Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 51151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
“Thank fuck.” I relax my shoulders and roll them to get rid of the tension. “You had me worried there.”
“It’s not all vamps. Emma’s been doing research for the Authority.”
I cut him off. “Owen, I know. I know. We’re protecting a coven also. The faction is growing and sides have mostly been chosen.”
“I can’t believe our father is on the other side.”
A snort from Luke interrupts Owen. “I can. I just feel sorry for our pack. Our old pack.”
“I feel you on that. I’m not all right with his decision. I can’t stand by and watch it happen.” Tension coils in my muscles as I prepare to ask them for something I never thought I would. “Luke. Owen. We need to meet.” And now for the part I’ve been dreading. “I think we should go to Gray Mountain.” The silence on the other end of the phone tells me of their hesitancy.
“The last time we were there—”
I cut Owen off. “That was years ago.”
“It doesn’t change the fact.”
“You’re right. Nothing will ever change the fact that our father was planning to kill us. I know that.”
“I don’t want to see him, Jude.” Luke’s voice is hard, but I know why. I know it’s the pain from our father abandoning and hating us. I know he’s hurt more than anything else.
“What if he sees this as a threat Jude? He could view us coming to him as the seer’s vision coming true.” Owen’s always been logical. I hadn’t really considered that.
“What if we don’t go? Would you be able to rest well knowing he led them to war? A war against the Authority.” My heart twists and sinks in my hollow chest. “A war against us.”
“He wouldn’t.” Even before Owen finishes speaking, the conviction is gone from his voice.
“He would.”
Luke speaks to Owen, “You know he would. He’d lead his pack to war against us.”
“We need to convince him otherwise.” My gaze finds my mate as I pace back to the window. “I want to avoid this war.” I watch her chase the little ones around in the grass.
“After all, it’s only our father that we have to convince. Only him who betrayed us. We know everyone else, and what the Betas did to protect us.” They risked their lives to get us away from him. They protected us against their own Alpha. “We owe them. We can’t let our father lead them to death.”
“And what happens if he refuses?” Owen has a good point. I sigh heavily, not knowing the answer.
“All we can do is try.” After a long moment of silence, they finally agree.
“We’ll meet you at Gray Mountain.”
“We’ll be there at sunrise.”
As I stare out the window, watching my pack, I swallow thickly and respond, “I’ll tell my Alpha and we’ll meet you there.”
* * *
THE SIGHT OF US MUST BE INTIMIDATING, I almost regret bringing everyone. But hopefully, together, we’ll be able to sway our father and prevent his alliance with the vampires. Without our mates, our presence would be seen as a challenge. Devin suggested and I reluctantly agreed, our mates will accompany us and aid us in the endeavor to sway him. Lena walks hesitantly behind me, our son tucked away peacefully with his head against her chest. Emma, my brothers’ mate, who’s on the shorter side, and Grace walk with her. Our mates are shielded by Devin on my left and my brothers on my right. Behind them are Vince, Veronica, and Lev. Veronica seems a bit off, less vocal and sharp than usual and Vince is tending to her much more than he has before. I nearly objected to them coming, but it’s not my call to make.
I recognize the guard on duty, running his laps around the estate. Daniel. He’s grown to be quite a large shifter since I’ve last seen him. He’s a few years younger than me, but we occasionally played together, and he took his sparring lessons with my brothers. He’s a good wolf. Genuinely caring and eager to help others. A sadness swells in my chest as memories of my childhood flash before my eyes. The estate looks the same as it did back then. Log cabins littered among ancient trees with a lake house in the center for all to commune. Even with the bite of the chill today, the sun shines down through the sparse trees and offers warmth. I was blessed with happiness and a righteous pack. But all that changed years ago.
Daniel stops when he sees us and squares his shoulders before he recognizes me. As our eyes meet, a smile brightens his face and he strides toward us with his arms out. He’s roughly my height, wearing worn jeans just as my brothers and I are. A touch of nostalgia brings me back. I embrace him quickly and pat his back with a force that would have a weaker wolf stumbling. A rough laugh bellows from his chest as he takes in my brothers.