Tabari pulled out into the road, pausing as a cluster of cop cars went whizzing by, sirens on. He stopped for a few seconds, then quietly turned in the other direction, taking a non-direct route to the Alpha's house. There were no marked signs to lead the way, but to a nose as sensitive as his, there might as well have been giant arrows. He could pick out the Alpha's smell clearly from the cracked street corners and run-down laundromats; he could already tell that Gareth lived in the East of Davenport, the side closest to the mountains. Also the slightly more expensive district. Pack Alphas tended to be well off, he would know.
Tabari sank into a heavy silence as he drove. He had a lot to think about... and a lot of careful planning to do.
* * * *
Sirus watched her body quake and shiver next to him. He was too angry to care; she had more than earned her fear. She had almost gotten them both killed, after all... and she had pulled a gun on him. Unbelievable. Did she have any idea who he was?
The living room was comfortably furnished with a slightly ragged look, well-used. Darren and Aiden sat on the couch across from him while he and Jaime nestled in the Lay-Z-Boy, her hip snug against his thigh. He still hadn't removed her cuffs. He enjoyed her warmth in his lap, and he was sure she hated the way his hands lingered on her hips, trailing across her abdomen or entwining with her fingers. He could feel her body's response to him; in fact, he was painfully aware of it, as was the rest of the room. That included the five or six wolves that sat on the opposite couch, all of them remaining stonily silent since their arrival. Aiden and Darren were hardly hiding their own interest, occasionally stealing quick, crooked glances at the girl. Her wolf-moon was only three nights away... and her body was already overstimulated.
He pressed her more firmly against him, feeling her resistance. It would be useless to explain everything to her now. Wait until she met Gareth.
“Stop touching me!” she hissed at him, writhing a little more. It crossed his mind that her shivering might be more out of hatred than fear. He shrugged – it didn't matter.
A sudden shadow fell over them, drawing Sirus's attention back to the room. “Gareth should be back soon,” the large Nordic werewolf said, the same man who had driven the red truck. He was tall and willow thin, lean with muscle, ash-blond hair and strong, angular features. Sirus had met him before. Isak was a loyal Beta from a strong bloodline, but he didn't have the savage streak necessary to become an Alpha. The blond man was leaning against a screen door; Sirus guessed it led to a back yard. “It might be a few minutes. Can I get you a coffee? Beer?”
Coffee at midafternoon? Sirus didn't miss the tension in the air. Technically, Gareth of Black River had claimed the Davenport pack only a brief year ago. It was one of the few instances of a lone wolf actually defeating an established Alpha. It seemed clear that Gareth of Black River was a wolf of a different breed... a good bloodline to create an alliance with, and eager to stabilize his power. Still, the favor he had come to ask today wouldn't be given lightly.
“Sure, a beer,” he said, deciding to take advantage of the hospitality. It may be the only thing he left with.
“I'll take one too,” Jaime grunted from his lap, her body still shaking. He wondered if she was cold or perhaps still effected by the adrenaline of their brief car chase. Her body temperature was high; she felt like she was burning up. A normal symptom of the wolf-moon, or something else?
“Pull yourself together,” he murmured, trying to put his arms around her. She shoved him away.
“How the hell am I supposed to 'pull myself together' with you touching me?”
He wondered what that was supposed to mean. Was she referring to her hatred of him, her body's obvious response, or perhaps a little of both...?
Isak left the room and returned shortly with a pack of Corona. They each took one, stiff and silent. Darren gave him a meaningful look, then nodded to the girl, an obvious question—what are you going to do about her? Her scent was too obvious.... Sirus hadn't put much thought to it, only that he would beat down anyone who touched her. He was about to respond when there was a sound from the other side of the house. A door slammed, then he heard the lyrical chatter of a woman's voice. His ears pricked. The scent was unmistakable.
“He's here,” he murmured, tucking Jaime against him more firmly.
She attempted to wiggle away. “Who's here?”
