Mirabelle's POV continues
******
The flight to Golden Hunter's was short, Camilla seemed to think ahead of me by not only organising a meeting with the hunters but also had a rental car await at the airport, something that completely slipped my mind. Kingston took Arieya so there wasn't need for an emergency babysitter hunt, but as for Karla, Kendall picked her up from school, and drove her to the an airport in Kindred East where we had been waiting for her.
Camilla is calm, collected and serving her resting bitch face as we stand in front of the welcoming committee that was sent by Adrian. The team of Glen, Michelle and Lincoln. The greeting we exchange is short, leaving an awkward silence that Glen breaks, grinning down at Karla. “And who is this beautiful girl?”
“Karla Astra Kingston,” Karla retorts, shyly smiling at her.
Michelle sighs, “This way, Alpha and Beta are expecting you.”
“Well, lead the way.” I nearly snort, following behind her. Everyone is staring and whispering. It's obvious they've seen the Silverclaw trinket dangling from my purse. My plan to be strictly business until the meeting is over is brought crashing down when I hear my mother excitedly call out to me when we make it inside the pack house, not giving me enough time to appreciate the renovations of the house.
“Mom, hey..” I trail off, my gaze dropping to the little boy in her arms. “Aren't you the big boy now,” I smile, reaching to take him but he hides in my mother's chest. Tyrone and Arieya are just a few months apart, but he looks very big.
“So, you don't look sick.” I huff, crossing my arms over my chest, partially hurt my nephew won't let me carry him like I don't get enough rejection from Arieya wanting nobody but Kingston to carry her around.
My mom coughs in response and I sigh, shaking my head. “We will talk later, I'm here on business I have a meeting with Alpha Adrian.”
“I heard about that, where's your friend the Alpha?” she grins, a hint of pride in her smile.
Looking back at where Camilla, Glen and Karla are, I gesture to them. “That's Alpha Camilla, and our future Alpha Karla.”
Camilla waves slightly, offering my mom a smile she isn't content with, judging by the way she hastily moves to meet them.
“Hey, I'm Ximena, pleasure to meet you.” she grins, securing Tyrone on her hip to shake her hand.
“Everyone knows who you are, fire luna, pleasure is all mine.” Camilla grins.
“Please, call me mom, my daughter chose you for a sister.”
“If she calls you mom, does that make you my grandmother too?” Karla asks, gluing at her mothers side.
Mom smiles down at her and nods, “Yes, you're automatically my granddaughter now.”
“Mom, we're late for our meeting.” I tell her, trying to end the conversation.
“Ou, a puppy!” Karla squeaks, unable to control the urge running to pet a dog that stands by the staircase, knocking a flower vessel over in the process.
“Sorry, my daughter is a little too unthinky sometimes.” Camilla instantly apologizes, while I rush to help Karla, bringing her back to where we all stood.
“Your daughter?” I hear my mother gasp.
“Yes,” Camilla smiles, holding her hand out to Karla.
Karla runs to take it, turning to my mom. “I am ma'am, sorry I didn't mean to knock it over.”
“That's okay,” she assures her, extending Tyrone to Michelle. “Here, take Tyrone. Kristina is cooking, watch him till she's done.”
Michelle gasps but takes him. “What am I to do with him, I left my son with a babysitter because I have to be at the meeting and you're handing me another child?”
“Yes, let him play with yours or whatever and as for the meeting, I will represent you.” mom grins, leading the way to Adrian's conference room. We follow silently, but I don't miss the muffled scream from Michelle or her putting Tyrone down and instructing him to go play.
In the conference room I note one thing, it's changed, and so has the board. We find Adrian and Santiago drinking in their seats, along with others, and if I may say they didn't welcome us like guests. But bingo, my guess on Camilla's outfit is setting wonders in the room. All men shifted when we walked in, Adrian let out a stifled growl at the sight of Camilla, and his gaze has darkened on her.
Once we sit, Santiago speaks, “Can we offer you anything?”
