“So, let me get this straight. I’m going to go into meetings about pack safety, give my opinion to pack Elders and Alphas who are decades older than me, like what | have to say is more important and then c*ck block them from throwing their daughters at Xander”
“In a nutshell, yes. It’s a good thing you are strong willed and don’t mind giving your opinion freely when asked for it.”
He smiles at me again and winks.
“You are getting far too much pleasure out of this. What’s in it for you?” | ask playfully.
“I have been with the Royal family since my mate died.” A look flashes across his eyes, but before | can give him any sympathy he holds his hand up. “No need, it was a long time ago, but my wolf died with him and the Alpha King and Luna Queen took me in and offered me protection. I have become an adopted part of their family and | love Xander like a favorite nephew. I have seen what the ranked politics look like and how bad it really can get when wolves start messing with the Goddess’ plan. I don’t want that for Xander. I want him to have what I had with my mate. Even with all the pain that followed his passing, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. You seem to care about him and want nothing more than friendship, and just that has you in my good graces along with the Luna Queen.”
I wonder if he knows the whole situation with my relationship to the royal family? | made a mental note to ask Luna Anne.
“So, am I going to be on my own all morning, or is Xander going to be with me, or you, or Luna Anne?”
“Someone will be with you at all times. We may be throwing you to the wolves,” He laughs at his little joke, “but, we won’t let you go it alone. Your reservations are accurate with some of the Elders. A few of them are, how could I put this, old school? They don’t like women in the planning meetings in general, and you are young, but times are changing. We have two female Alphas amongst us now and as you have seen about a third of our Elite Warriors are female. It only makes sense that those same Elite Warriors would become part of the safety and defense team that keeps the Royal family, the Royal Pack and our surrounding kingdom safe.”
| nod in understanding. He basically confirmed there will be people who are going to actively belittle and degrade me, while also trying to not offend the Alpha King. Maybe it is better that no one told me, I would have been overthinking this thing the whole week.
We finally pull up to the castle, but instead of going to the front entrance like last time, we head down an semi-hidden gravel drive to a parking garage nestled into the mountain.
The stone facade made it blend so well, if I hadn’t seen the doors move, I never would have noticed them.
Seeing my expression, Barty smiles, “You get to use the super secret entrance from now on. Now more mundane front door entrances for you.” – “What?!” | laugh at him. “Is this really necessary? It feels a little over the top.”
“You won’t think that when all of the elitist people here start trying to figure out who you are and where you come from.
And since you do have to go back to the training grounds eventually, it’s safer to have you come and go from the royal family’s private garage in a car that maintains your privacy.”
Oh, wow. This just got real. We step out of the car and | take a good look around the garage. The whole bunkhouse could fit in here, it’s so big. I can’t even count how many cars, motorcycles, four-wheelers and other gas-powered toys there are in here. And on the far end, near what appears to be a second set of garage doors, there is an expanse of tools, boxes, bottles and other various things to maintain all of these toys. I just smile. All the guys must have a good time when they are here for training. It reminds me of the picture from Dakota’s room where they are all sitting on a log in front of the lake, looking wet and sun-kissed and like they are the most happy and relaxed | have ever seen them.
