Jazzy I see a twinkle in Tychon's eyes, and I think he figured out what I had been thinking. "What is so funny, Jazzy?" Keir asks, but I just shake my head. I don't think I would be able to get the words out of my mouth, and I have this feeling that Lakota will object wholeheartedly. "I think she realized the same thing Lakota did," Tychon states. Keir and Denali are laughing while Lakota just stares at me. "Don't worry, Alpha. I won't make you say it," I manage to get out before I am laughing my ass off again, and Lakota's jaw drops; she hadn't seen that one coming. Tychon pulls me closer to him, and I lean my head back against his shoulder. "Argos told them to be at the diner at lunch time. There will be a few inside the diner. Conan and Kanoa will keep an eye on Josy; the rest of us will be there to back you up if you need it. Lance and I will be sitting at a table on one side of you, and Dad, Denali and Tychon will be on your other side," Lakota says.Tychon looks at her, and I can feel he is getting angry, but I think I know why she doesn't want him at the table with me. "Tychon, Alpha Lakota is right. It would be best if you stay at another table; make sure I can keep eye contact with you. It won't be easy for you, but I need to do this on my own. I want to know why they came looking for me after all these years, and I want to know if both my parents were involved with what almost happened that day. There is one thing I will grant you though: you get to thank the Idiot for rejecting me and allowing the Goddess to pair us together," I say as I look in his eyes. I can tell Makucha has pushed forward, and I smile when he says, "It will be my pleasure, little Lycan." He leans forward to close the distance between us, and I push myself closer to his body when our lips touch. For the next few hours, we talk about how to secure the diner and what we are allowed to do in regard to my visitors. It is well after midnight when Lance calls it a night; there is nothing else to discuss, and we all can use a night's sleep. Tychon carries me out of the office, and while the others laugh, I just snuggle deeper into his arms; he can carry me whenever he wants. I know he and Makucha need this; they still don't like the fact that they can't be with me in the morning. I wake in the morning tightly wrapped in the arms of my Mate, and I snuggle closer into his side, enjoying the warmth and comfort he gives me. I fear that today will be a very exhausting day for both of us, and I just want to enjoy the time we have before we have to go to the diner. A part of me wants to skip the meeting, and a part of me wants answers. During breakfast, Colton tells us that no one showed their faces last night and that everyone will be in position before they arrive. Last night Tychon asked if he could go to the diner before I would; he just wanted to make sure he could follow my every move, and I love him for caring about my safety. Keir decided to change the plan a little by telling Lakota they would take a table aside my family's table; he said it would make it easier to keep an eye on things. He pointed out that we didn't know who were coming or who I would be sitting next to, and it was something I hadn't considered yet. After all, they did plan to kidnap me, to have me forcefully marked and probably used as an incubator. It is a future I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy; it is a future I will never allow another to end up in, and I am glad I had been able to go to Silver Shadow Pack to put a stop to their way of life. "Keir, you better get going. They will be arriving shortly," Argos says, and Denali has to pull Tychon away from me; he is definitely not willing to leave my side. After ten minutes, Argos and I walk out of the Pack-house towards the diner, and I start to feel a little anxious about this meeting. "It will be fine, Jazzy. None of us will let anything happen to you; we will go to war if we have to," Argos says as he places an arm around me and he rubs up and down my arm for good measure. "Let's see if they can smell another male on you," he states with a huge smile on his face. "Tychon will be able to smell you," I say with a smirk, and I hear him mutter "Fuck" as he realizes he will have to explain this to my Mate."Tychon, just to let you and Makucha know. I might be smelling a little like Argos; he wants to rattle their cages a little," I tell him through our mind-link, and I can hear both of them growl in response. "He is going to find out that a Leopard can kick his ass," Makucha says, and Dusk and I are looking forward to seeing that fight. We all know that Argos is harmless, but he could have asked for permission before making me smell like him. He would give his life for anyone in our Pack, especially Josy, and even though he can be annoying as hell, I love him like a Brother. Just before we reach the diner, Argos stops me. "Jazzy, you will be fine. You need answers, and today you will get them. Just breathe," he says, and I smile at him, thankful for his faith in me. I need answers, and I want to get them today, one way or the other. Argos opens the door for me, and as I step inside, my eyes lock with those of my Mother. She whispers "my baby" as I approach their table. Dusk is gagging in my head, and I want to join her. "Linda," I say before I look at my Father, and he has the nerve to smile at me, but I almost turn around to run out of the diner when my eyes land on the male that nearly raped me. "Jazzy, I'll be at the bar if you need me," Argos says before he walks towards Josy. The only seat available is the one next to Ruben, and I almost pull the chair to the head of the table, but I want to be able to see Tychon. I sit down and look at my Mother, waiting for her to start talking. "Baby, I was so worried about you. When you didn't come home, we started looking for you. We thought something might have happened to you, and I was so grateful when Ruben offered to help us search for you. The more time passed, the less hope I had of finding you alive," she says, but I can tell that she isn't sincere. "Sweetheart, your Brothers and I want you to come home. We have all missed you so much; not a day has gone by that you weren't on our minds," my Father states. "Fuck, he is good. It's that we know him better or I would have been fooled by him," Dusk growls in my head. Ruben has been awfully quiet, but I saw the look in his eyes when he smelled Argos on me, and I wonder if he will be able to put up an act like my parents. I can see him flexing his hands, and I know he has trouble controlling that damn Wolf of his. "How are my Brothers doing? I am surprised they didn't join you," I say, looking at my Mother. "Your Brothers are busy with their own families and border patrols," Ruben answers, but I don't take my eyes off my Mother. She confirms what Ruben has told me, but it wasn't the answer I was looking for, and I think my Father told her not to tell me the truth about my Brothers. Well, the joke is on them, as I know exactly what happened. "Jazzy, we all want you to come home. We have missed you; we have missed how you brighten up our lives. The Pups keep asking every day when you are coming home, and it gets more and more difficult to keep their spirits up," Ruben says, and I finally turn to look at him. I always thought that Ruben was a very handsome male, and I understood why women were attracted to him—not just for his looks but also for his title. He no longer has that hold over me, and I wonder if that has to do with the rejection or with me having another Mate, one that is better looking than the male sitting next to me."How is your Mate doing, Ruben?" I ask, already knowing the answer to that question. "I thought you were going to mark Sandra a week after I left, but I don't see a mark on your shoulder," I say, and I see anger flash through his eyes; it looks like I hit a nerve with that one. "Oh, wait a second. I almost forgot that she found her fated Mate two days later and that she left you high and dry. She wasn't as committed to the relationship as you were, and she didn't do as you had discussed. You rejected me for her, but she was unwilling to reject her Warrior Mate for you," I say. I turn to my Father after I am done with Ruben. "As for the two of you. If you had been so worried about me, then why didn't you report me missing with the Council, and why did it take you so long to come here?" I ask, and I see both my parents look at Ruben, as if they want his permission to tell me. I turn towards Ruben again, and I can tell he is mind-linking someone. "Colton, check the area. My former Mate is linking someone, and I don't like where this is going," I tell him through the mind-link, and I know that they will find whoever is out there. My Father clears his throat, and I know it is his way of getting me distracted, hoping that I didn't notice what Ruben is doing. "Jazzy, we didn't want to involve the Council. We don't know what happened that day, and we wouldn't be able to answer any of their questions," he says.