Page 12 of He Claimed Her Heart

“Yes, of course. You were his mate. You will always be welcome at our house as our daughter.Whatever we can do to ease your pain, we will be more than happy to help you. Please do not hesitate to ask us,” Beta Edward responded as he wrapped his arms around me as I sobbed into his chest.

My dad and Tom just watched asBeta Edward held me as I sobbed. They understood that I needed this from him. When my sobs subsided, my dad and Tom came over and I hugged them.

Alpha Bennett came over and stated, “Bree, Tom is going to take you home.Your father is going to stay here and help us interrogate the rogues we captured. Tom do not leave your sister. You will not attend training until further notice. In fact, once you get home, do not go anywhere, or speak to anyone until I speak to you, understand?” Alpha Bennett commanded.

“Yes alpha,” we both said in unison.

Tom escorted me out of the safe room and to the SUV outside the pack house. Everything was a blur. I don’t remember much of anything after getting into the SUV. We got home and Tom got me to my room. I changed my clothes. I put my pajamas on and went to bed. I figured if this was a bad dream, I would wake up and everything would be okay. Except, I knew it wasn’t a dream. I must have drifted off to sleep because next thing I knew it was four in the afternoon.

I got out of bed and wandered into the living room. I found Tom watching TV.

“Hey Bree. How are you feeling? Are you hungry?”Tom asked as he looked me over.

“Hey. No, I’m not hungry. I’m just tired. Where is everyone? Has dad got home yet?” I inquired.

“Yeah,they all got home about an hour ago. You need to change and put some clothes on. Alpha Bennett has called a pack meeting for five o’clock. Beta Edward and Angela are here as well as Alpha Blaine and Luna Yvonne,” Tom announced.

“Yeah, I guess I need to get a shower and change. I’ll be right back,” I stated as I shuffled back to my room to get ready.

I really didn’t want to see anyoneor be around anyone right now, but I really didn’t have a choice. When the Alpha wants you to do something, you do it. I’m standing in my bathroom, getting ready to get into the shower when I look into the mirror. OMG! I have black circles under my eyes. I look like hell. I quickly take a shower and get dressed. I decide I have to apply make-up, so I don’t look so dreadful. Make-up only made me look worse. So, I ended up taking it back off. I put moisturizer on my face in hopes it would make it look better. It did, but only a little bit. Ready or not, here I go.

I walked out to greet my brother to find the living room full of people. Beta Edward and Angela was there. Angela greeted me immediately, “Oh my dear, how are you? I am so sorry you never got to fully mate. Are you alright?” she asked me.

“I will be. How are you doing?I know it cannot be easy for you losing a son,” I questioned her.

“Yes,it is not easy to lose a child. But you never got to know the joy of having or loving your mate. That is the tragedy here,” Angela lamented.

“To be honest, I feel hollow in my chest. I don’t know if that is normal. I just feel kind of lost—like I lost something, and I can’t find it. Does that make sense?” I sighed as I looked around the room from my dad to Tom to Beta Edward to Angela.

“Yes, it makes perfect sense my dear. Like my mate told you in the safe room. You will always be considered our daughter as well. You were his mate. You will forever be considered to be a part of our family,” Angela announced with pride.

“Thank you.I’m sorry fate didn’t see Andy and I together. I … I … sigh may I call upon you from time to time just to talk?” I inquired.

“Absolutely. I would be honored if you would. Anytime you want to come by and see us. Yes, please do so.By the way, his funeral will be the day after tomorrow at dusk,” Edward revealed to us.

“It’s time to go downstairs. Alpha Bennett wants us downstairs so he can start the pack meeting,” dad announced to as he started to guide us toward the front door.

We all walked down the stairs in silence. I walked in between Edward and Angela. Angela held my hand for support. We entered the packed meeting room. All eyes instantly moved to us entering the room. We all walked to the front of the room and stood slightly behind the Alphas.

Alpha Bennett addressed the pack:

“Good evening, Blackhawk Pack. I called this meeting to squelch the rumors that have been running rampant since last night concerning Breonna Mathis. First, let me say this. I asked her to train our warriors for the tournament this year. She agreed. Second, she met her mate while out to dinner with her father. Yes, it was her actual mate. His name was Andrew Silvers of the White River Pack. This is Alpha Blaine and Luna Yvonne and his parents, Beta Edward Silvers, and Angela Pembroke. Third, Yes, I said was. Today, we were meeting at the White River Pack when a group of rogues attacked. He was killed while protecting one of our wolves who was assisting them. Finally, while Bree did not deserve to have these rumors start running about, they were vicious and unfounded in nature. When I find out who started them, I will be reprimanding them and punishing those responsible. We do not tolerate attacks on each other like this. We uplift each other. Do not tear each other down. I will not tolerate it. I hope I have made myself clear. You are dismissed!”

As people began to file out, they kept looking at usstanding behind the Alphas. I kept my eyes downcast. I couldn’t look at anyone. I didn’t even want to be out of my room. Some brave soul shouted, “I don’t believe any of it. I still don’t believe she ever had a mate!”

Growls could be heard from me and several others from thefront. “Silence!” shouted Alpha Bennett. “Come forward whoever said that. Right now!”

To my surprise, Tatum, a warrior stepped forward.My mouth gapped open like a fish out of water. Why would he say that. Tom was the first one to my defense.

“Why would you not believe she had a mate?” Tomshouted at him.

“Her neck isbare, and we only have her word for it,” he declared as he pointed to me.

“Andy was my mate. I told him that I had obligations that I had to fulfill here at my pack before I could come to live with him. We were going to discuss the logistics of it all this evening but the rogue attack at his pack set … set … settled that,” I sniffled as I tried to hold back my tears.

“My son and Bree weremates young man. I don’t know who you are, but who are you to question the mate bond. When I met Breonna last night. I saw the connection that had already taken place between the two of them. We discussed her commitment. She was adamant. She was going to honor her commitment, but she wanted to be with my son as well. As for the mark, they just met last night. She thought it was too soon to mark each other,” Beta Edward explained to everyone listening.

“Tatum, you have been a good and loyal warrior. Did you start that rumor to hurt Breonna?” inquired Alpha Bennett.

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