Chapter 50

Samantha’s POV

I head to the coffee shop at the mall; to meet Renee. “I can’t wait to meet your parent’s Sammy.” She is too cheerful in the morning; I haven’t even had my coffee yet. “They can’t wait to meet everyone, too” I tell her; putting my strawberry blonde hair up in a messy bun.

“Do you know what they want to talk to us about?” she enquires; I look at my best friend and sigh; “No; they heard what happened eight months ago and said they needed our help. I asked what was going on, but all dad said; there were ears everywhere and would prefer if they came here to discuss it. I asked Alex to book them into the hotel.”

She purses her lips “is anyone else coming with them?” “I hope not. My family isn’t anyone I want near me.” Ayanna paces around in my mind; **“I will rip your siblings to shreds, if they step foot here”** she tells me.

Greg settled down a bit when he met his mate Sharon. To say he was pussy whipped was an understatement. She runs that relationship and she is a bigger tosser than he is. Heather his oldest doesn’t have anything to do with them. Her mum, is a panther; so is she. He met Elaine and they were dating for a few months when she fell pregnant. She told him and he disappeared on her. Lois is another story; he dotes on her. I think Sharon would have his balls; hang on, she does; his ass; if he didn’t. And I wouldn’t have Samar or Dominque near their cousin; she is the spoilt, mean little shit her mother taught her to be.

Beatrice on the other hand; she met her mate Terrence, but she refused to mark him and let him mark her. She had a daughter Rhianna; Terry bought her up himself because she is missing in action most of the time; only going back if she needs money or food.

It has only come to our attention recently; Greg would do more than beat her; he was sexually assaulting her. I still kick myself; as I was unaware. There were times; I do remember waking in our room when we were small and he would be there. I would yell at him to get out. Mum and Dad stand by his excuse, he was a child experimenting and they won’t tell Sharon what had happened.

Bea did stay with Raoul and I, here and there but it was always the same. She would steel whatever she could get her hands on to purchase more drugs. Yes; she is a drug addict; it’s hard for any shifter to get a high on human drugs but there are rouges out there; who have produced a drug called Lace. We think it’s similar to the human version of meth but more potent; it makes a shifters lion, bear or wolf go feral. Bea got hold of some and she is no longer herself; her lioness Zuri is obsessed with wanting more.

“You know you couldn’t have stopped what happened, don’t you?” “Huh?” I look at Renee. “Bea; you couldn’t have stopped him and you can’t help her come off Lace, unless she wants to.” “I know. I understand the beatings more though; I was being hit because I stood between him getting to her when mum and dad weren’t around.”

“It’s not your fault; take it from someone who has experienced the torment. There are some sick fucks in the world and it’s how you choose to accept it; Bea chose to hide from it and your parents aren’t helping by pushing what happened to the side.” She tells me. “Is that what Dr Bushell told you?” I grin, “That and we need to realise it’s not our fault and those who didn’t know what was happening; meant the abusers were good at hiding the truth from them.”

“We better get going” I tell her getting up from the table and head toward the Leader’s room in the arena. “What are you going to tell everyone?” “Not sure what to tell them. I have a feeling it’s to do with the drug problem. Most of the rouge encounters are shifters who are on this Lace; I think that is what we need to address.” Opening up the door; all the leaders, Raoul and my second Kevin are waiting for us. I guess it’s time to begin.

“Thank you all for coming, as you are aware my parents will be here in three days and wants to discuss issues they are having in the north.” “What sort of issues?” Cameron asks. “We are not entirely sure; they said they heard what happened eight months ago and needed our help. We are seen as a community of peacemakers and I feel we need to continue this thought and help those that need it.” Raoul answers.

I smile at him, “Thank you, Raoul; I have a fair idea what it may be, but until Mum and Dad get here; I won’t know for sure. There is a problem with drugs in the north. The drug in particular is a called Lace. It sends a person’s counterpart feral; craving more of the drug. This is the main reason for all the rouge attacks they experience.”

“We don’t normally hear of drugs in the shifter community; what actually happens?” Tim chimes in. “My brother was on it for a long time; he finally saw sense, at the relief of his mate and cub. He got help and both him and his panther are doing fine now. When he was on it, all Percy would say, he wanted more and he was willing to kill to get it. It got to the point, he was a shadow of himself, living in nearby rocks or in trees; very thin and very unpredictable. He even lashed out at his son; that was his turning point” Kevin explained

“My sister is on it; unlike Percy, she doesn’t want to come off of it” I include. “Do they know who’s producing the drugs?” Harry asks; “When we were living in the Miamba territory; there was a problem starting then. It was believed the rouges were responsible. When we came here; we didn’t really hear more about it; except what we were being told by our families still up there” Raoul answered.

“It’s easy to turn a blind eye, when you are not directly involved. But we mustn’t have that mentality anymore. We have been in a bubble for so long; it was easy for us to dismiss these things. We need to keep an open mind and look at a way to stop this from happening to our loved ones” Renee interjects.

I smile at my best friend “We won’t know the full extent of what is happening until my parents arrive. As soon as they do; I will call a leader’s meeting and they can answer any questions you may have; in the meantime, I think we can call it a day.” There chairs scrapped across the floor as the leaders moved towards the door to exit.

“Alex did you book Mum and Dad into the hotel?” “Yep; they are in the presidential suite” he grins; “How are you?” Toby asks “I’ve been better, under the circumstances. How’s the twins and little Laurie?” I ask, trying to change the subject; that didn’t work. “If you need us, I have Beck on standby” he tells me.

The leaders were all overjoyed Alex and Toby decided to open their enforcer positions to the whole community. When they asked if Rebecca could belong to both packs; Raoul and myself welcomed the idea. If we are going to live together in the same territory; we can get in contact with them through her. It really did bring us together more as a community; instead of 11 different shifter prides, packs and clans; now the white coven is no longer here.

“The kids are doing great; I can’t believe they are 2 months already” Alex chimes in. “Wait until they start walking; that’s when they zap the energy right out of you” Renee laughs.

“Are you ready to go home, my sweet?” Raoul asks me “Yes” I tell him, giving Renee a hug. “I’ll see you all in a couple of days” I call out, walking out the door. Raoul takes my hand and we head to the Orange Pride house.