117
Shelley and her baby were in good health and I wasn’t sure if Shelley was happy or sad about that. Megan had also found the ring I bought her so my surprise was now ruined and I contemplated just giving her the ring to wear.
“Ryder?” Link broke through my thoughts as I sat in the office and my head turned towards his.
“Yeah?” I asked.
“Have you heard a word I’ve been saying?” he asked me.
“Sorry,” I said and gave him my full attention.
“Alex Redford isn’t at the house, I sent a few warriors to scope out his residence, even the electricity’s been disconnected,” he said.
“Why would he leave?” I asked myself.
“Maybe he knows she came here,” Link suggested.
“Send his details out to our allies, I want him alive,” I said.
The laptop pinged and I looked at yet another email from the Elders when a knock on my door disturbed us. Link stood up to open the office door and a seething Wentworth walked inside.
“Morning,” I said as I watched his face.
“Leave,” he said to Link as he sat down.
“You seem chipper,” I said to him.
“Is it true?” he asked me.
“Is what true?”
“Do you know who killed Joe?” he asked me.
“Yes and Joe was your rat,” I said to him.
“Was it you?” he asked me.
“Yes,” I said still looking at him.
“You could’ve told me what you knew,” he said.
“Perhaps I could have. I had my hands full at that time,” I said to him.
“So what’s happening with those two ring leaders you handed over to the Elders?” he asked.
“The Elders are interrogating them, I’m not involved with that process, I have a lair to run and shit to do so why are you really here?” I asked him.
“We have a case,” he said as I shook my head.
“Not interested Wentworth, my time in the Unit is done, I found Felix’s killer so my soul is at peace now, I have responsibilities here,” I said to him.
“You’ll never be done with the Unit,” he said with a light chuckle.
“Maybe you’re right but at this moment my focus has to be here, besides I’m busy with my own thing,” I said.
“I heard a rumour that you were giving up your lair and coming back to the team,” he said as he folded his arms.
“Just a rumour, as you can see I’m very much still here and active with my people,” I said.
“They aren’t your people Ryder, a year ago you didn’t even know the names of the people that lived here,” he retorted.
“They’re my people now,” I said to him.
“So you’re really not coming back?” he asked me.
“No.”
“This isn’t you. I don’t see you getting married and settling down with a woman, having kids and just being a Sire,” he said to me.
“You know me as a hunter, you don’t know anything else about me, you only ever cared about how many assholes I could kill, you’re a good leader Wentworth but that life is not for me anymore, I met my bonded half, I’m happy with my life, exactly as it is,” I said to him.
“Then trying to convince you is pointless,” he said his shoulders slumping a bit.
“I’m not coming back,” I said to him.
“Take care then, I’m glad you’re finally at peace,” he said and stood up.
“No you’re not but thanks any way,” I said as he smiled.
“Am I getting an invite to your ceremony?” he asked me as I stood up and shook his hand.
“Of course,” I said to him and opened the office door.
“Look after yourself and remember I’m always just as far as my phone, if you’re ever stuck, I’ll be here,” he said.
“Thanks, I’d say the same to you but we both know you’ll take advantage of that,” I said as he laughed.
I watched Wentworth walk down the short hallway and turn into the foyer. Link’s head popped around the corner and he smiled when he saw me.
“Lunch is ready,” he said and walked off towards the dining room.
Everyone was already seated at the table when I joined them and took my own seat. Megan started dishing up for me and Link looked expectantly at Emily.
“I’m not your slave, get your own food,” she said to him.
“But Megan dishes up for Ryder,” he said to her.
“Do I look like Megan?” she asked him.
“It’s not a rule Link, I dish up for Ryder because I like to do it,” Megan said as she put my plate down in front of me.
“Thanks,” I said and she smiled at me.
Link stood up and filled his own plate as Emily laughed softly at him. Shelley waited until everyone had dished up before dishing up for herself. We had a certain hierarchy in a lair and nobody will eat before the Sire, except of course Tank and Elio.
“Have you spoken to the Elders?” Shelley asked me.
“Actually I’ve been ignoring them, I give it about another day before they arrive,” I said and Megan shook her head at me.
“You should treat them with more respect,” she said as she looked at me.
“Anyway,” I said looking back at Shelley, “Alex isn’t at his house, looks like he cleared out, where else would he go?”
“I don’t know, I was only ever in that house, he said his parents are dead and he doesn’t have any other family,” she said.
“His file shows that too,” Link said.
“Can I change the subject for a while?” Emily asked.
“Since when do you ask permission for anything?” Link asked her.
“Since this is my cousin’s lair and house,” she said looking defiantly at Link.
“Play nice kids,” I said as Emily rolled her eyes.
“The moms are driving us crazy,” she said and Megan started to laugh.
“What about this time?” I asked knowing full well what she was referring to.
“She wants a finalized date for the acceptance ceremony, they want to do all three together,” she said.
“Why are you even talking to me about this? Talk to Megan she’s the future Drakaina,” I said as Megan’s fork halted in mid air and she looked at me.
“I am?” she asked.
“Shit Megan, you’ve been the future Drakaina the day you moved in here as our roommate,” Link said.
“Do you really want to do the ceremony?” she asked me as her eyes searched mine.
“I’ve always wanted to do it, the timing just wasn’t right,” I said.
“And it is now?” she asked me with an underlying attitude.
“Yes, unless you don’t want to,” I said and looked at her.
“Well, you never asked me,” she said with a smile.
“I’d say this morning gave me the impression you wanted to,” I said as she blushed and glared at me.
“Why, what happened this morning?” Link asked looking around.
“Well, you see Link, we were in the shower…” I said as a spoon hit my forehead, “what the hell?”
“And that’s why people refer to you as an asshole,” Emily said as I laughed.
“I don’t need to ask, she’s already hooked on me,” I said.
“Asshole,” she said and Shelley laughed for the first time.
“Okay guys, we have a lot to do, Shelley you have to make a choice, stay and join the lair or go back to your old one,” I said to her.
“Geez don’t put her on the spot like that,” Megan said.
“I’m not, but if Alex makes a move and she’s not part of my lair there’s not much I can do without the Elder’s approval,” I said to her.
“You think he’ll come back here?” Shelley asked with fear in her eyes.
“Eventually yes, you’re pregnant with his child, he’ll make a move to get you back,” I said to her.
My phone started to ring and I saw it was Linda. She had taken some time off to help Brenda with her move to Chicago and I was truly happy for Cameron. He had changed a lot since he met Brenda and I noticed that he didn’t even look at any other women anymore, he wasn’t that boastful and he reminded me of me when I was in high school and still a nice person.
“Hey,” I said as I answered the phone.
“Hi, I just wanted to remind you of your appointment with the new Sire of Springfield, he’s coming to see you at two thirty,” she said.
“Shit thanks, I forgot about him,” I said to her as she chuckled.
“Why doesn’t that surprise me at all?” she asked.
“How are things going there?” I asked her.
“Jasper and Haley are both very nice, they’ve been very welcoming and I can see that Cameron’s trying really hard with Brenda, I’m happy for her but I’ll miss her,” she said.
“I know the distance sucks but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I’m happy you’re staying,” I said to her.
“You wouldn’t survive a day without me,” she said.
“True, enjoy your time there and relax a bit okay,” I said to her.
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