- worse, get rid of me once and for all.

- would already have an idea in their heads of how this was going to go. And the options were going to give up my wolf and let them believe that one day Lee and I would give them little super wolf babies. They would create a rule saying we couldn’t be together because we were in the same pack… or -

- me in for a trial?” I beamed… he researched wild wolf packs for me? Questioned the legends?

‘Hey… I didn’t really have any warning, plus I was a little distracted by the possibility I had just discovered a sister.’ He offered me a smile.

None of this was going to make a difference… these men -

- legends are referred to by name only? There’s no way to prove that there weren’t females before her. What if they were always two-spirit, and that's why their gender wasn’t mentioned in the stories? The men telling them just assumed.’

“Where the hell was all of this the first time they called -

- structure.’

Jake raised a brow teasingly. ‘Is this your way of telling me Lee and Emmy are coming for my job?’

Sam laughed. ‘No… I’m just saying… all our stories are passed verbally through generations. How can we know there hasn’t always been at least one female in the pack… how many of our -

- structure.’

Jake raised a brow teasingly. ‘Is this your way of telling me Lee and Emmy are coming for my job?’

Sam laughed. ‘No… I’m just saying… all our stories are passed verbally through generations. How can we know there hasn’t always been at least one female in the pack… how many of our -

- I’m an Alpha… the role of females in the pack affects all of us. Emmy may be the first we can prove, but that doesn't mean she’s the last. Wolf packs in the wild aren’t patriarchies… they are family units run by male and female pairs. The females control the den sites, breeding and feeding -

- still getting used to that…but this… Is…’ Sam dragged his free hand through his hair.’

‘I don’t think they’ll let you in there, Sam. You’re not her alpha anymore.’ Jake muttered.

Sam released my hand, probably so he wouldn’t squeeze it too hard. ‘Let them try and stop me. I’m blood kin, and -

- had this conversation, and it wasn’t one I wanted to share with anyone else.

Sam cringed, ’I’m sorry… It’s just really fucking creepy to think about having yet another conversation with these men about my little sister’s sex life.’ He looked at me. ‘Its not because it’s you and Lee… I mean, I'm -

- I know it's weird to talk about this early. But there are plenty of ways to do that that don’t involve pregnancy… You just don’t mention them. Especially with Sue there, they aren’t going to talk about the…’ Jake cleared his throat.’Details.’ I slumped forward, my head in my hand… Lee and I had -

- stomach turned at the idea of letting these men think they got me right where they wanted me.

“Lee doesn’t lie… and I won’t make him.” It was the shortest answer I could give without getting into that whole mess.

‘It doesn’t have to be a lie… let’s say you and Lee ever want to have kids… -

- They never considered Lee back then because of the age difference… but here we are now… just tell them what they want to hear.’ Sam suggested. He knew I couldn’t have kids… Billy knew, but he wouldn’t pass that knowledge to the others; it wasn’t dishonest… it was respecting my privacy. My -

- I told them I wasn’t willing to be their wolf baby factory… I mess with their perfect picture of our history.”

‘Okay… I know this is gross and honestly not something I want to go into detail about when we’re talking about my sister. But they wanted you with another Spirit Warrior… -

- couldn’t stop that, Jake.”

Jake’s breath stuttered, like he hadn’t thought about that. ‘They can’t disenroll you, you have blood quantum.’

“Only because Sam took the test, Joshua still hasn’t claimed me, and I’m not asking that prick for anything.” No one spoke. “They’ve wanted me gone since -

- and me apart. And trust me, Jake… I’ve already imagined more than I believed possible.” My heart was racing, and I knew they could hear it.

‘We won’t let that happen.’ Sam tried to assure me.

“They could disenroll me… they could take away our housing and send Mom and me back to Neah Bay… You -

- with determination.

‘I’ve texted Lee and told him they said they can see us today…. But Emmy…We don’t know what they will have to say, and then you’ll be going to a twelve-hour shift…’ I cut him off.

“Or I have a twelve-hour shift where all I can think about is all the ways they can pull Lee -

- missed sixteen years of sibling dynamics. ‘So the Elders are willing to meet you this evening…’ Jake started. ‘But I really think you should take the offer of waiting until your off shift.’

I shook my head. “No… I want it done. If Lee can make it this evening, then that’s what we do.” I said -

- hug him. He immediately scooped the kid up. After some cuddles and greetings, Emily offered the kid some ice cream and cartoons… I knew it was to give us time to talk. The three of us sat at the table, and Sam took hold of my hand…

I couldn’t have asked for a better brother… even if I had -

- Jake’s truck pulled up, and my heart started to race. If he were here, he would have news about what was happening with the pack elders. I’d seen Emily’s text in the group of me and Kishil in bed. Everyone knew where I was.

