Diablo Lake: Protected

by Lauren Dane

  Her voice was calm and soothing while still commanding attention as she continued, “Two nights ago after you were in yet another manner of altercation in a public space, you challenged me to do a better job. So here I am. I’m announcing my candidacy for mayor. I’m of age. I belong to a Family and I’m a resident. The declaration needs to be made at a city council meeting or in paper. My printer is broken so this’ll do nicely.” It was prim and stern and nurturing all at once. Like getting a lecture and a hug at the same time.

  Applause broke out and then his father, red faced and flustered, repeatedly rapped his gavel on the table and shouted for order.

  Everyone quieted down, but the energy remained joyous and in support of the woman at the microphone.

  If she’d been angry or very emotional, his father would have mocked or discounted her. But she came at him head-on, like a warrior would. The wolves understood that and from the solemn respect coming from the cats, they did too.

  And she did it not in a brutal, aggressive way, but a sure, confident assumption of power. There was no way his dad was going to talk himself out of this.

  She was fucking magnificent.

  Mac had never in all his life been more attracted to someone. She was every bit an alpha. She just fooled people on account of being so weird and adorable they underestimated her.

  And when she came she smelled like pomegranates and snowfall. That sense memory sliced into his head and he had to close his eyes a moment to get himself under control.

  Until his brother spoke again. “We can’t let that bitch get away with this,” Darrell snarled and not for the first time Mac wondered what the hell his brother’s problem really was. He had a wife who loved him. A couple of kids who were healthy. A job he was proficient at.

  But he’d always had a sense of entitlement and it had led him to a myriad of bad choices and personality defects. Mac loved his brother, but laws he wanted to smack the shit out of him at least twenty times a day.

  Mac grabbed the back of his brother’s neck and held him in place while he bent to speak into his ear. “You will shut your mouth and get it together. You’re the reason we’re in this mess so do me a favor and let the big people do their work and you get your butt back to the kids’ table.”

  Darrell tried to struggle, but Mac’s hold was too strong and soon enough he stilled.

  “I’m going to kick your ass for this,” he whispered to Mac.

  “You’re a fool if you imagine that could ever happen. We’re at a public meeting and you are going to stop acting like a moron so I don’t have to beat you in front of everyone. Mom’s already on the edge. Don’t make it worse.”

  Sharon, Darrell’s wife, took his hand and squeezed. She didn’t say anything, but his brother did blow out a breath and ease back enough so Mac let him go.

  “You’re out of your depth, missy,” he heard his father say to Aimee as he tuned back in.

  “Whatever you say. I do hope we can keep this race civil and remember this is all for Diablo Lake, not ego or entitlement.” Her tone was so prim Mac was absolutely certain he was going to hell for how turned-on it made him.

  His dad burst out, “I say this is a fantasy. You can’t upend this town for some sort of frilly hobby.”

  All the women in the room turned their attention on their mayor—and not in a friendly way. Mac managed not to cringe but only out of self-preservation.

  Aimee’s bright smile didn’t fool Mac one bit. Her eyes told a different story. “Don’t make this so easy, Mr. Pembry. Save it for the debate.”

  With that, Aimee turned on her heel and nodded at her people, who up and followed her out. The Dooleys took their direction from their new Patrons and left as well.

  Miz Rose stood and turned Dwayne’s way. “I know your mother, Dwayne Pembry, and she’d be so ashamed of you right now. As ashamed as I am.”

  She gave a look of utter disdain and stalked out, head held high, pocketbook on her arm like the good Southern woman she’d been raised to be.

  Once she’d gone and all that was left were Pembrys, his father raised his arms and slammed his fists down onto the table so hard one of the legs broke and things flew to the ground.

  Mac watched, disgusted by the display.

  No one had perfect control. He sure didn’t. But you didn’t throw a tantrum in public. Ever. His father was the Patron, it was his job—his role—to keep his wolves calm.

  His mother screaming, his brother acting like an idiot and his father breaking things didn’t make for calm. It only riled up an already tenuous situation.

  Someone had to be in charge or things could easily slide into something far more dangerous.

  Mac stood and addressed his wolves, letting his beast show in his gaze and through his voice. “All y’all go home now. Nothing left to see or do here. Everyone keep themselves under control. The last thing we need is anyone making this worse. You hear?”

  Darrell started to argue, but Huston shoved at him and told him to shut up.

  “We just gonna take this?” someone shouted. One of Darrell’s buddies.

  “Take what? She’s running for office, not slitting our throats while we’re sleeping. This reaction you’re having? It’s not normal. You get me? We look weak when we get upset over something so simple and everyday.”

  “What do you know about it? You ran off,” Darrell snarled.

  “I know I served my country and then went and got myself more education to help run this pack. I know I came back here to a fucking mess where full-grown wolves actually cower at the idea of a little wisp of a witch running for mayor. If she wins, so what? We’re still Pembrys. And we still need to handle all the problems facing this pack. Including this stunning lack of discipline.”

  “You’re just saying that because you’re fucking her.”

  Darrell had made more than one mistake. First, saying such a thing was a problem for him. Then of course, he’d said it while within arm’s reach of a faster, stronger wolf.

