27 comments/ 31820 views/ 102 favorites Favor Redeemed Ch. 01 By: meelana As she made the right hand turn that took her down the road with "No Trespassing" and "Private Property" signs posted among the many trees and thick underbrush her heart thumped just a bit harder than it already was. In her right hand, clutched tightly along with the steering wheel, she had the pendant which she hoped gave her the right to ignore the signs. If her mother had been wrong, if it was just a story . . . No she couldn't think that way. She had to hope that the tale that had been in her family for three generations was true. If it was not and they rejected her . . . Again she pulled herself back from those type of thoughts. She had to remain positive. After several yards down the road she felt eyes watching her between the trees. She wanted to believe it was her imagination but she knew in heart that she was being watched. She kept going down the winding road and anxiously looked at her gas gauge mentally hoping that there was enough gas in the car to get down this road, make her request, and then get to town. She tried to coast along the dips when she could, but the winding road that led her deeper into the woods seemed to go on forever. Finally the light of a clearing with a massive wooden house appeared at the top of a hill. It was not a mansion, in looks, but certainly in size, but it looked like a massive log cabin or hunting lodge. It was at least three stories and out from it were several outbuildings as well. There was a circular drive in the front that came to a set of double front doors. She was not surprised to see a "welcoming party" at the door of four men and one woman, all dressed in dark clothing and looking rather tense. "Always be a lady," her mother's voice echoed in her head so she pasted on a smile despite her fear and parked the car and got out. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, and maybe even a few extra sets. A particularly tall man with sandy blond hair and an air of authority came down the steps and said in a calm but firm voice, "Miss, this is private property, and you need to leave." A part of her wanted to do just that, but she knew she could not. There was, after all, no where else to go. She took a breath and said the words her mother had taught her, "I'm here to speak with the Alpha." She held up the pendant still clutched in her fist so that he could see. "I'm here to request a favor in repayment." She watched the man who paused in watching her as she showed the pendant and he looked from it to her and back, the only indication of what she suspected was his surprise. In fact, where before there was tension, there was now something else as seemingly everyone recognized what she was holding. His tone was much softer when he spoke again, "May I have the honor of your name?" "Amelia Calhoun Sloan," she replied, then continued because talking was her nervous habit and she was certainly nervous. "I am actually married, so Mrs. not Miss. Calhoun is my maiden name and my mother was a Beckett before she became a Calhoun which is probably the name you associate with this," she said as she waved the pendant in the air a little. "I see," responded the man. "I am Jeremiah, and the Alpha is not here right now. I am his Senior Beta." She watched him watch her and reevaluate her as he spoke but his words, that the fact that the Alpha was not here made her stomach drop and her mind scatter. In all her planning the fact that he might not be here had not occurred to her. Her mind raced and she found herself asking, "Do you know when the Alpha will return?" "He should be back late tonight or tomorrow. He is on his way back from a business meeting," Jeremiah replied and watched the face that had originally been smiling and then anxious fall completely into a frown. Jeremiah wondered what in the world had happened to this young woman, who would be an honored guest in their den, come here and claim the repayment of the favor so long overdue her family. He had noticed that her call was older and packed full of personal belongings and clothes. He wondered what favor she could need and. Jeremiah had always been blessed with instincts that almost bordered on pre-cognitive ability, and at the moment his instincts were telling him that it was imperative that he keep her at the den. "Please," he said gently, "Let's go inside and talk some more. Though the Alpha is not here, it is truly an honor to have one of the Beckett family here." Her mind was frantically wondering what she could do. She knew that the rules of southern hospitality required her to accept the invitation, but if she was going to need to get to town and see if any of the items with her could be pawned, then she needed to be getting on her way. "I, um, thank you, but I can't stay long" she said, the last part in a slight rush. He reached to take her take her arm to guide her inside, the gesture an old one, but much ingrained and he wondered if she would hesitate to allow him to touch her; he wondered if she knew the truth about what he and his family were. She knew to ask for the Alpha, as the head of the family, and did not seem confused about his title of Beta, so he had to assume that she knew something of his nature. As he touched her though, it was not fear that made her flinch, but pain, and her heard a gasp fly out of her mouth. "You are injured?" he said, but a part of him knew this was not the case. "I'm fine," she said, almost automatically, but still pulling back from him. Then she saw him look her over more carefully and sniff the air, and she wanted to sink into the ground. She watched a fierce look pass over his features as he said, "Are you really 'fine? Or do you really need medical attention?" Amelia knew in that instant that he knew the truth and as tears started to pool in her eyes she thought to herself "what a cliché I am. Poor little woman who gets herself beaten up by her husband and runs to others who could be just as dangerous for help." Then fierce pride came to the forefront and she pulled herself straighter, despite the pain, dried her impending tears and said, "Yes, I am fine." She took his arm and allowed him to lead her inside, telling herself that maybe if she explained to him, he could go ahead and help her in place of the Alpha. He led her into a foyer, past a large staircase, and then down a hall to an office. A young woman was following them and Jeremiah turned and asked her to have Reyna join them. The young woman nodded and said, "Yes Sir" and scurried down the hallway. Amelia noticed that Jeremiah left the door to the office open, which surprised her. What also surprised her was how normal his office, and what she had seen of the house looked. He asked her to sit before his desk and no sooner had she sat than a beautiful woman of medium height with honey-brown hair that reminded her of her own hair coloring walked into the room wearing a floral broom skirt, white shirt, and smile. "I heard we had a visitor," she said, "and they are so rare I am glad I get the chance to meet you. I am Reyna." She extended a hand to Amelia, which Amelia shook gently, as she said, "I'm Amelia" and then Reyna walked behind the desk and gave Jeremiah a kiss full on the lips and they rubbed noses. Amelia smiled at the affection. Jeremiah straightened, smiled, and said, "Amelia, Reyna, my mate, err, wife." "Pleased to meet you," Amelia said and smiled at the open affection, thinking of the affection her parents had always shared during their lifetime. Then the dark thought of how she had never known that crossed over her mind, but she pushed it away and continued smiling at the pair. Reyna perched on the arm of Jeremiah's chair and they both looked at her as if she was an interesting puzzle. "If you do not mind Amelia, I have a couple of questions," Jeremiah stated. Amelia knew that as the Beta he was probably far more used to asking questions that answering them. "Sure," Amelia replied. "Do you know how your family came have that pendant?" he asked as he nodded toward the pendant still clutched her hand. "Yes". She replied and continued, "About fifty years ago some people were hunting you and burned your house down. Since my mother's family lived across the highway they saw the flames and came and helped your family. Your family asked what they could do to repay my family for their help and my family said nothing. The new alpha carved the wolf that is this pendant and gave it to my grandfather than told him that if he or his family ever needed help, to come here and ask for the Alpha and present the pendant and the help would be given." As she told the story Jeremiah thought that she made it all sound so simple. He had not been alive at the time, but he had heard the stories and these stories prompted his next question. "Do you know why they were hunting my family?" "Yes," Amelia replied, "Because you are werewolves." Favor Redeemed Ch. 02 Jeremiah marveled slightly at how calm Amelia was with her statement, "Because you are werewolves." He knew her family had lived across the old state highway from their land for generations, but he had known know of their easy acceptance of their existence, or at least her at least her existence. He wondered if all the popular stories had made people take for granted the power that the race of werewolves had. Or maybe she was just a rare individual. He admired her for the courage, he had smelled her fear and anxiousness but it did not seem to come from the fact that she was in the home of a pack of werewolves. Reyna, Jeremiah's wife, said quietly, "Yes, there are people who find out about us and fear us. I do not think you fear us." Amelia, "I do not see any reason to fear you. You do not hunt humans or seek to hurt us. You just seem to live quiet lives, alone, together." Reyna laughed, "Quiet? Oh honey, you need to spend some time around here. Have you ever been around pups?" Amelia picked up on Reyna's laughter, thinking of the rambunctiousness of young children. "No, I guess I haven't," she replied with a true smile and the shared intimacy of women discussing children. "If you have litters instead of singles I imagine it could be far from quiet with them all running around." Both women laughed again. Jeremiah broke back into the conversation, "So I imagine a discussion of rowdy children was not what brought you here." As he spoke Amelia turned her attention back to the Senior Beta and her smile faltered a bit. She hated having to ask for help in the first place, but hoped that her request would be small enough that it would not be an inconvenience. "I guess I should get to the point. I know that in town your family, or I guess I should say pack, owns several businesses. I find myself in need of employment rapidly. I really do not have the time to wait for applying, and interviewing, and waiting for a job to become open." Her words began speeding up again, a sign of her anxiousness. "I was hoping you had something open that I could get directly in. I used to work at a daycare, so I have experience in that, or I could be a cook or a waitress, or whatever is open. I have had some college classes, but was not able to finish, but I can learn quickly." She finished with a hopeful smile. Jeremiah blinked in surprise. Given that he had learned earlier when be brought her into the lodge that she had been injured, and that she was married, but her husband was not with her, he expected her to ask for shelter or sanctuary or something like that. Here she was, asking for a job. She was not a teenager; he guessed she was in her middle to late 20's. He found himself very curious about what her story was. He decided that he needed to do a little digging into her past as soon as possible. While she seemed genuine, he was not about to allow any kind of threat to enter his home and harm his family. His instincts were also telling him that she need to stay here and that she needed to meet the Alpha. Jeremiah spoke, "I think we might be able to find a suitable position. However, I am concerned about your," he paused, "injuries." He watched a small grimace cross her face. "I am also concerned about your husband, since you indicated you are married." Amelia answered in a very formal tone, "I do not want to drag you into my personal business. My husband will not be a problem, but I do not think he needs to know where I am or what I am doing right now." At her words, Jeremiah and Reyna exchanged a look, but said nothing further for a moment. "Since the Alpha is not here right now, might we offer you our hospitality until he returns?" Reyna inquired, then continued, "As the Alpha is unmated, and I am the Senior Beta's mate, I am in charge of the household, and I can assure you we have plenty of room." Jeremiah chimed in, "It will be an honor to have you stay here until the Alpha returns." Amelia frowned and shook her head, "No, no I couldn't impose. Besides, I need to go into town and, um, well, settle a few things." She watched as Jeremiah and Reyna shared another look. She did not want them to know that she had some jewelry of her mother's that she would need to pawn in order to have enough money to make it until she could get a paycheck. She also needed to find a very inexpensive place to live after she got the money, but she wanted to get the money first, so she knew how much she had. The gas to drive to town and back as another expense, but it could not be helped. She probably should have called first, but she was not aware that the Phelan clan was listed in the phone directory and she smiled to herself at that thought, but it prompted the question, "Should I call first to make an appointment with the Alpha? I apologize if I broke protocol and I know that you do not normally get visitors." She stopped herself realizing she was rambling again from anxiousness. She hated to think that she was here asking for a favor and had been rude. Jeremiah sensed her anxiety had increased further. What he knew Amelia was not aware of was the telepathic conversation between him and Reyna. They had both agreed that someone had hurt her and that the debt their pack owed to the Beckett family meant she would not be leaving her tonight. Based on the fact that