by Dannika Dark
Nothing good ever came of a full moon.
William clasped his hands behind his back, taking a leisurely stride toward Lorenzo. He was the second-in-command and one of Lorenzo’s most trusted men. William stood an inch shorter with a wild mess of long black curls all over his head. His brows were wolfish, his stature strong, his expression unsparing. The women were attracted to him because, according to Rebecca, he smiled with his eyes. It didn’t go unnoticed that he often mirrored Lorenzo’s body language, acquiring habits that conveyed more authority to the other men. It was one of the subtle traits Lorenzo admired.
Lorenzo unclasped his own hands from behind his back and let them hang free at his sides. “Keeping the peace?”
“A few scuffles,” William said, arching his left brow. “You know what they say about the full moon.”
“Yes,” Lorenzo murmured. “It brings out the beast in us.”
“Indeed. All the men are accounted for and on the property. Everything’s under control. Caleb won’t get far if he tries to run, and he sure won’t get anywhere in his Kia.”
A laugh rolled through Lorenzo and they distanced themselves from the pack, taking a stroll to a private room on the other side of the house. Everything in this room had Native American décor, from the paintings and baskets to the handwoven carpet below their feet.
Lorenzo kept a cool composure, not wanting to give William any indication that he was feeling on edge. Once they were in the room, he switched on a light affixed to the wall. “Close the door,” he said, taking a seat in a large chair with high armrests. The cool wood against his bare back reminded him of winter’s approach.
“What’s on your mind?” William asked, the heels of his shoes clicking on the floor as he walked toward the window across the room.
“This has to do with the Weston pack,” Lorenzo said in a voice low and thick like molasses. “Cole has a bitch who goes by Ivy. See what you can find out about her.”
William glanced over his shoulder, light glittering in his eyes. “Is this a personal request or are you looking to do some trading?”
Lorenzo’s hands tightened on the armrest. “Her father is a Packmaster, but I don’t know where he’s settled. Her last name is Kizer, so unless that name was already taken, that might be the name of her father’s pack. Work stealthily. I don’t want word to get out.”
William leaned forward and blew out a hot breath, leaving a thin film of fog on the windowpane. He drew a W and finally spun around, hands in his pockets. “You won’t have to tell me twice. Say, is she pretty?”
Lorenzo’s jaw set.
“I just think it’s worth mentioning this is the first woman you’ve asked about, Enzo. The others were favor trades. Maybe you should introduce her to the pack and see if she takes a shine to anyone,” William said, gripping the lapels of his scruffy black jacket. “I don’t think another single woman is what the men in this pack need. Maybe we should match her up with one of ’em, don’t you think?”
“Keep moving the hinges on that jaw, William, and you might get it wide enough to fit your foot in there.”
William gave a tight smile as he always did, not showing his teeth. Perhaps it made him look too sinister. “I’d rather put my foot in Caleb’s backside.”
Lorenzo reached for the cigarettes on his table and lit one up. “You’re a wily dog. Tell me, why is it you haven’t taken a mate?”
William crossed his arms and his eyes danced with amusement. “Oh, I suppose I could ask that same question to… other men in our pack. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“So much room in this house, and yet few of the men will mate.”
“Well, you chose ’em. This is more of a pirate ship than a love boat.”
Lorenzo sighed and smashed out his cigarette. He’d chosen each packmate because of their strengths, not because they mixed well with the others in his house. It’s why there were incidents of dissension, and every so often, he had to put one out.
“Yes, you make a valid point,” Lorenzo murmured, lost in thought.
“I think a couple of them need to walk the plank. Just say the word and I’ll give ’em a shove.”
“And weaken the pack?”
William turned his eyes toward the ceiling, clasping his hands behind his back. “Sometimes too much weight will sink a boat. Don’t you agree?”
A moment of silence passed between them.
“Tell me, William, do you ever find the house to be quiet?”
William gave a robust laugh and sauntered toward the door. “Quiet is hardly the word I’d use to describe living with fifty people. I’ll get right on my assignment and have something for you soon. I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave the property for a short while if you want me to get started, full moon be damned. If you have any additional information, you know how to reach me. Phones are pretty nifty. I can remember a time when it took weeks to send a letter.”
When William closed the door, Lorenzo’s gaze drifted across the room to the bright moon shining through the window. Laughter erupted from the other room, followed by a few shouts and a door slamming.
Yes, quiet. The lack of children’s laughter made the house seem like a tomb. There were some young in his pack, but they were nearing the age of maturity. None of the mated members in his pack sought to have children, even with their women going into heat. Unclaimed women were locked up during their cycle before the men picked up their scent and tried everything they could think of to seduce them. Women in heat were more prone to making foolish choices without thinking, unable to say no to their own sexual needs. A good Packmaster kept them separated so the pack didn’t fill up with illegitimate children. Families were important, and a child needed to grow up with two mated parents, not born of a couple of horny wolves. Since an alpha’s level of control was unmatched, some Packmasters helped the women get through their cycle faster. More than once he’d been tempted by their pleas to go further. He couldn’t lie; he’d thought about it once or twice, but for completely unexpected reasons.
