Rise

by Heather MacKinnon

   However, something happened to change Beatrice’s mind that night.

   According to her, instead of feeling happy that Peyton was making me look bad in front of everyone, she felt protective of me. She realized she’d made a big mistake by inviting Peyton and apologized to me for the first time ever. That night was the start of my friendship with the prickliest of the McCoy siblings.

   Now, Bea and I had a great relationship. I might never be close to her in the way I was with Evey, but we talked frequently and sparred together five times a week. I was spending more time with Beatrice than I’d ever imagined and having a better time than I could have hoped for.

   “So, she thinks you got Peyton kicked out,” Beatrice said, her voice subdued.

   I figured this couldn’t be an easy topic for her and wished I’d kept my big mouth shut. Even though Beatrice hadn’t agreed with the things Peyton did, that didn’t negate years of friendship. And Beatrice might have agreed with why Peyton got excommunicated from the pack, but I was sure it still hurt to lose her friend like that.

   “I guess. That’s what she said, at least.”

   “She and Peyton grew close while they worked in the lodge together.”

   “I guess that explains some of it.” Didn’t make it any better, but if Peyton was a friend of Aubrey’s, I guess it made sense that she was upset about her having to leave the pack.

   We were quiet as we walked, but there was something bothering me. “Do you blame me, too?”

   Bea paused to shoot me a look. “For Peyton getting kicked out?”

   I nodded.

   “That girl was doing everything she could to get herself in trouble. I tried to tell her, Abraham warned her, but nothing could penetrate.” Bea sighed and looked away. “I always knew she had a thing for Abraham, but I never thought she’d go as far as she did. That was unforgivable. She deserved to go.”

   That made me feel a little better. My friendship with Beatrice was still really new and, in some ways, fragile. If she blamed me for her friend’s departure from our pack, that wouldn’t have boded well for our relationship.

   “Listen, Ellie, I know I’ve said it before, but I’m sorry for everything I let Peyton do. For every time I let her get in the middle of you and Abey. For every time I let her talk to you like crap. For inviting her to that last family dinner. I’m sorry for it all. It wasn’t fair to gang up on you like that.” She paused for a minute before continuing. “If I’d known what kind of person Peyton really was sooner, maybe I could have prevented what happened with you and Calvin.”

   I just barely held back a sigh. There was someone else blaming themselves for Calvin and Peyton’s actions. How many more people would lay the blame on their own shoulders for the decisions of another grown person?

   I reached out and grasped Bea’s arm. “There was nothing you could have done. If Calvin hadn’t gotten to me that night, it would have been another one. He was on a mission to have me for himself and nothing was going to stop him. Believe me.” I just barely suppressed a shiver as Calvin’s words from that night sped through my head.

   He’d deluded himself into thinking we were fated mates and that we were meant to be together. Concocted a story that explained how we were fated and had a plan for our future together. It still creeped me out just thinking about it.

   “I’m the beta, Ellie. I’m supposed to be on top of that stuff and I wasn’t.”

   “You’re also a sister, and a cousin, and a friend, and no one expects you to be able to wear all those hats at once. Calvin fooled us all, and Peyton was more obsessed than she ever let on. Both of them were overlooked by everyone. All we can do is try to see clearer in the future. To trust our guts and do our best.”

   Beatrice watched me, her icy blue eyes searching my face. Finally, she smiled softly, and I realized how stunning she was. With the ever-present scowl on her face, it was easy to forget how gorgeous she really was, but there was no denying it when all her walls were down.

   “Thanks, Ellie. It’s good to hear you don’t blame me.”

   I jerked back. “Blame you? Why the hell would I blame you?”

   She shrugged. “It was my cousin and my best friend who orchestrated your kidnapping and almost murder.”

   “Well, anything sounds bad when you put it like that.”

   Bea’s head tipped back as her loud laughter floated around the large yard and echoed back to us. When she finally sobered up, she shot me a penetrating look. “That’s a relief.”

   I rolled my eyes and pulled her into a big hug. “I’d never blame you.”

   She paused for only a moment before her arms wrapped around my shoulders, too. We stood there for a minute until it felt right to pull away. It was then I realized I’d never hugged Beatrice before.

   Hugging, and in fact, all displays of affection, used to make me really uncomfortable. I blamed it on a mixture of growing up an only child of two emotionless parents and never having many friends. It had taken me a while to get used to how touchy all the wolves were with me, but I’d changed a lot since then.

   Apparently, I’d changed so much that I willingly pulled Beatrice McCoy into a hug. If you’d told me that two months ago, I would have suggested you get your head checked. But our relationship, like so many other things, had changed drastically.

   Bea smiled at me. “Thanks, Ellie. I’m glad you’re not upset with me.”

   “And I thought you might have blamed me for your friend getting kicked out of the pack.”

   She shook her head, a smile still curling her lips. “Never. Peyton got what was coming to her and it had nothing to do with you.”

   “So, we’re good?”

   She surprised the hell out of me by pulling me into another hug. “We’re good,” she said as she squeezed me.

   This time when she pulled away, there was a different kind of smile on her face. “Now, I want you to tell me exactly how the fight went with Tom. No detail is too small. I want to know every maneuver, every bite, every scratch.”

