Warmth ✔

Chapter 21

As soon as I hit send, my moment of bliss is interrupted as Darius enters my room and announces, "Lucy is here."

Lucy's here? But what is she doing here? She didn't even inform me that she's going to visit me. I get up from the bed and follow Darius to the living room, where I find Matt with his arms crossed, scrutinizing Lucy while Lucy remains seated on the couch quietly. When she sees me, she stands on her feet and approaches me for a hug.

After pleasantries are exchanged, I join her on the couch. She tells me that she has signed up Kate and Jeremy for counseling.

"That's great!" I say genuinely. "Counseling is the first step to recovery."

She nods. She starts to speak up but is interrupted by Matt.

"What are you doing here?" He asks, rather demands with coldness in his voice.

"Matt..." I warn him.

Lucy turns to me and says, "I need your help."

"Why do you always need her help?" Matt bursts out in anger. "Is there anything you can do on your own? Why do you always run to Chriselda for help? Don't you have people to help you? Or they don't trust you enough to help you?"

"Matt!" I exclaim loudly as I stand. "That's enough! Is that the way to talk to our guest?"

"She maybe your guest but she's no guest to me."

"I shouldn't have come here," Lucy says quietly. She stands up and tells me, "I don't want to strain your friendship."

"It's good to know that you're aware about it," Matt comments.

Before I can rebuke him, Lucy mummers, "I should go." She turns around and starts walking towards the front door.

"Lucy, wait!" I call out and reach her to stand in front of her. "I won't let you go until you tell me what the matter is? What help do you need?"

Lucy looks at Matt, waiting for him to express his objection. But before Matt can open his mouth to speak, I say to Lucy, "Let's talk in my room." And I take her to my room, away from Matt's furious eyes. Talking in my room won't prevent him from knowing what Lucy wants but it would help Lucy talk with ease without getting any judgemental look from Matt.

Once we are seated on the bed, Lucy starts, "Do you remember the last time we had a conversation on the phone and I had zoned out on you?" I nod. "You had said that it's high time for leaders to take women training seriously. That got me thinking."

After a pause, she continues thoughtfully, "I have a vision, where all she-wolves are powerful, strong and independent; where all the she-wolves know how to fight to defend themselves against any threat; where they are not looked as breeding machines but an integral part of the pack; where their opinions are equally important as men's. I want to accomplish this vision and the only way to do this is by helping women train."

"And I'm not just talking about women of my and your pack but of all packs in the world," she says she holds my hands. "I don't want any woman to be in Kate's place; I don't want any woman to ever feel helpless again."

"I know where you're coming from," I tell her. "I know that it pains you to see your friend in her state. And I know that you won't wish upon any woman what happened to Kate. But Lucy, how will you be able to fulfill your vision?"

"I'm thinking about talking to the leaders of every pack and encouraging them to train women," she says.

"Do you think that they'll listen?" I question. I'm not being negative, I'm just being practical. Most of the men think that women belong in a domestic setup and not on the battlefield front line.

"I know they won't listen easily. And that's where I need your help. If more and more people support our vision then leaders won't be left with any option other than listening to us," Lucy says optimistically.

I think over her words. Lucy's right. Men can't always be around to defend women. Women need to learn how to fight.

I give her hand a squeeze as I smile and say, "I'm with you."

She returns the smile.

"So, which pack should we approach first?" I ask.

"Scarlet River Pack," she says without missing a beat. It's the same pack where Kate moved in with her mate.

I nod understandingly.

"But how are we going to convince them?"

"I have a plan," Lucy says with determination in her voice. "Which I will tell you at the right time.

"Okay."

"But before we can execute the plan, let's first start training the women of our packs. We should work on setting an example."

"Absolutely," I agree.

"We'll remain in touch and share our progress with each other."

I nod.

"I should go now. It was really nice to see you," she says while giving me a warm smile.

"Same here," I say. After she books a flight on the phone, we both leave the room. "So, you'll be returning to your pack now?" I ask as we descend the stairs.

"Yeah."

"Don't you find travelling by air tiring?"

"I do but I've got no other options." She shrugs.

"You shouldn't have bothered coming here. We could have talked over the phone." By now, we have passed the living room and are standing in front of main door, where I can feel Matt burning a hole in Lucy's head.

"Some conversations are better to have in person than over the phone," she concludes.

"I'll leave you to the airport," I offer.

"You don't need to bother," she starts but I interrupt.

"It's no bother," I say. I open the door and lead the way to my car. We both get inside and drive off.

After reaching the airport, I am about to hop off my car before Lucy stops me. I give her a quizzical look. And she begins to tell me the plan. After she's done talking, I realize why she didn't tell her plan back when we were in the pack house. She didn't want Matt's prying ears to hear about her plan.

After seeing Lucy off at the airport, I return to the pack house where I find Matt, Darius and Alarick with grave expressions on their faces.