Finding Somewhere to Belong

by C. C. Masters

  Everyone nodded except Mr. Reed. Of course, it had to be James’ cousin who was going to be giving me a hard time. “I had a few questions about the material that was submitted on Anna.”

  Mr. Zilker waved at him to continue. It appeared that he was going to be playing mediator today.

  Mr. Reed gave me a hard look. “How did you escape the notice of any packs while you were growing up?”

  “I grew up in Western New York in a small town in the suburbs of Buffalo. It was my understanding that is an undesirable area for most wolves because of the large amounts of snow that cover the ground for months at a time.”

  “But it wasn’t a problem for you?” asked Mr. Morgan curiously.

  “Even if it was a problem for me, I would not have been able to leave,” I told him. “As a minor, it was the decision of my human family as to where we would live.”

  Mr. Morgan nodded. “And they were completely unaware of what you were?”

  “Yes,” I told him. “I was adopted, so I was afraid that if they found out what I was, they would have thrown me out of the house.”

  “It never occurred to you to try to find your own kind?” Mr. Reed asked incredulously.

  I looked at him, trying to hide my annoyance. “I tried finding my birth parents through the resources that I had available to me through the Internet, but I didn’t have knowledge of the wolf community as a child.”

  Mr. Zilker and Mr. Morgan nodded in understanding. Mr. Reed wouldn’t let it go. “But didn’t you try to find anyone else who was like you?”

  “I was too afraid of exposing what I was to humans,” I told him.

  That seemed to satisfy him because he nodded. I sighed in relief.

  “How did you learn to shift without any guidance?” Mr. Morgan asked gently.

  “I accidentally changed once when I was around ten. I realized what had happened and practiced while I was alone so that I could control the change.”

  Mr. Phillips raised an eyebrow. “That must have taken a lot of dedication and discipline. Would you consider yourself to be a disciplined person?”

  I took a deep breath. “Yes, I would. I put myself through college and spent my nights and weekends working or studying when most of my classmates would be partying. I’ve always been hard working and dedicated to my goals.”

  Mr. Phillips nodded in approval. I guess I had said something right.

  “Where did you get the money to go to school?” asked Mr. Reed suspiciously.

  I was irritated at what he was implying but tried to keep a pleasant demeanor. “I was ineligible for financial assistance because of how much income my adopted parents had. However, I was able to get work-study funds and student loans. I worked full-time in the summer, sometimes with more than one job if I was able to find enough work, and part-time in the school year. I also had several scholarships that were based solely on academic achievements when I could find one that didn’t have restrictions based on my adopted parents’ income.”

  “Your adopted parents didn’t give you any assistance?” Mr. Reed asked.

  I had to try hard to keep a pleasant expression on my face and sound sympathetic to them. “They had three children of their own to take care of.”

  “Why would they adopt you, then, if they had children of their own?” Mr. Reed asked callously.

  “The couple who originally adopted me passed away when I was a child. They had named my adopted aunt and uncle as my guardians in case of their death.”

  “Hmmm,” was Mr. Reed’s only response. “I’m satisfied with the explanation of her childhood,” he announced.

  “Anyone else need clarification?” Mr. Zilker asked.

  All the council members shook their heads no. I let out a breath I had not realized I was holding; it seemed like we were moving in the right direction.

  “Let’s move on to her current pack status,” Mr. Zilker suggested.

  Several of them tried to speak at the same time. “Why don’t we start at the right and work our way to the left?” Mr. Zilker suggested. “We have a second round if anyone still has questions after their initial turn passes.”

  Everyone seemed satisfied except Mr. Reed. He scowled but did not argue, surprisingly.

  “Mr. Richardson, would you like to start?” Mr. Zilker prompted.

  Mr. Richardson looked like he was falling asleep and was propping his head up on one hand. “Do you want to stay with the Seaside Pack?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I answered simply.

  “That’s all I need,” he stated. “I vote we end the meeting and leave her to her pack.”

