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Once we were all safely settled at the cafe, I filled GiGi in on what had happened. When I showed her the piece of paper Ben had left behind, she shook her head in disgust.
"This is fraudulent, and he knows it," she said, handing the shreds back to me. "You're of sound mind, and so long as your mother is still alive, Benjamin cannot claim anything over you. I do not know how he managed to get this bit of paper, but no court would send you back to that house of horrors."
I sighed in relief. "I didn't think so," I said, "but when Sarah showed me they'd gotten the no contact order overturned, I felt as if all my worst fears had come true."
"I didn't say anything because I knew that document was also invalid," Alpha Stephanie added. "The only reason I kept my mouth shut was because I didn't want to provoke Sarah, or her father." She grimaced. "They're definitely Samuel's family. I thought they had all been rounded up, but one or two must have slipped the net. At least they didn't recognise me; I wasn't ready to cross swords with Benjamin, not when he was ready to do whatever it takes to get you back. A fight between us would have settled the immediate issue, but I know all too well what lengths a man will go to when he has nothing to lose."
Old pain clouded her eyes as she said this, and Caleb put a hand over hers, giving a gentle squeeze. She smiled, but the pain was still there, and I felt my heart go out to her. "He must've been a real bastard," I said.
"And then some," Alpha Stephanie said. "He was a monster in every sense of the word, and I still have a hard time trusting males. Three betrayed me, and one hurt me because he was bitter from a previous rejection, and I wasn't exactly in the mood, or the space, to let another near me. I'm still not, but at least Caleb understands."
Caleb nodded. "I'm a patient man," he said solemnly, and we all laughed. "Steph's been through hell and back," he added. "It's been five years since she was rescued, and she still has nightmares to this day. But I've never pushed her, because I know how deeply she's been hurt, and I'm willing to wait until the end of time for her."
I smiled, touched to see such devotion. And Alpha Stephanie certainly seemed appreciative. "Caleb's been really good to me," she said, "and I do feel bad that I've made him wait this long. But he knows all about my past, and we've both got very long lives, so there is that. And he's let his wolf bond with me, because mine was killed when Samuel abducted me from the packhouse in Penzance, so it's nice to have a wolf in my head again."
"I wish I had a wolf," I said wistfully. GiGi put her hand on mine and nodded.
"Having a wolf is good," Alpha Stephanie agreed. "And Caleb's wolf is a bit of a wisecracker. Like his human," she added with an arch smile, and we all laughed again. "I can't shift," she said, "but I can draw on his wolf's strength if I need to, and he's nice enough to let me ride on his back whenever Caleb shifts, which I can't complain about."
"But having no wolf isn't a bad thing," Caleb said. "Trust me, I should know. My sister was born without a wolf, and she feels it every day. But she hasn't let that stop her, and her mate linked his wolf with her when they met, so now she has his wolf's strength, just as Steph does with me. So don't let it worry you too much. You're still a werewolf, and you'll always be valued by whatever pack you choose."
"Thank you," I said, smiling. "And thanks for claiming me. I don't know what I would have done if not for you stepping in when you did."
"You're a cousin," Alpha Stephanie pointed out. "I'd do anything for family, and since you're family, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. But Benjamin does remain a threat, so we have to act quickly."
I nodded. "I feel stupid for not taking GiGi up on her offer sooner," I said, somewhat shamefaced. "If I had've, I wouldn't be in this mess."
GiGi shook her head. "Don't you go beating yourself up over it, child," she said. "You needed to get yourself settled first, and now that Benjamin has shown his hand, we now know what we can do to recitfy the situation. And as luck would have it, I know just the man to help."
Alpha - well, I supposed I needn't call her that, since she was my cousin - Stephanie, rather, raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to do what I think you're going to do?" she said.
"I am," GiGi said. "I know my friends aren't friends with the Keystone pack, but they will protect Charlie like she was one of their own."
"That's gonna put a real bee in Benjamin's bonnet," Caleb said. "But hey, after what he put my cousin through, anything that gives him a bad time is good news by me."
I smiled, touched that he accepted me as his cousin so readily, thanks to Stephanie being his mate. "I agree," I said. "I think it's time I met them."
"Then we'll have a meeting arranged," GiGi promised me. "And we can finally put Benjamin's crazy notions to rest once and for all."129Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyf3Q0rRVmG
