“What do you mean?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I mean, nothing happened. I couldn’t do it.”
Ramsay tensed beside me, like he was getting ready for round two.
But Eric just sighed. “That’s to be expected. You just came into this power. It’s fine if you don’t master it right away.”
“It’s not just mastering it,” I said. “It’s using it in the first place. I couldn’t doanythingNoro asked me to. I felt like an idiot.”
Eric’s face softened for the first time since our argument last night. “You’re not an idiot. This is all brand new.” He frowned, his bad attitude returning. “And Noro is a fool if he expects you to know everything on the first day.”
I ignored his dig at Noro. “I guess.”
Colton suddenly raised his head, like he heard something. Immediately Eric seemed to go into alert mode. His whole body visibly tensed and he uncrossed his arms.
“What is it?” Eric demanded.
“I hear someone,” Colton said.
Eric’s voice was urgent. “Who?”
“Uh…” Colton scratched his neck. “I think it’s my mom.”
Eric hissed out a sigh in exasperation. His panic deflated. “Why would she be here?”
But in the ensuing quiet, I heard it too--Lady Gabrielle’s distinct shrill voice, probably berating Crystal outside.
We opened the front door to see exactly what I imagined. Gabrielle stood in a huff, gesturing to Crystal, who had shifted to human form and was holding up her hands to calm Gabrielle down.
“What’s going on?” Eric asked. His voice lacked the politeness he usually put on while talking to other pack leaders. He must have been more agitated than I thought.
Gabrielle glared at me standing in between Eric and her son. She didn’t look pleased to see me. I guessed her stance on me hadn’t improved since the last Moon Meeting.
Can I blame her?I thought miserably.I haven’t done anything to earn her respect.
“Colton,” Gabrielle said, pointing at the ground by her feet like she was trying to summon a dog. “Come here.”
Colton blinked. “Why?”
His mother’s jaw tightened. She had the same clear blue eyes as Colton, except without any of the soft warmth. Instead her eyes looked like daggers made of ice, and all their ire was directed at me. I rubbed my arm uncomfortably.
“Well,” Gabrielle began, her tone indignant, “I was already on my way here to pick you up, but then I witnessed your little fight.”
“We weren’t fighting,” Colton said.
“I saw you put yourself in between those two brutes,” Gabrielle huffed, pointing a manicured finger at Eric and Ramsay. “The rowdy South Pack alpha is one thing, but to see a pack leader acting in such an inappropriate fashion--”
“I’d advise you to watch your tongue, Lady Gabrielle,” Eric growled.
She ignored him. “As such, it solidified my thoughts on the matter.”
“And that is?” I asked.
She glared right into my soul. “That Colton is coming home with me. Right now.”
My blood ran cold, like her icy eyes had a grip on me. “What?”
Gabrielle looked at her son expectantly. “You heard me. Come on, son.”
