Chapter 528 Chapter 528
“Amari.” She smiled at her and then looked at him, “and you must be Tripp.” She inclined her head but made no move to come closer to either of them. “Sorry I’m late, this plan was tossed together rather quickly.” She smiled. In that smile, Tripp saw the salvation of the Alliance and the entire shifter community, he couldn’t say why, it was just a feeling that came over him.
Konner came up behind her and nodded to Tripp, then did the same to Amari before he acknowledged the Alpha standing there fuming. “Alpha Hughes,” he glanced to her mother, “‘mam.”
“Oh,” Rayne motioned to the woman beside her, “this is Kelsey,” she glanced to the shotgun-wielding man, “and her mate, Gage. As you know,” she looked from Tripp to Amari, completely ignoring Alpha asshole, “things are a bit hectic right now, so Devin wasn’t able to come. His seconds came in his place, well one of them,” she huffed out a breath, “Konner is filling in for Calum because he’s, um, busy.”
Tripp frowned, why did she say busy like that? Wait, Calum was one of the prince’s seconds? So many pieces clicked into place inside his head he almost vocalized it like an epiphany. He glanced at Gage and was met with a look that said he’d rather be elsewhere doing something else. On that, they were of like mind.
Kelsey smiled at Amari and then Tripp, it was one of those contagious ones that you couldn’t help returning. She glanced over at Chantal and Ginny and then nodded to Amari’s mother before turning to look at Vesper Hughes. “I’m sorry, I must have missed you paying your respects to our princess while I was still buzzing from my first helicopter ride.” Just like that she went from a cute little redhead to a fierce ‘you have one chance to comply’ woman.
Tripp had to clamp his teeth together to keep from grinning when the Alpha’s expression turned to shock.
“I’m—I apologize.” He looked at Rayne and then lowered his head.
Her mother did the same. “I’m sorry, Princess, I was a little taken aback by the helicopter landing in the circle.
Rayne smiled at that and touched Amari’s mother’s head lightly so she would straighten, “yes,” she glanced at Konner, “I told him I didn’t want to have to run from some field.” She winced, “I’m glad flower season is over.”
Amari’s mother nodded, “it’s fine.” She motioned to the house, “would you like to come in for coffee or-or tea?”
Rayne smiled, “I would love coffee, but unfortunately I don’t think we are here for long.”
Vesper finally realized he wasn’t going to receive acceptance from the princess and straightened up. He cleared his throat, “I didn’t know you were coming. Is this business?” He looked so uncomfortable Tripp wanted to do a jig—if he had any idea how to do one.
“I’ve been sent to speed up Tripp and Amari’s delay.” She looked at Tripp, “with Calum out of the operations for a bit, we need you,” she looked at Amari, “both, back with the teams.”
A look of concern appeared on Amari’s face, “is Calum all right?”
Rayne smirked, “oh he’s fine, it’s Shae’s first,” she glanced at Tripp and then at Vesper and she shrugged.
“Oh.” Amari blew out a breath. “Talk about bad timing.”
Kelsey grinned, “you have no idea, Shae was so mad about it.”
Tripp looked anywhere but at the women, he wasn’t really feeling a conversation about a woman’s cycle. He turned to Konner, who lifted an eyebrow at him and flicked his eyes to look at Amari’s neck before asking the question with his expression. Tripp lifted both shoulders and let them drop, basically telling him it was a long story.
“Is there time for Tripp to at least see his mom?” Amari touched his arm, bringing his attention back to her. “He doesn’t get to see her often.”
He couldn’t believe in all of this, she was thinking about him and asking that.
Rayne smiled, “I’m sure a short visit won’t make or break the schedule.” She looked up at Konner, “I’m going to go meet the newborn twins from Konner’s clan and then head back to try to be helpful to the teams.”
Tripp glanced to see Vesper Hughes standing there looking like he might burst a few blood vessels, he was pissed. “I think we’re about done here anyway.” He reached over and took Amari’s hand in his and then looked past the Alpha to the two sisters standing back in the background. “Maybe our sisters could come down and have a coffee with my mom?” He looked down at Amari.
