Randall Meechum's POV
LaCrosse Pack Lands
I drove my Jeep over to Erica's cabin, a big cooler in the passenger seat that the kitchen had provided. The Pack made sure she got fed when she couldn't come to the Pack House, or she didn't want to come all the way in. The dinner I was bringing was pot roast with mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans, plus they packed food for breakfast and a bag of ice to keep everything cold.
She was waiting outside as I parked, a smile on her scarred face. I hopped out and went around to get the cooler, taking it inside as she held the door open. "Thanks for seeing me again," I said as I set it down in her small kitchen.
"It's nice having a visitor, and you're Talia's mate. I'd like us to be friends." She pulled out some lemonade out of her small refrigerator as I set the dinner containers on the table. She grabbed some silverware as well. "Alpha Clark said you're making progress on the investigation."
"Some. Not enough to go to the Council yet, but enough to back up Tania's story when she comes back." She needed to come back, and I hoped to Selene that she could tie that prick Todd to her kidnapping. He needed to die, slowly, painfully and publicly.
"Good. I want her, I want us all to have closure." I served up the food as she sat down. "Do you think Talia is going to be able to come home?"
I stopped eating for a second as I looked at her. "I'm going to try, but it's not going to be easy," I said. "I really need to talk to her about the events of the past four years, though. The Council has her tried and convicted already, and I need enough to turn that around."
"She's a nice person, she cared about everyone. She's the last one who deserved to be kicked out, but those people just wouldn't consider a female Alpha. Of course, she was sixteen then. Now, the Alphas are afraid of her."
That was one way to put it. They were terrified of her; she would show up, kill the Alpha and leave again. "What did she like to do before this all happened?"
"She loved being on the water," she said. "Water skiing was her favorite, she'd be out on the boat all day long if they would let her."
"Was she a good swimmer?"
"She was a good athlete, she was fast and had good coordination. It never took her long to pick up anything. She was always ahead of our age group in combat training, and not just because she was Alpha blood. She worked hard to be the best because she wanted to be able to protect her Pack when the time came."
"It's an admirable quality," I said. "Do you think she's that way now?"
"I hope so."
The windows were open, and a scent wafted through the windows. My wolf rushed forward, recognizing her immediately. "She's here," I said as I rose from the table.
I went to the front door, she was right behind me. "Tania is here too," she said. "I'm letting the Alphas know."
I opened the door a little too hard in my eagerness to get outside, and it banged against the table by the door as I walked out. She was right behind me as we got out onto the grass. My eyes went to the treeline, and that is when I saw her.
And she saw me.
She pushed Tania to the side and drew a gun, pointing it at my chest. I had my pistol with me, but I didn't go for it. I couldn't use it against my mate, and I had to trust she wouldn't hurt me either. "Don't move," she ordered.
I brought my hands up to show her I wasn't a threat. "Hello, Talia." By Luna, she was beautiful. I looked past the Glock, which was pointed at my heart, to the blonde hair, the innocent heart-shaped face, and the athletic body which was in a Weaver pistol stance.
"NO!" She dropped the gun before firing, the round hitting between my shoes and ricocheting off into the woods. She turned and ran into the woods, fast as lightning, as I looked down to make sure I was still all right.
Erica and Tania both screamed for her to stop, but she didn't. "Go to her," I told Erica. She ran out to where her friend was sitting on the grass and hugged her as they rocked back and forth.
I heard vehicles and wolves approaching fast; as the first raced into the yard, I held up my hands. "Hold up, Talia's gone already," I said.
Gamma Michael shifted and looked around, scenting the air. "Tania?"
"Yeah. Give her space, let her family help her."
"What was the gunshot?"
"Talia saw me and left, apparently she didn't want me to follow her." It was the best I could think of; I knew that if she wanted me dead, I would have been dead.
A Ford Explorer pulled in, and the Alpha pair got out along the Gamma female Sally. "Everyone all right," he asked.
"Fine. Talia panicked and took off for the Pack border, Tania is over there with Erica."
Alpha Clark looked at his Gamma. "Take a few men and follow the trail to the back border, but do not engage if she's still on our land. She's family," he said. "If she's gone, don't pursue."
"Yes Alpha," he said as he shifted. The men circled around the edge of the clearing so they could stay away from the crying girls, then ran off into the woods towards the south.
I went back and sat on the front porch, not wanting to interfere with the reunion that was happening. Clark and Teri walked forward slowly, hand in hand towards their niece they hadn't seen in over four years. "Tania?"
She looked up from where she was crying on Erica's shoulder. "Auntie Teri?"
Teri dropped to her knees and Tania jumped into her arms. "Oh baby," she said as she hugged her tight.
Clark knelt down next to them, pulling both of them into a hug. "You're home now," he said as he held them tight.
