Page 68 of He Claimed Her Heart

“Bree, stop it. Stopnudging me,” Thad said as he was trying to remain incognito.

I growled at him again. I nipped at hisbutt to get his attention. Then I began to push him forward which didn’t go over to well with him.

“Bree, stop it.You’re going to get me into trouble. Now stop it,” Thad whisper shouted to my wolf.

“Young man, I suggest you come forward right now before I order Breonna to use whatever force sheneeds to bring you to me. This is your last chance,” bellowed Uncle Reese as a warning to Thad before he added. “Bree, latch onto him anyway you can and bring him to me. Now!”

Without hesitation, I growled and pushed him forward. Thad swatted at my wolf.With his hand now out in the open, I bit down on his open palm and started dragging him forward. He tried to resist, but to no avail.

“You might want to get out of her way if you don’t want to get kicked. Just saying,” Uncle Reese stated to the other wolves standing around us.

I guess the piece of information that I was from an Alpha blood line escaped him. I dragged him, literally kicking and screaming to my uncles feet. I released him once we were in front of Uncle Reese. I huffed and shook my head as if to say, ‘now stay there.’

Four hulky wolves came immediately and swept up Thad so he couldn’t move. “Young man, you are being charged with allowing a breach in security, breaking and entry, accessory after the fact of the murder of five wolves. You will not answer here, but in court. You may take him away,” ordered Uncle Reese to his four hulky wolves.

Uncle Reese came over to me, still in wolf form and scratched me behind the ears. “Bree, I forgot how beautiful your wolf is. That was a good girl. Now, here’s your treat. Go to the tent over to the left and shift back. You have clothes in there to wear. Then, rejoin us out here. Alright?” Uncle Reese stated as he continued to rub my fur in a soothing manner.

I nodded my head and gladly took my treat. I trotted off towards the tentwith my head and tail held high to shift back into human form. I returned to find everyone still in the same place waiting to resume the drama that was playing out in front of us.

“Did you find your other treat in the tent Bree?” Uncle Reese asked me as I got closer to them.

“Yes, I did. Please tell Ms. Carpenter thank you for the Chocolate Chip Cookies for me,”I exclaimed as I continued to eat them as I approached my uncles.

“You may tell her yourself later on when you see her.Now, let us finish with our business with your mother. Hmm,” Uncle Reese replied in a sing song voice. “Ann, you stand charged with attempted murder of your daughter, terroristic activities against two packs, killing five wolves, planning the break-in of council headquarters, and numerous other charges. How do you plead?” demanded Uncle Reese as he watched her face go pale.

“Wait, I didn’t do all that! How dare you charge me with all that.I am innocent of those charges!” declared my mother shaking her hand at all my uncles.

“Innocent? How can you say that?” Uncle Blaine asked her. “Just this morning you were asking me to make sure we killed Breonna in our little raid today. Make sure she was one of the casualties of the raid. You are not innocent. You are guilty as charged. I have you on tape saying those very words,” Blaine growled at my mother.

I was beginning to shakewith fury. Drake noticed this and he tried to get closer but was stopped by Uncle Bennett. He was stopped from coming to me, but he couldn’t resist asking my mother, “Why do you hate your daughter, Breonna so much?” Drake questioned her trying to understand why she thought this way.

“Yes, Ann. We would all like to know the answer to that question,” dad chimed in with a frown on his face.

“Why? What’s a daughter? A daughter is a reminder of oneself. She is a constant reminder of my life. Of how I was brought up. My mother never once told me that she loved me, never that she was proud of me, or that I was worthy of the family name. Nothing. I was told that I was only good for one thing, to find my mate and have pups. I was determined to make something of myself. I wanted to make sure everyone knew who I was and that I was important. And I did. When Breonna was born, I was determined to make sure she knew I mattered, not her. Me. Her life didn’t mean anything, but my life meant everything. I succeeded in my mission,” Ann announced proudly to all who was gathered.

As I stood there listening to my mother. I was furious. Her mother made her believe her life meant nothing.She was never told I love you or I’m proud of you. Because of that, I was made to suffer. I had enough.

In a soft, but even voice I stated, “I’m sorry that your mother never told you I love you or that you never heardher say she was proud of you. I would have given anything to hear those words from my mother. I heard them from my father and brother, but never from my mother,” I explained as tears streamed down my face. “I will never make that mistake. When the time comes for me to become a mother, I will not hesitate to tell my pups that I love them and how proud I am of them as often as I can. As their mother, it is my duty, it is my honor, it will be my privilege to help shape them in to loving and caring individuals. Just because your mother failed you didn’t give you the right to fail me. That being said, I cannot forgive you mother for the things you did to me over the years. I hope you find peace in the afterlife,” I sniffled as I walked over to my father who opened his arms for me to enter for a hug.

My mother just stood there dumbfounded. I guess she never really understood that she could have chosen a different path for herself.

“Now that Breonna has had her say,What do you have to say for yourself Ann?” Uncle Reese asked her as she regained some composure.

“I’m sorry won’t cut it, I’m sure. I never …” for once she couldn’t finish her sentence. She was at a loss for words.

“Ann Maire Wentworth, you have been found guilty on all charges. Your punishment is death. Your sentence will be carried out henceforth,” Uncle Reese commanded. With a wave of his hand a wolf attacked my mother and took her head off.

I stood there for a few seconds and just stared at her lifeless body while my dadhad his arm wrapped around my shoulders. “Come on kiddo, let’s go. We need to leave. We’ve got some good news for you,” dad gushed as he tried to lead me away from the site.

“Let me have everyone’s attention! We will reconvene in twohours’ time at the training grounds here at the Grand Forks Tournament Grounds for a huge Bar-B-Q my treat. Everyone will attend from all the packs that are here. Bring your unmated wolves so they can find their mates,” commanded Uncle Reese as yelled, “Dismissed!”

“You do realize the only other pack here is Drake’s. Other than that, it’s family. Right?You didn’t have to command us,” Uncle Bennett taunted his older brother as they started to walk away.

“I know, I just like being in charge sometimes. Well, most of the time. Bree, Blaine, Bennett, Tom, and Theo, get up here. I need to have a chat with all of you for a minute. Alpha Drake! You don’t mind us using your facilities for the Bar-B-Q, do you?” inquired Uncle Reese as Drake approached him with a slight frown on his face.

“Not at all sir. Iwas hoping to talk to Bree before the Bar-B-Q sir. I need to explain my absence for the past two days and beg forgiveness from her,” Drake added as he tried to make eye contact with me.

“You will have plenty of time for that later. I need to talk to them. Run alongand get things organized. We will see you shortly,” commanded Uncle Reese in his authoritative voice.

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