“Yes, okay.” Sara headed in the direction of the path, but Asha tugged her back by the elbow. “The path to the clearing takes you the long way round. Follow the drive halfway down, then you’ll come to a thin trail on your left. It’ll take you all the way to Celia’s back garden. Off you go,” she prompted when Sara still hadn’t moved.
“Right, sorry.” Sara hurried off in the direction Asha pointed her in, not looking back.
SHE MADE IT TO the cottage a good fifteen minutes before her grandmother and was sitting at the kitchen table when Celia walked in.
Stopping just inside the doorway, Celia raised her eyebrows. “Did you run all the way back?”
“Sorry?” Sara tried to look as innocent as possible.
Celia snorted. “I bumped into Asha on my way out. Much like you did, I hear.”
Sara’s cheeks heated, and she sighed. “She said you told her to look out for me.”
“I did.” She grinned and walked over to the table, taking a chair opposite Sara. “But I didn’t know if you’d come or not.”
“So you wanted me to listen?”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re referring to. I merely told Asha you might be out for a walk.”
“Mhmm.”
Fine, if her grandmother didn’t want to admit she’d as good as invited Sara to come eavesdrop, then okay. “It was a very interesting walk.”
“I imagine it was.” She seemed to hesitate for a second, as though unsure. Very unlike her grandmother. “Your father would like to see you.”
Sara bristled. Guilt crept in, despite everything. “You told him no, right?”
“I did. Initially.”
“Initially?” Sara frowned. She hadn’t heard him ask again.
“After the meeting, he asked to speak to me in an unofficial capacity.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means he wanted to talk to me as your grandmother, not as Alpha Cornell of the council. It also means I can discuss it with you without breaking any rules.”
Sara wasn’t sure she wanted to hear what they talked about but doubted she had a choice in the matter judging from her grandmother’s expression.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that. I know you don’t want to hear any of this.”
Sara snorted.
“It’s written all over your face. I’ll admit your father isn’t my favourite person, and I’m on your side, Sara. Don’t ever doubt that.”
“But?” Because there was definitely one coming.
“He’s your father and your alpha. Even if you disagree with everything he has to say, I think you should at least talk to him.”
“You said I didn’t have to see him if I didn’t want to.”
Celia sighed. “I know I did, and maybe it wasn’t my place to say that. Karin reminded me that I need to be careful not to use my position on the council to influence your father, otherwise I’m as bad as he is. And just as guilty of breaking the rules. As your grandmother, I think the man is an idiot with bigoted views on how his pack should be run, and I wish you’d stayed with your mother. But I can’t come between an alpha and one of his pack members unless he makes you feel unsafe.” She fixed Sara with a look that seemed to bore into her soul. “Do you feel threatened by him?”
“No, I—” She hesitated. She felt a lot of things towards her father at the moment—anger, disappointment, guilt—but was fear one of them? She wanted to say no and mean it, but a voice in the back of her mind reminded her that this was a man prepared to attack a neighbouring pack, to risk deaths on both sides, solely to enforce his wishes. Rationally she knew it was reasonable to be a little afraid, wise even, but she refused to let him have that power over her. Pushing those thoughts aside, she straightened her shoulders and said, “I’m not frightened of him,” and hoped her grandma didn’t call her on the half-truth. She didn’t think he would hurt her physically. That was true enough anyway.
Celia eyed her for a moment, then sighed. “Then I would suggest that you meet with him.”
“Fine.” Sara blew out a resigned breath. “Where and when?”