her car had been loaded with what looked like all her worldly possession it was obvious she was not going back to her home, and it was unthinkable that she should go to a hotel or some other place. Though she was clean and kind, nothing she had looked especially new, and both assumed that money was probably a precious commodity. Additionally, there were the injuries that someone had inflicted on her and the thought of someone harming her made Jeremiah's protective instincts rise. From Amelia's comments, both Jeremiah and Reyna suspected that she had been physically abused by her husband and was running away. Jeremiah privately thought that he would never understand a man hurting his wife and Reyna, picking up on his thoughts reminded him that humans did not often respect their spouses the way wolves respected their mates. She tried to lighten the mood by suggesting the bond that mates shared made them much more sensitive and considerate. Jeremiah knew that could probably go ahead and grant her request, and find her a job within the many companies the pack owned. Amelia would be an asset in some of the businesses because she was already aware of them being werewolves. However, Jeremiah's instincts told him that she needed to meet with the Alpha, so he continued to allow her to believe that this was necessary. He also wanted to give her a chance to heal from her injuries and what was probably a very difficult time. And if she was truly hiding from an abusive husband, not only would she have the pack's protection, but it was very unlikely that her husband would venture onto the pack's lands so she could have the separation for a time that she probably needed. Jeremiah, in an effort to ease some of Amelia's tension said, "Amelia, there are no protocols for you, and no appointments. I am only sorry that the Alpha does happen to be away right now. What you ask of us is a small thing in comparison to the large debt this pack owes you, not only for the service that your family once rendered ours, but also by keeping our secret. It truly would honor us to have you dine with us tonight and stay until the Alpha comes back. He should be back by tomorrow morning and then you will not have to drive into town and come back to meet with him." Reyna agreed, "Please, it really is not any trouble. We keep rooms ready for visitors and so it is no imposition at all." Amelia continued to shake her head. "No, really I must be going into town. If the Alpha will be back in the morning, if I come in the afternoon, then do you think he would be available?" Reyna and Jeremiah looked at each other yes and again, and Reyna asked, "Is it because we are werewolves that you do not feel comfortable staying here?" Amelia looked back and forth between them and noticed the concern on both their faces. "Oh no, it's not that at all," she rushed to say. "I just really don't want to impose and I do have business in town." Reyna stood up and said, "It's alright, honey, we just wanted to be sure. I can understand why it might be a bit," she paused as if searching for the right word, "unsettling." "No really, it's fine," Amelia assured her again. Jeremiah could tell from the look on her face that she really did plan to leave, but he really did plan to keep her here, but he did not want her to feel like a captive. Through his thoughts he asked Reyna, "What can we do to keep her here, but not as a prisoner?" He could almost hear a laugh in her thoughts as she responded, "Sabotage her car of course." Jeremiah's smile lit up a little and he mentally connected with one of his beta's who had been a part of the welcoming committee. "Alec," he mentally called to the beta, and received the telepathic response, "Yes Sir?" "Can you do something minor to our visitor's car so that it will not start, but won't be permanently or badly broken." "Yes Sir" came the reply again, but in a definitely puzzled tone. He would not question the request, but Jeremiah could tell that he definitely wondered about it. Jeremiah returned his thoughts to the room in time to hear Reyna ask, "Well, will you at least have a snack before you go?" The offering of refreshments was familiar to Amelia, it was what her mother had taught her a good hostess always did. She knew that these people honored her for something done long before her birth and that made her a little uncomfortable. She truly hated to "cash in" on "the debt" but she was truly out of other options. At this moment she missed her family even more and wished she listened to the lessons her mother tried to give her more while she had had the chance. She wanted to linger just a little while longer and pretend that these were actual friends, and not just people whom she had to ask help from. "I would like that," Amelia responded. "Well, let me go see to it." Reyna replied and walked out the door. After she left Jeremiah looked at her again. He wanted to talk to her to find out her story. He would actually have a background check done on her this evening, but it could wait for a few more minutes. "I do not want to be indelicate, but I get the impression that money might be a bit of an issue for you. Could we maybe give you something to tide you over for a while?" As soon as he said it and saw the look on her face he knew he'd said exactly the wrong thing. She had actually blanched, as if someone had struck her. "No, thank you," Amelia said tightly. "I believe in working for what I get." Jeremiah tried to back-pedal and mentally called to Reyna to come back and help. "I didn't mean any offense Amelia. I just want to help you." "If I can just get a job quickly, that will be help enough." Amelia said. Reyna came in as Amelia responded and said, "Jeremiah, what have you done to upset her?" Even though she knew perfectly well what he had done, thanks to their bond. "Nothing," Jeremiah said in a defensive tone. Reyna turned to Amelia and said, "He may be a werewolf, but he's still a male, and the species does not seem to matter, but they can still put their foot in it sometimes." Amelia couldn't help but smile. She would have thought from all the stories about werewolves and mates that they would be constantly differential to each other. She wondered if it were true that they could communicate telepathically and feel each other's emotions. But, it seemed that women tended to bond together against men, no matter what the race. Jeremiah spoke up, "Now wait a minute, two against one doesn't seem fair." "Like you can't handle two of your beta's at a time," Reyna quipped back. "How can you complain about two women?" Jeremiah laughed and noticed that Amelia laughed too, "Well, there is that. But I won't go up against the Alpha unless I've got at least three to help me out." Jeremiah did not know it, but he stirred Amelia's curiosity about what the Alpha was like. She imagined him to be a fatherly figure who was a wise and good patriarch to his pack family. It would be good to have a fatherly-type person to talk to. Maybe she would even ask him for protection, though she did not think she would need it. Certainly not from John, her husband. A few minutes later the same young woman who had been asked to find Reyna entered with a tray bearing glasses of lemonade and some small cakes. The cakes reminded Amelia of her mother as she remembered making similar treats with her. She was offered a glass, which she gladly took, and a small plate with a cake, we she set down on the desk. She had not eaten that morning, partly due to nerves. Now that some of her anxiety had dissipated, and as the pain relievers she took that morning began to wear off, Amelia began to feel the aches and pains in her body. Reyna asked, "Have you lived at the old Beckett house your whole life?" Amelia responded, "Pretty much. The house belonged to my mother's family and she and my dad lived in town when they first got married, but my mom was my grandparents only child. They died when I was young and so we moved back to the house." The two women continued to chat, with general small talk. Then, as Amelia finished she stood up carefully, and both Reyna and Jeremiah watched her with concerned looks. Reyna tried one more time to convince Amelia to stay, but Amelia still declined. They led her back out to her car, which she realized she had not locked. She carefully climbed in as her bruises were beginning to make themselves known. She would have to find something to drink and more ibuprofen soon. Amelia tried to start the car, but the engine just made a clicking sound. She tried again. She couldn't believe her luck. It was almost enough to bring her to tears. If the car was broken and had to be repaired, she didn't know what she would do. It would certainly eat into her money and she had to have a car to get around. Jeremiah came down from the steps and asked, "Is something wrong with the car?" There was a note in his voice that made her look at him and wonder if this was somehow his fault, but certainly it couldn't be. "It won't start," Amelia said, stating the obvious. "Would you like for me to try?" Jeremiah asked. Amelia looked at how full her car was with all the dearest possessions that would fit in the space and looked at how tall he was compared to her and said, "I don't think the seat will go back any farther, but thank you for the offer." She wondered if she would have to get it towed, and how much that would cost in addition to the repairs? Would the werewolves even let a tow truck onto their property? "Amelia," Jeremiah said recapturing her attention. "One of the businesses we have in town is an auto repair shop, but it is next to impossible to get a tow truck out here due to the winding of the entrance road. This evening the pack members that work at the shop should be back and I'm sure that they could take a look at your car and let us know what is going on. We keep several vehicles here and several of the pack members also like to tinker so I'm sure the tools would be here to fix it. It's probably just something minor that won't cost much to fix." Amelia blinked to herself wondering if he had read her mind and all her worries. Reyna came down and stood next to her mate and slipped an arm around his waist. "It looks like we get to keep you for a little longer," she said with a smile. Amelia again wondered if she had somehow known that her car was going to break and before she could stop herself she asked, "Can werewolves see the future or read minds?" Reyna chuckled slightly as she answered, "Well, seeing the future, no, though there are some that seem to have good instincts about certain things." She glanced at her husband. "But, to answer the reading minds, now that gets a bit tricky. Come inside, let me show you to a room, let's get some of these betas to move your back around to the back where the garage is, and I'll answer any questions you have about werewolves." Reyna was so friendly and likeable that Amelia found herself easing out of the car and being led back into the house. Later that night as she laid in a guest bedroom, Amelia wondered if she had found herself a new friend and for the first time in a long time she drifted off to sleep and pleasant dreams. Back in his office, Jeremiah was on the phone speaking with Alpha Brendan, informing him of their guest. "I think she's been abused by her husband and is running away from him." Jeremiah told the Alpha, and heard a growl in response. "Well she's with us now said Alpha Brendan, we will certainly protect her." "There's something else my Alpha," Jeremiah said, and due to his tone and formal address, Brendan paid particular attention. "I believe that it is important that she meet you and know that you support her. I don't know why I feel this way, I just do." Brendan had known his Senior Beta for many years and knew of his "instincts" and how important listening to them could be. He thought for a moment and said, "We are already most of the way back, we will go ahead and push on and should be in a little after midnight. I am sure that Josh will be very glad to get back to his mate. I hated to pull him away while she was breeding." Jeremiah heard something in the background through the Alpha's cell phone that sounded like Josh listening in on his Alpha's conversation and agreeing that home would be welcome. Jeremiah smiled to himself, having had a mate who was breeding before as well. "He may think he wants to come home, but give him 24 hours back in her company when she's this close to her due date and he'll be ready to head out again. Pregnant women can be rough," Jeremiah quipped back, though he knew it was all in jest. "My Alpha I look forward to having you home." Jeremiah and Alpha Brendan finished their conversation and disconnected. Jeremiah again picked up the report that had been compiled for him on Amelia Calhoun Sloan. She had been the oldest of four children. Her family, consisting of her parents, a sister, and two brothers, had died in a car accident while Amelia was away at college. It appeared that she had dropped out of college at about that time and soon after had married John Sloan. It also appeared that they had lived off money from the estate, but that someone had gambled away most of it and the house that had been in her family for years was mortgaged and was now being foreclosed on. He wondered how much of the financial woes were due to Amelia and how much were due to her husband. In searching out the husband, he had found more disturbing details. He had been arrested several times for getting into fights and had apparently been hanging around with a very unsavory group of people in town, namely the local loan shark, who was also known for having secret gambling establishments. It appeared that Amelia had tried to get a few jobs, but had only had them a week or two before she quit. She had not actually been seen in town for a while, though a few people knew who she was. Jeremiah wondered if she had any friends at all? Finally he sighed and got up to join Reyna in bed. He hoped that Reyna had been able to get the boys down without too much of a fight. After midnight a set of headlights, wound their way up the road to the lodge. Alpha Brendan and his accompanying Beta's were very glad to be home. As they pulled in front