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The Gift

Chapter 5: In the Dark

Alec

No one offered to cook or plan a meal, so we ordered pizza instead. Victoria calculated that we would need about 7 pies to feed everyone, so Harley and I volunteered to pick them up. An easy meal to please a diverse crowd.

We unloaded the pizzas and carried a few each into the ballroom, a little behind schedule. Holding one back for my family, I opened a few varieties before inviting my pack to eat by taking the first bite. Everyone scrambled to the table, pushing and shoving for their pieces.

“Fall in line! I know you are more respectful than that,” I chastised, watching them immediately find a place in a few single-file lines to wait patiently for their food.

I observed them for a bit, taking in the crowd of people. Such a miscellaneous congregation. Shifters, witches, hybrids, and humans, all together under one roof. They all chose this pack, this family, and this freedom. They continue to choose it every day. When someone finds our pack, it usually means they have healing to do or have something they need to discover or understand.

We give people the support they need to see themselves — genuinely see themselves. They find us whether lost, abandoned, kidnapped, or runaways of their own volition. Sometimes they find their path ends here, and they choose to stay. Other times, they remain in the dark and decide to keep running, never knowing the world, here, lurking right under their noses. Whatever the choice, we offer safety, acceptance, and love to anyone who needs it and happens upon this estate.

Standing guard over the pizza, I noticed Lynn approaching for her slice. One of my favorites; a spunky 15-year-old who knows a little too much.

“Hey Lynn,” I greeted.

“Hi, Mr. Bader,” she replied, knowing I hated it when she used mister on me.

I rolled my eyes, “Have you seen Jo, Vicky, Reese, or any of them recently?”

“Uh, yeah. The whole crew stopped by for like 10 minutes. Once Holly made her rounds, they disappeared, as per usual. You guys barely missed them.”

“Thanks for looking out, Lynn; you’re a great kid,” I said, ruffling her hair for effect.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, swatting me away. “OH! There was some new girl with them — seemed shy. She just clung to Zinny the whole time.”

“Got it, thanks. Enjoy the rest of the party. I’m gonna go find the others; you know where to find me if you need me!”

I grabbed the spare pizza and started my way out of the ballroom. I nodded for Harley to follow as we made our way to my office.

“Seems like the infamous Elinora is finally gracing us with her presence,” I mused aloud to Harley.

“Where’d you hear that? Hmm, don’t tell me… your little spy, Lynn?”

“Bingo. That kid pays attention. Apparently, a new girl showed up with Holly and Zindra. Lynn mentioned she was arm in arm with Zin, so I guess it could be a new conquest of hers.”

Harley contemplated for a moment, “Nah, you know Zin wouldn’t do that to Vicky, even as vindictive as she can be.”

“Then my best guess is the best friend we have all been assuming Holly made up.”

“Y’all have been assuming Holly made her up,” Harley countered. “I believed her the whole time. Although, after years without a face to the name, I admit I can see why you guys give her so much grief about it.”

I just shook my head in response. Holly and Zindra had already explained Elinora’s peculiar… condition. Neither one would give me any insight other than it caused significant discomfort in large crowds of strangers. I guess I understand; it is Elinora’s story to tell. I had just swept any stories of her under the rug in my brain, never thinking she would show up here, under one roof with such eclectic individuals.

Now that I knew a stranger, a mystery waited in the lair, I was giddy with anticipation.

We reached the office, shutting the door behind us before Harley instinctually found the disguised lever to open the staircase. As kids, we spent hours looking for this manor’s secrets, dodging Split Creek employees as we went. There are a few, but this one is the biggest and best.

Pushing the bookshelf back into the wall behind us, we started the decline down the stairs. I could hear five familiar heartbeats as we approached the final steps. Still, I chose to focus on the sixth and unfamiliar.

“What? Are you guys too good to hang out with the rest of the pack?” I joked as I rounded the last of the staircase.

