Saving Grace (17 page)

Grace managed to run meetings for the next two days without getting too distracted by Ella. They had very in-depth plans laid out for the supernatural world. Laws were constructed that were simple, to show each other decency and to bring complaints to a committee. There would be no rule by monarchy, though it was understood Grace and Roman were overseers of sorts.

“Grace, I’m happy to take on the role of the bookkeeper for this project as well,” Barry said.

She studied the tiny Lycan. She wondered why he was so much smaller than the other males, but didn’t want to ask. “You’re sure it won’t be too much?”

He grinned. “Xander streamlined my data entry. Everything goes so much smoother I barely have much to do. The computer does most of the work for me.”

Jake, whom Grace hadn’t seen since the first meeting with Colin in the conference room, nodded. “I can assist with inventory for the same reason. Books, supplies, everything can be run through the system. I will just have to manage and place orders. It’s really okay. We can handle this.”

She was receiving a vibration from Jake. He had exceptional leadership qualities—alpha qualities.

“Are you related to Colin?” she blurted.

His face turned red. “We share a father.”

She nodded. “You don’t just share looks. You have impressive skills as well. I can feel the alpha vibe from you.”

Jake’s mouth fell open. “Um, thanks. It’s odd for you to say that. I usually stay in the background.”

Grace nodded. “I’m adding you to Roman’s list of Beta candidates. I hope you’d consider.”

She looked at Roman who nodded in affirmation.

“Actually, Grace,” Zoltar cleared his throat, “if I may speak freely?”

She nodded.

He ran his fingers through his hair and set his jaw. “The school, the integration, the government are all your epiphanies. However, I have had an epiphany of my own I’d like to share.” He shifted his weight in the chair and glanced around the table.

She narrowed her eyes. The bronze skin of the Centaur was failing to hide his rosy cheeks. Zoltar was blushing.

“Well don’t be shy.” Roman slapped him on the shoulder. “Spit it out, man.”

Zoltar smiled at him. “Yes, well, you want to encourage integration, to encourage equality within our races. Lycans are pack animals, as are most shifter species, mine included.”

“That’s not an epiphany,” Grace said, “that’s a statement of fact.”

He gave one firm but curt nod. “I don’t want to upset the balance within your pack, but the school will need to be run. As such, those running the school would be without their pack. I propose those of us running the school reside there, and live as an integrated pack. Perhaps the first if its kind.” As soon as others started uttering, he held up his hands. “We have the royalty from all of the species here. What if we, the royal families, joined as a pack, to demonstrate to others we can live in harmony.”

Grace and Roman looked at each other. Roman had only now become Alpha of his pack after years of waiting for Colin to step down.

Grace had just acquired the pack as her family and walking away from them seemed…wrong.

“I can sense your hesitation,” he said. “However, the most effective leaders lead by example. Let’s show our kind we can bond, we can live together and we, the leaders of our species can become a pack, a herd and I daresay, a family.”

The logic was undeniable. So were the concerns. Grace searched her blood memories for indicators of risk.

“We need to think about this, Grace. We need to discuss it.” Roman put his hand on hers. “This is a huge decision that doesn’t just involve us, it involves our pack.”

Zoltar stood. “I’ve been in human form for far too long. I need to shift and go for a walk. Consider what I said. Perhaps we can consult with the Vampire, Gustav, after the sun sets.”

Grace nodded. “Yes, let’s reconvene after dark.”

Everyone around the conference table stood. Grace felt shaky.

She grabbed Roman’s hand. They said nothing as they shifted.

“Mommy!” a small girl gasped. “Look at the Queen and King. They’re huge!”

The woman patted the little girl’s head. “They are beautiful too.”

Grace and Roman both nodded at the woman and child before strolling off into the woods toward the lake. When they reached the water’s edge, they shifted and took a seat on a large rock.

“Roman, I’ve searched the memory of our ancestors. This has never even been thought of or attempted before.” She shook her head. “My big idea is spiraling out of control.”

He didn’t speak. He stared at the water.

“Then what about inter-breeding? Are we going to create new races, new species? What then?” She put her head in her hands.

“Grace, there is already inter-breeding. You have nothing to do with that. Something in the genes decides what happens when a Lycan and a Werecat mate. The mother gives birth to either, or. Not a hybrid.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “And you know as much. You have the same ancestral memory as I now.”

She nodded. “But you just became Alpha here. I didn’t want to uproot you. Shit, I have only just adopted the pack as my family.”

“Which means you can easily do it again. I’ve never had another family.” Roman shot up like a cannon, on his feet before it even registered to her that he was standing. “Holy shit, Grace! This is perfect!”

“Your mind is racing. I can’t even read your thoughts. Slow down.”