of the house to go around to the garage, a scent caught Alpha Brendan. It was the most wonderful feminine scent he had ever smelled. "Stop," he said and puzzled Josh, who was driving, did so. He hoped out of the SUV before it had completely stopped and ran up the steps, he followed the scent to Jeremiah's office and then to the dining room, and finally, to the guest bedrooms. His heart began pounding as a suspicion began to form in his mind. He came to the door of the bedroom and opened it to find moonlight spilling across a form in a bed who jumped and squeaked in surprise at the intruder. The moment he looked at her Brendan knew that after years of searching, he had finally found his mate. Favor Redeemed Ch. 03 I truly apologize for the delay. I found an editor and then had a family issue. I hope to have part 4 up shortly too. Thank you all so much for your comments. Don't worry, I do intend to finish this, it just make take me a bit. * "Who are you?" Amelia asked. Although she was startled, as she looked at the handsome man with dark hair and piercing blue eyes, she felt an instant connection that she had never felt with anyone else. "I am Alpha Brendan, of the Phelan pack," he said with a bow. "I believe you must be Amelia," and he reached for her hand. Amelia gave him her hand and was surprised when, rather than shaking it, he took it and kissed her knuckles. As his lips brushed over her skin she felt a sensual thrill race through her body, something that had never happened to her before. She honestly could not think of anything to say for a moment and then she sputtered, "Yes, I'm Amelia." She just sat in her bed, staring at him for a moment before she looked down and realized what she was wearing; a modest t-shirt style nightgown that was faded and worn with little green frogs all over it. She squeaked, jerked her hand back, and pulled the covers up to her chin, her face turning bright crimson. "If you'll, um, give me a moment, I'll, um, get dressed." Brendan looked down her body beneath the covers and her red face and chuckled to himself seeming to realize that he'd woken the poor thing up in the middle of the night. He liked her natural beauty and messy hair and wondered if she always looked this beautiful. He could feel his wolf within him, anxious to claim his mate. The human part of his brain knew that wasn't likely to happen tonight. As he remained by her bed just staring at her and wishing for more, he heard others coming up behind him. He turned to find Josh, Jeremiah, and the other betas from his trip coming down the hallway. He assumed that his unusual behavior had prompted Josh to wake Jeremiah and while rationally he was glad for their concern, his wolf did not want any of them near his mate yet. He tensed, but his voice remained calm as turned to the door and said, "I do not think that Amelia really needs to meet all of y'all tonight. We have some things to discuss, if you'll wait in my office." His body blocked their view of her but none of them had quiet reached the doorway yet. They all recognized the tension and that something was going on with their Alpha. Jeremiah actually smiled inside as he realized what could be going on. It appeared that the Alpha might finally have met his mate, though Jeremiah was surprised it was a human, these things did happen from time to time. He already felt that Amelia was an unique form of human anyway. Brendan turned back to Amelia and said, "I'm sorry to have woken you. I just couldn't wait to meet you." He bowed to her and she could not help but smile at the courtly gesture and then he left her room, shutting the door behind him. His wolf whined inside at leaving his mate, and briefly he imagined going back in there, removing all of clothing, kissing and licking her all over so that his scent would cover her and then pushing his now straining cock into her hot, wet sheath and claiming her as his forever. He shook himself out of the brief fantasy and walked to his office to talk with his assembled betas, wearing a goofy grin that was completely unlike his normal self. As he entered, all his betas bowed their heads slightly to him and he noticed the other grins around the room as well. "Yes, she is my mate," he said to the assembled men and accepted their congratulations. "About time, my Alpha," said Jeremiah. "I was beginning to think we were going to have to start taking you around to all the packs and show you off." "Yeah, we could have made one of those reality shows out of it!" interjected Josh. "Like that was ever going to happen," said Brendan, taking the mild teasing without complaint. "Hey, at least Reyna and I got her to stay the night. Otherwise you'd probably be back in the car right now, driving into town and then scaring her half to death by dragging her back here." Everyone in the room knew that until she was claimed, being outside of the pack was unthinkable. In fact, the longer he went without claiming her, the less he would be able to tolerate others being around her. Some she-wolves used this to their advantage and played hard to get, but it never lasted long because the she-wolves wanted to be claimed and to claim their mate in return. Brendan then remembered something Jeremiah had told him earlier about Amelia and thought back on the bruising his wolf had sensed. His expression darkened and his tone turned more serious as he asked, "Jeremiah, did you say you thought she'd been abused?" The room sobered in an instant. Jeremiah responded, "Yes my Alpha. Either that or she was somehow injured. Her movements suggested pain and difficulty." Brendan and his wolf growled. "Tomorrow, we will find out for sure. If she was abused, her husband will be dealt with." "Yes Alpha" everyone responded. While rough play and a certain amount of violence were part of their culture, abusing someone smaller or weaker than you was unthinkable. Abuse of a woman or more especially a child was dealt with harshly. To hurt the person who was the human approximation of a mate was absolutely appalling. Mates were partners who shared each other's strengths and did not exploit their weaknesses. "We should all go to bed now," said Brendan. Everyone agreed and began to leave except Jeremiah. Once they were alone Brendan nodded to Jeremiah, sensing his need to speak. "My Alpha, I am truly glad that you have found your mate. I sense a strength in her that I think will be good for both of you. However, I have a feeling that your claiming her will be difficult for you both, and not just because she's human." "All good things come to those who wait," said Brendan, repeating the saying that his mother had told him many, many times. He wished that she was here now to meet his mate. He turned and stared out the window of his office, watching the night and feeling very tempted to take a run. He was tired but also filled with energy, and since he could not release the energy sexually, as he wished, a run would be the next best thing. "Good night, my Alpha, and again, congratulations," said Jeremiah as he left. Brendan continued to look into the night sky and think about all the complications and possibilities of having found his mate. Then, he decided he should try to sleep and went up to his bed, which now felt more lonely than it ever had before. After meeting the Alpha Amelia had remained awake for a while. He was so handsome and even sexy, and she did not think that way about most men. Then she frowned, knowing that it was not appropriate for her to of him think that way. Her whole body ached and she got up and walked into the bathroom that adjoined her room. She pulled up her nightgown and looked at her body and almost started crying. There were blotches of blue and purple all over her body, but as she looked at her figure, she knew that she was not sexy at all. She'd heard often enough about how pudgy she was. In that moment she wished she could go home, not to the physical house that she had left that morning, but to place where she had grown up. She wished she had her mother or someone, that she was not all alone, that she could belong with this pack, which was one huge family. She missed her family so much, but not her husband. She did not think she would ever miss him. Taking a deep breath, she told herself not to cry. "I can do this!" she said, if only to herself. Then she went back to bed and created a fantasy world where she was loved and cared for as she drifted off to sleep. Amelia woke the next morning to light streaming in through the window. The day looked bright and beautiful and she told herself that it was a sign of good things to come. Some of her clothes had been brought in from her car and hung in the closet for her. She had brought toiletries with her so she took a shower and tried to ignore the pain and stiffness in her body. She looked through her clothes, and knowing that she was going to see the Alpha again, she wanted to look nice. She finally decided on a floral dress that had sleeves that came to her elbow, an empire waist, and came almost to her ankles. Hopefully, she thought, she looked employable and a little pretty, and the Alpha would be able to find a job for her. She hated again that she had to ask for a job, but she promised herself that she would be such a good worker that it would make up for how she had gotten the job in the first place. She wondered, briefly, if they had been able to fix her car or if she would need to have it towed after all. She was determined not to take any more from them, but to stand on her own two feet. She wondered if she should bother with makeup, but did not really have any. She remembered that yesterday Reyna had not seemed to wear any, and that she had not noticed many perfumes or scented things since she had arrived, so she decided it would be better to just leave it. She opened the door and suddenly was unsure of where to go. The same young woman who had brought the refreshments from the day before was waiting outside her door with a bright smile on her face. "The Alpha asked me to bring you to him when you woke up, Ma'am" "Thank you," replied Amelia, following her down the hallway. "What's your name?" "Bridget, Ma'am," replied the young woman. Being southern, the ma'am was not so unusual; she'd been taught herself to be respectful and to answer her elders with a "Sir" or "Ma'am" but she wasn't that old, and no one, including this young woman, had used the terms yesterday. It puzzled her. Also different today were the number of pack members who seemed to be hanging around, watching at her. She felt a little self-conscious and wished she had put on makeup after all. Where the day before she had probably met only a dozen of the pack, it seemed the number had tripled, and now included children. She recognized the route Bridget was taking her on, as it was close to where Jeremiah's office was located. Now, however, she was shown into what appeared to be a small waiting area, with a door that Amelia assumed was the door to Alpha Brendan's office. Bridget went to the door and knocked. "Enter," Brendan's voice came from within, and Bridget opened the door and indicated Amelia should go in. A little tentatively Amelia stepped through and watched as Brendan made his way around the desk. He smiled very warmly at her and she could not help but smile back. The look on his face made her feel like she was 16 again and having her first date, which was such an odd reaction, particularly given her experience with men. The thought made her smile dampen from warm to polite. "Amelia, I want to apologize for waking you last night. It was quite rude of me. Have you had any breakfast yet?" Amelia found herself blushing for no apparent reason as he spoke and she said, "No, but I'm fine." She watched as Brendan shook his head. "What kind of host would I be if I didn't provide you with a good breakfast?" He looked to Bridget who was still standing in the doorway, "Would you please bring us some coffee and some breakfast. Scrambled eggs, bacon, and biscuits with sausage gravy sound good?" he asked turning back to Amelia. "Umm, that's not necessary, and it sounds like an awful lot of trouble." "No, it's no trouble. Actually, usually the whole pack eats meals communally and in kind of a buffet style. I'm sure that all those dishes are already prepared, it's just a matter of getting us each a plate." "Well, I'm strange, I actually don't drink coffee," Amelia answered apologetically. "And, that sounds like too much for breakfast." Looking at Brendan, given his trim physique, she wondered if werewolves had a higher metabolic rate than humans and could burn calories faster. Or perhaps he just exercised a lot? Brendan laughed, "That's not strange, it's just a preference. How about juice instead? And how about just the eggs and bacon? Or the biscuit with gravy?" Biscuits and sausage gravy were not something she had ever mastered. Her mother had made both of them very well and Amelia had always thought she would have the time to learn how to make them later, but she hadn't. "Juice and a biscuit with sausage gravy would be nice, thank you." "Yes my Alpha, Ma'am," said Bridget with a slight bow. "Wait," said Amelia. "If you normally dine communally, then shouldn't we just go to where the food is rather than having it come to us?" The thought of being able to eat with a big family appealed to Amelia, which prompted her to make the suggestion. "Normally, I would heartily agree with you Amelia, but there are some things I want to talk with you about before you meet more of the pack," He added with a playful note. "There is also something to be said for having you to myself for a bit." He smiled as Amelia blushed again. Bridget closed the door and Amelia looked nervously at her feet. "It really isn't appropriate for you to say things like that. I'm a married woman." Her tone was soft and sad. "My apologies if I went too far," said Brendan softly, his tone losing its playfulness. "Please, have a seat," he motioned away from his desk to a small couch in one corner with a coffee table. The tingle of being in his presence intensified and Amelia wasn't sure if she wouldn't prefer to have a desk between them, but as she was the one asking for help, she wanted to keep him happy. With