She nodded. “Zane is our local yogi. He sells yoga videos.”
“Cool. So, you know how to film with a phone?”
She shrugged. “I could, but I've got a better camera at home. Want me to grab it?”
“That would be awesome.”
She hurried out of the house and was back just as we were getting started in Lucinda's back yard. “That was fast,” I said.
“I live next door.”
I trained each of the women in turn, just getting them started on basics and taking them through some good body weight exercises for almost two hours. Afterward, they all headed out, Millie promising to edit the video and get it to me in a couple days. I felt good. I had a purpose and I'd soon have an income, hopefully, and I wouldn't need to rely on Axel. I wouldn't be another burden on him and I'd know I'd have a way out if things ever got bad between us.
I was considering heading over to his place and bringing him lunch, but Lucinda had other ideas.
“You should shower,” she said. I had my head in the refrigerator, looking for something to eat. She'd said I couldn't eat her food, but considering I'd just trained all her friends, it seemed fair.
I stood and turned. I was getting used to Lucinda's bluntness. “I will. I just need something to eat first.”
“You shower, I'll make lunch,” she said. “We've got a meeting with the Aspens Whiten wolves in two hours.”
I take it back, there was no getting used to Lucinda. “A meeting? I thought you didn't know anyone there.”
“I asked around. Turns out one of my exes is still with the pack. He's a big fan of yours, so I set up a double date for us with him and Alpha.”
“Alpha? Are you shitting me?”
She crinkled her nose again. “Why would I shit you? Alpha is a player and he's disgusting, but I thought you'd like to meet him. Just don't touch him, if any werewolf is capable of catching an STD, it's him.” She shuddered.
I hadn't officially met Alpha, but I was sure I'd rather not spend more time with him than necessary. Even so, if anyone had useful information, it would be him. “Okay, then,” I said. “I'll go shower.”
***
“Is this a joke?” I asked. Lucinda had driven us down the mountain to a town in the valley, Aspens Whiten, that wasn't much bigger than Mule Creek, though it did have paved streets and a chain supermarket. Lucinda had parked in front of a large brick building that looked more like an upscale frat house than a residential home. Mostly because of the keg on the front walk and the bras hanging from a large oak in the front yard.
“Unfortunately, no,” she said. “This is Alpha's home. He and ten other members of the pack live here. My ex lives across the street with the rest of the pack.” I turned and looked across the street to see a ramshackle duplex with peeling paint and a broken front window.
“Wow,” I said. “I can't imagine why they'd want to leave all this behind.”
She scowled. “They'd destroy our pack town. It'd be idiotic for us to hand over Mule Creek to them just because they can't keep their dicks in their pants or avoid the vampires.”
She got out of the car and started up the walk to the brick house. I followed, careful to pick my way along the sidewalk and not step in the piles of…I really didn't want to think about what it might be.
Lucinda knocked on the door. We waited about three minutes before Lucinda lost patience and pounded the door with both fists until Alpha finally pulled the door open. Lucinda plastered on a smile, straightened her maxi dress, and pushed back her shoulders. Alpha was shirt-less, his round beer belly on full display. Up close he looked even less healthy. “Can I help you?” he asked, his confusion obvious.
Lucinda sighed heavily. “I'm Lucinda. Marley set up a double date for you, him, me, and Julie Jacobs.”
She stepped to the side and gave me a small push forward. I stuck out my hand, not really wanting to touch the man, but knowing I ought to make a good impression. He took my hand, but he didn't shake it, he caressed it with his thumb as he looked me over, leering. “I bet you fuck like a freight train.”
I jerked my hand from his and stuck it in my pocket to stop myself from punching him in the nose. Not because he didn't deserve to be punched but because I didn't want to get anywhere near his blood. “Touch me again and I'll break every one of your fingers.” Fuck making a good impression.
He grinned like I'd complimented him. He stepped aside and gestured for us to come in. “Welcome to the pack house,” he said. “Marley is around here somewhere.” He leered at Lucinda. “He got lucky last night, and I think she's still here. Try not to take it personally.”
