Pack of Lies

by Sara Dailey

  He didn’t look my way, but at least he responded. “Sorry, Al. I’m just a little freaked out by the whole thing. But just so you know, I’m on your side. I hope Kendall gets in some serious trouble. She deserves it. I can’t believe she’d do something so shitty.”

  “Are you sure that is all that’s wrong with you? You sure you’re not just embarrassed that you saw me naked?”

  “Yeah, I guess. Well, no not really.”

  “What else is wrong then?” I asked, pretty sure that I couldn’t have managed to piss him off about anything else. I practically locked myself in my room last night.

  Aiden shifted from foot to foot and looked around to make sure no one could hear him. “Okay, but don’t laugh, and you better not tell anyone.” He paused for a moment to make sure I agreed with his terms, so I nodded my head. Finally Aiden admitted, “I can’t help but wonder why you became a wolf already and I haven’t. I’m older. It should have happened to me first. Right? It’s like I’m slow or something. Like I’m a were-tard.”

  I had to laugh at that. Poor Aiden thinks he’s a learning-disabled wolf.

  “Don’t worry, Ad. Your time will come. I just hope for your sake that it doesn’t happen in front of the whole pack.”

  That made him smile a little. We parted ways, and I headed to my locker trying at all costs to avoid everyone. When I opened my locker, a note fell to the ground at my feet. I picked it up and read:

  Allison,

  Meet me at the gazebo on the pier after the meeting tonight. We need to talk.

  –Cade

  Upon reading the note I was flooded with mixed emotions. On one hand, I couldn’t wait to see Cade again, but on the other, I was still so hurt and humiliated over how he treated me. So I did the only thing I could think of; I crumpled up the note and threw it into my locker. Taking a deep breath, I slammed my locker shut and went to class.

  Chapter 28

  Cade

  I stood outside Kendall’s front door thinking about how incredibly screwed up this all was. How was I supposed to act like everything was okay between us? Being with her in front of Alli, and seeing how hurt Alli was, almost killed me. I can only pray that Alli got my note today, and decides to meet me tonight. I have to tell her just how sorry I am, and at least try to explain myself.

  I was about to knock when Kendall came out, “Hey, baby. Were you just going to stand there all night?” she said playfully.

  She actually had the nerve to bounce out of her house like everything was good. She even tried to kiss me, but I moved away from her.

  “What the hell were you thinking, Kendall? How could you do that to Alli? How could you do that to anyone? I did exactly what you wanted me to do. I stopped seeing her. I promised to never see her again, then you go and leave her stranded twenty minutes from home? What is wrong with you?” I yelled before I turned and walked away from her.

  “It was just a prank, baby. It’s really no big deal. It’s not my fault she can’t take a joke. How was I supposed to know she would turn into some psycho-wolf and try to attack me? And speaking of that, why aren’t you mad at her for trying to hurt me?” she shouted.

  That stopped me. “You’re kidding right? You want me to be mad at Allison?” I asked as I turned around to look at her. She can’t be serious!

  Kendall put her hands on her hips and said, “Oh, poor ALLISON! I’m so freakin’ sick of hearing about her. Now you need to put on a happy face and walk me to the meeting, Cade. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

  I just rolled my eyes and decided to keep my mouth shut. It didn’t matter what I said. Kendall lives in Kendall-land and that was that. I turned and headed toward the lodge without another word. Unbelievably enough, Kendall followed behind me and before I knew it, she was walking next to me like we were heading to the meeting together. It was at that moment that I realized a few things. I was beginning to hate the girl next to me—the one I was supposed to love. I was losing the girl I wanted to be with—the one I was pretty sure I was falling in love with—and as long as I was the future alpha, my life was not my own.

  Was being the alpha of this pack worth giving up the freedom to make my own decisions? How long will I be able to stand by and let my future be decided for me?

