The Girl Who Cried War

by Heather Hildenbrand

  “Um, I mind-controlled his ass,” I tell her.

  “Damn. That’s hot,” she says.

  “Tell me how you did it,” Derek demands.

  “Pretty bossy for a dying dude,” Talia mutters.

  “Brody isn’t the only one with some tricks up his sleeve,” I tell him. Even though I have no idea how I’m able to do it, I’d never tell him that.

  “Too bad you didn’t know what Romy was capable of when you tried to bite her yourself. Yet another way you failed your alpha-bro,” Lynch says, and I decide now is not the time to point out I could just as easily mind-control him and Kash into being our slaves for . . . reasons.

  Maybe later when we don’t have a dying werebro as an audience.

  As if he’s read my mind, I catch Kash watching me with the hint of a smile. He snakes an arm around my bare waist, drawing me close and angling me so that I’m shielded by his body. “You did well, Pepper. Better than I expected for a brand new wolf.”

  “Are we just going to leave him here to die then?” Talia asks with more curiosity than anything else.

  “We can’t take him with us,” Lynch says. “Banished or not, we can’t let one of Brody’s werebros onto pack lands.”

  “Lynch is right,” Kash says in a hard voice.

  “Well, I’m hungry,” Talia says.

  Lynch looks at her, horrified.

  “Not for him, you dumbass,” Talia says, rolling her eyes.

  “Dear God, woman, you’re a handful,” Lynch says.

  Talia smirks, but I barely notice it. Instead, I watch Derek as he struggles for breath around the growing amount of blood leaking from his nose and mouth. The urge to see what he knows one last time rises within me.

  “Where’s Brody now?” I ask him.

  Derek doesn’t answer.

  “Where’s the witch, Regina?” I ask.

  “Screw you,” Derek mutters, pain lacing his words.

  I narrow my eyes. “You’re literally dying. Brody banished you, and yet, you’re still willing to take his secrets to the grave?”

  “I don’t know where she is, and even if I did, she’s spelled me to keep my mouth shut.”

  “I guess now you know what it feels like to be someone’s slave,” I say.

  “Even with what you are now, he’s still more powerful than you,” Derek rasps, and rage heats in my chest. Even with his last words, he has to talk shit.

  I crouch and look right into his busted eye as I say, “Bitten or born, doesn’t matter. I was meant for this life. For these people. And that guy.” I point at Kash without looking back. “And no werebro with a pet witch is going to take that away from me.”

  Derek huffs but doesn’t respond.

  “Pepper, you don’t have to watch this,” Kash says at my ear.

  But I shake my head. Maybe my wolf has hardened me already, but I’m not nearly as sensitive as I was a few days ago.

  The others begin to move away, restless to get home now that the danger has passed, but I refuse to move from my spot until I’m certain Derek has taken his last breath. Maybe some would consider that cold, but after everything Derek and the others have done, a small part of me needs to see his ending to believe we’re really free of him.

  A last rattling breath leaves his chest, and he falls still.

  One werebro down. Only a couple dozen more to go.

  Chapter 10

  Within minutes of Derek’s last breath, Bellamy and Doyle show up to bury the body. Once they set to work, the four of us take off for home. The moment we arrive at the house, Kash makes it his mission to ease whatever tension our run-in with Derek might have caused me. His attempts to calm me prove unnecessary though. Turns out I don’t struggle with the rage he and Lynch expect from me. If anything, finding Derek has only made me more focused.

  This war isn’t going to be won through force. Nor through numbers since the council still hasn’t offered to help us. If anything, this war will be won through strategy.

  I’m determined to form a great one.

  After a nice hot shower, my thoughts are still a bit anxious, but something about my newly heightened senses has made it easier to put aside the stress of what we’re up against. Like I can just put my worries into a drawer in my mind and close it, allowing the present moment to take priority.

  I’m sure I’ll find time to stress about Brody later. And to freak out about whatever magical superpowers I’ve woken up with that let me compel Derek into not killing me earlier. Right now, I just want to be surrounded by the people I care about most. The ones I’m fighting for.

