Angelina Jolie as High Lady Georgiana Klyne

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"Why are we meeting here? I'm not complaining mind you, because this food is delicious."

"I want to know your next move. I'm on a deadline, Roman."

Roman Sarris, a man I trust with my life. We met under unusual circumstances. The way he tells the story he says I saved his life and so I own it. Not the way I see it, I was just at the right place, at the right time. That was twenty years ago. Anytime I am in a fix, he has helped me.

"Anyway, I have moved up in rank and I get an introduction to the main guy in a few weeks. So where are you, mates?"

"One mate 'borrowed' the other one for some alone time."

"Borrowed'? Your life just got weird or more interesting. Congratulations though. I know how long you've wanted mates."

"I'll like you to meet them sometime."

"No, I told you this works only when no one sees my face."

"The scar is all gone you know."

"Physical one maybe. Anyway, thanks for dinner and I'll call you with updates."

Short and simple, that's Roman Sarris. Time to get back to our party.

"So now I'm 'borrowed' is it?" I smile at my mate.

"You have been with Rafe for several weeks and I just want some alone time with you too. I hope that's okay?"

"All you had to do is ask, you know?"

"But I'm not guaranteed a yes, so I figure I'll improvise. We're almost at the cabin anyway and I will take you back to Silvern Clan in the morning, I promise."

We pull up to a log cabin a few minutes later. Small and quaint by modern standards. We get out and Darric leads the way some stairs up to a door. He opens it, turns on the light and we walk into a small living room. A few chairs are scattered around the room. The room needs a thorough cleaning.

"Has anyone been here lately?"

"No, we rarely use it. No time, I guess. I think we have some soda around here somewhere so we're good. Sit, make yourself comfortable while I get them."

I shake the dust off the two sofas and a chair in the room and make myself comfortable on the sofa. Darric comes back with a selection of sodas, I grab one, pop it open and take a deep swallow. My nerves are now creeping in. Alone with Darric again, surprisingly, I'm good.

"Tell me about Wood Inc., I think it's an important part of your life, isn't it? You started it? How?" He sits beside me on the sofa facing me.

I told him of how I discover the gift of using herbs to heal our pain from the hits through the years. How Esme helped me sell them in her store. How the other omegas came on board with their different skills and assistance. I told him how we got our diplomas without the pack knowing. Raven now in college and I plan to study chemistry. I told him of my plan to develop a wolfbane destabilizing injection that will help weres as soon as they get infected with it.

"Like Benadryl for allergies?" he asks.

"Exactly."

"When you're ready, start with me, use me as your Guinea pig."

"I hear all the changes going on in the pack and they sound remarkable. Are you sure everyone is on board?"

"Honestly, not everyone. Some have been so used to the old ways and find it hard to change, case in point, my parents. The more vocal and resistant ones have been banished from the pack to other packs of their choice. And I have charged the omegas and others to speak up if anyone tries to hurt them no matter who it is. And if I get one more complaint about my mother, she goes to the dungeon."

"You wouldn't?"

"Yes, I would. If I want to change, I must be willing to change and have those closest to me do the same, no exception."

"So, a school and hospital unh? At Crimson Pack, Serena works at the daycare center at Crimson River Pack and they love her, and she loves it. Raven loves medicine and is always shadowing Dr. Granger. And Ronald just ditched going to college to join the construction crew and loves it." I pull my legs up and sit cross leg facing him.

"It's a shame really."

"What is?"

"If things had been different in the pack, we would have Serena in our school, Raven assisting in the hospital and Roland constructing our buildings. But I'm glad they are happy and doing well. I hope to get to know them better as your friends."

We continue to talk about everything and everyone. I start to get sleepy.

"Come on, the bedroom is ready for you. You take the bed and I'll take the sofa. And call Rafe. I'm sure he'll want to hear from you. I know I would."

I follow him to the bedroom. I stand on tiptoe and give him a kiss, and then I close the door. I sit on the bed and call Rafe.

"You okay?"

"Yes, and you. Made it home okay?"

"Of course, just a few minutes of flight. On my way to make an appearance at our party."

"What excuse will you make for our disappearance?"

"Don't know yet. Tell Darric he owes me one."

