The Genius and The Prince

Chapter 2 – Remember I am Moving

I am a little stunned due to the fact this is a first for her to block me and not the other way around. I am almost unnerved. And I didn’t even get a happy birthday from her. This is weird. I walk back to the bathroom and put on a little bit of makeup, just some powder, mascara, and plum lip gloss. As I go back to my closet to grab my favorite Jimmy Choo black patent heels. I bought them and a few others for my new job, and a little birthday gift to myself. I put them on and then grab my phone and start walking downstairs. Mom walks out from the kitchen and stops.

“Wow. You look so grown up.” She looks with what looks like tears in her eyes. “Happy Birthday sweetheart.” She walks over and hugs me.

“Thanks Mom.” I say as I turn to the door. “I have to go meet Dad at his office in the Pack House, but I will be back in a couple of hours for lunch, then I am off.” She nods as she walks to the door, and I think she wiped a tear. “Mom? Are you crying? Come on, we talked about this; I am only 2 hours away.” If I am honest, I am not going far because I know since Nana passed, she hasn’t been herself. Her mother was fun and had no filter, but she slowly faded away after Papa passed.

“I know, I am very proud of you, you know that right?” She touches the side of my face, and I nod and give her another hug. “Come back quick, I have to finish lunch, but I want to spend time with you before you run away to the city.” She tells me as she releases me from a tight hug.

“I will, don’t worry. I will be right back.” I tell her walking to my SUV. I am not walking in these shoes, granted it is only down the street or should I say road. The whole place looks like a spread-out housing division with farms and ranches in between, so that if a human comes down the main road to Starlite, all they see is a farm town and not a werewolf pack.

The Pack House is just down the road from the Alpha House. Mom wanted her own space and made Dad move us into our own house so he couldn’t stay in his office all hours of the day. We grew up running to the Pack House to see Dad or go to the game room or pool. The Pack House served as a hub for the pack. Mostly unmated wolves live there. Once you’re over the age of 18 and finish high school, you can apply to live there. There are also the apartments down the way for newly mated, then the subdivisions. The subdivisions are homes that are for families.

We have 4 of them, we mix all ranks and ages, we don’t agree with the division of ranks, so everyone gets placed in a division based on need. As in do you have kids, how many, ages, and do your relatives live in that division or do you want a different one. It can be a process that is why the Beta and Gamma Females assist in the process and then present it to the Alpha. I may have had some help with this, but it was a group project and since we started it 5 years ago people love it.

I park my car in front of the Pack House and get out as I see Dad walk out with his Beta, Uncle Steve. “Hey! There is the Birthday girl!” He calls to me as I walk up and give him a hug. He is in workout clothes.

“Going to the Gym?” I ask as he nods. “Well, enjoy that.”

“Have you seen Chase?” He asks as he looks back at the Pack House. I think he is mind linking someone. Dad and Uncle Steve have been best friends since they were babies, and I mean babies. They were born on the same day. Grandma and Uncle Steve’s mom, Grandma Gertie, were best friends. The same thing happened with my parents. Paxton and Chase were born on the same day.

“Nope, I haven’t.” And just as that comes out of my mouth, he comes flying out of the Pack House.

“Dad, what the hell is so urgent? Who died?” Chase stops and looks around and sees me. “Wow, only finish school 2 weeks ago and already going all courtroom eh, Emi?”

“Thank you, Chase, from you that is the closest thing to a complement.” I say as he comes to hug me.

“It’s her Birthday i***t!” Uncle Steve smacks him on the back of his head.

“Ouch! Damn, sorry Emi. Happy Birthday. How old are you again? 30?” He says sarcastically.

“Ha ha. You’re funny. No, 20.” I glare at him. “Well, Dad. Ready to tell me what is, SO important?” I ask him as we say goodbye to Uncle Steve and walk inside the Pack House and to his office. As I follow him, I start to shut the door, and he walks behind the desk.

“Leave it, your brother is coming.” He states, and he takes his seat, and I walk to one of the two in front of his desk. His office is large. On one side is a large wall of bookcases full of books about our pack and wolf laws. I used to come in here and use them when I studied. His large desk was L-shaped and behind it was a wall of windows, he could see the training fields and the pack lands beyond them. He had 2 chairs on the other side, one of which I was sitting in and behind me were 2 couches facing each other with a coffee table in the middle. We sat in silence, him looking at e-mails while I checked my phone e-mails.

I received one from Richard Walters stating he was looking forward to seeing me this evening, and he has prepared a dinner with his family to celebrate my birthday and my arrival at his pack lands. My father and Alpha Richard agreed that even though I was going to be living on his land I would still be a member of the Starlite Pack. I quickly typed a thank-you reply and said that I would be there around 5 in the evening. I had just hit send when my brother came through the door.

“What’s so important? Oh, Happy Birthday sis!” Paxton says giving me a kiss on the cheek.