A selfish part of him wanted to experience the biggest form of vanity there was: a smaller version of himself. A life created from his genes, his spirit, and his strength. But not from those women.
Like her name, Ivy tangled in his thoughts like a stubborn vine. Lorenzo had no intentions to acquire her, but after their conversation in his car, he needed more information. Something about her intrigued him. How could such a gentle creature be so defiant, strong-willed, and yet loyal all at once?
The sound of howling wolves filled the night like an ancient song.
Chapter 5
Later that evening, after the confrontation with Fox’s wolf, I awoke from a terrible nightmare and gasped for breath. I switched on a low light mounted on the wall above my headboard and sat up. The dreamcatcher that hung over my bed was slightly swaying. Perhaps it had caught a gust of air when I moved.
I slept in one of the central rooms that didn’t have a window, hoping it would keep bad spirits from finding me. As a little girl, I’d kept my dreamcatcher tucked away in a drawer with a number of other things passed down to me from relatives. But one day, I had come to need its power to keep the nightmares at bay. Occasionally one of the dream demons slipped through, but not for long, as I would quickly wake up and they would vanish. My uncle had made the dreamcatcher for me over a century ago, long before I was born. He’d had a vision that one day he would have a niece who needed spiritual protection, so he had it blessed by a powerful shaman.
“Oh, brother,” I murmured, sliding my legs off the bed. My slippers were nowhere to be found, so I put on my robe and tiptoed into the quiet hallway. I passed the game room and silently descended the staircase, making the last step creak.
The dying embers in the fireplace gave off a residual glow, and dim moonlight trickled through the windows.
I noticed Wheeler fast asleep in one of the chairs by the television. With Ben’s wolf guarding the property, the men were more at ease about getting som
e sleep. Reno said that a tired man makes impulsive decisions, so he set all the alarms and told everyone to get some shut-eye.
Not wanting to wake Wheeler, I went into the kitchen where I caught Denver stooping in front of the open fridge. He was barefoot and shirtless with nothing on but a pair of loose grey sweatpants—the kind with a drawstring, and one of the white strings was swinging back and forth as he rummaged around on the lower shelf. I wondered how someone who ate as much junk food as he did could stay so fit.
“Just heat up the leftovers,” I suggested.
Denver stood up so fast he hit his head on the bottom of the freezer door. “Damn, woman!” he said with a start. “You should have been a mouse instead of a wolf, you know that?” He rubbed the back of his head and leaned on the door. “I’m not in the mood for a sequel.”
“I can make you some chili.”
“No meat. I’m watching my figure.” He patted his flat stomach.
I reached in a drawer for a giant spoon and then opened the freezer, pulling out a gallon of ice cream.
“Here,” I said, slapping the cold container in his hands. “Life crisis resolved.”
He peeled the lid back and inspected the carton. We often bought Neapolitan since everyone in the house liked something different.
“Works for me,” he said.
There was plenty of strawberry, and it was one of his favorites. Most of the men preferred chocolate or vanilla.
His knuckles whitened as he struggled to scoop some up, but it bent the spoon in half. “Dammit. It’s not ready to eat.”
“Patience, Denver. Sit at the table and wait for it to soften. Sometimes you can’t rush something, and if it’s worth having, then you’ll learn to wait.”
Denver got out another spoon and went to the long wooden table, taking a seat on the bench. He set the carton down and leaned back on his elbows. “Yeah, but what if by the time I’m done waiting, I don’t want it anymore?”
I smiled. “Something tells me that’s not going to happen. How’s your job going at the bar?”
“Good. The peak hours are bringing in the money. Have you thought about finding work?”
I sat to his left, facing away from the table. “I don’t have any skills.”
“Your father didn’t teach you any? What about the women in your pack?”
I played with the belt on my robe. “Life up there wasn’t as progressive as it is down here. My father was old-fashioned.”
“No offense, but it sounds like he was a dick. You don’t run into many packs these days that keep their women home to make babies and cook dinner. That’s old school. Lynn stays around the house because she put in her time at that cheap-ass human job, not to mention all the crap her ex-husband put her through. That woman needed a break.”
“I’d hardly call remodeling this house a break. The woman should be sainted.”
“True that,” he said. “I’m glad Lexi talked her into going to school to learn a new profession. She’ll make some real money as an interior decorator in the Breed world. If she makes the right connections, she could end up bringing in more money than us.”
I glanced at him with hesitation. “They might not hire a human.”
He held up his middle finger. “Then those will be the bastards with the ugly houses. Waitressing isn’t your scene, but what about furniture restoration? You kicked ass at refinishing some of the old junk in this house, and there are plenty of ancients who have a lot of antique furniture they need fixed up.”
I leaned against his arm and smiled. “I enjoy bringing out the beauty in something, but I don’t think I could do that as a profession. It’s just a hobby.”
“Sure you can,” he said, lightly tugging my braid. “Maybe you don’t have those kinds of jobs back where you came from, but the cities are full of them. I’ll ask around on the Breed side of town and see if I can pull a few strings. If not, then you can do contract work, and Austin will help you get that sorted out. You need to get your feet wet and earn a living. You also need to get out of the house and meet people.”
