Betrayed: Book Two - The Road to Redemption

by Nicky Charles

  Chapter 6

  Sam stood behind her chair at the head of the dining room table waiting for the pack members to file in. After their confrontation in the weight room, she’d left Damien to his own devices, stating she had work to do and would see him at dinner. As far as she knew, he’d spent some time in the cellar working out, and had then begun to repair the porch like he’d said he would. The sounds of hammering, and some random swearing, had drifted into her office. Perversely, she’d hoped that he’d hit his thumb with a hammer. The man irritated her. He challenged her authority, pushed her buttons. He stayed just this side of insubordination, and that was only because she was being lenient with him. Dammit, she needed him and couldn’t afford to have him leave—after all, where would she find another rogue at this late date? But that didn’t mean she was enthralled with his presence.

  “Sam.”

  Hiram, Keith and Alyssa entered the room, each calling a greeting. At the same time, from the direction of the kitchen, Jonah entered carrying a steaming bowl of pasta; he was on kitchen duty, much to everyone’s delight. Jonah was a trained chef and his meals were always delicious.

  Jonah gave Damien a suspicious look as he set down the dish before making his way to his chair. He’d been against taking on a rogue, but had been outnumbered when they’d put it to a vote. Of course, he accepted the will of the pack, but it didn’t mean he was happy with the fact.

  Damien stood silently to her right. There were no signs of tension coming from him despite the fact that he had to have sensed Jonah’s animosity. And the other Lycans who entered were unabashedly studying him as well. He withstood the scrutiny without any change in his breathing pattern, his face expressionless as he met each person’s gaze with a steady look. In each instance, it was the other wolf that looked away first, and through that simple act, Damien’s authority was recognized.

  It irked Sam, even though it shouldn’t, and made her voice come out sharper than she intended.

  “Listen up.” The undercurrent of conversation ended and everyone looked her way. “Pack, this is Damien, the rogue we talked about. He’s going to be our temporary Beta.” She emphasized the word temporary and gave him a sidelong look to which he barely raised a brow.

  General greetings were murmured and Damien inclined his head in response. Sam scanned the faces that surrounded the table. There was no tension, no animosity. Good. Giving a nod, she took her seat and everyone followed suit.

  Dinner was fairly informal beyond the custom of everyone waiting for her permission to be seated. It was a throwback to her great-grandfather’s day or perhaps even earlier. She’d yet to decide whether she wanted it to continue or not. It reinforced her position as Alpha, yet smacked a tad too much of the military for her taste. Oh well, she had more pressing matters to deal with than petty protocol and launched into giving Damien a brief introduction to the Lycans that were present. Of course, not everyone had been able to attend. A few were still on patrol and some held jobs at local establishments; their incomes were badly needed to help keep up with daily operating expenses.

  As plates emptied and stomachs filled, Sam began to ask the various members about their day, whether it was pack business or, for the pup, his homework. Florence, who cared for her grandfather, gave an update on his condition.

  Sam nodded and made notes when needed. She’d eaten quickly so as to be able to focus most of her attention on her pack. This was when she could observe them carefully, note if they had concerns or perhaps needed advice or encouragement. An Alpha should take a direct interest in the well-being of each member.

  “Hiram,” she quizzed the one wolf who had yet to say anything. He’d been picking at his meal and looked as if something was troubling him. “You were on patrol earlier today. Did you make contact with any shifter tourists?”

  “One couple at the airport making a connection between flights. And three females—college students. They’ll be staying in the area for two days.” He hesitated and then added one final piece of information. “For some reason, I kept getting a feeling that there was one more Lycan in the area. Just the faintest whiff of a scent and then it was gone. Maybe I’m wrong…” He tugged his ear, a sure sign he was worried. “I’m not as young as I used to be and my nose could be failing.”

