Lucius stares at the two before him. Sharee's words just opened up a world of possibilities. It takes a nudge from Faline to bring him back to the present and he sees the terrified look of the two and apologizes. "Forgive me. Lord Darin and I have unsettled scores to deal with."
Lucius now looks over to Quinlin and pins him with his gaze, "You requested this meeting with a specific end in mind. What is it you wish from me?"
Quinlin has to resist the urge to fidget in his seat. "I wish to be with my mate. With her father wishing her to marry Lord Darin there is no way he'd allow this. I am asking asylum here for myself and Sharee."
"Sharee, you are willing to give up all the prestige of you position? Willing to give up all your standing in the vampire world and live as a common person? Your name will be stricken from the family rolls and you will be considered an outcast. You are prepared to do that rather than accept the role your father has chosen for you?" The two before him can't tell but Lucius is willing her to have the strength to say yes.
"Yes, Lord Lucius, I will give that all up. I have tried talking to my father but he refuses to hear my words. My mother has never cared as long as she has money to spend and power over others. She barely tolerates my father, theirs wasn't a marriage of mates, but an arranged one for power and money. I think the only reason I was born was because that was part of the marriage contract." Sharee has no idea just how telling her bitter words are to Lucius.
"Yet, that is how most vampiresses are and are expected to be. I'll be frank with you, had I known you were my mate, I would have rejected you even sooner. Your father was the first to sign my parents death warrant. I want nothing to do with him.
"Other than spiking his plans with that bastard, Lord Darin, what do you have to offer me?"
He'd pretty much decided that he'll take them, but he does need to know the answer to that question.
"I'm a genius at computer and cyber security. There isn't a law enforcement or spy network that I haven't hacked. It was a little more difficult getting into the secured buildings than it was for me to get into the computers themselves. I offer my services in that area to be used however you will." Her words make Lucius smile a dark and deadly smile.
"Very well, you have given me a reason to offer you sanctuary." Lucius turns to the wolf at her side.
"Now that your mate has shown her worthiness to receive sanctuary, tell me Quinlin, why the hell should I give it to you? You practically tormented and bullied Faline any time she went to the pack to train. You attacked her unprovoked like a coward the last time she was there."
Quinlin hangs his head in shame. "You are correct. Those actions haunt me. I have no doubt they will continue to haunt me even should you both forgive me and give me sanctuary as well.
"To you Faline, I offer my sincerest apologies. I let my jealousy and bitterness control me. I allowed my father's prejudice to influence me and I was more than wrong. I cannot take back those actions and there is nothing that I wish I could do more.
"As for all that you asked of Sharee, my standing in the pack is already rocky due to my actions. I have no current ranking and even my father's ranking is no longer sure due to his actions against the Lady Faline. My mother barely talks to me and my father would never accept a vampire as a daughter. I would rather have Sharee than him.
"I would accept being ostracized if I could be with her. Although, I don't think Alpha Steven would go as extreme as the vampires would."
Lucius is more than a little impressed with the wolf. It takes guts to accept responsibility for one's own actions.
Lucius waves that away, "I know your mother, she wouldn't turn her back on you. Especially not if you bring her a daughter in law. She's a good woman.
"But what do you bring me, that makes it worthwhile to accept you and protect you?"
"I have no particular skills, like Sharee. I have my fighting ability only. Other than Faline, I was the best in the pack. There was a good chance that if the alpha didn't have any children that the pack would become mine. That was until I screwed up with Faline." Then the alpha had twin boys and they are now being trained to take over Steven's place. They are very young to already be starting their training, but not too young to learn. It's just simple things right now.
Faline talks to Lucius, 'Dear, I'm afraid you don't have a choice at this point.' Faline says by mind link.
Lucius replies to her without looking away from Quinlin. 'Why is that?'
'Star has already claimed them as part of the pack.' Faline's words make Lucius turn to her faster than sight could follow.
"What?" Lucius demands out loud.
The other two shrink back at the anger in those words.
Faline looks at Lucius calmly, "Star has already accepted them as her pack. She wants Quinlin to be her beta. She's already given them the link. She wants them to move here as soon as possible. She's restless, she thinks something bad is going to happen and soon.
"Until the situation with Darin is dealt with she wants these two to stay with us."
The two in discussion are completely oblivious to the way her words cause the two being discussed. They look at each other not sure if they should be pleased or not.
They decide to try and see if they have the pack link Faline mentioned.
'What do you think he'll do?' Sharee asks, clearly unused to such means of communicating.
Quinlin shrugs, 'He loves Faline too much to go against her wishes. He'll take us, but I'm not sure about living here, even temporarily. Especially if they have problems with Lord Darin.'
'It would be part of the price to pay for sanctuary. It is little enough to pay.' Sharee remonstrates him.
Quinlin nods and once more hangs his head.
"Well, it seems that my lovely mate has decided the matter for me. You are welcome to live and work for me. For now you will move into my estate. Once things settle you'll be able to move out, if Star allows it, that is. For now, go collect your things.
"Sharee, I would suggest you bring very little with you. It will be very difficult to get out much from your father's estate." Lucius sighs, he isn't quite prepared to deal with two of the council members.
"Quinlin, Steven will give you leave. You will be free to bring all your things. I suggest you tell your mother where and why you are leaving. Her, Alpha Steven, Luna Lia only. Others might tell the wolf council and then that would create a huge mess I can't deal with just now."
Lucius rubs his head trying to ward off the headache that wants to come. "How soon can you get back here?"
Lucius looks at the time. He can still make the other meeting if he hurries.
"There is nothing I want from my father's place. I have a couple of changes of clothing with me, I left everything else behind. I had no intentions of ever returning to my father's estate." Sharee tells him and that makes both Lucius and Faline smile.
"I can get my things later. I bet if I called Alpha Steven that he'd have them packed for me and even bring them here." Now that he's part of Faline's pack he too feels restless and doesn't want to leave.
"I can just as easily tell my mother over the phone as any other way. She's reluctant to have me to the house now." There is sorrow in his voice. He'd never been very close to his mother. His father saw to that, but he'd hoped that things could change now.
Lucius sighs out, for the first time visibly relieved. "Good. I have to go into work now and didn't really want to leave Faline alone."
There's a knock at the door, "The witch Tina is here, sir." The maid says sticking her head in.
Lucius and Faline exchange looks of concern, "Send her in."
The maid doesn't say anything, she just nods and shuts the door once more. Shortly she returns and lets in the witch.
Lucius and Faline stand up, "Tina, what brings you here?"
Tina smiles, "I thought now would be a good time to set the shields. That's if it's alright with you?"
Lucius smiles at her and tells her it is more than alright.