by Bianca D’Arc
Ari only laughed. His twin was grinning too. Idiots.
“What you need, boy-o, is a strategy,” Ari said when he finally stopped guffawing. Hank’s inner cat stilled. It liked strategy games. And, Hank had been thinking that he needed to come up with a plan, he’d just drawn a blank so far.
“You know,” Pax put in from his seat on the couch, “I think her father might help. He seemed very interested in holding you accountable, but he also looked like a man who wanted to see his daughter happy.”
“You gonna make her happy?” Ari asked slyly.
“Of course,” Hank replied without demur. His number one goal in life now, was to make his mate and child happy and keep them both safe.
“Then her dad ought to help,” Pax concluded. “From everything we’ve seen, he’s a good Alpha, with tight control over his Pack.”
“You should call him tomorrow morning,” Ari said, nodding to himself as if the matter was already settled.
Hank wouldn’t be so easily led, but he had to acknowledge—at least to himself—that the twins might have something there. He stood and headed for his bedroom.
“I’ll think about it,” was all he said before opening his door.
He heard derisive chuckles behind him as he went in and closed the door to his bedroom behind himself. Let them laugh. If it turned out for the best, he’d thank them in the end for their advice. If it didn’t, he’d hold it against them for the rest of their lives.
The next morning, the twins were already gone when Hank woke up at seven a.m. He didn’t worry too much about it. They could take care of themselves, and they’d shown discretion last night by not wiping the floor with the juvenile wolves who’d attacked them. The more he was around the two jaguars, the more he respected them.
Not only were they skilled operators—something Hank had known from working with them previously in the military—but they were thinking men who didn’t abuse their power. He’d seen them at home with their small Clan in Arizona, and they were tolerant of the children and affectionate toward their family members. They weren’t just soldiers, in his mind, anymore. They were complex beings he felt he could be friends with, if the situation allowed it.
It all sort of depended on what happened when they got to the island. If they rejected Mark’s offer politely, then the possibility of friendship was still open. If, however, there was some kind of blow up, then Hank’s loyalty had to be with Mark and the larger Clan. The best case scenario, of course, was if the twins decided to entertain Mark’s offer and begin the process of affiliating the Arizona Clan to the larger Jaguar Clan. If they could be brought in under Mark’s overall leadership, then not only could the friendship develop further—if that’s what was going to happen—but they would be allies and Clan mates.
Hank hoped for that outcome. Not only because he found himself liking the twins more and more, but because he’d liked the Arizona Clan. They might be small, but they were as warm and steadfast as any jaguar Clan that had survived this long. They were good people, struggling in a world that wasn’t entirely welcoming to their species. Hank knew all about that struggle and hoped the Arizona Clan would join the larger Clan. They’d be stronger for it and would have all of the resources Mark had built at their disposal. They’d be safer.
Hank wanted that for them. And he wanted to add the skills of Pax and Ari Rojas to the bigger Clan’s skill set. Those twin Master Chiefs would make strong allies and even better friends. Hank hoped that was the future in store for them all, but only the Goddess knew for sure.
After a quick shower, Hank put on his last clean shirt. He’d have to either do laundry or go shopping if he wanted to continue making a good impression. Dirty shirts weren’t going to cut it on this particular mission. He’d have to look into his clothing crisis later, though. First, there was an Alpha to get on board with his plan.
Hank called Tracy’s dad on his cell, hoping the Alpha werewolf was in a good mood. Joe Villalobos answered with a snarl in his voice, so no, the man wasn’t pleased to hear from him, but Hank forged ahead anyway, asking for a face-to-face meeting. Hank had decided while he was in the shower that this sort of thing had to be done in person. He was basically laying siege to the man’s daughter and wanted to convince him to help. That wasn’t the sort of thing you could ask for over the phone.
Joe surprised Hank by inviting him to join him for breakfast. Joe named the diner in town and said he’d be there in fifteen minutes. The place was within easy walking distance, so Hank left the hotel room and headed for the diner, taking his time so as to arrive only a little before the werewolf Alpha.
Hank didn’t want to keep Joe waiting. It was a sign of respect and just good manners. Hank had to be ultra careful with Joe during this period, because it was within the Alpha’s rights to ask him to leave town. To fly away and never come back. Hank would just about die if that happened, and Joe knew it. Therefore, Hank didn’t want to give the man any excuse to ban him from Big Wolf, Texas, now or in the future.
When Joe drove up in a battered pickup truck, Hank met him with a respectful nod of greeting. Joe climbed out of the truck and faced Hank, hands on hips, challenging.
“If this is about the run-in the gigantic twins had last night with a group of silly pups—”
Hank shook his head, holding up one hand, palm outward while he grinned. “I heard about that, Alpha. No hard feelings. As long as the pups are okay.”
Joe Villalobos just shook his head. “They’re fine. Stupid kids.” He muttered a few other things that Hank chose not to hear, regarding the idiocy of youth, then led the way toward the door of the diner. “I’m glad your two behemoths held back. Somehow, those boys got the idea I would be glad if they attacked two guests in our town. It wasn’t sanctioned.”
