BK 2 - Chapter 66 - Pack Lands
Kitty and Aiden woke up in the guest room feeling slightly disoriented by their surroundings. Kitty had broken down in tears when Sandie told her welcome home last night. She had waited so long to have that feeling of being wanted that it came crashing down on her seeing her mother again.
She and Aiden had been shown to their room and went to bed soon after arriving. It had been a long day leaving Sacramento before dawn. Kitty was lying in bed awake, looking out the window where she could see snow-covered mountains in the distance.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Aiden whispered in her ear. She had cried herself to sleep the night before, and he worried that she may be raw this morning. She turned over in his arms and smiled before kissing him.
"I'm fine. It was hard thinking that I could have lived here most of my childhood, but instead, I was passed around to those who didn't want me. Although, if I had been here, I would have never met my mate, and that hurts more than anything. I love you." Kitty looked into his eyes, and he pulled her closer.
"I love you too. Do you think we should get up so we can meet these pack members? I think Gracie and Wesley have been pacing in front of our door, waiting for their sister." They heard the telltale signs of little feet and started laughing.
"Yes, let's go meet the wolves." They got out of bed and quickly showered together. Once they were dressed, they came out of their room, almost running into the two kids waiting for them.
"Wow, we get escorts," Aiden said jokingly, making Wesley and Gracie laugh.
"We were worried you may get lost," Wesley said, not wanting to admit he had been anxious for them to get up.
"Thank you. It was rather dark when we arrived last night, so we may not remember the way down the stairs." Kitty saw her brother's red face and let him off the hook.
"Come on, everyone wants to meet you, but I told them I get to sit next to you, so they better back off," Gracie said fiercely as she pulled Kitty's hand toward the steps. When they got downstairs, Sandie was there.
"Good morning. Max already went to the pack house for an early meeting. If you're ready, we can head over for breakfast. The kids didn't wake you did they?" She looked sternly at Gracie and Wesley, who turned away.
"No, we were already awake. We're ready to go." Kitty quickly hugged her mom, and then the group went outside.
They were amazed seeing how busy it was in the morning. People were coming and going smiling and waving as they passed. It had a small-town feel, with the main street busy with vehicles coming and going. Some shops had items for the pack to buy, so they didn't always have to go to Denver, which was an hour's drive away.
"Are most packs set up this way? As an outsider, I would think this was a town, not a wolf pack." Aiden asked as he looked around.
"Ours is more modern than some. Other packs that we've visited were a little rougher. Our Alpha and Luna have built this place up to help us be self-sufficient." Sandie was proud of their pack.
"It's remarkable," Kitty said as they went up the steps of the pack house.
The pack house was enormous and built like a resort. When they walked in, there was a large entryway. Straight across from them was a significant staircase that led to the second floor. On the left of the entrance was a long hallway with many rooms. On the right was what Kitty assumed was the dining hall as she picked up the smell of food and heard many voices.
Sandie and the kids led them to the right and into the dining hall, which looked like a nice restaurant. Kitty suddenly felt out of place in her jeans, even though just about every other person was dressed the same way. There were dozens of square tables that could seat up to eight people. All conversations stopped when the lions walked in as every pair of eyes turned to the couple.
Max waved his family over to a table near the back where he was sitting with another couple. Kitty and Aiden politely smiled at everyone as they passed each table.
"Good morning. Aiden and Kitty, these are our good friends Lucas and Corinna." Max indicated the two people sitting with him. After the greetings were done and everyone had sat down, someone came over to offer them drinks. There were menus on the table. Kitty ordered french toast with sausage, while Aiden ordered a ham and cheese omelet.
"So, what do you kids think of the pack?" Lucas asked them. He was short and stocky with huge muscular arms. His hair was cut in a buzzcut, and his eyes were a piercing light brown.
"It's definitely unique. This is the first pack we've been to." Kitty smiled at the couple who was sitting across from her. Gracie had won the fight to sit to her right, and Aiden was seated to her left.
"We're glad you came. So do you live in a pride?" Corinna asked quietly. She felt a little intimidated by the lions even though they were younger than her.
"No, we live among humans. Our pride has been dismantled recently, and everyone went their own way. It didn't compare to the community environment we've seen in the pack." Aiden and Kitty exchanged a look. Dismantled was the best way to describe the mess at his parent's house.
"Do you have trouble keeping what you are hidden from the humans? I would think it's challenging to remember not to shift whenever you want." Corrina was feeling a little better with their kind disposition.
"I grew up around humans, and Kitty was a human before we mated. So fortunately for us, it hasn't been challenging at all." Aiden put his arm around Kitty as their food was served.
Everyone ate their food while making small talk. The other pack members didn't want to come up to them while they were eating. However, as soon as their plates were removed, there was a constant procession of werewolves wishing to meet the werelions. Sandie was proud of her daughter and Aiden for being pleasant and gracious with each person they met.
Max had work to do when they left the dining hall, but Sandie and the kids wanted to show Kitty and Aiden around. They walked down the main street past their house to an open training ground where the warriors were practicing. The couple was amazed at watching the male and female warriors in action.
"When I get big, I'm going to be a mighty warrior," Gracie said as she took a stance across from her brother. Wesley rolled his eyes at her and turned back to watch the others.
"I think you'll make a great warrior." Aiden took a stance across from her, and they pretended to fight. When she kicked him in the knee, barely touching him, he fell to the ground in defeat. She started laughing and ran over to help him up.
"Wow, you're stronger than a lion," Kitty said as Aiden scooped the little girl up and put her on his shoulders. Gracie squealed in delight as she held on to him. Wesley came over and shyly took Kitty's hand as they continued walking. Sandie looked at the scene with tears in her eyes. Having her family together meant more to her than anything.
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Gina and Thomas had been coming to terms with everything that had happened in their family. Despite Twila wanting to pay back the others, Reece convinced her that it wasn't a fight they could win. He told his parents they needed a break from them, so they were taking a trip abroad.
Gina looked where her hand should have been. She still felt the pain from Atlas ripping it off. All because of those women. She was not giving up on getting her payback. Even if she couldn't have Cat, she would kill her and Kitty for destroying her family. She just needed to bide her time until they least expected it.
Thomas wasn't as motivated as she was, but Gina was determined not to let them make a fool of her. Daniella refused to speak with them as she, Chip, and the cubs had decided to move but wouldn't say where. Gina stared out the window toward the ocean. Why did this have to happen to her? She had worked too hard to have anyone take it all away.
As far as she was concerned, she no longer had children. When it came down to it, Gina only cared about herself. She would sacrifice her children, grandchildren, and husband as long as she came out on top. A smile spread across her face as she contemplated. Only a matter of time before they all paid for defying her, and she could start over again as if they never existed.
