Chapter 8
I have unpacked our clothes in the master bedroom. Ours had to be the fastest move in history. This place is huge. It is a nice house and better than I expected. The house is set off in wings. The main part of the house in the center where the kitchen and living room are located has four bedrooms. There is a wing to the left of the main living area and it has four more very large bedrooms. I think they are guest quarters. The wing to the right of the main is a very large meeting area. This house has to be a hundred years old or more. I've heard of packs living all in the same house and maybe that's what went on here. I decide to ask Shirley. If this was her house, she should know its history. There's a porch all the way across the front. It has rocking chairs strewn about and it has a roof over it. The center portion of the house is made of huge logs, but the wings are stone in the front. I haven't walked all the way around yet. I thought we would do it together but Jackson is off exploring the community and greeting his pack members while I unpack. I grab a broom and start sweeping the porch. The fall leaves are gathering. I'm going to rearrange the furniture out here too. "Hi there." An older man says coming to the bottom of the steps. "We met at the meeting. I'm Gregory." He sticks out his hand and I shake it. I remember him. He seemed nice at the meeting. "Is the alpha around?" I smile. I wonder how old he is. He looks about sixty by human standards, which puts him nearing one hundred in wolf years. His hair is gray, his skin is weathered, and his back is rounded. He seems proud though in his red checked flannel and blue work pants.
"He's out and about somewhere. He was going to check out the empty houses and see who he could find while I tidied the house." Gregory nodded.
"Good. When will we have our first official meeting?" I consider it. He's right; the pack will expect a welcome meeting. His voice is a gravelly drawl.
"I think next week, there are several new wolves on their way. Larry said that your pack wanted new young breeding pairs. My sister and her mate plus a group of friends are on their way. We will give them a chance to get here and get settled then we can vote on them at the meeting." He scrutinized me. "If Jackson thinks that's the best plan. Of course everything could change if he thinks we should do it differently." This man is old. He will expect me to submit to Jackson's wishes even though I am alpha, Jackson is the alpha male and has the final say so in all pack matters. Jackson is the alpha but I have his ear. If this man needs to think that Jackson is in charge, let him. I want everyone to be happy. Earl's car passes by and it is heading down the lane to a small white house. Kelly gets out of the passenger side and looks my way. "Will you excuse me?" Gregory tipped his imaginary hat as I passed by.
"Summer!" Kelly runs to hug me. I wrap my big little sister in my arms and twirl her around. "Earl helped me get my things from Frank's house. I explained what happened to the pack and they weren't very upset about it at all." Her eyebrows rose and one corner of her mouth lifted. "They seemed quite happy to get a new alpha." I let go of her and shook Earl's hand. He's standing protectively behind her now. I smile because I like it that he has her back. I get only good vibes from Earl. He will take very good care of Kelly. I can feel it. "Anyway, while I was there I spoke to several of the other wolves. There were several that were going to consider it but they want to see what happens there first." I nod. I understand how they feel, better the devil you know than the devil you don't. I would do the same thing. Earl was carrying her suitcases toward the house.
"So is this the house that you chose?" I ask. I'm not sure why Kelly would pick the smallest house in the neighborhood. Kelly's cheeks turn bright red.
"This is Earl's house." My eyes must be as big as saucers because Kelly is biting her lip and trying not to laugh. "This house has been in Earl's family since it was built." I nod. "He wants me to stay with him, and I want to, is that okay?" I make a face.
"Of course it's okay. Why wouldn't it be?" I wrap my arm around her shoulders and lead her toward the house.
"You're the alpha female Summer. You have to give the okay for an unmated female to stay with a male. So as my alpha female, is it okay?" I shudder. Wow. I have to approve my sister's extracurricular activities.
"Yeah it's okay Kel. Try to keep it down though. I know how wild you can be." Kelly gasps and hides her face in her hands. I can see her red cheeks through her fingers. It must suck to be so pasty white that every dirty thought you have is evident on your face. "Which house do you think Autumn will choose?" Kelly looks around at the houses considering. At the same time, we both point at the same time and say "that one!" Then we both laugh until we have tears leaking from our eyes. We've both pointed at a big Victorian. It has a lot of gingerbread woodwork, a turret, and a wrought iron fence around it.
"Don't judge a book by its cover." Earl says from the porch. "That one needs new plumbing, new floors, plaster and half of the roof is rotten. It's been empty the longest. Summer, would you like to come in and see your sister's new home?" I nod and smile. I'm smiling partly because Earl has assumed that I approve and partly because he called it hers, that's sweet.
Inside, Earl's house is so cute. It has wood floors except the kitchen has red and white checked linoleum. All of the walls are white but there are plenty of pictures of wolves in Earl's family. The furniture looks comfortable and it has three bedrooms. "The basement is finished and if there is a need for more bedrooms, it would be easy to divide it off." Kelly blushes again.
"Do you want a lot of pups Earl?" Kelly gasps and turns her head. "Jeez Kel, obviously this is going somewhere, you asked permission to live with him. I believe you asked permission as an unmated female to stay with a male. I assume that means that you two will be mating soon?" I stare pointedly at Earl and damned if he didn't blush just a little. He nods.
"We will be with Kelly's permission of course." She nods and slips into his side and lays her hand on his chest as if she's been doing it all of her life. I smile sentimentally. It's just so perfect.
I stiffen my backbone and stand up straight then give them my sternest alpha look. I feel official. "Earl. Your intentions toward my sister seem honorable but I want your word that they are. I want your word that you will take care of Kelly and her unborn pup. That you will always look out for their welfare, that you will put their needs and feelings above your own. You will treat her pup as if it is your own, that you will never do that pup harm even though he is from an alpha. Do I have it? Do I have your word as an honorable man, on your honor as a member of the East View pack and as a wolf?" I lift my chin and stare him straight in the eyes. I am alpha, I do not back down from lesser wolves, and it doesn't matter that they are six and a half feet tall and nearly as wide. It doesn't matter that he could smash me like a bug or that he has a gigantic gun strapped to his side. My sister and my sister's child are at stake here.
"Ma'am, I will do everything within my power to give your sister the very best and to make her feel like my queen. She will always come first and so will all of her pups. If she will do me the honor of mating me, I will take care of her, she will always come first." He smiles softly down at Kelly and she's lost in his gaze.
"Okay then. Have at it." I giggle and let myself out. The song from childhood, Kelly and Earl sitting in a tree … floats through my mind.
"Hey you." Jackson comes up beside me as I'm walking home. "What have you been up to?" He can tell I'm happy.
"I just approved Kelly and Earl living together and mating. I probably should've left that to you, huh?" I let my eyes slide over his chest and belly.
"Nope. She's your sister, and she's your problem. Oh by the way, that applies to Autumn when she gets here too." Jackson laughs loudly when I make a face. Crap. That rule sucks. I hear a ringing and look around. Jackson pulls a cell phone out of his pocket and my brows furrow. He has a new phone and not only did I not know that he had one but I don't have the number. "Don't give me that face, it's borrowed. Jake had a spare that he took away from his daughter before she went back to college. Apparently, she likes to surf the net and run up the bill. He lent it to me until we get ours. We need to get the landline turned on and the cable too."
"We don't have TV? What will we do?" I give him a horrified face. Jackson loves TV. "We might have to spend time together." He smirks at me.
"Sounds good, let's go spend some time together now." He waggles his eyebrows and I giggle until I look up and see my father standing beside his truck staring us down. How did he get here so fast? I look at my watch it has only been five and a half hours or so.