   I laughed and pulled my shirt over my head. Leave it to Bea to want all the bloody details. The woman really was ferocious.

   A while later, we were both panting and bleeding, but the cuts would heal soon, and we’d had a great practice. Bea and I had reenacted as much of my fight with Tom as I could remember, and she’d laughed so hard I didn’t think she’d ever stop.

   “He really didn’t even get close, did he?” she’d chuckled, her big wolfy body rolling around the grass.

   Honestly, this was a side to Beatrice I’d been seeing a lot more of lately. She wasn’t always the strict, no-nonsense ice queen. She could also be warm and caring, and sometimes, really silly.

   “And then he called you a bitch in front of Abey?” She’d laughed harder. “What an idiot.”

   I’d stood there watching her laugh herself out as I tried to reconcile the Beatrice I’d first met with the one on the ground, laughing so hard she couldn’t get up. What a difference a couple months make.

   When she’d gotten herself under control, we’d had a solid session where we both got in a lot of great hits and both had the aches and pains to prove it.

   “That felt amazing,” Bea panted in my head. “But maybe we shouldn’t have gone for so long, ‘cause they’re already setting up for the cookout.”

   I turned around to see pack members arranging the picnic tables and filling the fire pit with kindling.

   “Yeah. We should probably get back inside and showered and stuff.”

   However, now that there were so many people out there, I really didn’t want to shift back. I thought I’d gotten better about the nudity thing, but that was only when no one was around to see me. With that many people so close, there was no way I was going to get naked.

   Bea laughed in my head. “Don’t want to shift back now, do you?”

   There was a time when I’d have lied
to her. Told her I had no problem just so she wouldn’t be able to get any kind of upper hand. But now I knew Beatrice better and knew she wouldn’t use this against me.

   “Not really,” I admitted.

   She nodded her big wolf head. “Why don’t you shift past the tree line and I’ll bring you your clothes?”

   “What about you?”

   She snorted in my head. “They’ve all seen me naked enough times to not care anymore. Hell, any one of these pack members could probably draw you a picture of every one of my birthmarks.”

   “Um. I’ll pass.”

   Bea laughed in my head which sounded like barking out loud. “I’ll try not to be offended by that.”

   “It’s nothing personal, Bea. You just don’t really do it for me.”

   She laughed again. “Yeah, right, Montgomery. I know Abraham wasn’t your first pick of the McCoy siblings.”

   I scoffed. “And if my first pick had been you, you probably would have actually bitten my head off.”

   She chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, probably.”

   I shook my head and trotted off for the woods and what little cover it would allow me. Once I shifted back, Bea brought over my clothes and I hurried back into them. When we were dressed again, we walked back up to the lodge.

   “Thank God you’re back! What the hell took you so long?”

   Once my eyes adjusted to the dim interior of the kitchen, I found an angry Aubrey with her arms crossed over her chest and fire in her eyes.

   “Are you talking to me?” I asked.

   She rolled her eyes. “Of course I’m talking to you, you idiot. I don’t know where the hell your stupid cat went, and I don’t have time to hunt him down.”

   Before I could respond, Beatrice took a big step forward and narrowed her eyes. “You don’t talk to your alpha like that.”

   I froze in shock.

   Beatrice had never called me the alpha before. Not once had she ever mentioned the fact that I’d be her new boss someday. Yet, there she was, defending me as if I already was. It made me want to hug her again.

   Aubrey scoffed. “You too? What is it with all you McCoys and this stupid human? Why are you all so wrapped around her little finger?”

   Bea took another step forward and Aubrey’s throat bobbed. “She isn’t a stupid human. She’s a werewolf, just like you. Except she’s your and everyone else’s boss. I suggest you learn to respect her or find yourself a new pack.”

   Aubrey’s eyes widened as she pointed a finger at Beatrice. “See! You’re just like Abraham. Chucking out anyone who doesn’t like friggen Elizabeth. It’s ridiculous! You can’t choose some brand-new wolf over your pack!”

   “She is pack, Aubrey, and whether or not you like it, she’s going to be your new alpha. It would be in your best interest to keep your opinions to yourself.”

   “This is absurd.”

   “And it would also be a good idea to not insult her in front of me again. I’m not as disciplined as Elizabeth or Abraham, and I might rip your fucking throat out for disrespecting your alpha.”

   Aubrey’s eyes widened again and I’m sure there was a similar look on my face.

   What the hell just happened?

   I knew Beatrice was fiercely protective, but that had never extended to me before. At some point I was unaware of, I’d become someone Beatrice respected enough to defend. It seemed like not only was I on her good side now, I was also under her protection.

  Not that I really needed it.

   I took a step toward the two angry werewolves and spoke up. “It’s not a big deal, Aubrey. I’m sure he’s around here somewhere. Thanks for keeping an eye on him, but I’ll take it from here.”

   Her eyes flickered from Beatrice to me and she sneered. “Whatever. Just don’t ask me to watch the stupid thing again.” With that, she spun around and stormed out of the kitchen.

