BK 2 - Chapter 67 - Gracie's Party
A few days after their arrival to Rocky Moon, Aiden and Kitty were helping with the preparations for Gracie's birthday party. It was a big one because she should get her wolf even though she won't be able to shift for a few more years.
In the large clearing behind the pack house, dozens of picnic tables were set up. Most of the pack was planning to be there. One was filled with presents, while another few were filled with food. Gracie was running around telling everyone where things should go.
"Gracie stop being so bossy," Sandie said as her young daughter told someone to make sure they didn't break her presents.
"Mommy, I want to make sure everything is perfect when my wolf arrives. What if she doesn't like me?" She looked up at her mom with big fearful eyes. Kitty squatted down next to her.
"You know what? I felt the same way before I got my lion. I was scared she wouldn't like me. However, our animals are part of us, so if she doesn't like you, she won't like herself." She brushed the little girl's hair back from her face and smiled. Gracie threw her arms around her neck.
"How could Zola not like you? You're the best big sister in the world." She said as she hugged her tight. Kitty felt her heart swell. She loved her young siblings and was glad she would be part of their lives from here on out.
"Are you ready to finish getting ready for your party? You're the guest of honor, and everyone will be waiting for you." Kitty lifted her and began carrying her home.
Aiden was helping Max put together a surprise tree house that was high in a tree in the forest behind their house. They were finishing the final touches when they heard the howls in the distance, meaning it was almost party time.
"You did an incredible job with the designs. I wouldn't have thought of doing anything other than putting up the logs. Gracie is going to love it." Max looked at Aiden's work proudly. He may not be Kitty's biological father, but he considered her a daughter, which made Aiden like a son.
"Thanks. I love doing this type of work." His face turned a little red in embarrassment. Not many people had seen the work he liked to do because, honestly, his family wouldn't have cared.
"It's time we head back. We'll bring Gracie here after she's opened all her other presents. When we go for the wolf run tonight, you and Kitty are welcome to join us. Everyone would love to see your lions." The two men started walking back toward the house so they could change clothes.
"That sounds like fun," Harley growled his agreement. He had been aching to go for a run in the unfamiliar territory.
When they returned to the house, everyone was rushing around to get dressed. Kitty wore an emerald green sundress that flowed around her and showed off the red undertones in her hair. She liked it because it was comfortable and not over the top. She wore nude sandals on her feet.
Gracie demanded to wear a green dress to match Kitty even though she had picked out a pink one earlier. Wesley also came downstairs wearing a green shirt with his black slacks. Sandie looked at the three of them and had to take a picture. With all of them matching, they already looked picture-perfect. Everyone took turns standing with the birthday girl getting pictures taken.
By the time they returned to the pack house, everything was ready to go. Gracie walked between Aiden and Kitty, holding their hands. She said she wanted to show she had lion escorts.
The first thing she did was open her many presents, and then everyone ate. After they sang happy birthday, the cake was cut and served. Gracie kept checking to see if her wolf had come, but no one had answered so far.
When they took her to the tree house, she squealed in excitement. She made Kitty and Aiden join her first before everyone else was allowed to see it. Gracie gave Aiden a big hug when she saw the designs he had carved into the house of lions and wolves.
As the sun set, everyone was getting ready for the nighttime run. Aiden and Kitty had agreed to run with the wolves, and Gracie was going to ride on Zola's back. Wesley couldn't shift yet, even though he had his wolf, so he would ride on Harley. Once they had shifted and the howls of the wolves echoed around the forest, they started running.
Zola was careful to run smoothly so the little girl on her back wouldn't fall. Gracie laughed in delight as she rode the massive lion through the forest. She suddenly stopped laughing when she heard a voice in her head.
"Wow, we're riding on a lion?"
"Who is this?" Gracie asked through mindlink.
"I'm your wolf, Bryn. It's nice to meet you. I didn't expect to show up while you are riding a lion." Gracie laughed and leaned down to talk in Zola's ear.
"Zola, I got my wolf." The lion beneath her let out a loud roar, and everyone came to a stop to see what was happening. Once everyone had gathered, Gracie spoke proudly.
"My wolf has arrived, and her name is Bryn." The wolves howled while the lions roared. If there were any humans in the area, they would have most likely been running in fear from the amount of noise they were making.
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Gina tapped her nails on the table in the small restaurant in Seaside, where she waited for her contact to show up. She had already sent the waitress away in tears when she offered her something to eat. She would not lower herself to eat in a disgusting diner. A place like that was for those beneath her. The only reason she was at this one was to end what was left of her family for defying her.
