“God, Jack. I’ve never seen her like this,” Bianca whispered.
“She’s okay. She’s muddling through some stuff. You’re pretty close to accomplishing your task. That’s a pretty big deal.”
“She won’t let me in her head.” Bianca sighed. “I’m afraid of what that might mean, in particular now. I don’t want her to come with us.”
“We have a long drive ahead.” Jack kissed Bianca’s shoulder. “We should get dressed and get some grub.”
“Love me, Jack.” Bianca turned to face him, pressing her lips to his.
He swept her back on the bed and covered her face with gentle kisses. “I do love you,” he replied, and then he showed her, loving every inch of her body with his own until they arched together in tender completion.
Monica met her wolves at the car, giving each of them a hug before they left. When she reached Fionn, she met his eyes squarely with her own. “You’re representing my pack at this Council?” she asked.
He nodded, smiling. Then, to everyone’s shock, he knelt before her and bared his throat, offering the obeisance he’d refused her the night they met. She took his throat between her teeth, and the watching wolves all gasped at the sensation of their Alpha’s emotions—pain, longing, lust, and fear all in equal measures—as she let go.
“You are welcome to affiliate with us when the moon turns full. I’m sorry I won’t be there to run with you the first time you run as Amazon.” Then she patted his arm and walked away, leaving him to stare after her, a perplexed look on his face.
After loading the large SUV with their luggage and tents, Jack handed the keys to Angelo for the first shift driving and snuggled into the back seat with Sara and Bianca. Annie and Fionn sat in the middle, with Ellen up front beside Angelo. They were all unusually quiet as Angelo drove west, the sun rising behind them. Bianca’s uneasiness grew, and Jack’s wolf couldn’t help but respond to his mate’s distress, the occasional whine or growl slipping from his throat. Finally, around ten in the morning, Angelo pulled into a rest stop. As everyone piled out to use the rest room, Angelo pulled Bianca aside.
“Bianca, you and your man, you’re making me loco.”
“I’m sorry.” She met his eyes, tears forming in her own. “I’m scared. Sara is terrified. Jack can’t help it. He’s doing that macho, protect-his-women thing.”
“His women?” Angelo arched an eyebrow, noting Bianca’s blush. “Interesting. Jack, he’s a lucky guy, si?”
“Si.” Bianca enfolded Angelo in a hug. “I’ll try to put a lid on it,” she whispered.
“Gracias, Bianca,” Angelo replied, hugging her back. “It’s hard enough to drive without my wolf trying to leap free and thump someone every thirty seconds.”
“Aw, you’d thump someone for me?” she teased.
“Of course, Guardian.” He smiled at her, ducking his head. “I may be a dork with an MBA, but I’m still a big bad wolf.”
Bianca hugged him tighter. “Angelo, you’re a treasure, my friend. None of this would be possible without you.”
The others were returning to the car, so Bianca made her way inside the rest area. After using the facilities, she emptied the vending machines of just about anything that looked tasty and rushed back to the car. With a grin, she dumped her junk food bounty out and watched as her friends descended on it like a pack of, well, wolves.
She snatched up a bag of Cheetos and sat back to share them with Sara and Jack as they got back on the road.
“I love these things.” Jack smiled, reaching an orange-tipped finger into the bag. “I don’t care that they are horrible for me and probably turn all my organs orange.”
“Me, too.” Bianca smiled. “Ever since I was a pup.”
“Me, three,” Sara whispered, the first words she’d spoken to any of them all day.
Bianca gave her friend’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Have as many as you like, sweetness.”
They stopped that night at a motel, and an argument broke out over sleeping quarters as they stood outside the block of three rooms they’d reserved.
“I am not sharing a room with you,” Annie told Fionn point-blank, much to his chagrin. “I’m not stupid. I know exactly what you would do. I’ll bunk in with Ellen.”
“I am not sharing with him, either, not after the way he disrespected Monica.” Angelo snorted. “Screw that.” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Fionn.
Bianca stifled a laugh at the sight of Angelo standing up to the much larger, much more powerful wolf.
“I need to be with you and Jack,” Sara told Bianca, a look of fear crossing her features at the thought of being separated from them. She clung to Bianca’s arm.
