84Mags

There’s something especially wonderful about the kind of hard work where you both expel excess energy and funnel it into incredible progress on tasks. Jubal wore himself out in the best way possible. The added bonus of well earned rest and deep sleep allowed him clarity of thought as he greeted the dawn. He doesn’t quite trust his intuition on Billy or Reid, but has opened that door a bit. Reminiscing over his love and relationship with Vincent further cracked that door. And then, while bathing, admitting his love for Lucas opened that door a bit further. Jubal has good reason to be cautious and hesitant. He wears the scars, both physically and mentally, for trusting and merely being who God made him. But this chapter was all about hope and the future. As Jubal breathed the morning air, ate his delicious breakfast, set out more oats, and finished the work on the cabin he seemed to recognize what life could be like for him. There was a sense of inner peace; the sun shown behind the staircase and even that pesky branch was sawed off and tossed away. Perhaps soon Jubal can toss off the echoes of his past.

I agree. In the state where I reside officers of the law are legally allowed to conduct a search without a warrant if the search is made in connection to an arrest. The police are allowed to look for weapons on the person and surroundings that may be used to harm the officer. Also, if there is a concern that the arrest will lead to the destruction of evidence a search can be performed. Obviously, it’s a good way to not have to get a search warrant with only weak evidence and try to find find better evidence for a stronger case.

Micco was placed under arrest for Sam’s murder before the hood to the trunk of his vehicle was even popped. Calhoun is certain Micco committed the crime, and Chase is equally certain he didn’t. The tension and electricity in the air is matched by the pending hurricane. If the evidence against Micco was enough to charge him without whatever is in the trunk, Micco will need all of his mental strength to endure the coming storms.

Everything about this well paced chapter, coupled with the angst Caleb is going through, made me want to get the rescue mission started and begin the battle with Huntington. But it’s time to take a breath and wait. Everyone needs to listen to Enya and wait. Just wait! Thankfully Sebastian and Reilly seem to realize she’s right. “Before he could answer, Enya did. “Nothing. Huntington wants you to fuck up and go charging in to save your mate. I guarantee he’s laid traps. No. Instead, you wait for his side to fuck up. Believe me, they will. Huntington may be smart, but the shifters he has working for him are grunts. They’re the ones who will be watching your mate. They’ll be the ones to make a mistake. If your guy is smart, he’ll take advantage of the first opportunity.”” For now, Asa is alive and no doubt working on an escape plan. If he succeeds, then there will be inside information and intel on Huntington’s weaknesses. Crossing my fingers.

Poor Corbin?! If Willa turns out to be the informant, even if Huntington is holding something over her, and the intel she supplied causes even a tiny scratch on my Caleb… I will be team KillaWilla.

Yes! That was my exact thought. Someone on the inside of that castle is relaying info and key details. She sort of flits in and out of the room, flirting and being funny. A great cover.

Yep. Kind of narrows it down, doesn’t it.

I agree! See my comment below yours. I think the families were lied to, as was Asa and Caleb. And, Huntington was behind it.

I started worrying last chapter about Caleb and Asa going off on their own to do an ill conceived, secret recon. When the alleged delay in the pups arriving to be healed started happened I knew a trap was being set. What parent wouldn’t want their child cured ASAP? I surmise the story was made up to keep tabs on Asa and Caleb and stall them in Germany a tad longer. After Asa balked and gave a deadline, the pups parents supposedly deferred to a later time. That was contrived. Who knows what the parents were really told? The mole is completely in the know and feeding information immediately to Huntington. Dang it. Asa is a light shifter, but his wolf now is also an important part of him. Let’s remember that together with Caleb they are two white wolves. There is still a lot more to this story. Caleb will come through. I have no doubts about that.

I’m quoting you so I can say that I loved your whole comment! ❤️ I used the 😂 button earlier because the quip about the Taj Mahal had me snort laughing out loud. There were so many perfect moments in this chapter and you touched on some of the very best. The babes crapping yellow is both accurate and hilarious! And, yes, I hope we hear more about (and from) Billy.

