Lucy’s POV
Ahmad officially stepped down as Beta, handing over all his duties and responsibilities to the triplets and I. Notable pack members wanted to push against the new oligarchy, but after a few well-thought out arguments from Ahmad and Seth, they had no choice but to agree. At the end of the meeting where this transition occurred, Moongrowl had truly fallen into our hands, and was now ours to do with, what we pleased.
“It is my hope that you’ll all be able to keep peace between Moongrowl and the other packs, because many have been watching since the death of Daven, and they will want to know who is in charge now,” said Ahmad, walking away from the desk that had become so synonymous with his being. “I have done the best I possibly can for you all, so that your tenure will not be filled with so much trouble.”
“And we appreciate it, Ahmad,” said Shaun, leaning against his chair like some kind of content lion. “We have been waiting for you to finally give us the opportunity to lead.”
Ahmad gave him a quick side glance that could have been interpreted as impatient. “You sit there and speak as though leadership is something easy, but you don’t know half of what’s been going on since you were brought down to this pack.” He pointed to the neat stack of papers on his desk. “I have compiled all that should be of help to you. I suggest that you go through all of them and leave nothing unchecked. Hopefully, you can manage to get to the bottom of your father’s death, now that you are aware that the murderer was also from Bloodbath Pack.”
Shaun’s smile dissolved. He sat up straight. “I appreciate your kindness, Ahmad.” Although nothing about the way he said it sounded grateful. “We are truly grateful that you’ve kept this pack together since the . . . demise of our father. But, like everything else in this world, your services had to come to an end.”
Ahmad’s lips pressed together, but he remained quiet. He adjusted his shirt and pants, and put on a fresh coat of composure before making his way out of the office. As he went past me, his eyes flicked to mine, and for a split second, I caught a glimpse of something very similar to a smirk on his lips. Before my brain could process the image though, he was already gone.
I had wanted to ask him about what he would have done as he was no longer the Beta of Moongrowl, but the question had no place to land on anymore. I recently learned that he had a family of his own, so most likely he would have to spend more time with them since the opportunity had presented itself.
Seth left the study not too long afterwards. He had to check out a few things regarding the new trainees for Moongrowl’s palace guard.
I breathed out, tracing an ambiguous pattern on the thigh of my dress. Shaun came up to me, not saying anything until I looked up at him. This was how our relationship had been the days following when he found Scott and I in that room. It was as though walking up to me now took a lot of self-confidence on his part, which I found very odd since he was the boldest out of all his brothers.
My eyes brushed over his sculpted shoulders, finding it remarkably different from Scott’s. Shaun was built like a warrior, with lean, corded muscles and the aura to match. Scott on the other hand, was built like a dancer, with muscles made for finer actions like playing an instrument or sculpting. They were similar, and yet so different. I hardly spent time with Seth, but I knew that if I watched him closely enough, I could also find contrasts between him and his brothers.
“Yes?” I asked, finally looking up at his eyes.
“We have a few things to discuss concerning the Halflings,” he said, not waiting for my question to fully drop to the floor.
“Alright, but I suggest that before you say anything, you should take a seat.”
I half-expected him to come up with some kind of protest, but he actually obeyed, and perched on the arm of the chair I sat on.
“They’ve settled well in the shelter we placed them in. Aaron and Fanny are more than happy to take care of them,” he started.
Aaron and Fanny were a middle-aged couple in the pack with no children of their own, who had been more than happy to take in the five halfling boys. I had told the triplets that we couldn’t just keep the boys anywhere, lest they end up in a horrible spot like where Tessa had grown up. It was good that we had been able to find a place where they would have been treated the right way.”
“Okay, that’s good. What else?”
“It’s just remarkable how things can change when you put your heart to it. Years back, almost no one would have wanted to be associated with Halflings. But this is truly a thing worthy of merit. I am . . . thankful for your suggestion.”
“Glad to see that you actually know how to thank someone,” I said, unable to keep myself from smiling.
His face went momentarily blank as he watched me smile, like he was seeing something for the first time. It was probably true, given that I had never had a reason to smile at him before.
He got off the arm of the chair, clearing his throat. “I’ll continue to keep watch over them, but things are looking very good at the moment. I just wanted to inform you of that.”
‘Or did you simply need a reason to talk to me?’ I mentally asked. For some reason, I didn’t think he only came to talk to me because of the boys.
Just then, a thought about Tessa crossed my mind, reminding me that I was supposed to wash her hair that afternoon. I didn’t want to keep her waiting, so I got up from the chair as well, and left the study along with Shaun. Behind me, I could feel Scott’s gaze following me, but I didn’t look back to confirm it.
Outside, I hastened my steps, partly because I didn’t want to hang behind Shaun, and also because I didn’t want to see people walking in front of me.
Unfortunately, right at that moment two maids stepped out of a room, hastily working to get the laundry they held in her hands quickly to their destination. One of them in particular carried a stack that completely obscured her face. And she was headed right in my direction.
I tried to avoid her, but by some very strange turn of events, she stumbled in my direction with a squeal, forcing me to step right beside Shaun in a bid to escape the girl’s onslaught of laundry.
Before I could catch my breath, Shaun’s arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me to him in a motion so fluid that I forgot how to breathe for three whole seconds. We stood there, pressed together as the poor maid lost hold of the laundry, and they all fell to the ground with soft thuds.
She looked up to see us, and hastily muttered apologies as she picked up the scattered laundry. Her squeaky voice filtered through the air, but it wasn’t quite enough to pull me away from Shaun.
As though finally excited to shine, the mate bond flashed within me, tugging me even closer to him. The haze filled my mind again, drowning out most of my thoughts.
‘The mate bond only intensifies what is already there,’ passed through my mind, telling me something that I had been trying so hard to ignore right from the very first time I met him.
In many ways, this scenario was just like that same moment.
“Watch where you’re going,” he said hoarsely, like it was difficult for him to speak.
Breathless, I just kept staring at him, high out of my mind. So many inappropriate thoughts started to flow through my head unprovoked, and I couldn’t get a hold of them quick enough. The wolf inside of me fought for dominance, coming so vibrantly alive as though she had been waiting for this very moment. All I knew was that the sensation of his hands on my body was the very thing I needed. I wanted them all over me-I wanted him all over me. I wanted him . . . inside.
“You know, you don’t have to keep pushing us away,” he added, eyes roaming my face, and finally stopping at my lips, “and it’s alright if you like my brother. I haven’t seen him look so happy in years-since our mother passed.”
He forcefully drew his gaze back up to my eyes, and in his, I could see a kind of bittersweet emotion. It all started to click in my brain then.
Was he giving me his blessing to pursue something with Scott?