“Angelo, it’s not like you’d be sleeping with Fionn,” Jack pointed out. “There are two beds in each room.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Fionn, you’re with me. Keep your paws to yourself.” Ellen threw open a door and pushed Fionn inside, letting it slam behind her.
“Angelo?” Annie turned to face him and he nodded, following her into another room.
Jack, Bianca, and Sara took the last room, collapsing together on one of the double beds.
“Are you okay, Sara?” Jack asked her.
She nodded.
“Are you sure, sweetness?” Bianca propped herself up on an elbow and watched her friend carefully. “I can feel your fear. Even though you’re blocking me out, it’s getting stronger.”
“Yes. I’m fine. I am so tired,” Sara mumbled. “Please, just hold me while we sleep.” She tugged the blankets down, and the three crawled into the bed together.
The next morning, the dawn seemed bleaker than normal. The sunrise was hidden behind gray clouds, and the fog that covered the road seemed to choke it. Fionn took the keys to the car from Angelo and slid behind the steering wheel. Ellen sat in the shotgun seat, configuring the GPS. Once again wordless, Sara slid into the back seat with Bianca and Jack on either side. Annie and Angelo took the middle seat, Annie’s concerned frown turned toward her sister.
“Sara?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.” Sara pulled a pair of sunglasses over her eyes, shutting out their view of her pain.
Annie’s eyes met Bianca’s, but Bianca just shook her head. Either Sara would tell them, or she wouldn’t, but for now, she wasn’t talking. Eventually, she fell asleep with her head on Jack’s shoulder and her feet in Bianca’s lap. Bianca ran her hands over her Sara’s hair and snuggled her face close to Sara’s, breathing in her windy scent.
As they arrived at the campgrounds where the council was to be held, Jack scented the air for his brothers.
“Ted and Paddy are here,” he said to Fionn as they surveyed their campsite, setting up the tents and filling the air mattresses.
“Yeah, and fuckin’ Shelly, too,” Fionn replied. “I suspect Ted just wanted to keep his eye on the two of them, keep them from stirring up shit while he’s here.”
“I can’t believe you slept with Shelly.” Jack glanced at his brother.
Fionn shrugged. “She’s cute, and she knows how to take care of a guy in bed. She wants a Murphy. She tried to get me to bite her. I think she has ambitions.”
“She’s already mated, though.” Jack shook his head.
“Yeah, and her mate sleeps around, so why can’t she?”
“Who’s his Guardian now, do you think?”
“I bet it’s Blake. He’s a cocky bastard but damn good in a fight.”
“Yeah. You’re probably right.” Jack nodded, seeing the big brown wolf in his mind.
“So, full moon tonight.”
“Yeah. You ready to be Pack again?” Jack asked, watching as his brother nodded thoughtfully.
“Yeah, I’m ready. The quiet has been kind of nice, but I miss being able to feel the whole pack.”
“Wait till you feel all eighty-five hundred strong at once.” Jack clapped a hand on his brother’s shoulder.
“Wait till we’re unified,” Fionn
shot back with an arched eyebrow.
“You believe in what we’re doing?” Jack asked quietly.
“I do now. Annie’s convinced me.”
“Yeah, the Guides are pretty persuasive.”
Fionn’s voice grew small. “Sara isn’t coming back with us, you know.”
Jack felt the cold fist of fear squeezing his heart at the meaning behind those words. His eyes met Fionn’s, registering the pain there. Annie had told him everything.
“Does your mate know?” Fionn asked.
Jack shook his head.
“Will you tell her?”
Jack shook his head again. How could he tell Bianca, when it was clear Sara didn’t want her to know?
“Sara will tell us what we need to know and when.” He sighed. “We’ve trusted her this far; she deserves to have her wishes respected.”
“I’m sorry, Jackie.”
Jack nodded, unable to speak. He stared at his brother for a long moment, once again wondering at how his baby brother had grown into this steady serious man. He let the pain he was feeling wash over him and felt his brother grip him in a tight hug. He pushed Fionn away, shaking his head, holding in his tears, and walked away without a word so he could shed them in private.