any luck she would be starting her new job the next day. They both sat down and she found herself staring at his blue eyes, his gaze holding hers, and making her feel like he was trying to read her mind. The intensity of his gaze made her more nervous, so she felt back into her old habit of rambling. "I assume Jeremiah told you why I am here and how I'm related to the Beckett family. I know that this not the way that someone normally gets a job, but I promise that I will be happy with whatever job you give me, and work very hard. I assume that I will only make minimum wage, and that is fine. I just hoped that I could start as soon as possible, maybe tomorrow even?" Brendan sensed her nervousness and smiled inwardly as she began to ramble. He wanted to stop the flow of words by kissing her, but did not dare. He waited until her flow of words paused and then asked, "How much do you know about werewolves and their mates?" The question was so different from what Amelia expected that she responded blankly, "What?" "How much do you know about werewolves and their mates?" "Well, um, it wasn't something Reyna and I discussed yesterday, so I guess I only know what the stories say. That werewolves only have one mate and that once they mate they remain together for their lifetimes." "That's true. Unlike traditional wolf packs where only the alpha pair are mates and most of the rest of the pack are their children who have not yet left to find their own territory, all werewolves have a mate, but we remain living together in packs with our children until the pack becomes too large for the territory or there's a disagreement of some kind and then a new territory and alpha are found from within the pack. In addition, it's somewhat like the stories where a werewolf waits for his or her mate and once he or she finds their mate they instantly know, usually because of scent. There's some speculation that it has to do with pheromones, but I honestly do not care about the cause, I just know it is true" he smiled. As Amelia sat listening she wondered why he would be telling her this? Had someone in the pack mistakenly decided she was his mate? She interrupted Brendan to ask curiously, "I'm not sure what this has to do with my request for a job. Am I supposed to keep track of who each person's mate is?" Brendan paused, looking at her and wondering if, as a human, she did not sense the mating call as he did. He knew he needed to tell her the truth since the news had spread to the entire pack and was not likely to remain a secret for long. "No, it's not that." He paused again, and then had an idea. "I would like to make you my assistant." "Your assistant?" "Yes." Amelia was shocked for a moment, because from what Reyna had described about the way the pack worked, he already had plenty of help. Then she had an unwelcome thought. Maybe he did not have a position available and he was trying to "create" this position for her. Or worse, he did not want her to work for him so he was trying to place her in a meaningless position. "Alpha Brendan, if you don't have a position that you feel would be suitable, I'd rather you just say so. The hospitality of your pack and breakfast this morning are more than enough to redeem "the debt." It was wrong of me to actually use it in this way." She stood up and started walking toward the door, knowing that she would need to get into town quickly to start her job search and to pawn her belongings. She also needed to find out about her car, but perhaps she could find Reyna and ask her. An additional sadness tugged at her because there was a part of her that wanted to stay for a while and watch how this family interacted together, so she could enjoy it vicariously. And if she was honest with herself, she realized that for a moment, being Alpha Brendan's assistant sounded like a good idea because being around him seemed like a good idea, but it would be far too dangerous. Brendan stood up, his wolf becoming aggressive at the thought of his mate leaving. "Stop," came the command of a man used to being in charge. Amelia turned and looked at him. He walked up to her, very close and she backed away from him, up against the door. "The kind of assistant I have in mind is actually more of a partnership." There was a part of him that knew he was acting too aggressively, but he could not seem to stop himself. He had to be near. "Partnership?" She hated that her voice sounded so breathy. Though she had found him sexy from the first, she had tried to ignore it, but now, as he stalked and eyed her, she felt her whole body respond to him. "Yes. Amelia, each werewolf only has one mate, and you are mine," he said as he reached her and crowded her against the door with his body. Her body launched into a sexual awareness that she had never known before, her nipples hardening and heat blooming between her thighs. "No!" she cried, closing her eyes and thinking 'this is only a dream.' But then she felt his lips brushing against her neck and it was the most erotic thing she had ever experienced. He nibbled up her next to her ear and whispered, "Yes." The brushed his lips lightly against hers. Amelia could not help the gasp she let out from his touch and she found herself pressing her lips back against his. He deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue within her mouth and tasting her. He then reached to grab her waist and pull her closer and she cried out in pain. He took a step back and at that same moment a knock came at the door. Amelia's face turned red as she realized what she had just done. She retreated toward the windows her hand pressed to her mouth as tears formed in her eyes and she whispered more to herself than to Brendan, "But I'm married. . . " Brendan stepped away from the door and gruffly called "Enter." Emotions warred within him, but since she was not running away, he and his wolf were able to let her go, for the moment. On the one hand he was furious with himself for rushing her. On the other hand he was worried for his mate because she was upset, and also he was furious because she had cried out in pain and he did not think his touch had been rough enough to hurt her, which meant something else had. Favor Redeemed Ch. 03 Bridget came in with a tray piled with food and drinks and could obviously tell there was tension in the room. She quickly went to the coffee table, unloaded the tray and at a nod from the Alpha, left. "Amelia," Brendan said softly when they were once alone again. He watched her standing in the corner looking so alone that his heart wrenched. She should not be alone, she should be by his side, and in his bed. She looked into his eyes and knew this was not a joke or a ploy. He believed she was his mate. She was not sure it was true, however, but she did believe he believed it. Finally after several minutes of silence she murmured, "I can't be your mate. I'm already married to someone else." "Amelia, you are obviously leaving him." "But I don't want to find anyone else," she said with a note of sadness. "Why not?" "Because" "That's not an answer." "Because he wasn't a good husband." "So because you were married to bad man, you don't ever want to be with anyone else?" asked Brendan incredulously. A touch of anger sparked in her as she said, "I've known you for all of five minutes and you want to claim me as your mate. You do not know anything about me. If I tell you I DO NOT want to be with anyone else ever again, isn't that my right?" Rationally Brendan knew that she'd been hurt and that he had rushed her and brought this on himself, but he had wait so long to find her and his wolf's instincts were to rip her clothing off, push her down to the floor and taste her all over and then take her and claim her. "Did he hurt you?" he asked instead, though he was certain he knew the answer. "It doesn't matter what HE did," Amelia said exasperated. "Yes it does," Brendan responded, his frustration spilling into his words. "If you were naked in front of me right now, how many bruises would I see?" "That's none of your business." "Yes it is. Whether you believe it or not, you are my mate and it's my job to protect you and to take care of you, just as it is your job to protect me and take care of me. The fact that someone may have hurt you makes me want to find them and tear them apart. Literally." "I don't need someone to protect me, I just need a job. I can take care of myself and I am going to do so." Amelia did not realize that he words were like waving a red flag at a bull. "You. Are. Mine." He said. Amelia became frightened as she saw Brendan's features begin to change. Hair began to take on a more fur-like quality and he began shifting to a hybrid form, looking half man and half wolf. His clothes ripped some, to accommodate the bulkier form. Stalking her, he cornered her behind the desk as she frantically tried to find an exit. "No, p-please, don't hurt me," she said stuttered, tears once again welling up in her eyes, knowing that this seemed so cliché, like from a bad horror movie, even as she said it. How many times had she begged the same thing of John, her husband? It had never made a difference then, and she did not really expect it to now. Between her words, her tears, and the scent of her fear Brendan was able to calm himself enough to leave the room. He shifted fully to his wolf form once he was outside, and raced outdoors, needing to run off some of his anger and frustration, and his fear that he might never be able to claim his mate. Favor Redeemed Ch. 04 Amelia had watched him turn fully into a large brown wolf and for the first time her she thought, "I guess werewolves are real." Though she had known of their existence since she was a child, it had still a bit mythical. They had all seemed so "normal" so far. Then she noticed the food still on the table. Her mind told her, "You should not eat that. You should walk to your room, grab your stuff and leave." But one of her long-time coping mechanisms had been to eat when she was upset and she was upset. She also told herself, if you eat this now, maybe you can skip lunch or something. She sat down to the biscuits and sausage gravy and quickly ate them. They tasted so good, but she knew she probably did not have much time, and she did need to get to town sooner rather than later. After a few gulps of the orange juice she left the office and the waiting area, and almost bumped into Reyna in the hall. "What happened?" Reyna asked immediately, a shocked expression on her face. "I upset Alpha Brendan," replied Amelia as she began walking back to her room. "Honey, I already knew that," Reyna said as she walked with her. "He thinks I am his mate, but I am not," responded Amelia. "Why do you think you are not?" Reyna asked "Because I am already married." Amelia said a little incredulously. "What does that have to do with anything? You could get divorced." Reyna also sounded slightly incredulous. "I am going to get divorced, but that doesn't mean I want to be with anyone else" said Amelia. "But you are his mate." Reyna insisted. "That can't be. I'm not even a werewolf," Amelia said exasperated. "He could change you," Reyna interjected, trying to find a solution. "No! He's wrong." Amelia whispered vehemently as they reached the door to her room. Reyna stopped and looked closely at her, sensing that she wasn't going to be able to say anything at this moment that would change Amelia's mind. "Do you know where my car is?" Amelia asked. "Yes, but you should not leave." Reyna said, slightly panicked and mentally told her mate, Jeremiah, that Amelia was preparing to leave. "Amelia, look, I know this is all a lot to take in, and I gather you've been through a lot recently, but you are the Alpha's mate." She put her hand up when Amelia started to interrupt her with a denial and Amelia stopped. "If you try and leave, and he has not claimed you yet, then it will drive the Alpha crazy." "He's already crazy," Amelia muttered under her breath and began collecting her things. "No Amelia, you do not understand." Reyna explained. "I know that something happened between you this morning that was upsetting enough that Alpha Brendan left. I suspect that the reason he left is because he was becoming agitated and upset and did not want to hurt you. Once a wolf finds their mate, both of them will want to finish claiming each other and the longer they wait, the more their instincts take over and logic leaves. If you run from him, his instinct is going to be to drag you back here and forcibly claim you." Amelia shuddered at Reyna's words, wondering if it would hurt as bad to be "forcibly claimed" as it did to be beaten up. Fear crept into her voice and her scent as she whispered, "Will he kill me?" Reyna looked at her completely shocked, "No! Mates can't stand to hurt each other, much less kill each other." Amelia let out a breath she didn't even realize she had been holding. "I can't stay here. Do you know if my car was able to be fixed?" Reyna asked, "If it isn't will you at least stay until it is?" "No," Amelia answered emphatically. "But if it isn't, then I need to change and I need to limit what I take with me. I am sorry, it looks like I will have to leave some of my things here for a while." She walked to the bathroom and began braiding her hair and then packing her things. "What are you going to do? Walk to town? You'd never make it before nightfall. It's at least 15 miles and people drive crazy on that highway." Amelia turned and looked Reyna directly in the eye and said, "What choice do I have. I can't stay here." She got some clothes and headed to the bathroom. Just before she closed the door she said, "Don't look so worried Reyna, there is a fair amount of traffic on that highway and I'm sure that someone will stop and offer me a ride." Reyna's eyes nearly popped from her head as she imagined what the Alpha would do if he found his mate hitchhiking. She sent a panicked message through her mind to Jeremiah's and told him that Amelia was leaving and short of imprisoning her, Reyna didn't see how they were going to stop her. She also told him about Amelia's willingness to hitchhike if necessary. Jeremiah responded that this would push the Alpha to do something rash and Reyna agreed, but