“I have a pair that I cut down to shorts. I haven’t worn them yet. They are in my tool shed. I’ll put them on, and then we can go to the orchard. I have something to confess, if there’s no one already there, that is.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I hope that means what I want it to mean!
“That’s a coincidence. I was going to suggest we go to the orchard for a while.” Remembering what Fenya had said about taking her there and also not botching the opportunity.
Before I put Blossom down, she gently strokes my cheek. “You have a handprint on your face. That must have hurt for it to be so red. How did you get it?”
“It happened at training in the woods. I wasn’t paying attention when I should have been!”
LYLE
Enjoying the evening meal with Fenya in the dining hall, we look up when the hall goes silent. Entering the hall are two couples, Flint and Flick holding hands and Glen and Blossom arms linked. I stand to applaud them, and the hall stands with me. Far from being embarrassed, they turn to the hall and take a bow.
Fenya whispers to me, “Flick and Flint are taking things slow. Blossom and Glen are already at the next level.” Before I can ask how she could possibly know that, she adds, “Just look at the glow on Blossom's face and the smug look on Glen’s. He is declaring to all who look, Blossom is his female.” I can’t dispute her logic on that.
As they get their food from the counter, I can’t help but notice the entire kitchen staff are at the counter congratulating Flick on getting her mate. They are a close-knit bunch, and that is thanks to Flick’s management. I know she has had her problems with some of them over time, but not once has she had to call on me, or my parents before me, to sort it out.
Beckoning the two couples over, we congratulate them on finding their mates and sit down to find out how they got to their respective levels of relationship.
Flint is surprisingly vocal, and I think Fenya could be wrong about them taking it slow. As Flint talks about Flick, I see her taking note of how he speaks of her. It is all very complimentary, and some of his recollections of her go back quite some time. I think they’ll soon catch up with Blossom and Glen.
Blossom does most of the talking for her and Glen, not surprisingly. She gets quite breathless when she describes how he burst into the Luna’s office and swept her off her feet. She blushes when she tells how he lifted her by her butt, but positively glows when she says that it was she that initiated their first kiss. We all look at Glen as he jumps and gives out an ‘ouch’. That would be Fenya reminding him he was supposed to do that.
Flint looks very thoughtful, and when Blossom and Glen leave, he holds Flick back. “Alpha Lyle, could I ask you something?”
“I can’t imagine what it would be related to, but fire away.”
“Would I be able to have a home built somewhere in your pack lands for Flick and me? I can’t resign from the council in the middle of our current crisis, but I could live and work from here for some of the time. I’ve given a lot of consideration to resigning of late and as I’m the last of the old councilors, I think oncewe have the Arric issue put to bed, I’d like to leave the Shifter Council to the new councilors we now have.”
Flick looks quite shocked by his declaration and makes it quite clear that she doesn’t want him to uproot his life just because of her.
“My dear Flick, I can’t think of a better reason. You get to carry on with the thing you do best. I get to retire, eat excellent food and annoy my friend Lyle on a daily basis. What could be more perfect than that?”
His innocent look fools me not at all. He would indeed take great pleasure in causing me annoyance and displeasure, in one jovial form or another.
Once back in my office, I give Bronze a quick call. Learning how many warriors he has sent me I begin making plans for their encampment. It needs to look much bigger than it is if our plan to deceive Arric is to work.
After speaking to Connell and Gabe, I call Earl to the office. Giving him the numbers, he disappears to get things in motion. Gerry is pleased with the numbers that he is receiving and has made plans for their much more discreet sleeping arrangements.
Getting the rogues to focus on Blood Pearl Pack is key to the plans that Bronze and I have to end this farcical attempt at creating a kingdom for King Arric and his subjects. The only concern in the entire plan is the mysterious Number Seven. Is he truly a member of the Shadow Clan, or is he another upstart with high opinions of himself, like Arric?
Only time will tell, and time is running out.
Chapter 30
FENYA
When the last group of warriors arrived from the Eclipse Pack, I was surprised when Luna Taria arrived with them. Even more surprising was the news that I was staying behind at the packhouse while Lyle went off to war with Bronze and the other Alphas.
Although Taria was far from happy, she took the news far better than I did. It probably helped that her mate sat her down and explained everything to her, whereas mine completely forgot to mention that minor detail in the battle plan. All the females were to remain at their respective packs to defend them if the impending battle didn’t go as anticipated. Taria would have none of it and insisted that Beta Xavi should stay behind. If the battle was lost, she reasoned the Spirit Walker Pack would be the next line of defense and would need support. She packed up her Luna Protection detail and quick-marched here before anyone could stop her.
Gabe persuaded Tati to stay at Wolfsfoot just in case Arric defeated the Blood Pearl Pack, however unlikely we all believe that to be, and then marched on Wolfsfoot for its town resources and to divide the packs. Tati had moved everyone from the packhouse and surrounding area into the town as it is easier to defend, and she had begun creating choke points for any invaders so that any attack could be stalled and contained.
Hope, well, Hope. She is as far removed from being a warrior as anyone I know. What she lacks in skill and ability she more than makes up for in attitude and determination. If she can’t kill them with teeth and claw, she’ll find another way to do it. She’ll defend her pack to the bitter end if it ever comes to that.
Council Warriors and Shadow Warriors are divided between Blood Pearl Pack and Spirit Walker Pack, though there are far more heading to Blood Pearl Pack secretly than are remaining here. Falan has been granted control over all the Northern Sector warriors that have gathered from all the packs in that region. Word has it that few warriors have been sent from each pack as they don’t see this as their war. I also know that this is false information that has been leaked deliberately. Falan controls an army of thousands.
I have to go make peace with Lyle shortly. I have been so angry since finding out second-hand that I was being left behind again that I couldn’t speak to him. I had to walk away and take a time-out. It is not Lyle’s fault that I was left behind by Falan when he visited here the first time, but it is beginning to feel like a theme. I am more than capable of holding my own in a battle.
Knocking on the door, has me call, “Enter.” I wonder who is brave enough, or stupid enough, to risk wanting to see me right now. Seeing Sloane enter and raise her eyebrows at me, I’m not surprised it’s her.
