Logan Chapter 66

-Logan-

I can’t believe I haven’t even thought about the lifespan issue. I had a whole month where all I could do was think about our potential life together, and Emory hit on one of the main issues in the first couple of days. Now that we have all these questions, I’m as grateful for this meeting with the elders as I should have been the whole time. I told Emory we could have up to ten elders on the council at any one time, but right now we only have six that consistently show up to meetings. A few of the younger ones are happy enough with my decisions most of the time that they don’t feel the need to provide oversight.

Of the six, there are only two that ever really provide friction in the meetings. Ethel and Blanche, and Nanette are really just along for the gossip. They love knowing what’s going on with everyone before the rest of the pack would know. They’re busybodies, but only in the most benign way. Orson is the oldest member of our pack right now, and he knows that I rely on his wisdom and experience. He’s actually a member of the council out of duty rather than to fulfill his own agenda. Calvin and Elias think we are -really, I am- too progressive. They’d drag the pack back into the dark ages if I let them.

There isn’t any regulation that the council has to balance between male and female- female wolf shifters tend to live longer on average, just like the human population- but ours has just shaken out that way. I think it brings a fairness to the room that we wouldn’t otherwise have. We somehow also have a few progressive people, a couple who tend more moderate, and our two curmudgeons. I keep my veto, but really the council usually knows the best move for any situation. In today’s instance, I already know the actions I want to take. We’re meeting with them to introduce Emory, alert them to the fact that I’m going to tell her family wolf shifters exist, and bring them up to date on the happenings with our mate bond and the article Cora wrote. It’s more than I’ve ever had on the agenda for one day before, but I have been gone for a pretty momentous month.

Emory seems determined to start this meeting with an iron spine, and I couldn’t be more proud of her. I’m glad she already knows Nannie, and her two partners in crime are going to love Emory just as much as Nannie already does. They’ve probably formed their opinions already, based on our one date so far. Orson will probably be ambivalent, but kind enough. I know already Calvin won’t approve but would never say so to her face. He has far too much to say on how ladies should be treated for that. Elias is my only true concern. He has massive, outdated, opinions and he has no qualms sharing them. I respect the man- he’s seen a lot, lived a long time, and he always has a rational argument to back himself up- but he can be a mean old man and I’ll need to hold my temper with him if we’re going to get through everything this afternoon. I suppose there’s always one.

I take Emory’s hand and pull her through the door into the room we’ve converted into a little conference room within the pack house. It’s really just a ten person table with matching chairs, but with the council filling it, the whole room feels fuller. The purplish-gray walls and large windows open up the mid-size room a little, but there’s no offsetting the big personalities here. There’s a weight to the experience these people bring to the table, and while it’s always present, it just gets heavier when they buckle down.

Ethel and Blanche smile at Emory as soon as we enter the room, and Nannie exclaims over her- how good Emory looks, how she’s missed someone who properly appreciates her cooking talents, how she’s so glad they can finally actually talk- and I feel Emory’s happiness at already finding a friend here. Nanette takes care of introductions after she talks herself out a bit. Ethel and Blanche are of course so happy to meet Emory and are as sweet as always. Orson greets her with a nod when his name is called, but doesn’t say anything.

Calvin is as polite as always and kisses the back of Emory’s hand. I have to cut off a growl. “Glad to meet you, Luna. I’m Calvin. Welcome to the Úlfur pack.”

Emory gives him a sunny smile, cheeks pinkened from the old world gesture. “Thank you, sir. I’m glad to be here.”

Elias grunts from his seat. “Can’t fight the stars, I guess, but I don’t know what the hell we’re gonna do with a human Luna. It’s practically an oxymoron. I’m Elias, in any case.”

Everyone in the room pauses for a breath, waiting to see how my little rose will react. I’m not sure, myself. She’s aware that she can’t come across weak here, but she also knows that even these wizened pack members could out run and out fight her with little effort. I feel my chest inflate with pride when she stands to her full height and clenches her jaw.

“Any case, including the one where I am, in fact, your Luna? The case we’re living in? The one where Logan is my fated mate and I am his? This case? Well met, Elias.” There’s another brief pause as her rebuttal lands.

Hot. Damn.