she knew how determined Amelia was. Both of them could see a disaster about to unfold, but did not know how to stop it. Reyna watched helplessly as Amelia came out of the bathroom in jeans and a t-shirt and knew they were running out of time. To buy a little bit of time she asked Amelia, "Before you start walking, can you give me a few minutes to check on your car?" Amelia sensed her desperation, but would be much happier to have her car than walking so she said, "Yes, I can do that. But Reyna, I won't wait forever." "I understand," said Reyna and ran to Jeremiah's office and rushed inside and shut the door. Again she asked her mate, "What are we going to do? You haven't told Alpha Brendan have you?" "Do I look like I want my head ripped off?" Jeremiah asked her. "I don't think, given how things went this morning, that imprisoning her would be a good idea," Reyna remarked and Jeremiah agreed. "I don't understand why she can't accept the Alpha as her mate," said Jeremiah and Reyna turned to look at him with disbelief. "You don't understand?" she asked. "For one thing she's human and even if she knew we existed, she's never been around us. For another we believe she's been abused by her husband, why on earth would she want to leave one man and go jump in bed with another?" Jeremiah shook his head and repeated the question, "Well what are we going to do?" "Well let's think," Reyna said. "She came here to get a job. Is there a job that we can give her that would keep her safe?" "The Inn" they said simultaneously. "We could move a couple of the Betas out there to make sure she is protected." Jeremiah continued. "And she would have a place to live on-site," said Reyna. "But she doesn't have any experience with running an Inn," pointed out Jeremiah. "But if she's the Alpha's mate then she is an Alpha too, and this would be a great way of seeing how she does," countered Reyna. "Ok, this just might work," agreed Jeremiah. "Let me go get her so we can propose it to her. And make sure her car is fixed. We will both also probably need to go out there too," said Reyna. Jeremiah nodded and said, "Agreed. Let me start working on it." Reyna slowly walked back to Amelia's room and she noticed Amelia's door was open and she was no longer sitting on the bed, but staring out a window. Amelia turned as Reyna knocked on the open door, and asked, "Is my car fixed." "It will be in a few minutes," Reyna replied. "But Jeremiah and I think we might have found a job for you, like you wanted, and would like to talk with you about it." Amelia smiled at the prospect of a job, but was a little wary. She wondered if this was a ploy, like the "personal assistant" job that the Alpha had offered her. "The job isn't here, is it?" she asked. "No, it's in town, near the lake" she replied. "Alright," Amelia agreed and once more walked down the hallway toward what she had come to think of as the "office area." She walked into Jeremiah's office and this time Reyna sat next to her. "Amelia," Reyna began, "It occurred to me as we walked down here that none of us have invited you to stay and get to know us. We do have a job to discuss with you, but I think all of us would like to get to know you better and let you get to know us." "Is this because you really want to get to know me or because your Alpha thinks I am his mate?" Amelia asked with a raised eyebrow. Reyna looked away and said ruefully, "Because you are the Alpha's mate." Amelia sighed, "Well I think we are going to have to agree to disagree on that subject." Jeremiah jumped in and said, "Then let's talk about this job. Are you familiar with the Luna Inn? The hotel near the lake?" "Yes, I think everyone knows that place" Amelia replied, "I guess I should have realized it belonged to y'all, given the name and all." Jeremiah smiled to and said. "Yes, it does. What you do not realize is that the first floor is a steak house and offices, with only a couple of handicap accessible rooms. The second and third floors are guests rooms, and the top floor, which is extra insulated, is a kind of secondary den." "Secondary den?" Amelia questioned. "Yes," Reyna replied. "As you may have realized we prefer to live in packs and have several businesses in town. In fact, the pack founded the town and tried to keep humans out of it, but after the Civil War, it was more difficult because people moved away from the coast. Anyway, the lake became a popular place because a water source is often important, so soon we had other families in the area." "Like the Becketts," said Amelia matter-of-factly. "Yes," Reyna acknowledged. "Since we have so many interests in town, some of the wolves like to stay there. Particularly the younger, unmated ones who want the comfort of a pack but to have some freedom from parents. There is also the community college nearby and several of them attend classes there, so they want to be closer to it than we are here. " "Ok, so what does that have to do with a job?" Amelia asked. "Well, we need someone to manage the front desk. We had a member of the pack doing it up until three months ago, but then she got mated to a wolf from a different pack, and left to live with him in his pack. The wolves that live there have been taking turns, but it is not consistent and having someone to just keep a schedule of who does what when would be helpful. Do you think you can do that?" "Yes, I can" Amelia said. She had always had leadership positions in school and even though that had been a long time ago and she was a different person, she liked organization and was sure that she could do this. She did have a concern, though and asked, "But do you think that they will follow me?" "Yes," Jeremiah replied. "For one thing, the majority of the pack members who live and work there are Omegas, so they are pretty much used to someone else organizing things. Second, everyone knows that they have to take a turn with the different duties. And of course, word is probably going to spread that you are the Alpha's mate so . . ." Jeremiah abruptly cut off and Amelia looked at Reyna who Jeremiah was also looking at and she was staring daggers at him. Amelia's heart sank. "I don't think it would be a good idea then. I don't want everyone to think I'm something I'm not." Reyna broke in, "Amelia, if you stay anywhere in town, you are likely to interact with the pack members. And whether you like it or not, no matter what you say or think, as long as the Alpha believes you are his mate, then everyone in the pack is going to believe it too. In fact, if you are not working in one of the pack-owned businesses, you are likely to have a lot of traffic from pack members wanting to find out about you." Amelia shook her head. "So then how do I convince the Alpha that I am not his mate?" "You don't." Reyna answered. "You have to understand, every wolf has a mate. However, not all of them are within the pack. This is why the packs in an area try to remain friendly and get together frequently. From the time we are teenagers and make our first shift, we are know our mate is out there and we are looking for them. I know it is different for humans, and to pick on an old cliché, its not love at first sight, its love at first sniff. Each human and wolf has their own unique scent, and each werewolf knows the scent of their mate as soon as they smell it. Alpha Brendan has been waiting sixty years to find his mate." "Sixty years?" Amelia asked on a gasp. "How old is he?" Jeremiah responded, "He's 76 years old. Remember, we age much more slowly than humans." Amelia felt like her head was going to explode. It was all too much to take in. Normally her mouth would have been running away from her, but at the moment she was speechless and unsure of what to do next. She looked back and forth from Jeremiah to Reyna. Finally, Reyna asked gently, "So do you think this solution will work?" "Does the Alpha know about your plan?" Amelia asked. Reyna shook her head and Jeremiah answered, "No." "I don't suppose you are going to keep it from him?" Reyna and Jeremiah responded at the same time, "No." "Amelia," Reyna said patiently, "I know this is all strange to you, but the Alpha will need to know you are safe and protected. He will not want to force you into anything, but he is certainly going to want to claim you." "When he finds out, do you think he will forbid me to have this job?" Amelia questioned. "No, he is actually a very reasonable man," Reyna replied. "I think he knows that you need a little time to, um, adjust to everything. If you are with the pack still, he will know that you are protected, and that will help him to give you some space." "Alright then," Amelia agreed taking a deep breath. "I'll do it." Reyna smiled at her and reached over to give her a gentle hug. "I know you don't know me, and you have no reason to trust me, but I do think that this will work out in the end." Amelia just nodded, her mind running away with her. "You can do this, you can do this, you can do this." She kept telling herself. Then a thought struck her and she asked, "I don't want to rain on the parade, or sound greedy but does this," she held her fingers up like quotation marks, ''job' also pay anything besides a place to live?" Jeremiah sighed and said, "This is a real job. The pack does live fairly communally, and everyone has a job, but we do pay wages of a sort." He then grinned and said, "I mean, if Reyna wants to buy chocolate then she has to have a budget to do that with, right?" "And if Jeremiah didn't have an allowance, he'd buy every electronic gadget ever made." Reyna replied with a smirk. Amelia smiled at the couple, and guessed that this was probably a long-running argument. "Ok, that sounds fine then." She was too intimidated to ask how much they were going to pay her. She hoped that she could save most of it if they were going to provide her housing. Reyna also said, "It's also a little different at the Inn as well because several of the pack members there are involved in outside interests. Those that live here are involved too, but they are often involved here or at one of our agricultural sites." "Agricultural sites?' Amelia echoed. "Oh yes," said Jeremiah. "We learned as a pack a long time ago that food was something everyone needed. We aren't much for growing fruits and vegetables, but we have a dairy cow herd and a beef cow herd, as well as a free-range chicken farm." Amelia couldn't help but laugh at the thought that popped into her head, "You mean the wolves are really guarding the hen house?" Jeremiah groaned, "Oh no, she's going to be another one. Like we haven't heard that joke a hundred times." Despite her laugh, Amelia was impressed. So far she could tell the pack had two types of cow herds, a hotel, and an auto repair shop. "How many businesses do you own? Jeremiah and Reyna exchanged a look. "Well the pack owns about 10 or 12, but there are couple of pack members that own their own businesses. For example, the auto repair shop is actually not owned by the pack itself." Amelia nodded and tried to keep up with it. She imagined that it really didn't matter, she was just being nosy. After all, it wasn't like she was going to be joining the pack or anything, no matter what they thought. She then remembered to ask, "So is my car fixed so I can get going? Are you going to call them and let them know I'm coming? Or give me a letter or something? Or, I guess you said no one was really in charge at the moment, so is there a way to let them all know at once or do I need to tell everyone individually? Is there a list of names so I can know who I can assign and when?" "Amelia," Reyna said, stopping her anxious flow of words. "Jeremiah and I will take you out there." Then when she saw that Amelia was about to object she said, "I mean follow you, I'm sure you will want to drive yourself." "That sounds great. Let me go get my things and then tell me where my car is and we can get started." Amelia was bubbling with excitement at having a job. She promised herself she would make them so happy they had her there, they wouldn't know what do without her. Reyna smiled at seeing Amelia smile. In fact, her smile was so bright it lit up her whole face and made Reyna feel brighter too. She looked over at Jeremiah and noticed her normally straight-faced husband smiling as well. Maybe this is what the pack needed, and that is why she had been selected as the Alpha's mate. