Myths & Mates - Sequel to Myths & Rejections

Chapter 46 - Long Days Ahead

Word Count: 5361

Everyone was hanging out in the kitchen as they finished cooking dinner and were about to set the table when the front door opened, and Porter ushered in a tiny old lady with a cane. She was obviously nearly blind, her back was bent, and her lips were puckered and shrunk from having no teeth.

"Who's this?" Harper asked with a smile.

"This is my new friend Lou," Porter said, winking at Harper. "She's moving over here from Silver Thorn. She and I hit it off right away."

Porter introduced everyone in the room, and Lou approached Reese and squinted up at him, her nose twitching as she sniffed him and took in his scent.

"I guess you'll do," Lou said after a moment, then waved a dismissive hand at Reese, who looked up at Porter, who was biting his lip to keep from laughing. "You said you had the good stuff here. Bring it out, boy."

"You got it, Lou," Porter replied. "What's your pleasure? Gin, rum, whiskey, bourbon, vodka, or scotch?"

"I'll take some spiced rum if you have it," Lou said, sitting herself down at the table.

"Coming right up, my lady," Porter said, causing her to start cackling again. Which made everyone in the room smother their laughter. Even Mavi was laughing at the old lady's antics.

Lou sat at the table, her head back, turning this way and that as she took in the scents of the house and people around her.

"Well, now, I wasn't expecting to find you over here, child," Lou said, turning to Mavi.

"They brought me here to keep me safe and make me better," Mavi said in a small voice, glancing around nervously to make sure no one minded her speaking.

"Good, you needed taking care of," Lou gave a firm nod. "You'd'a been dead in another week out there, girl."

"I know," Mavi said quietly.

"And you," Lou said, turning toward Harper, sniffing in her direction. "Why's a pregnant she-wolf spending time in the pack prison?"

"I had business with a few men there," Harper said. "I'll be back tomorrow, too, to finish up with the last few on my list."

"I have a list if you want it," Lou snorted.

"I'd like to take a look at it," Reese said, glancing at Porter, who nodded.

"I hope you do, Alpha," Lou said, turning toward Reese. "There's a lotta bad 'uns over there that need to be brought in line. There are a lotta good wolves there too, but they been beat down so bad they don't lift their head anymore."

"We're going to change all that," Reese said firmly. "I'll do whatever needs to be done to get rid of the rogues and protect the pack. Getting everything done might take a little while, but we'll get there."

Lou raised her head and sniffed at Reese again. After a second, she decided he smelled like he was telling the truth, and she nodded.

"This pack seems decent enough. I didn't smell any death or rot when we passed the pack boundary," Lou said. "I heard for years that you wolves were evil bastards that needed to be beaten. I wasn't sure I believed it. Our pack was filled with bastards, so I didn't think they had any right to cast judgment on other packs."

"We don't allow that over here," Reese sighed, shaking his head. "We protect our wolves, my parents were the ones who worked with the council to pass the runner laws, and we've taken in many young wolves who've run from their pack."