The early morning flew by.
The smell of food from the kitchen had Katherine straying into the room several times only to be chased out by Ginnie, the family's longstanding cook. She was a big woman and an intimidating wolf who knew how to brandish a wooden cooking spoon like a weapon. Katherine escaped with her life and a sandwich, but barely.
The entire household was full of nerves and anticipation by the time Little Foot and his contingent arrived just before 9:00 a.m. Pierre didn't have to call his family to him in the foyer; they stood by his side without his request.
The first impression Katherine got of Little Foot was that he was, in no sense of the word, little.
Katherine stood back with her mother and Ronan while Pierre and Little Foot, who immediately requested that he be called Jacob, shook hands and greeted one another with a handshake.
Pierre was considered by most to be a big man. He stood at six foot and three inches tall, weighed approximately two hundred and forty pounds and was solid and lean. Jacob, on the other hand, was roughly twice the width of the Alpha with hands the size of pitcher's mitts and a face that was all angles. He wasn't a tall man but that didn't seem to be an issue since he somehow seemed to be made of pure granite. His ready smile softened his lines considerably but still left him with an air of command, much like Pierre.
Little Foot had arrived with a contingent of wolves, four men and three women, who stood at his back, surveying Pierre and his family as they were surveyed in turn.
Katherine turned her attention to them, sizing each up individually. They were all well-built, long and lean and apparently strong. The main difference between the two groups was in their coloring. All seven were a beautiful bronzed color that Katherine thought only existed in movies where makeup was applied liberally to enhance a person's glow. Katherine felt positively pale in comparison.
They were all of native blood but it was obvious that they weren't all from the same family or even the same tribe. She and her brothers had been taught the history of Canada's native peoples and she could identify the facial features of at least three different Canadian tribes within this group. She was pretty sure one of the women was Mi'kmaq, the largest of the men Algonquin, and, she thought, the rest were Cree like Little Foot.
It came as a bit of a surprise that these tribes would be joined together now in one group, backing Little Foot. The Mi'kmaq people lived mostly in the Atlantic Provinces, the Algonquin in and around Quebec, and the Cree were generally settled out in the Prairie Provinces. She wondered what influence Little Foot had over them to bring them all together like this and, more importantly, why her father hadn't known about it.
Katherine stopped her assessment of the group when her father turned to introduce his family to Jacob. His hand moved instinctively to the small of her mother's back, claiming her as his own.
"May I introduce my family? This is my wife, Sylvie, my eldest, Katherine, and my son Ronan. I have two other sons, Anthony and Teagan but, unfortunately, they are elsewhere dealing with pack issues." He looked proudly back at both Katherine and Ronan as he spoke.
Katherine waited for her mother to offer her hand and a brief word then moved forward boldly; her chin raised high as she took Little Foot's hand. His grip was strong so she squeezed back and noted the glint of respect in Jacob's eyes that resulted from her motion.
"Mr. Little Foot, welcome to our home. It's a pleasure to meet you." She kept her voice professional with a hint of warmth and studied his reaction. Courtroom training was ingrained in her and this was one man that she really wanted to pin down. If he was the type to counteract the council's decision and try to forcefully take control of Canada then she wanted to know. So far she hadn't seen enough to make a decision, though her initial instincts told her that he wasn't their enemy.
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Katherine. If I may be so bold as to address you so informally." At her nod, Jacob swept his hand back and beckoned a young man forward. "This is my eldest son, Keme."
The man who stepped forward was tall, much taller than his father, probably taller than her own father. He was built thick through the chest and thighs but lean through the middle. Katherine couldn't help but admire his physique. His shoulders were awe inspiring, and could span hers three times over. She kind of thought he looked a lot like Joe Manganiello, which was definitely a good thing.
"Ms. LaFlamme, it is a pleasure." His voice rumbled deep in his throat and, unexpectedly, Katherine found herself liking the sound of it. An image of Quinn flashed before her eyes and she dismissed the errant feeling of guilt. The connection she had to Quinn was real and fierce, but is was also new and guilt should not be a factor, yet.