Lucinda rolled her eyes, but managed not to tell Alpha to go fuck himself. I was impressed. “Why don't you put on some clothes and we'll wait for both of you in your office?”
He hesitated, his eyes narrowed. “You know, I never could get a straight answer out of Marley about why you wanted this double date. He was so excited about meeting Julie Jacobs, I don't think he asked. I'm not as blinded by fame as he is.”
“Right,” Lucinda said. “I was going to wait until we were all together, but I might as well tell you now. The truth is, I'm unhappy with Axel as pack leader. He's nowhere near as much fun as you are and you can't expect Julie Jacobs, a world-renowned fighter, to want to stay in a pack with a bunch of pacifists.”
He watched her lips while she spoke. Not like he was lusting after her, but like he was having trouble understanding the words coming out of her mouth. By the time she was finished, though, he seemed to have gotten it. His chest was puffed out and his smile was wide. “Axel isn't as much fun as us? That's what I've been saying since day one. I don't know why anyone stays in his boring-ass pack.”
Lucinda widened her eyes and actually smiled. “So true. You've got a way of hitting the truth right on the head.”
“I'll just go get dressed and rustle up Marley. You two can wait in my office.”
As soon as he was out of earshot, Lucinda shuddered. “You should wash your hands, like now.”
She pointed out a door just down the hall.
I washed my hands, turning the water up as hot as I could stand it. I was drying them when Lucinda screeched at me to hurry my ass up. I ran out of the bathroom to see her racing for the front door, a long, carved stick in her hand. I sprinted after her, but Alpha barreled into me and knocked me to the ground. “You aren't going anywhere,” he said, his breath reeking of stale beer.
“Get off me,” I said, using my alpha voice.
His eyes widened, but he rolled off me and stood. I sprang to my feet and stared him down. “Get on your knees.”
He did so. “What the fuck are you?” he asked.
“Don't move and don't try to follow us.”
“I am so going to kick your ass when I find you,” he said. “You're going to regret this.”
He shouted some more stuff, but I didn't hear it because I was already out the door and racing for the car. Lucinda had the engine running. I grabbed the door handle and leapt in as she pulled away from the curb.
“What the hell is going on?”
Lucinda's smile threatened to crack her cheeks and she was practically bouncing in her seat. “I got the spirit stick back. They are such a bunch of idiots, they had it displayed in Alpha's office for everyone to see.”
I stared at the side of her face, disbelieving. “They know we're in Axel's pack and they just let us go in the office where Axel's spirit stick is on display?”
“Alpha is perpetually drunk, he probably forgot where he left it.”
“Why didn't you tell me what you were doing?” I asked. “I thought we were just there to investigate.”
“I didn't expect the spirit stick to be so easy to get.” She glanced over at me. “I figured you'd seen enough to understand what we're dealing with.”
“They hardly seem like a threat. I don't get what everyone's so worried about.”
“If they decide to fight us, they'll probably shape up a bit,” she said. “But Ma
rley told me the vamps promised to help them if they attacked us.”
I stared at her. “Seriously? Why didn't you tell me that before?”
“It was irrelevant to our meeting today.”
I rolled my eyes, because it totally was relevant. “Does Axel know this?”
She chewed her lip. “I haven't told him, yet. It could be drunken idiocy from Marley, because it doesn't make sense. The vamps want the pack to stay in the valley, why would they help them attack us?”
I shrugged, because I had no idea. “How dangerous are the vampires?”
She glanced over at me again. “I don't know much about them, but I wouldn't want to fight them.”
I chewed on that for a bit, but I wouldn't be able to do anything with it until I had more information. “Do you know what the deal is with Alpha? Why is he so sick?” Axel had told me his theory, but Lucinda might know more.
“I don't know. He should be able to shift and heal regularly…Unless…No, if a vampire was feeding on him, they could use their blood to heal him.”
“Unless they have no interest in healing him,” I said, pondering the idea. “The sicker he is, the less likely he'd be to interfere with their plans to use his pack as their feed bag.”
