Surrendering to Destiny (Allison Franklin) novel Chapter 26

Surrendering to Destiny

Chapter Twenty-Six

As they entered the packhouse for the second time, Catherine noticed how quiet it was. It appeared as though it had been emptied out for their arrival. The dread in her stomach deepened and she clutched Graham’s hand. He kept his eyes trained forward, his brow set. She recognized the look on his face. He was donning his “lead warrior” image.

If there was one thing she learned about her mate it was that he took his role in the pack very seriously. He never took a day off from training unless necessary and even then he would work in his office all hours of the day. It only took a few interactions with them in public to understand the man who came home to her was not the same one who walked out the door in the morning.

This time, Graham didn’t knock before entering the stately office of his alpha, her father. She glanced around and saw that, like before, Stuart and Luna Rebecca were seated on the couch underneath the large window. The same two men who she never got a chance to meet were standing behind the alpha’s desk with their arms folded. The man in question, the alpha, was seated at his desk. His fingers tapped impatiently

on the oak. A white envelope sat just out of reach, sealed and waiting. She and Graham stopped halfway into the room.

“Nice of you to join us,” Jensen griped.

Catherine’s face heated but Graham merely smirked. “Apologies. We were indisposed.”

Jensen’s icy glare fixated on her. “So I heard.” Catherine’s face flamed hotter. “There’s no use mucking about. I have the results.”

Jensen yanked the envelope up from his desk and used a nail to slice open. He read for a moment. Catherine tried to study his features for any change of expression. She wasn’t sure what she expected to see… Hope? Happiness? Like he’d discovered a missing piece of his soul had returned? Instead, his face remained unreadable, if not calculating. He set the paper down carefully and his eyes flicked up to them. He gestured to the paper.

“Read it yourself.”

Graham squeezed her hand and walked to the desk. He took the paper but instead of reading it, he returned to stand in front of her and presented the paper for her to read first. Catherine nodded in thanks and swallowed before taking the paper. Her eyes fixated on one word, set in bold near the center of the paper.

“It’s positive,” she whispered. Graham stiffened in front of her. Perhaps he hadn’t fully believed it himself.

Stuart growled on the couch while Rebecca remained composed. She cast a sad, knowing smile toward her mate who continued to stare thoughtfully at the couple in front of them. Graham cupped her face. He pressed his thumbs into her throat and tilted her head so she would meet his eyes. His dark gaze fastened on her expression, trying to read how she was feeling.

Tears brimmed in her eyes and she shook her head. She didn’t know how she was feeling. He pulled her against him and wrapped his arms tightly around her. A few minutes of silence ensued as everyone in the room grappled with the information they’d just been handed.

One of the men behind the alpha coughed. “Sir, it may not be my place but we have things to discuss. She’ll need to be assigned a guard.”

“And a room in the packhouse,” the other noted.

Graham stiffened even more and she felt a low rumbling in his chest.

“We have to get her tied to the pack as quickly as possible,” Rebecca spoke up.

“I agree,” said the first man. “We can make an announcement next week. The pack needs to be kept up to speed. We can hold a ceremony to announce the long lost daughter, her mate and have the pack welcome heall at once.”

Catherine buried her face in Graham’s chest. She wasn’t ready to face this yet. She’d just learned she had a father, living and thriving while she’d suffered her entire life in the shadows, a world away. More silence followed as everyone waited for the alpha to speak.

Finally after several minutes he tapped the desk with three decisive knocks. “It cannot be avoided now. Graham will become beta.”

“What?!” both Stuart and Graham shouted.

Graham pivoted, keeping Catherine close against him. “I will not!”

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