The Silver Dagger

Yellowstone

Sitting in the restaurant beside Nate, she didn't feel any closer to him than she had before she nearly killed Cliff. She was strongly attracted to Nate and loved being around him but the pull to his wolf wasn't there. She prayed again that Cliff would be all right. 

"My husband thought it best to bring Alpha Draven into the investigation since Penelope is his Beta's wife," Nate's mother said across the table in front of Aiyana. "Draven is a good man and he recognized Penelope's voice immediately when he heard the recording. I don't know if he's arrested her yet, but he has started an investigation."

"That's good," Alpha Wayne said beside her. "What about her accomplice?"

"Alpha Draven didn't know him. He suspects he's a rogue Penelope hired. I think he'll be tried here."

"And if he's found guilty," Aiyana asked.

"He will never be in a position to kill anyone again," Luna Salma grimaced. "Enough about that. We need to talk about what you and Nate are going to do now. Do you realize you are the only living wolf queen and that you are technically ruler over one of the oldest packs in the world?"

"Um...no."

"Yes! I've been to Scotland before - beautiful country - although I do prefer Yellowstone. There's miles of land on which to roam and the pack there has a castle. There will probably be some resistance when you get there, but with your powers and the support of the Yellowstone pack, I don't think it will last long."

"I'm not going to Scotland."

"You have to, you are the queen!" Luna Salma said.

"No, I don't," Aiyana said at the same time her aunt beside her said, "No she doesn't." Aiyana squeezed her aunt's hand and continued. "They've ruled for a thousand years without a queen, they don't need me."

"But it's your birthright."

"I'm an American, a native American. My home is here. I want to be a doctor and that's what I will become."

Luna Salma shook her head, looking amused. "It's true, youth is wasted on the young. Don't you understand, you don't need to go to school anymore. You are a queen! Queens aren't doctors, they're leaders. Like I said, the Yellowstone pack will support you. You are Nate's mate after all. We'll train you for the position, then help you claim your throne when the time is right." 

Aiyana didn't want to get into an argument in public, and it was too soon to decide now anyway. "Thank you for the offer. I'll take it under consideration.

"There's nothing to consider!" Luna Salma exclaimed.

Nate reached across the table and grabbed his mother's hand. "Mom, let's just enjoy lunch. We can talk about this later, in private."

"Of course." Salma took a sip of her bottled, carbonated water, then blurted, "We can talk on the plane. It's en route as we speak. Since you're all done with classes, Aiyana, and your things are moved, I assume you are free to go now?"

Aiyana hadn't forgotten about the offer, but with everything else going on, she hadn't thought about it again either. "Um, yeah, but I can only stay a week. Will I be able to use the pack plane to fly back or do I need to buy a ticket?"

"You're family now dear. Of course you can use the plane."

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Caveat - she could use the plane if and when it were ever available, but it had been four days and it never was. She'd missed an extra week of work. Doc had been understanding so far but she wasn't going press her luck any further. She rolled over and shook the body next to her. "Nate?"