She nodded, thinking. “If that's the case, why do the vampires want our pack territory? They'd be closer to the sun and farther from humans to feed on…” She shook her head. “It just doesn't make any sense.”
CHAPTER NINE
Since the meeting was being held in the barn, I'd expected the place to be packed, but there were only ten people there, two of them Axel and Clarissa.
Axel smiled when I walked in, that same happy-to-see-you smile that simultaneously made me want to leap into his arms and run screaming. I took a seat at a farmhouse-style table four seats away from him and next to Clarissa. It was the only available seat left, it's not like I was purposely avoiding sitting near him.
“Welcome, Julie, this is our pack senate,” Axel said. “We make decisions for the pack and discuss problems. You are not an elected member, but you are the starburst. You may offer input, but you may not vote.” Axel's formal tone stung a bit, but I smiled and waved hello to everyone.
Axel had everyone introduce themselves and tell me their roles in the pack. There was Paulie, the peacemaker who looked like an ad for protein powder, Rodney, the hospitality chair, Lisa, the party planner, Richelle, the treasurer, Lloyd, the business coordinator, Gayle, the recreation director, and Horace, the events coordinator. It seemed more like the staff for a country club. Clearly emphasis was placed on having a good time and getting along. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but who would step in when real problems arose?
I knew better than to ask that question. I kept my mouth shut and listened. At the moment, I was gathering information, coming up with a plan. It wasn't too different from the way I watched fight tapes and studied my opponents, finding their weaknesses and making a plan of attack. It wasn't too different from how Shelly and I had survived on the streets, by studying people, identifying the dangerous ones and the ones who might be willing to help.
I listened to them chat about upcoming events and parties, about how to keep Esther from killing herself diving off waterfalls, about new food options at the diner, and about who was fighting with whom within the pack and what was being done to prevent violence. They even discussed the dates for the next pack runs. I listened to them talk about all that stuff, becoming more and more amazed, until I just couldn't take it anymore. “What about the Aspens Whiten pack?” I asked. “What are we doing about that?” I'd left the spirit stick with Lucinda. I wanted to give it to Axel when we were alone, because I was pretty sure he'd be less than thrilled about me sneaking into Alpha's house to get it.
Axel's frown couldn't be more severe unless he surgically lowered it to his chest. “The council is handling that.”
What? The? Hell? Hadn't he asked me to this meeting specifically to discuss the threat of the Aspens Whiten pack? “Maybe we should have a back-up plan?” I asked, my eyes wide in mock innocence. I was pushing him, but I was pissed. “You know, just in case the council doesn't actually give a shit about us?”
Axel's whole body tensed, but Clarissa nodded slightly.
“That's what I've been saying boss,” Paulie said.
The rest of the group had gone preternaturally still like they were anticipating violence and were preparing to run. It was clear who the more dominant members of the group were.
“We aren't fighting them,” Axel said. “So, there's no discussion.”
“I'm not suggesting we mobilize and attack them in their dens,” I said. “I'm suggesting we have a plan. A defense system in place in the event that they attack us.”
Axel got to his feet. “Everyone out.”
Everyone left as fast as their legs could carry them. Everyone except me, Clarissa, and Paulie. Axel waited until the door had closed behind the others and then he glared at Clarissa and Paulie. “I said everyone.”
Both Clarissa and Paulie paled and grimaced like they were in pain, but they didn't leave their seats. “You need to tell her,” Clarissa said, at the same time Paulie said, “Chick's right, we need to discuss this.”
Axel glared at me, like this was all my fault.
“Fuck you,” I said, thoroughly pissed. “You invited me to this meeting because you said we were going to talk about the Aspens Whiten pack. You can't get pissed at me for bringing it up.”
“He's not pissed at you,” Clarissa said. “He's fucking terrified.”
“Lissa,” Axel said, his voice all rough, angry growl that made me think about sex even though I was furious at him. “Shut the fuck up.”