Pierre's study was too small to accommodate the large party so Pierre led the way with Sylvie by his side to the back of the house. There, a conference room was outfitted to fulfill all their needs. Fruit baskets and hor d'ourves were scattered about artfully on beautiful trays and both hot and cold beverages were available at a moment's notice.
Katherine knew that Sylvie had prepared for this summit with all the attention that she would grant any visiting Alpha. Her mother knew her politics and was well aware that her husband would one day soon be sharing leadership of Canada with this man. There were relations to be established and she would do her best to ensure that those new bonds to be strong and loyal.
Katherine watched the two men carefully as they talked casually; taking in the reflexive minutia that would forewarn her should any real tension spring up between them. This was one of her main purposes for attending the conference. Besides her position as firstborn, she was an excellent reader of body language and facial movements from years of practice in a courtroom.
Her other purpose was to help direct the meeting according to accepted norms. Should the meeting erupt, it would be her job to mediate. Despite the obvious flaw in that scenario, that she would protect her father's interests primarily over those of Jacob Little Foot's, she was prepared to remain as objective as possible.
In order to retain objectivity, she had sent an invitation to Little Foot's camp to provide a mediator of their own. From the looks of it, the bronzed brunette with the sparkling green-blue eyes was to be her co-mediator.
Katherine stepped forward and met the woman's readily outstretched hand.
"Katherine LaFlamme."
"Daphne Dru. Pleased to meet you Ms. LaFlamme. If I could be so bold as to ask for a moment of your time to speak privately before we begin."
Despite her delicate frame, Daphne's handshake had been strong and sure. Katherine liked the way the woman spoke with authority, as though this meeting were common place and her role in this summit just another day's work and not one of the soon-to-be-written about in the history books events of wolf kind. If she hadn't been attempting to appear professional for the sake of her family, Katherine would have grinned.
Katherine's heels clicked satisfyingly against the floorboards. Men might see high heels as phallic objects inflicted upon women to fulfill their male fantasies but they didn't know the feeling of utter dominance in a situation when one's heels were seriously fabulous. Phallic object or weapon of female prowess, either way, they always made her feel powerful.
There was a small alcove down the hallway from the conference room where Sylvie had arranged two wingback chairs by a window for reading or lounging. The mid-morning sun was shining brightly, dulled only slightly by the ivory sheers that hung smartly from a cast iron rod. Katherine motioned for the woman to sit down as she perched on the edge of one of the chairs.
"How can I help you, Ms. Dru?" She kept her voice formal and assumed her courtly demeanor. She had occasionally come up against lawyers who were pack members over the years and the experience still made her rise to her highest. Not only did she feel the need to excel professionally, but she also somehow felt a more primitive pull to emerge victorious against her rival in a more physical way. Although some men and women might get a kick out of seeing her and Ms. Dru wrestling in heels and skirts, it wasn't exactly what she had in mind for the day.
"Daphne, please." Her green eyes appraised Katherine closely.
Katherine nodded, "Daphne. Please, call me Katherine." She glanced at her wrist in an obvious manner. It was wise to always keep the proverbial ball in your own court after all.
Daphne smiled casually, apparently a pro at the game. "This won't take long. I just wanted to get a feel for your outlook on this situation and assuage any fears that Mr. Little Foot is an enemy to the Alpha. We've become aware of the situation your family is in at the moment with the rogue wolf and I want to personally assure you on Mr. Little Foot's behalf that we have absolutely nothing to do with any of the deaths. Jacob is a good man, an honest man, and he wants to help, not hurt this country."
Katherine watched the woman's eyes as she spoke. They flashed with passion as well as regret. It was clear that she was telling the truth to the best of her knowledge and just wanted to make sure her Alpha was given the respect she believed he was due. Either Daphne was the next 007 and an amazing liar or Katherine's instincts were right.