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A short time later a small caravan of vehicles was once again winding down the road and turning on the highway toward town. Amelia thought that the number of vehicles she was sandwiched between was unnecessary. There was a car in front of her with two betas and then Reyna, Jeremiah, and another two pack members in a suv behind her. She had expected only Reyna and Jeremiah to go with her to introduce her. When she'd asked she about the "extra" people Reyna had told her with a smile that werewolves preferred to travel in packs, and that made sense. She also gathered that the two in the suv with Reyna and Jeremiah were also moving to the inn. Amelia felt happy for the first time in a long time. However, as she turned onto the highway, a sense of loss tried to creep in on her. She decided it was because she was really leaving the home she'd had for pretty much her entire life, but she was determined to smile and move forward. She had been a little annoyed when she got in her car to realize that someone had put additional gas in it. When she'd asked about it, Jeremiah had told her that the wolves that had fixed her car had needed to drive it around for a bit and so they had needed more gas. She wanted to protest but her mother's voice echoed in her head, "Manners are important" and so she sighed and said, "Thank You." Now as they continued driving into town it seemed like it was taking forever and she really was thankful for the extra gas because she was not sure her car would have made it on what it had. As they drove up to entrance of the Luna Inn a true smile at its loveliness appeared on her face. Amelia had always loved the Inn. Rather than looking like a hotel it looked like a huge Victorian house in white with a wrap-around porch and balconies opening from French doors. Because of the way the Inn sat it faced the lake on two sides, and a beautiful wooded area on the third. She had always wanted to stay here, but had never done so. She had been to the restaurant twice. Her parents had taken her family there as a special treat after her high school graduation and after she'd eloped John had taken her there to celebrate. Now, she was going to get to live there, though it was not going to be the romantic situation she had always dreamed about, it still had a bit of magic to it. She liked that the parking structure looked like an old-time carriage house on the outside, but was actually a two-tiered structure on the inside. It fit much better with ambiance without being cheesy, well at least not cheesy to her. What she had not realized is that with what looked like a wall on one end was actually a door that lowered down to show a third, underground level to the structure. She felt like she was being initiated into a secret as she followed the car in front of her through. Favor Redeemed Ch. 04 Everyone parked and got out. Amelia started to duck her had back into to grab some of her things, as she figured it would mean one less trip later when Reyna called to her, "Leave it for now. Let's get your introduced and then we'll get your stuff moved in." Amelia couldn't help but grab her purse and the bag she'd filled mainly with memento's and remembrances of her family, then she followed Reyna and Jeremiah who were in the lead. They walked to a door and small elevator. "This is a private elevator," Jeremiah stated in a firm tone she had not really heard him use before. "No one is allowed to use it but pack members and it goes directly to the top floor." "I understand," Amelia said. Reyna smiled mischievously and then said, "Don't mind his gruffness, he's just very big on pack safety." "That's ok," Amelia answered brightly. "It is his job after all, I assume." Jeremiah's expression softened a little. The more he was around Amelia, the more he liked her. She seemed so calm and sensible. Everyone attempted to climb in the elevator, but there was not enough room for everyone. Only Amelia, Jeremiah, Reyna, and two of the betas fit. One of the men whom Amelia had not yet been introduced to, but who had come with Reyna and Jeremiah, got a twinkle in his eye as he stood outside the elevator. "Race you," he said and then moved to the other door, which Amelia assumed led to stairs. "No shifting," Jeremiah called and pressed the "Door Close" button, put in a small key in a keyhole next to the number panel, pressed "5," and the elevator started going up. He looked at Amelia and said, "We will get you a key to the elevator as well as an opener for the parking area. A key is required to get up to the 5th floor so that guests don't accidentally end up where they don't belong." "Great!" said Amelia, her excitement filling the whole elevator, making everyone smile. As they reached the top floor Jeremiah stepped out first, then Reyna, and the other two betas nodded at Amelia to go first. She followed them down the hallway and noticed a large room at one end. They passed numerous doors to what she assumed were rooms. As they got to the large room, she noticed that it was like a large Den with a TV and several couches and it also combined with a kitchen that actually went back on one side. It was a very open space, but no one seemed to be lounging. In fact, she looked at about 20 pairs of eyes, all looking intently at her. She wondered for a moment if this was "everyone" and how they had come to be gathered here like this. She smiled what she hoped was a friendly smile. Jeremiah nodded at everyone and said, "I would like to introduce Amelia. She is a member of the Beckett family and she will be joining us here to help organize and manage the front desk. She will be staying here as well. I am sure that you will all do what you can to help her feel at home." Amelia listened to Jeremiah's little speech and watched the group as they seemed to be watching her. She wondered what they were thinking and hoped it was good, so she just kept smiling. After he finished Amelia gave a little wave and said, "I'm so happy to be here." The thing was that even though she was uncomfortable at being the focus of everyone, she WAS truly happy to be there. It was like being at college, having a family, and having a job all rolled into one. Reyna watched Amelia and could feel her embarrassment, partially from the blush on her cheeks, but she again watched as a truly happy smile lit up her face. She then watched as that smile seemed to light up the room, and this was not the first time she had noticed this happen. She thought of the Alpha and smiled even more inside because, while there were certainly going to be complications between him and her, she appeared to be exactly what he needed, in Reyna's opinion. Realizing that an awkward silence had ensued she broke in and said, "Ok, I think that's enough of us all standing around and staring at her. We want her to feel welcome not put on display." She turned to a particular woman in the middle of the room with blond hair wearing jeans but a frilly white blouse. "Hannah, can you help me show her around a bit while Jeremiah helps get her set up with security." "Of course," Hannah replied and stepped forward. Everyone else seemed to be hanging back and not really moving along, still watching Amelia. Amelia was in awe of the slim, tall woman in front of her. She looked beautiful enough to be a model. As she came over, though, Amelia's innate sense of manners had her offering her hand and saying, "Pleased to meet you." Hannah took her hand and shook it briefly with a firm grip and also said, "Pleased to meet you." Amelia was surprised at the firmness because it implied a strength that she did not see. Reyna said to Amelia, "Hannah is the one who has been trying to keep things organized, but she really does not have the time as she is studying nursing at the local community college and it's pretty demanding." "That's really cool," Amelia responded. "My best friend growing up went to college to become a nurse." Amelia had not thought of Virginia in a while and she had not seen her in years. In fact, she had lost touch with all her old friends; John had not liked for her to have friends. Hannah chimed in, "Yeah, people thing that since I spend so much time studying that I can just sit at the front desk and it isn't an issue but people are always coming by or calling and it breaks my concentration and I have to start over. I don't mind doing my shift, but I don't want the responsibility." Amelia was struck by how young but not immature Hannah seemed. She suspected that Hannah had a plan for herself and Amelia hoped that things worked out the way she wanted. "Well, let's get me started then." Reyna noticed that there were still a good many people standing around so she turned to everyone and said, "Well since y'all seemed to be lacking for something to do, why don't you go unload Amelia's car." "Oh that's not necessary," Amelia piped up, "I can do that later." "Nonsense," Reyna replied with a smile, "We all pitch in and help, and like I said, since they don't seem to have anything else to do at the moment, getting a few things from your car isn't going to hurt them. Besides, this will give you more time to learn things from Hannah." Amelia did not want to have the help and she was a little concerned about everyone going through her stuff, but she did want to get started so she reluctantly agreed with a murmured, "Ok." Reyna again smiled inside thinking that Alpha Brendan, who was by no means inactive and unwilling to do, was used to being "waited on" to an extent and Amelia was going to want to do everything herself. When they got together, the sparks were going to fly and Reyna was certain that Alpha Brendan needed a bit of that. Jeremiah watched the mischievous smile on his mate's face and wondered what she was thinking because, for the moment, she was not sharing her thoughts. He'd have to pick her brain a bit later. To the group he said, "Let's go get her things. Chase and Grady are moving in as well and have some gear to unload." Amelia assumed that Chase and Grady were the other that had accompanied them out to the Inn. They both looked very serious and Amelia watched fascinated as everyone seemed to defer to Jeremiah, Reyna, and these two. It must be something to do with the pack order that Reyna had explained to her. Jeremiah came over and asked for her keys, which she handed to him, and watched as everyone began filing out toward the garage. Hannah pulled Amelia's attention back to her by saying, "Well obviously this is great room and kitchen. Most of us just fix food for ourselves when we want it or eat at the restaurant. Occasionally someone will cook a big meal for everyone, but it takes a lot to feed all of us and it's hard to fix enough food in this kitchen. Obviously the restaurant has its own, industrial kitchen and if we really are all eating together, sometimes we use that while the restaurant is closed." Amelia went and poked around the kitchen for a moment while Hannah continued to talk about the "house rules." The rules again reminded Amelia of college; clean up your own mess, write name on food that you don't want to share with others. Don't take up too much space in the refrigerator or freezer. All seemed like common courtesy. The tour continued and Hannah pointed out a particular room that was like a common hotel room as the room that would be assigned to Amelia. Amelia noticed that people were already arriving with her things and though she wanted to stop and help them, she continued following behind Hannah and Reyna followed her. Next they went down in the elevator, using the key again, to the first floor. Hannah pointed out, "Obviously the elevator won't work without a key. This helps keep guests from ending up where they shouldn't be. This elevator and the stairs beside it go directly from the first to the fourth floors, and the elevator is only accessible through the first floor office suite, where the guests should not be. For housekeeping purposes, the main elevators are used. This can make things a bit cramped for guests sometimes, but generally most have checked out or gone out when housekeeping is around." Just as Hannah had said, the elevator deposited them in a room full of desks, with phones and computers, and there was a young man sitting at one of, talking on phone through a headset and typing into the computer. "That Ryan," Hannah said to the unspoken question. "He taking a shift in 'Reservations' and in a minute I'll introduce you to Chloe who is currently manning the front desk." While most of the desks were just in the open, there were a couple of offices on one side. As they walked in Amelia noticed papers scattered over the top and a computer with a chart on it. "This has been where I've been working, and as you can see it's a bit of a mess. I am going to get cleared out so you can take over before the end of the day." Amelia would have felt bad about Hannah feeling like she had to leave the office, except there was obvious relief in her voice so she just said, "That's fine, take whatever time you need. I hope you will still be around to help me as I learn everything." "Absolutely!" Hannah replied with a grin, then added, "Just as long as it's you in the chair instead of me." The three of them then chuckled a little. The tour continued to the front desk and lobby, and then to the restaurant, which was quite busy, though everyone stopped as entered and gave her a little bow. Amelia found it a little odd, but they were then moving along and Hannah was telling her different details about the hotel and the restaurant that she needed to concentrate on. By the end of tour Amelia wished she had paper and pen to make notes with, and she hoped she'd remember at least half of what Hannah had said. She was also happy because it was obvious that this job really was something that the pack needed and so her doubts about them just finding a place to put her were laid to rest. By this point Jeremiah had joined them and he said, "All your things are upstairs in your room." He handed Amelia back her keys and asked, "Would you like to go upstairs and take a nap or get settled?" "A nap?" both Reyna and Amelia questioned; Reyna in a tone of incredulity and Amelia in a tone of surprise. "Well I thought you might be tired?" Jeremiah said defensively at a glare from his mate. "She's a human not a child, dear," said Reyna in a tone that made Amelia laugh a little and Hannah just watched all of them. "I know that!" Jeremiah replied, grabbing Reyna and pulling her toward him and giving her a kiss on the lips. "I just wanted her to be comfortable, " he grumbled against her mouth. "I'm fine," said Amelia, "And I'd love to get started if Hannah still has time to teach me." "Yeah, I have time," said Hannah and the two walked into the office and began working. After a little while, Reyna and Jeremiah appeared at the door and Reyna said, "We are going to head back to the lodge now." Jeremiah reached out his hand with a card in it and said, "This is my cell phone number and the number to my office at the lodge. I've also written Reyna's number on the back. If you need either of us, please don't hesitate to call." "I'll come back tomorrow to make sure everything's going ok," Reyna added. "Sounds good," said Amelia, and again flashed her light-up-the-room smile. "Amelia," Jeremiah started and waited until she was looking at him. "I've also written Alpha Brendan's cell phone number on there," he said quietly. "You can also call him if you need anything." Amelia frowned and nodded, unsure of how to respond. She took the card with a "Thank you." To break the sudden tension, Reyna came around the desk and gave Amelia a hug, "Take care, and I'll see you tomorrow." Then she took Jeremiah's hand and they walked away. That evening, back at the lodge a very tired and worn looking Brendan found Reyna and Jeremiah talking in Jeremiah's office. "Where is she?" Brendan asked quietly of his second. "She's at the lodge. I have Chase and Grady there to protect her. She is taking over as the manager for the time being." Brendan nodded, but