Peace Maker (Blackwood Pack Book 3)

by Mary Rundle

  Cody giggled, picturing his Dylon with a small cock.

  “It’s not funny,” Dylon growled.

  “If that happens, I bet Mystia can cast another spell and make it big, but even if she can’t, I will still love you, small weenie and all.”

  Growling, Dylon said, “Keep it up and I see a punishment in your future.”

  Cody’s eyes widened as lust and need ignited his body, causing his cock to harden. And before he could respond, Mystia was back.

  “Okay, now face each other and hold hands. I want you to keep focused on each other.”

  “Wait,” cried Dylon, “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m casting an anti-scent spell on Cody but you will always be able to smell him even when he is invisible.”

  “Are you doing a spell on me too?”

  “No. Now, get into position.”

  “If you aren’t casting a spell on me then why do I have to hold his hands?”

  Mystia sighed before saying, “Dylon, I’m casting a protection spell which will prevent anyone from smelling Cody’s scent. However, you will always be able to smell your mate even when he is invisible. When I cast this type of spell, anyone touching the person who receives it is excluded from the effects of the spell. So, in this case, no matter what form Cody is in, you will always be able to locate your mate by his scent. Isn’t that what you wanted? I didn’t get it wrong, did I?”

  Dylon looked at his mate with a big smile as he faced him and clasped Cody’s hands. “Sorry, Mystia, you didn’t get it wrong. You got it perfectly right. Go ahead, I’m ready.”

  ~/~/~/~/~

  Josiah was fuming as he listened to his attorney, Boris Calhoun, tell him he had to wait for the High Council to respond to his request that Jackson’s complaint be dismissed before they would drop it. Three of his fucking nephews found their fated mates and he was running out of time. According to his Shaman—and he refused to believe in the concept of fated mates—the clock was ticking.

  Tuning back in, he heard Boris say, “Look you had several extensions and the High Council is going to extend the same courtesy to the Blackwood Pack’s Alpha. You’re just going to have to wait.”

  “What if I push them to move faster?” asked Josiah.

  “It might give them the idea you’re hiding something,” Boris said.

  Drumming his fingers on the desk, Josiah contemplated his options. “What if I claim the Vice Chair of the High Council has a conflict of interest?”

  “What conflict of interest?”

  “His son recently mated with one of the members of the Blackwood Pack.”

  “Hmmm, interesting argument,” Boris said, more to himself than to his client as he thought over the legal ramifications of such a claim.

  Josiah, impatient as ever, demanded, “Well? Can we do it?”

  “Yes, but I don’t think we should use this right now. First, I doubt the High Council would be swayed by it this early in their investigation and might view it as an unwarranted attack on one of its highest esteemed colleagues. Second, if Mr. Royd does not disclose that his son is mated to someone in the pack making the complaint, only then would we have legitimate grounds to challenge the integrity of the High Council’s investigation. And finally, even if Mr. Royd is forthright about his conflict of interest, we can still claim it and demand dismissal.”

  “So, you are telling me to sit and do nothing?”

  “Yes, that is my professional advice. Of course, as always, it’s your decision whether to accept it,” replied Boris.

  “Of course. I’ll get back to you,” growled Josiah. Hanging up, he wasn’t happy. More waiting and for what? He knew his fucking queer nephew couldn’t produce an eye witness. The entire pack had been killed except for the seven of them. Cursing at everything that had gone wrong, it was time something went right. Picking up his phone, he called his son and told him he wanted to see him. Then he slammed the phone down on the desk and waited.

  Kahn knocked on his father’s office door before opening it. Sticking his head in, he asked, “You wanted to see me father?”

  “Come in and have a seat. It’s time we talk about your future.”

  Kahn groaned inwardly as he entered and shut the door behind him. He knew what was coming. The same crap his father had been demanding since he finished college. He knew his father thought his gayness was a passing phase but he figured it would finally be put to rest when he invited his boyfriend to his graduation to see him receive a degree in art. Kahn was an artist and painted beautiful watercolors of mountains and wolves. He was beginning to receive attention in the art world—not that his father gave a damn—and was able to demand good prices for his paintings. Sitting in a chair facing his father he waited for the proverbial shit to hit the fan.