She decided to ease the woman's mind. "We know."
Daphne's head jerked up with surprise.
Katherine continued. "We've dismissed the possibility that Mr. Little Foot was in any way responsible for the local deaths. Investigations are ongoing but it has been verified that he is innocent. I wasn't aware that you knew we had suspicions."
Daphne cocked her head to the side, her long hair falling across her neck, and smiled, obviously relieved. "We may not have the resources that your father has amassed here at Wild River but we aren't without our sources. Once we heard about the killings it was immediately assumed that Jacob would be under suspicion. The old "bait and hook" is a time-honored tactic in some parts of the world after all. It's just not Jacob's style."
She sounded sincere enough but Katherine knew that it was one thing to believe and quite another to have proof. She would assess Jacob Little Foot herself and, for her father's sake, for all their sakes, she hoped that Daphne was right about the man who would someday soon share leadership of Canada with Pierre. He might not be responsible for the rogue wolf but it was yet to be determined if he was truly honorable.
"We should return to the meeting. I'm sure they're waiting for us." Katherine rose and straightened her skirt. When she glanced back at Daphne, she noticed that the woman had already regained her formal, poised attitude and looked every inch the imposing lawyer. She approved.
♀♀♀
The meeting lasted through to lunch without a single break for anyone. Katherine thought that it was fortuitous that wolves rarely picked up the human habit of smoking or else smoke breaks would have had to have been scheduled into the day. The fact that most wolves could hold their bladders for hours on end didn't hurt either.
The intricacies of political maneuvering had brought out her inner predator and there had been several times when she'd had to remind herself that this was about alliances and cementing a nation's leadership. It was easy to see that, like her, Daphne was occasionally getting caught up in the moment and indulging in passionate debate. Ironically, it was Pierre and Jacob who kept the meeting's atmosphere on an even keel and regulated Katherine and Daphne's outbursts.
As the clock struck noon, Katherine was listening to her father discuss the finer points of ruling the western portion of Canada. She was only a little surprised that she approved of the way Jacob was listening intently to what the Alpha had to say, asking intelligent questions when necessary and occasionally arguing his own points passionately. His natural personality complemented Pierre's and his arguments sometimes drew Pierre's frustration and sometimes made him laugh. Katherine had high hopes for the future of Canadian leadership from what she saw at this meeting.
Katherine also spent some of her time scrutinizing the proverbial heir to the throne, Keme. Jacob had mentioned a large family as the day had progressed but, since Keme was the only one present at the meeting, she assumed that he was being groomed for the position.
Unlike her, Keme had been born male, which meant that the medieval tradition of the pack didn't exclude him from its leadership. She had long ago forced herself to stop arguing against the rule and, instead, found her leadership role in her chosen profession. Still, it galled.
He seemed intelligent and patient. Those were her first two observations about his character, and they were good characteristics for a future Alpha. He had spoken throughout the meeting, answering questions about Western Canada's packs and offering opinions when asked. He came across as fair and kind as well. Only once did she see his forehead furrow during the meeting, and it was in relation to the pack's division of territories. He and Daphne argued passionately for the land to the East of Canada, including New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Daphne's people, the Mi'kmaq, had settled and raised their families in these provinces, and they were passionate about keeping their connection to those tribes.
Katherine decided that she liked and respected Jacob, his son, and their mediator very much.
Sylvie stood just as Pierre finished a particularly loud sentiment and cleared her throat. Silent for the majority of the morning, she immediately drew the entire room's attention. Pierre looked questioningly at his wife and then smiled when she nodded her head towards the giant grandfather clock that stood in the room's corner.
"I believe my wife is letting me know that my long-windedness has passed the morning away and that it is now time for lunch." He stood and stretched his long body then walked around the table to stand before Jacob. He extended his hand as he would to a dear friend. "Jacob. Perhaps you could join Sylvie and me during the meal and we can discuss your views on border patrols."