  Mac looked down at his brother, tossing him a handkerchief. “Clean up your face. Next time you speak like that about her I’m going to make it so you can’t use your mouth to speak, or eat, or breathe again. You got me?”

  His mother tried to push him back but he stared down at her. “Back off.”

  “What did you just say to me?” Her eyes, damn, there was something going on inside his mother and he had no idea how to fix it. Or if he could.

  “I said, back off. He needs to be disciplined. I’m handling that and I don’t want any interference.” If she wasn’t going to do it, if his father wasn’t, Mac would and no one was going to get in his way.

  He used all the power in his tone. Pitching it like an alpha would. Like a Prime.

  His mother stepped back, all her angry energy seemed to drain away. And then she lowered her gaze.

  In front of a whole room of Pembry wolves.

  A wave of power rolled through him as their allegiance began to settle with him. Noted the look on his father’s face—satisfaction, pride and grief.

  It was the point where he became Prime in a way no one could deny any longer.

  Werewolf packs were incredibly hierarchical and class-based. At the very top was the Patron. The boss in charge of everyone. Sometimes it was a couple like it was currently with Jace and Katie Faith as Patrons of the Dooley wolves and as his parents were for the Pembrys.

  The wolf who’d take over from the Patron at some point was the Prime. Jace had been named Prime of Dooley when he’d been a young man and had been trained by his grandfather to take over.

  But for Pembry, there’d been no Prime announced. Even though it had been patently obvious for a long time that Darrell didn’t have the power to hold the pack. He’d never be Prime and he’d never be Patron.

  And right then, as
Mac looked at his father, they both knew Mac could take over at that exact moment without much effort.

  His dad had acted, or refused to act in such a way that while Dwayne could have declared Mac Prime, he hadn’t. Being named Prime by the current Patron would have signaled to the rest of the wolves in the Pembry pack that a peaceful transition of power was coming. It would have calmed them significantly.

  Instead, he and his mother had hidden their heads in the sand so they didn’t have to disappoint Darrell.

  Sadly, because his parents hadn’t done their jobs, Mac would. And in the end it would hurt Darrell even more. And in that moment Mac hated them for doing this to him.

  Nothing to be done about it, especially right then. So, Mac turned his attention back to Darrell. “The mayoral campaign will not get personal. Between you and me though? I’m very personal now. You will go out of your way to be mighty careful how you speak about Aimee. I won’t tolerate any of your bullshit.”

  “I see you over there lining up behind my son, Bern. You couldn’t take over so now you want to latch yourself onto my boy to ride him into the Patron’s seat? That how it goes?” Dwayne said, trying to get the focus off Darrell.

  Before his uncle could speak, Mac got between them, addressing his dad. “No. You put us all here. So I’m telling you we’re not doing this because someone has to be in charge. Anything that’s not useful, swallow it.”

  “Are you sleeping with that girl?” his father asked, sidestepping the fact that his son had just ordered him to keep quiet in front of the whole pack. “Just how divided is your loyalty?”

  Mac didn’t flinch, but only because he had such good self-control.

  “Seriously? Can you really ask me that?” Mac had been leaning against the edge of a table, but to underline his point, he stood to his full height, letting his power emanate from him. More power began to flow to him as the wolves of their pack turned his way and metaphorically and physically submitted with a lowering of shields they held between man and wolf and bowed their heads.

  It hung in the air between him and his dad, the weight of power and allegiance in the room shifting to Mac.

  There was a razor-thin edge at that moment as father and son continued to look at one another. He didn’t want to have to challenge his father. Especially not before the election. All the chaos and upheaval they had at the moment was bad enough.

  Now that he’d assumed his position as Prime—taken it as his wolves had freely given their loyalty and power to him—he had a little more room to maneuver and get things into place.

  It was inescapable that he’d have to challenge his father and he wanted it to be on his terms. Mac wanted to choose the time. Mac wanted to occupy the Prime spot at least a few days, learn to use all that power he now had access to.

  He needed to stalk his prey a while longer so when he took his father on, there’d be absolutely no chance he’d lose and give his wolves over to more of the same from his father until everything frayed to dust.

  Mac showed his dad all those things as he gazed over at him. “Get your priorities straight. You’ve got a race to run. That is if you’re sure you actually want to be mayor. Focus on how you’re going to get yourself reelected in a town where a lot of folks don’t think you’re doing a good job. As for my personal relationship with Aimee, that’s not going to be open to argument or personal commentary. I’m Prime of this pack and unless anyone has some evidence of actual wrongdoing on my part, I won’t tolerate idle attacks on my loyalty.”

  His father held up a hand. “You’re right. You’re right. She’s got some spunk, that Benton gal. Comes from an old family. But I’m going to win. Because I’m a Pembry and this seat is ours. Not no witch’s. You get them in here and suddenly our needs are the ones getting ignored. Just you remember where and who you come from. Them witches are all up in Dooley business now that Katie Faith is with Jace.”