  “It’s time you take a mate, son,” Josiah said, “You are the heir apparent and the pack needs to see you settled down with a wife and some pups. Continuity is key to keeping members from worrying about their future and more importantly, it keeps the challenges from within the pack for my position to none. And that makes for a very stable pack.”

  “Father, no one in their right mind would challenge you for leadership. You are the strongest wolf in Silver Point.”

  “Wrong! There are always wolves who aren’t satisfied with my decisions. The fact you aren’t mated and with pups of your own reflects on me. Now, I’ve picked out several female wolves from good families and have arranged for you to date them one at a time until you find a female you want for your wife. Here’s the list. I’ve set up the first date for tonight.”

  Kahn took the list and left the room. It would do no good to argue with his father. It was time to talk to his mother.

  Chapter 34

  Even though they arrived late the night before, Frank was up early this morning, hoping to have a word with Alpha Jackson before breakfast. Walking into the great room he found the man he was looking for feeding Daniel his bottle.

  Looking up when Frank entered the room, Jackson said, “Good morning, Frank. If you’re looking for Dylon, I’m afraid he and Cody are sleeping in this morning.”

  “Actually, I was looking for you.”

  “Is this official? Do you want to go to my study?”

  Frank looked around and saw no one but Daniel and Jackson.

  “Everyone is still asleep. Daniel had a big day yesterday so he fell asleep early. Great for me last night—not so much this morning. You can speak freely to me and no one will disturb us.”

  “What happened to Daniel?”

  “It was what he did. He completely shifted.”

  “Congratulations. I wonder if he’ll do it again? Lizzie would love to play with him not to mention cuddle him to death. That’s what she did with Dylon. She had problems with the birth and we were worried Dylon would die. He didn’t but I think it was close to a year before Lizzie would set him down on the floor to play. She held him, all day long, even through his naps.”

  “I can understand that feeling. But you didn’t get up early to talk to me about this, so what’s on your mind?”

  “This is off the record and the only conversation I’m going to have about your complaint against Silver Point Pack. I’m not doing it in my official capacity but as Dylon’s father.”

  “Understood.”

  “Your uncle has finally submitted his answer to the complaint. Other than denying everything, he is demanding it be dismissed since you haven’t produced an eye witness proving his pack was responsible for the massacre.”

  “As I expected.”

  “Well, yes. I’m assuming you don’t have an eye witness because you didn’t include it. My advice to you is to ask for the same number of continuances the High Council gave your uncle.”

  “Why? It won’t produce an eye witness when everyone was killed.”

  Nodding, Frank said, “I know. But it will give you time to figure out how to answer his demands. For what it’s worth, I believe you. But I won’t be able to help you. As
soon as I get back, I’ll have to inform the High Council of my conflict of interest and recuse myself from the investigation. Once that happens, you and I cannot have any further contact while this is pending. Hopefully, it won’t extend to Lizzie because that would be very hard on her now since Dylon has found his Fated Mate.”

  “As it would be on Dylon and for my brother who loves her like a second mother.”

  Frank smiled, glad to hear how Cody felt about his wife. “The other suggestion I’m giving you is to use my son’s contacts at the High Council. I don’t know if he told you, but he was trained by the High Council’s elite fighting force and still has many friends there. His knowledge of the inner workings of the Council is better than mine and he can be of great help to you.”

  “Thank you. But why are you telling me all this? You could have told Dylon. Why me?”

  “Yes, I could have told my son but you’re the Alpha.”

  Jackson snorted. “That didn’t stop you when you were playing ‘who’s got bigger balls’. So why me?”

  Frank was silent for a minute before saying, “At every turn, you reacted differently from any other Alpha I have ever met. I’m amazed at the restraint you showed the night I ‘played my game’ and the next day in your study. Then there is your Alpha power. You know what I’m referring to—but you don’t show it off and make your members bow to you all the time. I believe you have hidden layers that even you haven’t discovered. I’m impressed with you and I’m eager to see what you do in the future. In short, you have earned my respect.”