  “You’re not that old,” Sam chided gently, while taking in his greying hair and lined face. Hiram should have been retired from patrol, but given their small numbers she’d kept him on light duty longer than most packs would. It was good for his pride as well, thinking he was still contributing to the group. “It could be that spy Sinclair was sending our way. I’ll check it out tonight. Good work.”

  Hiram grinned and tucked into his meal with more gusto than he’d been showing previously. Sam smiled inwardly, pleased she’d been able to boost his spirits. His daughter had left the pack last year, having met an outsider, and the older man had been in a bit of a funk ever since.

  “Do you want me to go along with you on patrol tonight?” Damien spoke to her directly for the first time since the meal had begun. It had unnerved her a bit, how he’d seemed to be silently analyzing every word, every member. She’d never let him know that, of course.

  “Good idea. It’ll help create the illusion that you belong here. We leave as soon as it gets dark.”

  He gave a barely perceptible nod and resumed his silent meal.

  Arrogant bastard, she silently decided. Was he thinking their dinner conversation was too mundane to join in? She turned away, resolving to set him straight on how he treated her pack once they were alone.

  Crickets had begun their evening serenade and the wisps of orange and red that had stained the sky were fading into deep purple by the time Sam stepped out of the house. Damien watched her from his seat on an old porch swing. He’d repaired it that afternoon, tightening screws and oiling the chain. Now it glided silently back and forth in its shadowy corner.

  She was dressed all in black again and he decided the colour suited her, though he doubted that was why she chose it. He didn’t imagine fashion ranked high on her list of priorities.

  “You ready, Damien?”

  “Yep.” He got to his feet, not surprised that she’d been aware of his presence. It was hard to sneak up on a Lycan unless you could stay downwind of them.

  “Follow me.” She set off at a brisk pace down the sidewalk, but his longer legs meant he had no problem keeping up with her.

  The street lights were starting to come on, illuminating the parked vehicles that lined the road, but the neighbourhood was far from sleepy. Cars cruised past with music drifting through open windows. An argument could be heard coming from a nearby home while a baby wailed in the background. As they approached the intersection, various neon signs flashed advertisements for local establishments and the mumble of conversations created an indistinct hum. Papa Tony’s pizzeria had a large gathering at the outdoor tables; good natured laughter and the occasional shout filled the air. A few of the patrons called out greetings to Sam as they walked past. She waved but didn’t pause.

  “Where are we headed?”

  “Tonight was supposed to be Little Italy, but we’ll go towards O’Hare instead. I can’t cover the entire city in a night so I’ve laid it out in rotating sectors. If a patrol reports anything unusual, I bump that sector to the top of the list.”

  “You go out each night?” He’d decided some random small talk might yield useful information and tried to sound politely interested.

  “Of course.” She shot him a quick glance. “I’m the Alpha. It’s my job to keep tabs on my territory.”

  “You could rely on your patrols.”

  “I could, and some Alphas might be lax enough to completely relegate the job. I know my patrols are competent and well trained. They know what to report, but it never hurts to have a second set of eyes on the job.”

  “True.” Mentally, he applauded her dedication. So far, she seemed to be a perfect example of what an Alpha should be. Of course, that wa
s only his initial impression. He’d bide his time and see what he could turn up that might be useful to Kane.

  She turned down an alley and led him to a shadowed area. After testing the air and listening carefully, she gave a nod. “It’s safe to shift.”

  “In the city? I’d have thought patrolling as human would be safer.”

  She shrugged. “We can cover more ground as wolves. And most people mistake a wolf for a stray malamute or a husky. Don’t worry, we won’t be running down the main streets.”

  “Back alleys all the way?”

  “And along the train tracks. The right of way on either side will allow us to cut a few miles off the trip.”

  Before he could comment, the air shimmered and a small white wolf stood before him. Damien had a brief impression of fine bones and stunning violet eyes before it turned and began to lope down the alley.

