I glanced at my phone and shook my head.
'So? What's it like?' texted Case. 'Is it like Midevil? Blood, guts?'
I wrote a response to him and gathered my things to get off the plane. My grandpa had on formal clothes. I settled for the swim team warmup outfit. I didn't need to make an impression, but I didn't have to meet with Wolfsbane leadership either. I put on my backpack and followed my grandpa to the exit. We walked down the steps to where a car was waiting. Reporters were standing behind a barrier not too far off. The flashes were enough to know what they were doing there. This was over the top. I didn't need this pack talking about the human with an alpha of Midfield.
"We should have flown over with the team," I muttered.
"I am a retired alpha." He winked at me and opened the door. "It's going to at least be mentioned in the news that I'm here."
I slid inside. "As long as I'm not a part of that."
My grandpa sat across from me and adjusted his robes. "You've been a part of the news since you were a pup. Your parents simply did a good job of not letting you find out."
"Good to know." I rubbed my eyes. "Are we going to the pool?"
"No, I have to go to The White House. They've scheduled for you to go to the pool later tonight."
I checked my phone to see messages and pictures from them. "The team is already there."
"You're running the relay tomorrow." He eyed me. "So bear with me for a bit. We'll get the formalities out of the way and then focus on getting you ready for prelims. Deal?"
"Yeah." I nodded. "Sorry, I'm just tired. Coach hasn't been letting up."
My grandpa knocked on the panel behind his head. "When you're ready."
The car started to move along with the others following us to Wolfsbane's alpha mansion. The place looked normal from what I could see. It was simply another pack, and I could sense I was in foreign territory. Wolfsbane wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, though.
***
The car door was opened for me.
My grandpa grabbed my backpack from me. "Leave it here."
He climbed out first and motioned for me.
"Hector." A black werewolf with red markings stood at the top of the steps. "Welcome. How long has it been since you paid us a visit?"
He shrugged. "A few years, not being alpha anymore makes it, so I don't have to travel much."
The two men shook hands.
A black werewolf wearing a red silk gown stepped out of the mansion. "Hector."
"Amber." My grandpa nodded.
"Retirement has served you well by the looks of it."
"I'm sure you're enjoying it as well." He put his hand on my shoulder. "This is my grandson, Rudy."
"The swimmer?"
I nodded. "I'm competing in the junior Contentials."
"Yes, the reason Hector decided to pay us a visit." She smiled. "Come in and make yourself at home."
I stuck to my grandpa's side as we entered. My senses were heightened. I grew up around alphas, but I had never felt on edge around my family. A younger werewolf came bolting around the corner with a smaller pup chasing after her.
"Ivy," said Judah. "What are you doing?"
She snagged the pup. "Babysitting." She grabbed the hand of the pup, wearing a simple green t-shirt and fairy wings.
"We're going to play outside." The pup threw his arms in the air.
"Alright," said Judah. "Watch him."
The older girl groaned. "I am. Come on, Lincoln."
"He's not a toy," he called after them. "The damn pup is probably the next beta," he said under his breath. "Don't break him."
"Axil's boy?" asked my grandpa.
Judah nodded. "He has two sons now. The other is too young for Ivy to play dress-up with." Taking a deep breath, he forced a smile. "This way."
He took us to a sitting room. I stumbled in the doorway when I saw who was inside. I knew the black werewolf with the scar on his neck already. Swallowing hard, I stayed right behind my grandpa.
Jet sat up. "Well, isn't it the little red pup from my granddaughter's alpha ceremony? Look at you. All grown up and ready to mate my Bruce."
My breath caught as I looked at my grandpa, shocked. Did they decide something without telling me?
"That is between Midfield and Northern Ridge," my grandfather stated. "My granddaughter is set on finding herself a traditional werewolf, so I'm sure Rudy will stay right where he's at."
I relaxed and sat on the couch. That made my heart rate skyrocket.
Jet arched a brow and reached for a glass. "Swimming?"
I nodded. "In three events."
He hummed. "I might have to go and watch."
"Do you have time for that?" asked Judah.
The older werewolf glared at the alpha. "I served my time. What I have left is for me to decide on how I use it."
Amber cleared her throat. "Well, we do have a meeting we need to attend for today, gentleman. Let's not prolong this any longer. Rudy shouldn't have to be stuck here all day."
My grandpa stood. "Wait here. Don't go anywhere." He eyed me.
"I don't plan on moving."
"Good." He messed up my hair. "This shouldn't take long."
***
They were taking forever. Lounged across a couch, I played a game on my phone as I waited. They should have taken me to the pool. I didn't need to be with my grandpa every second. He wasn't even here, anyway. With a sigh, I laid my arm across my eyes. I had better things to do than this. I took a picture of the artwork on the ceiling and sent it to the Case.
'OMG! Where are you?'
I laughed. 'I've been stuck in the alpha mansion all day.'
'What are they like?'
'Typical alphas,' I replied. 'Nothing like Andreas and Max.'
I noticed movement and saw a pup crawl past the entryway. Sitting up, I watched him. He reminded me so much of Connor.
"You're covered in mud. I told you to stay out of it. You can't play with Ivy if you don't listen." A red werewolf marched by, holding the pup's hand from before. He was still wearing fairy wings, but they were now caked with mud.
"Owen, come here." He chased after the baby, who kicked it into high gear. One pup laughed and crawled away while the other one whined about mud fairies.
I smiled to myself. Parenthood didn't look fun. The man was struggling to get the pups to behave.
"Do you need help?"
The red werewolf's head popped up. He looked me over. "Midfield?"
"I'm here with my grandpa." I pointed to my jacket. "I'm on the swim team." I quickly caught up with the crawling speed demon and picked him up. He giggled as I handed him over.
"He looks a lot like my cousin's pup."
The man stood very still as the boys tried to escape. "Hector is here with you?"
I nodded. "He's my grandpa. He's in a meeting right now."
"Oh, yes." He forced a smile. "Jax is my older brother."
"So—" I thought for a moment. "Oh, so you're the beta's mate then. No wonder this little guy looks so much like Connor."
"I'm Jed."
"Rudy," I replied.
Jed backed away from me. "Thanks for the help. As you can see, this one needs a bath." He pulled his son forward. "And the other need a nap."
"I don't wanna bath." The mud fairy crumbled onto the ground.
"You'll be taking a nap, too, if you don't mind." Jed led the two away. "Thanks."
"No!" The pup's wails echoed through the house.
I had a feeling that would also be Connor when he got older. I went to the couch and continued to text Case to pass the time. The thought wouldn't go away that I was missing something about Jax's relationship with his brothers. Something I had forgotten. I'd have to ask Jax later about it. I should have taken a picture to show him how big his nephews were and how much the little one looked like Connor.
'How long are you stuck there," texted Case.
I sighed. 'Knowing how alphas love to argue, probably all night....'
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