Free Me From the Wolves

[21] The Tyriette Tribe

The meeting didn't begin with each party introducing themselves or acknowledging any elephants in the room. It was an overall tense space and as I tried to keep it to myself, Ryder's hand found my leg and rubbed a thumb across my knee in a soothing way. He removed his touch from me when the male warlock placed the heavy box in front of Ryder, the small fabric bag adjacent to the dagger that pointed between us along with one folder, and the final folder was placed in front of me. I wanted to know what each were, but Ryder had laughed a thought to me to contain my curiosity just a little while longer. I noticed that Trevor was presented with the same folder that sat between me and Ryder—only, he immediately reached for it after pulling out a document from his jacket.

I looked over to Ryder and he was staring at the box in front of him. He placed his hand on the top and looked over at the Donahue Coven.

"By the Children of Lilith in the Donahue coven, your father's ashes have been blessed and are awaiting the full moon in a few hours," the woman spoke as the man sat down at her side.

"Thank you," Ryder said in astonishment and I think it was the first time I ever heard him truly be grateful for something other than me. Then, the silver eyes met mine.

"Also, Albert Everton's will has been looked over and I think you'll find great honor in your father's passing," she added, looking at me. I didn't know how to take that, but Ryder's inside hand found mine for a second before letting go. My gaze met the man's who seemed to study my interaction with Ryder. Abruptly, Ryder grabbed and opened the bag between us and I was able to see the two identical Obsidian keys. "Keep those safe."

"Speaking of family—can I begin the treaty arrangements or are we going to uncover yet another delay in whatever werewolf legacies there are?" Trevor inquired and Stormy rolled her eyes even though her Mom nodded politely.

"I want parental visitations more frequently this year," Trevor proposed.

"Leave whenever you want," Ryder allowed. "I don't care when you're gone. I prefer it, even." Ryder sealed the insult with a smile.

"I meant them visiting me," Trevor elaborated and then Ryder rolled his eyes. His gratitude for the ashes was displaced by his resentment for Trevor. "I'm about to leave for college next year and I want a home to come back to. I can't have that without them here."

I felt for him and it reminded me of when I moved in with Cassandra and couldn't completely consider it a home without my dad or Andrew...or the purple painted walls Ryder helped me with. But even with Andrew back and Cassandra's love and everyone's acceptance of me in town, it wasn't enough; Florida would still be a home to me.

"I'm lost. You said you wanted them to have visitation rights and now you're talking about them living here?" Stormy asked. Her mother hissed something at her in a foreign language as if chastising her for the outburst.

"This treaty is twenty years old," Trevor began and then connected a gaze with me. "Sure, my father's clan had difficulties with the pack two decades ago, but given the resolution, obviously the Versailles clan has dissolved aside from my father. The treaty was designed as a peace agreement between the Tyriette pack and the Versailles clan because of raised tensions and two sizable armies. I think it's safe to say that that's not a problem anymore."

"Let me stop you there," Ryder interjected. "The treaty was signed by the Everton alpha and the Versailles clan half a century ago and then was broken when the Versailles clan got out of control and had to be taken care of. It was re-signed twenty or so years ago by the Obsidian pack leaders, once Albert Everton and Marc Ramon were in charge and only Theodore Versailles remained...The Tyriette pack was solely under Ramon control, not under the leadership of the signed treaty, so—"