"I love you and I'll see you tomorrow."

"I love you too. Good night."

"Now that the boring part is over, it's time to have fun, Raul."

"You do remember that this is your brother's mating ritual, my love."

"Of course, Raul, I won't do too much damage."

"That's what I'm afraid of. As your brother's best friend, I'm putting you on notice that I will have to stop you whenever I can."

"I love your determination, love. Give it all you've got." I gently tap him on the cheek in a consolatory manner. Poor baby, one will think he just met me.

I walk up into the ballroom and it is filled with weres, vamps, witches, to name a few. I see the Alpha's siblings across the ballroom talking to another Alpha and Luna. I have to go through a sea of pompous High Lord and Ladies to get to them. The only way to get through them quickly is to subtly embarrass them so they'll want me to move on.

"I see the Alpha's siblings, but I have to wade through these pompous assholes to get to them. Oh, what to do, what to do? Embarrassing them works for me, what about you?"

"You can just maneuver around them."

"But that will be so rude, and I really hate to be rude to our guests?" I smile deviously.

"No, you don't."

Ignoring Raul, I walk up to my first victim, I mean guest.

"Lord and Lady Phelan, how are you? So glad you could make it."

"Lady Klyne, always a pleasure." The old goat slobbers all over me when he kissed the back of my hand. I discreetly wipe it on his wife's gown as I hug her. You keep his slime.

"Isn't red a no-no during mating rituals? I bet the council members weren't too happy with you?" Lady Phelan asks gleefully.

"Well you know me, I like to show off the latest style from the best designers. Yours is from Christian Siriano's 2015 Spring collection isn't it? I'm allergic to old designs myself but to each her own." They walk away in a huff.

"Raul seriously how rude can people be. Look at them just walk away. Was it something I said?"

Next!

"Lady Pandora you look absolutely gorgeous, you must tell me your designer."

"No one you know, I'm sure Georgiana," she tells me in her fake highfaluting voice.

"How's the search for a mate going?"

"Going well, I actually have someone in mind." I follow her eyes to Tobias Hunter. This is too, too good.

"I won't be looking at Tobias if I were you, I don't think you have the right appendage to satisfy him."

I walk away from her sputtering.

Next!

"Lord and Lady Maggard, good evening, how are you?"

"Doing well, Georgiana, where's your brother? Or have those were mates of his taken him away from his duties already?"

"Were mates of his?"

"You know what I mean." Lord Maggard gloats.

"No, I don't, do explain."

"They are going to infect him and turn him away from our vampire ways. He needs to keep his line pure."

"You mean as pure as all those children from all your wife's 'sanctioned' affairs? I mean we'll need to do a DNA to know which ones are yours, but we all know you won't do it. Why? Because you don't want us all to know you shoot blanks. And I see you brought the latest young buck who services your wife with you." I look at the handsome young man by their side with pity. Poor sap! "My brother's mates are one thing you both are not, loyal. Assholes."

I really hate to bring innocent children into these matters, but those twits deserve it.

"Lord Anton, how do you do?"

"Doing well Lady Klyne. And I come in peace." He holds his hands up, laughing.

Him I like, he doesn't take himself too seriously. The only thing though, he needs to get the hell out of the closet. It's the twenty-first century, who cares if you want to diddle a man or woman?

"Enjoy yourself. Take care."

"Nothing to him?" Raul asks.

"No, I like him. But if he ever asks my opinion, I will tell him to get the fuck out of the closet."

"You mean he's gay?"

"Sweetheart, yes, he's gay and not ready to admit it. That felt so good."

"Yeah, not for them. You just cleared the ballroom of three Clan leaders, Georgiana. Your brother is going to hear about it."

"By the time he does, we will be on the west coast, remember you promised me a trip to see that romantic winery in Sonoma."

"I am so turned on that I just want to slam you against that wall and fuck you senseless!" He moves up and nuzzles my neck.

"In a minute love, I promise to deliver a message to the Greys."

I finally reach the Greys. The young man looks a bit like Darric and the young lady has some resemblance too.

"Hello, I'm Georgiana Klyne. And you must be Alpha Darric's siblings?"

"Good evening, Georgiana. I'm Beta Ronan Grey and my sister, Katreena."