  My current position on the couch, surrounded by my friends, helps remind me of exactly that.

  “All right y’all. Get your heinies in here and taste this,” Anna calls from the kitchen, startling me from my thoughts.

  Talia shoots me an evil grin, pushing me over when I move to stand, and races into the kitchen ahead of me.

  “Some beta you are, bitch,” I call after her.

  “I’m making sure it’s not poisoned,” she yells around a mouthful of food. “Oh my, Kanye,” she moans. “This is orgasmic.”

  Lynch looks up, gaze sharpening at her mention of the word orgasmic. I grin, turning to roll my eyes at Kash. The instant our eyes meet, my stomach clenches at the hunger I see reflected in his blue depths.

  Lina clears her throat, and I startle, which only makes Lina laugh.

  “Jeez Louise, leave some for the rest of the pack,” Anna admonishes Talia.

  “You better get in there before Talia eats all the food,” Lina says with a laugh. “I’ll go grab the girls.”

  Kash and Lynch are still unsure about whether or not Talia and I should be allowed around the rest of the pack. After a couple of hours with Lina, Justice, and Anna without incident, they finally decide to allow the rest of the pack back into the house.

  Birdie is still out with the team she took earlier, but so far, they haven’t found a trace of Brody or Regina.

  Mention of the pregnant girls coming has me booking it to the kitchen before the food is gone.

  Anna hugs me before handing me a plate and motioning to the food that lines the counter.

  “Help yourself,” she says.

  My mouth waters at the delicious aromas, but I linger long enough to press a kiss to Anna’s cheek.

  “What’s that for?” she asks.

  “For being amazing. Thank you,” I tell her and hope she can see the gratitude reflected in my eyes.

  She nods and smiles softly, and I know she understands what I really mean. When she arrived earlier, I’d braced myself for her disapproval or even fear at what I am now. But Anna’s smile and open arms reassured me she doesn’t hold any of this against me.

  “I’m just glad you’re both alive,” she’d said to Talia and me as we’d group-hugged on the front porch.

  It had gone a long way toward easing my inner wolf’s tension, and I could tell Talia was relieved too.

  “You’re pretty amazin’ yourself. Now fill that plate before Talia eats it all,” she says, giving me a little shove.

  I reach out and squeeze her hand, pretending not to see the sadness in her big, blue eyes and make my way to where the food lines the counter.

  Meat and three is a popular dish in Anna’s home state of Tennessee, but true to form, Anna has put her own spin on it. Her meat and three is comprised entirely of comfort food. Which I suppose makes sense, considering the crowd she’s feeding.

  The meat of her dish is her grammy’s award-winning fried chicken, and having had it before, I know it is life-changing. Her sides are loaded mac and cheese, sweet potato fries, and fried pickles.

  My gaze trails the counter, noticing the trays of cornbread and fresh lemonade that make up the rest of the meal.

  “You’ve really outdone yourself, Anna-Banana.”

  “Thanks, sweetie,” she says, already turning back to the stovetop. The pan she’s placed there sizzles as she adds breaded catfish to fry.

&nb
sp; “Living here is really gonna prepare you for owning your own restaurant someday, isn’t it?” I ask.

  She laughs. “It may be ruinin’ me. I don’t know if I remember what a normal portion size is anymore.”

  Justice slides into the kitchen on socked feet.

  “Oh, thank God,” he pants. “I thought I missed the food again. All you women are gonna starve me.”

  I roll my eyes. “Anna has literally been cooking every waking minute. You haven’t been left hungry.”

  “I missed all the bacon this morning, Romy,” he says, looking offended. “Bacon. It was tragic.”

  “I’d cry if I missed the bacon too,” Talia says as she continues to shovel food into her mouth.

  “Well, thank goodness Lynch brought you about a dozen pieces then,” Anna says, bumping me with her hip. She grins, and I laugh as Justice’s mouth falls open.

  “Girl, do you know how much protein it takes to keep this ass stacked?”

  I snort, choking on a mouthful of sweet potato. Kash crosses into the kitchen, patting me on the back.

