Bound by Blood (An Anya Maynard Novel)

Chapter Eleven

   Eventually the time came when we could call the other Alphas and I reiterated everything I had just told Connor to the group of black boxes covering his desk. It wasn’t a happy meeting –who wanted to hear that the Elves were against us too –but thankfully it was quick. I was restless again and no matter how nice it was to be able to curl up in Connor’s lap and not just an empty chair, I had spent the better part of the last twenty-four hours and bed and I needed to move.

   When all that was done that could be done Steve and I excused ourselves as Connor took care of a few minor matters that had arose while he was gone. Things even as the queen I wasn’t able to resolve because of my less than extensive knowledge of my culture.

   Lucky for me Steve had just the solution. He had some paperwork faxed to the diner from the bank and Sysco for me to sign so I could have the authority to make changes to the business accounts if necessary. It meant not just getting out of the room but out of the house. We wouldn’t be gone long but the –chaperoned –excursion was appreciated. 

   We took Steve’s silver X-Terra since Julie took the Rover back into town with her so she could indeed have her date’s lipstick removed from the back seat. It didn’t have the same bulletproof glass the Rover did, but Steve said he’d taken other precautions to make sure it was just as safe…otherwise Connor would have never allowed me to leave if even Julie agreed to meet us at the diner when we got there.

   Forget just your standard bodyguard, Connor wanted me escorted with a security team the likes the president would be jealous of after that run-in with the elf. And I understood where the concern was coming from, but when I asked him what precautions he was taking he said none, that he wasn’t afraid.

   Steve apparently was as good as a whole team of pack enforcers though.

   Still I huffed thinking about Connor and his double standards as I rocked back and forth in his chair at the diner, waiting for the last sheet to beep its way over to the bank.

   “Anything you want to talk about?” Steve asked as he attempted to somewhat right the mess I had made of the office.

   I had offered to help, but one look at the state of his upended drawers he told me he could handle it himself.

   “Why does he think he’s so invincible?” I asked after a long moment.

   Steve nodded his head in comprehension, “He doesn’t, but the last person he’s going to show his fear to is you.”

   “Why? Why can’t he admit he’s afraid just as much as I am? What will that change?”

   Nothing, I kept telling myself. I would think no less of him if he told me he was scared, or worried that James’s faction was growing stronger, or that he might fail at this Alpha thing. If anything, it would make me feel better knowing I wasn’t the only one with these insecurities.

   “First of all, he is still a wolf. No matter the words that come out of his mouth, or his actions in your presence, remember, in the werewolf world the male is still expected to be the protector.”

   “But he can’t protect me if he’s dead,” I countered. Not that I would be long behind him so I wouldn’t really need protecting.

   Steve sighed and pulled the pages off the antiquated fax machine to add to pile of paper’s that still needed sorting, “you know, I’m really not the one you should be having this conversation with.”

   “He won’t tell me, I know he won’t.”

   He held out a hand to help me up, “come on, I know your mate better than anyone, I can get him to talk for you.”