The first time my father saw the woodpile stacked at the edge of the woods, he went mad with anger. It was gigantic. Trunks and enormous logs right down to small branches and kindling. He demanded to see the area that Blossom had cleared, and shecalmly walked him to the area where she’d been working with her team. Father didn’t believe that so much timber had been harvested from the area until she took him from stump to stump and explained how it worked.
He apologized for his over-the-top reaction and then treated her and her team to picnic lunches in the woods every day for the following week.
Finding Blossom in the medicinal herb garden, I notice that it’s being extended and not by a small amount, either.
“Hi, Blossom. As busy as ever I see.” Seeing her in her denim dungarees over a crop top, and heavy-duty work boots, she still looks stunning. How the Goddess has not seen fit to mate her to someone I cannot understand. A male out there somewhere is missing the love of his life.
“Alpha Lyle. I wondered when I’d be getting a visit. All the other section leaders have been telling me you’d be round to see me eventually.” Her bright smile is so genuine that you can’t help but smile back.
“Don’t believe whatever they told you. They are just jealous that I have to check up on them, but hold you in such high regard that I trust your every move.” Her cheeks flush red and that makes her all the more attractive.
“Flattery, Alpha Lyle, will get you anything you may require from your humble servant.” Seeing me raise my eyebrows, she realizes how that comment may be interpreted and flushes even deeper. “OH! NO! I didn’t mean, not like that, I meant…” Holding her dirty hands to her face in shock has me laughing out loud.
“Here, wipe your face.” Handing her my handkerchief, she shakes her head and pulls one from her pocket. Once her face isclean and the flush is receding, I look at the new beds that she is preparing.
“At some point, we will be at war with the rogues, so I am trying to get as many medicinal herbs grown and prepared as I can in readiness for the healers.” She looks around and I see her mind working overtime. “I have enough seedlings and small plants in the greenhouses to fill twice the new beds. The healers have given me their lists so I can grow the ones that they feel they will need the most.”
“As usual, you are one step ahead of the pack's needs. I don’t know what we would do if you ever left the pack to join your mate.”
“He stays here or goes home alone. I’m not leaving my gardens, that’s a fact.”
Seeing the determined look that she has, I don’t doubt for one minute that she won’t be leaving the pack anytime soon. You never know what the future may hold, though. She may change her mind when the Goddess comes knocking.
Earl lets me know that Flint has arrived, so I say my goodbyes to Blossom and head back to the packhouse. Once there, I see Flint’s old and trusty motorcycle at the front of the building. I’m surprised that he is still allowed to travel around the packs on that beast. Especially in the current climate of unrest.
Chapter 2
LYLE
Sitting in the office with Flint, I’m happy to hear that my parents are doing well. I know they’ve told me themselves that they are happy and enjoying their new roles, but it’s always good to have it validated from an independent source. After all, they’re hardly likely to admit that they’d screwed up and wished they could come back!
“I’m thinking of introducing an apprentice scheme for all the management roles we have in the pack. When we go to war with Arric properly, and not this skirmish crap, some will have to remain at the pack and ensure we have something to return to.” Looking at Flint, I see a glint in his eye.
“Lyle! You don’t need an apprentice scheme. Talk to those doing the job now and I can guarantee they have someone in place already. If not more than one. Have you got someone that canstand in for you?” Flint tilts his head to one side and raises his eyebrows questioningly.
“Earl could do it no problem. Glen could do it in a pinch. Alright, I see where you’re going with this.” I slump back in my chair and feel deflated.
“Stop trying to reinvent the wheel just because you are bored. Let’s face it, the only reason you are bored is because there is a process or a person in place to ensure the smooth running of the pack. You and your father have both done an exceptional job organizing everything and training everyone. Your mother, Cinder, has also been in the mix and her people skills have ensured that you have the best possible people where you need them to be. I know your father made all the appointments, but don’t think for a minute he was able to create the team without your mother's guidance.” Flint waits for me to say something, but I have no words.
“When your mother saw Blossom, she knew instinctively she was right for the gardens. Did you know it took Cinder a full month to get Blossom into that position? Both your father and Blossom thought she was mad. Look at her now. Blossom has your pack grounds looking like some of the best I’ve ever seen. I shouldn’t say this, but I couldn’t choose between your grounds and Blossom, or Blackshadow grounds with Silas and Dahlia. The others are just not in the same league. Don’t get me wrong, not one pack has poor grounds but between you and Blackshadow, I wouldn’t want to choose a winner.”
“I thought Blossom applied for the position?” I’m shocked to hear that she had to be persuaded.
“She did, after Cinder had been on her back every single day for a month. She bludgeoned Blossom into submission with praise, compliments, and ego boosting. She was relentless with thepoor woman. By the time the application went in, Blossom was convinced it was all her own idea and that she could grow plants on the moon if she put her mind to it!” Flint’s laugh tells me he must have been around while all this was going on and seen it firsthand.
“They have two head gardeners at Blackshadow?” I ask. “How does that work? Aren’t they constantly at loggerheads?”
“Silas is the head gardener and Dahlia is his mate. Taria visited Blackshadow while preparing to become Luna of the Eclipse pack with Alpha Bronze. She did the matchmaking and the pair have never looked back.”
“Maybe she could do the same for me? A mate could be what I’m missing in my life. Perhaps I’m destined to be alone or worse still, mated to Lavender. She’s been on my radar since my parents left. Myradar to avoidthat is!” I have to grimace as I think of all the times that Lavender has tried to ingratiate herself with me. “She started popping up at mealtimes, showing up at my office with a drink or something for my lunch. That got so bad I had to speak to Flick and have meals specially delivered to me every damn day. It’s going to reach a breaking point soon and I really don’t want to have to go down the road of expelling her from the pack. I’ll get Earl on the case and he can have a stern word or two with her.”
“We all have our crosses to bear, Lyle, unfortunately. You may not believe it, but I too once had my own infatuated female. She was everywhere I went. She once turned up to a pack mating ball with a forged invitation stating she was my ‘plus one.’ That was so embarrassing, I can tell you. The weird thing was, she was stunningly beautiful and could have had her choice of any of the males,” Flint reflects.
“Obviously her elevator didn’t reach the top floor, or perhaps she was partially sighted!” I say this with a straight face and wait to see if Flint catches my meaning.
“I can always go and spend my time with an alpha that appreciates my company and leave you to your boredom, you know. I’ve been insulted in far better places than this!” Flint laughs at my stricken face as I picture him riding into the sunset and me returning to my lonely boredom.
“No! My apologies for my poor sense of humor. My warriors are removing the wheels of your motorcycle as we speak!”
