Page 68 of The Alpha Dire Wolf
“I know.” I smiled sadly. “She was the best, and I miss her dearly.”
Walter cleared his throat. “She was also an organized, thorough person.”
I frowned. “You’ve said that twice now. Why bring it up again?”
“Because, Sylvie, she obviously had areasonfor doing things this way, for setting it up the way she did. Something’s there. I don’t know what it was, or why she didn’t tell you, but whatever the reason is, I suspect when you discover it, you’ll understand.”
“Yeah, maybe. I suppose you have things for me to sign?” I said, pointing at his briefcase, eager to move on.
There were a bunch of forms to sign, handing over the house to me, and all funds as well.
“The last thing is a lockbox at the bank. Once these forms are signed and notarized, a copy will go to the bank and then you can access it.”
I signed those as well.
“There we go.” Walter clicked his briefcase shut, leaving half the paperwork on the table for my records. “That’s it. We’re all done for now. Have to submit it all, but for now, that’s all I need from you.”
“Okay. Thank you, Walter,” I said, making it clear I didn’t want him to stick around. I needed to be alone for some time.
Learning that my grandmother didn’t trust me enough to tell me what was going on had cut open a new hole, showing me a new type of pain. I’d never thought of myself as a disappointment to her. But apparently I was wrong.
Or was I?
I closed the door behind Walter and stood there, a whole new train of thought entering my mind.
Maybe it wasn’t that my grandmother didn’t trust me enough to tell me. Maybe shedidtrust me. Enough that she knew I wouldn’t let this go.
That I would figure it the hell out. For her.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lincoln
My walk to the meeting grounds was fraught with tension. The last time I’d called a meeting, it had been to announce that the Chained was gaining power, that he was sending forth shadow minions, and that we all had to be on guard. However, I’d called that meeting in a few hours.
This time, I’d given the pack nearly twenty-four hours to stew. Immediately upon my return to the den, I had spread the word that there would be a meeting the following evening. Then I’d gone to work, arranging the few things I needed done in order to get out in front of what I was sure would be a rather robust rumor mill.
There was simply no way Cassius and Noel hadn’t gone to work against me. That was fine. In fact, I wanted it. They would spread the word of what I had been up to, and expect to use it against me. Which is why I couldn’t wait to see their faces once I dropped my plan in their way—an obstacle they couldn’t avoid or run over. They would have to accept it or be called out as hypocrites in front of the entire pack.
I tried to keep my smugness to a minimum. After all, just as I could come up with devious plans, so too could my opposition. Noel was no rookie, and he had the support of the Elder Council as well. I still had to tread carefully, and be ready for the unexpected, just in case.
Looking around, I could see minimal movement throughout the den. Under the cover of the trees, our lands were usually full of life and laughter. Not tonight. This meeting was important, and the pack could sense it. Mothers would have put children to sleep. Elder siblings would be charged with looking after their younger kin. Only those who absolutely could not be spared would miss this.
All of which meant, as I walked into the amphitheater, the electricity in the air reached out and latched on to me, threatening to paralyze muscles and freeze me in the spot.
I snorted, shrugging off the pressure and continuing without so much as a hesitation. I was the alpha. This wasmypack, and the day I was afraid to face them was the day I didn’t deserve to stand at the front and be their leader.
Torches on the wall and along the walkways flickered and cast shadows across various carvings set into the walls, the floors, even the risers of the various levels, all viewable as I descended to the center of the pit.
Conversation slowed, the silence flowing out from my position in an arc. Some tensed, expecting explosive confrontations. Others readied arguments and insults. Still others sat back and prepared to watch in silence, evaluating everything before they made a choice.
Two-legged forms dominated the landscape. It was the only way to pack that many shifters into the small space, though some still lounged on all fours, often acting as back rests for others.We were a close-knit group, long-standing differences of opinion aside.
I moved to the front of the stage and waited, basking in the presence of my ancestors’ ancestors. Long had my pack lived in the forest, and just as long had we been the caretaker of it. Before the coming of the Chained and the great battle long ago that bound it to the heart of the forest, the wolves of my pack had padded these trails and filled the clearings with laughter and love.
That must not be lost in the growing darkness. As must our duty. It had shifted over time, but our love for those endless wilds had never faded. The elders were losing sight of that, I feared, though I did not understand why.
To my right, they sat in a knot, all in human form. Not a single wolf among them. Many kept their faces neutral, but others such as Elder Jackson didn’t bother to hide their ire. The same was reflected to my left, where Cassius sat next to Noel, not even bothering to hide his smug satisfaction, as if the outcome of the meeting could not be in doubt.