  I was shocked but hopeful. Could it be that easy? Mr. Reed raised a hand to speak. I held back an eye roll; of course not.

  “I object,” Mr. Reed stated.

  I just sighed. I would have been surprised if he had agreed.

  “Mr. Phillips, do you have any questions?” Mr. Zilker prompted the next council member.

  “Do you understand that Austin’s pack is not well established, Anna?” Mr. Phillips asked gruffly.

  I nodded. “I understand that they are a new pack and that Austin is still working on making it better,” I replied.

  “But do you understand the potential consequences?” Mr. Phillips asked shortly.

  I swallowed. “I’m not sure of what consequences you mean, sir,” I stated politely.

  “If another pack-master manages to take over the pack, or if the Seaside pack is absorbed into a larger pack, you can lose your status as the pack-master’s mate and any pups you may have had with him may no longer be permitted in the pack.”

  My jaw dropped. I hadn’t realized that was a possible consequence, but I did not want to admit that in front of these men. “I have every confidence in Austin and the rest of the pack to keep me, and any children I might have, safe.”

  Mr. Phillips nodded. “Don’t say we didn’t warn you.”

  “Anything else, Mr. Phillips?” Mr. Zilker asked.

  “No. I am going to support Anna’s decision to stay with the Seaside pack, but I would like to have my reservations documented. I would also like the council to put a plan in place to protect Anna’s interests if the pack falls.”

  “That’s highly unusual.” Mr. Reed frowned. “Why would we care to do that?”

  “I believe we should protect our future generations, and Anna is one of the few purebred wolves left who are even capable of providing us with a future.”

  “We should not allow her to breed with wolves who are not deserving of her,” Mr. Reed stated angrily. “I don’t see how putting a plan in place for the eventual collapse of her pack is more efficient than simply putting her with an appropriate pack to begin with.”

  “I’m going to note your reservations, Mr. Phillips. I suggest working out a contingency plan for Anna at a later date, when we decide where we wish to place her. Do you find that acceptable?”

  “I do,” Mr. Phillips replied and sat back in his chair, apparently satisfied with that resolution.

  I was still nervous but hopeful. So far, I had two votes for me to stay with the Seaside pack. I was fairly confident that Mr. Zilker would also agree to let me stay. That meant I would have three votes to overrule Mr. Reed.

  “That makes it my turn, Anna.” Mr. Zilker smiled at me.

  I smiled back at him. I didn’t know what to say, so I just stayed quiet and waited for his questions to start.

  “What is your plan if we let you stay with the Seaside pack?” Mr. Zilker asked.

  I had been dreading this question, but I remembered Austin’s words. If Mr. Zilker thought that I was going to mate with Austin, he would probably approve me staying with the pack.

  “Austin and I have talked about mating,” I told him honestly. Technically, we had talked about it on the way here. I had to be careful with what I said, though.

  “I was hesitant to make definite plans with him, though, because I was afraid of how this meeting would go,” I told him sadly. “I didn’t want to get my
hopes up and plan for my future if I wasn’t going to be able to make it happen. It makes me nervous that my whole future is up in the air.”

  Mr. Zilker nodded in understanding. “But if we gave you a choice?”

  “I would definitely stay with Austin and the Seaside pack,” I told him confidently.

  “Very well. Mr. Reed, I withhold my statement of my intent until after you are finished with your questions.”

  Mr. Reed snorted. “I think we all know how you are leaning, but I will continue with the meeting regardless,” he said arrogantly.

  “Anna, have you ever met with a pack other than the Seaside Pack?”

  I frowned. “No -”

  “Had you ever met any other wolves before the Seaside Pack?”

  “Well, no -”

  “We are the first wolves you have met outside the Seaside Pack?”

  “Yes -”

  “So, how do you know that the Seaside pack is your best option?”

