by K. N. Banet
“Yeah, I know.” I tried to give her a sympathetic look as I put two bowls down on the table. “Is anyone teasing you?”
“You can’t tell Dad,” she said pointedly.
“I don’t tell your dad anything.”
“Then, yeah, there are a couple of boys who tease me. Never enough to tell the teacher. A few of the girls move away from me when I try to sit with them. It’s not a big deal. My old school was like this too, and it’s okay. I still see my tutors on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and those kids aren’t as smart as me.”
“If it becomes more than teasing, you’ll tell me or your dad,” I ordered.
“I know,” she huffed. “You know, he was annoyed with you yesterday.”
“You know, I think I got that impression,” I said, thinking back. “What’s his problem?”
“You don’t tell him anything. Dad is used to people telling him everything, and he doesn’t like that you don’t. He knows it’s because you’re a werecat, but he’s a control freak. He likes to know everything, and now he doesn’t. He says you keep secrets.”
“I do. More from him than you, actually.” I sat down and cracked open the cake mix that was the base of the cookies. It was a recipe I had found online when I was human and loved so much, I tried it with every cake mix I could find. I didn’t bake often, but this was my go-to baking project. “He didn’t like how you didn’t make him pay for me at the bowling alley.”
“Oh, because I know Alphas pay for their wolves when they do things together. It’s an Alpha’s way of saying he’ll take care of you. But you don’t want anyone to take care of you, and…I know if he acts too much like an Alpha, you’ll want him to leave. Then I have to leave too, and that would be awful.”
“You’re perceptive. Maybe you should tell him everything I’ve told you about werecats. It might help him.” I raised an eyebrow. “Why haven’t you?”
She gave me a sly smile. “I like finally knowing more than him.”
I laughed, shaking my head with dismay for her poor father. “I think he might like to hear things I’m telling you. It’ll help him.”
“We’ve been doing this for months, and he’s only getting…weirder,” she said, her face screwing up in confusion. “Like, every week he’s asking more questions and getting nosier. I don’t get it.”
“Let me talk to him. It’s not like I’m going to make you a werecat or anything.”
“No, you just like having someone safe around,” she whispered, giving me a look.
I had explained to her she was always welcome and why months before. We fulfilled each other’s needs in that way. She wanted a woman to talk to, that was obvious. One who knew everything, both girl problems and supernatural problems. It helped that she felt safe with me. And I needed someone I could safely share with, who didn’t threaten me or feel threatened by me. We were symbiotic, Carey and me. It wouldn’t last forever, but I started treasuring the Mondays we shared after only a few short weeks, something that only began to ease her nightmares. The feeling I would burn down the world to make her smile never faded. It was always there, ready for something to spark it.
“So, cookies,” I declared, showing her everything I set out. “This recipe is so easy, you’re going to die. Promise.”
“Are we just doing strawberry?” she asked. “Can we put chips in it?”
“We are going to do plain strawberry, and I was thinking…” I had a surprise up my sleeve. I grabbed another box and a bag of chocolate chips. “Yellow cake, whatever flavor that is, with chocolate chips. Like how yellow cake almost always has chocolate icing.”
“I love yellow cake!” She made one of those high-pitched girl noises, grinning. “And then we’re going to play something while they bake.”
“And after, I’m going to order us food. If I’m going to bake, I’m not going to cook.”
“That’s cool.” She was still beaming as I sat back down.
Together, we poured, mixed, and stirred. I grabbed two cookie sheets and taught her how to roll the right size balls for good cookies as the oven preheated. Once it dinged, we had two full trays of cookies and extra dough for another batch. Once the cookies were in the oven, we played solitaire together, me teaching her the rules. I had already taught her spider and hearts but figured poker of any sort was off the table for at least a couple of years. Solitaire was easy and would give her something she could do when she was bored.
“You can always download it onto your phone,” I reminded her. “You would learn faster.”
“I like learning from you.”
I wanted to melt. I liked teaching her.