He shook his head. “Nala and her pack, they’re plagued with horrible nightmares because of what happened to them, right?”

She nodded. “I couldn’t even be in the same room where I was held captive. It made me ill.”

“And if I leave, they’ll need a new Alpha here.”

“Nala?”

Roman smiled. “Let’s integrate the packs. Her numbers are small. She can still be Alpha here, and you’re right about Jake. He was my first pick for Beta. He can be her Beta and Colin can still counsel. It would make the transition easier for our pack to swallow.”

“So, you’re actually considering this?” Her heart fluttered.

He grabbed her hands. “If there is one thing I learned about you it has been that you are about progress. You want to haul us out of the dark ages. Zoltar is right, we need to lead by example.”

“And the kids would be safest with the combined power of all of the monarchies. I mean really, the Kings and Queens of every species? It doesn’t get much more powerful than that,” she agreed.

“Can we bond with them as a pack? I mean, the magic in us, will that allow it?” She asked herself, searching her mind. She shrugged, “the memories say we can do the same with humans…I don’t understand that at all. They’re non-magical.”

He laughed. “Most humans are just closed off. Witches are human, and they have powers.”

“There’s so much in my skull. I wish I could access it better.” She sighed and looked out at the grass, the woods and the lake around her. This had been home. This was home. How could she leave it? She breathed in, taking in the scent of the ground, the moss, and the earthy smell around her.

“Nala isn’t going to like this…not one bit.” He grumbled.

“She may surprise you.” She leaned on him. “I certainly have.”

He leaned his head on hers. “Yes. You have.”

Nala rolled to her back, staring at the ceiling. She kicked herself for insisting Colin sleep in the living room for now. She treated him like an outsider, not like a mate.

She sat up and let her legs dangle off the side of her bed while she stared at the floor boards. “It’s not that big a deal. Just tell him you aren’t ready for sex.”

She stood up and marched out to the living room. He was sitting on the sofa, swirling scotch in a glass with one ice cube.

“Can’t sleep?” she asked as she walked around and sat next to him.

He shook his head and downed the scotch. “You?”

She took a deep breath and let it out. “I feel like an ass.”

He turned his head and narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“For making you sleep on the couch.”

Colin laughed. “It actually calmed my nerves a bit. I’m not, uh, ready for intimacy.” He put his hand on his forehead. “You were worried about the same?”

“That’s an understatement.” She laughed threw herself back in the couch, exhausted.

“We’re going to stumble through this, Nala. I can’t promise I won’t make mistakes, but I can promise I’d never hurt you on purpose.”

She looked down at the floor, eye contact between two Alpha personalities generally turned into a stare down. She didn’t want to do that to him.

“We have both suffered, Colin. That, and we don’t know each other. But the house is small. There aren’t spare rooms. Having you sleep on the couch seems wrong, but I’m not ready to share my bed, not in that way.”

He grabbed her hand. “Look at me.”

Stunned, her mouth fell open. She jerked her hand away and looked at him. He grabbed it again.

“I am not sure how this is going to work. I am not sure if you even like me, as a person. I can be stubborn. I can be rude and arrogant. But I can also be helpful, supportive and according to my late wife, romantic. We’re not even close to having romantic feelings yet, it’s just that…I’m not a dick. I wouldn’t dream of laying my hands on you until you say it’s okay. And even then, I need time so it doesn’t feel like a betrayal to my late wife.” His face was red. The admission was difficult for him.

Nala tightened her jaw and gave one firm nod. “If you can keep your hands to yourself, you can share my bed. It’s a king size mattress, so there’s plenty of room. There’s no need for you to stay on the couch. Case in point, I want to burn this thing anyway.” She looked at the furniture in disgust.

He nodded. “Thank you.”

He followed her to her room and sat on the end of the bed. “Which side is mine?”

She pointed to the left.

He climbed under the covers and rolled so his back would be to her. “Good thing for you I don’t snore.”

She smiled, glad his back was to her so he couldn’t see it. “Bad thing for you that I do.”

She saw him bounce, silently laughing.

Satisfied she’d called a truce, she climbed in bed and felt better immediately.

He seems nice.

“He is handsome.”
Her wolf answered.
“He seems strong, yet gentle, unlike our previous Alpha.”

Yes, but we are strangers.

“Give it time.”

Nala pulled the sheet up to her ear and closed her eyes. She opened them again, as she had suddenly came to realize that she felt safe. It had been a completely foreign feeling to her, until the moment she and Colin had climbed into bed.

Even after defeating Jagger, she’d felt at risk of another attacker, another male. Colin had showed her no signs of aggression.

She could get used to feeling safe, even if her surroundings were a constant reminder of her nightmare, and the nightmare of her sisters.

“We should have called first,” Grace said as she twisted her fingers in her lap. “I feel like I’m ambushing them.”

