Page 3 of Eclipse Pack

“None of that Luna Hope. You call us Hope and Connell. We are going to be allies, after all. Oh, and call that hungry monsterGamzin, not Delta Gamzin. We don’t sit on ceremony here in the Blackshadow Pack.” Hope grabs Connell’s hand and pulls him to the head table to have their breakfast.

Knowing I’m dismissed for the moment, I grab my bowl, give Gamzin a smile before taking my bowl to the kitchen, leaving it on a kitchen counter after thanking Nora one of the kitchen helpers.

Rushing to my room, I quickly freshen up before heading to Luna Hope’s office. After knocking with no reply, I take a seat next to the office door. It’s a bench and hard as all heck on your butt, but I sit quietly waiting for her to arrive. I’m happy that I receive smiles andgood morningcomments from pack members as they pass by.

Luna Hope arrives probably thirty minutes after I sat here, but I don’t let her know I’ve been waiting that long. I don’t want to look over eager and desperate.

“Come on into the office, Taria. We’ll get down to it because I can imagine you have been waiting for me for a while. I’m not a very good timekeeper as I get easily distracted. Thankfully, the pack members now know me well enough that they don’t stress when I’m late.”

I don’t hold back the grin on my face, mainly as she has a huge smile on her own after telling me this. Opening the office door, the first thing you notice is the smell of lavender. It’s not strong, but is soothing as it seems to wrap around you.

“Okay, we are going to walk around the pack. I’ll introduce you to people and point out places of interest. I won’t try to fill you in on too much at once, as it’s overwhelming. We, as Lunas have a lot to check, housekeeping, food supplies, nursing mothers, new pups, and the school. We also need to fight as we are protectors,the same as our mates, but we don’t have the strength they have, but we can be cunning.” Luna Hope checks over notes that have been left on her desk, but gives me a nod to follow her out of the office.

Walking beside Luna Hope, she turns and gives me a smile. “We are going to the kitchen. It appears some of the garden stock is not ready, so we have to do some menu changes.”

Walking into the kitchen, it is bustling, and Luna Hope introduces me to Isla, Evangeline, Lorna, Nora, and Betina whilst we head to the office where all the kitchen assignments happen. “Knock, knock, are you free to look at the supplies now, Nessie?”

“Of course I am, Luna Hope. Come in, and bring the lovely Luna Heir Taria with you.” Nessie holds her hand out to shake mine, and I give it easily, along with a broad smile.

I watch, listen and learn for over an hour as Luna Hope and Nessie discuss the garden, what is ready for harvesting and what is slightly delayed. They then run through the menu and what needs to be altered. I was amazed at the ease they worked together to achieve a new menu ready for the following week.

I don’t know if the Eclipse Pack has a garden similar to Black Shadow Packs, but if not, I’m certainly going to discuss implementing one.

“I can see your mind working from here, Taria.” Luna Hope smiles. “The Eclipse Pack has a garden that works for the pack and they have extra they sell in Wolfsfoot Town. But they could do with some diversity, and I’ll show you what I mean when we go outside.”

An hour later, we are walking through an orchard, with an area where mushrooms grow too. It really is an eye-openingexperience and makes me realize how little I know and have been contributing to the Blood Pearl Pack over the last few years. I have to admit I’m rather ashamed of myself because I could have been helping my mother, taking some of the pressure off her shoulders.

After I’ve eaten lunch, I go to my room where I freshen up and make a call to my mother. It’s too far to mind link her, but I want to discuss my feelings.

“Hi, Taria, are you okay, sweetheart?”

Hearing my mother's voice brings a huge smile to my face. “I’m good. I wanted to say I’m sorry, I should have been helping you. Watching Luna Hope has brought home to me how little I did to ease your burden, and I’m sorry.”

“Listen, Taria, if I had wanted you to do more, I would have told you. It has been my wanting control over everything that has led to you not receiving the proper training you should have had. It really is my own fault that I did everything, but I’m also sorry that you now must go through all this training instead of being with Bronze, which is where you should be.”

“Luna Aurora, we have a breach. Alpha Gerry wants us to go protect the pups.” Hearing this in the background, I know something is happening again.

“I have to go, Taria, but I’ll speak soon. Love you…”

Before I can respond the phone goes quiet and I know she has gone. I pray to the Goddess that everyone will remain alive and well. It brings home to me also that I need to learn to fight to protect the pack members. I have been training while here the last few days, but I need to step up my own commitment to becoming the best I can be.

Two hours later I am exhausted, but know I have given everything I have to the session. Chief Warrior Oscar gives me a grin as he walks beside me back to the packhouse. “You did very well today, Taria. You chipped four minutes off your run around the perimeter. That is superb and you need to recognize all the minor achievements as well as the large ones. Putting Weldon on his butt wasn’t easy and I know he wasn’t paying attention when you did it, but, let’s be honest, that is the time that you get the upper hand in a fight. You did good, and I am looking forward to seeing you continue with the determination you showed today.”

I shower, change and am brushing my hair when someone knocks lightly on the bedroom door. Walking over and opening the door, I give a smile to Luna Hope. “The Shifter Council will arrive tomorrow, Taria. I wanted to give you a pre-warning. They speak to all Lunas, so I’m not surprised they are going to come and visit you. Just be yourself and you’ll be fine.”

Now, that is something I wasn’t aware happened, but I’m not particularly surprised either. The council seem to have a hand in all aspects of the packs, and more so since it came to light some of their members were not fully reliable or honest.

“Okay, thank you. I’ll be ready for them.”

“Come on, let’s have our meal, then you can have the evening free to do as you like. Maybe Maya would like to go for a run. I’ll make sure someone is available to run with you.”

“I want to speak with Bronze later, but I would like to give Maya a run. She hasn’t had one for three weeks and is well ready to stretch her legs and feel the wind in her coat.”

Luna Hope tucks my arm with hers, and we head to the dining room, where Alpha Connell is waiting impatiently for his mate. I have heard the stories about his father and the way Tati wastreated. But, while I have been here, I’ve seen nothing but good things regarding Alpha Connell, and I think he has redeemed himself in the eyes of the Goddess.

After I’ve eaten my meal, I excuse myself from Luna Hope and Alpha Connell and walk into the kitchen where everyone is bustling around cleaning as all the dirty dishes arrive from the dining room.

“Nessie, I’ll help clear the dishes. I can rinse and place in the dishwasher as well as clear away the counters. If anyone needs an evening free from duties, I’m happy to give someone that opportunity.”

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