When the first batch of cookies was done, I pulled them out and placed them on racks to cool and put the second batch in. Carey wandered off to my bathroom. Leaning on the counter, I began to think about how awful it would be to kick Heath, Landon, and Carey out of my territory. It would hurt not to see her so often, and I couldn’t imagine how she would feel if she suddenly had to move because I didn’t want them around.
I can’t do it. Not to her. There had to be another way to make everyone out there calm the fuck down. There had to be a way to appease the insular natures of the werecats without throwing her out just to get rid of Heath and Landon. I could always tell them they just needed to move out of my territory, but would Heath trust me with her after that? It would be a major inconvenience and could give him the impression they weren’t safe around me.
And they are. They are safe with me.
Carey walked back in, but I busied myself with checking my phone, seeing if anyone had texted me. By now, Jabari would be in Washington, maybe talking to other werecats in the region about the two who were killed. I didn’t know if there were bodies found or not, or how everyone even knew they were dead. There was no news, though. Hopefully, Hasan would keep in touch, and Lani would call me back.
The alarm for the oven made me jump. I quickly turned it off and removed the cookies before anything was burned.
“Are you okay?” Carey asked softly.
“I am,” I lied, smiling easily at her. I wasn’t. I wasn’t normally so jumpy or distracted, not with people around—never with people around. This was the second time in front of her I’d lost track of my surroundings. Including Saturday with Heath made it three times. Three times in three days. Unusual, to say the least, but the recent news had me distracted. I grabbed a plate and two glasses. Carey couldn’t walk over to me fast enough as I swiftly poured the milk, moving too quickly, and over poured. She grabbed the glass before I knocked it off the counter as I cussed darkly.
“What’s wrong, Jacky?” Her words sounded woeful and sad.
“Nothing. There’s just a lot on my mind, and I was rushing to get you milk and…” I shook my head. “Go sit and I’ll—”
“I got it!” She smiled and ran to grab the paper towels. I snatched them from her and pointed to the table. I was too edgy now, especially since she was noticing something was off. I cleaned up as she sat back down. I put her milk and the cookies in front of her, grabbing my glass last.
“Why don’t I just turn on a movie tonight?” I suggested, smiling weakly.
“Okay.”
Turning on the most recent superhero movie, we watched from the table, eating cookies. I ordered Chinese food absentmindedly as the movie played, and it got there fast. I made two plates of Mongolian beef and fried rice, making sure I fed her before shoveling the rest onto my own plate. I could easily eat it all, but I always made sure Carey had enough food. There were even a couple of days when she had told me to stop giving her food. When the first movie was over, I turned on another. It was a good distraction for her, something to keep her eyes off me while my mind continued to wander.
The other werecats could force me to give up Carey. My palms grew sweaty. If they hated that wolves lived in my territory, they could force the issue. They had to see it wasn’t so bad, they could work with their wolves.
Unless their wolves wanted to kill them because
they were possible threats.
What if Carey was in danger? Or Heath and Landon? What if a werecat decided to try to claim my territory to teach me a lesson?
The very idea paralyzed me for much of the second film. When it was over, Carey jumped up and took our empty glasses to the sink.
“Jacky…” She touched my shoulder when she got back. “It’s nine thirty.” She yawned, and I groaned.
“Sorry. Let’s get you home. I wasn’t the best company tonight.”
“It’s okay. We all have bad days.” She didn’t seem sad, but I felt guilty. “You’ll be better next Monday.”
“Yup.” I smiled and herded her out of my apartment and back down to my car. She texted her dad with my cellphone as we got into the car. What amazed me was he didn’t call, not that he ever had before. Normally, when I was a little late getting her back, we told him, and he just said it was fine.
“He’s not mad,” Carey finally announced next to me. “He says he got caught up with work. Who’s Jabari?”
“My brother,” I answered quickly then clamped my jaw. “Don’t…”
“Tell anyone? Okay. I don’t like people meeting Richard and Landon either. They just…scare people off. Big brothers, right?”