he said nothing and his look remained a bit remote. Jeremiah could tell Brendan had been in some kind of fight. Probably with some animal, who had probably been torn to pieces. "For what it's worth my Alpha, I think things will work out." Reyna said, "And, she was very happy to have a job." Brendan nodded again and walked toward his office. As he sat in his chair the thought to himself, "What have I done." Favor Redeemed Ch. 05 I am so sorry for the delay in posting. A personal tragedy took up my time and made writing difficult for a bit. But things are improving. Sorry, there is no editor; I'm doing the best I can. I appreciate all the comments and feedback and look forward to more. Thank you all who have liked my story so far. Hopefully I will get chapter 6 posted very soon. meelana * Reyna hung up the phone and sat wondering what she should do next. The information she had just received was troubling. She went and scooped up her two of her sons, twins that were three years old, and gave them a fierce hug. Of course they immediately struggled to be put down and let go. Though she knew that there were times they liked to cuddle and be affectionate, when they were playing, like they were now, they did not want hugs from mom. She sighed as she put them down. She hoped that they would grow up to be just like their father. She then began tidying up toys and other things while she contemplated how to handle the information she had just received. She was surprised, when she saw Jeremiah walk into the room. He walked directly to her and pulled her into a hug. "What's wrong?" he asked. She frowned at herself and asked, "I hope I didn't pull you away from something important." "Love, you know that you are the pups are the most important thing to me. What's got you so upset, I could feel it all the way in my office," Jeremiah said, looking at her tenderly, his love and support absolute. Reyna blushed, she hadn't realized that she was broadcasting her emotions like that. "Well, I've gotten some news," She began. "I know I shouldn't interfere but I contacted a lawyer to ask what it would take to get a divorce." Jeremiah frowned, and correctly suggested, "For Amelia?" Reyna nodded and continued. "The problem is that in this state, you have to be separated for a year before you can get a divorce." "A year!?" Jeremiah echoed, shocked. Divorce was nothing something common in their world, but it seemed to him that this was an awful long period of time for a human. Again, Reyna nodded. "The lawyer did say that if physical cruelty could be proved, then the divorce could be expedited." "Well he was abusing her, which should count," Jeremiah said. "It should but she would have to prove it. It's been a week since Amelia arrived here. I'm sure that her bruises have faded by now." Reyna said as she laid her head on Jeremiah's shoulder. She still couldn't understand how abuse could happen between mates or spouses. "When you did the background check on her, did it include a medical history?" "It did not. Maybe you can talk to her and find out about her medical history," Jeremiah suggested. "Or maybe I can recruit Hannah. Are things still going well at the Inn?" Reyna inquired. Jeremiah replied, with a smile, "They've never been better. Bringing in Amelia to manage the Inn has been the best idea ever. Grady and Chase said that she's not only gotten everything organized, they are amazed that she's learned just about every pack member's names. They've joked that she's like a little mother hen with all of them, but not smothering. Everyone at the Inn adores her." "Is she still working those long days, though?" Reyna asked as her brown puckered with concern. Jeremiah was temporarily distracted by this and leaned down to kiss her forehead. He then kissed down to her nose and then to her lips and before either of them knew it, his tongue was slipping into her mouth to stroke hers. Reyna was always amazed at how he could touch her and kiss her and still turn her on. Even after children and several years together. Looking at them, she was sure that no one would guess that she was the older of the pair, by almost a decade. She had thought she would never find someone. She had trained as a female beta and longingly watched other women with their children. She would be forever grateful that she had found Jeremiah. Unfortunately, before the interlude could go too far the dual sounds of, "Eww, gross," and "Do you have to do that in here?" were sounding in their ears. The pair parted a little to see their 12-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son standing there. "One day you will do stuff like this too," Jeremiah teased them as he looked down into Reyna's eyes. Then he heard his daughter mutter, "I hope not," while his son said, "No way!" "Everyone get cleaned up for dinner," Reyna said, breaking the eye contact reluctantly and looking to her children. "We'll be going to the dining hall soon." She smiled at the chorus of groans, but since they were all fairly well-behaved, they did as she asked. She turned back to Jeremiah and prompted, "Amelia?" picking up the thread of their conversation again. "Yes, she is still working really long days. I don't know how to stop her though, do you?" he said with a sigh. "No, I don't," Reyna acknowledged. "It's like she feels like she has something to prove," Jeremiah remarked off-handedly. "Well of course she does," Reyna said with a laugh. "She has to prove that we made a good decision by 'hiring' her." "If she works herself into exhaustion, and the Alpha finds out, he'll probably take it out on both of us," Jeremiah reminded her dryly. "So I guess I need to go out there and try and talk to her," Reyna sighed. She could not help but ask, "And how is Alpha Brendan?" "Very distracted and agitated. Most are giving him a wide berth right now." "Has he seen her since she left?" "No, and I know he wants to." "Should we tell him about the divorce requirements?" "Not yet," Jeremiah rubbed his own forehead and walked to the window. "I think whoever delivers that message its likely to be 'shot.' Besides, maybe she does have a medical history that can prove abuse. Or she has some bruises and we can get pictures, or something." "That's not going to be easy. She hid them when she was here before, and didn't Hannah say that she hadn't seen any either. And that she's kept pretty covered up." "Well there's got to be something we can do." Jeremiah said. He was not used to inaction. He also couldn't imagine what he would have done if Reyna had rejected him. "Since I interrupted, do you need to go back down to the office, or are you able to come to dinner with us?" Reyna asked. "I was finishing up anyway," Jeremiah responded. "Besides, the early to dinner, then the earlier to bed for the pups, right?" He stalked closer to Reyna and pulled her back into her arms and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "And then I can pick up where we left off before we were interrupted." Then he lightly bit her ear and heard her give a small groan. He was quite pleased that he could arouse her so easily sometimes. Loving her would never get old. At the Inn Amelia was oblivious to the discussions about her. She sat at the desk in the office while another was at the front desk. In a little while she would go and relieve the person at the front desk so that they could grab something to eat. She took a minute though and closed her eyes. She was so tired, but she had to keep pushing herself. For one thing, she wanted to be the best manager this Inn had ever had. She had mastered almost everyone's names now, but there were still two or three she did not have down. Of course, she knew proving herself was not the only reason. She hoped that if she worked really hard and got herself tired enough she could have a night of sleeping without dreams. Ever since she had been here she had been having either horrible nightmares or sexually explicit dreams. In the nightmares her husband kept finding her and hitting her over and over until her blood was all over the ground. After one of those nightmares she could never go back to sleep. And if she was not dreaming of John, she was dreaming of Brendan. In her dreams of Brendan, he was holding her and kissing her like he had that day in his office. She had not felt sexual desire in years, but with Brendan she had. His touch had made her light up and a tiny part of her wondered what it would be like to belong to him, but her fear outweighed that part by far. Yet, if she was honest with herself, she also recognized that she wanted to see Brendan again. She wondered how he was doing and if he still thought she was his mate. The ringing of the telephone interrupted her internal musings. "Luna Inn; this is Amelia. How can I help you?" "Amelia! Its Reyna, how are you doing?" "I'm fine, thank you. How are you doing?" "Oh, I'm doing just fine. I was thinking that maybe I could come by tomorrow and see how things are going. Jeremiah's heard such wonderful things that I wanted to see for myself." "Yes, that would be fine," Amelia said with just a touch of nervousness. She knew that they would come eventually to check on her progress with the Inn, but there was so much more she wanted to do before they came. "When were you thinking of coming." "Well, when would be good for you? I wasn't sure what your schedule might be like." "Well, umm, I like to be available at the desk in the mornings for check out. Then there is all the prep-work after that for the next guests, and then check-in starts at 4, but there are always a few that show up early." "Well, when do you take lunch?" "Um, well, I haven't really been taking lunch. Sometimes I'll grab something and eat at my desk." "Well that won't do!" said Reyna authoritatively. "You need to take time for you too, or you'll get worn out. Tomorrow I'll come at 12:30 and we'll have lunch and talk." "Ok, I'll have lunch ready then," Amelia said wondering what she could prepare. She'd learned in the time she was here that although they did eat vegetables and grains, they were also big on meat. "No, we'll just order something from the restaurant kitchen and have them bring it to us," Reyna replied with a light laugh in her voice. "But that's so much extra work for the kitchen staff." Amelia protested. "Amelia, have you eaten in the restaurant since you got there?" Reyna asked a suspicion forming in her mind. "Kind of," Amelia hedged. "You know that the food that they can't save for the next day gets brought up to the den area, so I've had some of that." Reyna's tone changed to concern, "Amelia, you are eating aren't you?" "Of course," Amelia replied, a defensive edge in her tone. Reyna's motherly tone came out as she asked, "How many times a day?" "I don't know, Reyna. Look, things have been busy, and I may have skipped a couple of meals. But it's not like I'm going to waste away from missing a meal or anything. You've seen me, you know." Reyna paused before responding. "I just want to make sure you've got what you need dear. And I want you to remain healthy." "Thanks for the concern, but I'm fine. Really." "Alright, well we are still doing lunch tomorrow. And we are ordering from the restaurant. So get a menu and pick something you think would be good, and call it in. I'll call in my own order tomorrow before I head out there." "Ok." Amelia said, a little grudgingly. "Well then, I'll see you tomorrow. Don't work too late dear." "Goodbye Reyna," Amelia replied with no intention of changing her plans about working late. A few hours later, Amelia was at the front desk. Benjamin was supposed to be on duty with her, but she had told him to go ahead and take off. He had been telling her about a test he had the next day and she wanted him to have the extra time to study. She was comparing the list of reservations against the guests already arrived and noticing that almost everyone had already checked in when she heard the door open. She lifted her head and froze as three men walked in. She knew they did not have reservations. "What are you doing here, Toby?" she asked the man in the front. He had a kind of sleazy look that made her feel dirty from being around him. Amelia actually did not know the names of the other two men with him. Of course, their names were not important; they were there to provide Toby with intimidating muscle. Both were large men, though one was tall and the other average. The trio reminded her of the Harry Potter movies where there was Malfoy and his two sidekicks. "I think you know why I'm here, Amelia," Toby replied looking her up and down. "No, I don't," Amelia insisted. She wondered if she should have let Benjamin have those couple of hours now or not. She also realized that having two people at the desk was probably a better move for safety reasons. "Well then let me explain," Toby said in a condescending tone. "I'm here for the money Amelia." "What money?" She asked, even though she knew. She could feel her cheeks heat up. She wondered if she yelled if anyone would be able to get to her in time. "Don't play dumb! You owe us $5,000 and we are going to collect from you, one way or the other." Toby walked closer to the counter. "I don't owe you a thing, Toby," she hissed and took a step back. "That was all John. Go find him and get the money there." Toby laughed, and reached over the counter, but Amelia ducked away. "We all know you were the one who funded him. He told us you would have money and so here we are. It took a little bit to find you." "I'm not with John anymore," she said, backing up farther. "And I'm not responsible for his debts. Not to mention I don't have any money." "No money? Yet you're working in a swanky place like this?" Toby scoffed. "You can say whatever you want, but you are going to get me the money. I would hate to have the boys 'convince' you, but I can." "Leave Toby!" Amelia said. "You aren't getting a penny out of me. And if you or your goons try and touch me, I'll scream my head off. There are enough people in this building that someone would hear and come to help me." Amelia had no delusions that she could fight them and win. "But you won't be here all the time, now will you?" Toby asked. Amelia wanted to tell him, that actually, since she