  He quickly shifted and followed, thankful that his own animal was more cooperative of late. His inner wolf and he had gone through a prolonged period of discord; the beast had been disapproving of some of the choices he’d made. As usual, the creature had been correct, though it had taken a while for him to realize it. His grief over Beth’s death and the need for revenge had skewed his thinking. Thankfully, a Lycan’s inner wolf was usually inclined to be forgiving and they’d come to some semblance of peace.

  At the moment his wolf was focused on the fluffy white tail that was ahead of them. The animal was curious, intrigued even, by Sam Harper. Alpha? And yet, not.

  “Yeah. I know boy. It’s hard to figure out.” Damien murmured his agreement. Something about Sam Harper sparked his interest, dragging him out of his usual apathy in a way that hadn’t happened for ages. He wasn’t entirely sure he liked the fact, either.

  They travelled in silence, Sam leading him down back alleys, along railroad tracks and across abandoned lots. Occasionally, she’d pause and test the air before moving on following some mental road map. When they approached a busy main street, she fluidly shifted to human form, with barely a missed step.

  “Impressive.” Damien mimicked her shifting on the fly.

  “An Alpha and its wolf should be as one, thinking and acting as a single unit.” She brushed her hair from her eyes and stepped out of the alley and onto the sidewalk. After scanning the area, she turned right and began to stroll down the street.

  He fell into step beside her. “You know, you sound like a textbook sometimes.”

  “A textbook? What do you mean?”

  “An Alpha should do this. An Alpha should do that.”

  “An Alpha needs to know its—”

  “There you go again. Don’t you ever just talk?” He scowled at her.

  She cast a glare his way before focusing her eyes straight ahead. “I’ve no idea what you mean.”

  “It’s like you’ve been…indoctrinated.” It irritated him, bringing back memories of a particularly annoying roommate named Quinten, at the Academy. The guy had read textbooks aloud every night until Damien had finally pitched him out the window.

  “My grandfather trained me for this role from a young age. If you’re going to be an Alpha, you have to act like one. Follow the rules day in and day out. It’s not a nine-to-five job, you know.”

  Barely, Damien kept from rolling his eyes. How many times had Reno said something similar to him during those early days of training to be an Enforcer? Of course, Reno had been one of the biggest rule breakers of them all and they’d both often laughed at the irony of it.

  The sights and sounds of Chicago faded as Damien thought of those long ago days. He and Reno patrolling together, hunting down Purists, instinctively knowing how the other would react in a tight spot. They’d been quite the team… Hell, more than that. One of the best damned teams Lycan Link had ever seen!

  Damien shoved his hands in his pockets and wondered what his former partner was up to these days. Did he still spread his time between Lycan Link and the pack in Kolding’s Pass? It was almost two years since he’d seen the man. Sadly, they hadn’t parted as friends; barely even on the same side of the law. The broken relationship…hurt. Reno had been like his brother, and his disapproval—no matter how justified—had stung.

  Noises coming from his right drew him from his melancholy. A group of young men had just exited a movie theatre and were rough-housing with each other, though from the looks of it, one member of the group was about to lose his temper. Damien instinctively drew Sam closer to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to shield her from the jostling men. His inner wolf went on alert as well, ready to defend the female at their side. Muscles tightened, a deadly calm sheathed his mind. He was no stranger to life and death fights and—

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Sam hissed the words at him and tried to push away, but he held her in place.

  “Acting like a normal couple out for an evening stroll. A man protects his woman.” Damien murmured the words through barely parted lips, keeping his gaze trained on the group. One of the young men noticed his attention and instantly stilled before nudging a cohort who had a similar reaction. In a matter of seconds the group had quieted down and was warily backing away.

  Damien curled his lip as he watched their retreat then brought his attention back to Sam who was still protesting at his side. She was jabbing her elbow into his waist.

  “We’re not a couple! And if you call me ‘your woman’ again, I’ll rip your balls off!” She shoved him again and this time he allowed his arm to drop to his side, releasing her.