"Or," Sylvie spoke sweetly, walking up to stand beside him, "we could leave the logistics to this afternoon and take this time to get to know one another."
Pierre smiled at his wife and placed his hand gently on the small of her back, drawing her to his side. "Perhaps just a little logistics, ma chere?" He chuckled and placed his lips against her forehead.
Katherine noticed Jacob glance momentarily away from the quiet show of intimacy and wondered why he hadn't brought his own wife. There had been only a passing comment made about her and no one seemed to want to make it an issue.
Momentarily preoccupied with the thought, Katherine kept her gaze on Jacob long enough for him to feel it and look her way. His smile was quick and surprisingly charming so she smiled back.
Jacob stepped closer to her and extended a hand, motioning for her to walk beside him on the way to lunch. Although she had planned on sitting next to Daphne at the table, she supposed that it would be best if she took the opportunity to become better acquainted with her father's soon-to-be partner Alpha.
He was the first to speak. "So Miss LaFlamme, have you made up your mind about me yet?" His voice was gentle and sincere; she felt the trust that had been building all morning surge again.
After a brief moment of thought she answered in all honesty, "Well, Mr. Little Foot, and please call me Katherine, I've come to the conclusion that you're a trustworthy man. You see, my father is the world's more astute Alpha and my personal hero, so if he thinks you're worthy of joint leadership of Canada, then I'm prone to fall in line and believe him." She looked ahead to where her father was whispering something, probably indecent in nature, in his wife's ear and smiled, "He likes you."
"I like him too." Jacob's answer was short but succinct and Katherine found herself trusting his sentiment completely. "And please," he said placing his hand on her forearm softly, "call me Jacob."
They continued chatting, sharing small talk until Sylvie had the entire table placed and seated. The only pause in conversation over the dining room table took place when Pierre bowed his head and gave a short blessing for the food.
Katherine was seated to Jacob's right with Keme on her left, so she could easily participate in any conversation held at the head of the table. Her father took the seat of honor, of course, and her mother was seated at his left hand, busily overseeing the proper rotation of the many trays of delicacies on the table.
She glanced down the long table to see how Jacob's entourage was getting along with her brother's and found Ronan in deep conversation with Daphne. Although she couldn't see his face, the turn of his body toward the stunning brunette and the enthusiastic way he was using his hands to express himself meant that he found her engaging.
Daphne's face, on the other hand, was in full sight. Katherine held back a smile as she watched the woman's eyes shine as Ronan spoke. There was little doubt that she was already completely smitten with him and he with her. She hoped he knew what he was doing, after all, there was another wonderful woman involved in this little love story. Anna would be a fantastic mate for her brother but love was rarely fair and, from what she knew of the woman, Daphne would also be a strong mate for Ronan.
For as long as she could remember, Katherine had tried to stay far away from love triangles because they led to nothing but heartbreak and disaster. She silently prayed for her brother's mental well-being and wished him the luck of the Old Ones.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Keme's rumbling voice. "So, Katherine, I heard that you attended the University of Toronto's Law program. I completed my Ph.D. in political science from there just ten years ago."
"Really? I've heard excellent things about the program. The Law program was intense but the professors were just fascinating. Did you like the campus?"
"I found the campus and the city a little intimidating at first. You must have liked it since you ended up living in another big city."
She turned eagerly to him. "Oh, I loved living there. But then I've always enjoyed the fast pace of city life and it makes my career a lot more applicable. I can see how it would be a bit off-putting to someone who prefers country life, though."
"It took a bit of time to get used to but by the time I finished up I definitely found my place. I met a few wolves from out West and we hit it off. Did you ever hang out at the Silverwood?"
Katherine laughed and nodded. "I was there pretty much my entire degree. There was this big comfy chair over in the corner by the fireplace that was perfect for studying between classes. Or napping."
"The blue one over by the Harlequin lamp? I spent more than one break in that thing. It must have swallowed you up if it fit me." His eyes sparkled.
