Blood Right by T. H.

Chapter 3

The morning of the gathering came and I would see father in Lothaire. We would have a serious conversation when I got there and we would handle this. If he thought I was going to have a mating ceremony with the power hungry snake he was dead wrong! Knock.. knock.. “Beth, are you packed?” Leo asked as he opened the door. “Yeah, that bag by the door is all I’m taking.” Leo side eyed me and said “really? I have 4 bags, you’re making me look needy by only taking one.” “Maybe you are needy cousin.” I say in response. “Did you bring a gown for the blood right?” He asked. “I did” I said. “Im grabbing a few books and I’ll be right down.” I say. “You and those books..” he says as he grabs my bag and heads down stairs. After I’ve secured my books I close my door, Kiss Linny on the cheek and get in the car with Leo. It was a 5 hour drive to Lothaire, I couldn’t help but think about my mother making this long drive to Demadie for my father to see me, then the long drive back every visit. “She must have loved him very much” I think to myself. “Miss Elizabeth, Mr. Leonard, we have arrived at Lothaire” said our driver Klaus. “Thank you.” I said as I stared out the window. The mountains here were beautiful, and there was snow on the ground. “Did you pack for snow?” I asked as I turned to Leo. “Uh no, no I didn’t.” He said as he stared out the window. There are red birds and blue birds flying by, snowflakes are falling and in the distance is the most beautiful castle I have ever seen. “Leo, look at this.” I said hitting his arm. “I wonder what we’re getting into Beth, this is nothing like Demadie.” He says. “Are you afraid of an adventure?” I ask. He c***s his head to the side and grins wildly at me and says “never.”

We pull into the drive way of the most amazing structure I have ever seen and a tall slender man in a suit opens the door for us. “Welcome to Lothaire Miss Elizabeth Accardi.” He said to me. Still holding the door for Leo he welcomed him as well then shut the door. He started to grab our bags but then I said “please don’t worry with that, we can carry our own bags.” He looked at me kindly and grinned, “as you wish Miss,” then winked at me and moved on to the next car. We grabbed our bags and stood in awe, staring up at the amazing castle. It looked like it was made from old limestone, with gargoyles atop each crevice. “Please come in out of the cold” a butler was standing at the door ushering us in. As we came into the foyer we took in the magnificent black marble doors with gold chandeliers hanging above. There was black wallpaper with velvet designs on it and everything was lined in gold trim. This place was unbelievable. “Welcome to Lothaire Manor” the butler said as he ushered us further inside. We had given him our names and he had given us our room keys, then escorted us to the elevators. Once inside the glass elevator I noticed all the floors listed. “This building has 20 floors?” I asked. “Yes Miss it does. 1st floor is the lobby and dining areas for the pack, floors 2-5 are the pack houses for all of our pack members. Floors 5-10 are for our esteemed guests, and 10 and above are for our higher ranking pack members.” He explained. “Who lives up there?” Leo asked. “Our Alpha Grant, his mate Dion, our future alpha Cannon and his sister alpha Kate have the top floors. Our Beta, Gamma and families have the others.” He says.