“Good of you to finally show up!” My father practically growls at him. My father always taught us, if you’re early you’re on time, if you’re on time you’re late and if you are late don’t bother showing up. I lived by it; my brother took it as a suggestion. He was more like my mother, and I was my father, always on a schedule and felt more at ease when I was early for appointments. “We have special guests arriving at 2pm today, so be ready.” He says looking from my brother to me.

“Dad, may I remind you I am leaving after lunch today?” I say to him as sweetly as possible, trying not to roll my eyes. I have told him the schedule every day this week.

“I know, but you can stay one more day.” He states and then looks at the computer again.

“No, Dad. I just replied to Alpha Walters that I would be there at 5pm tonight.” I sat up as straight as I could and kept my voice as even as possible. I do not like changing my schedule, much like him.

“Why didn’t he e-mail me? That is overstepping.” He growls.

“Dad, he knew I was coming today and that it was my birthday. I start work tomorrow. He is having dinner planned with his family for my birthday and to welcome me. I think it is rude to miss it and give such short notice.” I tell him with the same even tone and same posture. I will not let him steamroll over me. “Starting tomorrow I will be on my own, and you and I have discussed this many times, I need this. I need to have my own space; I want to be a Lawyer and an asset to Paxton.”

“Oh, come on sis, what a load.” He groans. “You are already an ‘asset’ to this pack. As for me you are my sister not some asset.” He rolls his eyes at me. “Let’s be honest. You just want to experience life outside of this small town and have more experience around humans. You spent most of your time in school and have few if any friends here. The friends you do have are human.” He states pointing at me. And I can’t deny any of what he said. “If Dad would allow you, you would live in an apartment in the city verses Alpha Walters pack lands.” He now has his arms crossed over his chest looking smugly at me. And all I can do is glare at him. I want to smack that smug look off his face so badly and if my father wasn’t in front of us I would. I had told him that in secret, that I wanted to experience more of the human world.

“There is no way in HELL you’re ever doing that young lady!” Dad says giving me the ‘Alpha Stare’ as my brother and sister call it. I want to roll my eyes so badly. “Now listen. The King and his son are coming here at 2pm! King Thomas wants to persuade you to come and be an advisor to his son, again.” He says waving his hand as to shoo away a fly. We all know Jackson King’s reputation, and I am not saying it is the best. Now I do roll my eyes.

Jackson has 3 flaws. The first is he cares more about his army of warriors and strength, second is he likes ranks. He believes that the higher the rank you are in the pack the stronger you are. He once said that Omegas have their purpose, but that they really can’t help in the long run. I fumed at that comment. They are as valuable as any other since they help with cooking, cleaning, and making sure a home is welcoming. He has no idea how much work an omega does, I once said if he had to work with or as one maybe he would understand, and my family has always loved our omegas. We do not even call them omegas, they are just pack members, we don’t see ranks, we see each member as an asset to a larger operation that relies on one another.

The biggest issue almost everyone has with him, well excluding me because I could care less, is he has a girlfriend, and she is not his mate. He is 22 years old and after he didn’t find his mate at 18, he went around all the packs and at 19 announced he had a girlfriend, Cassandra Maxwell. She is beautiful if you like a face full of make-up and fake eyelashes. Most wolves do not dye their hair or modify their body because our hair shows our wolf, and our bodies are flawless thanks to our wolves’ metabolism. His father the King and his mother the Queen were quick to say that they would not accept anyone, except his mate, as a future Queen. They felt the only one worthy would be the one the Moon Goddess picked. Since they came out and said that he would also not become King till he found his true mate. You think that would stop him from dating her, but no, they are still going strong almost 3 years later. I kind of feel bad for him.

“Dad, you agreed for him to come. I didn’t, so you can tell him just as I did already, three times to be exact! I have already signed an agreement with Wolfe Law, and I am leaving at 2pm today.” I state firmly standing and walking to the door.

“Where do you think you’re going? I didn’t say you could leave.” He says standing up. He is trying to be intimidating. My brother looks at me like I grew a second head. He knows dad is not happy, but what he doesn’t know is, I have mom on my side. She has encouraged me to ‘spread my wings’ he wants me to stay or go to the King.

“Knock it off Dad, I am done. I am going home to help mom with lunch and put the rest of my clothes in the car.” I say as I open the door and looked back at him. “I will tell mom you won’t be late for lunch.” I smile at him and start to walk out as he shakes his head. “Oh, and I thank you in advance for taking care of that situation with the king for me as well. I also encourage you not to talk to mom about it. You know how she feels about the King's son.” I don’t have to remind him; I am sure that is why he is talking to us here and didn’t tell mom they were coming. Mom thinks that anyone that doesn’t wait for their mate is unworthy and goes against everything the Goddess has given us. I just smile sweetly and close the door as Paxton lets out a soft chuckle and I hear a smack followed by him yelling ouch. With that I go out to my SUV, give the Pack House a final look before driving back home.