Was it all somehow related?
Stop and ground yourself before you continue.
Yes, that was the best course of action to control her heated emotions. Aurora ceased stomping through the snow and stood still. She took a long, deep inhale, and then paused, counting to three before she exhaled. Breathing was the cornerstone to ground herself and she repeated that action twice more. While continuing the slow breaths, she closed her eyes and focused on her surroundings. The cool bite in the mountain air had a hint of moisture lingering. She took off her gloves and ran her hands through the air; it felt like a cool whisper along her fingertips.
She tipped her head back and the warmth of the morning sun caressed her face. After opening her mouth, she practically tasted the mountain air on her tongue. She pressed her lips together, tipped her head upright, and then listened. It was so quiet here. So different from the city along the shore with the rolling ocean. The occasional rustle of small creatures through the fallen twigs and leaves of the nearby forest pierced the otherwise serene silence.
Returning her focus to her breath, she turned her consciousness inward, seeking the energy within. She visualized a small light in the center of her chest and it growing to the size of a fist. Now it was time to ground herself. She pictured a small green tendril of energy curling from the bottom of her glowing light. This branch extended downward as it grew toward her feet. Once it extended from her into the snow and then the soil beneath, the branch thickened. It spread like a root in the soil, with shoots that spread and formed a foundation.
Aurora continued breathing through this energy transfer until she felt a solid connection to the earth. For the next few minutes, she visualized the excess energy flowing down and away from her and in turn drew on the earth to replenish her with more positive energy.
Calm. At last.
Once she felt refreshed, she thanked the earth and ended the connection. When she continued her walk back to Franconia territory, she was not as fraught by her emotions.
In front of the octagonal brown lodge where Grayson worked, adjacent to the main lodge where guests rented skis, signed up for lessons, and bought food, she sighed. Time to tell him the bad news. Sucking up her failure, she entered the lodge and walked up to Grayson’s office.
He had his phone up to his ear as he sat behind his desk.
Just seeing him there hit her with a wave of inappropriate awareness. His dark looks and muscular torso made it difficult not to stare. His movements, too, were magnetic. His confident bearing and smooth motions enticed her, especially in comparison to the rougher wolf shifters she’d just encountered.
When he saw her, he ended the call and invited her in.
“Hi.” Her voice came out breathy, and strange tingles warmed her cheeks.
Grayson smiled in a way that sent heat swirling all the way down to her toes.
“Aurora, you’re back sooner than I expected.” He tapped his strong chin. “Does that mean good news or bad?”
She pressed her lips together, wishing she could squash the reality. “I wish I could say it went great.”
As she summarized the unsuccessful talk, Grayson’s expression hardened.
She lowered her head. “I apologize. I know this isn’t what you want to hear.”
“No need to apologize for their unreasonable demands.” His voice was gentle. “I know what they’re like. My failure to make progress is what led me to reach out for your help.”
Despite his understanding sentiments, Aurora couldn’t help but feel useless thus far.
“Come on. We need to tell Rafe.”
In Rafe’s office, Grayson took on the unappetizing task and filled Rafe in on the situation.
“They are out of their minds to even think we would consider either one of those options,” Rafe bellowed. He narrowed his eyes and balled his hands into fists. “The head of an enforcer or the land and resort we have poured ourselves into building for the last decade?” He snorted and then banged one fist onto his desk, sending pens scattering. “Absolutely not.”
Rafe’s reaction fit with the temperamental picture she associated with alphas, and it made her appreciate Grayson’s calm nature all the more. In spite of the troublesome talks, he was considerate and never once blamed her, a reaction she’d encountered a handful of times by frustrated clients in the past.
“Is there anything else we can offer that they are more likely to reconsider?” she asked, struggling not to let Grayson down just yet.
Grayson’s eyes sparkled. “We could offer them another parcel of land, one of the undeveloped areas.”
“No,” Rafe barked, breathing through his flared nostrils.
“Think about it, Rafe,” Grayson suggested, his voice calm. “We’re asking them to negotiate, so we need to be willing to do so as well.”
Rafe snorted. “Why should we give them anything? They made this violent. They should be the ones coming to us with an offer.”
“To keep peace between our packs,” Grayson replied. “They’re our neighbors. If our enforcers are constantly on watch for signs of aggression, it will wear on them. They’re already a hair’s breadth away from fighting. The urge will grow even stronger as the full moon approaches. With the treaty in place for ten years, we’ve been able to prosper. If we turn our focus to war, everything we’ve built could be jeopardized. It’s better for all of us to find common ground.”
