Page 57 of Wild Wolf
“Yes m’mam,” shewhispered.
Meemaw patted her hand. “Heard you stirred up quite a few things, too. You’re a strong one and don’t stand formuch.”
Jordan stood, kissed her cheek. “Thankyou.”
Nolan’s mother, Sue, gestured to the kitchen. “Jordan, lunch is almost ready. Would you like to helpme?”
“Of course.” She glanced at MeeMaw and Nolan. “Please excuseme.”
When she trotted off to the kitchen, Nolan sank into the chair next to his grandmother. “After lunch, will you talk alone with her? She might confide in you. Woman towoman.”
His grandmother’s gaze sharpened. “Doubt it. That one has a heavy burden and she needs to share it with you, honey. Not this oldbody.”
“She won’t talk with me. She’s out of control, MeeMaw, wanting to break withtradition.”
“Traditions aren’t what make us, Nolan. Love does. Don’t be so determined to mimic your pa. He wasn’t perfect. Times change and you change,too.”
Nolan slowly absorbed this. “I’ve been running the pack since Dad died as best as I know how. You suggesting I stir things up, change everything? I don’t know if they’lllisten.”
“They’ll listen,” MeeMaw said in her croaking voice. She placed her thin hand over his and he felt alarm at how fragile sheappeared.
Yet inside beat the heart of a strong female who had survived tragedy andchallenges.
“You’re the alpha,” she remindedhim.
“There are traditions I’m not fondof.”
“Then why keepthem?”
“Because some days I feel like if I change things too much, the pack will slip through my fingers,” headmitted.
“Uh huh. Too much change all at once isn’t good for any community. But some traditions should beabandoned.”
“Suchas?”
“Talk to your new mate. I’m sure she’ll know.” MeeMaw’s nose twitched. “Sue’s ham, gravy and fresh biscuits are calling me. Give an old wolf a hand, willyou?”
He helped her into the kitchen, and onto a wide wood chair with a padded cushion. His grandmother sat with a heavy sigh and they began toeat.
Nolan remained silent throughout much of the meal. When his mother got up to serve more sweet tea, he turned toJordan.
“Pixie, if you ran the pack, what traditions would youeliminate?”
Jordan paused, staring at him. She set her fork down. “Is this a trickquestion?”
“No,” he said quietly. “I really want to know. Here, in the privacy of my mother and grandmother’shome.”
Warmth filled him as he looked at both of them. “The two most important women in my life, next toyou.”
She looked suspicious. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Well, you already know how I feel about being on the dais with you at meetings. Except you were pretty firm on not changingthat.”
He nodded. Maybe her way of addressing it had irked him, but he agreed with her. “I never give ground to anyone challenging me in meetings. Not even my ownmate.”
“Oh.” Jordan’s face fell. “I disregarded your authority in front of everyone. Didn’t realize it appeared thatway.”