She gave him a surprised look. “I’d like that.” She turned and looked at her mother, “Mom, would you like to join us? It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, I’d like to spend a little time with you.”
“Dad.” Bauer gave Amari a tender look before turning to his father, “we should really get back and finish going over that.”
His father cleared his throat and then nodded in a stiff way. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Princess, please come back any time you like.”
Rayne offered him a cordial smile, not the one with the warmth that had rocked Tripp. “I’ll mention that to Devin, he has plans to visit all Alphas in the Alliance once things settle down.” Her smile widened, “we’ve been discussing changes with Shep, so,” she clasped her hands together, “some exciting changes will be coming soon.”
Bauer stepped around his father and hugged Amari briefly, “call me. Chan will give you my number.”
Amari nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Yeah.”
“Wait.” Tripp stepped away from Amari and looked at the red-faced Alpha male. “You owe your daughter an apology.”
The expression on his face screamed, ‘not in this lifetime.”
“I agree,” Rayne stated in a steady tone.
Alpha Hughes looked from the princess to Tripp and then back to her again. He inclined his head, maybe an inch before turning to look at his daughter. The hatred was plain in his eyes and Tripp couldn’t figure out how a father could look at their own child with that look. There was obviously something broken inside that man.
“I apologize, Amari.” He said it barely above a whisper.
Tripp glanced at his mate and looked at the expression on her face. It meant nothing to her. If anything, she looked a little sad as she studied this man before her. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly and then turned her back to her father in the clearest form of shunning him that spoke volumes to everyone watching.
The Alpha scowled at her back, but before he could speak, his son took a firm grip on his elbow and turned toward the house.
No one moved or spoke as Bauer got his unwelcome father back into the house. The girls moved over closer, both looking unsure of how to proceed in front of Rayne. Before he could figure out if he should introduce them, she went over to them.
Rayne looked at Ginny and grinned, “I love your shoes, we have to talk about those. I’m Rayne.”
“Ginny. Pleased to meet you.”
Rayne looked over at Tripp, “you must be Tripp’s sister?”
She nodded.
“And you with that gorgeous shade of blonde have to be Amari’s.”
Chantal held out her hand, “Chantal. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“Same.” Rayne turned and looked at Gage. “You can probably relax, Gage.”
He shrugged and shouldered the shotgun, then walked over with an easy stride. “I heard coffee mentioned.” The scary vibes were gone from the giant of a man.
“Gage, I think we need a chopper.” Kelsey smiled at him.
“Not a chance, you’re scary enough on the ground.” He laughed, then leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
Rayne smiled, “coffee.” She looked at Ginny, “maybe you could show us where?”
Ginny motioned to the other side of where the helicopter was parked, “Mom is over there.”
Tripp turned around to see his mother standing beside a small car. He smiled and then reached into his pocket and took out his keys and tossed them to Konner, “want to grab my ride and bring everyone down?”
Konner caught the keys. “Happy to.”
“We’ll go down with my mom.” He said to Rayne.
Rayne came back over and stood beside Amari’s mother, “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Camille.”
Rayne smiled, “what a lovely name. Camille, please join us for coffee.” Her look turned to something he could only call clinical. “I’d like to discuss some of the changes coming to the Alliance clans and get another woman’s take on it.”
Camille looked surprised but nodded.
Tripp squeezed Amari’s hand and then leaned down to whisper in her ear, “you were saying about female leaders?” He straightened up and received a big smile from those pouty lips.
“About damn time.” She said softly.
“Come meet my mom.” He tugged on her hand. He glanced at Konner, “guess we’re even now? I came to your rescue, you to mine.”
Konner grinned, “isn’t that what we do?”
Tripp shrugged, “occasionally.” With that he started across the street to where his mother stood smiling at him, dragging Amari along with him. This hadn’t gone at all the way he thought and for the first time in a very long time, he thought maybe his life was finally going to start heading in a new, not all-bad direction.