“We all figured as much,” Hank replied quietly as he held the door open for the Alpha.
Joe grunted and nodded, acknowledging Hank’s words. He took a seat in a far booth where they’d have a good view of the doorway before he spoke again. Hank sat opposite him.
“So, what’s this all about? Why did you want to see me?” Joe asked.
Moment of truth time. Hank took a deep breath.
“It’s like this, Alpha. I’m in love with your daughter.” Damn. He’d actually said it out loud. “I have been for the past couple of years, but I was too stupid, stubborn…you-name-it…to allow myself to recognize it. I couldn’t quite accept that my mate wasn’t a cat of some kind, so I guess I buried my head in the sand and refused to acknowledge the truth when it was staring me right in the face.”
Joe just looked at him for a moment, then nodded. “You had a case of the stupids? There’s a lot of that going around lately. Starting with those kids last night and ending right here at this table. What exactly do you think I can do about your little problem? Which, by the way, isn’t so little. My daughter is stubborn as hell, and she isn’t going to easily accept that you only just figured this out.” He leaned in, staring Hank down. “You hurt her, son. Her feelings are bruised. And I have to warn you—she’s not going to trust you easily again.”
Hank didn’t look away from the Alpha’s gaze, which was meant to intimidate a lesser shifter. But Hank had a little secret. He was an Alpha male too. If the Jaguar Clan was stronger and his people more numerous, he’d probably have a Clan of his own to rule over, but the history of the jaguar people had created an odd situation where they all had to pull together under an Alpha-Beta hierarchy just to help their species survive into another generation.
“With all due respect, sir, she hurt me as well. She should’ve called when she found out she was expecting.” Hank was careful to keep his tone cool. Objective. Matter-of-fact. He saw the moment the werewolf Alpha realized Hank had a point. The man eased back in his chair and looked at Hank for a long moment before replying.
Joe shook his head. “Yeah, I told her that. More than once.” The waitress came over then, and took their orders. Hank waited until she was gone before speaking
again.
“I missed seeing my child as a baby. I missed her first steps. Her first words. I can never get any of that back, but I can make sure I don’t miss anything in her future,” Hank said, keeping his tone reasonable. “I can see I need to prove myself to Tracy first. I’ve seen how closed off she is emotionally. How protective she is of our child. I get it, and I respect it, as far as it goes, but I need to break through. Somehow.”
Joe sighed. “You’ve certainly got your work cut out for you.”
“Which is why I’m here. I’d like to get your permission to court your daughter. I know it’s all ass-backwards, but I figured I should start over at the beginning.” Hank gave Joe what he hoped was a disarming smile, but he could see Tracy’s father wasn’t completely fooled by the attempt at charm.
“Flowers and candy aren’t going to cut it with a strong female like Tracy,” her father warned Hank.
“I didn’t expect they would,” Hank agreed. “If you have any advice, I’d be happy to hear it.”
CHAPTER TEN
“You’re serious about her being your mate?” Joe wanted to know. “That’s not just a convenient label to put on the mother of your child?”
Hank shook his head. “Emma is great, but I came back here originally—before I even knew about Emma—because I could never get Tracy out of my mind.”
“Took you long enough,” Joe grumbled, his wolf growling a bit through his words.
“It did, and for that, I will probably never forgive myself. My only excuse is that I was doing what I thought was right for her, for myself, and for my Clan. I really have been on constant duty for the last two-plus years. My Clan has been in need of my skills, and I wasn’t going to say no when duty called. But, always in the back of my mind, was this place…and Tracy.”
“How many women have you slept with since leaving her?” Joe asked bluntly.
Hank squirmed. It was one thing to admit this to Tracy, in private. It was quite another to discuss his lack of a love life in the harsh light of day, in the middle of a diner full of nosey werewolves who could probably hear most, if not all, of their conversation.
But…this was for Tracy. Pride had to take a backseat to the need to claim his mate. Hank might feel—and look—like a fool, but at least he’d be an honest fool. And, maybe, everybody would figure out just why he was so grumpy.
Hank took a deep breath then stated the flat truth as quietly as he could manage. “Not a one. And yes, I know that should’ve been my first clue that I’d left my mate behind here in Texas, but like I said…stupid. It took coming back here and seeing her again, to realize how completely idiotic I’ve been.”
Joe’s gaze measured him. A lesser man would have flinched or squirmed under the intensity of the Alpha’s stare, but Hank sat calmly. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, but he wouldn’t be cowed by simple dominance games like a stare-down. At length, the Alpha wolf spoke.
“Not a one, eh?” A smile broke over Joe’s face as he shook his head slightly. He looked impressed, if Hank was any judge of the other man’s expression.
Thankfully, the food arrived at that moment, and the conversation halted while plates were sorted out and utensils readied. Joe began to eat, and Hank followed suit.
“In theory, I know that cross-species matings do happen from time to time,” Joe said quietly, after a few minutes spent eating steadily. His tone was reflective. “Can’t say we’ve had much of that here, though, so it’s bound to take some getting used to.”