I look at Camilla, and she nods, her gaze shifting back to Karla, ensuring she's safe in her seat. I shift to Santiago and smile, “Sure, we will have some of what you're having.” I tell him, sparing the Jack Daniels bottle a glance.
“No the fuck you won't,”
“Adrian.” my mother warns.
“Mm, it seems like this meeting is a failure from the start. We'll get going,” Camilla sighs, rising from her seat. “Karla, let's go baby.”
“No,” Santiago protests. “Please sit down, we'll serve our guests what they ask won't we Adrian?”
“Whatever,” Adrian grumbles, shooting glares at me.
I shrug, Camilla resumes her seat, earning Adrian's gaze again. “And what will you have pretty girl?” Adrian asks, his question directed at Karla but he barely looks at her, his gaze seems to be fixed on her mother.
“A water thanks,” Karla replies.
“That's it? Water, not apple juice or cookies?”
Karla shakes her head, and Santiago rises, placing the order on the intercom then coming back to sit near Midnight Saints wonderful Alpha and chief executive trainer, the man that thought I wouldn't make Zeta a few years ago simply because I was pretty, and Alpha's sister. Well, I sure showed him.
The meeting is underway, with Mom leading it while Camilla and I respond accordingly. Once Camilla and I say our part, Santiago and the board members say their own while Adrian sits just about silent as Karla, half of the meeting.
Adrian's eyes seem to have found their safe haven in Camilla, he hasn't taken his eyes off her for a very long time. When forced to participate in the discussion, he simply nodded his head. Ninety percent of the time he has been staring at Camilla, while the other ten percent has been all he has to offer, and still he split it between nodding to whatever Santiago and his people say, and staring at Camilla's boobs.
The table is silent, with everyone watching each other, except Karla, who is silently playing with my phone, the volume tuned to zero. Bored of the silent competition, I clear my throat. “To summarise, the restraining order against the pack and its members has been lifted. Golden Hunters are welcome to Silverline, anytime.” I press, my foot kicking Camilla underneath the table, urging her to be nice.
Karla pauses, looking at Camilla. “No buts mommy?”
I laugh, of course there is always a but, and Karla knows because she's been to many meetings with us, I could do the but, but that's Camilla's territory.
“But...” Camilla trails off, the feigned smile nowhere to be seen as she looks around the table, eyeing Adrian mostly. “Whatever you do, don't shit me. I won't be held responsible for my actions and it won't be a pretty outcome. I'm not asking you to do anything for me yet, keep up with the way you've always done things around here and I'll do things how I do them in my pack.” she asserts, flashing her fake smile for all to see. Most of them tense in their seats, my mom shifts a little too, concern evident as she spares Adrian a glance. Adrian is in the least bit rattled by Camilla, despite the Phoenix Alpha coming out to play right now.
Camilla may be present but it's the Phoenix Alpha talking, you can see it in the way she stares, talks and the manner in which she sits, it's not her, it's the Phoenix Alpha.
Most people fear this Camilla, but Adrian is bothered, is this what happens when you sleep with someone? All they do seems to cease to scare you? Yeah, it must be it. Even Camilla stopped fearing him that much when he began to sleep with her, maybe it's a secret of intimacy.
I shake the thought off, smiling at Adrian, who looks at me. It's my turn to talk, my turn to endeavour to scare the opponent. “You know,” I begin, licking my lips, a smile twitching. “You might be the Golden Hunters, but if and when it comes down to it, we'll be the hunter, and you?” I laugh softly, “You will be the prey.”
The table goes silent, so silent you could hear a pin drop and then, Camilla discreetly winks at me, a smile forming on her lips. Pride, yes the smile is full if it and I'm revelling in it.
“If that's all, then we can call it.” Camilla tells them, looking up from her watch, her gaze resting on a board member. Yes, so much more stable than it would be to stay on Adrian.
Adrian snorts, earning my attention as well as everyone else at the table. “You're calling the shots in my pack, isn't that crossing the line as you described it?” he asks, his gaze settled on Camilla, his posture unmoving from the beginning of the meeting.
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