lived there too, she would be there all the time, but she did not want them to know where she was staying. "Leave!" She said forcefully again. Then she glanced at the shadows and saw Chase and Grady walking out from down the hallway. Her face flamed with embarrassment and she wondered how much they had heard. "I believe the lady wants you to leave," said Chase mildly, but his face was menacing. Grady stood silently to his side watching the three 'intruders' intently. "You can run along, Amelia and I are just attending to some business." Toby responded, seeming not to feel the newcomers were a threat. Amelia wanted to cry out, "Don't you realize they're wolves and they can tear you apart," but the words remained unsaid. She had seen some mock sparing amongst the pack and she had no doubt that these men were trained. She knew that they were here for security, which she had thought was silly until now. She just wished they would pretend like this had never happened. Chase said, "I'm going to count to three and if you are not out of here by then, we will help you." One of the two goons walked up to Chase and Grady and said, "You think we are scared of you?" Lightning fast Grady shot out a kick that hit the goon right in the middle of his chest and had him gasping for air. "One," Chase started his count. "Two" "Alright, we're going," said Toby, seeming to realize that perhaps his goons were outmatched. "But Amelia, this isn't finished." With that the three exited. Grady came up to Amelia and asked, "Are you alright?" while Chase flipped out a cell phone and made call. "Yes, I'm fine. Who is Chase calling?" "Jeremiah," Grady calmly replied. "No! Stop! That's not necessary!" Amelia cried. "No one needs to know about this, please." "Amelia, this is a threat to your safety, Jeremiah has to know." Amelia's eyes filled with tears of humiliation. "Please," she pleaded again, but she was too late. Chase was already talking to Jeremiah. After dinner Brendan had asked to spar with Jeremiah for a few while. Reyna and Jeremiah both knew that Brendan was the best at sparring and that sparring Jeremiah meant he needed to work off his aggression in a way that he could not do with others since Jeremiah was almost as good. Reyna smiled at Brendan, gave him a hug, and then told Jeremiah she would get the kids ready for bed. She then gave him a wink and told Brendan not to hurt him too badly because she had plans for him. Then Brendan and Jeremiah went to the gym. For over an hour the two had sparred and Brendan was quite aggressive and kept Jeremiah on his toes. Finally Jeremiah dropped to his back and bared his belly and throat and said, "You win." Brendan accepted his submission and then said, "My office." After they were there, Brendan asked, "How is she?" Jeremiah didn't need to ask who "she" was. "She's well from what I am hearing. I believe Reyna is going to see her tomorrow, so she should have more details then." "Good," said Brendan. "From what I've heard so far, she will make an excellent Madam Alpha." Jeremiah continued, wanted to be able to give his Alpha and friend more. "Oh really?" Brendan said with satisfaction. "Oh yes, I hear she's quite the mother hen. And she's learned just about everyone's names." Brendan smiled a sad smile and then said, "Thank you." "I'll have Reyna come give you a full report tomorrow." "Again, thank you. Go on, I know Reyna's waiting for you." "Thank you, My Alpha." Jeremiah said as he started walking to the door. Then his cell phone rang. It was slightly odd for it to ring at that time of day, so he looked at the number and said, "Chase, what's wrong?" Brendan stood impatiently, instantly knowing that somehow Amelia was involved. He listened, his acute hearing allowing him to hear both sides of the conversation. "We've just had a bit of trouble here involving Madam Amelia." "Is she ok?" "Yes, she's fine." "What happened?" "Toby Mathias was here demanding money from Amelia." "What? Why?" Jeremiah questioned. "I think it had something to do with her ex-husband." Chase replied. Brendan was already walking to the door, and Jeremiah followed after him. "I think the Alpha and I are on our way up there," he said. "Ok, but just to warn you, she's not all that thrilled that I've called." Brendan grabbed the phone from Jeremiah and barked the order, "Get her up to the den. Have one of the women stay with her. I will be there shortly." He then shut off the phone and handed it back to Jeremiah, not doubting for a moment his order would be obeyed. Jeremiah called to Reyna and told her something had happened at the Inn that he and Brendan were heading out there. "It's involving Amelia isn't it?" Reyna guessed. "Yes." "Well, be careful. I imagine Brendan's going to be in a tizzy." Brendan interrupted, "Tell her I do not get in a tizzy. But I'm going to go make sure my mate is safe." "Yes My Alpha," she replied respectfully, then to Jeremiah she said, "Take the time you need. I'll be waiting for you." Brendan insisted on driving and while Jeremiah tried to calm him down, Chase and Grady had their own issues with calming someone down. "I can't believe you called Jeremiah. And now Alpha Brendan is worried. It isn't worth all this fuss," Amelia fretted. "Madam Amelia," Chase said in his most respectful tone, "My orders were to make sure everything here was safe and to notify Jeremiah, the Senior Beta, if anything occurred. He and the Alpha must have been in the same room. Trust me, I don't want the Alpha upset either, but I had to report this." Grady had already called Benjamin back down to take over the desk. Amelia was so frustrated and upset that she ran to the elevator and went upstairs and then went in her room and locked the door. She laid down on the bed and cried. Not only was she embarrassed, she was scared. She did not want to be scared anymore. She had just barely begun making a life for herself and something like this happened. Normally she did not allow herself the luxury of tears but this time she could not help it. Favor Redeemed Ch. 05 After a while Hannah knocked on the door. "Are you alright?" she called. "I'm fine," she said, tears clogging her throat and affecting her voice. "Please, just leave me alone." Hannah did not say anything else, but Amelia tried to get her tears under control after that. However, it seemed the harder she tried, the worse it became. After a long time, she heard a scratching in the door and then it opened. Brendan stood there and she turned and buried her face in the pillow. She heard Brendan say, "Get me a glass of water, please. And some tissues." The he came into the room and shut the door. "It's ok, sweetheart," he said soothingly. Amelia did not trust him, but at the moment, his presence did bring her comfort. He sat down in a chair he pulled over from the table that was in the room, but did not try to touch her. The thought flitted through her mind that he was treating her like a scared animal, which was ironic. Soon Hannah came in with a glass of water and some tissues. Brendan took them and thanked her and she left again, shutting the door behind her. Soon Amelia's tears subsided and she took the glass of water and the tissues. She tried to dab at her nose, and kept her face averted because she knew she looked like a mess. "Go ahead and blow your nose sweetheart," Brendan said in a gentle command and she found herself obeying and loudly blowing her nose. Then she took several sips of water, thankful for it. She found herself much calmer now, which was strange because she normally would have been mortified at her behavior. "What happened?" Brendan asked. "Haven't Chase and Grady already told you?" She snapped back at him, knowing that he didn't deserve it, but still feeling irritated that the incident had been reported. "I want to hear it from you," he said softly, calmly. The calm was tone was what drew Amelia's gaze to his, and before she realized it she found herself just staring into his eyes. She had always heard the eyes were the window to the soul, but she had never believed it. Now, though, as she looked into his eyes, she could see so many things. She saw a warrior, a protector, a wolf, a father, a patriarch, a king. She closed her eyes breaking the contact and her little vision, wondering if she truly saw those things in Brendan or if she was seeing what she wanted to see. "I'm not sure how those men found me; it's not like I left a forwarding address." She opened her eyes and looked out the window as she continued, "The blond man was Toby, but I don't know his last name. The other two were his thugs. I'm not sure they have names. Toby is my husband's drug dealer." She glanced over to Brendan to see his reaction, but his face remained calm and she wondered if he already knew about that too. She returned her gave to the window. "Go on," Brendan prompted. "Toby knows that it was my money that bought John's drugs. However, we ran out of money, and John started pawning different antiques from my parent's house. I objected because he'd always told me that he was going to quit, and I believed him. Once he started pawning things I told him it had to stop." Her tone became flat. "He didn't like that and there was a fight. After that I stopped objecting and he stopped telling me he was going to quit. He stopped trying to find a job by then too. A few days before I left, Toby came by the house when John was there and told John that he had better give him the $5,000 he owed him. John tried to barter with him." Amelia gave a short laugh, "He even offered me to him, but Toby said he'd heard John complain about me enough to know that I wasn't, quote, a $5,000 fuck." Brendan growled and felt his wolf rising, wanting to do violence against all those who had hurt her. "Look, I never expected him to show up here to try and get the money from me. I understand this is not what you, Jeremiah, or Reyna expected, and that this is not good for business here. If you want me to leave I will." Brendan had to grip the arms of the chairs to keep from grabbing Amelia. A part of him wanted to shake her for suggesting that she should leave and the other part wanted to show her that she was worth well more than $5,000 to fuck. Only he didn't want to fuck her, he wanted to make her scream his name in ecstasy and know that he had pleasured her as no one else had. "Amelia, you are not leaving unless it's to come back to the main den with me." Brendan said, his voice still growling. "What happened is not your fault and this man will be dealt with. I've known of him for quite some time but have not intervened. However, he came into my world and threatened you and that is unacceptable." "What do you mean when you say that he will be dealt with?" Amelia looked at him with a little worry on her face. She did not want Brendan going outside the law and killing Toby, no matter how bad he was. "I think that it is time the police got some information on him," Brendan replied. Amelia let out a sigh of relief that caused Brendan to raise an eyebrow and ask, "What did you think I was going to do?" Amelia shrugged, "I don't know. Something more violent." Brendan laughed, "Like tearing him limb from limb?" Amelia blushed and responded, "Yeah, something like that." "Well I'm not quite that blood thirsty. Though if he ever harmed you, I can't say that wouldn't change." Brendan moved to the bed to sit next to her and watched as Amelia stiffened. He gently touched her chin with his finger and turned her gaze to meet his again. "Amelia, I know you still do not believe this, but you are my life, my heart, and my mate." Amelia just watched him for a moment, wondering what she could say that would change his mind. Wondering how he could seem so certain. But then her thoughts stuttered as he gently brushed his lips against hers. She did not know why, but his touch, his presence, seemed to make her body come alive in a way it never had before. Brendan pulled back and looked down at her and she could not help the flush that consumed her body. She felt an ache deep inside and know that if he touched between her legs he would find her wet. He sniffed the air and then groaned. Though he had been taught that it was not appropriate to adjust himself in front of a lady, he had scented her arousal and it had made him instantly, painfully hard. He stood up and back away from her as his wolf argued that they should claim her now, while she was ready. Brendan knew, however, that even though her body was ready, her mind was not. "Amelia, I wish I could stay, but if I do not leave now, I will likely doing something I'll regret. Again." Amelia just nodded. He went to the door opened it, and then turned back and said, "I really would like to spend some time with you and get to know you better." "Would that be safe?" She asked. "Well if we aren't near a bed that would probably help," Brendan tried to jest. "Maybe something outdoors?" "In the middle of the summer?" "Well, maybe not then." Brendan frowned. "What about swimming in the lake?" Amelia started to shake her head, but then thinking about him seeing her in swimsuit made her pause. Maybe that would convince him that they were not mates. "Ok. But tomorrows rather busy." "Tomorrow night then?" "Alright, but not just the two of us. Others need to be there." Brendan thought about that for a moment and decided she was probably right. "Ok. I'll bring Reyna and Jeremiah and their pups." Children sounded like a great idea to Amelia and made it seem like less of a "date." We'll be over around 7, and pick you up." Then his demeanor changed and he gave her an authoritative look, "No more running the front desk alone, for you or anyone." Suddenly Amelia could see the Alpha in him again. She couldn't help the "Yes Sir" that slipped out of her mouth. After all, she'd been raised to be respectful. Their eyes locked again and there was a wild part of her that wished he would order her to do something rash and reckless instead of something safe. She wondered if he would be the man she'd always hoped for; the one who would be a partner and take care of her as she took care of him. Suddenly Brendan broke eye contact and looked out the door and said, "Good night, see you tomorrow." She wondered what had gotten his attention.