Answers and More Questions

"Whatever happens, you are my Luna." Edward is trying to calm my nerves. He can see that Tia is ready to take control.

I am anxious, excited, nervous and ready to bust down the doors to find my answers. The Council offices are just outside of Arlington, Virginia. I never wanted to return here. I lived here with my parents. I am trying to hold it together being in the town of a former life. It's been 15 years since I was here. The town where my parents died.

Our appointment is for 9 a.m. and we were here 15 minutes early. We have been through three clerks and the first said that we didn't even have an appointment until Edward and Leo stepped forward. I may be female, but I will NOT be underestimated.

Leo is rubbing Natalie's shoulders. She is ready to follow me into the chamber and chew on something - someone - as well.

Keith and Kevin are here, as well. The five warrior women wore the same bored expression. I knew how quickly everyone could react to trouble, should any arise.

The doors slowly opened, and the two people opening the doors bowed... to me.

With Edward at my side, my head held high, I walked to where some staff members indicated. I was never big on ceremony, having not needed any thus far in my life, but I could take the steps as long as they were leading forward.

Edward was on my left, Natalie was on my right and Leo on her right. Keith was behind Edward and Kevin was behind Leo. The Warriors formed a semi-circle behind all of us. The Council members walk in, each with another person on their right hand side and a step behind. Eight Council members walked up two steps and found their seats behind a large arched desk. The eight servants bowed to their Council person and took positions behind them.

My eyes landed on him. I knew who he was. I was livid. Mark regarded me with a smirk on his face. "Welcome, Bri, to your formal Council hearing."

Another Council member stands, her long white hair flowing in an unknown breeze, her ice green eyes flashing. "You will address her in her proper, Council Heir name!"

The silence erupts into a confused commotion. "Who is she?" "What are you talking about?"

"SILENCE!" roars the white-haired lady. The chamber returns to a impatient silence. "I, Meghan Colleen Star Wrynn, do recognize and welcome my grandpup, Aubrey Anna Wrynn Gilhoughley."

She's looking directly at "me?" I feel powerful. I feel the imbalance, though. like something is missing and I need to find it.

Two girls come running into the chamber. They are both beautiful and wearing rags. One with brown hair and eyes, with a Mediterranean tan to her skin, while the other is porcelain white, blonde hair and blue eyes, much like... 'Nati-pup?'

"Twin," whispers Natalie.

"Sister, Mother," responds the blonde, whispering. "My name is Madison. This is my sister, Danielle." 'My wolf's name is Nati and she has not found her wolf yet.' From the look on Natalie's face, I figured the mind link was directed at Natalie and myself.

"My grandpup has returned, with pups of her own?" Councillor Wrynn redirects our attention to the task at hand.

Mark stands as well. At 5 foot 11, he seemed taller when I was younger. His moss-green eyes no longer moved me the way they once did. His sandy-blonde hair looks orange, like a bad dye job. He openly sneers at me. "I see that we have a family reunion here. How can you deny me one pup and abandon the other? You are useless as a mother."

"How did you get my daughter? I was only aware of the one. No one, NO one told me there were two!"

"They are MY pups and I claim them BOTH!" shouted Mark.

"Over my dead body." I was calm. I was livid. Those who know me know that I am more dangerous when I am quiet.

"These are your pups as well, Councillor Wurtz?" Councillor Wrynn was watching us. "You impregnated my grandpup?"

"She was my mate at 18." Mark leered at me. I felt slimy and cold all over.

"Is this true?" another Councillor asks me. She had an almost gray pallor, with bright red perfect lips and dark curly hair in a fashionable up do. Her eyes flashed red for an instant before settling on a beautiful hot cocoa brown.

"He was never my mate. He was my boyfriend to whom I chose to give my virginity. He disappeared the following day. My parents died in a car accident while I was with him at his parents' house." I would hold nothing back. If Mark was going to tell the story, I would give them everything.

"I had a cesarean section delivery. I was shown Natalie and was told that the afterbirth had to be removed. The nurse whisked her away to the NICU to make sure she was alright, since we believed her to be premature. I now understand that she may have been full term for a werewolf and a twin."

"And 'ow deed the fazzer come to possess the oter tween?" A beautiful androgynous Councillor with long green hair and spring green eyes made themselves known. I had noticed when the Councillors walked in that this one and one with silver and brown hair were at least 7 feet tall and very graceful. They had crowns of vines on their heads which made them look like they had long, pointed ears.

"I took possession of my pup when she abandoned it!" Mark was getting more agitated. I had to push. I knew he was about to make a mistake, but I didn't have a chance.

"So, this child was 'abandoned' because the mother had been given false information." This golden-skinned, slender man stood at an even 6 foot. His British accent held a hint of something else. His head was bald except for large braid from the back of his head over his left shoulder. His golden-green eyes shimmered like those of a cat. The cat in front of him was thin with large ears and hairless. The cat was looking at me as if it had something to say. The Councillor turned to me. "How well did you know your doctors, Ms. Gilhoughley?"

"I had moved to the area only three months before I gave birth, so not well." I answered to the new name, not unaccustomed to change.

Two people were lead into the chamber before us. "Do you recognize these people?" It was the doctor and nurse who delivered Natalie in a private delivery room. There was an anesthesiologist who was not present at the delivery, but he prepared me and checked on me when the doctor closed me up. I thought it odd at the time that he was not there when Natalie was delivered, but I was not aware of any problems at the time. I was very young and very scared. I thought that Nat was born too young.

"Yes. They delivered Natalie."

"And Madison, it would seem," spoke up my grandmother. "Councillor Wurtz, it would seem that you have created this situation against my family. We have statements from this doctor and nurse that you threatened their families if they did not provide you," she looks at a document before her, "a pup from the pregnancy of Brianna Sanderson."

"It would seem zat you followed dis family when zey went into 'iding? From 'oom do you tink zey needed run?" The green haired Councillor gave off a dangerous air.

"From humans, of course!" Mark was losing his temper and his audience. "Filthy, ignorant humans will kill us all!"

"Be careful who you call filthy, dog!" A petite woman with a pale face with black hair and lipstick spoke up. Her blue eyes and 5'2" slight frame radiated power. "Not all humans are ignorant or without magic." She lit a small cigarillo with her finger to prove her point.

"Councillor Wurtz," a coffee skinned, white haired Councillor spoke up, his red eyes flashing, "it would seem that you arranged the kidnapping of an potential Heir to the Council."

"She's MY pup! She could be named as MY Heir!" Mark was not winning this argument.

"You know that the position of Heir goes to the youngest of the generation, which is in most cases of werewolves the one and only offspring of the mated pair. Here, we have twins, and the chance of another with a new mate. Plus, you have another Heir. Danielle, is it? can be named here and now." The peaches-and-cream skin and silver and brown hair of the other androgynous Councillor surrounded their calming, violet eyes. "After all, we are all represented."

"An excellent idea, Councillor Woodvine. A drop of blood can be a very powerful thing." the black-haired Councillor spoke again. "I will be proud to prick her finger."

"You will do NO SUCH THING!" Jenny leaps to protect Danielle. "She will not be harmed!" Jenny looks deeply into Danielle's eyes. "I will protect you, body and soul."

"Mate?" We hear Danielle's timid voice. Jenny nods, with tears in her eyes.