Rook (Black Mountain Pack Book 2) Page 7

  “Of course she will, who wouldn’t?” I replied, hoping what I said was truth. “We need to finish cleaning and go upstairs. Rook said you can all live together so we need to clean the third floor and prepare it for your beds.” I smiled.

  The cubs cheered in excitement and went to gather their brothers and sisters. My heart filled with hope as I watched them. They would need therapy as well, a few of them were scared of their own shadows having lived in that horrible basement for so long. If anyone could help bring them around I felt it would be Rook. I watched him every chance I got and the love and compassion that radiated off him when he was around the cubs confirmed that he would do anything to help them live as normal of a life as possible.

  I turned to the woman closest to me. “Sarah, the new Alpha will be here soon.Is everything ready?”

  She kept her eyes to the floor as she replied, “Yes, but...” she stopped herself. They were all so used to having to ask to speak, or being punished for attempting to address anyone.

  I spoke softly. “Go on, you can speak freely now. What is needed?” I wanted to reach out to her but knew physical touch would make her clam up even more.

  “Do we have to greet the new Alpha?” she whispered quickly.

  “No, Sarah, none of you have to be down here when she arrives. Rook said she would want to talk to each of you, but that will be later tonight. You have nothing to fear from her or me. For now you can join the cubs upstairs and help prepare the third floor. I have to make a list of items we need for all of you. Beds, linens, draperies, etc.” I cocked my head as I looked at her. “Would you like to help with that?” A tear streamed down her face as I watched. “Sarah, it’s okay if you don’t have to. I won’t make you do anything you don’t want right now.”

  “No, it’s not that. I want to help, but...” She took a deep breath. “I can’t write. I never learned. He didn’t allow us to be schooled.” I realized that admitting that small thing was a big step for Sarah.

  “Well then, we will have to fix that. Any of you who want to learn will.” I knew making that promise was above my head and I hoped I was right. If what Rook said was true, it would happen. But I had learned a long time ago not to trust what any male said. “Let’s gather the cubs and head upstairs. You tell me what is needed and wanted and I’ll make the list. How does that sound?”

  Sarah slowly raised her eyes, not quite meeting mine. “I think that sounds good.” She turned quickly and gathered everyone, ushering them up the stairs.

  “Wonderful, I will meet you all upstairs in a few minutes.”

  Panic was starting to set in. I breathed deeply trying to calm my racing heart. Showing any signs of leadership or individualism was a punishable offense. Or had been. That fear was deeply ingrained in me. Rook made me feel that stepping out to care for the others as I have was a good thing. I yearned to see him again, to be near him. A voice began whispering in my head. “What do you think you are doing? You think you can help? You are worthless. A simple toy to be played with and thrown away when used up. Just wait, these men will do the same thing once they realize what you are. A whore to be shared and that’s all. You’ll never be more. Why even try?” I gathered that fear, that voice, that irrational thought and boxed it up, placing it in the closet in my mind with hundreds of other boxes just like it. As I mentally closed that door I heard a small whine. A mewl of sadness. My fears weren’t the only thing I had to box up a long time ago. A small tear escaped down my cheek as I ascended the stairs.

  I WENT TO THE MEETING house to wait for Mack and Casey satisfied that the Alpha house would be ready when they arrived. I reached out through the Pride bonds to find Jonas and see how close he and Tamara were to being back. “Jonas, how close are you guys?”

  “We are a couple minutes out. Tamara and I will be at the meeting hall in five minutes.” His voice sounded full and happy through the bonds.

  I smiled to myself. Jonas was deserving of a good mate and Tamara was the perfect fit. It may take a bit of convincing to get her to feel the same way, but if anyone could do it Jonas could. “Good, call in the others so we can greet them properly. See you in five.” I disconnected from the bond. It was nice to be able to speak to him through the Pride, but it was a bit more difficult to connect and disconnect. The spell the witch had cast was starting to wear off. I stroked the charm around my neck feeling the power within it dimming.