Chapter Sixteen
THE WOLVES’ COUNCIL was comprised of a handful of representatives from each of the packs who shared border area with Mid-Atlantic and Amazon. Jack noticed that he knew many of the wolves present from past disputes and councils. They gathered in a natural amphitheater, automatically grouping themselves by pack. Jack watched as his brother Ted approached him warily.
“Teddy.” He reached for his brother.
His brother smiled, clapping him on both shoulders.
“Hey, Jackie. We’re going to start soon. Your boy, Angelo, he’s going to make the case for you guys, and then there will be an opportunity for objections. If there are no objections, the Alphas will vote to recognize you, and you’ll be a legitimate pack with legitimate territory.”
“Thanks, Ted,” Jack replied. “Fionn’s with us, you know.”
“Yeah. He seems to be keeping a lid on his talents, though. Is that wise?”
“Until he’s affiliated with Amazon, yeah. Technically, when the full moon rises, he can affiliate with any pack present.”
“He won’t. He’s with you.”
“I know. But they don’t know that.” Jack gestured around to some of the wolves gathered.
“Yeah. Gotcha. Hey, I had to bring Patrick and Shelly with me. I’m sorry. The two of them have been stirring up shit. I never thought I’d have to worry about turning my back to my brother, but there it is.”
“It’s fine. We figured that’s why they were here.”
“Listen, you guys should take your seats, I think they’re going to get started.” Ted grinned at Jack one more time and went to take his own seat.
Angelo was soft-spoken and concise as he described the operations of Amazon Pack, the businesses they held, the way the compound was run, self-sufficiently, with no threat to outsiders. When he described the size of population at Amazon Compound, several of the wolves snarled their disbelief, but as he started describing the business influences, they began nodding thoughtfully. Finally, he got to the crux of the argument: Amazon served the Ushers, who would be responsible for bringing a new era of prosperity and community to the wolves. He gestured to Bianca and Fionn, where they sat with their Guides in animal form.
When he completed his arguments, a graying wolf elder presiding over the council came forward to ask if anyone objected to the ratification of Amazon as a pack.
“I object.” Patrick came forward, raising whispers and murmurs throughout the crowd.
“Like hell you do. Sit down, Patrick,” Ted bellowed, his wolf flashing about his eyes.
“I object,” Patrick continued, ignoring his brother. “These rogue wolves share a border with Mid-Atlantic and through it have poached multiple wolves from under our noses. With the exception of Angelo and the Albina, all the wolves from their delegation were formerly Mid-Atlantic. They claim they do not wish to compete for resources with us, but they grow by taking wolves from other packs to follow an absurd religious cult surrounding that abomination over there.” He gestured toward Bianca.
Jack saw red, and he lunged for Patrick, snarling and snapping his teeth as Fionn and Ellen held him back.
“That is not actually true, my friends.” Angelo raised his hands to quiet the outraged wolves. “Amazon does indeed take in wolves from other packs. Wolves who became ghosts and were no longer cared for by their own packs. Wolves like myself, who lost a mate in a car accident. Wolves like Ellen here. And when a wolf like Jack, who was forbidden by his Alpha to claim his mate, affiliates with us for personal reasons, we don’t question their decisions. As for the Albina, she is no abomination. She is our Guardian and a very dangerous wolf.” He smiled at Bianca, whose eyes glowed in gratitude.
Jack still snarled at his brother.
The grayed elder spoke again. “The objection has been raised. Patrick Murphy, unranked wolf from Mid-Atlantic, how do you request your objection be settled?”
“By blood, sir. I would fight this so-called dangerous wolf. If Amazon’s Guardian can blood me, I’ll withdraw my objection.”
“You fucking bastard! Blood you? I’ll fucking kill you!” Jack shouted.
He could see Ted frowning, staring at their brother in disappointment and anger. One way or another, their oldest brother would not be leaving this amphitheater tonight.
“The terms have been laid. Patrick Murphy will fight the Guardian of Amazon to settle the objection.”
The grayed wolf stepped aside, and Patrick began stripping off his clothes.
Jack reached for Bianca. “Darling, I am so sorry,” he said. “I’ll kill him for this.”