  “Nice to see you’re not a complete badass,” Lynch says, grinning at me before settling down next to Talia. I roll my eyes at him as he reaches over and snags a fry from Talia’s plate.

  Talia growls, but Lynch just boops her on the nose.

  “Sharing is caring,” he tells her in a sing-song voice.

  Talia rolls her eyes. “Get your own plate,” she grumbles before turning her attention to me. “Lynch is right, though. We should talk about your newfound bad-bitch vibes,”

  “Wait. What did I miss?” Justice asks.

  Talia opens her mouth to speak, but Kash cuts her off.

  “Maybe we should finish up and then go to my office and discuss it,” he says, glancing toward where Lina is entering with the girls.

  The men, who’ve been doing their best to win the girls over, shuffle in behind them. Each of them eyes Talia and me warily, stepping closer to their prospective mates.

  My eyes meet Talia’s, and she smirks.

  “Guess our reputation precedes us.”

  I snort. “Or they’ve just seen you eat before.”

  Anna declines our offer to join us in Kash’s office, electing to keep cooking for the men who are on patrol. She’s been using all the extra cooking she’s doing to perfect her recipes for after graduation, scribbling down notes in her leather notebook after each meal. Her professors have been great about letting her turn in assignments remotely. And though she hasn’t said anything outright, I know she’s upset about the class time she’s missed.

  While I’m certain she’ll leave us as soon as the situation with Brody is settled, I’m not as sad about it as I once was. The life that Talia and I have chosen is not for everyone, and I would never begrudge Anna for choosing a different path. The way she ran to Talia and me, wrapping us in a hug the moment she was allowed back into the house, erased all of my fears where she’s concerned. Just like I want happiness for Anna, I know she wants the same for Talia and me. I’m no longer worried that our different paths will pull us apart. If anything, I’m impatient to help her get her old life back. No one deserves normalcy and safety more than Anna.

  Leaving Anna to her work, I make sure to snag Justice and bring him with us for our impromptu meeting. He’s been busy with pack orientation lately, but I can see his worry over what Talia and I have become. Hopefully, some time together will ease his concerns.

  “So,” Justice says as he settles back into the chaise, making himself comfortable. “How did Romy level up her bad-bitch skills when she became a werewolf?”

  “I’m Bella Swanning the hell out of this werewolf thing,” I admit.

  Justice’s eyes widen, and he leans forward. “You’re pregnant with a gay werewolf baby that I’ll imprint on as soon as he’s born?” He makes a face. “Not sure I’m cool with that. It sounds creepy.”

  “I have got to read this book,” Lynch mumbles as his curious gaze darts between me and Justice.

  “Or you can just cheat and watch the movies like I did,” Talia says, munching on the plate of sweet potato fries she brought as her “road snack.”

  “We’re gonna talk about the fact that you lied to me about reading the books later,” I tell her, pinning her with a glare before turning my attention back to Justice. “And no. Gross, you weirdo. I’m not pregnant with your future mate.”

  Kash’s body shakes under my own, and I look down at him from where I sit on his lap. Laughter shakes his muscular frame.

  “Life with you will never be boring, Pepper,” he says before kissing my neck.

  “Romy can control werewolves with her mind,” Talia blurts out. “Sorry, I know it’s not really my secret to tell, but it’s just so cool!”

  “Holy shit. Seriously?” Justice asks, his eyes round.

  I nod.

  “No way. That’s crazy! Are you guys screwing with me?”

  “Show him, Pepper,” Kash says.

  “What if it was a fluke?” I ask, wondering if we should wait for Birdie so I can ask her about it.

  “Only one way to find out,” Lynch says, grinning.

  I shrug and cross the room to where Justice is now standing next to the chaise. I reach out, placing my hand on his arm. He glances down to where my hand rests warily.

  “Do the chicken dance,” I say.

  Justice immediately begins dancing, his eyes wide as Lynch hums along. Before we get to the part of the song that requires Justice to shake his butt, I remove my hand, and Justice abruptly goes still.

