(unedited)

== Simon’s POV ==

“I think Enna should come to stay in my pack” proposed suddenly Collins. We had all gone our own way for a little bit after the meeting in the office. I think most of us needed some time to think, I was certain Enna and I did. I couldn’t help but feel worry for my mate, and a little pain too. She had been so gracious during the time she told her story, but afterwards, she clung to me for a while. She didn’t even cry again, she just needed to be held, like a child. Part of my mind couldn’t help but think that maybe that was what she needed. She was only a child when she was taken, she must have missed her family so much.

“Why would we do that?” answered Martin to his beta with a frown. “It would put our pack in danger”.

Martin’s Alpha didn’t even bother to answer his question, dismissing it with a quick “who-asked-your-opinion” glance.

“I’m not certain it is a good idea” I answered myself. “Firstly, because she’s my mate. Secondly, because the trip to your pack might just be the opportunity they are waiting for. And I agree with your beta, it would put your pack in danger too.”

“I disagree” he answered, setting his cutlery down and lacing his hands together under his chin, his eyes lost in deep thoughts for a second before refocusing on me. “They won’t know she’s gone except if they have a mean to track her or spies, which is unlikely. I’m certain that between your pack and my pack, we can provide enough security. Lastly, I think she might find answered in my pack.”

“What do you mean?” asked Enna, totally dismissing the fact that I was going to disagree again.

“There’s a woman in our pack, she’s very old now but when I was a child, she served as our housemaid. She was already my family housemaid when my dad was young” explained Collins directly looking my mate in the eyes. He was certainly not scared of her, or her difference, unlike Martin who always looked at Enna as if he was smelling a particularly disgusting pile of dung. It made me want to punch his face most of the time, but I think Nathalie was already on the ball with it.

“You’re talking about Old Lynette?” intervened Martin. “She’s an old with, nobody in the pack even talks to her”

“She’s old and wise. My pack is ridiculous for not taking care of their own, especially an elder” answered quietly Collins.

“She’s not a pack member, she can’t shift” answered very seriously the Beta, earning himself a growl from Collins. He slightly backed off at the noise, I could almost see his little tail between his legs.

“I want to meet her” said Enna, breaking rapidly the tension building at the dinner table.

“It’s not safe” said Nathalie at the same time as my mother said “no” and I said “I disagree”. She turned to us, her strange eyes bright in the dim light of the room.

“I didn’t escape hell to be locked up on earth. I….” she bit her lips, as if she was hesitant to say anything, but her mind was made up. “I need it. I need to know, to understand. I need this to stop, not only for the pack, but also for myself.” Tears were now streaming down her face, I stood up to kneel beside her. “I’m sorry” she murmured to me, “I don’t want to leave you, but I can’t hide here forever and let people die for me”.

I couldn’t tell if my heart was broken, or filling up to the brim with even more love for her, possibly both at once. I wiped her tears away with my thumbs and answered, “I’m sorry, I know”.

“I volunteer to escort Enna” said James’ voice, out of the corner. My beta had been mostly silent through all of this but his wheels had been turning and observing the situation. “Me too” added Nathalie, with a light nod in my direction. The girl had taken quite a liking to my mate.

“Mom, can you stay here and guard the pack?” Lara nodded at the comment, a firm determination in her eyes.

I rose from my kneeled position, keeping Enna close by touching her shoulder with my hand. “We need to talk logistics” I stated towards Collins.

“I thought about going by road, but it might be too suspicious” explained Collins, “it would be too unusual, and very obvious that we’re transporting something that can’t run like us”.

“But Enna can’t run with us. We could carry her but it would be very uncomfortable and she’d be exposed” added Martin, looking always so disgusted.

Enna cleared her throat and stood up beside me. “I know you Alpha’s aren’t used to other people making the plans but you are missing the most obvious point of the whole question.”

I looked at her wondering what on the moon was she talking about. An attitude reflected by most of the people present in the room, save from Nathalie and Lara who seemed quite amused.

“I may not be able to run like a wolf, but I…can fly.”

_______

Aaaaaaah !!!!! Finally !!! I'm really sorry for the wait ! I came back from London with a terrible bug (it was like a cold but a VERY nasty one, I was stuck in bed for 4 days with a fever and developped a lung infection and it was just ewwww) and then it was Christmas and my family came from out of town. ANYWAY ! I finally have time.

I hope you liked it !

Thank you for waiting and supporting the story while this little break was forced on us !

Keep on reading please :D