  I saw the point he was trying to make, and I thought about how to counter it. “I have found that I can rely on my instincts. When I was welcomed into the Seaside pack, I felt as though I was coming home.”

  “But that was the first time you met any wolves at all. How do you know that wasn’t just a reaction to meeting your own kind? After all, you have only interacted with humans before.”

  My jaw dropped, and I hesitated, trying to think of a response. I glanced down the table, and to my horror I found the other council members thoughtfully considering what Mr. Reed was saying.

  “I trust my instincts,” I replied lamely. I had a feeling that answer was not going to be sufficient, and Mr. Reed’s smug face confirmed that feeling.

  Mr. Zilker looked like he was deep in contemplation. “Mr. Reed has a point.”

  “I agree,” Mr. Phillips stated. “I think it would be a reasonable request to ask that Anna meet other wolves outside of the Seaside Pack before she makes a final decision.”

  “Anna, are you agreeable?” Mr. Zilker asked.

  “I would really prefer not to,” I replied.

  Mr. Reed chuckled. “I’m sure the Seaside Pack has you quite convinced that they are your only option, but you need to realize that we are doing this for your own good.”

  I couldn’t help it. I glared at him for a moment before I remembered that I needed to keep a pleasant look on my face.

  Mr. Phillips chuckled. “I would like to change my vote to require that Anna meets with a minimum of three other packs that meet this council’s requirements before we have a follow-up meeting with Anna to determine our next steps.”

  “Does anyone disagree?” Mr. Zilker asked.

  All the council members shook their heads. Mr. Reed looked at me smugly, and I really wanted to wipe that smug look off his face, preferably with my claws.

  I was dismissed and asked to send Cody and Austin in. I didn’t have time to do anything other than give them a sad look as they passed by me into the conference room. I was left outside with the bodyguards.

  Time passed, and I agonized over every answer I gave to the council and what I should have said. The worst was my final answer, “I trust my instincts,” which had sealed my fate. I thought of everything else I could have said instead, everything I should have said.

  Aaaahhhhhh! Why did my brain have to freeze up during the most pivotal moments of my life? I thought about everything that I had to lose. I had finally found somewhere I could belong, and now I was at risk of losing it all. I spent the next hour just replaying everything that had happened in the room.

  After what seemed like an eternity, Austin and Cody came out of the conference room and herded me back to the limo. None of us said anything until we were well on our way. “So, how badly did I mess up?” I asked them nervously.

  “You did nothing wrong,” Austin told me.

  “They had probably already made up their minds before you stepped in the door,” Cody added.

  “I don’t think so.” I told them everything that had happened in the meeting, how everything had been going my way until Mr. Reed started talking.

  “Hmmm,” Austin said thoughtfully.

  Cody frowned. “They might be right.”

  I looked at him in shock. They were most definitely not right, I thought to myself. “What makes you say that, Cody?” I asked him with narrowed eyes.

  “You haven’t ever met any wolves outside of us. I don’t want you to look back years from now and regret throwing your lot in with us.”

  My jaw dropped, surprised that he would think something like that. “There’s no way that’s going to happen,” I told him firmly.

  Austin gave me a smile. “That’s good to hear. I’m glad that you still want to stay with us.”

  “Of course I do,” I told him.

  I got warm smiles from both guys.

  I chewed on my lip worriedly. “But how is this going to work? With them having me meet other packs? I was worried they weren’t going to let me leave with you.”

  “At first, they weren’t,” Austin told me.

  Cody chimed in, “But we made them see reason.”

  Austin snorted. “It was more like none of them trusted the others with you.”

  “Great,” I groaned.

  “They still haven’t decided which packs are going to get time with you or how it’s going to work. They were tossing ideas around about having packs gather on neutral territory or having you visit another pack’s lands.” Austin paused. “The problem with that is that no one is going to trust the pack to give you back at the end of your time with them.”

  “They will probably argue amongst themselves for months, honestly,” Cody told me.

  That made me brighten up considerably. “They might even forget about me?” I asked hopefully.

