When they said Viking funeral, I expected it to be Dad’s body burning on a boat that had been pushed to sea. Turns out that wasn’t what they meant at all.

Here we are on the edge of pack lands, all dressed pretty casually considering the occasion. My dad has been cleaned up and dressed in a sharp black suit before being placed on a funeral pyre at the edge of the lake.

The whole pack has turned out to honor his memory, some in wolf form, some human.

Monique steps forward to make a speech which I was told was procedure for days like this. Her power is radiating from her, even though she is no longer Alpha Queen.

“Welcome everyone. I wish it was under better circumstances that we are meeting but unfortunately, one of our own has fallen. Today we say goodbye to one of the bravest pack members we have ever had. Gregory saved my daughter when no one else could. He stopped her from being forced into a mating with Luke and left to keep my baby safe.” There’s a slight pause as she sniffles, wiping away tears which set off my own.

“What most of you know now is, Blair died protecting our beautiful granddaughter, Danielle. If it weren’t for Gregory keeping her safe all these years and teaching her how to defend herself, she wouldn’t be here today.

“Today, we mourn the man who raised our future Alpha Queen. Today, we remember each thing he did to help the pack and its members. Today, we mourn the loss of a great man. May he join his mate in the afterlife,” she finishes, ending on a howl.

The rest of the pack joins in as Walter hands Monique a wooden torch, already burning brightly. She places it at the bottom of the pyre and I stare as the flames engulf his body.

The pack shifts as one, and as much as I want to, I can’t. My emotions are too raw right now. It reminds me of every time Dad used to shift for me. Pete, Nate and Jonnie hang around me as the others all take off. Slowly, I walk back to the house, shuffling my feet in the dirt, feeling horrible that I’m not honoring Dad’s death the way the pack is.

It just doesn’t feel right to me. I wander through the woods, the guys give me some space as I day dream. Finally, I find the perfect place to sit. A clearing in the woods that’s darkened by the trees around us, only giving a small glimpse of the sun above. It’s quite perfect really.

I lean back against the moss-covered rock and stare up at the sun, wondering if Dad is happy wherever he is? I hope he finds Mom and can have some peace but I miss him. He was my whole world. Now I’m stuck with mates who are treating me like glass and one who keeps avoiding me.

Cam still hasn’t shown up. He was on the edge of the lake watching the funeral but that was it. No hello. No, I’m sorry for what happened. No, let me make it better. Nothing. Radio silence.

He blames himself for what happened, I just don’t see why? So what if he went to see his father? It’s not like he went in there and went ‘Oh, hey Dad, do you mind poisoning my mate?’ and then walked out. He went to find out answers he needed, just as I would’ve in his situation.

Once Nate and Pete sense I’m comfortable, they snuggle down beside me using their heat to keep me warm. Jonnie sits in front of me, effectively guarding me from any attacks. Mitchell and Jason are around, I sense their presence close by but I can’t see them yet. I thought for sure by now Cam would come and find me, to hold me, to help me come to terms with everything.

The leaves rustle close by sending Pete and Nate on alert. I crouch prepared for whatever comes at us, relaxing immediately when their scent crosses the area.

“Seriously guys? You’re trying to sneak up on us after everything that’s happened?” I call, as Jake and Rick burst into the area, massive grins on their faces.

Jake frowns, slightly confused before realization dawns, “Shit, we didn’t even think, we just wanted to make you happy. Sorry Dani.”

Pete, Nate, Jonnie and I all relax again as they join us on the ground. Rick is carrying a basket and places it down in front of me, like a peace offering. “We know how hard today is going to be so we wanted to try and make things better. We brought some card games, some sandwiches and lots of chocolate. We will do whatever you want. If you just want to talk, then we can talk. If you want us to listen, then we’ll listen or if you want us to sit quietly, then there’s duct tape in there for Jake so he will stay quiet,” Rick winks at me causing a small smile to spread across my face.

“Thanks guys,” I murmur, glad they’re here with me. “Do you know if Cam’s coming? I thought he would have showed up by now,” I admit, trying not to let my sadness be heard but knowing I fail miserably. 

It’s hard not having him with me. With us.

Jake grins at me, “Why yes he is. We saw him on the way and threatened him with bodily harm if he doesn’t show up. He can’t keep wallowing in self-pity and trying to think what he could have done differently. It will destroy him.”

“Instead he should be here, helping you through this,” Rick growls through clenched teeth. Wow, I didn’t realize it would bother him so much. After all it’s my mate, not his.

Sighing, I think about Cam and hope that he shows up. If not for my sake, but for the others. They rely on him just as much as I do.

My instincts say he won’t but I can’t help but hope. “It’s ok, Rick. I understand why he feels the need to give me space. I just wish he would stop avoiding me and just talk to me. Rip the Band-Aid off. Get it all out in the open. That way we can just move past it. As it is, the Elders want me to go to them today to tell me when we leave and whose pack we’re going to first. If we try to finish the trials with so much distance between us, we’ll never make it through,” I admit sadly.

