Page 42 of Knot Quite Ready

Casimir moves from the public meeting hall to an area that has been transformed into a lush garden with winding paths, dotted with fruit trees, and is attacked by a group of pups.

“Tristan, call the Council! We are under attack!” Casimir shouts, jokingly.

“I'm running for my life; these little ones look feral!” Tristan replies as one child pretends to gnaw off his neck.

“Alpha Casi, are you almost done?! You promised we would play Wolves and Robbers!” A little girl, who can't be over five, whines, her bright green eyes so striking that it takes my breath away.

Casimir chuckles, “Break!” he calls out, and they all stop immediately.

“Hot and commanding. I like it. You can keep him,” Storm whispers, and I laugh.

He looks my way and winks. “We will be finished by lunchtime, Lacey, and then I promise I will come and play. But first, you have your morning lessons at the schoolhouse, and if you miss those…”

“You'll be the wolf, and we'll be the robbers,” Lacey pouts.

I burst out laughing along with several of the council members as the kids run off at top speed, apparently afraid of the big bad wolf, Alpha Casi.

“Calian mentioned refugees, but there are certainly quite a bit of children here,” Harailt says.

Casimir nods, “Unfortunately, we have quite a few Omegas here that came from precarious situations. Lacey, for example, came with her aunt—her sister having been injured and unable to escape their old pack. Still, the children are adjusting well, despite the moving around. Let's continue. I have a game of wolves and robbers to win at high noon.”

He chuckles but turns, effectively cutting off any further questions. Questions that are burning in Harailt's eyes. Everything else can be addressed later, but right now, he has to show them, beyond words, why the pack is worthy of being formally recognized.

I'm not sure how long we walk, but every minute is filled with new surprises, from medical offices and homes built specifically for single moms and elderly wolves to the communal kitchens, where everyone within the pack is encouraged to take part in meal preparation together. And with every minute that passes, I know without a doubt that Casimir is every bit the mate that I never let myself dream of, and I’m glad because I don’t think the dream would have come close to reality.

——

As Cas finished the tour, Storm and I broke away. The Council moved along to do their own walk around and get to know the pack while Casimir disappeared to handle pack matters and a certain game of robbers. I took the opportunity to eat, shower, and change into another dress for dinner.

Still, as Storm and I head for dinner, my stomach gives a rumble of anger, and I’m seconds away from eating the next person with the council entourage, that looks at me curiously as they mill around. I’m not sure when it started happening, but every few moments during the morning tour, Harailt would look back and stare, eyes filled with wonder as if I was a fucking painting in a museum. Then a few members of the guard started doing it too.

Storm nods her head, indicating the council group directly ahead of us. “Hot Grandpa wolf keeps looking back at you again,” Storm murmurs softly in my ear as we follow the path to the dining hall.

Despite my sensitive hearing, my ears strain to catch her words over my grumbling stomach. I appreciate the discretion, as I was just going to bring up the same thing, albeit much louder. My patience is warring with my hunger.

For the most part, we stayed silent during the tour as Casimir confidently moved, answering questions and introducing members of the pack. What he has accomplished is nothing short of incredible, and it was clear, by the nods and smiles, that the council felt the same way.

I would have basked in finally having a pack to be proud of if it wasn’t for the stares from Harailt—his very familiar stare. Part of me felt like I knew him, and with how he kept looking at me, I wondered if I did. Even if his face wasn’t memorable, and it certainly was, I know I would remember meeting a shifter that exuded so much power. His demeanor screamed, ‘I’ll fuck you up and laugh while I eat your heart.’

“I know. It’s grating on my fucking nerves, but I swear, Agatha recognizes him to some degree but doesn’t know how.” I shake my head.

“Don’t want to point out the obvious here, but he looks a lot like you, sweets. I mean…if you were the male byproduct of The Rock, Vin Diesel, The Terminator, and Jacob Black, in a hot dress. Which in his case,” Storm looks at Harailt up and down “may very well be exactly how he came to be. We should look into labs that are splicing genes or something,” she adds, her head turned as if she is really considering it. Although, in her case, she probably is.

I laugh softly, “Please don’t hack into top-secret databases to test your theory.”

She gives a dramatic sigh, “Fine. Party pooper… Still, the idea has merit.”

I shove her lightly, and she laughs. I look over at the wolf councilman, and my heart thumps wildly as he looks away when our gazes meet. I never met my father, but my mother was sure he was dead. The safety deposit box had a hastily penned letter with the same account number on the slip of paper she had given me, with instructions on how to access the account. The pack was relatively wealthy but not wealthy enough for my mom to abscond with several million. I figured in those fifteen years, she had set up lucrative investments, and the rest was a life insurance policy that paid out when my father was pronounced dead. I now wish I had the courage to ask her more questions. I catch myself as I stare mindlessly while I muse and shake my head to rid my thoughts. No. She was sure they had killed him when they found her and dragged her back. Said her mate bond was destroyed, and if it weren’t for me, she would have given in to the pain and let the moon take her to the next life. You couldn’t fake something like a bond break. Maybe Harailt is related to my father?

I push all thoughts to the back of my mind as Casimir calls my name when we enter the dining hall. Although ‘dining hall’ is putting it mildly. The hall boasts multiple levels—one for children during school hours, one for dining parties, and then the main floor. The entire hall was constructed with more than just the pack's comfort in mind. The ambiance feels like an extension of a home, a place to belong. The high ceilings and large windows let in plenty of natural light, while crystal chandeliers hang low from the dark oak beams. Tables of cherry wood of various sizes are strategically placed throughout the room to accommodate families of any size, with chairs that match the polished dark wood flooring. Then to top it all off, there is an open-style kitchen that bustled with wolves, allowing them to feel as if they were dining with the pack instead of hidden away. It is perfect.

With a slight smile, I tug Storm with me, following Casimir’s beaming smile like a beacon. I settle at the table in the front of the dining hall, seated next to Casimir, with Tristan on his opposite side. Storm makes her way to sit next to Calian, who is waiting for her, at the council table. While we set the seating up to promote integration, out of a show of respect, the council has its table on a slightly raised dais. Otherwise, they looked like they were part of the pack.

My eyes search for steak and grapes when Harailt clears his throat, drawing our attention.

Agatha grumbles in my head.So the speech can’t wait until I feed the child? Rude. Advise that wolf that I will soon rip out his heart if I do not get my meat.

I hold back a laugh but nudge Casimir and point to my stomach discretely. He nods and moves his hand behind us with a signal I assume means, ‘get my mate some food before she kills us all and eats our souls for dessert.’ Roughly.

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