Page 24 of Family: Posy 4

I bit back a grin, not wanting to deal with Quartz's short temper this morning, either. As far as I was concerned, he had only himself to blame, just like my brothers.

After breakfast, Mase and I went to the alpha offices while Cole headed off to supervise fighter practice.

Ash had already left to check out a colony to see if it might work for Konstantin, the young dragon we'd rescued from the human prison. Poppy said he was half druk, a Bhutanese thunder dragon, and gave it fifty-fifty odds they'd accept the kid. Angelo, his apprentices, and Beatrixweregoing to take him, but King Julian called last night and needed a representative over at Midnight Run as soon as possible, so they went there instead and Mase, Ash, and Cole Rock-Paper-Scissored who would go to the colony.

No one here wanted to see Konstantin go, but what did a pack of werewolves know about raising a dragon? We didn't even know how to feed him properly, and it wasn't working for him to stay at the pack house, so we sublet Tristan's old apartment until his lease ran out. We told him that he was always welcome at Five Fangs, but my brothers and I felt he should be with his own kind. So, despite Posy's tears, we shopped around and found a colony whose matriarch said she'd meet him and decide, and today was that day.

As for Mase and me, we had a slow morning, which was a rare but welcome change, and cleared out all the outstanding paperwork. I went into his office to see what he had left to do and found him leaning back in his chair with his hands folded behind his head.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" He grinned. "I know it won't last, but let's enjoy it until the in box fills up again."

"Even our calendars are clear the rest of the day." I grinned back and crossed my arms over my chest as I leaned against the door jamb. "Ten bucks says we have about half an hour before something demands our attention."

"Nah, man. Give it ten min—"

Boys, Papa and I need to talk with you, Dad linked us.We finally got that dire wolf to crack.

We shared a chuckle before Mase linked back and told them to come over to the alpha offices.

"I'll do it," I offered.

"Thanks, but I got it. You have your date today, and whatever they found out might lead to tracking down their lair."

"You don't want to deal with Papa if you don't have to," I said gently.

"I won't forgive him, and I can't forget, but I want to move on and I can't do that with this burden in my heart."

Going over to him, I laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, then told him I'd make some fresh coffee while he relocated to the conference room.

Of course, I'd no sooner popped the pod in the maker than Sara linked us and said she and her sisters had found out something important concerning Landry's curse.

I'm on it, I linked my brothers, then told her to come to the offices whenever they were ready.

We're on our way. Landry needs to be there, too. He's still on sick leave, right?she asked.So he should be free?

He is. I'll contact him.I did, then linked Mase.Sorry, brother,but you'll have to use the little conference room. I need the big one.

I explained what Sara wanted, and he grunted.

Okay. Just make sure you get coffee going, please.

You got it,I told him.

When Dad and Papa came through the front doors, I directed them to where Mase was set up. Four of our five witches arrived within a few minutes of each other, then Oak showed up and I opened the bathroom door for him to run in and shift. We always kept a bunch of clothes in our linen closet for just such a reason, and Landry came out dressed in light gray joggers and a white t-shirt. Seeing his bare feet, I made a note to replenish our supply of slides.

We all settled around the long table in comfy rolly chairs, and I gestured for Sara to begin.

"So Landry, I'll keep it simple. We did some bibbidi-bobbidi-boo and discovered Nia Hashimoto was not your true mate."

Silence.

Neither Landry nor I reacted to her candid statement for several seconds as we processed what she'd said.

"Sara," Ariel chastised her quietly, "you could have been more gentle."

"Pull off the band-aid quickly, I always say."

"Um. What?" Landry broke out of his shock before me.

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