I Don't Want to Fall

Chapter 11: Putting out Fires

***** Carson’s POV

I moved out of the way and let the doctor have room to work. It was Friday, and I knew Gavin would be here this afternoon for the kids. I couldn’t let him know what was going on with Elle, but he would have questions when she wasn’t the one with the kids. I quickly dialed a number into my phone.

On the third ring, Carter answered, “Hello, Carson?”

He was an old friend of mine and one of the packs lawyers. If anyone could help me legally wrangle Gavin and keep him at bay, it was Carter.

“Carter, I need a favor?”

“Anything. What can I help you with?”

“Well, I have a new friend in a bit of a situation. I’m going to need you to come out here to my Papaw’s this afternoon and deal with her ex legally, please. She has fallen sick, and he is supposed to retrieve their children today. I can’t have him bothering her.”

“Okay what is her name? Do they have a legal agreement already?” He asked.

“Ellowyn Maxwell is her married name. Slade is her maiden. I don’t know which surname she is using. They are legally separated with a custody agreement in place. I don’t know who her lawyer is right now.” I replied, desperate.

“Don’t worry about it. I will have all the information on her I need within the hour and will head that way to represent her myself. I’ll work it out.” He said confidently and determined.

I never asked my friends or pack mates for much of anything. I never wanted to burden them with my problems, though I knew they always wanted to be there for me. Carter was happy to be of assistance.

“Carson? I’m guessing these children don’t go to the pack school. You may need to call their school or take them.” He said, pausing afterward.

“Yes, you’re right.”

“See you soon, friend.”

“Thank you, Carter.”

“Of course. Anything I can do to help.”

After getting off the phone with him, I walked into the kitchen. Carefully explained to the kids that their mother was sick. I asked where they went to school. Emerson was quick to answer. I noticed he was always the one to take charge when needed. I called the school to explain that they would be absent today but return on Monday. After ending the phone call, Emerson addressed me again.

“Mr. Carson, our father, is supposed to pick us up today. He won’t be happy about all of this.” He was too mature for being only four.

“I know. Don’t worry, I will handle that. You will still have to leave with him, though.”

He nodded, understanding. “We have to get our other clothes to leave with him in. He won’t like us like this, or we will be in trouble.”

He tried to explain, but I was confused.

“I washed your clothes from yesterday.”

“No, we can’t wear that to his house. Those are clothes only with Mommy, here. His rules we have to be better dressed, more formal.”

I rolled my eyes. Of course, his children were accessories and must look as such. Despite my disapproval, I didn’t want the children to be punished for it.

“Finish your breakfast, and then you can look in on your mother. I’ll take you to your house after a while to change.” Emerson nodded.

“Papaw, I’m going to town for a bit. Carter will be here in a few hours. If I’m not back before, he gets here.” He nodded tending to the children.

********

Once in town, I made a short stop at the Walker brother's garage. After pulling in, I saw the older brother, Jesse, staring at me from the coke machine at the side of the building. He didn't look a bit happy to have me here. The two of us didn't have the best history from our younger days, that's for sure.

He stormed off into the building with the drink he just bought out of the machine and went to sit behind the desk. Once I opened the door to come in, the phone began to ring. He picked it up right away and tried to ignore my presence. Seems having me here was putting a sour taste in his mouth as he began to deal with the customer on the phone, letting them know their vehicle was finished along with what they had fixed and cost. He sounded nice and professional on the phone call, but the look on his face showed he was beyond pissed to be in my company.

"Yes, Mrs. Cooke, we will be available this afternoon for pick-up. Corey or I will be here to assist you, Ma'am." He paused I listening to her. "Alright, thank you. We will see you later then."

He hung up the phone and sat down, flipping through a car magazine as if I didn't exist. Unknown to this small human town, Jesse and Corey are actually werewolves themselves. Technically, they are still members of my brother's pack.

Their father, Jerry Walker, was born in our pack. As my father told it, when Jerry was about 20, he came into town for a short trip. He was a tall and strong young werewolf. The quiet type with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. While in town, he ran into his now wife Caroline by chance. Caroline literally ran into him by accident as she was in such a hurry running late. She looked up and found herself in the strong arms of what she would later learn was her mate.

Human mates were rare, and normally wolves tend to reject them due to thinking of them as weak and unable to integrate well into wolf society. Many old-fashioned wolves don't approve of them in the pack setting. Also, it is harder for wolves to move out into the human world as they crave pack life being social creatures.

Caroline was a very petite woman at only 5’ 2” to Jerry’s 6 feet. She looked tiny and fragile in comparison to her mate with dirty blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. She was a truly kind and gentle hearted soul. Jerry couldn't live without her as he fell for her sweet demeanor that day.

My father took pity on him and agreed that Jerry could remain a member of the pack while living with Caroline in the human town. She was made aware of what we were, but never allowed to discuss it with outsiders. All my father requested was if Jerry was ever called to duty by his alpha, he must comply, and he had to still abide by all pack laws.

Jesse and Corey, by default of their union, were also born pack members, but they never interacted with the pack. They lived a mostly human life with one big secret. Truthfully, many old-fashioned pack members looked differently on them as they were half-bloods. They were immediately judged to be weaker due to their parents' union, and in the wolf world, strength is everything. My grandparents had never treated them differently, but Jesse and I had never been friends or gotten along.

He looked very much like his father with dark brown medium length hair and a short beard, but with his mother’s blue eyes. His hands were stained with grease from working endlessly on cars.