They exchanged stories of professors they'd both had and, even after lunch finished and the others wandered off for a bit of fresh air, they walked and talked about the city and the memories they had in common.
"I wish you had been there when I attended," he said nostalgically.
Katherine was about to agree when she felt his large hand brush against hers. A warm tingle raced along her arm and she felt her cheeks warm. It wasn't an unpleasant reaction. Instead, it was so sweet and natural that she felt herself relax into the feeling.
"That would have been nice." She agreed and let her hand brush his right back.
♀♀♀
The rest of the day sped by relatively quickly. The discussions were lively and the company was deeply intelligent. Katherine was more than pleased to see that Jacob was quickly becoming a fast friend to Pierre and the worry she'd held about their joint leadership was diminishing.
By 8:00 p.m. the group was looking a little worse for wear. Agreements and calls of "goodnight" were heard as soon as Sylvie announced that it was time for her to retire. Since their home was so large there was plenty of empty rooms that had been refreshed and were waiting for their guests to occupy. It didn't take long for Sylvie, being ever organized, to have everyone deposited in their rooms for the night.
Katherine felt mentally exhausted after the intellectual repartee of the day. She said goodnight to her family and locked herself in her room with a bottle of Shiraz, a glass, and a box of her mother's Godiva's. Her first priority was filling the tub with steaming hot water and bubbles.
After she had settled into the jetted tub and taken her first sip, Katherine closed her eyes and thought back on the day.
Keme's face filled her thoughts and, again, she felt a warmth and sweetness at the thought of him. He was exactly the type of man her father would approve of. In fact, she had noticed Pierre's subtle smile when he'd seen her and Keme walk off together after supper, still chatting.
It felt easy with him. She'd discovered during their talks that he was a brilliant man. His degrees in political science had led him on an amazing adventure in terms of his career. She had been fascinated to learn that he had done his masters at the University of Utrecht in Amsterdam and had since worked in Africa, Indonesia, and France.
She couldn't help but compare the two men she suddenly found herself interested in at the same time.
Keme was sophisticated and intellectually stimulating. He was so attractive it was slightly ridiculous and her attraction to him was high on the Richter scale. He would be an excellent mate and, as his father's obvious favorite to succeed his own rule, a marriage to Keme would result in her own place in the leadership of Canada. She could stand as his confidant and partner in every way.
Then there was Quinn. With his sexy laugh and bright eyes. He, too, was intelligent and savvy, but in a way far different than Keme, a way she couldn't quite pin down. As a prospective mate, he was a mystery. His lineage was unknown, his own family member a terrorist threat, and there was an air of mystery surrounding everything about him.
But she shook at the thought of him. He filled her with a brightness and intensity that she hadn't known existed in this world and it took every ounce of her critical mind to refrain from throwing herself into his arms for eternity. He had gotten under her skin, inside her mind, and into her heart in such a short time that it half terrified her.
"So much for staying out of love triangles," she muttered into her wine glass.
Moments later she dialed Quinn's number.
The bathroom was dark except for the flickering candles that surrounded her, casting shadows on the walls and showcasing the rising steam to perfection. The phone rang only once before it was answered.
"I missed you."
She smiled and sank deeper into the water, reveling in his voice and tone. All thoughts of Keme slipped away. "I missed you, too."
"When can I see you again?" Straight to the point. She liked that about him. A part of her wished the summit was over already and that she could go to him and be free of all responsibilities. That part was hard to talk down, but she managed it.
"The summit will last another two days. I would slip away if I could, but my place is here, by my father's side."
Katherine could practically hear his disappointment and it lit a small fire inside her. She felt irrationally happy that he wanted to be with her as much as she craved being with him. He felt like an addiction and that both terrified and electrified her.
She changed the topic, hoping that a change in the subject would help her feel like less of an adolescent. "Have you had any luck tracking down your cousin?" Nothing more sobering than a stinking murdering rogue wolf.
"No. I'm sorry. He's either lying low, staying off the grid to recoup strength or he's planning something nasty. Either way, it feels like the calm before the storm."
