Page 63 of Dante
Dante ended the call, and I gave my mate a wide-eyed look. “What do you mean, see you then.”
“Alpha Bernard has some things he needs to discuss with us. Specifically, you. He and Master Edison will be stopping by here in just a bit.”
I blinked at Dante. “You know nothing about what they want to talk about?”
Dante shook his head. “I’m sorry, baby. He didn’t say. Just that it was important and it was something he felt should be discussed in person.”
I started trying to think about any and everything I could that would be cause for the created bear to come and talk to me. I truly was small potatoes when it came to shifters. My den wasn’t overly large. We were from a sleepy little town in Colorado, and that was pretty much it. The last time I’d talked?—
There was a knock on the door, and Dante stood to go answer. Already? How…yeah. Master Edison. But wait. He was the created warlock. Then I remembered that he’d been “given” the hellhounds by the goddess. That meant that both of our created ones were here to talk to us.
I stood slowly, then looked down at Blaze, who squirmed a little on my shoulder. I rubbed up and down his back and kissed his hair, trying to calm myself. I closed my eyes, taking in a deepbreath of our son, and it helped some, but there was still the overwhelming sense of dread that I couldn’t escape.
Dante returned with Master Edison, whom I recognized immediately, and Alpha Bernard. I’d seen the created grizzly several times around Council Square. He always seemed as if he was thinking entirely too hard about something. I had to imagine it was stressful to be in the position that they all were. Even before the council had been formed, they all held great responsibilities.
Master Edison came directly to me, and when he placed his hand on my shoulder and peeked at Blaze, I moved our son enough to where the created warlock could see him.
“He’s precious,” Master Edison said. “Wallace would say he’s a wee bairn, but a strong lad.”
I smiled at that. “Thank you, Master Edison. He’s such an amazing baby. He’s just the sweetest, and he’s given us no problems.”
“That is always wonderful to hear.” Master Edison ran his hand up and down my arm, and then Dante was there, wrapping his around my shoulders.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. I could tell that the atmosphere was heavy, and I wanted to get whatever they were going to talk about over with.
“Can we sit and discuss this?” Alpha Bernard asked.
“Of course. Please sit,” Dante said. He gestured to the sectional, and Alpha Bernard came over to peek at Blaze as Master Edison had while the warlock master stood by the other end of the couch. I did the same as I had for Master Edison and repositioned Blaze so Alpha Bernard could get a good look at him.
“He looks very much like you,” Alpha Bernard said.
I smiled up at the created grizzly. “Thank you. I think the hair is going to be more Dante’s with as thick as it already is, but he’s still young, and I might be wrong.”
“They grow a lot in the first year,” Alpha Bernard said. “He’s a sweet baby. Congratulations,” he added before he went and stood next to Master Edison.
I realized they were all waiting for me, so I sat since I was already standing in front of the couch. Dante sat to my right, placing himself between me and the others. I didn’t know if he’d done that on purpose or if it was just where he decided to sit, but it was sweet. Not that I needed to be protected from either of our guests.
“I’m not one to dance around conversations,” Alpha Bernard said. “So I’ll get right to it. The council was contacted by Alpha Carl.”
Immediately, that caught my attention. “My birth den’s alpha?” I asked. There were most likely more than one Alpha Carl in the world, but why would any other than the one from my birth den be contacting the council and then the created bear wanting to talk to me?
“Yes.”
I nodded. “They’re not trying to make me return, are they?” I looked over at Dante. “They can’t do that, right?”
Dante wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. “No, they can’t. You are my mate. You belong here.”
“Banner,” Master Edison said, his voice calm and quiet. “When was the last time you talked to your parents?”
Dread filled me. “Umm…it’s been a while. Over a year? I’ve been here just under two years now. I talked to them about six months after I was rescued.” I took a deep breath, trying not to get upset about that conversation. “They just didn’t seem to care that I’d been kidnapped. They told me to call them again when Iwas ready to come home and go back to college.” I shrugged. “I haven’t talked to them since.”
“Around November, then, you’d say?” Master Edison asked.
“Yeah, I guess. Sometime around then. It was before the winter solstice festival. I do remember that.” I nodded. “Not this last one. The year before.”
Alpha Bernard and Master Edison both nodded. “Banner,” Alpha Bernard said. “It is safe to assume that you are unaware that your parents had another child, then.”
My mouth dropped open. I had a sibling? And they’d not bothered to tell me? Seriously? I shook my head. I guess they really were finished with me since I wasn’t going to fall in line with their plans.