I laughed and pinched his arm. “You boys are enough entertainment for me.”
“No, I mean you need to meet men.” Denver stood up and turned around. “Not saying you need to mate with anyone. But girl, go on a date. Twirl around in a pretty dress and see a movie. You’re young, intelligent, strong, and beautiful. That means you’ll have your choice of some of the best wolves in the territory.”
As I stood up, I handed Denver his spoon. “Perhaps when you can take the advice you give, I’ll be more inclined to listen. Try to leave some for everyone else.” I left the kitchen and shivered as I made my way back into the living room.
Unlike most people, I enjoyed the absence of noise, and walking the house late at night was one of my most favorite things. Sleeping was pointless, so I approached the window and peered into the darkness. My wolf was even more restless than before. She wasn’t just whining to get out anymore—she was scratching and biting at the door.
Something in the distance caught my eye, and I leaned in so close that my nose touched the frosty glass.
Fox lingered by the private road and waved for me to come out. Where’s Ben? My chest tightened at the idea that Fox might have done something to him.
I punched the code to disable the alarm on the front door only; Reno had programmed different codes that would disable one entrance but not the entire house.
The frozen air licked at my skin as I walked barefoot down the porch steps, hugging my body. Cold air was merely a discomfort, and all pain was temporary.
As I drifted toward him, he walked forward and closed the distance between us. Fox had a mixture of black and silver hair he kept trimmed short. He had a thick nose, deep-set eyes, and three creases on his forehead from all the eyebrow raising he did. In human years, he looked like a man in his late forties, but in Shifter years, Fox was a man in his prime. An older wolf, but by no means a weak one.
He had a confident stride—a kind of swagger with each swing of his arms. When he finally stopped a few feet away, his blues eyes traveled down. “Your feet seem to be missing shoes.”
“And your head seems to be missing an ear.”
Irritation flashed in his eyes when he reached up and touched his mangled left ear. Some of it had healed, but he hadn’t shifted soon enough.
“Don’t try anything,” I warned. “My wolf will protect me.”
He laughed, and a cloud of breath escaped his mouth. “That’s rich. I’m afraid I’ve never met your wolf, but I’m sure she’s a sweet little bitch. One who’s never fought to the death like I have, so don’t threaten me with your animal.”
“We’re also not alone out here,” I said.
“Yes, we are. Your guard dog left an hour ago. Guess he’s not as loyal as they come.”
“If you did anything to him—”
“Do you know how long it took me to find you here?” Fox widened his belligerent stance and tucked the tips of his fingers in his jean pockets. “Your father didn’t mention a damn thing as to where you went. Your Packmaster has false plates on his car that aren’t registered, so all we had to go on was that you were in Texas.”
“We?” I flipped my braid behind my back and folded my arms.
“Me and Gil. Maybe you never noticed, but he was always more loyal to me than he was to Ivan. Your packmate got in a few good bites, but Gil’s on the mend.” Fox’s eyes drifted behind me and scoped out the property. “Nice place you’ve got here, Ivy. Real nice.”
“Why are you here, Fox?”
“For you, Poison Ivy.”
My eyes narrowed. “Don’t call me that.”
His laugh died off with a moan, as it often did. “It’s a fitting name.”
My eyes darted around, searching the woods.
“We’re alone,” he assured me. “My men have orders to stay back. I wanted to speak to you privately and give you a chance.”
Rage intensified within me like a hurrica
ne. “A chance for what?”
He pulled his hands out of his pockets and squeezed his fists. “To come with me voluntarily. See, you have a choice. You can either join my pack of your own free will, or we can battle this out and I’ll take you, the land, and whatever women you’ve got.”
“There’s a child in there,” I hissed.
He waggled a brow. “How old?”
I slapped him in the face so hard that it stung my hand.
Fox kept his eyes shut for just a moment before settling them back on me. “Come with me and save your pack.”
“You’re a liar. No matter what I do, you’ll still come after this land because it’s something you covet. The envy in your eyes is greener than the grass below my feet. Don’t give me an ultimatum when we both know you’re going to fight my pack regardless. This is my family, and you’re not welcome here.”
With lightning speed, he reached out and snatched my braid, yanking me forward. I yelped and, in a swirl of magic, shifted into my wolf.
***
At three in the morning, Lorenzo awoke to an insistent pounding on his door. He threw the fur blanket away from his nude body and groggily got out of bed. Why couldn’t they call on William to settle their disputes? The banging sounded again and he cracked his door, holding it open with his right hand above his head.
“Unless someone has declared war on our land, don’t knock on my door at this hour.”
William’s brown eyes were wild. “I hit a wolf with my car. A Shifter.”
“And this is my problem because?”
He rubbed his face, panic rising. “It’s a female.”
Lorenzo swung the door wide and turned around to put on his black pants. “Lead me to her.”
They hurried down the hall and toward the stairs. No one roused from their rooms, as the pack had grown accustomed to late-night arguments or gatherings downstairs.
