arm around his mate.

“It definitely felt like the universe was against us,” Promise said. “Just one freaking bad thing after another.”

“You’re definitely safe now though?” Reika asked.

“One hundred percent,” Artem said.

“I had no idea there were shifters who had a curse like you did,” Bo said. “That must have always been on your mind.”

He nodded. “I’m thankful to not have to worry about it anymore, that’s for sure.”

They talked for a while about Promise moving to the campground but being able to remain part of the pack so they could come join in on full moon hunts whenever they wanted.

“Do you need help packing?” Reika asked when they said they needed to get over to the trailer.

“Thanks, but Rio and London already started packing for me, so I think we’ve got it handled. Then we’re going to stop at Alpha Jason and Cades’ to talk to them, then we’ll see you for dinner.”

“Six?” Reika asked.

“That’ll work,” Promise said. “Oh, did you happen to tell Karly that I wasn’t going to come back to Allen?”

“Um, no. Why?”

“I never let her know about my decision to stay in Pennsylvania and she said she’d hold my job for me.”

“I’m sure she’ll understand. She’s sweet that way.”

“We can stop in and talk to her, maybe grab a slice of Zoey’s chocolate cake if she made it today.”

They said goodbye to her parents and headed to the trailer, stopping at Lonestar to speak to Karly. Promise was tickled to get to take a piece of cake with them. The seven-layer chocolate cake was very popular, but Zoey had set aside a piece when she heard Promise was coming to town.

Once they reached her trailer, he met her sister Rio and her friend London who were already packing up her things.

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