The bags are packed and ready to go. Now, to get this meeting with the Elders over with. All the boys spent the night with me but they didn’t come back in until a couple hours after my heat had calmed, because they were worried to set it off again.

I let the guys pack up the car, seeing as the Elders have requested to speak to only me. Whatever the hell that means. James keeps hovering at my side, refusing to leave me alone. When I asked him why he was being so protective he answered with, “Because if you go into heat, your wolf won’t want me. Anyone else is fair game. I’ve tasked myself with the responsibility of you being protected from yourself until you are ready for your heat.”

Since I was already nervous about it myself, I was glad someone else was looking out for me. I don’t know if I could trust myself. In the moment last night, I would have given anything to be with Jason but today, I would have been regretting it. We’ve barely known each other for a couple weeks. As much as my wolf is trying to convince me we’re ready for that step, I don’t feel it. And even though I know that the heat cycle is meant for the continuation of our kind, kids have never been something that factored into my life. Even when I thought I was a defective wolf who couldn’t shift, it was never part of my plans. All I wanted was to run through the forests, maybe find a wolf who would be a good match so we could spend our days together. Sad but true. You always want what you don’t have. For me that was my wolf. Now that I have her, I have no idea what I want. All I know is I want my mates right beside me.

I knock on the door, not bothering to wait, “You ready to see me?” I ask, closing the door behind me.

All the Elders are gathered in the same chairs they were yesterday with a sombre expression on their faces. This doesn’t look good.

I take a seat facing them, preparing myself for whatever comes next. Erick, Lance and Sammy are sharing the sofa, looking withdrawn. Jax is over on the chair to my right, looking more neutral than anything. No expression on his face.

Meanwhile Sonja is sitting in the high-backed chair, looking all regal in her pale silver pantsuit. Her ebony hair brushed off to one side. Her face radiating satisfaction. “Dani, how good to see you today. It brings me nothing but pleasure to tell you to get out! You are no longer welcome in this pack. You are banished.” She smiles sweetly at me.

My stomach drops. She can’t be serious? I look at each of the others waiting for one of them to speak up but nothing. I stand, raising myself to my full height, even though they all tower over me. “This is what you want? What you all want?” I ask, gesturing to the men. I can’t believe they’d all want me gone.

Sonja gets to her feet, “Look Danielle,” she draws out my name snidely, “We don’t want you here. We don’t need you here. As Elders, we are more than effective to lead our people,” she says haughtily.

I can’t help it, I laugh. I see Lance, Erick and Jax trying not to smirk which just makes me laugh harder.

“You dare show me such disrespect?!” Sonja growls stomping her foot angrily. Oh god, now she’s acting like a child.

I wipe the tear that gathered in the corner of my eye and stare her head on, “How do you expect to lead our people, when you’ve already led them to ruin? You let an Alpha Pair lead them who were using their power to blackmail, kidnap and kill people! Hell, Luke was the one responsible for trying to take me the other day but no, you still think you’re better off without me? Tell me something, with me gone, how are you going to tell the pack that only the Tiern and Wyld pack are able to have females in heat because you got rid of their only chance?” I say throwing it in her face that there is something I can offer the pack that the Elders can’t.

From what James explained to me last night, the only packs that had heat cycles start for their females were Pete and Nate’s. He theorized that, when I visit each pack, my power is spread among them, starting the heat.

Erick leans forward an eager expression on his face. “Your heat started? When?” he asks excitedly.

“Yep. Last night it decided to make a very unexpected appearance. We also found out since I left Tim’s pack, they’ve had an influx of females going into heat. And Lily has noticed the same thing happening here. So, tell me Sonja, can you give the wolves in the other packs the chance to finally have children?” I ask, leaning back, confident that she will have no choice but to keep me around.

Sonja’s face is turning an ugly shade of red, and it pleases me more than I’d care to admit. I guess she thought I would just roll over and accept whatever she said. No, my father died for me to be here. I will follow through until the end.

Jax stands, summoning all of our attention with his movement, “Dani, would you please give us a moment? We need to discuss this development.”

“That’s fine, but could you make it quick? We have a plane to catch,” I remind them. They nod as I make my way out of the room, closing the door firmly behind me.

I cross the hall, sitting on the bottom step and wait for them to call me back in. Sonja is a real bitch. The balls she has to call me in and try and kick me out like that, I can’t believe it! I honestly thought the Elders would be smarter and decide to keep me around but she is playing them all. What is she holding over them, that they would try to get rid of me? I plan to find out because I am not going to let her try the same shit with me.

Jake waltzes down the hall, hands linked behind his back with a big grin on his face. “Hello Your Majesty,” he mocks. He knows I hate the titles.

“Hey Jake. What ya doing?” I ask as he plops down on the step beside me. He nudges my shoulder playfully, “I’m your enforcer. After being taken, we agreed no alone time for you. One of us is to always be within distance. It’s safer that way,” he says when I go to argue.

Sighing in defeat, I know he’s right. It’s doesn’t mean I have to like it. “So… How’d the packing go? Did you grab everything?” I ask biding the time.

He shrugs, his eyes staring down the hall, “Yep, got it all. Rick and the others are just stuffing it into the cars. We have a private plane waiting for us to take us to the Slade pack once the Elders are finished screwing around with you.” He wraps an arm over my shoulder, pulling me close. I lean into him, letting my wolf feel content with a fellow pack member and friend. Jake has become a rock to me this past week. With everything that has happened, then with my dad, he’s helped me stay sane.

“I don’t care if she’s the Queen!”

Jake and I exchange glances at the outburst of Sonja’s voice from the room. The door to the room opens, Sonja storming out. She stops at the doorway turning back to shout, “YOU WILL REGRET THIS!”

Well, I guess that didn’t go the way she was hoping it would. I listen as she stomps down the hall and out the back door, slamming it shut behind her. Wonder what happened?

“Dani?”

I bolt to my feet at the sound of Lance’s voice. He beckons me into the room and I follow throwing a smile back at Jake. He winks as I go, leaning back on the step, the dutiful guard.

All the guys are gathered around, looks of relief on their faces. “What’s going on?” I ask, sitting in the same chair as before.

Sammy steps in front of me, “Sonja has been playing us for a while to get what she wants. We didn’t realise how bad things were until today. She tried to say you had fabricated your heat cycle so, we called Tim and Laura. The news we were told has brought joy to our hearts. Laura has finished a heat cycle and is now pregnant,” he says, grinning at me. “We need you Dani, to be our Queen and bring us back to our former glory.”