  The village was a flurry of activity with all the repairs that had been made and the projects underway. Everyone was so busy that no one had time to really stop and contemplate what would happen next, especially with the new Alpha in charge. Excitement coursed through me as I thought about how this Pride would change for the better. I wanted to see all the members work together and see that shifters of any species really could live in peace. The transition would be rocky, I didn’t delude myself on that, but I knew it was for the better. Weeding out the evil was a necessity. My cat relished the thought of going on the hunt again. We hadn’t needed to hunt like that in a long time, and the bloodlust began to sizzle beneath the surface in anticipation.

  I strolled around taking in the changes that had been made in the last forty eight hours. All the houses in the village were getting a fresh coat of paint. The roofs had been repaired and were now safe for the shifters that lived inside. The junk had been cleaned up from around the buildings and what was deemed usable had been collected on the side of the meeting building in the center of the village. There was an air of hope swirling around instead of the thickness of fear and depression that I encountered when I arrived. This was a start, you could still sense the brokenness that permeated the Pride, but it would take longer than two days to fix that.

  I felt a tug on the pack bonds and opened to it. “Rook, are security measures in place? I won’t let Casey go any further until I know for sure,” Mack stated.

  “Yeah, everything is secure. Come on in.” I smiled. I knew exactly where they were as soon as Mack connected. I looked up into the branches of the trees above us to see the sleekness of both panthers as they jumped down next to me. “It’s good to see you both.” Casey rubbed against my legs as Mack sat and growled. I knew he was just playing, I was no threat to him. He had claimed Casey and she him. “Come on into the building, I have spare clothes you can put on after you change. Your elite are on their way.” Casey and Mack followed me and quickly dressed after shifting. “Where is everyone else?”

  “Da is still in Rio waiting on the second jet to arrive with the therapist and a couple of other shifters he called in to help. Jax is in the truck about an hour behind us with Marla. The rest are scattered in the jungle and won’t ever be seen. We will decide how many we need to leave here when we are ready to go back home.” Mack scanned the area, on constant alert.

  “Hey Rook.” Casey greeted me with a long hug. I wrapped her in my arms, not realizing how much I had missed her ‘til that moment. She pulled back and searched my eyes. “You have accomplished a lot in the last two days. I knew you would. Thank you for that.” She smiled.

  “It’s good to see you both as well. Come and sit, let me fill you in. It’s worse than I had expected. Many of the Pride have jumped in to help clean things up, but the Pride itself is severely damaged, and will take time to heal and fix.” I spent the next hour filling them in on everything, leaving the Alpha house and what I had found inside until the last. I took a deep breath preparing to share the worst when Jonas arrived with Tamara in tow.

  They stood off to the side until I motioned them over. “A little late, aren’t you, Jonas?” I teased.

  “I thought you might want to fill them in on everything before introducing us.” Jonas turned to Casey and kneeled bowing his head and tilting to reveal his throat in submission. “I accept you, Casey Badeaux as my Alpha. I pledge to protect you ‘til my last breath, to do your bidding without question, and to protect your Pride as my own.”

  Casey placed her hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, and I as your Alpha pledge to pr
otect the Pride against harm. I pledge to rule fairly and justly. I will put the health and wellness of the pack above all else.” She smiled and stood, gesturing for Jonas to do the same. “It’s good to finally meet you, Jonas, I know my father damaged this Pride and I plan to rectify his actions. I am depending on good members like you to help me.” She hugged him, a look of surprise on his face. “Thank you for welcoming me into your family. Now introduce me to your mate.” She looked at Tamara standing behind Jonas.

  Jonas put his hand on Tamara’s arm, guiding her to stand next to him. “This is Tamara, she is not my mate, yet.” He smiled as Tamara sputtered.

