Eight-Questions and cupcakes

Reaching the office, five people sat discussing what has happened. Jax looked at Rafe and said “ I have found video surveillance of Edward and Cassandra at a restaurant over on Canyon Rd. in Sweetwater two towns over. They met with two men.. the larger man resembles Armand Hellier..but he keeps his face hidden from the cameras at every angle. The other man never removes his hoodie.

But watch the video…. See how hoodie guy has reached over to hold Cassandra’s hand? There.. he did it again! And she pulls back every time.” Rafe remarks “Strange.. do we have audio?”

Jax just shakes his head. Andrea is sitting on Rafe’s lap, watching the video again and again. Rafe says “what are you doing, moonbeam?”

She was excited..says “Look.. watch Carolyn’s face … Do you see it?” After Damon is done snickering again he watched.. looking closely. He said “it looks like she wants to cry” and Andrea claps her hands and says “Yes!!! That’s not crying. That’s yearning. Could hoodie guy be her mate?”

Rafe spins her face around and kisses her soundly! He says “ Baby! You’re a genius!!” Andrea just grins and picks up the third cupcake from the tray and Gavin yells “hey! That’s mine” and she shrugs “you snooze..you lose, DorkTwin”

Damon says “What now?” Rafe said “ they both have this uncanny ability to say the same stupid shit or do the same stupid things at the same time.. it’s weird.. Don’t ask” and both Gavin and Andrea yell “Hey!” At the same time. Rafe raises an eyebrow, as if to say “See?” And Damon laughs.

Right at 2, there is a knock at the door. Edward, his mate, Deborah and both daughters walk in. Rafe tells them to take a seat. Edward says “Alpha, I was expecting a private meeting.”

And Rafe says “you have no right to expect anything. I am going to ask a few questions. Your entire family will be put under Alpha command. I expect..nothing less than the truth! Barring that, you will all be taken to the cells pending further investigation.”

“Madilyn, let’s start with you. What can you tell me about your sister’s comings and goings the last two weeks?”

Madilyn responds “Not a lot, actually. You know she and I have never been close. And I have never had a relationship with my father to speak of. I do know my father came to me about ten days ago telling me I had to bring pressure to bear on My mate about you taking Cassandra as Luna but other than that, we seldom speak..or are even cordial to each other. I was forbidden to see or speak to my mother unless I agreed.”

Jax hugs her close and asked why she didn’t tell him. She starts to cry and said she can’t come between him and Rafe and she wouldn’t ever jeopardize her relationship with her mate.”

Andrea walks over and takes Madilyn’s hand and leads her over to the sofa. Hands her a bottle of water, walks over to the snack tray and picks up two cupcakes, walking back to the sofa and holds her hand out saying “cupcake? They’re soooo good!”

And Gavin chuckles while Rafe just smiles in pride. Rafe then turns to Deborah..raising his eyebrows asks “what can you tell us about your mate or your oldest daughter?”

Deborah lowers her head…and begins to speak “I don’t know what he is doing. I know he pushed for Cassandra to be Luna. I have overheard phone conversations between him and other council members where he has yelled and threatened them to push a vote through to force you to take a mate. I also overheard a conversation two nights ago discussing a warehouse on Hines and something about a fire. He doesn’t talk to me, anymore. He doesn’t sleep with me or even try any form of intimacy. If I speak up..or argue, he slaps me or threatens much worse. Alpha.. I am tired. So very tired. Cassandra has taken to pulling my hair and slapping me if I am doing something she dislikes. I can’t keep going like this.”

Just then, they heard and gasp, and in a flash, Cassandra’s face spins to the side as a loud “Thwack” sounded in the room.

Everyone was stunned! Andrea moved so fast she was nothing but a blur..and she slapped her! A full blown arm drawn back its’ entire length slap and Andrea said..in a voice Rafe hadn’t heard before “That is your MaMa! You never put hands on your mama! What kind of inhuman piece of shit are you? Have you always been this hateful or is it a new look?” Andrea turns around and storms over to Rafe’s lap and wraps around him. No one spoke for a minute..too stunned.

Andrea looks up at everyone and says “ Sorry. That was Starla. She has always wanted to be with our mom and since we were robbed of that, she gets highly emotional”

Deborah stood up and walked towards Andrea.. she smiled gently at her and said “Thank you! It’s been a long time since I felt worth much” Andrea stood up and hugged her telling her she is worthy..if for no other reason than putting up with Edmond all this time and Rafe tried not to laugh. He said “Baby, we really need to work on names with you”.

Rafe looks over at Madilyn and spoke “Madilyn, arrange quarters for your mother in the packhouse for a few days until we determine where we go from here”

Madilyn stands and nods, taking her mother’s hand and walking out. Andrea grabs another cupcake and heads back to Rafe’s lap. Rafe just looks at Edward and Cassandra for several long moments and waits… The room is silent.. everyone can feel the tension… everyone except Andrea. She just happily munches on her cupcake. Rafe clears his throat and says “And then there were two…”