“Good,” Jackson said. “Also, regarding access to Smokey, I have thought about it…”
“Jackson, you don’t understand how important it is,” Reeve interrupted.
“You’re wrong…I do understand. Which is why I’ve decided the only thing standing in the way of my approval is my cousin…”
“He doesn’t have…”
“Will you please let me finish?” Jackson growled.
“Sorry,” Reeve mumbled. “Go ahead.”
“So it’s time Kahn and I talk, but it can wait until Rudy is caught.”
Confused, Reeve asked, “What do you need to talk to him about?”
“Mainly about Josiah and whether he knew what his father was planning.”
“He didn’t! He told me himself.”
“Reeve, I need to hear it from Kahn,” Jackson replied, quietly. “We grew up together and shared the misery of being first-born more times than I can count. If what you say is true…and I have no reason to doubt it…then it’s time Kahn and I made peace since it now seems we’re both victims of Josiah’s cruelty…me and my brothers and he and his sisters.”
“I’ll talk to Kahn, but I can’t make any promises,” Reeve replied.
“Fair enough. In the meantime, speak to Tristan.”
“Will do.”
Jackson ended the call and sent a text message to Dylon. The fact the High Council hadn’t bothered to notify Dylon or Lizzie that Frank was missing wasn’t going to go over well. After getting a confirmation that Dylon was on his way to see him, he sent a text to Zane. The High Council believed the videos were gone, but Jackson had faith that his brother might be able to recover them.
~/~/~/~/~
Cain tried to ignore the knocking on his door, hoping the person would give up and leave. He was pretty sure it wasn’t Jackson, Steel, or Smokey so it was a good bet the person outside was at the wrong door. Turning the page in a book about roses he’d found on the bookshelf, he resumed reading, which became impossible when he heard a female voice call his name.
Using a slip of paper from a notepad on the desk as a bookmark, Cain carefully closed the book and set it down on a side table before getting up and heading to the door in the other room. He pressed his ear against it and listened, but jerked back when the same voice said his name again.
Biting his lower lip, he hesitated before finally asking, “Who is it?”
“Sofia…David’s mother. Steel asked me to bring your lunch up to you.”
“That can’t be good,” Cain muttered to himself. He distinctly remembered Jackson insisting that he eat with the pack. Slowly opening the door a crack, he said, “I’m supposed to eat with everyone else.”
Nodding, Sofia replied, “Steel told me this was your first day here and thought you would appreciate a little time to get used to everything. I know I did when I first arrived, and my David is still struggling a bit…too many years of eating alone, I suppose. But everyone was very kind to me, even though I’m human…”
“You’re human?” asked Cain, opening the door wider. “How did you end up with wolf shifters?”
“I’ll tell you, but first, may I come in?” Sofia asked, gesturing to the food cart next to her. “There’s more than a human can eat…at least more than I can…but Steel wasn’t sure what would appeal to you, so he made several different dishes.”
Nodding, Cain opened the door wide and stood back to give Sofia enough room to wheel in the cart, sniffing the tantalizing aromas as the food passed him. “I didn’t realize I was hungry,” he murmured, after hearing a loud growl from his stomach. During his time in different human prisons, he regarded food only ascurrency to be traded for things he needed—like soap or toothpaste. And because of that, he didn’t care what was on the prison menu since he’d be saving most of his meal to use. But now, it seemed food could become something he actually enjoyed.
“Is this okay?” asked Sofia standing next to the table in the sitting room.
As he followed Sofia, his mind got lost in memories he hated to think about. Coming back to the present when she spoke, he realized he’d missed what she’d said to him. “Huh?” he asked, clearly confused.
“Do you want to eat here?” Sofia asked, pointing to the table. Then, looking at Cain, she said, “When I first arrived, I was too nervous to eat with the pack, so sometimes David would eat with me in my room.”
Cain glanced down at the table, then up at Sofia, noticing her kind smile and sparkling, deep blue eyes gazing at him. She reminded him of the only foster mother who had loved him, and he suddenly knew he could trust her. “Will you join me? I ate earlier so I’m sure there’ll be enough for both of us,” he said, holding his breath while waiting for her answer.
“I’d love to,” Sofia said, “that is, if you’re sure.”