"Hello, Gina." The man that sat across from her smelled badly of body odor and rancid breath. Gina had to hold her nose so she wouldn't feel ill from being so close to him.
"Buz, you sure took your time getting here. You know I hate to be in these dirty places. You could have at least taken a shower." She looked at him in disgust.
"Beggers can't be choosers. If you want my help, you'll meet where I want to meet, and you'll deal with my smell. All of us don't have fancy houses with water."
Buz was a rogue werelion werewolf hybrid, but he didn't have a wolf or a lion. Due to him not having a wolf, the pack his mother was from didn't want him. The pride his father was from didn't want him because he didn't have a lion, so he lived as a rogue. However, he was basically a homeless human. What he had learned to do was be the middleman for shifters who wanted to get rid of other shifters. Rogues were invisible because shifters didn't like associating with them unless they needed something. Buz had made lots of contacts over the years, and it had been profitable for him. However, he stashed the money away because he preferred his rogue way of life.
"Do you have what I want or not?" Gina asked with a glare. The quicker she could get out of here, the better. She felt she needed to be sterilized, just breathing the same air as Buz and the humans.
"I have it. Do you have what I want?" Gina pointed to the young woman behind her. She was one of the girls that worked for her and an orphan werelion. Buz wanted to mate and mark her. He wasn't sure if he could actually mark anyone, but he was going to try.
"Wow, she's a pretty one. How old is she?" He asked, licking his lips at the pretty blonde who looked at him with revulsion as she silently cried. Della didn't think she had a choice but to do what Gina told her because she bought her from another pride who had owned her since she was a young cub.
"She's nineteen, and her name is Della. Give me what I want, and she'll do whatever you say." Gina could care less what happened to the girl. She was of no importance.
Buz took out an envelope and slid it across the table, keeping his eyes on Della. He'd had sex with many humans and shifters by force. This would be the first one he could claim as his own. He couldn't wait to get her back to his hideaway.
Gina opened the envelope that had the names of five men and their resumes, so to speak. They were shifter hitmen who have been known to take out entire packs and prides. She looked over the information with a look of pure evil on her face. These were the men she needed to eliminate everyone who went against her.
Neither of the two at the table noticed the vampire and human sitting in a booth in the corner. After they'd returned to Sacramento, Thatcher had a funny feeling that Gina wasn't going to wait to go after her children, so he decided to keep tabs on her. When one of his contacts said she'd been in contact with Buz, he knew she was getting ready to act.
Thatcher had wanted to leave Janel back with the lions, but she refused. She didn't want to be away from him, and he didn't fight her too much because he felt the same. Gina was so sure of herself that she hadn't even noticed they had been following her for the last several days.
When the evil lioness left the diner, they watched Buz grab the arm of the girl Gina had brought with her. She was crying as he forced her to go with him. Thatcher and Janel paid their bill and followed them outside.
Gina was long gone, but Buz and the girl walked toward the area behind the diner. Thatcher wouldn't let him do anything to the girl, but he wanted to see where his hideout was.
Buz was so clueless and loud that they had no problem following him into the small wooded area without being seen. He suddenly stopped and opened a wooden door that was on the ground. He pushed the girl to go down before him, and then he followed, shutting the door as he went.
"Janel, wait here. I'll have you come down after I subdue him." She nodded. She was still human, so she didn't want to be in the middle of a fight between a vampire and whatever Buz was supposed to be. Thatcher kissed her quickly, then went to the door and pulled it open.
When he first went inside, he saw a ladder that led to a dark area below. He could hear the girl screaming, and Thatcher ran to where the sound was coming from. He saw Buz tearing her clothes off while trying to climb on top of her.
"You were sold to me. Now lay down so I can mark and mate you." Buz continued to fight her and didn't notice the vampire behind him.
"I don't think the lady wants you to touch her," Thatcher whispered in his ear. Buz let the girl go and turned around, ready to fight. When he saw the large vampire, he screamed. Thatcher cut his scream off as he broke his neck and threw him to the ground.
He didn't want to scare the girl any more than she already was, so he went up the ladder, grabbed Janel, and brought her into the hideout to help her. Janel ran over, taking off her jacket to put around the shaking Della.
"Thank you," Della said as she cried in Janel's arms.
Thatcher called Trey and told him what he'd found. Luckily Buz kept good records, and he had a notebook that listed what Gina wanted and the names of the men he had given her. Trey thanked him and told him he could tell Della she was free to go wherever she wanted. If she wanted to come back with them to Sacramento, she could, but it was her choice.
Trey hung up the phone and looked toward Cat, who was feeding Theo. His mother was not getting anywhere near his family. It was time for her to die. It was the only way to stop her.
