A Moment in Time(20)

Iben nodded. "Meti, Nomti, Jack, and Warren are going to escort you,  Apollo, and Brandon back to your old stomping grounds, check things  out." Iben shrugged as if what he was saying was no big deal. "Maybe  help you pick up a few things that may have been left behind."

Again, Grayson felt like there was some hidden meaning to the words  being spoke. He just wished someone would give him the decoding machine  to figure it all out. The only thing he was positive of was that he  could get out of there so he could ask his mate what in the hell was  going on.

He was pretty sure he was headed back to his old pack lands. He just  didn't know why. With most of his pack gone, the only thing left that  meant anything to him was right there in Aberdeen Valley.

Resigned to what was ahead of him, even if it was just so he could grill  Apollo, Grayson sighed and leveled his eyes at his alpha. "When do we  leave?"

No sooner had Grayson uttered the words than he was being hustled  outside to the passenger seat of a waiting vehicle, Apollo climbing into  the driver's seat. Jack and Warren slid into the backseat of the king  cab. The two strangers climbed into another truck with Brandon in the  backseat of their vehicle.

Apollo winked as he turned the engine on and got the truck on the road. "I have been informed that if I dent it, I bought it."

Grayson just blinked at Apollo.

"The truck, babe," Apollo explained at Grayson's confused look. "It's Iben's baby."

"And here all this time I thought Zack was the alpha's baby," Jack snickered from the backseat.

"Naw." Warren bumped shoulders with Jack. "Zack is Iben's pool boy."

"They don't have a pool," Jack insisted.

"Lake boy?" Warren asked.

Jack shook his head. "Just doesn't have the same ring to it."

Grayson turned and looked at the two men sitting in the backseat,  wondering if they were pulling his leg or if they really were crazy.

He was betting on crazy.

He turned back around and stared out the front window, watching the  landscape go by just as fast as his thoughts swirled around in his head.  He was still trying to figure out exactly what was going on. One second  he thought he knew and then the next he knew he didn't know shit.

"Why exactly are we headed back to my old pack territory?"

"Mostly to pick up any personal items you don't want to leave behind,"  Apollo explained as he drove. "That land won't stay vacant for long.  Once the council gets wind that it's unused wolf territory, another pack  will be moved into the area."

Grayson's heart sank. "Yeah." He knew that would happen.

"Frik and Frak"-Apollo gestured to the backseat with his thumb-"are here  to check the area out to see if we can get a clue as to who attacked  your pack."

"The council attacked us, I told you that."

"Yes, but we have no proof of that and Iben wants proof."

"And if there isn't any?" Grayson asked. "What then?"

"We keep looking until we find proof," Jack said from the backseat.

"Good luck with that." Grayson sighed as his heart climbed up into his  throat, making it hard to swallow. "The only thing I saw after the  battle was the bodies."

Grayson closed a lid on that thought. He needed to concentrate on what  they were doing. Besides, he had a great life now with his mate and the  pups. He had gone a little nutty there with the whole overprotective  thing, but he was getting over it, slowly.

When they arrived at Grayson's old stomping grounds several hours later,  the memories came flooding back-no matter how hard Grayson tried to  push them away. There were just too many memories here.

"Are you okay?" Apollo asked as he reached over and intertwined their fingers together. "If this is too hard, we can-"

Grayson cleared his throat as he shook his head. "It's something that  needs to be done." Though the haunting memories slid through him like an  unseen hand, gripping and shaking him as the truck pulled to a stop.  Grayson's knees felt weak as he stepped from the vehicle, closing the  door.







"We're going to check out the surrounding area," Jack said before he and  Warren took off. Grayson watched the other truck pull in and could see  Brandon sitting in the backseat, his eyes filled with ghostly memories.

"I'll be right back," he said to Apollo before going over to Brandon and  opening the back door. The guy got out, visibly swallowing.

"It feels so strange being back here," Brandon said as he gazed around.  "I keep expecting one of the pack members to come outside and greet us."