“Room 500 Miss” he says as he slides my room key in the slot for me and attempts to carry in my bag. “Thank you, but I can get it.” He just stared at me not knowing what to do. “Really, it’s fine. What’s your name?” I ask. “My name is Cantrell Miss.” he responds, acting like nobody’s has ever asked his name before. “Well thank for all your help Cantrell.” I said sweetly and nodded politely back to me. As I entered my room I threw myself on the bed to relax and think over what I would say to my father this evening. When a knock came at the door, I answered the door but nobody was there. “Strange” I thought to myself, and closed the door. Soon after another there was another quick knock at the door, but nobody was there. Then my phone rang, making me jump out of my skin with fright! “Hello!” I shouted. “Woah, Beth calm down. What’s wrong with you?” Oh thank the blood-mother it was just Leo. I told him about the knocking at the door and he said he had the same thing happen in his room, he was 5 rooms down from me. “Odd” I said. “Try that hyperfocus you’ve got and see if you can catch who is doing it.” He says. Not a bad idea really, I hurry and get off the phone to try it. I stood in front of the door focusing on it, focusing on the noises coming from the hallway and listening to everything. I hear footsteps approaching and a faint knocking sound a few doors down, then another knock that’s closer. “They’re coming this way,” I thought. I want the timing to be right and hope my abilities are on point today.. “GOT YA!” I yell as I open my door. I look down and see an adorable little wolf with one hand on her hip and one hand positioned, ready to knock. Her face looked shocked at her discovery, then tears streamed down her face. “Oh no, sweetheart please don’t cry” I say and I kneel down to my knees and hold my hands out for her, offering her a hug. She comes in hard for my hug and I squeeze her and tell her it will all be ok. She pulls back from my embrace and she apologizes for knocking on the doors. “Are you sorry you were knocking or are you sorry you got caught?” I ask her with a gleam in my eye. “I’m sorry I got caught I guess,” she replied with a giggle. “That’s ok, what are you doing here by yourself? Where are your parents?” I ask her, still sitting on my knees so I can be eye level with her. “Mommy and daddy are in our townhouse on the top floor.” She says. “I was down here practicing my invisibility,” she explained. “So you live on the top floor then?” I ask. She nodded her head and said “my name is Kate, what’s yours,” “My name is Elizabeth” i say, as I shook her tiny hand. “It’s nice to meet you Kate.” Down the hall I can hear someone else coming, I can smell is person too. “That’s strange”, I said. “What?” Kate asked. “I thought I heard and smelled a man coming down the hall.. but nobody is there.” “Kathrine Elizabeth, I have searched the pack house looking for you. Wh-“ he didn’t finish his sentence. A tall man in a beautiful navy blue suit walked toward us, his brown hair pulled back behind his ears and his beautiful green eyes. “This, this is who I was smelling”, I tell Kate. “She says, that’s just my brother Cannon,” and rolls her eyes. Then she runs to him in a full sprint and leaps into his arms. “Cannon! You found me!” She squealed, as he tickled her under her arms. “Cannon stop!” She squealed again and he set her back down. “Cannon, come meet my friend Elizabeth, she has the same name as me!” And her little hand wrapped around his finger and led him toward me. I stood up from the floor and met his gaze, “I hope she wasn’t bothering you,” he says. “She can be quite the handful.” “No, we were playing a game, she’s very smart.” I say as I give her a wink. “I’m sorry, my name is Alpha Cannon Deboise, and I’m assuming you are Elizabeth.” He says nodding to his sister. “My name is Elizabeth Accardi, nice to meet you.” “Are you kin to Tyre Accardi?” He asks, “Yes, he’s my father.” I say, he nods his head and says “it was very nice to meet you Elizabeth, I’ll see you the events this evening.” He says with a grin, then picks up Kate and heads for the elevator.

I went back into my room to unpack but I couldn’t get this man out of my head, like I’d seen him before. He seemed surprised when he learned who my father was.. “did he know my father?” I wonder. “OR DID HE KNOW MY MOTHER!” the thought shot thru my mind like a lightning bolt and I threw open my door to run to Leo’s room. Knock, knock, knock, knock.. the door flies open and Leo is standing there half naked and wrapped in a towel. “YES. COUSIN?” He asks, gritting his teeth. I look around his shoulder to see a half naked fae woman laying on his bed. “Really Leo, we haven’t even been here a day and you found someone to bed already?” He just smiled at me. “When you’ve got it, you’ve just got it” he says. “Go back to your fae, we will talk later.” He kisses me on the cheek and slams the door. From the other side I hear the fae ask “WHO WAS THAT LEO?!” like a jealous girlfriend already. “He must definitely have it as he says to have her jealous already.” I put my hand to my face and walked to my room to shower.

After showering, I change into a pair of black leather pants with a red button down silk shirt and red bottom heels. My father will expect me to wear a dress but I haven’t worn a dress in years, I’m not going to start tonight. I have my hair up in a loose bun with blonde curls casually trickling down around my face. Luckily I have nailed my glamour abilities, my power does the hair and makeup for me. Otherwise I’d look like a homeless rogue, because I have no artistic abilities. I grab my room key and slip it into my pocket, a knock comes to my door and it’s Leo. “Ready to go Beth?” He asks looking me up and down. “You look NICE! Better than your usual fighting leathers,” he says with a chuckle. “I’m ready, and thank you.” I said with a wink. We walk arm in arm to the elevator and down to our awaiting car.