"Ronan, Katreena, good to meet you. This is Raul, my mate."

"By the way, who invited the Omegas?" Ronan pointed to where Cal's friends and Esme are standing.

"I did, why? Is something wrong?"

"They are not important enough to be here, that's what's wrong,"

"They are Cal's friends that'll make them VIPs, very important people to me."

"I hope they stay in their place while here and not mingle with their superiors."

"And where is 'their' place, Ronan."

"Far away from me and all the Alphas, Lunas, Lords, Ladies and me. I am a Beta, two ranks above them."

"And I am High Lady Georgiana Klyne three ranks above you, four actually if I count the fact that I'm next in line to succeed my brother. That makes you very insignificant in my view. Let me tell you one thing about those omegas you pompous son of a bitch, they can buy you ten times over. While you revel in the title you lucked into, they've worked hard to make something of themselves. Now since I have more people to annoy this evening and don't want a simpleton like you to piss me off to the point of killing you, Jeffery here will escort you to your car so YOU. CAN. GET. YOUR. FURRY. ASS. OUT. OF. MY. HOUSE. NOW!"

"If you'll follow me," Jeffery points towards the door. Ronan stalks off towards the door and hopefully to his car and off my property.

"Will you be joining your brother, or will you like to stay and enjoy the evening, Katreena?"

"I'll like to stay ma'am."

"Wise choice walk with me."

I walk into the house from the back entrance and I see some Lords and Ladies leaving in a huff. What the hell? I forget about changing and walk up to Lady Pandora.

"Lady Pandora, you're leaving early, Is everything okay?"

"Ask your sister. Congratulations and goodnight Lord Klyne." She marches out the door.

Oh, my Sun-god, what has she done now? I walk to the ballroom and Jeffery's nowhere to be found. I see Georgiana talking to the weres, including Katreena but Ronan is nowhere around.

"Prim, where's Jeffery?"

"He walked Mr. Grey to his car."

"My mate's brother?"

"Yes, my Lord. Here he is."

"Jeffery, why did Ronan Grey leave without his sister?"

"Because Lady Klyne said and I quote, 'GET. YOUR. FURRY. ASS. OUT. OF. MY. HOUSE. NOW!', my Lord."

"So good to see you all. I hope you're having fun. You know Katreena Grey, right?"

"Good evening Gamma Grey," all the Omegas greet her.

"Please call me Katreena."

"Did you enjoy our 'boring' mating ritual?"

"It was different," says Serena.

"Quite the diplomat. Anyway, enjoy. When you're ready to turn in, just ask Jeffery and he'll take you to your suites."

"Thank you," Raven said.

"Katreena you're welcome to stay. Make sure you call Darric so he's aware and sends someone to pick you up tomorrow."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Call me Georgiana, I don't bite...much!" I wink at her. The girl needs just a little more spine to deal with that brother of hers.

A tap on my shoulder, I turn around and it's... shit!

"Rafe, you're back from your tri-date? Where are your mates?"

"What did Pandora and the other guests do? And Ronan Grey?"

"They were insulting your mates and Ronan disrespected the omegas."

He gives me a blank look, shakes his head and suddenly smiles. He could stay mad at me if he chooses. But I know he won't because he knows me better than anyone in this world. And I always have his back. I must confess that I have enjoyed pushing his buttons all my life and at the same time I have been proudly protecting him all his life. Since I was five years old and he was born, it's been the two of us against the world. He has been a constant in my life. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

He holds his hand out, and asks, "may this little brother have this next dance with his protective big sister?"

"Of course."

I give him my hand and he walks us to the center of the ballroom. Everyone pauses to look at us. My brother is doing one of the things he hates the most just for me, and that is being the center of attention and I love him more than ever for it.

Things are changing. Times are changing. I am no longer the number one person in his life anymore. And that's how it should be. Two other good men now occupy that place. Realizing that, I find myself teary-eyed and sniffling and he whispers in my ear, "you were my first love and will always be my first love, Georgiana Klyne. That will never change."

I rest my head on his shoulder and we dance the night away. I must say I raised a damn good man.

Georgiana, Georgiana, what are we going to do with you?

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