The Claim ✔️ *Editing*

23. Back To Normal

I took a seat on the last step leading to the pack house doors then pulled out my phone and dialed Titus's number. Each time the phone rung I felt my heart drop, nervous to hear his voice. He finally answered on the third ring. "Hello?" He said in a raspy voice.

"Titus."I said flatly.

The line went silent for a few seconds.

"Brinn?" He asked excitedly.

"Look, I don't what you're planning, but you need to stop." He sighed. "I just want you to come home."He said pleadingly. 

I rolled my eyes. "I am home."

He growled loudly. "Stop this nonsense Brinn! I'm coming to get you right now!" He snapped.

"No! I will never forgive you if you start a war with my father!" I felt the wet tears stain my face. "You did this to yourself Titus, and now you have to live with it."

I heard him take a deep breath. "The Ally Meeting." I furrowed my brows, confused on what that had to do with anything. "I'll give you until the Ally Meeting, but after that, you are coming home with me Brinn. I will not take no for an answer." He explained. 

We started the Ally Meeting a few years back after Red Moon and Grey Stone became allies. It's when the two packs come together for a day and celebrate their union. The visiting pack brings their warriors and their families. This year Red Moon was hosting it, so Grey Stone would be visiting.

"We'll see about that." I ended the call and opened up my calendar app. The fact that he thought he could order me around baffled me, especially after the decisions he has made. 

 The Ally Meeting was taking place two weeks from today. Great, I had exactly two weeks to get my sh*t together. Either way, I knew I was not going down without a fight.

***

I ran into Seth on my way to the woods. I hadn't shifted in a while and my wolf was strangely quiet. "There she is." Seth said as he approached me. 

He linked his arms around mine. "Let's go for a walk." I rolled my eyes. "Fine."

We walked in silence until we approached a clearing. Seth came to a stop then sat on the forest floor. I followed his lead and sat across from him. "Your brother is something serious." This peeked my interest. "How so?"

"He knocked me on my a*s this morning." He said with a chuckle, causing me to smile.

"He's definitely underestimated. He'll make a good alpha one day." He said.

"I hope so." I bit my bottom lip nervously. Everyone had high expectations for Owen, sometimes I wondered if it was too much pressure on him.

Seth's eyes traced over my bottom lip causing me to quickly released my lip from my teeth's grasp. Seth snapped his eyes to mine, taking in a deep breath, I squirmed under his penetrating gaze. He shook his head then stared down at his lap. "You know...." He traced the nearly melted snow with his fingers. "It seems we've both got the short end of the stick when it comes towards our mates." I nodded slowly.

"Yeah..." My wolf growled in protest. Even though her mate hurt her, she still had this loyalty towards him. I couldn't understand how she could be loyal to a wolf who wasn't loyal to her, but in her mind it wasn't the wolf's fault. It was Titus's.

"I wish we could have been mates." My eyes went wide, I didn't know what to say to this confession. Yeah, things might have been simpler, but I had to trust the moon goddess knew what she was doing. Even if it didn't make sense to me at the moment.