She glanced over and saw her Aunt Sint sitting in a patio chair sipping her morning brew. Tee jogged down the steps and crossed the yard to her aunt’s house. She climbed up the stairs and walked across the wooden planks to fall into one of the overstuffed seats.
Her aunt looked over the rim of her cup. “The way you were caterwauling yesterday afternoon, I didn’t expect to see you up so soon.”
Tee sunk deeper into the chair. Her cheeks burned from embarrassment. “Heard that, huh?”
Sint snorted. “Chile, the little green men living on the moon heard you. Must have been…pleasant.”
Tee changed the subject. “What are you doing up anyway?”
“Waiting on your momma.”
“Pardon?”
“You heard me. Loretta said she was on the way when I called and told her you were attacked. I suspect she will be rounding that corner in about an hour.”
“Why, Aunt Sint, would you go and call my mother?”
Sint shrugged a hint of a smile on her lips. “Why not?”
“Because you’re Aunt Sint and mother enjoy torturing each other and right now you’re the fodder for their cannons, young lady.” Percel stood shirtless behind the screen door. “Guess I can’t call you that anymore. Not after the sounds I witnessed last night.” He pushed the door open and crossed the threshold.
“Y’all aren’t going to leave this alone are you?” Tee questioned.
Sint shook her head while Percel answered with a huge smile. “Not on your life.”
Tee scrubbed her face with her hands. “All right, since your both up I have a couple requests.”
Sint put her cup down. “Which are?”
“We need to return to Volkshire as soon as possible. Myka was hoping there was a way to hold the town meeting earlier? We were also hoping to leave Keen here for the time being if that would be okay?”
Sint glanced at Percel and he nodded. “Keen is welcome to stay as long as he wants. Percel will call the other Alphas, but we can’t make no promises.”
“I understand.”
* * * *
The community center/courthouse was packed to capacity. Some people had to stand along the back wall, the group so large others peered through the doorway from outside. The leaders sat at a folding table listening to Myka as he explained the Volkshire pack offer. Tee sat to the side next to Loretta, her mama, with her hand over her mouth. The ceiling fans above head squeaked with every rotation and a few people patted their faces with bandannas.
Myka sat down next to Tee in the old wooden folding chair while Percel opened the floor for people to comment. A few folks voiced their opinion not to get involved and others murmured in agreement.
Tee leaned over and Myka dipped his head. “I told you your offer was too low. You gotta give them something they want.”
Myka shook his head. “I already got two votes from Etienne and Armand. This is in the bag.”
“But you haven’t convinced the one who counts and in the end. Uncle Percel makes the final decision. He listens to his people, not just the Alphas. It’s been like this since Betaille has been around. It’s how they stayed neutral and off the Council’s radar for so long,” she stressed.
“I think I know what I’m doing,” Myka whispered back.
“I think your being an arrogant ass.” Tee stood up. “Alpha Percel, if I may?”
Percel snorted and glanced at Myka. He gave a faint nod, and her uncle acknowledged her request. “The floor is your, Gertrudis.”
Myka watched as she fisted her hands and pasted on a smile when her full name was spoken. Loretta leaned over Tee’s chair and tapped Myka on the hand. “I don’t understand why that chile don’t like her name.”
At a loss how to answer, Myka shrugged and watched Tee move with a serpentine grace while she modulated her voice. It dawned on him Tee was a wonderful speaker.
“Betaille, most of you folks know me.” She raised her hand and covered her heart. “I have seen firsthand what the Council is trying to do
Her aunt looked over the rim of her cup. “The way you were caterwauling yesterday afternoon, I didn’t expect to see you up so soon.”
Tee sunk deeper into the chair. Her cheeks burned from embarrassment. “Heard that, huh?”
Sint snorted. “Chile, the little green men living on the moon heard you. Must have been…pleasant.”
Tee changed the subject. “What are you doing up anyway?”
“Waiting on your momma.”
“Pardon?”
“You heard me. Loretta said she was on the way when I called and told her you were attacked. I suspect she will be rounding that corner in about an hour.”
“Why, Aunt Sint, would you go and call my mother?”
Sint shrugged a hint of a smile on her lips. “Why not?”
“Because you’re Aunt Sint and mother enjoy torturing each other and right now you’re the fodder for their cannons, young lady.” Percel stood shirtless behind the screen door. “Guess I can’t call you that anymore. Not after the sounds I witnessed last night.” He pushed the door open and crossed the threshold.
“Y’all aren’t going to leave this alone are you?” Tee questioned.
Sint shook her head while Percel answered with a huge smile. “Not on your life.”
Tee scrubbed her face with her hands. “All right, since your both up I have a couple requests.”
Sint put her cup down. “Which are?”
“We need to return to Volkshire as soon as possible. Myka was hoping there was a way to hold the town meeting earlier? We were also hoping to leave Keen here for the time being if that would be okay?”
Sint glanced at Percel and he nodded. “Keen is welcome to stay as long as he wants. Percel will call the other Alphas, but we can’t make no promises.”
“I understand.”
* * * *
The community center/courthouse was packed to capacity. Some people had to stand along the back wall, the group so large others peered through the doorway from outside. The leaders sat at a folding table listening to Myka as he explained the Volkshire pack offer. Tee sat to the side next to Loretta, her mama, with her hand over her mouth. The ceiling fans above head squeaked with every rotation and a few people patted their faces with bandannas.
Myka sat down next to Tee in the old wooden folding chair while Percel opened the floor for people to comment. A few folks voiced their opinion not to get involved and others murmured in agreement.
Tee leaned over and Myka dipped his head. “I told you your offer was too low. You gotta give them something they want.”
Myka shook his head. “I already got two votes from Etienne and Armand. This is in the bag.”
“But you haven’t convinced the one who counts and in the end. Uncle Percel makes the final decision. He listens to his people, not just the Alphas. It’s been like this since Betaille has been around. It’s how they stayed neutral and off the Council’s radar for so long,” she stressed.
“I think I know what I’m doing,” Myka whispered back.
“I think your being an arrogant ass.” Tee stood up. “Alpha Percel, if I may?”
Percel snorted and glanced at Myka. He gave a faint nod, and her uncle acknowledged her request. “The floor is your, Gertrudis.”
Myka watched as she fisted her hands and pasted on a smile when her full name was spoken. Loretta leaned over Tee’s chair and tapped Myka on the hand. “I don’t understand why that chile don’t like her name.”
At a loss how to answer, Myka shrugged and watched Tee move with a serpentine grace while she modulated her voice. It dawned on him Tee was a wonderful speaker.
“Betaille, most of you folks know me.” She raised her hand and covered her heart. “I have seen firsthand what the Council is trying to do
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