  “Ahh, I apologize for my assumption. Hello Tamara, it’s wonderful to meet you.” Casey met Jonas’s eyes with a knowing glance. “Let me give you a little advice when it comes to mates. Listen to your inner animal. Don’t let your head get in the way of your happiness.” Tamara started to kneel but Casey stopped her. “There is no need for that. I won’t make anyone submit in that way. I appreciate Jonas’s show of loyalty and if you choose to do the same after you get to know me and what I plan for this Pride I will accept it, but not until then.” Casey smiled gently at Tamara, encouraging her with unspoken words. “Now please, both of you join us and tell me what needs to be changed, how you would like to see the Pride work moving forward.”

  Slowly over the afternoon each of the elite guards joined us, each of them pledging their loyalty to Casey when they arrived. I observed the approval from Mack each time it happened. Casey took it in stride, but I could tell it made her uncomfortable. Realizing that every shifter in this Pride would look to her for guidance, leadership, and with doubt. She was the daughter of the devil who led this Pride in fear for so long, plus she was a female. Seen as unstable and unworthy to lead. She had a long road ahead of her, but I knew she had the strength to persevere.

  I heard a rumble coming down the road and went on alert. I glanced at Niko, who took off with Miguel to meet whoever had made it through the checkpoints. I assumed it was Jax, but we couldn’t be too careful. I am sure the word was already out that the first female Alpha was in Pride territory.

  “It’s Jax. They had to change a flat tire so it took them longer than expected,” Mack informed us.

  Mack and Casey went to greet Jax. I pulled DJ aside. “Can you go up to the house and check on Jasmine and the cubs for me? She was supposed to put together a list of things she needed for the cubs’ room. See if she has that ready and bring it to me. Once we get Jax and the rest of the crew settled I want you to take a couple of guys with you to find what she needs.”

  “You got it, boss.” DJ headed off toward the house as I joined Casey at the truck.

  Jax jumped down and I grasped his hand. “Glad you made it.”

  “Me too, that ride is a rough one. These trucks have shit for suspension. My ass started hurting the moment we turned onto it.” Jax laughed.

  “We don’t want to make it easy for the humans to find us,” I joked. I made introductions all around and turned back to Jax. “The medical building should be ready for you. Grab whoever you need to unload and get set up. Jonas has already assigned anyone with healing ability to wait for you there. If there is anything else you need just make a list and we’ll get it on the next trip into the city.”

  “Sounds good,” Jax replied and shook Jonas’ hand. “Are we meeting tonight?”

  “Yeah, we will have dinner here so the Pride can meet everyone and then I’ll take you all up to the Alpha House.”

  I watched as everyone became a flurry of activity. Mack joined me. “You’ve come a long way in the last two days, Rook. I’m impressed.”

  “Thanks, Mack. I wanted to get as much done before Casey came. I knew she wouldn’t be able to wait long. I need to prepare you for what she will face at the house though.” I started walking and shared with him about how we found things when we opened the house. The harem, the cubs, and how Jasmine had become a big part of changing it.

  “Sounds like she has been a big help. You speak of her with a wistfulness, have you possibly found your mate after all this time?” Mack inquired.

  “Honestly, I don’t know. My focus has been on preparing everyone for Casey. She has a fire and determination to her that my cat and I both admire, but I think she’s hiding something. She says that she wasn’t hurt in the harem. That she had just recently been put there, but her eyes say different. I think she took on more of Tomas’ wrath than what she lets on. My cat just wants to wrap her up and protect her, but I know she won’t welcome that right now.”

  “I can’t wait to meet this girl. The first female to twist you up in knots. Man, just give into it, the more you try to hold back your nature the harder it’s going to be.” Mack slapped my back and grinned. “It’s about time you found your mate, trust me it will only make you stronger.”

  I watched Mack join Casey. The little touches they each gave while still focusing on the members of the Pride. Assuring each other with a look or a touch, a connection that surrounded them and bonded them together as a team. My cat purred, telling me he was ready for the same. Ready to fill that void inside that had been waiting for years. I couldn’t ignore it any longer. My job to protect Casey had now passed to Mack leaving me free to fill that void with the mate it was meant for all those years ago. I looked up at the house searching the windows for any sight of Jasmine.