Grayson felt the same way. He put his arm over Brandon's shoulder and  led him to what used to be the alpha's home. Stepping inside, Grayson  could still smell their lingering scents, hear the laughter and joy that  filled the place when they were alive. It broke his damn heart to know  those voices would soon be lost to him. "Let's get this over with."

Brandon nodded before going to the children's bedroom. Grayson stepped  into his sister and brother-in-law's room. As hard as it was to be here,  he knew Molly and CJ were going to need some mementos of their parents.  He grabbed the family photo album, the jewelry box that sat on the  dresser. Molly would appreciate having family heirlooms. He also grabbed  Carlos's baseball mitt to give to CJ.

Grayson stuffed a bag full of their belongings before heading out to  meet Brandon. The man had two bags at his side. "I gathered all their  clothing. Apollo came in and grabbed as many toys as he could."

Grayson gave Brandon an encouraging smile before they left and loaded  the truck. They spent a good portion of the day gathering not only toys,  but more mementos for the other pups to cherish. They were going to  need a connection to their family, some sort of family history, and  Grayson was determined to give it to them.

Grayson waved to Brandon as he left in one of the trucks with Meti and  Nomti then turned to glance out over the land he had grown up on. He  wanted just one more good look before he left.

As Grayson stood there, he spotted the tree where he and his sister had  used as a treasure trove when they were younger. Megan continued to use  it into her adulthood. Grayson began to wonder if she'd left anything  there. He also wanted to touch the tree one more time. He remembered  sharing many laughs and hushed secrets with Megan by the tree.

"Where are you going?" Apollo asked as he joined Grayson at his side.

Grayson explained the significance of the tree to his mate. "She used it  more than I did. I just want to check and see if she left anything  behind."

Apollo brushed his hand down Grayson's back before the two wandered over  to the tree. Grayson smiled as he touched the bark and then squatted  down and looked inside the hollowed out portion close to the base. To  his surprise, there was a slim box stuffed inside. He wriggled it free  before glancing at his mate.

Apollo shrugged. "The only way you're going to find out what's in there is to open it."

With shaky hands, Grayson released the small latch and swung the lid up.  There was a small heart shaped locket inside, one Grayson had never  seen before. There was also a folded piece of paper as well.

When he looked inside, there was a picture of Megan and Carlos on one  side, looking at each other as if they had found heaven in each other's  eyes. The other side held a picture of Molly and CJ, bright, sunny  smiles on their tiny faces.

Grayson closed the locket and stuffed it into his pocket before opening  the piece of paper that lay at the bottom of the box. He handed the box  off to Apollo before unfolding the paper. As he scanned over what Megan  had written, Grayson felt a cold chill rush down his spine.



To my dearest Grayson,



Life never quite lets you in on the plan it has for you. Sometimes it  gives you the greatest treasures in the world, and sometimes it takes  them away. If you are reading this letter, then I suspect that Carlos  and I have been taken away.

Don't grieve for me too much, brother. I had a very good life. I knew  nothing but love and happiness until my last breath, I can promise you.  First our parents gave me a wonderful brother to share my childhood  with, and then Carlos gave me my soul and two wonderful treasures of my  own.

One of those treasures is more special than anyone could have hoped. As  outlandish as it sounds, Molly can shift into full wolf form. After much  discussion between Carlos and me, we decided to go to the council,  hoping that they had answers. That trip last month that I took with  Brandon was actually to council headquarters. Not only did the council  not know anything but they didn't believe us. They sent us away like we  were too crazy to be around.

I fear with our pursuit of knowledge we have unintentionally placed us  all in danger. Ever since I went to the council, I have felt eyes  watching, not just me but the entire pack. Carlos suspects that an  attack is imminent, but he knows not where from. He is trying to reach  an alpha named Ibenré Khenti from the Aberdeen Pack north of us. Word is  that he doesn't bend to the will of the council. He may be able to  help.