“Right,” I agreed. “He’s a very private man, and if Heath learns about him, you know your dad is going to look up everything he can.”
“Oh yeah, he is that nosy.”
I let the conversation die out until we were in front of her house. “Be good for your dad. Tell him I’m sorry for being back late with you.”
“He’ll understand.” Carey yawned as she slid out of my hatchback. “Good night, Jacky.”
“Good night, Carey.”
I watched her walk inside, her dad meeting her at the door. He tilted his head at me, leveling me with a confused stare. I wasn’t normally late. I just drove off, hoping he would forget about it.
6
Chapter Six
I spent the week constantly checking my phone. Hasan was true to his word for the first few days, but Friday came and went without a call or text from him. It was already late Saturday and still no word.
Really? Did he forget about me already?
“So, Jacky—”
“Not tonight, Joey,” I snapped, putting my phone down, cranky there was still no contact. I’m going to call him tonight, and he better pick up. He promised to keep me in the loop. If anything happened to Jabari, I deserve to know.
“Whoa. Okay…” I heard him back away from the bar. Before he got too far away, I slammed his fresh drink on the countertop and stepped away so he could get it without being snapped at by me. I continued to pour drinks and line them up, ready for my regulars to come get them. Without Joey bothering me, there was no one speaking to me at all. The news was playing softly on the TV in the back corner, and country music was a bit louder, but I naturally tuned it out. I could feel Heath’s approach, like every Saturday. Again, he was coming without Landon.
I hadn’t talked to anyone from the small werewolf family since Monday. I was plagued by the idea I was doing something wrong or would get them into trouble—improbable, fear-driven thoughts, but once I had started to think them, I couldn’t stop.
So, I tended my bar and avoided them all week—two missed calls from Carey, three texts from her, and one call from Heath.
Now, the wolf was coming to the bar.
I shined a glass impatiently as I felt him draw close and enter the parking lot. I got annoyed as it felt like an eternity for him to get out of his car and walk into Kick Shot. I made his drink and set it in his favorite spot as he came inside. Grabbing it, he moved further down the bar toward the back, near the emergency exit and the back staircase. He didn’t say a word to me, but the hardness of his eyes told me I was in trouble.
I followed him, and he bared his teeth.
“We’re talking after you close,” he said with a snap.
“Fine,” I snapped back, continuing with my job, turning my back to him.
For most of the night, I flat out ignored him, checking my phone when I had time. Nothing happened until nearly midnight when Joey, drunk as he normally was on a Saturday night, walked up and looked between us.
“Aww, trouble in paradise between the Alpha and the bartender? What happened, J—”
“Shut the fuck up, Joey,” I growled, unable to hold back the very real animal sound that came with it. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Heath stand up quickly. If the stool wasn’t bolted into the floor, it would have fallen over. “He’s not my Alpha, and my personal business isn’t yours. Go fucking play pool or go home. If you want a drink, let me know. Other than that, get away from me.”
It was the harshest I had ever been with any of my customers. People looked over at me with wide eyes, staring until they realized I knew they were.
All was quiet for the rest of the night. The people who normally told me goodbye, didn’t, instead scurrying away like misbehaving children, hoping not to catch their teacher’s eye. I held the door open for them, locking it once the last of them was gone, glad to be done with another week. It wasn’t completely over, not yet, but it was close. I just had to deal with the wolf behind me.
“Heath,” I greeted, turning on him. “What do you want to know?”
“Where have you been all week? Carey said something was wrong on Monday, then you avoided her all week. I promised to find out tonight.”
It sounded simple, but it wasn’t. He was eyeing me as if he was sizing up a possible threat, something he hadn’t done in a long time. He couldn’t beat me and knowing that kept the more predatory behavior at bay between us.
“I…” With a sigh, I realized I needed to tell him. For Carey’s sake, he deserved to know what was going on. “Two werecats were killed up in the Pacific Northwest. It’s made me edgy.”
