Darcingtowne Wolves: The Misfits (Book 1)

Chapter Sixteen: Keeping the Peace

Tobias had known from a young age that his mother was not his father’s fated mate. Their relationship was so strong and loving that he never really questioned it; to Tobias, there didn’t seem to be a difference between a fated mate and a chosen one. His parents’ love was proof that a person could be happy and in love, regardless of what happened with their fated mate - if they were lucky enough to find one at all.

Before, his parents’ relationship had given him hope that Chessa might one day return his feelings. Now, though, it was the knowledge that he had a fated mate out that comforted him; even if Chessa never came around there was still someone out there made just for him. Not that it really mattered; no matter what, he was going to stay by Chessa’s side for the rest of his life. It was his duty to protect her. He doubted any mate, especially an Alpha female, would be able to tolerate their closeness. If he didn’t reject his mate, she’d eventually do it herself when she came to grips with where his loyalties lie.

So, while Tobias wasn’t surprised by the fact that his mother and father weren’t fated mates, the idea of actually meeting the one his mother was destined to be with did make him feel a little unsettled. Though, he did have to admit that part of him was just a little curious. In another life, this man might have been his father.

Daniel and Tobias pulled up to the simple bungalow-style house just inside the treeline of the bramble, a home set aside for the current council liaison to the Darcingtown Alliance - though they were more like a personal liaison to the royal family than to the Alliance itself. 

The Werewolf Council was the international governing body for werewolves, and the Darcingtowne Alliance was the largest member of the council. Twilight Promenade wasn’t just the largest pack in the Alliance, but essentially controlled it. The Alliance had a cabinet of advisors made up of Alphas from the largest member packs, but the cabinet held no actual power - it all lay with the royal family of the Twilight Promenade.

As such, while the council liked to posture, they more often than not toed the line when it came to the Alliance and its King. Appointing a man to the post of liaison who had already stood up to the Alliance once was definitely an interesting new posturing tactic. Tobias found himself growing more curious as he climbed out of the nondescript black SUV and trailed after Daniel to the front door. 

They had both changed into suits for the occasion, Daniel having felt that it was already disrespectful enough that they had foregone their usual habit of inviting the new liaison to the packhouse for an elaborate feast. The suit chafed at his neck a little, but Tobias didn’t complain; suits looked good on his athletic frame, and though he didn’t feel the need to impress this total stranger, he didn’t want to make a bad impression either. He wanted to represent his pack well.

Daniel rang the doorbell, and though he hid it well, Tobias could tell he was surprised when the door almost immediately swung open. The man on the other side eyed the guests for a moment with an oddly stilted expression. It wasn’t unwelcoming...but he didn’t look happy to see them either. Actually, he didn’t express any emotions at all. His face was entirely impassive.

Aside from being impassive, Mason Silvius was the largest man that Tobias had ever seen, even bigger than Daniel - who was wide, but not nearly as tall as the brute of a man that slowly backed out from the doorway while extending his arm to motion them inside. 

Mason was, as far as Toby could tell, the opposite of his father. Lucas Oriono was thinner than Toby, though they were around the same height - 5’11”. His old man had an easy smile and gentle demeanor, unless you got him talking about literature, when he could be very passionate. Though Tobias couldn’t really picture his mother with anyone but his father, trying to picture her with Mason Silvius conjured an image so strange that it came back around the other side as some kind of twilight zone, bizarro world pairing. He wondered vaguely if the Goddess really knew what she was doing when she chose mates for her children, or if she was just winging it like the rest of them. Chosen mates existed for a reason, he supposed.

“It’s good to see you, Daniel. It’s been a long time. I hope you’re hungry. I made focaccia, and peanut butter budino for dessert.” Mason said, his voice a deep, rumbling bass that held no more clue to his feelings than his face did. “Please excuse all the boxes. I haven’t really had time to unpack.”

Although he’d mentioned boxes, there were only a few bags and boxes in the living room, which was sparsely furnished - he had a sofa, tv and coffee table, but nothing more. The dining room was much the same; there was a table and chairs. The main difference between the living and dining room, which opened onto the kitchen, was that the big man had apparently unpacked his kitchen. 

There were copper pots and pans hanging from a ceiling mounted fixture, a knife block with a set of knives on the island counter next to a plastic cutting board, dish towels tucked neatly into the pull bar of the oven, and a marble jar full of various spoons and spatulas next to the stove. On top of the dining table was a large marble board displaying a blog-worthy focaccia large enough to feed a football team - or maybe three starving werewolves. 