“The Davenport Alpha. You've been living on his territory for the past two years, so show some respect,” he murmured. He glanced at Jaime, wondering how she would react to the new Alpha. Even more disconcerting, he wondered how her body would respond to him... the lust of the wolf-moon held no room for loyalty or logic.
He had just finished that thought when suddenly Jaime's eyes went wide, her gaze riveted on the entryway to the kitchen. Sirus turned to look with her, already knowing what he was going to see.
* * * *
It was difficult for Jaime to imagine a wolf as strong and intimidating as Sirus — but when the new figure appeared in the doorway, leaning slightly with arms crossed, she thought she might fall off her chair. His presence filled the room. A bolt of heat shot through her body, and she gripped the armrests, tremors running through her.
The man nodded to them, his green eyes vibrantly noticeable against his black hair. “Cousin,” he said quietly. His voice was deep and rough, sending shivers up her spine. She guessed he was a shade younger than thirty.
“You're cousins?” she asked disbelievingly, looking down at Sirus where he slumped on the chair beneath her.
“No, you're cousins,” he said darkly.
It was as though someone had punched her in the gut. For a moment the room spun, and she grabbed at the first thing to steady herself — Sirus's shoulder. She continued to stare at Gareth, the Alpha of the Davenport wolf pack, shaking.
“We're cousins?” she repeated dumbly.
“Second cousins, actually,” Gareth murmured, as though reading her thoughts. She was drawn to his deep voice, to the power of his presence. “When the Paxton wolves were slaughtered, I had no idea of your existence.”
Jaime blinked, still dazed. “But why weren't you....”
“... Killed along with them?” He didn't smile, but she could hear amusement in his voice. “My family broke off from the Paxton wolves long ago. I was born here. I never had time to visit.”
So they hadn't met before. That made sense, since Jaime knew she would have remembered such an intimidating figure. She still wasn't certain she believed him; how could she? Her entire teenage life had been spent without home or family, no roots, no ties to the world. She hadn't even known where to start looking for distant relatives, and a second cousin wasn't all that related....
But could she trust him? She saw the man's eyes dart to Sirus, his brows lowered. Did the two Alphas know each other? She couldn't tell. She stared at the Davenport Alpha for a few moments longer, studying the exotic angles of his face, his muscular body and broad shoulders; perhaps there was a similarity about the cheek bones and eye shape, but that was all. The man before her was definitely strong, handsome, masculine... tan where she was pale, black hair where she had brown....
Everyone was watching her, waiting, but she didn't know what to say. The words stuck to the roof of her mouth. Was this supposed to change anything?
Quite suddenly a bright, coppery head popped up next to the Alpha. A new figure appeared at his side. Jaime stared in surprise at the girl; she was short and willowy thin, dressed in a tank-top and jeans. Jaime couldn't look away; something was different about her... her smell, her energy.... She was much younger than Gareth, perhaps her own age.
“Who are you?” the girl said. There was something hesitant in her mannerisms, especially when her large blue eyes landed on Sirus. It was then that Jaime realized why she seemed so different; it was evident in her voice, in her fragile slope of her wrists. She was human. But why was she here?
The girl raised an eyebrow, still staring at Sirus.
�
�I have come to discuss matters with your Alpha,” Sirus said.
“Well... are you going to speak up?” she replied. Jaime didn't miss the suspicion in her tone; she wondered if they had any sort of history. Apparently she wasn't the only one with a dislike towards the Seneca Alpha. In fact, he seemed to have very few friends.
“Maddy, this is Jaime,” Gareth spoke suddenly, breaking off the confrontation that was about to arise. “Jaime is my cousin.”
The girl turned to her, her expression turning curious. She smiled hesitantly. “You never told me you had family...?”
“I didn't know...” but Gareth's words were ignored as the girl stepped forward, offering her hand.
“Hi. I'm Maddy, Gareth's lifemate.”