My face hurts from smiling! Lucas is awake and mending; such a wonderful celebration! When Jubal finally goes home (yes, HOME) to rest perhaps he will realize a few things. Lucas mentioned the hand holding more than once, and made sure to note he was certain it was Jubal who was holding his hand. Lucas followed Jubal with his eyes as Jubal left the room. Practically the whole town knew Jubal was keeping vigil the past two days, and are happy about it. Jubal even had his horse stabled for free! Doc Vance most likely recognized the underlying cause of Jubal’s anxiety and merely encouraged Jubal to take better care of himself and leave the rest of the doctoring to Vance. Reid was equally excited Lucas had awakened but seemed to purposefully hold back on visiting to give Jubal the extra time he needed to settle down and reconnect with Lucas. And that’s exactly what Jubal’s almost faint was about. Now that Lucas is out of danger, Jubal’s tightly wound and exhausted body first had an adrenaline rush of excitement / relief and then a bit of a crash. Reid recognized what was happening and calmed him. Reid is turning out to be a true friend. The ending with Billy is the icing on a wonderful cake. I think we all agree with Jubal’s interpretation.

I agree! And he’s leading the operation against Huntington and the rest of the villains. It’s a terrible idea to do recon without informing Sebastian.

Such an emotional chapter! I’ve commented in other stories that you write the ravages of abuse exceptionally well. This chapter showed a new depth in understanding and articulating the subtleties in the behaviors of abused children. The pups are in good hands. I’m looking forward to all three boys being healed and revealing their wolves. I wonder if there is more in store for them in addition to becoming the adopted children of Corbin, Asa and Caleb. Because yes, we all want THAT to happen. And being with the pups has had a truly positive impact on Caleb. He’s taken Silas’ words to heart and will be revealing the truth to Vann. Well, if he gets the chance. Because Russia! I am definitely NOT excited about Russia. When was it ever in the whole universe of Ever a good idea to go somewhere and not tell the person in charge of the entire operation? I thought I was finally over saying this, but, Oh Caleb!

First on page three! It's an early Christmas miracle!

I'm glad our trio arrived safely and have settled in before Asa begins the process of curing all the pups. I am most intrigued by Dante and Duncan. Their parents were murdered in a most heinous way. Am I the only one who believes Huntington was behind their demise? While some of the pups appear to be randomly selected, others not so much. I think these brothers were chosen for a reason, and their parent's death isn't a coincidence. Marcel is particularly brave, having been shunned by his parents and pack. What is especially wonderful about Asa's healing abilities is that he can take some of the emotional pain and lingering mental health issues away as he cures. All three of these pups deserve peace. And look at Corbin all smooth and flirty! There is absolutely nothing sexier than a sense of humor and the confidence needed to laugh at oneself. Willa is perfect for what Corbin needs now. There is so much of the future still unknown, so to be able to enjoy the moment is everything. Wishing everyone good health and a wonderful Thanksgiving for those who celebrate. Illness has been sweeping across the US; hoping both MrsG and @kbois are on the mend.

They are the messiest dang things. And dumb. Really dumb. Growing up my grandparents farm was our home away from home. We had Cousins Camp where we would all come to stay. Some of my best childhood memories. But, we also all came at butchering times and one of my cousin’s job was beheading the chickens. Ugh! I was farther down the assembly line and had plucking and cleaning detail but can clearly remember headless chickens darting about. 😱

As a side note, my job on my grandparents farm while I was growing up was the chickens. Helping to raise them, gather and sort the eggs, clean the chicken coops, and when the time came, assist with butchering. I will never ever ever forget the smell of chicken poop. And you are right, it gets everywhere. My head started itching when I read that part of the chapter. I half expected to find a feather! 🐓🐣

Every bit of this felt realistic and moment by moment. The fact Lucas made it past the first 24 hours into the next day is a huge medical turning point. And Jubal is also moving forward. Recognizing the ranch felt like home is a turning point for him, too. Another was opening up to Doc about the scars. As Jubal settles more into his feelings for Lucas and the life they are trying to build, he seems to also be processing a bit of his own past. His father sounds like a man prone to violent outbursts and not adverse to using abusive means to get his way. It’s good that Jubal is beginning to trust that his life in Bearpaw could be different. He seemed unbothered that Billy brought ‘gossip’ of Lucas’ injuries and Jubal’s care to the sawmill or how Reid was proactively trying to help.