I looked up to greet my family, only to meet amber eyes that cemented me in place. My wolf howled with joy and recognition. A mate? My mate? I basked in this moment, in her lounging in this space of mine with such familiarity. She seemed just as enchanted with me as I with her. I wanted to, had to, needed to convey how much I profoundly, completely, absolutely, and unconditionally loved her at that moment.

As Harley ran into my back, I broke eye contact, stumbling down the last few steps, scrambling to save the pizza on steady feet. I found my footing before a light growl escaped me.

Harley threw his hands up, “Dude, look, I’m sorry. I’ll pay more attention in the future.”

“No, you won’t,” chimed Reese, wrapping his arm around Harley. “You’re the biggest klutz I know. Your head is so far up in the clouds, you couldn’t see where you’re going even if you tried.”

Harley plastered on a frown of mock hurt before the corners of his mouth quirked up, “But you love me anyway!”

Reese’s face broke out into a grin before pecking Harley on the forehead, “No doubt about it, babycakes.”

Reese and Harley were a couple and the only two out of the 7 of us who found their mate. At first, it was strange for me to see two people I called my siblings stealing longing glances at each other. But once the mating bond set in when they both turned 18, there was no denying they were meant for each other. Now, it was soothing to see the effortless love and admiration they held for each other and how it had morphed them into better versions of themselves.

My attention snapped back to those amber eyes. Jo was on it. She could sense my sudden infatuation with the new girl and had to figure out a way to steal away my concentration.

Peeling herself out of one of the bean bag chairs, she made her way over to me and pulled me into an embrace.

I briefly hugged her back, but I held my stare firm. The intensity between us grew as I remained fixated. Jo said something I couldn’t hear or understand. I was too busy swimming in the melted copper of my mate’s eyes.

Jo resorted to waving her hands in front of my face before the alluring young woman turned away, pink flooding her cheeks.

“Earth to Alec,” Jo pestered.

I acknowledged her, only to coax her into spilling my mate’s name. “Yeah… Hi, Jo. Who’s this?” I gestured to the still-occupied chair.

Holly proudly stated, “This, Alec, is my best friend, Elinora.”

Seeming to debate her next movie inside her head, Elinora chose to cross the distance between us as I stepped around Jo and extended a hand.

“It’s… It’s nice to meet you, Alec,” she shuddered as I grabbed her hand in my own.

Gathering all the sincerity I could muster, I replied, “I am grateful to finally have this chance to meet you, Elinora. Oddly enough, I do feel like I already know you.”

She smiled at that, and I shattered. My wolf began whimpering; she had already won. I witnessed one smile from my sweet Elinora, and my walls crumbled, leaving her as the only other soul who could take the pieces and make them whole. She now carried my heart, and I don’t think she even knows of this instinctual bond drawing us together.

“I’m glad you said that.” Elinora giggled, “I feel the same way.”

“I’m just glad I don’t have to defend Holly against everyone calling you fake, now,” Harley cut in.

“Thank you,” sniffed Holly. “And, see! All of you deserve a big, fat I-told-you-so. But, I’m a good friend. I’ll hold back.”

“Oh, yeah,” quipped Vicky. “You really had us shakin’ in our boots there. What’s next? You send us to bed without supper?”

“Vic,” Zindra started. “That one felt forced. You losing your flair?”

Vicky snarled, “Ugh. Maybe I’ve just hit my quota of witty comments for the day.”

“Sure, whatever makes you feel better.”

Jo cleared her through from her spot behind me. “Well, now that we are all here and acquainted, I think we deserve an explanation.”

“An explanation?” Reese questions, “Of what?”

“Come on! Don’t tell me you guys aren’t just as curious as I am,” Jo huffed. “I want to know what mysterious ‘gift’ kept her from meeting us for so long.”

All the eyes in the room shifted to Elinora, who suddenly looked very queasy. Even though I felt the sadistic undertone to Jo’s request, I couldn’t ignore my burning interest in her secret.

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