Chapter 89

Danny’s POV
“It’s been 3 weeks. Any issues from the Cedar River Moon Pack?” Oliver asks Todd and myself in his office. “Any issues? Let me, see?” I smirk at him. “Josie and Joslyn are fighting over who is the better cook” “Joslyn” everyone else in the office says in unison.
“I know that; but I can’t tell Josie. My pack will go without food” Todd says as I stifle a laugh. “Then there is Anastasia. She still thinks Danny or I will toss Claudia or Joanna aside for her” Todd continues. “Not likely” Claudia grumbles, looking in my direction.
“The only reprieve we have is Jeremy and Simon are training as a team” I announce to everyone. “That is because we are taking our position seriously” Simon states to the group.
“Other than that; there are only smaller issues; Danny and I have been able to handle. It’s just more of what each pack is doing and where they will be staying” Todd tells him. “And I have moved into the East Packhouse with Brett, Tim and Chelsea. It’s better as Brett is now Todd’s enforcer and as such; he will be able to protect Todd better” Cynthia adds.
“How is Joanna?” Oliver asks Todd. “She’s over the morning sickness and thinks she looks like a side of a barn” Todd answers him with a sigh. “All women think they look like a side of barn; she’s not special” Tracey giggles, giving Claudia a wink.
“Mum was grateful we included her in the ceremony; she couldn’t stop crying” Claudia says, looking at Todd and myself. “She is a part of it, just as much as we were” Todd injects. “Yeah; if it wasn’t for her, Todd would be dead by now” I snicker and Todd pokes his tongue out at me.
“We need to be prepared for what’s to come” Dad exclaims to everyone. “Not knowing is what is making people anxious. If it wasn’t for them trying to take Claudia and Joanna and seeing the threat is real; you may not have been able to join the packs together in the first place” Tim states.
“Did you find out anything regarding Michael following you?” “Not how he knew; he had followed the convoy leaving the River Moon Packhouse. He kept his distance behind everyone; he must have noticed Joanna and Claudia leaving before the rest of us at the roadside diner and took the opportunity” Steve injects into the conversation, answering Jason’s question.
“How do you know he followed the convoy?” Dad asks him. “A few of the pack members thought it odd, there was a black jeep following but no-one got out of the car when we stopped at any of the points along the way” he answers.
“Uncle Craig doesn’t seem to know or care. I asked him to join the pack and he refuses to be under Danny. I wasn’t surprised; he is as big of a tosser as Dad” Todd injects. **“I would probably kill him anyway”** Jesse huffs, slinking into my mind again.
“Has Dianna contacted you or Jade?” Oliver asks Dad. “No. Jade is getting worried she either told Michael or he has found out about our meeting and hurt her in some way” Dad answers him.
“We can’t focus on either; unfortunately,” Oliver sighs, giving dad a half smile. “I know. We just have to prepare ourselves for an onslaught. I don’t want to go and find a fight, if we don’t have to” I inject into the conversation as a knock comes on the door.
“Sir; we have a police officer out here with a young girl for Joshua and Raquel” Jeffrey says to Oliver. “Bring them in” Oliver responds to him.
“Uncle Josh” a girl of 6 or 7 calls out running to him. He looks at us, not knowing who she is. “Crystal is my mummy. She told me to tell you” she says and the realisation comes on his face. “Yes. Where’s mummy?” he asks her. “Mummy dropped me off at the police station and told them I had to come live with you” she tells us.
“Thank you, officer; we will be fine to take her” Raquel says, picking the little girl up and putting her on her lap and the officer nods and leaves the room.
“What’s you name?” Raquel asks her. “Kimmy” she answers with a smile.
“Kimmy, why did mummy take you to the police station?” Joshua asks, looking concerned. “She gave me this, to give to you” she says, pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket. Joshua looks at the piece of paper, before scrunching it up and throwing it across the room.
“Michael has her” he snarls, getting out of his chair. “We have to stay positive; Michael won’t harm Crystal” Dad says, not looking convinced. “Mummy said, Daddy wants her and won’t stop chasing her” Kimmy said to us.
“Do you know why Daddy wants her?” Oliver asks her. “Because Mummy said she has a bear” she tells us.