I think this is way more harsh than gaslighting; someone wants to mentally destroy Micco. But I don’t think Micco has the presenting symptoms for Dissociative Identity Disorder. From all we know so far, Micco doesn’t meet the DSM criteria for the diagnosis, other than experiencing a severe childhood trauma and the resulting PTSD. It is an exceedingly rare disorder; only about 1.5% of the total global population have that diagnosis. Most have had multiple emergency interventions and suicidal ideations or attempts. Their alternate personalities are often known and named. Micco is emotionally stable, even with all that is currently going on. He interacts better with animals than his human counterparts, which is maddeningly frustrating but not unusual given his history. People lose time for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is about a disorder (such as ADHD) but often, especially when stressed, we tend to simply ‘space out.’

I’m completely with @drsawzall on this one. I found myself incredibly sad after this chapter, and quite angry with Micco. He reacts passively rather than proactively, his communication more internal than interactive. He has suffered great trauma, but has also gained coping skills and self awareness. Micco could have verbalized exactly WHY he lied to Chase so many years ago, and ran to stop him from leaving. Yet he chose to toss out a statement that could be misinterpreted and wait to see how Chase reacts. So many years lost over a significant misunderstanding. I can’t even imagine why Micco is entertaining the idea that he has periods where he acts in some sort of fugue state rather than assuming something nefarious is going on. His instincts told him someone had been in his home. Micco knows it wasn’t him who drank, search the internet, or spilled some blood. I am sticking with my theory of psychological warfare. Someone is after him, but they aren’t happy to just have him gone. For some reason they want to destroy his mind and his soul. Micco has Chase, Billy, and Burke on his side. It’s time he trusts enough to explain what’s been going on, as a well as learn more about his own past from these men.

I didn’t even have time to bask in the afterglow of the smoking hot, sexy times afternoon before I started feeling angst over the pending trip to Germany. I’ve lived there. It’s a country filled with lots of hiding places and easy access to all of Europe. In my heart I know Caleb and Asa will be fine, but in my head there are lots of scenarios where things could go badly. And while I’m glad Corbin is all in for not just finding/saving the rest of the pups, he will help battle Huntington. Corbin is truly is putting his life at risk. I hope he starts speaking to you soon, because somewhere along the way we all got invested! We expect him to live, and hopefully mate and shift. This is the type of chapter I’ve come to dread from you, the calm before the raging monsoon of a storm. And our guys are headed right into it.

Feeling the heartbeat of someone you love is the most comforting feeling imaginable. Jubal finally being lulled into a restful sleep by the thrum of Lucas’ pulse speaks volumes. I think we all agree Reid gave Jubal a few pretty direct hints that he understands and approves. It seems the good Doc might, as well. The mood of this chapter is a soothing mix of mellow and optimistic.

I have a lot of ‘I wish’ thoughts after this chapter. I wish Micco would have taken a breath after hearing he wouldn’t be allowed back into the refuge and really questioned Martina’s motives behind her behaviors as well as banning him from the refuge. I wish Micco would have questioned why the council members were there and seemingly believed whatever was whispered about him. I really wish Micco would have questioned how Martina was also at the refuge after hours thereby knowing Micco had gone into the enclosure to check on Whisper. I wish Micco had not cut off his connection to the animals just when they began to project important emotions. I wish Micco had questioned Rory’s disheveled and sudden appearance, and I truly wish he’d stopped and listened to her. I wish Micco had shown Burke the text messages. I wish Micco had taken a leap and been honest with Chase all those years ago. I wish Burke hadn’t minded his own business on the catwalk and let Micco know Chase was there. I wish next week’s chapter could post tomorrow instead.

Home. That one simple word is filled with so much meaning. For Caleb it’s also pack, mate, safe, acceptance, love, friends, family, and forever. Caleb went back home to Montana to heal the pups but while there realized that he’d moved on to a new place to call his forever home. I’m so glad that he and Asa are now officially part of Gile’s pack. I can’t even with Boots! And Corbin is ok! Jeez this whole dang story is making me so emotional! 😭

Ok, you win for most invested in this chapter’s comments. 😂 Seriously though, your insights are spot on and a reminder we have a ways to go before ‘all is well’.