“This isn’t telephone conversation material, Grace. It’s better this way.”

They drove down the bumpy lane to the Scottsboro pack. Her stomach turned. “God, this place just feels evil.”

He looked at her and frowned. “I can only imagine.”

Nala and two other women greeted them when they exited the car. “Grace, Roman, what a surprise. The ceremony isn’t scheduled for another week.” Nala held her hand out.

Grace shook it. “Where’s Colin?”

“He’s in the cabin, sorting out the pack’s finances. Come on.” She led them into the cabin. Grace couldn’t help but glance at the wall she had been chained to. The eyebolts were gone. The chain was gone. But the haunting memory still remained.

Colin hugged Roman when he saw him. “Miss me yet?”

“Hardly,” Roman teased.

Nala eyed Grace. “I have a feeling, this isn’t a social call.”

She shook her head. “I know it seems like I have tried to manage your lives by arranging this partnership.”

“Grace?” Colin tilted his head toward her.

She held up her hand. “And to some extent, it’s true. I’m trying to fix Colin’s life and your life, Nala. As if I know what’s best for you. Truth is, only you two know what’s best.”

“So far so good, Grace.” Nala took a deep breath. “Follow me to the dining room. Let’s have some coffee. I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”

Grace held her tongue while they followed her to a table fit for six in a small dining area. Nala poured the coffee and took a seat. “Lay it on me.”

Grace glanced at Roman who was doing everything in his power to push calming and relaxing feelings her way.

“Everything is moving very quickly as far as setting up an interim government and the school. The Centaur King propositioned Roman and I about having an integrated royal pack at the school to protect the students and lead by example. We have discussed it and we are agreeable.” She cleared her throat. “It’s not an easy decision to leave your pack, as Colin can attest.”

“What about the Belfast pack? Who will lead them?” Colin asked.

“I was hoping Nala would.” Roman interjected.

Nala nearly dropped her coffee. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

Roman spoke up. “If we leave, Belfast will need a pack master. You’ve earned that right. You’ve demonstrated exceptional Alpha skills. But your pack is small, wounded and vulnerable. A larger pack makes you stronger. It also gives your pack mates more security.”

“But Belfast isn’t exactly down the road,” Nala said.

“The idea would be to merge the two packs, move your pack to Belfast. There’s more than enough room there. The Lycans who want to go to school will soon be off on their own anyway. It would demonstrate to the other packs that we completely support your position as Alpha.” Grace took a deep breath. “Look Nala, this is your choice but being in this house, passing that den, it made me nauseous. There are so many horrid memories here.”

She shot up out of her chair and held her hand out. “I accept.”

“What?” Grace looked up at her.

“I accept your offer.” She did not smile. She did not frown.

Grace was shocked.

“You do?”

“Yes!” She exhaled. “Grace this place, it
is
a nightmare. I only have two dozen women left. The others have died since the battle. We need a doctor. We need aid. We don’t have much to offer except loyalty.”

“Actually,” Roman looked at Colin, “the Chicago pack sent out feelers months ago. They’ve outgrown their land and are looking to split their pack. I did not tell them about this place, but I know they have plenty of money to offer.”

Nala looked at Colin. “What do
you
think?”

“About going home? I’m all in.” He grinned.

Roman smiled at Colin. “Grace and I haven’t had time to move into the Alpha’s quarters. So, Colin, your room is still open for the two of you.”

“I highly recommend Jake as your Beta,” Grace blurted. “He would serve you well, Nala and he’s completely on board with having an Alpha female lead his pack.”

“My brother?” Colin asked.

“Yes, your half-brother. He’s really come a long way, Colin. He shows great leadership skills and has the Alpha mentality.”

Colin looked at Nala and shrugged. “Sounds good enough to me.”

Nala took her seat and sipped at her coffee. She looked up at Roman. “Call the Chicago pack. Get it arranged. I’ll call a pack meeting and explain things to my pack.”

Grace breathed a sigh of relief. Colin and Roman went outside to start placing calls.

“You thought this was going to make me angry?” she asked Grace.

She nodded. “It’s impossible for me not to feel like I’m meddling right now.”

“You are!” Nala said with a laugh. “But you’re also doing this for the good of our people. You’re a forward thinking woman, Grace. I respect that very much. I could give a shit about your royal blood. You’re a bad ass woman. As another woman, I find that endearing.”

Grace leaned in on her elbows. “Since I’m meddling anyway, how are things with Colin?”

Nala smirked. “Slow, but good. We are both taking our time to get to know one another. But I like him. He seems like a good man.”

Grace nodded, pleased with herself, but mostly relieved.

Tom burst into the room. “Did I hear this right? I can go home?”

Nala and Grace laughed.