Clarissa bowed her head and sucked in a deep breath. When she lifted her head, it was like she was fighting something, every muscle straining to open her mouth against that alpha command.
“This about Darius calling this morning?” Paulie asked.
Axel spun his glare to Paulie. “How the fuck do you know about that?”
Paulie shrugged, but his face was tense, his body ready for action, even though he leaned back in his seat like he was at ease. “Raphael was in the gym when you got the call, man. You know he can't keep a secret to save his life.”
Axel rolled his shoulders like he was trying to calm down. I'd never seen him so angry. I'd never seen him angry period. And I didn't like it. I should have been afraid of him. I'd always hated anger in men because it reminded me of my father's anger. But I wasn't afraid of Axel. I knew how gentle he could be. I knew he would never hurt me. Okay, fine, a part of me was scared and wanted to run away, but the bigger part of me, the part of me that knew I wasn't that helpless little girl anymore, knew I had to stay. For the first time in my life, I trusted the man I was sleeping with implicitly.
I got to my feet and walked over to Axel. His glare intensified, but the closer I got to him, the more clearly I could see that Clarissa was right. Axel wasn't angry, he was scared of something. I sat on Axel's lap and I wrapped my arms around his neck.
He froze for just a moment, but then his arms came up around me, one hand at the nape of my neck, and he squeezed me so hard I had to struggle to breathe. I didn't move out of his embrace or ask him to release me, I just took careful breaths and let him hold on. After several long moments, I felt his body relax, felt some of the tension drain out of him.
He moved his hands to my waist, picked me up and put me on the chair next to him. He held my hand, his fingers entwined with mine. He looked over my shoulder at Clarissa, but I didn't turn to look at her, I watched his face. I didn't want to look away from his face. I'd missed him. I'd just plain missed his face in the hours since I'd left his side. I was in way too deep and I knew I should look for a way out, but I didn't want to.
Finally, Axel met my eyes again. “Darius called today. A photographer followed us here. They got pictures of you and me together, of the town.”
“Us shifting,” I asked, my chest tigh
t.
“No. But it won't be long. They're curious about why you're here, about this town, and more reporters will be coming here. It's only a matter of time.”
“What does that mean?”
Axel swallowed hard and dropped his eyes to the ground.
“It means,” Clarissa said. “That Darius wants you to leave our pack. If you move back to LA and lay low, they'll lose interest.”
“And if I don't want to leave?” Because I didn't want to leave. There was nothing for me in LA and…I'd miss Axel.
“Then he's going to give our territory to the Aspens Whiten wolves and force the pack apart.”
I looked at the side of Axel's face. “Can he do that?”
Axel turned to me, agony on every line of his face. “Yeah, he can do that,” he said, his voice rough. There was more than just worry and anger in his expression, there was hurt. Axel had trusted Darius, and Darius had let him down.
“And if I go?” I asked. “Will he make sure you keep your territory?”
“You're not going,” Axel said, his jaw tense.
I tightened my grip on his hand, but I spun to look at Clarissa. She shook her head. “Darius says he'll do what he can to help us keep the territory, but he won't be actively doing anything to ensure we keep it.”
I got it. Darius had the power to split the pack, to kick them out of their territory. If he really wanted to make the Aspens Whiten pack stay away, he'd be able to make them do it. Which didn't make any sense. Surely he wanted to avoid a war, so why wouldn't he just tell the Aspens Whiten pack to back off? Unless…“He never wanted you to keep this territory in the first place, did he?” I asked.
Axel met my gaze. “Darius helped me when I was a young, newly turned wolf. He's always been a good friend to me, to the pack, and I trusted him, but I should have seen it sooner.” He looked over my shoulder at Clarissa, back at Paulie. “I'm sorry I was so blind.”
“The confrontations between the vampires and the Aspens Whiten pack have been ramping up,” Clarissa said. “It's just a matter of time before something happens and they expose us all. Darius knows we'll be more discrete. He can give the Aspens Whiten pack our territory and we can move on somewhere else. Somewhere just as isolated, because that's the way we like it.”
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