  “Aw, man, that’s my favorite part,” Lynch grumbles.

  “Sorry, big guy,” I say as I cross back to where Kash sits.

  “I think it goes without saying that this information shouldn’t leave this room,” Kash says. “Not until we figure out more about how Romy’s ability works.”

  I chew on my lip, suddenly nervous.

  “You don’t think I’ll hurt anyone here, do you?” I ask Kash.

  He shakes his head, rubbing soothing circles on the back of my hand. “No. Not telling anyone is for your protection. I don’t want word getting out about what you can do. Not until we’re sure of your limits.”

  “So, this isn’t normal then?” I ask, voicing the question that’s been bothering me all day. “I mean, you don’t know any other werewolves who have, you know, abilities? Surely I’m not the only one. And why the ability to influence people?”

  “You’re the only one I know with superpowers,” Lynch says, and I’m not sure whether to be flattered or worried.

  “And influencing people is kinda your job,” Justice inserts. “I mean, you’ve amassed a huge following that picks up books because they like you and you tell them to. Maybe that skill carried over when you turned?”

  “Don’t forget about the whole shifting-without-pain thing,” Talia says.

  “You can shift without pain too,” I point out.

  “No, I feel pain, it just doesn’t bother me.”

  “That’s because you have a higher pain tolerance than the entire KGB combined,” Justice says with a shudder.

  Talia doesn’t bother to argue. Glancing back at me, she says, “You, on the other hand, are just plain immune.”

  “She’s right,” Kash says. “I’ve never seen anyone go through transition so easily. And I’ve never heard of another wolf having any kind of ability either. If there has been one, their pack has done the same thing I intend to do for you. Keep it a secret. If the others knew, I’m afraid it could put you in more danger, and I think we’d all agree that we have enough of that to deal with.”

  “No one’s hurting my bestie,” Talia says darkly.

  Kash’s gaze turns thoughtful as he looks at Justice. “You may be right about her power source though,” he says. “Romy has an innate ability to make people like her. It’s served her well in her career as an influencer, and maybe it was magnified with her transition. Maybe the amount of magic being used when she was turned has somethin
g to do with it. Who knows? But I think our safest option is to keep Romy’s abilities a secret. At least for now.”

  “Keep Romy’s badass skill a secret on three?” Lynch asks putting his hand out.

  Talia smacks her hand on top of his, and Justice laughs as he adds his hand to the pile. Kash’s hand darts out, landing on top of the stack, and I look at him like he’s crazy.

  He winks, and butterflies erupt in my stomach.

  “What the hell?” I say, smacking my hand on the top of the pile.

  On three, we all promise to keep my new superpower inside the circle of trust.

  An hour later, I pull up Insta, prepared to “out” my next celebrity as the next phase of my social project, but I’m startled at the number of notifications I have.

  “Holy shit,” I breathe.

  “What’s up, buttercup?” Anna asks from where she lays on the couch near my legs. Pretty much everyone is lounging around in various stages of food coma after that meal earlier, and I couldn’t be happier surrounded by a roomful of girls who, two weeks ago, were being held by the monster my wolf fully intends to kill at the first available opportunity.

  “Look at this,” I tell her, shoving my phone in front of her face.

  She bolts upright, disturbing Girlfriend where she’s curled up on the arm of the couch. “Does that say eighty thousand?” Anna squeaks.

  “Does what say eighty thousand?” Talia asks, flopping down on my other side.

  I pass my phone to her, and her jaw drops.

  “You did it, bitch!” she squeals, tackling me into a hug. Girlfriend jumps up and darts a safe distance away before barking in shared excitement.

  “Not even a wolf for more than a couple of days, and you’re already starting a dogpile, huh?” Justice quips before dropping into our heap.

  Anna screeches from her place on the bottom.

  “Y’all are smotherin’ me!”

  I laugh as I push Talia and Justice off of us.

  The amused expressions of Lina, Bev, and Birdie are the first things I see when we finally come up for air. Birdie winks at me, and I smile as I reach down to help Anna up. Lina holds Girlfriend, petting her into silence.