“Tell you what. If he doesn’t show up by the end of the day, we’ll hunt him down, tie him to a chair, and make him talk to you,” Rick says simply, pulling out a block of chocolate from the basket and handing it to me.

As appealing as that sounds, I know I have to give him time. He’s obviously sorting through some stuff and until he’s ready to deal with it, there’s nothing I can do. I’d hate to be the nagging girlfriend who keeps pestering until she pushes the guy away.

Instead, I lean back and munch on my chocolate enjoying the sounds of the forest as I savor the chocolatey goodness. I have no idea how long I’ve been out here, but it’s been fantastic. Surprisingly enough, Jake has actually kept quiet without the need of tape.

The sun has disappeared from the spot that was clear in the trees so, I’m guessing at least a couple of hours have gone by, which means it’s time for me to go. The Elders won’t tolerate tardiness even after all that’s happened. According to them, it’s vital to compete the trials sooner rather than later since I elected a temporary leader. They want me in charge before any damage can be done, not that they should be worried. Tim and Laura are more than capable of looking after the packs.

I get to my feet reluctantly. “Ok guys, we have to get going. The Elders will be expecting me,” I grumble, wiping the lingering dirt off my back and legs. I watch Jake and Rick pack up our afternoon picnic, not surprised that Cam didn’t show up. My instincts are usually never wrong.

Maybe I should go find him? No. He’ll find me when he’s ready, I tell myself. I look around at the others and realize I’m procrastinating. This is one meeting I’m not looking forward to.

Jonnie, Nate and Pete stretch out while Mitch and Jason lope into the area with a couple of yips aimed at me. “I know, I know, I’m coming. Do you guys want to go shift and meet me back at the house?” Nate growls looking over at Jake and Rick, telling me with his eyes that I’m not allowed to go alone. “Yes, I’ll take Jake and Rick with me until you guys can meet me,” I smile, knowing exactly what he wanted. The more time we spend together, the closer we get.

He huffs, pleased. My mates take off leaving Jake to swoop me into his arms. “Relax princess, I will carry you to your doom,” he deadpans, making me laugh. “Seriously though, you’re probably exhausted. Just let me take care of you while Rick watches our back,” he says, going from jovial to stern in a second, before back to flirting. “Now that I have you in my arms, do I get another kiss?” he asks cheekily.

“I may be following you but I’m not deaf. Besides, I’m pretty sure Dani doesn’t have the parts to keep you interested for long,” Rick chuckles behind us.

“Oh fine. Spoil my fun then,” Jake pouts down at me like a child who had his favorite toy taken away.

He’s such a good guy. He may joke about being with me but I know he would never do that to Rick. He loves him more than life itself. That’s what I want with my mates. Unconditional love with no trials keeping us from being together.

“And here we are your Highness. Now get your tooshie up to the council, we’ll follow you until you get to the hall. Then we’ll stand guard until your mates show up, so no wandering!” he chides. He knows me so well. I would leave if no one was hanging around. Not to be trouble, only because I would get bored. Ok, maybe a little to be naughty because who really wants to be stuck in a meeting with boring Elders giving you orders about what to do and say.

I run up the stairs, eager to get this over with. The meeting is about what order we visit the packs in and how soon we leave but I have a feeling there’s something more. Lance came to me yesterday to tell me about the meeting but he wasn’t allowed to reveal too much. All he could say was, with Luke gone, it’s left a bit of a power vacuum. Even the rogues have decided to step up their game. James has been warning me to be very careful during the pack visits as some of them have been reaching out to get into our packs. He explained that not all rogues are bad, but some can have their own agendas just like everyone else and he wouldn’t put it past them to try and get to me. Just another thing I have to be aware of.

I reach the landing of their floor and approach their quarters. I take a deep breath before knocking on the door. I wait for them to let me in, hoping the guys don’t take too long. The Elders can be a bit much and I always end up sticking my foot in my mouth. Nate and Jonnie both help me remain calm when I’m around power-hungry douche nozzles.

The door swings open and I have to hold in a groan. “Ah Danielle, we’ve been waiting for you, please come in,” Sonja greets me, a hostile smile on her face.

I smile, gritting my teeth to avoid saying something snarky. Following her into their room, I’m surprised to see it set up different than last time. This time there are couches set up in a semi-circle and a nice-looking sofa chair. The sofa chair is the only thing that remains free from the group and I’m happy to take it. I sink into it, surprised by how plush it is. It’s super comfy. Huh, maybe I could stick around for a bit if I got to stay on this sofa.

Having settled in pretty well, I look up at the Elders, waiting for someone to speak.

Sammy leans forward, placing himself at the edge of his seat, and starts the meeting off, “Danielle, thank you for coming today, especially after everything that has happened. I can’t imagine what you’re going through but I want you to know we’re here for you if you need to talk,” he says with compassion. I offer him a smile, showing how grateful I am for their support at this time but what he says next, wipes it from my face. “Now, we did discuss delaying the trials for a little longer so you could grieve. However, we can only give you today. Without Luke in charge, the packs are in chaos. They need to see you and know that our queen is progressing. Which brings us to the reason you’re here,” he says, sitting up straighter and looking at Jax.

