The Baynes Legacy - Book 5 - Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Barking Up The Wrong Tree (Chapter 2)

2.

Connor escorted Adaline to the center of the council room, then left her side to make his way to his own seat on the council table. As she waited for the alpha to take his place her eyes gazed over everyone present. Many people she knew only by face, never actually talking to them, but then she saw one person she never knew was on the council, Sarah's mother. Finally Connor had taken his place in the center of the table with his son, Doyle, the Omega at his right hand side.

"Adaline, you know why I required you to be here, right?" Connor asked her sternly but his eyes were soft with regret.

"Yes, Alpha."

"Though you lost someone close to you, you still must answer for your behavior."

"I know, Alpha." Adaline bent her head to the floor staring at her toes that were digging at the floor. She thought she would melt into the floor with the heat of everyone's gaze on her.

"Now I want you to tell the council exactly what happened." Connor instructed her as he leaned back in his seat awaiting the story to begin.

Swallowing down the painful lump that had formed in her throat Adaline lifted her head back up and looked at each member again before starting to relive last night. "Nadia called me last night telling me about a party that I needed to go to with her. But before I knew she didn't have a car I had agreed to go. We agreed that she'd meet me at my house at midnight, when I knew Miles and Sarah would be asleep allowing me to sneak out easily. Nadia showed up on tapping on my window to get my attention, but once I made it outside she didn't have her car with her." Adaline sighed heavily before she continued, now as she told them she saw so many reasons she should of just stopped then and told Nadia no, but for some reason she could never tell people no. "Nadia then told me about her elaborate plan to get a car to get to the party that we'd get there and back before anyone noticed. So we shifted and ran toward the security lot and made sure that no one was around when she had set her sights on Blain's SUV. Before I knew it we were being chased by the cops and Nadia...", a lone tear escaped her eye as the last vision of Nadia look over her every thought. "Nadia wasn't wearing a seat belt right, it was wrapped around her neck and shoulder."

Dipping her head down once again she waited for the comments and the scolding to come. With her heart in her throat she could hear the murmurs coming from the tables in front of her. With a rough cough she peeked up to see Connor standing up from his chair.

"Adaline, I know you are mourning the loss of a friend, and you feel that was punishment enough but what I'm about to charge you with isn't just punishment, but a learning experience. You have grown leaps and bounds since coming to our pack. You still have a bit more growing to do, and I hope this will help you along that way." His stare was soft but authoritative as he awaited her response.

"Yes, Alpha." Adaline looked up at the Alpha and the Omega, the gazes they were sharing made it obvious that they were sharing a silent conversation. Everyone in the room waited with baited breath until Connor was ready finish addressing her.

"Alright, Adaline. So you are going to volunteering at a veterans hospital. There will always be someone of authority from the pack with you to oversee you. As you know a great many pack members have been in the armed forces for our country and it is only right we help those in need. Your first day will be tomorrow. I expect you to be here at the pack house at 7:30 am to leave. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir, Alpha."

"Alright, everyone that ends these proceedings, Doyle if you can hang back, I need to talk to you." The Omega nodded his head as he turned to talk to a pack elder that sat beside him." Connor left from his seat walking around the large table. Adaline thought the ending of the meeting meant she could leave so she turned on her heels and made a beeline for the door as quickly as her legs could carry her. "Not so quickly, Addie."