The next morning Drake convinces me to have breakfast in the common kitchen with his Pack, my other seems currently at peace so it might be alright. Provided I do not panic over the amount of people present. I enter the kitchen to a great deal of noise making my ears hurt and a crush of bodies every where rushing to cook and set food out. Drake’s mother sees me shrink back and gives her son an angry look and gently guides me to one of the large tables in the dinning room.

After sitting me down, one of the younger wolves comes up to me with a cup of, I think coffee. She holds it out to me, and I can hear Drake’s mother yelling at her son over the sounds of the rest and I grin. I turn to the child, “sorry I don’t drink coffee sweety.” The child blinks at me confused, and one of the teens carefully takes the cup out of the child’s hand and asks. “Pardon Lady Nancy, but what do you drink in the morning?” I smile at the teen, “I drink custom blended teas.” The teen blinks at me and mutters under the din of voices as he walks away, from the look on his face to look for something that isn’t in this house and I sigh.

The small child is still standing in front of me looking at me, “did you need something sweety?” The child tugs at her shirt, “I wanted to know what your cat’s name was.” I spy out of the corner of my eye multiple people trying to listen to what I say, and I grin at the little girl. “I’m sorry sweety, my cat doesn’t have a name.” I see the child ready to ask another question when I hear a doorbell ring, and everyone freeze and look at Drake.

He looks around and then asks a question, “why were we not notified that there was someone approaching the house?” I get a buzz on my phone and I look, Nancy tell the idiot wolf to let me in NOW. That was Simon’s number, and I speak up. “You might want to open that door Drake, it’s my accountant.” Drake turns to me then gives the surrounding wolves a withering look and turns to walk towards the door. I jump up and follow a distance away.

Drake annoyingly opens the door and I see Simon standing outside his suit looking slightly rumpled and him not looking pleased. He holds out a badge, which I hadn’t know he had and speaks. “Drake, Alpha of the Great Valley Pack. I am Simon I work for Shifter control as well as for Shifter Finance. I am here about Nancy.” Drake’s mother who followed me blanches at the badge and leans over her son’s shoulder whispering something in his ear. “I don’t care mom, I am going to beat those guards for letting him through.”

I hear Simon chuckle, “you think they let me through wolf? They tried to stop me at your boarder, they probably need medical care.” I hear Drake snarl and Simon unfurls his dark gray wings, the fabric of his suit tearing. Drake takes a step back and Simon speaks, “good you at least know not to try and fight a Gargoyle.” He then gives Drake a pointed look, “unless you wish to have this discussion outside I suggest you let me inside your home.” Drake steps back to let Simon walk in, who walks over to me and leans in and takes a sniff; then nodding his head he turns to Drake. “So where do you wish to discuss this?”

Drake stomps off toward a room off to the side of the front door and Simon follows. Me and Drake’s mother follow, I see Drake’s Beta and body guard come out of the dinning area to follow. We walk into a large living room, which looks like it is more designed for greeting guests than spending time in. Simon picks a chair that faces the room with his back to the door, and I sit on the floor near his.  Drake goes to say something and Simon gives him a dark look.  Instead Drake sits on a couch with his mother, his Beta and his body guard stand behind him.

Simon opens his brief case and pulls out a great deal of papers. He smiles at me then speaks, “Alpha Drake you are in violation of Shifter protection order 99731-54, subsection G. The required living spaces for ‘special’ shifters. As per her place on the registry,” Drake growls at the word registry. Simon pauses and gives Drake a look then turns to Drake’s mother.

“Does he not know all of the law regarding Shifters? Who was his law tester? I shall have to punish them.” I squirm where I am sitting and Simon sees it. “Nancy, you know the legality of this. To be in his position he is required to pass a law test, before the government approves his place as Alpha. The person administering the test obviously did it incorrectly.” Drake’s mother looks uncomfortable, “umm I paid them off. He wasn’t studying the law regulations and we needed an Alpha.” Simon drops his briefcase on the floor loudly, “so another law violation. This pack is racking them up I see.”

Drake snorts, “we’re wolves; we’re the most powerful of the shifters. We make the laws.” I see Simon shake his head, then he holds up another stack of paperwork. “Well, Mr. Alpha Wolf. This is all of the documentation of your Pack’s assets, which is now under my supervision due to your attachment to Nancy. Per the law you broke that states a ‘special’ is required to live at the government sanctioned place of residence unless special allowances are made. In the case of Nancy no ‘allowances’ can be made. She falls under the same regulations as do the Dire wolves do.” Drake’s mother nods her head, “the neighboring Pack has a Dire Alpha. He isn’t permitted to leave their Pack lands unless he gets permission first.”

