Tony
This morning we began our trip north, heading to Canada where Cristi's family lived. It would take us two or three days of driving to reach her pack. But at least we now have a plan. As I drove, my mind was going over everything that had happened over the past twenty-four hours. For the life of me, I couldn't even begin to think of who might have been behind the attack on our pack. As far as I was aware, we hadn't been in any form of conflict with anyone. This attack had occurred without any warning. It just didn't make sense. Usually when an attack occurred on a pack you could trace the attack back to previous conflict and tensions between the packs involved. Our pack had been at peace though. I had nothing to go on to try and figure out who had been behind this disaster.
On top of my current bafflement over the attack, I was also worried about Zac. His attitude had been getting out of hand in the hours after the attack. I don't know what was driving his anger. It wasn't just the attack on the pack that much I was sure of. Something was telling me there was more to it than that. The problem was, I didn't know how I was going to get him to open up to me about what was bothering him. He was at that age where everything was a secret and, apparently, parents just didn't understand what teenagers go through. Funnily enough, I remembered that age all too well. I gave my parents hell at that age too. Now, it seemed that Karma was paying me a visit.
During the course of the trip, we got our meals through fast food outlets, going through the drive-thru and stopping to eat at parks where we stood a good chance of seeing danger approaching. We made sure we only stayed in small out-of-the-way hotels where we didn't run the risk of running into anyone who could create any problems for us. The hotels we stayed in were small and cramped and had clearly seen better days. They were cheap though and very quiet. In all honesty, I was sure their clientele were those who were on the wrong side of the law.
To say my family were not impressed with our accommodations was putting it mildly. Growing up as the son of a Beta pair, my son had always lived a life of entitlement. He was the very definition of a silver spoon child. So, sleeping in cheap hotel rooms was making him even more irritated. I couldn't wait until we reached the Blue Lightning pack. At least then he would be out of the confinement he was having to deal with and could work through whatever was bothering him.
Honey had become withdrawn. She was a shell of her former self. She was so quiet that each day it was almost like she was basically on autopilot and going through the motions of living. Her grief was clearly beginning to consume her. I hoped that when we reached Cristi's family that they would be able to put Honey in touch with someone who could help her process her grief. It would take some time for her to get through the ordeal she had endured.
I looked across to where Cristi was sitting in the passenger seat. As if sensing my eyes on her, she turned to me and smiled. I knew she was looking forward to being back with her family. It had been several years since she was last with them. I was sure that Zac would be looking forward to seeing his cousins again. He had always gotten along well with them and had kept in regular contact despite the distance between us.
"Honey will be safe among my family. They are in a position to protect her," Cristi said through the mind link and intruding on my thoughts.
"I honestly don't think we should tell them who she really is," I stated sticking with continuing the conversation through the mind link.
"Why not? They are bound to find out anyway. I mean, what if Zac was to let something slip to one of his cousins?" Cristi asked.
"I will put a gag order on Zac. I feel it is safer for Honey if we are the only ones who know her true identity. We don't even know who was responsible for the attack," I argued, needing her to understand that I was concerned for Honey's safety.
"You can't honestly think my family did this..." Cristi said, sounding shocked.
"I didn't say that. All I said was it was safer for Honey if no one outside our family knew her true identity," I stated.
"The Blue Lightning pack is my family," Cristi reminded me.
"Cristi, I am not going to argue with you on this matter. I am the head of this family and what I say goes. And I say, we tell no one about who Honey really is. Do you understand?" I asked, wanting to hear her say that she would say nothing to anyone.
"Fine," she snapped, not happy with my decision.
"Say I understand," I told her.
"I understand," she replied.
"I hope so. Because if you go against me on this, you won't live to regret it, Mate," I warned her.
That remark got through to her, because I saw her eyes widen, and she looked scared as she watched me. A short time later, she turned her gaze away and kept her eyes fixed on the scenery rushing by her window. I knew I had pushed too far to get her compliance with this, but I had made a promise to two people I loved and respected, and now they were dead. I was going to keep the promise I had made to them. I was going to protect their daughter.