“I didn’t hear about that. Do you have any idea who killed them or why?” His temper deflated, but only a little.
“No. Someone is checking it out, but I haven’t heard an update in a few days. It’s just had me distracted. That’s all.” I tried to wave it off, not wanting to realize just how badly it distracted me.
“You’re not allowed to be distracted around Carey,” he growled softly. “You’re a dangerous predator, a monster, even stronger than Landon and me. You have to be ready for anything when you’re with her, including your own urges. If you’re spacing out, I don’t trust her near you.”
“That’s ridiculous, and you know it. I’m never going to be a danger to Carey.” I growled back, the rumble building in my chest as his accusation I was somehow a threat settled between us like a thrown gauntlet.
“Then why, even distracted, have you avoided her all week? And I’ve heard—‘Dad, Jacky didn’t respond to my text yesterday,’ or ‘Dad, Jacky hasn’t been answering my calls, and I really want to talk to her about something,’ and ‘Dad, did we do something to Jacky?’” He slid off the bar stool and crossed his arms. “So, did we do something? Or are you finally tired of dealing with a pre-teen?”
“Carey is the only person in this damn state that I like right now,” I snarled viciously. I shook my head, biting my bottom lip hard as I considered what to say to him. “I’m in trouble with other werecats. I’ve lived on the outside of werecat and supernatural society for so long, I naturally avoid it and don’t engage. I should have died, guilty as charged at the Tribunal—”
“Don’t ever say those words again,” Heath roared, kicking the barstool next to him hard enough that he ripped it out of the floor. “My family and my pack worked our damn hardest to get you out of that. You deserved to be a fucking hero for stepping up and helping us protect and save Carey.”
“Thank you for that, but every werecat in the world would have rather I died instead of shaken up the status quo!” I flung my hand toward the outside world. “All except…” I wasn’t ready to tell him that. “Hasan is the leader of our community, and if it weren’t for him, I would have died, and th
ere wouldn’t be any werecats grieving over me. You know what they’re doing, though? They’re getting pissed werewolves are bothering them. We love our privacy. We don’t want to be tossed into problems and used as a meat shield for people we don’t know. It’s all we have, but that doesn’t mean we want it. Four werecats have been called to Duty in the last six months, Heath. Four! And it’s my fault!” I was yelling by the end. “They’re furious I let you live here with Landon just so I could see Carey. And it probably hasn’t escaped them that I swore an oath to protect Carey while you’re here! That’s un-fucking-heard of!”
“Who told you they all wanted you to die?” he asked softly, my words obviously making an impact.
“Lani,” I said, my voice breaking for a second. “My only friend for six years thought she was going to defend me like a good friend should, but I was going to die…and that would be that. Weird werecat without a family would be out of the equation, everything would be normal, and werecats would keep their private, nearly-forgotten lives.” I’d tried not to think about it all week, but telling someone else, my vision blurred as I blinked back tears. “Then I got thinking if they were all so damn mad at me…what if they came here? What if an older werecat challenged me for my territory, and I lost? You would be at their whim unless you ran, and Carey doesn’t deserve to be running for her life again…”
“What does this have to do with the two dead werecats?” He kept his voice just as soft as it was before my rambling spiel.
“They might be my fault,” I answered, swallowing the lump of guilt in my throat. “What if those two werecats weren’t considered possible allies by their neighbors? What if they only thought they were threats? Heath…I could have started another war, and I don’t know yet if I have or not.”
“We could have started a war,” he whispered.
“No—”
“Yes.” He nodded slowly, enforcing his idea that somehow it was both of us. “You would have never been involved with Carey or my pack if I had been a better Alpha. Even then, I should have sent you away from Dallas, but I didn’t. I let you make the decision, knowing full well where it could get you. If I had been considering the politics and not just my daughter’s life or my own pack, I maybe could have seen how this could go wrong.”
