Chapter 35

The next morning Jarold and Toby found themselves walking into the pack house at first light. They gave an air of calm authority, though they were both feeling a little anxious about what they might find when they arrived. Everyone had had the night to cool off after the altercation and power transfer. As soon as they stepped into the house, they were met with several wolves who all stopped and turned to stare at them. A tense moment passed before the wolves immediately bowed their heads in deference to their new Alphas entering the house.

"Good morning, everyone." Jarold called as he closed the door behind him. "I know everyone is probably wondering what happened last night."

There were several muttered agreements from the wolves surrounding them and they did their best to give the wolves a reassuring smile. Kathrine and them had spent several hours the night before trying to make a plan on how to help the wolves adjust and accept them as the Alphas while still honoring their offer to Jackson that made him peacefully turn over the pack. The pack would want answers, especially to why the pack wasn't present for an Alpha challenge.

"We will be holding a pack gathering tonight to explain everything. We are coming in to handle the business of sending out the notifications to everyone and make sure that there is food prepared for everyone. We'd like to celebrate the peaceful transfer and inform everyone of what the future plans we have for the pack are." Toby announced.

"We can see to the notifications and the feast preparations, Alphas." Lincoln announced, stepping forward from the back of the crowd to Toby's right.

Toby and Jarold shared a look then gave a thankful smile at their father-in-law. "We would appreciate that."

"Will Kathrine be coming? She can't join on a pack run, after all." Lincoln asked, and the look in his eyes told them that he was offering an out to Kathrine should she desire one.

"Kathrine will be coming. She will be staying at the pack house while we have the run. But that shouldn't mean she can't join the celebration. After all, she is the Luna of this pack now." Jarold answered.

"Be here by five this evening." Toby told everyone as they started pushing through the crowd toward the hallway that led to the offices. "We have some things we need to take care of. If anyone needs anything, please let us know."

"That seemed…..tense…." Jarold muttered as they entered the Alpha's office a few minutes later.

"They're all probably confused on what happened. A peaceful transition almost never happens. Not to mention when they sense the power transfer to two wolves. They're probably wondering how we're going to make everything work. It is against our nature for two Alphas to co-exist peacefully." Toby answered as he took a seat behind the desk. "We need to rethink this design in here. Because it will send the wrong message for us to present this office as anything less than shared equally between us."

"We'll let Kathrine handle that. She'll probably suggest get rid of the desk all together." Jarold said laughing.

A knock on the office door had them sharing a tense look and a silent sigh before Toby called for them to enter. He stood, tense as a board next to his brother, when their father entered the office. Neither of them said a word as Jackson closed the office door behind him and stood in the middle of the room looking between his sons. Toby and Jarold both crossed their arms over their chests and gave him a questioning look in an effort to probe his motive for the visit without being the ones who broke the tense silence.

"I came to request a meeting. I didn't like how things were left between us last night." Jackson finally said in a quiet tone.

After letting him sweat their response for a minute, Toby finally gestured toward the seating area. Toby and Jarold led the way to the couch, and each took a seat as Jackson took a seat in one of the armchairs facing them. He seemed equal parts relieved that they readily agreed to see him and nervous about what he wanted to say. Neither of the twins regretted what happened the night before. They were honest with Kathrine when they said what took place had always been inevitable. They might have done it a bit more privately, but their hands had been forced when Jackson had been challenged. It was the only thing they could do to avoid being banished.

"You said you have proof of the plans I had been making for the pack?" Jackson asked them.

"Yes, we do. And as long as you don't make our lives difficult you won't have to worry about that proof making its way through the pack." Toby answered him.

"You both were helping me until recently. Why is it suddenly a problem, what we were planning." Jackson asked them, sounding confused.

"We were giving you just enough to keep you talking to us. Success in that venture was never going to happen. We were always planning to challenge you and put a stop to things once we had enough evidence. What you were doing was treasonous, not only with our pack, but with all of the packs. We weren't going to let it get that far." Jarold said, giving his father a hard glare. "Our interests will always be to protect this pack and our family. We have enough to put you on trial right now. But we are choosing to handle this quietly, instead."

"The question is," Toby continued where his brother left off, "do you plan on letting this pipe dream go and letting this pack and family move on into a new era, or do you plan on making us put this pack and family through a trial?"

"I have enough evidence of your complicity to have you both on trial right along with me." Jackson said looking between the two of them.

"You have enough evidence of our cooperation up until the last several months. Do you think mom was the only one who noticed us pull away from you and your business dealings? Our cooperation ended when we told you that we were not going to participate in a species war and that it was a suicide mission. The entire pack has noticed the tension between us." Toby answered him.

"We have had several wolves ask us if there is something going on between us and you over the last several months. So, no, you might have evidence of our cooperation, but the pack themselves noticed a break in that several months ago. It would just simply explain to them why suddenly we put distance between us and you." Jarold said.

"What are you going to do when Kathrine has those babies and decides that she isn't content just being your Luna?" Jackson asked, his tone fading from respectful to hateful when he mentioned her.