  He willed himself to relax, locking the dangerous half of himself away once more. “Sorry. It seemed like a good cover. Anyone who knows I’m staying with you will wonder about our relationship.”

  “Let them wonder. I walk alone. I take care of myself.”

  Damien shrugged. “Sure thing, Sugar.”

  “And stop the ‘sugar’ crap.”

  Irritation rolled off her and he chuckled, inexplicably pleased to have gotten that reaction. “Sugar crap? Sounds like some new brand of breakfast cereal.”

  “Cereal? Wh—” She snapped her mouth shut, exasperation oozing from her. “Will you be serious?”

  This time he made no effort to control his laughter and it felt as if something had been released inside him, allowing the tension to flow from his body. “Only if you lighten up a bit.”

  “Me? You’re the one that looked like he’d sucked lemons all during dinner.”

  “I was listening, trying to learn everyone’s name. If you want me to be believable in this role, then I have to do my homework.” He stopped and lightly touched her arm. Surprisingly enough, she actually paused and turned to face him. “I was impressed by the way you made sure Hiram felt like he was still contributing.”

  She studied his face for a moment seeming surprised by his comment, then shrugged and looked away. “He’s had a hard time of it recently.”

  The light from the lamp-post caught her eyes, causing the violet to glow like some rare gem. Not thinking, he reached out, gently touching her chin and turning her face so he could see the colour more clearly. Amethyst surrounded by thick dark lashes.

  “You have the most amazing eyes.”

  She scowled. “I hate them. Lycans shouldn’t have violet eyes.”

  “I think they suit you.” He brushed his thumb over her jaw. Something about her drew him in and stirred his interest. Before he could decide what it was, she jerked her face away from his hand.

  “It won’t do you any good.”

  “What won’t?”

  “Trying to get between my legs.” She kept her face averted, seeming to be studying the traffic, but Damien was sure he heard an underlying tone of hurt beneath her hard response.

  “I didn’t think that’s what I was doing.” Truth was he had no idea what he’d been doing.

  “No?” She arched a brow. “Just keep it that way, then. If I decide I need a lover, I’ll choose one. Your job is to be my Beta, nothing else.”

  “Good to know.”
Damien shoved his hands in his pockets not sure what to make of her response. Not that it mattered. He wasn’t looking for a lover and if he was, it wouldn’t be someone like Sam. Beth had been soft and sweet, letting him lead the way. Sam would likely be issuing orders the whole time.

  As if to illustrate the point, she jerked her chin towards a nearby nightclub. “We’re going in here.” The neon sign overhead proclaimed it to be Club Mystique.

  He didn’t question the decision, despite his instinctive aversion to being ordered about. Instead, he followed behind her like the good little Beta he was supposed to be.

  Chapter 7

  There was a long line of people waiting to enter the popular night spot. Sam pushed her way to the front, ignoring the deadly looks cast her way. The bouncer knew her and simply nodded and let her pass.

  As the door opened, a throbbing bass beat rolled out of the club and spilled onto the street. The crowd began to surge forward and the bouncer moved to block the entrance with his body.

  “He’s with me.” Sam inclined her head towards Damien, shouting the words so the bouncer would hear her over the music. She needn’t have bothered. The look Damien gave the man had the burly fellow taking half a step back. A huff of laughter escaped her. Damn, she’d been lucky. Damien was one impressive rogue…provided he remembered his place.

  The pass he’d made earlier—if it had indeed been a pass—had momentarily worried her. Fighting off males who kept their brains in their dicks wasn’t a problem—she’d done it often enough—but it was annoying and interfered with her duty.

  She wound her way through the crowd, heading for her usual spot at the bar and caught the eye of Tina, the bartender and her friend. Her drink appeared a moment later.

  “Want anything?” She nudged Damien and he shook his head, obviously too busy scanning the crowd to even bother answering. Oh well, his loss.