Chapter 62 - I can do this!

**Cathy’s pov**

“But please Callum! I can do it!”

“Cathy, the pack is in a tuberous stage, there is no leadership, for obvious reasons I haven’t spent the time there that I should have and the few ranked members left are almost worse than the ones I deposed! There are constant fights and scheming to take power. You have Alpha blood but I’m not sure it’s enough.”

“But I don’t have to go there myself, I can take some with me.”

“The only ones I would trust to protect you are James and Reece but James is not here and I need Reece by my side. Now that Ambrogio is back we’ve already seen a big increase in retaliation against the hunters, he’s already leveled a number of phalanxes to the ground and it feels like a bigger clash is in store.”

“It’s just another reason to send me to Low Falls! The pack needs to be steered up! They need to be faithful and willing to fight if it comes to that!” I stuck my chin out to show that I was determined. I wasn’t surprised by Callum’s reaction, on the contrary, it was expected and I had imagined all the reasons he could have for keeping me at home to try and find arguments against them. Ina had been with James for two weeks now. Hitch was still very ill but on his last visit to the doctor he had been pleasantly surprised that the cancer had stopped, maybe even shrunk a little. On two occasions I have sent Dean there with new canisters, filled with water from Zandra’s lake. I know the best thing for him would be to come here, so Hitch could visit the lake, let the watersoul feel and know him, and heal him properly, but both me and James are too proud. He honors my wish and stays away and I’m far too stupid to back down and say I want him here. I know why I asked him to stay away, but the thought of never seeing him again hurts, more than I ever expected it would.

Zandra’s condition is unchanged, Hope and Callum are teaming up with the vampires against the hunters and I feel left out, I’m going crazy not being able to do any good anywhere. Hence the idea to move to Low Falls, at least temporarily. I know it’s been tough for the pack since Callum took over. They have no management, and no structure. I can give them that, at least until a new Alpha is installed. If I can just get Callum to go along with it.

“Brother…please…I must be allowed to do something. And I’m not talking about delegating tasks to Greta and her omegas here at home or helping at the clinic...I need to be able to do something that means…more. You and Hope have your war, a necessary one, believe me, I understand! I would love to help but you always kept me away from battle so I won’t even ask…Zandra I can’t help, other than talking to her or bathing her…James is gone if that even matters…please I’m losing my mind!” I focused the least of my strength on my eyes and gave him the look I knew he couldn’t resist. Dirty game…I know.

“Who were you planning to bring with you?”

“Mike…I thought Mike could come with me, maybe Kevin and some of the cave wolves? They are good guys. Strong!” I watched him as he thought.

“Mike is good, he certainly wants his mate with him, which is also good for showing a family side. Kevin is okay, he is a good fighter and loyal, but it has to be his choice, I’m not going to force him. James would probably come here to take my head off if I tried…The cave wolves, on the other hand…it’s risky.”

“Why?”

“Because they are not sworn to anyone. Their leader…their natural leader is James but like I said, he’s not here. Kevin is next in line, but as long as James is alive, they don’t have to be loyal to Kevin. Understand Cathy, this group has been living as rogues, if they end up in a leaderless pack, the will to take over can be awakened in their wolves...and it can end badly.” I knew he was right, it could be a bloodbath.

“Then I’ll bring Joe too! They’re loyal to him, I don’t think they’d do anything he wouldn’t agree to, he’s practically raised every single one of them.” Callum nodded slowly and smiled sadly.

“Then you’ll have a discussion with Hope, I’m afraid.”

“With Hope? Why would she mind?”

“Joe and Hope’s mother Cecilia have become close...very close. So close that I suspect they don’t want to be apart. Hope wants her mom here…maybe she’s okay with her moving for a while, but like I said, you get to talk to all the parties involved.”

“Okay…I can do that…maybe Joe can return here in the evenings or every other night, the distance is not far, we are practically neighbors.” Regardless of whether he would run in wolf shape or if he took a car, it would take two to three hours at the most, not an impossibility.

“If you bring Mike, Joe, and the cave wolves, you have my approval…maybe Dean to, he is loyal to you and you like him, right? The Goddess should know that pack would need your brain. I suspect that the economy and corporate structure if ever there was one, needs to be straightened out.” He pulled me into his arms and I took a couple of deep breaths. I could feel Beacon embracing Freespi, he was very protective of her and I knew he preferred to have her close.

“Callum…”

“Hmm?”

“I thought that later…later…when the pack is under control and structured…do you think you could give it to James? They…He and Argus, need a pack and I really think he would be a good Alpha…and you have plenty, I mean, you don’t really need another pack, do you? ” I could feel his body shook as he chuckled.

“Believe me sister, I’ve thought about it many times...I broached the subject with him once and he didn’t seem completely impossible...but I don’t know what happened but he decided to continue his life as he lived it, as a rogue in the city. “ I didn’t respond to what he said…I know what happened…I happened.

“Okay…maybe he’ll change his mind again…if we ask nicely.”

“Yes maybe.” He laughed again and we held each other a little tighter. It had been a long time since I had enjoyed the security of my brother’s arms, so I was in no rush to leave the warmth and love I felt.

“Promise that you will contact me immediately if there is any change with Zandra!” It had been a week since I begged Callum to let me move to Low Falls and now the time had come. He, Hope, Greta, Recce, Maya, and a few others had gathered to say goodbye. Cecilia had decided to stay with Hope and Joe would come back as often as he could during this transition period. I glanced at them as they hugged and kissed. I envied them a little and my thoughts went to James so I turned to Dean who yesterday came home from another round of water for Hitch.

“Ina has your number, she calls and you go, okay?”

“Of course, but are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? I hear Low Falls is pretty rowdy right now.” Dean looked genuinely concerned. In another life, under different circumstances, I probably would have given him a chance, maybe we could be reborn as mates in the next life, which would have definitely made things easier.

“Don’t worry, I have more guards than the President, we’ll get the pack up in no time, you’ll see. But thank you…really!” I gave him a kiss on the cheek before jumping into the car and waiting for Joe to tear himself away from Cecilia and get behind the wheel.

“Promise to call every night, not just to report, to let us hear your voice.” Hope leaned in and gave me a tight hug and a kiss on the forehead. I would miss her, so much! She had become both the sister I never had and the mother I lost to soon and I loved her with all my heart. Both me and Freespi did.

“I promise!” I hugged her tightly and took a deep breath filled with her scent of red roses and tried to hold it in to take it with me, Freespi buried her nose in the fur of her mother, in the fur of Luna…then, I hurried to close the door before I could change my mind about going

Freespi was sad, but at the same time excited. She felt her mother’s grief for Zandra, Luna’s grief, and her loss for James and Argus had all come together into a deep depression. She needed this as much as I did. A new life, a new mission, we needed to throw ourselves into something that required our full attention.

I looked out the window in silence as we drove. Joe didn’t say much either, he probably missed Cecilia in silence. In the back seat, however, it was different, where everything from biceps to the latest charm of a she-wolf was compared. I had no anxiety about what lay ahead, sure, it would be a challenge, but something inside me still told me it would go well.