“Not you, the panther.”
“Did she try to kill you when she met you? Cause I don’t remember that.”
Turning to face Flora, thoughts flew across his face as he walked closer, leaning on the counter.
“You know what, now that you mention it, no. She didn’t try to kill me. In fact, she was a lot nicer than Eddie’s bear was back when he first joined the Pack. There is no real reason to be so shell-shocked,” he said, taking her empty bowl and washing it in the sink. “I’m sorry, Flora.”
“I accept your apology, Jackson.” She smiled, hoping she no longer scared him. She appreciated that he thought her panther was cool but calling her “panther” was taking it a bit far.
A knock on the front door pulled them away from their conversation. Dragging his body away from the spotless sink, Jackson strode to the door. Opening it with a smile; he welcomed in their guests.
“What are you doing here?” Flora asked, walking toward her parents.
“What are we doing here? My daughter is asking her parents what they are doing here after she was physically attacked — what, a few weeks ago — and forgot to mention it to her parents at any point in time.” Lola Larkspur brought Flora into a hug that told her just how much she’d been worrying for her daughter.
“I’m sorry. I thought we’d handle it.”
It was a lame excuse. Admittedly she didn’t think to drag them into her problems. She was a grown adult, yet she’d got what seemed like the whole world dealing with her issues.
“We will always have your back, Flora,” her father, Will Larkspur, said. He pulled her into a hug as desperately worried as her mother's.
Stepping back, she looked back at Jackson, confused. “How did you find my parents?” She guessed he had more tricks up his sleeve than he let on.
“I know people, Flora. Anyway, thank you for coming. Please, let's sit.” He gestured to the living room. Following the crowd, Flora saw the rest of the Pack, plus Willow and Luxe, already arranged on the couches around the room.
“Surprise,” Luxe weakly said, giving her best jazz hands as Flora gave her friends a joking glare. They probably knew this whole time that her parents were on their way, and not a peep came out of them. Not even Luxe, and she was horrible with secrets.
Off to the side was an empty two-seater for her parents. Jackson took his place, front and center of the room, while the rest of the Pack occupied the remaining chairs and couches.
Noticing there was no more room to sit, Flora walked to stand behind Dylan in his chair, but he was up faster than she could comprehend, guiding her to sit in his seat.
A blush covered her neck as she made eye contact with her parents who took notice of Dylan’s actions. Clapping his hands to gather everyone's attention, Jackson began. “We pretty much know what’s going on, but before I finalize a plan of action, I wanted to open the floor to suggestions.”
Dylan reached down, lightly massaging Flora's shoulder; she guessed he could sense her discomfort. While this whole mess was because of her, she couldn’t move her focus from the strong, calloused hand pressing into her shoulder. She didn’t want to; she didn’t want to think about what had happened up to this point. How her simply being there at the Packhouse instantly put everyone there, some she barely knew, in danger, and that didn’t sit right with her.
What did she have that Cassandra and Romeo wanted? The only solution that she could come up with was that it wasn’t really her that they wanted, but her animal. That was the only thing of value besides her business that someone would have an interest in. Enough interest in to try to steal.
Cage fighting was the reason panther Shifters kept their animal hidden, why others were so afraid of them. It shattered her heart to be in this mess when her parents fought tooth and nail to keep her out of it. They kept her hidden, yet things always seemed to come to light.
“I assume you know who's behind this?” her dad asked, running his hand down her mother’s arm. The tension was apparent in both her parents' postures. Looking around the room, everyone was tense. Felix, more so than anyone else. His eyes were stuck on her dad. He looked about ready to dash from the room, and that didn’t seem like Felix’s style.
“We do,” Dylan spoke up, letting his hand slide from her shoulder, the warmth going with him as he walked to stand next to Jackson. Why did he go over there? He was fine where he was. She wanted to demand he come stand by her again, put his hand back on her shoulder, and not to move away from her again. But she just kept her focus trained on the man holding her sanity together.
“We know the Brays, Cassandra and Romeo, are a part of it for sure and then there's Emery, Flora's ex-partner, who we’re not sure about.”
“Well, you can take Emery off that list. She’s working with me,” her dad said, leaning back on the couch.
“Dad, what?” Flora sputtered. Emery was working with him? Since when?
“Can I ask why?” Jackson took over, crossing his buff arms in front of his chest. Flora’s gaze shot to Dylan, an “I told you so” glint lighting in her smile. But all he did was chuckle with a shrug.
Her dad made eye contact with Felix before he continued.
“I can tell some of you haven't heard the name WL, my cage fighting name.” This Flora knew, but the Pack didn’t. Their physical reactions were tame, but she knew inside they were reeling. When most people heard about his background, they became scared and would start to distance themselves from her and her family. Now that the information was out with the Enchanted Pack, she wasn’t sure how to react to their response. Willow was making unbreaking, nerve-increasing eye contact that made Flora’s feet want to take off running before anyone else did.
But she stayed planted in the chair. A deafening silence occupied the living room.
Willow cracked a smile. Flora knew she’d get through this.
