“So, who is handing their kid over?” I ask. No one says anything, they all just stare at me.
“You are willing to let a six-year-old boy live with this man, who has a violent history and didn’t want him, so who is handing their kid over? If this man is good enough for my Jonah, he must be good enough for you to trust your kid with, right?” I ask them. Still no one.
“He is a child. Children shouldn’t be put at risk, we are adults, we make our own choices, and children don’t get that say. We dictate what happens to them because they are minors. So, what does it say about us if we allow them to go to a household that puts them at risk? We are their protectors. It should be what is best for the child, not about the purity of bloodlines, especially when there are no pure bloodlines anymore,” I tell them. My voice grows louder as I feel the anger surge through me. I hate that these people were so quick to sign everything else, but this.
“Well, I wouldn’t want my kids going to my mother,” Abigail says as a deep frown crosses her features. She gets up from her seat, and her mate nods as he also gets up and follows her.
One after another, eventually, they all get up. But it shows the power of one person, willing to step up, giving way to change, showing how others feel confident enough with someone standing beside them.
“You have the signatures. Now, you just need the panel to agree,” Alpha Jason says, coming to Kat with the last document. She adds her signature and places the paper on top of the rest.
“Thank you,” she tells him with a slight smile across her lips.
“Send it straight through tonight to this email. It is mine. I will have some dates moved around to squeeze you in on Wednesday. Be ready because Dominic is on the Panel, and he will kick up a fuss, but you have what you need, and I will stick by my word and back it.” He says, handing her his card. She nods, accepting it.
“I will too, Luna Queen,” Abigail’s mate says, bowing to her. Then everyone leaves, and Kat stays back to thank Terra for telling her about the Luna meeting. Terra also tells us she will add us to the Luna group chat, which is how they keep in touch.
“Thanks again, Terra,” Kat tells her.
“It was the right thing to do, even if I now have to attend stupid couples’ therapy with my mate,” she says, making a face.
“It will be good for you,” Kat laughs.
“Yeah, if the woman running it wasn’t his mother. I can’t deal with the old bat for five weeks.”
“Isn’t that biased, though?” I ask.
“Apparently not, but she isn’t so bad. I love the old wolf. Damn momma’s boy, he is,” Terra chuckles. “It’s a win for all of us,” she says and walks over to her mate.
We pile into the car, and I can’t wait to get home to tell Andrei that we might get Jonah home soon.
Sage
We stop off at Kat’s on the way home so she can email the documents through to Alpha Jason, and not even halfway home, she gets a confirmation email to say that she has a court date scheduled for Wednesday at 1:15 PM.
Before we head back home, we stay for a cup of coffee so Kat and Mateo can check on the kids.
Mateo wants Ezra to run me back, but Ezra insists he is to stay with Kat at all times. Mateo doesn’t seem to pick up the edge in his voice or the way he looks at Kat when he says it, but it is like they are hiding something from Mateo.
And yet, I am excited to head home. The day has been a long one, and Kat gave me a copy of the petition to show Andrei when I get home. That does nothing, but excites me even more.
“So what happens next? Does anyone know?” I ask them.
“We attend the court date. As Jason said, there’s no reason for anyone to dispute it. There are enough signatures,” Mateo answers.
“Then another court date and we will be set to apply to get Jonah back. Hopefully, though Dominic will see it as inevitable and just hand him back.” Kat states, and I pray that happens.
Five more days and I could have Jonah back home where he belongs.
We continue to drive for another twenty minutes until we finally pull up in front of Andrei’s house.
Everyone is already celebrating the initiation that happened today for Nora’s siblings, and I feel guilty that I missed it, but I know they will understand. They are just as eager to get Jonah back as Andrei and I.
As soon as the car stops, Andrei rips the door open, fumbles with my seatbelt, and pulls me out of the car with a growl. “Yes, yes, I missed you too,” I tell him as he crushes me against his chest, and I try to push him away.
He growls, so I give up, burying my face in his chest, his growl changing to a purr. I shake my head and roll my eyes at his affection. “How did it go?” He asks. I mumble against his bare chest, where I am being smothered.
“Huh?” He asks, pulling away.
“I said I would tell you, if I wasn’t being smothered,” he gags slightly, letting me go.
“Sorry you stink of Mateo,” he says.
“I don’t stink?” Mateo says, sniffing himself.
“To me, you do. You smell like my sister, not a scent I find attractive,” Andrei says.
“I don’t mind smelling like your sister. I plan on rubbing my essence all over her when I get home,” Mateo says, wiggling his eyebrows at Kat.
Kat slaps his chest and Mateo grunts at the impact. “Don’t be rude,” she snaps at him.
“What? I was being honest.” He chuckles, “Going to hit that-” Her hands clamp over his mouth.
“I will get him home. I will see you Wednesday,” Kat says with a smile on her lips as she winds up the window. As they leave, I hear her scolding Mateo as they drive off, for his foul language in front of her brother.