  “This isn’t at all what I meant when I said run this town like we know you can.” Mac turned to the wolves at his back. “Everyone, go home. We’re going to be just fine. No matter who the mayor is. We all live here in Diablo Lake. Together. And we have for generations. There’s no need to get worked up over this.”

  Wolves filed out, some—many—of them stopping to touch Mac on their way past. He kept calm. Tapping into what they needed. Reassurance. Not an incitement to riot.

  He also made sure his father noted it. Saw that Mac was already acting as Prime so he could go along with what Mac had just announced—act like it was his idea—or back off and shut up.

  Chapter Thirteen

  She wasn’t surprised by the knock on her back door. Or that all her chemicals did a dance when she caught sight of his features under the porch light.

  Damn, he was so big. So beautiful. She’d never wanted someone so badly in all of her days.

  The emotions she picked up confirmed that he was angry and maybe a little hurt and suddenly she didn’t want him to feel that way with her. Not the hurt part. The angry part they could work out.

  “I know it was a surprise. I didn’t not tell you on purpose. It just happened today. I mean, I’d have done it either way, mind you, but I would have told you up front.”

  “Can I come in?” He tipped his chin and she stepped back, waving the way.

  Once she closed the door and they stood in her kitchen, the impact of his wolf and the magic he carried as a shifter surrounded her.

  “Wow. So. That happened, huh?” She pointed at him.

  His serious look melted as he laughed, stepping close to pull her into his arms. He buried his face in her hair, breathing her in as their magic caressed and combined in ways that made her entire body an erogenous zone.

  “What you do to me, girl.” He shook his head as he stepped back. “I became Prime tonight.”

  She hugged him tight, pleased for him. “That’s amazing. Congratulations!”

  The tension radiating from his muscles fell away and she snuggled in tighter, needing him to know she was there for him. With him.

  If he wanted that after they put everything out on the table anyway. Because she really liked Mac and wanted to pursue something with him in the long-term sort of way. But it wouldn’t work if they weren’t honest.

  “I’m not mad at you for challenging my dad for the mayor’s office,” he said after pressing a kiss to her lips.

  “Oh. Well, good.”

  “Things are going to be really complicated. Especially between now and election day.”

  She took his hand, tugging him into the living room where she went back to her place, tucking her blanket in around her legs as she settled. “I just made a pot of hot chocolate. There’s enough for two mugs if you want. If not, there’s stuff in the fridge.”

  He glowered a moment, continuing to stand, staring down at her.

  “What now? If you’re breaking things off, fine, but let’s skip the hot cocoa if it’s all the same to you.”

  He snorted, shaking his head. “Hot chocolate sounds just fine. I’ll get another mug and take off my shoes.”

  She watched him poke around through her cabinets until he found a mug and came back to join her. Not on the other end of the couch, but right up on her. In her space.

  He got under her blanket, draping her legs across his lap, tucking it around her feet.

  She wasn’t a werewolf but she knew enough of them and her best friend was married to one so she understood what that was. He was marking her. Protecting her. Making her house a space that was his as well.

  If he’d been a threat to her, the magic she’d poured into the land her house sat on, into the walls and floors, would have set off an alarm of sorts.

  Instead, it settled around them both. Not something that had happened with anyone but her family and Katie Faith.

  Her magic was so totally
ride-or-die for this werewolf. Probably the rest of her too.

  “I’m not breaking up with you. Is that what you want?” he asked after he filled his mug.

  “Hell no. But I’m going to be totally honest with you, okay?”

  He nodded. “I expect no less.”

  “I think this race is going to get mean. I think your father is going to say rude, spiteful things and I’m not going to tolerate any nonsense. Which means your family is going to be spending a lot of time being mad at me and me at them. You and I have nothing to do with that. It isn’t about me and you. Or about witches versus Pembry wolves. It can’t be. If we let it, everything between us will begin to go bad.”

  He took a deep breath. “I can respect that. I wouldn’t expect you to not stand up to ugliness and I’m going to do the best I can to keep that out of this campaign. I just not even an hour ago warned all the Pembry wolves at the city council meeting, including my father and Darrell, that we’d keep this race civil. And I underlined that with my dad and Darrell when it came to you as my woman. Because you are.” He nodded to underline that.

  Mac leaned to put his cup down, taking hers as well. He enfolded her hands in his. “You know this is serious. I’ve known you since we were all kids. I’m Prime now and my wolf knows—like the man does—that you’re what he wants. Every time I see you I want you. And now that I’ve had you? Now that you’ve had me,” he added with a smirk. “I don’t want to let go. I’m all in. But I’m being honest with you in return because when you’re all in with me, it’s forever. And as you may have noticed, I come with a lot of baggage.”

  Aimee sucked in a breath. He overwhelmed her sometimes. Which sort of freaked her out. But also, mainly, it felt right. Like he was the lock she was meant to fit.

  She wasn’t human. Never lived like one when it came to culture and social hierarchy. Her magic had already begun to root into his, which she told him.

  “Notice I’m not arguing here. When you came into the house earlier I felt that you’d become Prime. I felt your wolves and their power coursing through yours. My magic knew yours immediately. Understood the ways it had changed.”