  Chapter 29

  Allison

  Sitting with my mom on my right and Aiden on my left, I was glad to be sandwiched between people who genuinely loved me. I was not easily intimidated, but being surrounded by unfamiliar werewolves, all eyeing the newbies, was almost more than I could handle. And the fact that half of them had seen me naked, didn’t make things any easier.

  It was all a bit bizarre. I kind of assumed the meeting would take place out in the woods, with the pack gathered around a big bonfire, but that wasn’t the case. We gathered in the main lodge, a huge meeting hall that kind of resembled a court house in DC. I guess they took this kind of thing pretty seriously.

  I spotted my arch-nemesis and Cade walking in… together. The sight of them with each other made my heart hurt. I had to take a deep breath, so I wouldn’t completely lose it in front of everyone. I couldn’t believe that after Kendall all but left me for dead at the pizza place, Cade would still waltz right in here with her, as if nothing had even happened. I figured he would, at the very least, be pissed at her. Inconspicuously, I peeked toward their direction and saw that they were holding hands. So he was obviously still with Kendall, while I have a note from him in my pocket asking me to meet him later. Suddenly, I wasn’t too thrilled to find out what he wanted to talk about.

  Damn him if he thinks for one second that I’m going to continue to sneak around with him. I may have went back to get the letter out of my locker. But so what? That didn’t mean that I was going to fall right back into his no-good-lying-cheating arms.

  Before I fully worked myself into a tizzy, my little internal tirade was cut short by Marcus as he walked to the front of the pack to begin his meeting. I expected him to bang a gavel or something, but instead he simply cleared his throat and suddenly everyone was silent.

  Marcus took command of the room with his booming voice an instant later.

  “Fellow pack members, we gather here today to discuss some very important news from the community. But first, I want to take this opportunity to officially welcome the new members to our pack. They have been with us for almost a month now, and I know most of you have met them already, but let’s take a moment to formally introduce them.”

  As the alpha turned his attention to us, the entire crowd turned in unison and all eyes were staring in our direction.

  “Many of you remember Lily. Let’s welcome her home.”

  The pack all clapped politely as Mom’s cheeks reddened.

  “And she has brought her family with her: her husband, Paul, and her children, Allison and Aiden.”

  I looked over and saw my grandparents beaming with pride, so I gave a little half-wave and a smile to the crowd, trying to ignore the fact that most of these people had been more than “formally” introduced to me already. It was safe to assume that they won’t forget my name anytime soon, though I will most likely be forever known as that naked chick.

  The group quieted as if on cue, and Marcus continued. “Lily will be our webmaster for our company, and Paul has made quite a name for himself in the music industry, so he, of course, will continue his work in that field. We are happy to have you all here, and hope that you will make this your permanent home.”

  After another short applause from the pack, Marcus got down to business.

  “We’ve been informed by our neighboring pack that one of their more unsavory members has gone rogue and may be seeking membership with a new pack. Now, this character was awaiting an appearance in front of the Elders to plead his case. He was to be tried for domestic assault against one of his fellow pack members, but before that could occur, he disappeared. His name is Damon Jennings, but I would imagine he changed his name to avoid being found. He is considered to be extre
mely dangerous. I ask that if you see anyone suspicious in or around the estate that you come directly to me. And it’s definitely not a good idea to be out at night alone.”

  Mom leaned over and whispered, “I didn’t want to scare you honey, but that’s why they almost attacked you. When you were missing, everyone assumed the worst, so they were quick to jump on an unfamiliar wolf.”

  Before the meeting ended, Marcus made Kendall, Shari, and Becca stand and face the pack. He publicly issued their punishment for mistreatment of a fellow pack member—me, and he put them on a mandatory curfew. Each of them had to be home by ten o’clock every night for the remainder of the month. Kendall, being the cold-hearted bitch that she is, showed absolutely no emotion on her face, while Shari and Becca both looked mortified.