  Austin gave me a wry smile. “Not likely.”

  “Nope.” Cody chuckled.

  “The good news is that we officially have custody of you right now. That should make any other pack that is trying to get a hold of you back off,” Austin told me.

  Cody nodded. “It also means that any pack interested in you is going to be harassing the council, instead of us. They are all going to be one of the three packs chosen to spend time with you.”

  I nodded. All of this was sounding good; I would be left alone in my quiet life with Austin’s pack for a while. That would give me time to get to know all of them better and for me to learn how to manage my wolf-side.

  I settled down in my seat and gazed out of the window contently. I also had the opportunity to prove to Austin’s pack that I could be a valuable asset. My stomach growled, and both of the guys looked up from their phones with grins of amusement.

  “What? I was too nervous to eat anything substantial today,” I told them defensively.

  Cody laughed. “I know a great place not too far from here that has amazing food. How would you feel about a black and blue burger?”

  “Oh, yum!” I said enthusiastically.

  “So, the thought of new clothes gives you anxiety, but a burger gets you excited?” Austin asked curiously.

  “Pretty much,” I responded with embarrassment.

  “Oh! That reminds me, Austin. You are probably going to have to talk to Quinn. He’s convinced that I need an entire new wardrobe.”

  Austin laughed. “He’s convinced everyone needs an entire new wardrobe.”

  “He’s going to end up maxing out your credit card if you don’t talk to him,” I cautioned him.

  Austin grinned and cocked his head at me. “I don’t know, Anna, I kind of like you wearing ‘fancy clothes’.” He made air quotes with his hands, and Cody laughed at me.

  I shook my head at Austin. “And here I was telling people you were a nice guy.”

  “Oh, Anna,” Austin said with a grin. “We can’t have you ruining my reputation.”

  The guys stopped teasing me long enough to ask the driver to stop at the restaurant Cody suggested. We had a great time there, and I got to know
Austin and Cody some more. Time flew by, and eventually Austin announced regretfully that it was time for us to head back. The guys worked on their phones on the way back while I napped. I was tired after all the anxiety earlier today, and then having a full belly. I had not gotten much sleep the night before either.

  Chapter 16

  I woke to Austin gently stroking my hair. “Hey, Anna. We made it home,” he said softly.

  I yawned and sat up. “Since everything seems good now, is it OK if I go on a run?” I asked him hopefully.

  He chuckled. “You just woke up, and you are ready to go already?”

  “Yup,” I told him. “After all the stress of the last couple days, I really just need to run wild and free.”

  He frowned. “It’s not safe just yet. Let’s give the council time to get the word out about their decision. We can re-evaluate the situation tomorrow.”

  I pouted, and he looked at me affectionately. “We do have an indoor gym. Running on the treadmill isn’t the same, but it would let you get some of that pent-up energy out. Have the twins show it to you this afternoon. They need to work out and stop causing so much trouble in the house.”

  I laughed and followed him out of the limo. He escorted me into the house but went to find James for an update. I went to go find the twins. I found them in the kitchen, looking miserable.

  Jason saw me first. “Anna!” He ran and scooped me up, giving me a hug with my feet dangling. I tensed up nervously but forced myself to relax; this was Jason, not a stranger. I closed my eyes and took in his scent and the warmth of his body, focusing on the fact that this was Jason.

  Mason didn’t want to miss out on hug-time, so he stood behind me and wrapped his arms around both of us as much as he could. I was being smushed, so I squeaked out, “Guys!”

  Mason stepped back, and Jason let me go, setting me back down on my feet.

  “Anna, we missed you!” Jason told me.

  “So, what happened?” Mason asked. “Are you ours forever?”

  I helped them clean up the post-lunch mess and load the dishwasher while I explained everything that happened. They were both disappointed that a final decision had not yet been made but hopeful that it was just a matter of time. I was not as sure as they were, but I appreciated their optimism.