“Uncle Josh is going to take you to meet your cousins, Alexandra and Antonio. You will have fun with them” Raquel says as Joshua grabs Kimmy by the hand and heads out the door. “That’s how he was going to get bear shifters on his side. The same as the cat shifters; sleep with them and hope they fall pregnant to him” Raquel adds snarling as soon as Joshua shuts the door.
“Doesn’t explain mum; he was already mated to Dianna. He didn’t need another wolf” Claudia says, looking at Dad. “Michael probably didn’t care. Saw someone he liked and went for it. It is convenient for him now to have both a cat shifter and bear shifter in his possession” Dad answers her.
“Sounds to me, Crystal didn’t want anything to do with Michael. Smart woman” Rick adds. “We will need to get her back” Raquel huffs, looking around the room at everyone. “We will. Like Dad said before; we need to remain positive. We have to believe Michael won’t hurt her” I tell Raquel and she lowers her head.
“Kimmy is in the nursery with the others. She told me, Crystal and her had a hiding place in a cubby house for her. She told Kimmy it was in case; Michael came to get them. She said Michael has bad people in his pack that want to hurt everyone and if he came, Crystal will have to go back with them and Kimmy was to find us. She knew we were here because of the day Raquel saw her; she followed us back to see where we were. Crystal knows what is happening, just not sure to what extent” Joshua tells us coming through the door and sits down next to Raquel again.
“Let’s allow her to be a child. If we need to find out more, we will ask Isabella to help” I tell everyone. "I agree; she needs to feel safe and not be asked a million and one questions by complete strangers” Claudia states.
“What do we do now?” Joshua asks. “We were just telling Raquel; we need to remain positive and believe Michael won’t hurt her” Oliver tells him. “We aren’t going after her?” “Not yet, there has to be a reason she went back. She wouldn’t leave Kimmy here if it wasn’t to help us” Simon answers Joshua and he opens his mouth to say something and I put my hand up to stop him.
“Josh, Raquel; I understand where you are coming from. You have a little girl, who needs her mother. We will go after her. At this time; we don’t know what they are planning and how many people they have to come after us. We are only giving an educated guess.” “If we seek out a fight, the potential for casualties will be far greater. We need to be cautious and work out a strategy” Phyllis continues my thought process.
Joshua opens his mouth and closes it as Raquel puts her hand on his arm; “It has finally hit home. Having a family member taken” she responds.
“She chose to go back there; that is better than going back against her will” Oliver points out. “Can you send her to the sanctuary?” Todd asks, looking toward Claudia. “I thought of that; Mandy said it was risky enough sending Dianna there. We don’t know if she has told Michael or not about it. Mum and Goddess Selene don’t believe she has; but Hades has stopped them from knowing a lot of stuff” Claudia explains.
"Jade is on her way over with some information” Dad interrupts our thoughts. “What information?” I ask him. “I don’t know, she just told me she has some information” he answers as Mum comes in the door.
“Dianna sent me a message. It says, Sorry I haven’t messaged before, wanted to do it safely. I have been watching some detective shows and got burner phones. Crystal came back and told Michael her daughter was killed in a car accident and she ran because she was scared. He can’t tell if she is lying of not. Haven’t told him, I know the truth what happened to the boys and won’t tell him if I can avoid it. I am staying clear of him. Tell Claudia and Daniel thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to my sons. That’s all she said” Mum informs us.
“She isn’t lying” Joshua says. “I beg your pardon?” Mum asks him. “Crystal; she isn’t lying. She had a mate and two-year-old daughter killed in a car accident before she went missing. Everyone left her be; we knew she was mourning. That’s why we didn’t seek her out before. I am surprised she hadn’t told him” he explains.
“And the plot thickens” Tim chuckles and Simon gives him a stern look.
“Everyone has their reasons. At least we know, she is safe for the moment. Let’s keep training and we will all come up with a strategy to stop them” Dad injects as we get off our chairs, to head back to the packhouse.
“I will tell Kimmy; we will do everything to get Crystal back. Give her some hope” Raquel says before walking out the door. “And we will come up with a strategy to do it” Oliver calls out after her.