Overwhelmingly Precious [Werewolves of Hanson Mall 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Cara Adams Page A

the farm to support them all. I don’t believe they’ve tried to find new crops or specialty crops that will bring in a higher income. I think they’re wedded to tradition and the old ways of doing things and it’s not working for them.”
    “Why did the Alpha think the Supreme wouldn’t take his call?” asked Keelan.
    “The Alpha wouldn’t break his oath to the Supreme, so it wouldn’t be out of guilt. Maybe it’s just the whole tradition thing. He thinks the Supreme is too important to bother with him. I’m sure he ignores requests from people in the pack he considers unimportant.”
    “Like your parents?”
    “Hell yes.” Quintana had to stop and center herself before she spoke again. And she needed to remember Georgia was listening, too. “My father was the youngest of five brothers and he was human as well. So he was very much the runt of the litter. For years I’ve been trying to get my mother to let me put money in her bank account but she refuses. She says she couldn’t buy things for herself when others don’t have money. So I pay for her cell phone and she can use that as much as she wants without it annoying other members of the pack. I’d like to do more for her but that’s all she’ll permit me to give her.”
    “They all need a damn good meal,” said Keelan.
    “Fuck, yes. They all look like they’re on one of those weight loss program advertisements,” said Georgia.
    “No. What they really need is proper advice on how to make a living for themselves. Years ago the Hanson Mall pack Alpha took the radically different approach of selling the pack’s land and building the mall. What this Alpha needs to do is work out a pathway forward that will bring new life and health into his pack,” said Wynn.
    Quintana gasped. He was absolutely correct. Wynn was obviously not young and immature. He’d clearly put his finger on exactly what her old pack needed to do to survive and thrive.
    “Do you think he’ll contact the Supreme?” asked Keelan.
    “I don’t know. I’ve been gone too long to guess at how he’ll react to things. In the past I would have said no, but he must have noticed his pack’s problems and I suspect he knows he can’t solve them alone. It’d be a question of pride though, not to admit to anyone else there even is a problem. Wolves are very proud.”
    “But they’re also very protective. It must pain him a lot that he can’t provide properly for his pack,” said Keelan.
    “I don’t know if he’d have the will or the skills to do something new. Your old Alpha was a man of vision as well as strong enough to enthuse his pack and get them behind him. He was a true leader, having both the ability to see what needed to be done, and also the charisma to enthuse the pack to follow him down that road.”
    “Is the Alpha the same man who was Alpha when you were with the pack?” asked Georgia.
    “Yes. There was another Alpha when I was a baby, but this Alpha is the only one I’ve ever known.”
    “In that case, he must have the respect of the pack or he wouldn’t still be in charge. Wynn, we need to work out how to get them to agree to answer our questions. Then we can build relationships with the pack and then they’ll trust us when we ask them to get help to solve their problems,” said Georgia.
    That all sounded good to Quintana but she had absolutely no idea how they’d do it.
     
    * * * *
     
    Georgia had an apartment in the Hanson pack’s apartment block, so Wynn dropped her off there. Keelan was almost certain he wouldn’t take Quintana to her apartment but would take her back to the mall. At least he really hoped so. He longed to hold her again. To kiss her and make love to her. Besides, they hadn’t eaten yet and he was hungry.
    Wynn stopped at a burger store. “I’m hungry. Does anyone mind if we eat here?”
    “I’m hungry, too,” said Keelan, but his gaze was on Quintana. What would she say?
    “I wish I could get my mother to accept some