   We watched her go in silence until we heard a door open and slam shut. Finally, I turned to Beatrice. “You know you didn’t have to do that.”

   She shrugged. “Yeah, but I wanted to. She was pissing me off.”

   I shook my head. “Yeah, she’s really starting to piss me off too.”

   “Don’t take any shit from her.”

   I turned to look at Bea. “I don’t normally.”

   She tilted her head to the side. “So, you weren’t going to let her get away with calling you an idiot?”

   I looked away when it became too hard to hold her stare. “I was going to do something about it.”

   Bea sighed and grabbed my arm. “Aubrey is a pusher. She’s the kind of person who will keep pushing and pushing until she hits a wall. Shove that wall in her face sooner rather than later and you won’t have any more problems with her.”

   I reached up to run a hand through my wild hair. “I guess I was going for the nice-cop routine. I hoped that if she saw I wasn’t someone she had to hate that she’d eventually come around.”

   Bea shook her head. “You could hand her a million dollars in cash, and she’d find a way to bash you. Trust me, you need to push back with her, or you’ll get nowhere.”

   I let Beatrice’s words flow through me and solidify my resolve. I needed to stop letting Aubrey get away with talking to me like she had been.

   I guess my problem was I wasn’t technically the alpha yet. Sure, I was taking on some of the duties, but it wasn’t official. Until it was, I had a feeling I’d feel more like an imposter than anything else. If I didn’t respect my position in the pack, how could I expect anyone else to?

   That meant I either needed to go ahead with the mating ceremony sooner than I’d planned and become the official alpha, or just forge ahead with my pseudo-title and hope I could earn the pack’s respect.

   Honestly, neither option sounded appealing, and that left me back at square one.

  Chapter 22

   “Charlie!” I called as I wandered the halls of the lodge. “Come on, bubba. Where are you?”

   I’d been searching for my cat for the past twenty minutes and I was starting to get worried.

   What if something happened? What if one of the other werewolves did something to him?

   Huxley had asked if I’d been worried someone would eat him and I’d thought he’d been joking, but what did I know? I’d only been a werewolf a couple months. Maybe eating cats was a legitimate thing they did.

   No. Abraham would have warned me before I brought Charlie out here. I was letting my imagination run wild, and it wasn’t helping anything.

   I stopped in the middle of the hall and took a deep breath. That reminded me of Nana’s story about the quintuplets’ mom and the day she thought she lost them all. She’d finally calmed down enough to use her nose, and it led her straight to them.

   I needed to do the same.

   I inhaled again and knew Charlie hadn’t been down this way. Retracing my steps, I made it back to the kitchen where his scent was the strongest. I followed it around the large room and out into the hallway. His scent was strong there, but had that been from earlier when he’d come down or more recently?

   I ran up the stairs, Charlie’s scent getting stronger the higher I climbed. Finally, I turned down our hall and found my little black and brown tabby sitting outside our bedroom door.

   “Charlie,” I said, exasperation lining my words. “You scared me, buddy.”

   I scooped him into my arms and carried him into the bedroom. As soon as he saw his cat castle, he squirmed until I let him down. When he was free, he bolted for his hidey hole and ducked inside.

   Apparently, being out of this room had been a little too much for him. Or maybe it was because I left him alone. Either way, I should have brought him a place to hide down there. That had been stupid of me and I’d upset my poor cat in the meantime.

   I shook my head and headed for the shower. Next time, I’d prepare better for when Char
lie spent time out of the room. I wasn’t giving up on integrating him into the house yet. I just needed to modify my approach.

   When I was done in the shower and dressed for the cookout, I wandered over to Abraham’s office and knocked. He called for me to come in, and I entered to find him hunched over the desk, frowning at his computer.

   His eyes darted to me and a smile stretched across his handsome face. It made my heart thump extra hard for a few moments.

   “Hey, baby.”

   Heat rose in my cheeks. I didn’t know how he still had the power to make me blush, but he did. “Hey. You almost done?”

   He sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. I walked around the desk and took a seat on the edge next to his open laptop. His big hands instantly found my bare legs, and he squeezed.

   “Yeah, I’m just about done.”

   I reached out to smooth the frown lines between his eyebrows. “What’s wrong?”

   He sighed again and turned his head to kiss my hand. “I’m worried about Conrad.”

   “Your uncle?”

   He nodded.

   “Why would you be worried about him?”

   He studied me for a moment before speaking. “I’m afraid he might retaliate for what happened with Calvin.”

   “But that wasn’t your fault!”

   He shrugged. “But that’s still his son.”

   I shook my head, but kept my mouth shut. Sure, Calvin was his son, but only when it was convenient.

   From what Abraham told me, Conrad was an awful father who was never happy with anything his sons did. When Abraham and his sisters took off to form a new pack, Conrad’s sons, Calvin and Clyde, joined them. Predictably, that sent Conrad into a fit and he’d disowned his own children.

   Somewhere along the line, Calvin had reconciled with his father. We didn’t know when that happened, only that Conrad had to have known something about what Calvin had been doing. It was on Conrad’s pack lands that Calvin kept those women before killing them. There was no way Conrad didn’t know what his son had been up to.