“No, Jack, you won’t.” She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I am also Amazon’s Guardian, and this is my choice, my task. I won’t ask you to kill your brother. Hush—” She looked into his eyes, and a crash of pain worked through him.
Carefully, she shed her clothes, her tattoos shining in the twilight. The designs covered her entire torso. Though Jack had seen them many times, his heart filled with pride as he watched the other wolves chattering behind their hands at the proof of her strength and position within her pack. Patrick’s own tattoo of Alpha status had been burned off, a mark of shame.
Bianca sneered at the red burn mark, still healing from his disgrace.
Patrick snarled in response, showing his teeth.
Bianca shifted quickly, and the white wolf licked Jack’s hand. “I love you, my mate. I’ve got this.”
Her velvet touch in his mind was confident, and he whispered a quick prayer.
Then the white wolf turned to face her challenger. Patrick shifted, and they began to circle each other. The Albina was quick and graceful and every bit as dangerous as Angelo had declared. However, by size and strength, Patrick and Bianca were well-matched, and they circled each other like a perverse yin and yang, made all the more perverse by the way they sought to unbalance each other. Jack watched as his mate feinted and lunged in a subtle pattern, trying to tire Patrick and draw out his weaknesses. His heart lurched into his throat as Patrick lunged for her hind leg, attempting to hamstring her. With a snarl, Bianca leaped away before snapping at his ear.
Many of the wolves around them had shifted during the excitement, so no one noticed the wolf that slipped around behind Jack, seemingly to get a better view. When a blur of fur rushed past him, he realized a third wolf was joining the fray.
“Bianca!” he shouted, recognizing Shelly as the wolf that lunged for her throat as she leaped back from Patrick’s snapping teeth.
With a yelp, she dove to the side.
What happened next happened so quickly, Jack couldn’t prevent it. He dropped to his knees to begin his shift and saw Shelly and Patrick lunge for Bianca again, Patrick pushing her hard toward Shelly. Suddenl
y, a blur of feathers flashed in front of his eyes as his wolf took over, and he saw Shelly stumble back. He snarled and turned to face his brother, but Bianca was there, seizing Patrick by the throat. With a vicious snarl, she shook her head, tearing his throat out. She spit the blood from her mouth and turned on Shelly, who was gasping, her mouth dripping feathers and blood. Bianca seized her throat between her teeth, snapped her neck, and then collapsed to the ground as she shifted, clutching the body of the raven in her arms.
Jack shifted back to his human form and wrapped his arms around his mate. He couldn’t mourn the loss of his brother, not this way. Instead, he clung to his mate as, together, they mourned the loss of their friend. They shook together with their sobs, Bianca clutching the lifeless bird to her breast, not caring at the blood that streaked her body. He felt her shock and her pain, and he understood suddenly the words Sara had cried in their arms the first night she came to their bed. “I know how it ends, and I am alone.” He understood that she’d blocked Bianca from her thoughts so that Bianca wouldn’t learn what would happen and try to stop it. Her loneliness, her fear over the last weeks had been the knowledge that she would intervene in a fight between wolves and lose her life, and she couldn’t risk Bianca stopping it. He hugged Bianca to his chest, kissing her hair and letting his tears rain down and mix with hers.
“She knew, lover. She knew it was going to happen,” he whispered. “She couldn’t let you stop her.” He felt Bianca nodding and sobbing.
Their pain was a tangible, heated thing there on the floor of the amphitheater, as wolves paced and howled around them. Ted came forward in wolf form, licking at Bianca’s face. He lay down and bared his neck to her. Sobbing harder, she caressed his face with one hand before turning back to Jack’s arms. Annie, as Panther, came and stood beside Jack and Bianca, a low moan of grief coming from her vast form. She hissed at the wolves who approached, and she touched her nose to the feathered mass in Bianca’s hands.
Finally, Ted and Fionn managed to get Jack and Bianca to their feet and into the arms of the other Amazon wolves, who embraced them in their grief. Ellen’s tears washed over all of them as she wrapped Bianca and Jack in a blanket, still holding each other around Sara’s body.
Amazon (The Ushers 1) Page 16
