Page 8 of Destined Bear
Oh, how I loathe Alessa sometimes, her love of drama affecting everyone in her path.
Hurt crosses Vivienne’s face, but gauging by her reaction, she doesn’t seem oblivious to the story behind what happened with Brynn and me.
Alessa arches a dark eyebrow meaningfully at Vivienne.
She ignores Alessa and pivots back toward the door. “I only came to make you aware of my arrival, because I promised my mother I would. Now that I have, there’s no reason for me to stay. I’m back. Now you know.”
She stalks out the door and leaves it open in her wake, leaving me gawking after her.
Alessa stomps her foot petulantly. “Are you just going to let her go?”
“Who told you to bring her here?” I stand and advance furiously on the cat shifter.
Alessa is nonplused by my outburst. “Viv has every right to be here, and I’m an enforcer, so I have every right to bring a pack member here when I see fit. Anyway, she was going to have to come here sooner or later to announce herself.”
“Areyou an enforcer? Because you only act like one half the time!” Staring her down, Alessa quivers under my unyielding eyes.
She continues, although not as forceful as before. “She wasn’t exiled from Willow Grove. She and Circe left here by choice after your public humiliation during your arrogant refusal of her perfectly logical suggestion all those years ago.”
I scoff openly. “I had plenty of backup for my decision.”
I look at Heath, and he looks everywhere but at us, like he’s plotting his escape.
“Right?” I press, but my Beta doesn’t respond.
Wow. So that’s how it is.
“You keep telling yourself whatever helps you sleep at night, Emeric.” Alessa rolls her eyes. “All I know is that Circe is in bad shape, and it’s good that Vivienne is back. She can easily fill in her mother’s role while Circe recovers.”
“What do you mean? I just saw Circe last week.” I look between Alessa and Heath. “She was fine.”
“Well, she’s not fine now,” Alessa responds, and she doesn’t bother to hide her disdain. “Which is why I’m suggesting Vivienne fill in for her.”
My lips part in protest, but Heath nods in agreement.
It forces me to rethink my hesitance. “That could be good. If Circe is in no position to fulfil any of her duties, the council will be receptive to her daughter taking on her role.”
When Circe first came back, I’d been relieved to have the historical society functioning again. The mentorship programs had been scattered among different elders—some teaching ceremonies, others handling genealogy, a few covering pack law. Under Circe’s leadership, I was able to reunify it all under the historical society where it belonged. But now, with her this sick, the mentorship programs could fall apart again.
Vivienne could handle it, though. The historical society’s mentorship role requires someone with deep knowledge of our traditions, and her family’s lineage runs back to Willow Grove’s founding. She grew up learning those stories, those customs.
“But this is only temporary, until Circe is better. We’ll focus on finding Circe the best healers in the territory and make her well again,” I vow, but more because I want everyone out.
I am in no mood to keep Vivienne around any longer than necessary, and judging by her attitude just now, she doesn’t want to be here, either.
I admit that seeing Vivienne again awakened a spark inside me that I thought was gone forever. Although why I thought that is beyond me. So many times, I found myself wondering what had become of the redheaded spitfire who had walked out of my life without warning.
But didn’t she give a warning? Didn’t the expression on her face say everything that day?
I have replayed the day often in my head, wondering what I could have said or done differently to get Vivienne to stay, but I can’t start thinking about that again.
No. There are already too many distractions in Willow Grove. I don’t need any more, and certainly not in the shape of a very appealing fox shifter.
Alessa interrupts my spiraling thoughts. “Circe already has a live-in nurse.”
Heath and I look at Alessa.
“Millie, right?” I click my tongue in annoyance. “A lot of good she’s been doing.”