  “Thanks for the compliment and the advice,” Jackson said, smiling at Frank, “It seems we finished just in time— here comes Dakota, Lizzie, and Zane to make breakfast for us.”

  Frank looked behind him and saw his wife smiling and joking with Dakota about being up so early. Chuckling to himself, Dakota was in for a surprise when Lizzie made the breakfast specialty she learned at her class.

  “What did you think of Chef Dragontlovi?” Dakota asked Lizzie

  “Oh, I fell in love with him the first five minutes of the class—me and every other woman and I suspect a few men,” Lizzie responded, giggling. “It’s a good thing I love my mate otherwise I think the chef could have convinced me to stay in his kitchen forever.”

  “I know what you mean, I felt the same way when I had a class with him. I spent evenings doodling our names together, sure he would ask me out on a date before the end of the year. I was heartbroken when I found out he already had a mate.”

  Their voices trailed off as they entered the kitchen. Zane stopped in front of Jackson. “Please, bro can I skip this morning in the kitchen? I have some work to finish up for Cody and Dylon and besides, Dakota has Lizzie to help him.”

  Jackson chuckled, “A little too much sugar for you?”

  “Oh, my gods, did you hear them? I will seriously suffer death by sugar if I have to listen to that all morning. I promise, I’ll add a day onto the end. But please bro, you have to save me. This is way too early for me to have to listen to doodling names and falling in love,” Zane pleaded, then stuck his finger in his mouth and made a gagging sound.

  Jackson gave a short bark of laughter. “Okay, I understand. Ask Dakota if it’s all right if you work on the stuff you promised Cody and Dylon instead of helping him this morning. If he agrees, you are excused.”

  “Thank you, bro, so much.” Zane said as he rushed to the kitchen, eager to get approval to escape.

  Frank found himself laughing at Zane’s plea to skip the Chef Dragontlovi love fest going on in the kitchen. He would be the same way. Even the awards ceremony was a little over the top for him but he had to admit the food was fantastic. If that kind of food was in store for him from now on, then agreeing to go to San Francisco with Lizzie was well worth it.

  ~/~/~/~/~

  Slate was ready to throw in the towel and admit defeat. Another day—another wasted day—without getting an agreement among the three Alphas. Whenever he got Ulfric and Ordovic to agree on how an issue should be resolved, Arald would throw a monkey wrench into the discussion with what Slate felt were unreasonable demands, and then Ulfric and Ordovic would clam up and refuse to participate any further. When he pressed them, both deferred to Arald.

  He gave everyone time off from the next day’s meetings but when they resumed, he would insist on talking to each Alpha alone. It was supposed to have happened the first day but Arald asked that it be postponed until they could reach an agreement. Huh! That really worked out well, didn’t it? Fuck! He needed to clear his mind so he headed out to the rocky mountain behind the house where he was staying. A group of enforcers followed him and together, shielded by some heavy brush, they shifted. Slate headed up the steep rocky path, happy to let his wolf roam while he worked on the knotty problem of the peace conference.

  ~/~/~/~/~

  Dakota and Lizzie came out of the kitchen after everyone had been seated at the breakfast table. Putting his hand up to stop the chatter, Dakota said, “I have a special treat. Today, I was Lizzie’s sous chef as she made breakfast for all of you this morning, including her signature breakfast dish she created in her class.”

  “Thank you, Lizzie,” said Jackson, “I look forward to enjoying your cooking for a change, as will everyone else.”

  A chorus of agreements rang out as Lizzie blushed. “Thank you all so much. We’ll be right out with everything,” she said. Turning around she gave Dakota a motherly shove toward the kitchen. “Come on, you heard them, let’s get the food.”