Jax takes his cue, picking up where Sammy left off, “We’ve voted on it, and we agreed instead of a week with each of the packs, you’ll only get three days. We have informed the leaders of each pack to get their problems in order so you will have the whole time to work on the challenges. You will interact with each pack, getting to know them and assisting them with whatever issues they have. We will be coming with you but in a ‘seen not heard’ manner. If you can’t handle the problems the packs give you, then that will reflect on your leadership abilities and we will judge you accordingly.”

Jeez, way to be blunt. Nothing like letting a girl grieve for her father but wait, I don’t get to do that. I can’t sit by and let them treat me this way. “Look, I understand this is a tradition among your people, but my father died yesterday,” I say, emphasis on yesterday. “You’re telling me I must leave tomorrow to meet the packs. Do you really have no compassion?” I challenge, my anger getting the better of me.

Erick stands from his seat, towering over me.  “You may be our queen,” he snaps, “but do not forget your place.  If you can’t lead your people through this trauma then how can you lead them at all? Life isn’t always going to be cupcakes and rainbows.” He pauses taking a breath to compose himself but it looks like too much effort as each word flows from his mouth. “Cameron has already agreed to this and on the last pack, he will remain behind to lead his father’s people. It’s time you step up and accept what needs to be done to rule your people,” he booms at me which just angers me further.

I jump from my chair, rage burning inside me. “Fine! I will do as you wish. Just remember as your Queen, you can no longer order me about. You may want to think about where that will leave all of you in the future!” I growl, stomping from the room.

Part of me feels bad because I know that’s going to come back to bite me in the ass, though the other part of me, the part who is focusing on the fact that Cam spoke to them without me, it’s raging. My wolf can feel my anger and is just as pissed. We’re supposed to be in this together! Now I find out he’s staying with his father’s pack after I finish their challenge.  Does that mean he no longer wants to be my mate? Is he just giving up? No! I’m not letting him out that easy. I’m gonna hunt that coward down!

I storm down the hall, making Jake stumble when he sees my expression. “Whoa! What’s going on? Did something happen?” he asks hesitantly, looking behind me for an unseen threat.

“Dani, please wait,” Lance calls, getting closer. I close my eyes and take a deep breath trying to keep calm. I’m not in the mood for this shit.

“What?!” I growl, my anger in control.

Jake takes a few steps back and I turn to face Lance head on. I want him to see just how pissed I am because if he says the wrong thing, it’s going to end badly for him. “Look, just hear me out ok? We didn’t mean to piss you off and I’m sorry that you feel we’re being unfair, but try to see it from our point of view. Luke’s imprisoned for almost killing his son, Tim and Laura are temporarily in charge along with help from Monica and Walter and then we have you. To an outsider, it looks more like you are playing around with your mates then doing your duty. Yes, you’re dealing with the loss of your father and as much as we don’t want to push you into this before you’re ready, we have no choice. Our kind needs stability, a leader. People may go to Tim for advice but it’s instinctual to want to go to our queen and king.  

“Until you’re in charge, they may still go to Luke and that will give him every chance in the world to turn the packs against you, making the scene that happened at the trial seem like a necessary evil for the greater good. It only takes a few to start an uprising but with you speeding through the trials we can hopefully nip anything that happens, before it threatens you.

“Please try to remember that we are only trying to do what is best for our people,” he pleads making me soften. I know what he’s saying is right.

“You’re right. I overreacted in there. I know we need to complete this process sooner rather than later it’s just hard. I’m sorry for shouting. I was just surprised that Cam has decided to stay with his pack after this trial. He didn’t say anything to me,” I admit, watching Lance’s eyes widen in surprise.

He looks shocked. “Wait, he didn’t say anything to you first? Oh fuck! You should go talk to him. I’ll just leave you to your more than capable guards,” he rambles just as Rick joins Jake’s side.

I watch as he goes, wondering what’s going on? He looked terrified that Cam hadn’t spoken to me first, which has me even more annoyed at what I’ll find.

“What happened?” Rick whispers behind me, trying to be quiet but his deep voice always catches my ears.

I face them ready to hunt down my mate and almost laugh as the boys faces pale. “Shit! Should I call the others before you find Cam?” Jake asks, as if I have an answer for him. Rick glances between Jake and I before muttering, “I don’t want to clean up a dickless wolf,” he mutters as I grin evilly.

I laugh, knowing that’s a big possibility at this moment. “Sure. Better make it fast though because who knows how I’ll react when I find him. My wolf and I are beyond pissed so keep that in mind,” I smirk, taking steps down the hall not even drawing my wolf back from the edge.

Glancing behind me, I pause when I notice both Rick and Jake have disappeared. Huh, I must look really pissed for both of them to leave me alone. They’ve both been stuck to me after we found Dad dead. Guess it’s up to me to find Cam before the rest of my mates do. Challenge accepted.