Page 33 of Claimed by the Pack

“Please. Come in.” I let her inside and offered her a cup of coffee. She declined and we sat down at the table. I was as nervous as a damned cat and the worst part was that I was sure Chelsea could smell it.

“So, the guys and I talked last night, at length, about this situation with Cheyenne. First of all, I want to commend you on accepting your punishment for defying the rules, the way that you did. You showed real maturity and class and we appreciate it.”

“Thank you.”

She nodded and said, “We don't want to keep you from the person you believe you should be with, Ridge. Our concern was always this pack number one, and humans just don't take kindly to being kidnapped, or having their friends or family kidnapped. That's the reason we set the rules down the way we did. We have to protect this pack above all. But...we talked about Cheyenne, and the fact that she has, as you told Will, had ample opportunity to hurt us in the past three weeks, and she hasn't done that. So, in the end what we decided was that you may see her...”

I jumped up to my feet without even thinking about it. It was just that sudden burst of adrenaline I couldn't control it.

She smiled and said, “Sit down, please.” I sat, reluctantly and she said, “But, you have to do it the right way, Ridge. You have to do it the human way, and if she doesn't want to see you, you'll have to accept that. Do you think you can do that?”

I didn't think I could, but I wasn't going to say anything to screw this up.

“Yes. I can and will do that.” She wants me. I wasn't worried about that.

“Okay then...don't screw this up, Ridge.”

“I won't.”

“Remember we're a pack. We're a family. We're a team. If you have any problems, come to us. And...I expect transparency. 100% honesty. Got it?”

“Got it. Thank you, Chelsea.” She nodded again and said,

“You're welcome. By the way, have you seen Grayson?”

Shit. Transparency? Truth? “Not since yesterday morning.” Well, that much was true.

“Weird. He told me he'd keep an eye on Jack today while I did my shopping. The guys are all busy with projects. Is Chase around?”

“Probably. I haven't seen him yet today.” Damn it. If Chase says anything to her about Grayson...but then he'd have to tell on himself. I had to get in touch with Grayson and get him out of there or we all might be in trouble, again.

She stood up and said, “I'll go see if he's around. Jackie loves him.”

That was true.

I always wondered what kind of father I'd be, but I knew Chase was going to make a great one. Grayson was good with little Jack too.

Chelsea never asked me to watch him.

He made me nervous and I did the same to him. I walked her to the door, thanked her again and then shot Chase a text that I hoped he read before she got there,

“Don't tell Chelsea anything about Grayson, please.”

By the time I left the compound half an hour later, he hadn't text me back. He was going to let me wonder, and worry. Jack ass.

* * *

I forgot it was Monday.I had to wait all day for Cheyenne to get home from work. Once it was time, I walked to her apartment complex in record time and stood in front of her front door for what seemed like an hour before I finally worked up my nerve to knock. I could hear my crazy friend in there, barking like an idiot and then I heard someone, not Cheyenne, tell him to shut up. The door was pulled open by her little friend Myrna, who had a smile on her pretty face, until she saw me. “What do you want? Go ahead and attack, dog.” Gray was smirking. Little traitor.

“Is Cheyenne here?”

“No. Go away!” She started to slam the door in my face and I caught it. She pulled it back open and said, “Why are you here? She doesn't want to see you! Go home to your girlfriend.”

“My girlfriend?”

“Ridge?” The sound of Cheyenne's voice made my heart speed up. The sight of her made me lose my breath.

“Hi.”

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