Jaime took the hand, stunned. She hoped the reaction didn't show on her face. She had been surprised to find a human living in a werewolf's house, especially an Alpha's... she had wondered, but she hadn't expected this. Although the girl's scent was human, there was something different about her energy, something that had originally confused Jaime's nose and senses. There was something wolf-ish about her, as though she existed somewhere between both worlds.
But a lifemate? A human lifemate?
Jaime had known since she was young that wolves rarely found their lifemates. In a situation where one wolf was destined to be solely with another, usually the world got in the way... lifemates were born too far apart, or separated by circumstance. Some believed that not everyone had a lifemate, that only certain people were lucky enough to be born with one. But for an Alpha to find his lifemate in a human... that was practically unheard of. Jaime had thought it was a myth.
“Perhaps you two can go out back while Seneca and I discuss business,” Gareth murmured, looking to Maddy. Jaime opened her mouth to object when Sirus cut her off.
“These are matters that they need to hear about.” It was unexpected. Gareth looked at him, and Jaime frowned, wondering what he was talking about. Why had they come here? An alliance? She didn't even know if the “Seneca” Alpha had any territory of his own.
“We should move into the den,” Isak offered from his position against the wall. Darren and Aiden nodded their agreement, the other wolves shifting from their positions. Isak shook his head at them. “You boys don't need to come. Make yourselves busy. We might be a while.”
The other wolves mumbled their agreement, each finding their way off the couch and through a hallway at the back of the room. Isak turned back to her and Sirus and raised an eyebrow, motioning to a room in the opposite direction.
Sirus nodded and stood up abruptly, toppling Jaime off of the chair. She landed on her knees at his feet, and he stood over her, blocking out the light from the window. She glared up at him and he leaned over her slightly, a smirk on his face. It was not a friendly expression; he was angry at her, and she knew it. It had radiated off of him since the gun fight, causing a sick knot formed in her stomach, and all Jaime could think about was the cold muzzle of a gun against her head, and his arms tight around her.
She struggled to her feet and followed the others through a second doorway, which opened into a large den. She kept as far away from Sirus as possible, despite the chain between them. So far no one had mentioned the handcuffs, but she saw Maddy give them a curious glance as they settled onto the couch. Jaime clasped her beer in her free hand and sat as far from Sirus as she could get, but he settled mere inches away, trapping her. He was just close enough for her to feel his body heat, an annoying reminder of her wolf-moon. The den was much larger than the front room they had just been in, with soft brown carpet and a fireplace inlaid with flagstones. The walls were of wood paneling, with several oil paintings of the forest. A big-screen TV and sound system took up the entirety of one wall, and a Camaro calendar hung in the far corner.
Gareth didn't sit but remained standing, hovering above an armchair where Maddy settled comfortably, facing them. Aiden and Darren sat down on the L-bend in the couch and Isak took a chair near the doorway. Jaime didn't miss the subtle cues; between the Beta, Alpha, and his mate, they were encircled and closed in. There would be no leaving this room without a fight... unless they were allowed to leave. She wondered who would win.
Gareth wasted no time on pleasantries. “What are you doing here?” he growled, his voice deep and dark. “I hope the rumors aren't true.”
Sirus let out a sharp laugh; Jaime listened curiously, wondering what they were talking about. “Rumors? I didn't realize anyone was talking... but I will take back the Paxton territory by the end of this week.”
“Quite a boast,” Gareth frowned. His eyes darted to her. “And I take it you brought her for that reason. What about Magnus?”
It wasn't the first time Jaime had heard the name; she suddenly remembered it being tossed back and forth by the two wolves that had been chasing her. She had little knowledge of the different wolf packs, having been all but cut off from the werewolf world for most of her life. She had never stayed in one place long enough to learn where the boundaries lay between territories or who was in charge of what.
She frowned, unafraid to butt into the conversation. “Wait, who's Magnus? And why the hell are we here?”
“In a moment,” Sirus grunted.
