Hannah

64

The calls to catch up with the events back at the pack weren't the good news Hannah and Holland had been hoping for. Nothing truly good nor bad to report back, which at this point was possibly as good as was practical. So far the story that Judy had become a little emotional over her only baby boy getting in such a complicated, mated arrangement and indulged too hard in drink to cope seemed fairly believable to the pack members. Which shouldn't have surprised Max as much as it did. 

Max had led a fairly simple, happy life. His dad had been a good, solid man. Max had loved him even if he hadn't ever felt close, Max should have liked sports, and training. Should have had more of an interest in learning the security business the pack ran to make money. Worked harder to learn the duties of being Beta in the pack. After he had died, Max took over the Beta title and started to go to work with the Alpha every day, finally doing what he could to live up to the legacy and title his father had left him. Bryan's dad had taken him in, had been the one to suggest to Max that he could use the apartment in the pack house to try some hobbies. Give himself space to heal from losing his father.

Once the sharpness of his grief had faded, and Max had found a content routine of fulfilling his duties, working with the Alpha, and going home each night to his mother for dinner just the two of them. Max had enjoyed his life, he was content. Nothing can ever last forever, the wheel never stops turning and things always change. The sudden unexpected death of the Alpha three months ago had hit Max harder than his own father's death. Riddled with guilt for feeling the Alpha's death more than his own father. For the secret thoughts of who he would have traded to keep his surrogate father figure alive any amount of time longer. These two deaths and the complex emotions they had spurred had been the sum total of true hardships Max had faced.

Hannah was three months younger than he was. She had been taking care of herself and her dad for years, while working full time as a flight attendant and running Olympic Performance on the side as the only employee and performer. Aspen and Caspian were over a hundred years old, and Holland, was Holland. Nearly a decade older than Max and Hannah. Nine years wasn't that long on paper compared to centuries. Unless you were Holland and packed lifetimes of experience into every possible moment. 

Max shook his head to get out of his memories, he needed to think about the present, and plan for the future. Aspen and Caspian were taking turns in the basement holding the binding. Their cover was that they were working on the border to finish it as soon as possible. So no one expected to see them while the sun was up. 

Max however, had to go about his business as normal. If the lie that his mother was currently in her home, stewing in her embarrassment over her behaviour last night, then Max would be free to return to business as usual, especially with both his mates gone to pack up Hannah's apartment today. 

Max had tried to look over the up coming security jobs. Checking the training schedules and other pack business items still on his desk since he cleared out last week to go with Bryan to Club Red. Holland had sent him the number of a remote secretary who would be able to take over preliminary organization duties and lighten the load on Max. Max had gratefully accepted. Then shamefully, he spent as much time as he could hiding in his office, trying to look like he was working to avoid talking to anyone.

He couldn't handle the apologies people made for how his mother behaved, or the judgement on Judy's behaviour from others. There was no reaction that made Max feel better. Max hadn't ever had to keep a secret from his pack mates like this. Let alone also holding back the plans for the resort Bryan and he were planning to open with the Black Corporation. Not to mention that he also needed to do some work to plan his mating ceremony with Hannah and Holland, because the pack needed something good to celebrate and the Beta finding his mates was one of the best possible options. Especially since Bryan and Cara had already announced they were expecting two weeks ago.