Drake turns his head as if surprised, “so I’ve never met the River Pack’s Alpha?” His mother shakes her head, “no because you refused their invite to their home. As he is not given permission often he does not ask in cases of meeting a new Alpha.” Simon nods his head, “a wise choice on his part.” Drake looks like he is personally offended and Simon stands up.

“Listen pup, as you chose to not learn the law let me explain a few things to you.” Simon walks to the fireplace that the room has and leans against it. “First, there is a world wide registry for the ‘specials’, as they are not what you believe them to be.” He points at me, “You as wolves know that your wolf is separate from you as a person. In other words two souls sharing one body.” Drake nods his head, “well. The ‘specials’ are not, they are one complete being. Their ‘other’ self is their primitive nature, and being their primitive side. If it takes over it can cause a great deal of damage or harm.” Drake’s mother nods her head and Drake looks shocked.

Simon walks over to me and pats my head, “Nancy here is a very special type among the ‘specials’. The only ‘controlling’ factor they have is the home they are attached to. Other ‘specials’ can and do have mates, how much do you know about cat shifters that are not lions?” The body guard speaks up, “my mother said that they believe the Moon Goddess cursed them to not have mates.” Simon nods his head, “correct to a degree. Lion shifters are the only cat shifter that have mates, and they live in groups as their mate bond is a little odd. Nancy has no connection to you even though you have one to her. She has no inner connection that would prevent her from harming you Alpha Drake.” Simon turns to Drake who looks stunned, “but she’s my mate.”

Simon rubs his forehead and mutters, “wolves; they think a mate is the answer to everything.” Simon thinks a moment then pulls his phone out and makes a call, “Doug? It’s Simon. Yes, she’s right here. Can I get your help with something a moment? Great I’ll put you on speaker.” Simon sets his phone down on the table, “Alright everyone can hear you.” I hear Doug’s worry laced voice come from the phone, “Nancy? Are you alright?” I smile and Drake growls, which I ignore; “yes I am Doug. How did your trip go?” Simon gives me a look and speaks, “what trip Doug?” I hear a pause then Doug answers, “mom took me around to find my mate. You were right Nancy it was one of the triplets.” Simon smiles and asks, “please Doug for the Alpha’s benefit can you explain Raccoon mates?”

I hear Doug’s voice change slightly like he’s excited, “oh sure thing. Now I know wolf mates are like inseparable from each other, for a Raccoon it’s not the same. Our mates are just a way to ensure we have the healthiest children, there is a connection. However, to have a good working relationship we have to work with them like they are humans. We go on dates, and spend time together; and hopefully we eventually get married. My cousin married someone who wasn’t his actual mate, but he loves her to death. Unfortunately they are completely genetically wrong for each other, they will never have children and his mother won’t let him forget it.”

Drake looks stunned at this revelation, “but it’s your mate.” I hear Doug snort, “do you know what cougar’s like Nancy’s mom do? They have no mates at all they just find a person who has a particular odor they find appealing and breed with them when they want children. They spend their lives alone otherwise.” Drake still looks stunned and Simon picks up his phone turning off the speaker. “Yes Doug, she should be home tomorrow. Oh is he now?” Simon looks to me, “Doug says Dang is positively furious spitting at anyone.” I chuckle, Dang is an odd house cat; probably angry that he didn’t scare the wolves off.

Simon puts the phone away and sits back down, “now if you do not send Nancy back home I am authorized to seize all of your Pack’s assets. Also if I have to I am also required to take all of the children under fifteen and place them in a shifter home.” Drake’s head shoots up at that, “what do you mean by that?” Simon closes his briefcase, “what it means is Alpha. Is that you will send her home, now. It’s bad enough that it will take a day to get her home, and through areas not sanctioned for her to travel through. If you do not, you lose everything.”

Drake looks heart broken, which does bother me, as I can’t stand to see anyone feeling down. Simon catches my mood and speaks. “If you must pursue this idiotic idea, I will have you know that the lands surrounding Nancy’s have recently come available to buy. There is no wolf Pack in that area, though I doubt the locals will be pleased with you moving in.”

I see Drake’s mother nudge her son, who shakes his head as if to clear it. “Fine we will move there then.” Simon shrugs shaking his head, “very well. Come along Nancy, I need to get you home.” Drake looks as if he is going to say something when his mother prods him. Simon helps me stand, “while we’re driving back Nancy. We can discuss your father, I have finally tracked him down.” I blink in surprise, I had asked Simon to look for him when I was younger. Well at least he found out.