“You haven't told her?” Gareth said louder.
“Told me what?”
Sirus let out a slow breath. “I was waiting for you two to meet....”
“Tell me what?!” Jaime demanded; she was breathing hard. Maddy looked just as confused as she was, but other than that everyone in the room slid away from her gaze, looking in any other direction... especially Sirus. Finally it was Gareth who spoke.
“Magnus the Gray is Alpha of the new Paxton City wolves...” Gareth paused. “And most of Illinois, at that.”
“Most of... huh?”
“He's the one who killed your family, Jaime.”
Jaime sat still for a moment. The words echoed around her head, meaningless. She bit her lip. “What are you talking about?” she said quietly.
“Jaime,” Gareth murmured patiently — she could tell it wasn't a natural tone for him. “Magnus killed your family because of their growth in power. He's been on a rampage for years. He already controlled most of Illinois. The Paxton wolves became too much of a threat. He killed them and took their place. Didn't you know this?”
Jaime was speechless. She stared at Gareth, open-mouthed. Details of pack business had always been kept separate from her life; she had been too young to really care about the politics involved. As far as she could tell, her entire pack had been destroyed along with the apartment building they lived in. Her breath caught... so all this time, she had been lost and running, and the majority of her family's territory was still in tact?
Jaime turned and stared at Sirus, shocked; he was looking intently at Gareth. Then he glanced at her, briefly returning her gaze, as though she hadn't just received the news of a lifetime. He seemed to be waiting for something.
She tried to reason calmly. If Magnus the Gray was really the Alpha of the Paxton City wolves, then Sirus couldn't possibly have killed her parents. And yet, hadn't he been there on that terrible night? She remembered his scent, his presence. He had never bothered to deny the killings. She had to wonder now — what if this was all some game? Some elaborate trick?
“How am I supposed to believe anything you say?” she said hoarsely. Sirus frowned, as did Gareth. “How... how do you expect me to believe anything?”
She stood up, a sudden, swelling force inside of her. She looked desperately at Gareth. “It's not true,” she said, shaking her head vehemently, trying to control the storm in her chest. “None of this is true. It's not possible. I don't know you, I don't know if we're related, and I don't want anything to do with any of this!”
“Jaime—” Sirus started, standing up as well and reaching for her. “Look, calm down, maybe I should have said something—”
“Don't touch me!” she shrieked, backing away, tears streaming openly down her fa
ce. She couldn't control them. She had hated this man her entire life. She had dreaded and obsessed about him, constantly running, constantly fearing the day he would come for her. She had dreamed about him almost every night, his tall form silhouetted against the burning fire of her apartment building. His features had been blurred by smoke, but now he was here in front of her, crystal clear, and she couldn't stand it. She couldn't stand seeing him, all of the feelings it awoke inside of her; she was small and confused and utterly alone. He had killed her family. He had to be the one, because otherwise....
“How dare you do this to me,” she whispered hoarsely, barely able to control her voice.
“What? What have I done?” Sirus glared at her, then yanked on the chain between them, forcing her to step close. Jaime jerked forward, yelping, and there was a brief shift in the room as the other wolves poised to stand, not certain what to expect. She tried to resist but he was too strong, and he tugged her effortlessly against him, staring down at her. He spoke harshly. “I've helped you, chased you, fixed you, and put up with your damn temper! I've followed you across this entire damned country, and I never once asked you to believe me, I never demanded your trust, and I was never going to.” He paused, eyes burning. “As though I could ever hurt you.”
She barred her teeth. “What is that supposed to mean? You've done nothing but hurt me! Is that what this is all about – a claim to my family's territory? Who the hell are you, anyway? And don't you dare lie to me again!”
Sirus grabbed her shirt, pulling her close. “I have never lied to you,” he breathed.
Jaime showed her fangs, ready to lunge at his neck; the energy crackled between them, hot and tense. She growled, her muscles screaming to lash out at him, to fight....
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