Twenty-three.

Eloise sat down to lunch in the restaurant Alice had recommended to her after last night's dinner. She had included Carson, Omar and Marylin, as the restaurant was next to Omar's Flower shop and he had surprised his long-lost adopted daughter with a large bunch of sunflowers. A fact that only filled Henry with more annoyance, aimed at himself over not having bought Eloise anything similar himself.

But there would be time for that.

Also present at the table was the younger Gray brother, Sammy and Daniel of course, Grams and even Michelle had been invited on the basis that she would be Eloise's daughter's grandmother and she hoped to foster a healthier relationship with the acting Luna.

The meal went well enough even if Eloise had to bite her tongue on more than one occasion at Henry's boundary crossing. He kept acting as though he had organised this meal, and on more than one occasion had dared to speak for Eloise. A habit that was even starting to aggravate Sammy as she sat across from him at the long rectangular table.

But the real trouble began when the bill arrived. The server had as requested specifically by Eloise on a covert trip to the ladies' room, put it directly into her hand and her hand only. Her temper was spent and she was not in the mood to try and wrestle the cheque from Henry's grasp should he try and pay for the meal she arranged, which she was fully expecting he would try.

She was right.

"I'll take care of that," Henry stated, holding his hand out expectantly.

Eloise just looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Give me the cheque Eloise, I can't pay until you do." He pushed, condescendingly.

"No." She growled out.

"No?" Henry asked, as the rest of the table went deathly silent and he scanned the room ensuring it was only pack members within the restaurant before he spoke again. "I'm not letting you pay, you are my mate and I will take care of this."

"The hell you will." Eloise snorted back, moving the leather envelope out of his reach as he went to grab for it.

"Finally," Sammy muttered under her breath causing Eloise to feel emboldened by her support and Sebastian to smirk at his sister voicing even his thoughts.

Henry briefly glared at his sister, his top lip lifting in a snarl. Eloise used this opportunity to vacate the table to go pay their bill at the bar herself.

Daniel's sudden growl echoed throughout the room, at Henry's minor threat to his mate, distracting the alpha and escalating his temper when he realised his mate's intentions.

"DO NOT ACCEPT HER MONEY!" His voice called out to the members of his pack behind the bar, the alpha command was clear and everyone felt the weight of his aura as it spread throughout the room. Everyone, except for one.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Sammy shrieked, rising to her feet and knocking her chair to the ground behind her. "Seriously Henry, what is your problem?"

Henry's eyes widened as he turned to look at his little sister in alarm. His eyes darted to theany startled eyes around the table; his sister was only half wolf but even then she should still have felt it, he was an Alpha his aura should at least have some affect. Yet, Sammy appeared completely oblivious.

"Keep out of this, you aren't part of this pack remember. A choice you decided to make, Samantha." Henry barked, deliberately aggravating her with the use of her full name.

Sammy just smiled venomously back at him. "Neither is the woman you marked as your mate, by her choice. A choice that makes more and more sense the more time I spend with you. You've spent this whole meal walking all over her, making decisions for her. Fuck! At one point I had to sneak her the salt to season her food after you deliberately moved it out of her reach! Eloise is an amazing woman a phenomenal friend and you do not deserve her. Wake up Henry, and stop pushing her away, for your daughter's sake if for no one else's."

Henry saw red. His sister's words sliced straight through him. Not to mention the damage they did to his pride.

"Eloise and I are no longer any of you or your pack's concern. She will not be leaving this pack. Knowing what I now know. I gained the backing of the council this morning. They have agreed that as my daughter is vulnerable, she and her mother will stay under my guardianship, indefinitely." He sneered back, aiming to hurt his sister's protective streak.

"No," Eloise stated in shock.

The table was surrounded by pale faces as they internally tried to think of a way to deflate the tension and fix this situation.

"Henry, this... this isn't right." Sebastian frowned standing up. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, I am. I will not be separated from my mate any longer." He snarled sounding feral.

Eloise was shaken to the core, her mouth had dried up and she could only wrap her hands around her stomach as she felt the suddenness of the walls closing in upon her.

"You can't just hold her prisoner, she is her own person." Alice chimed in softly, hoping to reach her grandson.

"She is mine!" Henry bellowed, "And as long as I am Alpha, that is my decision."

"Then maybe you shouldn't be the Alpha, Henry." Sammy snapped out at him, her voice steady and strong despite the apprehension in the room.

The atmosphere stilled, and Daniel stood up abruptly, moving his mate behind him.

"Sammy stop." He blurted out in concern, panic lacing his voice, as his hands grabbed her upper arms and he attempted to walk her backward away from the alpha she had just unwittingly challenged.

But Sammy could never back down from a fight. She shrugged herself free of her mate and turned to the now conflicted alpha. How could he fight his pregnant sister, who had no wolf? He didn't have a choice an alpha didn't back down, but judging by the faces in the restaurant everyone was utterly horrified by what had just happened.

"Sammy," Eloise rushed to her. "It's fine, I'll stay." She attempted to placate her friend.

"No, you won't stay," Sammy stated without room for argument, and every wolf in the room felt it, the command washing over them. "And Henry will sit down, and shut up. I've had enough of this crap!"

Her aura released itself and flooded the nearby vicinity, washing over everyone. But what caused everyone to gasp was the sight of Henry, sitting quietly in his chair with a confused look on his face as he grasped his chest, immediately followed by Daniel's sharp intake of breath as he clutched his head.

"Daniel?" Sammy questioned rushing to his side. "Daniel, what's wrong?"

He looked confused and mildly horrified. "My link to Shane is gone."

"What, how?" Sammy asked as her cell started blaring in her bag.

"I can feel more though, Sammy," Daniel stated, looking up around the room. "I can feel everyone here, I've switched packs, I don't understand." He looked lost. "What's going on?"

Alice stood up and cleared her throat, "You are our new alpha couple."

"What?" Michelle shrieked out. "That's not possible."

Alice just shook her head, "It is. Sammy is Marty's true heir. Her mother was his true mate, Michelle. So while she doesn't have a wolf, her aura will always be stronger."

"But how was the transfer made to Daniel, Grams?" Sebastian asked, confused at how a wolf out with their pack just automatically received the connection due to their alpha.

Alice smiled, "Because he is Sammy's wolf, Bast."

"This cannot stand, surely?" Michelle stated in horror. "Henry say something!" She beseeched her elder son.

But Henry just sat quietly looking lost.

"He can't," Eloise stated softly. feeling the need to stand beside and comfort him for some reason. "His Alpha commanded him to be quiet."