The bread was a beautiful golden brown color, but it was the toppins that stole the show - sliced red onions, red and orange cherry tomatoes, long green onions, and purple onion flowers had been arranged to create a colorful, picturesque bouquet. And, it didn’t just look good - it smelled divine. Tobias had to slurp back some drool that had started building in his mouth, though he coughed to cover up the embarrassing sound.

The table had been set with matching white china that had a blue floral pattern, water glasses, wine glasses, white cloth napkins with floral embroidery, and utensils - all of which were in the proper place settings. There were even candles in low crystal votives. It was a bizarrely formal tablescape for a man who looked like he could crush a skull with one hand.

“Thank you for having us, Mason. And...it’s good to see you as well.” Daniel said, looking a little relieved. Apparently things were going better than he’d expected. “Oh, let me introduce you to one of our Gammas. Mason, this is Tobias Oriano. Tobias, this is Mason Silvius, formerly of the Silver Forest Pack.”

“We are called The Misfits now.” Mason rumbled, eyeing Tobias a little as he took a seat at the table, prompting the other two to sit as well. “And I have retired from the Alpha position. I’m officially an Elder.”

“Ah.” Daniel said, obviously caught off guard by this news. “I thought your pack was dissolved.”

“Clearly, you were mistaken.” Mason said evenly, reaching for a pizza cutter so that he could slice up the fine art that he called food.

Tobias cleared his throat, and said in a similarly even tone, “It’s nice to meet you, Elder Silvius.”

“Mason is fine, kid. Elder Silvius was my father.” Mason said, lifting an eyebrow at Tobias ever so slightly. The big man’s lips twitched at the corner, and Tobias was relieved to know that the man did have a sense of humor. A dry one at that; Tobias’s favorite kind.

Daniel chuckled a little, and shook his head. “You haven’t changed at all.”

“I wouldn’t say that. I’m an old man now.” Mason said as he served his guests first, before picking up a slice of focaccia for himself. “More gray hair than I’d like. I suppose I should blame Penelope for that.”

“I’m glad you found a chosen mate.” Daniel said as he sipped his water. “I’d love to meet her one day, and your pups of course.”

“Daughter.” Mason said, his tone a little on the firm side. “Penelope is my only pup. Alpha of The Misfits, newest addition to the Darcingtowne Alliance.”

Daniel coughed a little, and wiped at his lips with the napkin that he’d just placed on his lap. “Alpha? Your daughter is an Alpha female?”

Mason smiled for the first time, his deep blue eyes crinkling at the edges. He was clearly proud of his pup. “Yes. She is.”

Moon Goddess above, Tobias thought. What were the odds that his mate was an Alpha female, a rare occurrence in general, and now here was a man whose daughter just happened to be an Alpha female of a newly re-established Alliance pack? Toby felt his mouth go dry as he realized that bad blood between their packs existed long before Penelope, a name that made his heart stutter in his chest, sauntered into the Rut Party the night before - if the party crashing blonde and this Penelope were, indeed, one and the same.

Daniel laughed a little bit, breaking Tobias out of his thoughts.

“I knew there was something familiar about that girl. This Alpha female crashed the Rut Party that Prince Brenton was throwing last night, and nearly got into a fight with the host himself.” Daniel said jovially before snarfing down the piece of focaccia on his plate. “He let her go, but now I’m especially glad he did. I bet she would have kicked his ass. Like father, like daughter. I’ll never forget the look on Reginald’s face when you decked him.”

“Penny crashed a Twilight Promenade party last night? Are you sure?” Mason blinked, and for a moment Tobias thought he saw worry flash through the big man’s eyes. “Long blonde hair, about five seven, pale skin, lavender eyes?”

Daniel nodded, and spoke despite how full his mouth was, “About right.”

Then, the giant former Alpha chortled and shook his head, “Not even a day in the city and she’s already stirring up trouble. To think she was such a quiet child.”

Tobias finally bit into his own focaccia, and found that it tasted even better than it smelled. As he chewed, a million questions about his mate swirled through his mind. He pushed them down; there was no way that he could ask about her without it coming out weird, and he was not about to tell Mason that Penelope was his mate. That would probably get his ass kicked, and create even more bad blood between the pack and the council.

Mason might be unnaturally calm looking on the outside, but he was still an Alpha; Tobias was willing to bet his canines that under that carefully maintained chill exterior there was a temper to match his size.

“In spite of what y’all might think, I’m really not here to do anything more than keep the peace.” Mason said, surprising both Tobias and Daniel a little with his bluntness. “And neither is my daughter, I assure you. Why don’t I give her a call and we can get this sorted out?”