  ***

  Relief, and since I’m being honest, a little excitement washed over me when the meeting was finally over. I really couldn’t wait to go meet Cade. I needed to know for sure where we stood.

  At least, now that Kendall had to go straight home, I wouldn’t have to worry about her joining us. I had no idea why he wanted to meet, and even though I knew a lot needed to be said, I wasn’t sure what. My first question, of course, was going to be what was up with him and Kendall’s rekindled relationship. The one thing I was sure of was that I wasn’t up for participating in any love triangle, or being the other girl any longer. I was done sneaking around.

  Once we got home and everyone was settled, I snuck out of the mud room and headed toward the pier. I figured it would be easier that way, being that we had all just been warned about being out alone, and I couldn’t really explain that I was going to meet Cade.

  The cold bit through my jeans and overcoat. While Mom continued to assure me that my werewolf body temperature would help me get used to the cold, I wasn’t convinced that I’d ever get used to the weather here. New Mexico was quickly turning into a frigid hell on earth. But just as I spotted Cade waiting for me near the water, a rush of heat shot through me, instantly warming me.

  He turned around and smiled. God, he was beautiful.

  My pace quickened. I couldn’t help but rush toward him. He was a compulsion, a need… a need that I wanted more than anything not to need.

  Cade met me at the end of the pier, and as we reached each other, we just stood there as if there were no words for what we were feeling. For seconds, maybe minutes, we stared into each other’s eyes, and then before anything was said, Cade wrapped his arm tightly around my body. My arms, clearly with a mind of their own, followed suit, and we embraced, soaking in each other’s scent.

  He started to look up, to say whatever it was that he needed to say, but I didn’t give him the chance. I reached up, my hands wrapping around his neck, and I pulled his lips to mine. I was not gentle. I was done waiting for him. I needed this. A millisecond later, Cade deepened the kiss. He took control, pulling me closer and pressing his body against mine. Nothing had ever felt so right. Then suddenly, he jerked away, leaving me breathless and instantly cold.

  “We can’t do this Allison. I’m sorry. I can’t deny that I have feelings for you, but we just can’t be together. Not now, probably never,” he said, but I was so stunned that I could hardly make out his words.

  “I know it is hard to understand, but my future has already been planned out for me. I will be the alpha soon, and Kendall has been chosen to be my mate.”

  He paused, waiting for me to say something, but I couldn’t get the words in the right order in my head, so I just stared at him in disbelief.

  “I tried to explain before how things work on the estate, Allison. At eighteen, we are considered adults. And it won’t be long before I’m expected to take over the pack. You may think it’s absurd, but I have to start acting like an adult, and that means I have to do what’s right for the pack.”

  He took a breath, and I took it as an opportunity to interrupt. Thankfully, my ability to speak had returned. “Are you finished with your monologue? Christ, Cade, how long have you been rehearsing that? You are truly unbelievable. Do you honestly think that Kendall is what’s best for the pack? You can’t be serious?” I yelled.

  “Look, it’s already planned. I can’t do anything to change it. I’m sorry.”

  “No, please don’t apologize. I can’t believe this. You know what? You two deserve each other. She’s a bitch, and you’re a coward! I hope you will be really happy together.”

  Before he could respond, I turned and ran away from him. I ran until I could hardly breathe or see through my tears.

  Chapter 30

  Cade

  Allison was right. I was being a coward.

  While I kept some space between us, I followed her to make sure she got home okay. Did I try to talk to her? Did I try to make her understand my situation? Did I grab her and show her just what she means to me? No. I just followed her. Watching her, and knowing that she hates me, that she’s crying because of me, made me sick to my stomach.

  If my dad knew I was following Allison, he would kill me. If only I knew what he was really capable of, what lengths he would go to keep me from going down the path that he has forbidden. If any other member of the pack went against the alpha’s demands, he would be banished. Would he do that to Allison? Would he do that to his own son? He must have noticed the obvious connection that Allison and I have. Kendall sure noticed. Why would he want me to marry Kendall when he knows I don’t even love her?

