A Friend To The Elements

Chapter 8

Saturday pack dinners were a tradition for as long as I could remember. We had built multiple long wooden picnic tables under a tall pavilion. Our grandparents had filled the bottom with cement then secured the wooden beams between the cement and a tin roof so even if it were a rainy-day, Saturday dinners could happen. The pavilion also doubled as an event space for any pack member. Almost all our birthdays were held here as well as most wedding receptions.

Our family always sat in the middle table scattered out by age group until we were able to understand the mate bond and be a part of the adults table. Then we would sit with the rest of the adult family. I switched over while still mateless at the age of fifteen.

It was a giant potluck so all the tables were covered with all different dishes and kids would run back and forth between the tables grabbing their favorites much to the embarrassment of their parents. My own dad kept shooting me random glares reminding me I was still in trouble for my actions at breakfast.

Apparently running downstairs first thing in the morning and begging mom to take me to get Plan B because we forgot to use protection was not exactly a well-received joke. I thought it was hilarious, but Dad was not sure whether to believe me that it was a joke quite yet.

I asked if we could invite Adam to the dinner, but my stunt made him even more hesitant to let us get too close right away. Ultimately, we still didn't know if he alone with the rest of his pack were a friend or a foe. I was convinced the only foe was Henry and whoever he roped into believing his crazy idea of what he thinks transpired between my parents and the former alpha.

Normally this is where we would announce I had found a mate, but there were too many holes in the connection between our packs to answer questions from our people. It would be like telling them there is a problem before coming up with any possible solutions.

As soon as the dinner was finished, we shook hands, hugged friends, and cuddled newborn babies until every pack member had gone home including John and Abby. Harry and Elizabeth had decided to spend the night at another family's house that also had twins their age, Julie and Marcus I believe were their names.

"I think it's time we talk about what is about to happen Lily. Help your mother clean up and then meet me in my study. I need to talk to Josh's father in private."

I nodded and began picking up the trash left behind. The adults' side was normally pretty clean, but the kids' side was always a disaster. We had to make sure to pick up all trash and spray the floor with a water hose to keep any wild animals from wandering into the compound.

"So how was your date last night? For real?" Breakfast was mostly quiet after my joke and Dad had tried to get some answers over lunch, but it was not exactly a comfortable thing to discuss considering he did not believe I hadn't snuck away and almost gotten knocked up.

"Honestly? It was nice. Adam was a complete gentleman, and I was able to meet the future pack leaders."

"Why am I sensing a but?" She was crouched down screwing one end of the hose into the spigot to spray the cement down.

I shrugged and tied off the last black trash bag. "It's going to make me sound like a horrible pack leader." She stood up and brushed the dirt off her hands and onto her old work pants. Most of the time she wore a long sundress but today she wore light wash skinny jeans and a long sleeve red plaid shirt. I was pretty sure it was Dad's since I fell to her mid-thigh and she had the baggy sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

She moved to sit on one of the benches and patted the spot next to her. "It's okay. There is no shame in talking about it. It's just us here."

I sat down and rubbed my own hands on my jeans. I was still wearing the same black shirt. It smelled like Adam and for some reason I was not ready to change it yet as gross as that sounded. "Here we keep a secret from everyone. I have to have a constant wall around my emotions so that the wind or water around me doesn't give away our secret." She nodded and looked like she understood where I was going. "With them...they already know. I do not have to hide or pretend. I actually fit in."

"I understand what you're going through. Sometimes it is hard to be seen as someone emotionally distant when you're the opposite. I hear people say I am cold and uncaring. I have even had a few older shifters who have lost their mates try and convince your father to take them as a wife and leave me,"

I felt a lump in my throat, and I reached out to put my hand on hers. Her voice was shaking as she spoke like it took all her control to hold back a sob that was now stuck in my throat as well. "Why do we have to hide? Is not telling them and showing them who we really are better? They could feel more protected rather than resentful?"

"Maybe, but it's for their protection. If word spread that a rare friend to the elements was Luna and she had a daughter that shared the same ability we would be under constant attack. They would not be after me. I cannot produce another carrier, but you can. It would be like putting a giant target on your back and none of our pack would be safe."

"Maybe it'd still be better than this loneliness though." She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and kissed my forehead.

"It gets better. I promise. Now run along and talk to your dad. I can finish spraying off the pavilion alone."

I stood up and gave her a tight hug. It would get better. I jogged back the house and slipped off my dirty shoes onto the porch before going inside. I climbed the stairs and knocked on the office door.

"Come in." I opened the door and walked into Dad's office. We were rarely allowed inside and never alone. The room was decorated different than the rest of the house with a dark red and silver color scheme. His desk was a deep black that could have been a shadow if you did not know any better. His chairs were dark black wood with red cushions lined with silver. He had a deep burgundy couch in the corner for nights he got caught up in work or a pregnant Mom just needed a full bed to herself.

"We have to talk about what steps come next now that you're mated to a future Alpha."

"What do you mean? I assume when we get married, I will transition into their pack."

He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. We will sign an additional treaty with them within the week. You will not be permitted to know any knowledge about the political workings of the pack unless it concerns our cooperation with theirs. The treaty will guarantee we work together unless one attacks the other. Since you are of Alpha bloodline if something happens to your brother and there are no other heirs of age Adam will have first claim over this pack and if anything would happen to Adam with no heirs of age during his time as Alpha, John would have first claim over his pack. Your children would have no claim or attachment to our pack. Of course, they will be allowed on our compound but will have no claims to a position of power here."

I felt like my head was spinning. He did not try to beat around the bush or make me feel safe first. It was like there was a wall between us. "Oh wow. So, when is all of this supposed to switch over?"

"You will be allowed to stay with us until your eighteenth birthday if you choose, but after that you won't be welcome as a pack member. We cannot risk someone of upper ranks trading information to their mates with less than honorable intentions. This is protocol and I can't make exceptions just because you are my daughter."

"I understand. Will this treaty require one pack to go to war if the other does? Are we allies or is this just a getting rid of me agreement?"

"Lily! You know it is not like that! We have to keep the pack safe."

"What if anyone wants to come with me?" Dad slammed his fist onto the desk and stood up. I flinched back and looked up at him shocked. I had always seen Dad as a caring man. He never raised his voice to anyone and now here he was using his full Alpha energy and pushing me out. I got up from my chair and ran out of the room I slid into my own two doors down and locked the door.

I was not sure what I was doing, but I threw my necessities into a duffel bag. I could text Adam and he would be there within a few minutes. Dad had shown me that this treaty meant I would no longer be a part of this pack anyway so why should I wait the year to leave? On the other hand, I could stay and soak in the time I have left with my family and friends. I've also barely known Adam more than a few days. How could I impose myself on him like that? What if he is not the person, I think he is and I've cut off my family.

I knew what I had to do and pulled out my phone to send a quick text before shoving it into my duffel. I ran down the stairs and out the front door. I could not wait in this place for him to arrive I needed to walk towards them and hopefully meet them in the middle.