  THE NEXT FEW DAYS FLASHED by in a flurry of activity. Jerome had been delayed in arriving at the village because of travel delays with the therapist. Three trips had been made into neighboring towns or Rio itself to get the supplies or equipment the Pride needed to be brought into this century. Mack and Casey had settled into the Alpha house and had been meeting with each of the elite guard, and then with each of the females from Tomas’ harem. Casey had to take breaks between each one because of the emotional strain it caused. She really cared about each woman and coming to terms with the fact it was her own father that had treated them in such a way made it difficult.

  With Mack here, I was able to step back from the leadership role. He came to me on the second day they were here. “So, now that you can take a breath I have a question for you. We still need you but rather than assigning you an area I want to know where you want to be? What project do you want to work on the most?”

  This was a new approach, I was used to simply being put where an Alpha thought my skill would be of the best use. I didn’t have to think about it though. “I’d like to help with the cubs. They need guidance, love, and a good education. Many of them have missed out on so much, finding the right tutors and teachers for each one is necessary. I would like to help Jasmine do that, if that’s ok with you and Casey?” I responded.

  “Casey was right.” Mack chuckled. “Then that project is yours. Keep me updated on the progress, any requests you two might have. Marla has been with her since they were introduced. You should find them outside with the cubs now.”

  “Thanks, Mack.” I grasped his forearm in quick thanks and headed out.

  “Hey Rook,” Mack called out. I turned raising an eyebrow in question. “Take things slow with Jasmine. Casey spoke with her last night and she is more damaged than she portrays. It will take a strong patient man to get through her shell.”

  “I know.” I sighed and went to join her and Marla with the cubs outside.

  From that day on I worked side by side with Jasmine and Marla. We had the third floor of the Alpha house totally renovated. We had, with the help of a couple of shifters with carpentry skills, divided the room into four large rooms. The third floor ran the length of the house so space was no issue. We had one room for the boys’ bunk room and one for the girls. Those were on one side of the floor plan. Then in the middle was a very large communal room with areas for teaching, play, and just relaxation. Then on the opposite end was a large room that housed the women that had been in Tomas’ harem. It was their safe haven, where they slept, and a living area where they could read, journal, listen to music or just talk.
Each women spoke with the therapist Jerome had flown in once a day, but that was downstairs in the sun room.

  Marla had surprised me the most. I thought I knew her well, but the side that came out amongst the cubs was new and refreshing. Gone was the bitchy bartender who held people at arm’s length. I learned that in another lifetime, before the pack, she had been a grade school teacher and special tutor to shifter cubs. Those skills came out and the cubs brought out a lighter, loving, more fun Marla. The cubs responded well to her, too. By the third day she had them on a routine that they enjoyed and looked forward to. The cubs looked forward to their lessons both in the communal room as well as outside. Marla had created a plan to teach them both rudimentary skills as well as their shifter skills. With the help of a few of the witches from the local coven she was able to pair the cubs with appropriate mentors of their species. Every afternoon the cubs got to play and practice in the enclosed yard and woods around the house with their mentors.

  I loved watching this time as not only did it help the cubs begin to learn and acclimate to who and what they were,they also learned how the Pride worked, each level of hierarchy, and how to earn it. Beyond that the adults chosen to mentor the cubs flourished as well. The cubs reminded them that you have to play as well as work. They opened up more, became more outgoing and a positive influence within the Pride. Jasmine and Marla had done well choosing. I even had two cubs that I mentored. The only tigers in the bunch. I was hesitant at first, but Jasmine had coaxed until I caved and have been thankful ever since.

  It took four days before the first challenge to Casey came. Among all the progress the Pride was making we knew it was too much to hope that it would continue without any hiccups. The challenge came from a shifter outside the Pride. One who had travelled and was living in the camps along the border and thought a female Alpha would be easy to defeat. An easy challenge that would gain him a large Pride to rule.