  Dakota stepped aside and held out his arm, beckoning, “Ladies first.” After Lizzie disappeared into the kitchen, he turned back to his brothers and hissed, “I better hear only good things about her food or this chef will go on strike. You got that?” Dakota looked at nine heads bobbing in agreement. Then he turned and rushed into the kitchen.

  Chuckling to himself, Frank realized the brothers and their mates knew which side their bread was buttered on after seeing them react to Dakota’s threat. Frank knew everyone would love Lizzie’s dish, but Dakota had endeared himself to him by his fierce protection of Lizzie. This was a very good pack and he was very pleased Dylon was now part of it.

  As Dakota and Lizzie came bustling out of the kitchen loaded down with food, Zane caught a whiff of something new. Sniffing deeper, he could smell a delicious combination of …Oh wow! Trying to locate the source of the smell, he zeroed in on the big baking dish Dakota was carrying.

  After setting it on the table, Dakota said, “Lizzie, why don’t you tell everyone about your creation?”

  Giggling at being the focus of so many eyes, she blushed as she said, “I made you all a Frittata—well, my interpretation of one— with eggs, sausage, cheese, peppers, onions, and—uh—potatoes.”

  Then, Dakota went around the table and gave a heaping helping to everyone before serving Lizzie and himself. Setting the empty baking dish on the sideboard, he sat next to Lizzie and said, “Bon appetit!”

  Wasting no time, Zane dug into the Frittata on his plate. As soon as the first forkful hit his tongue, he moaned. Oh my god! This is so fucking good! Soon other moans joined his as his brothers took their first taste of Lizzie’s signature dish.

  Frank smiled to himself as choruses of compliments were offered to his wife. Good, my Lizzie deserves it. But when he heard Carson suggest Lizzie stay for a while, he growled.

  “Thank you, Carson,” Lizzie smiled. “But you have Dakota and my Frank really needs me to look after him. I’m sure we’ll be back soon, though.”

  “Please make it very soon, Lizzie,” Cody said.

  “I will. After all, I have to make sure my son is treating you right.”

  Dylon groaned as Cody’s brothers laughed, “Mom, trust me, I’m taking care of Cody, I promise.”

  “I can see that. I just want to make sure you keep doing it.”

  Frank snickered. “Son, you better give up. Haven’t you learned yet you won’t win an argument with your mother?”

  Cody
squeezed Dylon’s leg under the table to silence him before saying, “Lizzie, you come back as often as you want. Dylon and I will always be happy to see you.”

  ~/~/~/~/~

  After breakfast, Frank asked to speak to his son alone in Jackson’s study. Dylon looked at Cody who was playing with Daniel. “Do you want to come with me?” he asked.

  “No, I’m going to spend some time with my nephew. You go ahead. I’ll be here when you two are through.”

  Dylon leaned down and kissed his mate. “Love you,” he murmured, “Be back shortly.” Following his father into Jackson’s study, he shut the door behind him and sat down. “What’s up?”

  Frank looked at his son, glad to see him sporting a mating bite. “When I get home, I will inform the High Council Chairman of your mating to Cody of the Blackwood Pack. And then I will recuse myself from the investigation.”

  “I expected that.”

  “Yes, right. Until the investigation is over and the High Council has ruled on the matter, I cannot have any contact with you or Cody or anyone else in the Blackwood Pack.”

  “What about Mom?”

  “I don’t know. I’m going to try to have her excluded from any ban placed on me, but whether the Chairman will agree—I don’t know.”

  “I understand. Let’s leave it like this. If I don’t hear from Mom, I will assume she was included and I will not contact her.”

  “One more piece of advice, use everything in your arsenal to help Jackson in this matter. Your legal mind, knowledge of the workings of the High Council, and any other skills will be a big asset to him.”

  “Of course.”

  “Okay,” Frank said, “My next question has to do with the Silver Point Pack but not the complaint. Why did you leave them?”“Let’s just say I didn’t see eye to eye with them.”

  “About what?”

  “About some of their practices. And that is all I’m going to say on the matter, Dad. I left, it’s over and I found my Fated Mate. It was the best thing that ever happened to me.”