  Allison was going in the wrong direction. I tried to stay far enough behind her so that she wouldn’t hear or see me. Since I was bordering on being a stalker, I couldn’t just tell her to turn around, but I didn’t plan on watching her freeze to death trying to find her own way either. Just as I was about to change forms to get closer to her, I heard voices not far away approaching Allison. I kept her in sight, but made sure I was far enough so that the others couldn’t see me.

  Chapter 31

  Allison

  I don’t know for how long I ran, but I didn’t stop until I was sure I was far away from Cade. I wanted to get off this estate, out of New Mexico, and back to my old, pitiful life back in Texas. Anything would be better than this.

  How could he? I snuck around with him for weeks thinking things would change. I’m just like one of those stupid mistresses; one who truly believes that the lying sack of shit she is fooling around with is actually going to leave his wife. Could I have been more of an idiot?

  It’s complicated! That is such bullshit!

  Finally I slowed down, needing to catch my breath and get my bearings. Tears continued to stream down my face as I gulped in the winter air. The fact that I was crying over that bastard made me so angry that I just ended up crying harder. With my hands on my knees, I tried to control my sobs and catch my breath.

  I looked around to see if I could recognize anything that might point me in the direction of my house, but everything looked exactly the same. Huge trees blocked my view of the lake and the houses surrounding it. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t recognize anything. Being a werewolf has certainly not improved my sense of direction. I was about to throw myself to the forest floor and have a full-out tantrum when I heard voices. Quickly, I wiped my tears away and tried to get myself under control before anyone saw me. I really didn’t want to be caught crying my eyes out. The voices were getting closer, and I decided that one of the voices belonged to Luke, the guy I met at the bonfire.

  Finally, the group came into view. “Hey Alli. What are you doing way out here?” Luke said.

  “Oh hey, Luke. I guess I got a little turned around,” I said trying to play it cool. “Okay, who am I kidding? I’m completely lost,” I added.

  Luke was with two other guys. The tallest, Gage, I had met before, but the other guy was completely unfamiliar. It was no secret that I was upset, but at least they were all nice enough not to ask about it.

  “Hey, it happens. This place is pretty big, and it’s easy to get a little lost,” Gage said.

  Standing in t
he middle of the woods with two guys who were practically strangers, both of whom had seen me naked I might add, and one complete stranger, was a tad unnerving. I was wracking my brain to think of something to say, but nothing was coming.

  “Oh hey, this is Dylan. He’s new to town, like you,” Gage said.

  Dylan stuck out his hand and said, “Nice to meet you…”

  “Allison, or Alli,” I said filling in the blank.

  Dylan smiled, held my hand for just a bit too long, and I could have sworn he took a whiff of me. Guess that means he’s a were, but it was still a little freaky to have some random guy sniffing you in the woods.

  The guys reeked of booze and pot, and even though Luke had been nothing but nice to me, I couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable.

  We stood around and made small talk for a few minutes, and then out of nowhere, Dylan announced, “Guys, it’s been real, but I’m out of here.”

  Without waiting around for goodbyes, he took off through the trees.

  Immediately after Dylan’s peculiar departure, Gage unexpectedly grabbed me by the shoulders, spun me around, and said, “Head that way, and you’ll run right into the lake.”

  But before he let go of my shoulders, I think he sniffed me too. What’s up with these guys?

  I took my leave and headed toward the trees hoping that Gage was right.

  Chapter 32

  Kendall

  “So, what do you have to say for yourself, young lady,” my mom asked as she made herself a drink. A stiff one. She only broke out the vodka when she had an especially rough day. I watched as she added a splash of orange juice to her glass.

  She made me sit down at the kitchen table just like she did when I was little. After Marcus’s little speech, I was in no mood for her lecture. “Nothing. I have nothing to say, Mom.”