Page 13 of Eclipse Pack

“I’m kept so busy I hardly have time to think. Last time we spoke you had to dash off. What happened? Is everyone there okay?” I don’t remember how long ago it was when that happened.

“Oh, that. It was another skirmish with the rogues. We got information that they were going to try and snatch female warriors for that alpha of theirs. He’s got himself a ‘queen’ but is looking to surround himself with a female royal guard, apparently. I think he’s a sandwich short of a picnic myself. A right royal looney-tune. I don’t know what his endgame is supposed to be, I’m sure. We only allow one female warrior per patrol now. The females aren’t happy about it, but it’s reduced the number of breaches we’re having. Trying to form a royal guard by kidnapping a single female and losing three or four of their warriors has calmed the rogue attacks somewhat. Anyway, never mind him. What news have you got for me?”

Explaining my heightened awareness yet again and how well I’m doing with my fight training has her gushing with pride. I can’t say that I don’t brag a little either. It feels good to shout out my own praise, I have to say.

Finally running out of things to say, I tell Momma that I have to call Bronze. I swear she giggles. Pops has definitely had a positive effect on Momma, she’s a lot happier in herself and so much more relaxed. It’s a pleasure to hear her voice so chilled out, and not all tense and sharp.

Taking a swig from the bottle of water I keep on my nightstand, I settle my back against my headboard and try calling Bronze. I feel quite girly and giddy as I wait for him to pick up.

“Hello. Alpha Heir Bronze speaking.”

“Hello. Possible Luna Heir Taria speaking.”

“Taria, wow. I’m sorry, I didn’t look at the caller ID, I just snatched it up. It’s great to hear your voice. Are you okay?” He sounds genuinely pleased to hear from me, which is always a good thing.

“I’m good, but I have a bone to pick with you,” trying to sound as stern and as serious as I can.

“Oh, okay. What is it?” It must have worked, because he sounds very worried.

“Stop asking people to ask me to contact you. Pick up the damned phone and just call me. You’re going to have to have better communication skills than this if you have any hope of getting pups out of me.” Bursting out laughing, I hear a sigh from his end and then he too, laughs.

“I’m sorry, I know why I started to do that, but I can just make the call in the future. How are things progressing? Very well, I’m sure.”

Repeating myself for what feels like the tenth time today, I tell him about my day. During our conversation, we stray from one subject to another, and it all seems very easy and relaxed. When he mentions getting a second desk for the alpha office, I question why he needs another desk.

“Well, for you, of course. You’ll want your own desk, surely?” He sounds surprised that I’d not thought of it myself.

“Of course I’d want my own desk, but I was rather hoping I’d have my own ‘Luna’ office to go with it. I don’t mean that we stay apart all day, every day, but I am going to need a private place to meet with people, discuss Luna issues. I will want to meet all the pack members at some point early on so I get a feel for them, and vice versa. We’re both going to be busy, active pack leaders, so there’s bound to be times when we’ll both need the office.”

“You raise a good point there, Taria. I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll speak to my father and ask how they got round the problem. I’m not saying that you won’t have an office, I think you’re right, you will need one. I just never came across it before now.”

“I’ll leave you to puzzle over that one then while I go and carry on with my exploration of the gardens here. I’m looking forward to this. Right, I’m off and I’ll wait for you to call me next time. Bye.”

“Bye, Taria.”

Popping into the bathroom, I get a quick freshen up, and then head out to find out all I can about the gardens here. I understand that they are well established and quite diverse. I guess if I head out through the kitchen, I’m bound to find a herb garden, and that will be as good a place as any to start looking for the gardener.

Seeing a female tending to the herb beds, I approach her to ask for the gardener. I heard somewhere that the gardener was called Silas, so I doubt it’s going to be her.

“Hi. My name is Taria and I’m looking for Silas.”

She jumps a mile and lets out a squeal when I speak to her.

“I was miles away then. You interrupted a wonderful daydream. I was on a beach with my soulmate and we were … Well, nevermind what we were…I’m Dahlia. Pleased to meet you. You’re the Eclipse Luna-to-be, aren’t you?”

Chapter 7

BRONZE

I’m sitting at my allocated desk in the Alpha’s office considering pack issues. I can see why Taria, or any Luna for that matter, would need their own office. When she spoke to me about having her own office, I wasn’t too sure, but considering the matter, I think she made a good point.

I raised it with my father, and he looked as shocked as I had been. When we spoke to mother, she had always wanted an office of her own but thought Lunas didn’t have one, so had worked around it. Having looked at the space available in the packhouse, it won’t be difficult to move things around and accommodate a Luna office.

Having just had a conversation with Hannah, I wonder if this is something that could have been handled better by a Luna. I received a call from the Shadow Warriors again this morning. Not Xander this time, a Shadow Warrior by the name of Travis.Hannah’s brother, Elijah, has dropped off their radar, but they’ve received a report that he may have been seen in the south of the northern parklands. The Shadow Warriors believe he is coming for Hannah.

I called her into my office so I could explain what we know, and what we can do to prevent her from being taken away by her brother. Hannah ran away from him when he tried to marry her to gain a powerful position in the north. She was not prepared to be used that way, and it proved that she was worth more than he believed, when she reached our borders and we accepted her into the pack.

She has been a popular addition, and has become an accomplished member of the carpentry shop team with Cameron and Logan. She does all the detail work and carvings. Her skill is phenomenal for someone with no formal training. She made Ember’s bat for me and put her name on it as an afterthought. She definitely went above and beyond with that.

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