Book Chapter21
“Do you need me to drop you off anywhere or am I taking you to the pack house?” I asked Alex.
“Pack house,” she answered. “Greg will give me a ride back to our place.”
“You and Greg are roommates?” questioned. “You two didn’t get along very well last time I was here.”
“Well we found a common enemy,” she said. I guess she and Grant are still on bad terms. It was silent again until we reached the pack house. Alex got out first, almost before I stopped. She paused before closing the door. “I know I haven’t said it but I’m really glad your back Katie. Tyler is too, he’s just hurt. He thought you were dead because it was easier to believe that than you being alive and just not contacting us. He missed you, we both did.”
She turned to go. “If it’s any consolation, I missed you guys too.”
I saw her smile in the side mirror. “Thanks Katie.” She disappeared into the pack house.
“Katie?” Trina questioned with a teasing tone. “Really? Katie?”
I snorted, “Yeah like Tree is any better.”
“Hey I didn’t pick that nickname!” she protested.
“And I didn’t pick Katie,” I said. “Katie was easier for three–year–olds to pronounce than Katrina.”
“Makes sense,” Trina replied. “Unlike why we’re sitting in the truck instead of going in. You’re
stalling.”
“You noticed that huh?” I said softly.
“Yeah, what’s going on Kate?”
I grimaced. “It’s just… the last time I went inside that building the old Alpha of this pack was stripping me of any position, calling me unworthy, and turning my pack against me. I’m not too eager to go back in.”
“You have to do it eventually,” she said.
I sighed. “I know. I just… I want to go home already.”
We got out and started for the door. I tried to ignore the memories that were demanding attention. This is going to be hard enough as it is. Everything looked the same and yet kind of smaller. No in actual size but in grandeur. When I was teenager who’d never left home this pack house was the
biggest thing I’d ever seen. But know I had been to so many places and so many different pack
houses this one wasn’t nearly as impressive,
The one thing I didn’t think about as we drove here was all the people. I left because they’d turned their backs on my, treated me as a leper. I never really thought about how they would react to my return. I only considered my family’s reaction, Alex’s reaction. The rest, those who knew who I was… their eyes were full of angry, mistrust, and suspicion.
Trina, my faithful little protector, took it upon herself to meet every single one of their glared with
a much nastier look of her own. In moments like this she reminded me of a pit bull gearing up to
attack anything that moved. “I don’t like any of the people in your old pack,” she said to me loudly, she wanted them to hear. “I can see why you left.”
I rolled my eyes, “Come on Tree. Let’s find Jason. The soon we get what we need to done the sooner
we can go home.”
I led her up to the Alpha’s office. It should be in the same place. It was. The door was open and Grant, Greg, Lily, and Jason were all in side. Colin stood in the hall. He nodded at us as we entered. Everyone looked at the door. “How was your family?” Jason asked.
I shrugged. “Tell you later. We have business to discuss.” I easily slipped into my role as Beta. It
was easier to pretend this was just another pack and not one I hoped to avoid at all costs. “Have you decided when we can assess the current skills of their trained wolves or wolves in training?”
Lily shook her head. “We were arguing the need of doing that.”
My brows furrowed. “What’s there to argue about? It needs to be done so we can put together an
accurate time table.”
Lily gave me a very pointed and strained smile. “You want to explain that to him?”
I looked at Grant. “My trained wolves don’t need any more training. We just don’t have enough of
them and we are low on trainers.”
I looked at Jason. “Did you not explain how we do things? Remember last time you did that?”
“I tried,” Jason said. “He doesn’t listen.”
I nodded. “You see why I left.” Grant growled and we both looked at him. “What?”
“Katrina,” Grant started but I cut him off.
“That is not my name,” I said dangerously. “I’ve already told you this. My name is Kate. But you will only call me Beta Greyson. Is that clear Alpha Adams?”
“Your name is Katrina,” he growled. “Katrina Grim.”
Inarrowed my eyes. “That hasn’t been my name since you rejected me and this pack turned its back on me for it. If I had my way I wouldn’t be here. The only reason I am is because my Alpha requested it.” More like forced me but I’m not telling him that. “As far as you are concerned I am just a Beta from another pack.”