Jake let himself in and grinned as Kishil climbed down from his dad to -

- nodded, dropping my gaze. “I know… I thought… I thought I would be okay. But no more going it alone. Next time I’ll ask, no hesitation.”

Emily laughed, rubbing her belly… ‘Look at you… learning healthy relationship communication.” He clutched above her heart. ‘I’m so proud.’

As she spoke, -

- nephew against the door, empty glass in hand, and made a gagging noise, as all good little sisters would. He laughed and came over to hug me. ‘Hey, little sister.’ He whispered, then leaned back to see me, still holding Kishil to his side. ‘You know Lee would have stayed with you today?’

I -

- between us was unbreakable.

Eventually, familiar truck wheels on the driveway woke me up. By the time I sat up and guzzled the water, Emily must have left for me on the child-sized plastic activity table, my brother was already in the kitchen kissing every inch of his wife's scarred face. My -

- for my rage and anger, a release of the injustice. Later, I would need to put on my big girl pants and be strong but controlled. With Lee’s hand in mine… I knew I would do it… my dreams turned.

Visions of him and me… standing our ground against forces trying to rip us apart, but the bond -

- those little micro noises toddlers made when they slept. But it was sleep… my mind ran through scenarios of what this meeting could hold. It ran and re-ran in my head… most had ended with me in a fit of rage, throwing chairs at these men.

I wouldn’t of course… so these dreams were my outlet -

- room where I had rocked and sang my nephew to sleep, and very often drifted off myself while I held him.

When the door snicked shut, I reached out and tugged one of the still-warm pillows against my chest. And I slept again… less peacefully with the soft beating of the little one's heart and -

- she picked up the kid from across my body… not when her firm belly bump pressed against my back when she tried to reach him. But her words told me to cling to the sleep that was still wrapped around me, to soak up the safety I felt in this house, the home of my brother and sister-in-spirit… The -

I woke up to Kishil stirring beside me, but he was quickly gathered up and a familiar safe voice whispering. ‘Auntie Emmy spent all night looking after Elder's baby.’ I felt a soft, sleep-limp body lifted over mine. ‘Let’s let her sleep a little longer, okay?’ She knew I wouldn’t stay asleep as -

꧁ ༉ྀུ. ˚ ༗ ❥ 𓇢𓆸

𝘛𝖍𝔢 𝓷𝒆𝒓𝕧𝘰𝐮𝖘 𝒄𝙝ℯ𝔣, 𝕨𝕙ℴ 𝘤𝘳𝙖𝘷𝐞𝓭 𝖓𝙤𝙧𝓂𝘢𝒍𝓬𝖞, 𝚆𝚊𝙨 𝓫𝘳𝑜𝕜𝒆𝕟 𝚋𝔶 𝕻𝓇𝔲𝔢'𝘴 𝔩𝐨𝐬𝑠 𝐚𝓃𝘥 𝚍𝗲𝘀𝕥𝒊𝖓𝓎. 𝑯𝑒𝗿 𝗴𝑒𝚗𝘵𝘭𝙚 𝙛𝔯𝔢𝑒𝚣𝕖 𝕖𝔁𝔭𝘭𝓸𝒹𝖊𝔡 𝑖𝘯𝘁𝕠 𝓯𝒾𝖗𝓮, 𝙰 𝕡𝗿𝒂𝚐𝔪𝚊𝕥𝚒𝔠, 𝔴𝚎𝘢𝓻𝒚 𝓂𝓪𝕥𝒓𝓲𝙖𝖗𝐜𝚑'𝕤 𝚍𝗲𝘴𝐢𝒓𝕖. 𝐒𝘩𝖊 𝕓𝘶𝗶𝘭𝙩 𝕒 𝘄𝘢𝘭𝓁 𝙤𝓯 𝐬𝔞𝓇𝖈𝒶𝚜𝓶 𝒂𝕟𝓭 𝚖𝚒𝕘𝓱𝖙, 𝚃𝒉𝚎 𝖗𝗲𝚕𝖚𝖈𝒕𝖆𝗻𝙩 𝚠𝖎𝕥𝐜𝒉 𝔀𝓱𝘰 𝒻𝔦𝑒𝐫𝑐𝘦𝒍𝒚 𝙝𝕖𝓁𝘥 𝔱𝔥𝐞 𝙡𝐢𝚐𝒉𝘁.

⊰

𝑷³

⊱

- an update on how she was doing.