“Wait. How did I get stuck cooking? We have a pack cook for that.” Hunter chuckled as the guys all walked back to the pack house together.
“Asher! Where’s Lita? How’s my fairy queen?” Caspian asked the moment Asher walked in the door, while Garrett walked up and patted Asher heavily on the back.
“Lita is still in Elysia, and she’s doing good. I’m good too, by the way.” Asher gave him a wry smile.
“Well, I can see you’re good.” Caspian chuckled and shook his head. “Merida and I have decided to make the move to Elysia. Now that Renee has Sam as her mate, we feel it’s time for us to make our move back to the fairy kingdom. Merida has been away from her home for so long, and we know it’s easy to visit. So let Lita know we’ll be seeing her soon.”
“That’s great! I’m sure Lita will be thrilled to hear this news!” Asher said excitedly.
“Rosa and I want to wait a bit longer. Susan still needs to find her mate, and it doesn’t hurt to have a couple of experienced, past-ranking wolves around just in case.” Caden winked at Hunter.
Hunter respected Caden. He respected all of them. Garrett and Caspian, too. He might be the alpha, but he grew up with these men. He trusted them, and he didn’t mind listening to any advice they might have to offer. He leaned back against the walland smiled as he watched the older men laughing and teasing each other. It was interesting watching the past leaders of his pack. The cycle had continued, and he now had his own officers, who were like family.
He watched his father laughing as Grayson and Caden had an arm-wrestling match. Caden seemed to think that Grayson had lost his touch. Hunter smirked, already knowing how this match would end.
“You want to arm wrestle with me, Hunter?” Chasen poked at his brother’s side as he rested his back against the wall beside him.
“Person against person, or are we bringing our animals out in this?” Hunter raised an eyebrow as he asked.
“Doesn’t matter how we do it. I’ll still be the winner.”
“Is that so?” Hunter turned, looking at his brother, ready to rise to his challenge.
The door to the pack house suddenly opened. They all turned their attention to the dark-haired, green-eyed beauty who opened the door.
“Chelsie? What are you doing here?” Hunter asked with concern. Chelsie was his sister’s best friend. She was a kelpie, a dark fairy who could shift into a water horse and could travel instantly through one body of water to another. She was staying with Reiya in the West Dragon Kingdom, so her visit definitely wasn’t social.
“Chelsie?” Asher met her halfway, with Hunter right by his side.
“The queen sent me here. She wanted me to let you know that she went to visit Reiya, but she would meet you back in Elysia, so there’s no need to worry.”
Asher and Grayson both growled lowly. “She shouldn’t have left without us. What happened? Why did she go to the dragonkingdom?” Asher sighed in irritation as his gray eyes pinned the kelpie.
“I don’t know exactly. Reiya was so upset that she was crying. I think she had a vision. She needed her mother.” Chelsie squeezed her hands together and looked into Asher’s eyes. “I’ve never seen Reiya that upset before.”
Hunter’s knuckles turned white from clenching his hands. “We need to bring her back here.” He turned his head and looked at his father’s taut face.
“What do you want to do, Asher?” Grayson asked as he walked up to Asher’s side.
“Well, Lita’s already there by now. Let’s continue with our visit here. I’m sure Brody will make sure she makes it back alright.” Asher rubbed his forehead and sighed. He wanted to race off to the dragon kingdom to be by Lita’s side, but he came to visit with Hunter. Hunter needed him, too. Just this once, he was going to fight the urge to run to Lita’s side. He turned and looked at his son. “Try to relax. Reiya’s okay. Your mom will talk to her and get things sorted out.”
Hunter scowled and let out a low growl. He felt a warm hand lay on his shoulder, and the two sets of gray eyes stared back at each other. His father gave him a small smile and nodded his head. “I understand, son. Believe me, I do.”
“Chelsie, why don’t you stick around for a little bit? I want to write a letter to Reiya and Brody. We were about to eat dinner, too. Plus, I want you to tell me about Reiya and Brody … how they’re doing and how they’re being treated there.” Hunter figured, since he couldn’t see them, the next best thing would be to get information from Chelsie.
“I can do that. I know Reiya and Brody would be very happy to get a letter from the both of you.”
“You and Brody still picking on each other?” Chasen gave Chelsie a side smile as he watched her roll her eyes.
“He lives to infuriate me.” Chelsie snorted as she crossed her arms.
“Make yourself at home, Chelsie. We’ll talk in a bit.” Hunter watched Chelsie walk over and sit on one of the couches. He turned to look at his father. “If anything seems off, anything at all, I’m bringing her back here. If Reiya wants to leave, I will bring her here, no matter what.”
Asher smiled. “I know you will, son.”
CHAPTER THREE
Hunter and Asher sat across from Chelsie as she told them about everything in the dragon kingdom. From what Hunter could gather, while Reiya missed being with them, she was doing okay. She wasn’t being mistreated and wasn’t in any danger. Still, he wanted Reiya to know that if she ever wanted to leave, he would gladly come and get her. He said as much in the note he wrote to her. He and Chasen had entrusted their letters to Chelsie to deliver to their siblings.
