Chapter 437 Chapter 437
Noah looked over at Emersyn while Blair dug deep for the courage to speak. He didn’t envy him. Kobie was in front of him right now, hand on his chest and talking softly. He put his hand on his chest, realizing that it was what Emersyn had done to him, again. As she watched him, her expression changed, and then she shifted her daughter and placed her hand on her chest, near her heart. Noah almost shook his head telling her she misunderstood, but then he saw the darkness in her eyes lighten for a moment. He dropped his hand and looked back at Blair, almost blurting out to get on with it. The sooner they got this over with, the faster he could be back in the shop breaking shit.
Blair inhaled a deep breath and then nodded to his mate. He stepped to the edge of the top step and pulled off the hat McKenna had given him.
Noah looked to see McKenna and her grandmother were the only two in the group that didn’t look shocked. Some of them looked frightened as well.
“My name is Blair Elden,” Blair said in a clear loud voice. “Many of you won’t remember me or even know I existed,” he paused and looked to see the only other elder in the group step closer to McKenna’s grandmother and take her hand. She was smiling. “I was sent away to live somewhere safely,” Blair continued, then gave his head a quick shake, “I didn’t even know I had a brother until recently—” He blew out an exasperated breath, “I’m sorry, I had no way of knowing what you were going through.” He put his hand on his chest and looked around at them, “Lindon is dead and my mate,” he glanced at Kobie, “and I would like to help all of you.”
“What about the Alliance?” One of the few adult men shouted at him.
Blair gave Calum a quick look before answering him, “we work with the Alliance.”
“The Alliance kicked us out because of something our old Alpha did.” Another of the men announced.
Pieces clicked in Noah’s mind. That’s why they stayed with Lindon, to be caught away from an unregistered clan, meant death. He’d recently learned that when Ed and Gage had been talking about Deacon’s new status. It explained it. He looked around at the sheds, he’d probably have risked death to live like this. Turning, he looked back to Blair.
Blair raised an eyebrow and looked at him for a moment. “You’ve been lied to. The old Alpha, my father, was fighting with Lindon because he didn’t want to help another organization,” he glanced at Kobie, “an organization that sells and trades shifters.”
Noah had to hand it to him, he didn’t sugar-coat it. The gasps in the crowd confirmed most had no idea.
“Did you bring my Mommy too?” A little girl came running toward the steps. She looked at Emersyn, “you brought Aspyn’s.”
Kobie put her hand on Blair’s arm, telling him she had this one. She went down the stairs and squatted down in front of her. “What’s your name?”
“Wren.”
Noah noticed she stayed out of Kobie’s reach.
“Well Wren, we didn’t bring your mom today, but we’re going to look for her.”
Wren turned those blue eyes on Blair, and Noah was struck by how alike they were. She had to be related. She turned around and looked at one of the other women, then back to Blair, “are you my uncle?”
Blair’s look softened, “I am.” He came down the steps and put his hand on Kobie’s shoulder, “and this is your aunt Kobie.”
The little one gave Kobie a long assessing look before the hard look changed, “I’m coming to live with you?”
Kobie looked up, amusement in her eyes, as Blair’s expression changed to shock, “if you’d like that, then yes.”
“I don’t have details right now,” Blair smiled down at Wren, then looked around the group again, “I won’t make false promises, but you will be warm, dry, and fed.”
Noah watched him look his way, his expression said he really had no clue.
“We have a few things to do inside and then all of you can come in the cabin, get washed off, and warm and we’ll get some food going.” Blair stepped back from the steps.
Noah noticed he hadn’t said where they would be warm, dry, and fed. He looked around at the group, there had to be nine or ten children. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to figure out how the hell they were going to get this many out of here. Was there a road nearby? There had to be a path or something.
“Noah.”
He turned to see Calum looking at him. “I’m going to field a few questions with Kobie,” he turned and smirked at Blair, “you go in with Blair and dig around and see if there’s any paperwork inside.”
Noah nodded his head, that was much better than being out here in the emotional river from all the shifters projecting every possible feeling under the sun right now. “On it.” He jogged up the steps and into the cabin before anyone could say a word to him.
The door slammed behind him, and he tensed and turned around. Blair stood there with his eyes closed leaning against the closed door.
“Thank fuck.” Blair hissed out a breath. Opening his eyes, he pushed away from the door. “Did you see the look on Kobie’s face?” He shook his head and kept going, not giving Noah a chance to answer. “I’m so screwed.” He pointed to the kitchen area, “I’ll start there.”