"Don't apologize for him Quinn. I know the temptation to cover for family, but he's a grown man who had made his bed. Your responsibility is to your pack now."
She let the silence sit between them and thought about how she would feel if one of her family members had been mentally unstable and done something as horrific as Raphael. It would tear her apart.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" She asked, tentatively, aware that he hadn't been forthcoming about his family, yet. She hoped this might be her in.
"I have three brothers and two sisters. All younger than me and all supremely ugly and stupid." She grinned, hearing his tone lighten.
"Yeah? I have a few pretty ugly brothers myself. Thank goodness we got all the good looking genes in our families."
He laughed and then fell silent for a moment. "My sister Janine is a world class beauty and smart as a whip. She's nineteen years younger than me and when she showed up it was like she hung the moon for me. Funny little thing, she had me wrapped around her finger from day one. And now she's all grown up and married. She actually married my best friend, Silas."
"Any nephews or nieces? Katherine asked, picturing him bouncing a beautiful baby girl on his lap. He would make a good dad, she thought, then drank deeply from her glass.
To her dismay, his tone was flat again when he answered her. "No. No nephews or nieces." He paused, "My sister has been trying for years to conceive with no success."
Infertility was a rare condition within the pack. Along with their amazing regenerative abilities came a virile reproductive system. Most females had to practice diligent birth control to stop themselves from literally having to care for a litter of pups for their entire lives. Katherine had only rarely heard of female wolves being unable to bear children and knew that male wolves being impotent was even rarer. While she still didn't have children of her own or nieces and nephews from her brothers, she had never felt a moment of hesitation in regards to her own ability to reproduce. Contemplating it now, she knew it must be devastating for Quinn's sister and the entire family.
Katherine didn't know what to say so she just whispered "I'm so sorry," and left it at that.
The line stayed silent except for the sound of Quinn's deep breathing. Katherine felt as though there were more Quinn wanted to say but she didn't want to push him so she changed the topic and dove headfirst into more familiar territory.
"So, I was thinking that you should jump in a car right now and come out here so I can wrap my legs around you until you cry uncle."
The words were out of her mouth before her brain could stop them. Immediately she saw the problems that arose with the suggestion, the least of which was her well-reciprocated interest in Keme. Besides that little issue was the fact that the summit was a family business and that by inviting her new sexually charged love interest to her family home she was ultimately inviting him to meet her parents.
His deep intake of breath sounded loudly over the line. "Naughty girl. You know as well as I do that I can't come out there until the summit is over. You're just trying to see if you can tempt me into disobeying all the rules. Don't tempt me too much, darling, or you might be surprised with how far I'll go to be with you."
The blood in Katherine's veins practically caught on fire. Against the rules or not, now that the idea was in her head, she wanted nothing more than to have Quinn in her arms right now. The image of his chiseled face filled her mind and she bit her lip in frustration. Other parts of her body clenched in anticipation.
"God I wish you were here." She poured herself the last remnants of wine and threw it back.
"Me too," he murmured and then he cursed "Fuck it, Katherine, I'll be there the moment the summit ends. Where can we meet?"
Katherine's heart started to beat frantically in her chest, racing with excitement and anticipation. She felt overwhelmed at his reaction to her but wanted to come off as cool and collected. Saucy even.
"There's a hotel not far from here, maybe twenty minutes' drive. Le Dauphin. I'll be there as soon as I can get away. Oh, and Quinn?"
"Yeah?"
"There's an elevator." She was grinning like the Cheshire Cat as she said goodnight and hung up the phone.
The water in her tub had gone cold and her wine was all gone, but Katherine felt good. She got out of the tub, letting the water run down the drain while she brushed her hair out and braided it down her back. She slipped into a short black silk nightie and climbed into her bed, her mind buzzing with ideas about what would happen when she saw Quinn.
She lay back in bed, closed her eyes, and fell asleep thinking about amber eyes and soft lips.