“That was part of my problem, too. All my life, I thought…if I was ever lucky enough to find a true mate…she’d be a jaguar. Or, at least, some sort of big cat. I never even considered…”
Joe put down his coffee cup and looked at Hank, as if assessing his value, then looked down and shook his head just once, before speaking again. “I’m not sure what to think about all this, but if my daughter is your mate—and little Emma seems to be the proof of that—then…I won’t stand in your way.” Joe sighed deeply before continuing. “I’ll be honest and say my inner wolf isn’t crazy about the idea of a cat for a son-in-law, but if the Mother of All has other ideas, then who am I to say nay?”
Hank didn’t quite breathe a sigh of relief, but he definitely felt some of his tension ease. With the Alpha of the Pack on his side—or at least, not against him—he would have one less thing to worry about.
“Thank you, Alpha,” Hank replied, with all due respect. Tracy’s dad was the man in charge around here. Maybe he didn’t have quite as much money or international clout as Mark Pepard, but he was still a force to be reckoned with in his own territory. Hank would not forget that.
Hank decided to be as honest as he could be with Joe, since the Alpha seemed to have thought through this situation. Hank told Joe about Mark’s invitation for Tracy and Emma to travel with Hank to Jaguar Island.
“Tracy and Emma are still members of this Pack,” Joe stated, seeming concerned.
“I’m glad to hear you say that, even considering that Emma carries a jaguar spirit,” Hank said patiently, trying to explain as best he could to this man who held such power in this area. “Tracy and Emma both have a right to know more about my people. Mark doesn’t let just anyone onto our island, but Emma and Tracy will always have clearance to go there. They are part of the Jaguar Clan, now, too. Whether they choose to use that connection is strictly up to them, but it remains. Emma is welcome on the merits of the animal spirit she carries, and Tracy is welcome based on her connection to Emma…and me.”
“I see.” Joe looked pensive and a little less angry than he had when Hank had first mentioned the idea of taking the girls away to visit the island.
“I hope to convince Tracy to make a quick trip. Just a visit, really. I just want her to see the place and let my Alpha meet Emma and recognize her formally. I want to build those connections, so Tracy knows she can always rely on them.” He didn’t say it, but Hank knew Joe was smart enough to realize Hank wanted to make sure Tracy and Emma would know who to go to in the Jaguar Clan in case something should ever happen to Hank.
Life was uncertain. Shifters knew that hard lesson better than most. Although Hank didn’t plan on dying anytime soon, his fate—as always—was in the hands of the Mother of All. If something happened, Hank wanted to be sure Tracy knew she had alternatives to the Pack of her youth. He wanted to be certain Emma would have the chance to be a jaguar. To learn from other jaguars and grow up with jaguar friends. That was something that was only available on Jaguar Island, now that Mark was gathering all the jaguars together.
Joe sat back and gave Hank a measuring look. “I can see where that’s important to Emma’s future, in particular, and I like that you’re thinking of my daughter’s and granddaughter’s safety. They are, and always will be, part of Big Wolf Pack, but even I can see the advantages of affiliation with an Alpha of Pepard’s stature.” Joe seemed to relax a fraction. “I’ll support your efforts to get her to visit, but I’m not prepared to have either Tracy or Emma stay on that island permanently. I want your assurance that, if they go, they have the freedom to leave any time they want.”
“You have my promise, of course,” Hank was quick to reply. “I would never keep either of them against their will. I’ll fly them out myself anytime Tracy wants. It’s all up to her. But I’ll go one further for you. I’ll have Mark give you a call—Alpha to Alpha—so you can be reassured of their safety and freedom to come and go.”
“You’re on a first name basis with Pepard? He’ll do that kind of favor for you?” Joe asked, seeming a bit skeptical.
Hank nodded slowly. “Mark and I go way back. I’m a troubleshooter for the Clan, and I have the Alpha’s confidence, his permission to negotiate on behalf of the Clan in certain matters, and his friendship. I’ll set up the call.”
Joe seemed to think about that for a moment, then nodded. “Have him call me before you leave, if Tracy agrees to go with you. Otherwise, I’m prepared to trust your word…for now.”
They s
pent the next few minutes discussing strategy, and Joe proved to be a good accomplice.
Tracy wasn’t sure why she invited Hank to dinner again, later that day. He came into the restaurant for lunch, and she immediately sensed his presence. When she walked into the dining area from the back, she noted the hushed way her Pack mates were watching the lone cat in the room as he ordered his food and handed the menu back to the teenager who was waitressing in his section.
Young Millie seemed flustered and barely squeaked when she spoke to the jaguar. Tracy chuckled as the girl went on her way with Hank’s order, and Tracy decided, right there, to take the bull by the horns. She very deliberately walked calmly over to his table and sat down opposite him, daring her Pack mates to take exception. None did.
She wasn’t the daughter of an Alpha for nothing. Since becoming a mom, Tracy had found her own deeply rooted power. She’d become aware of her place in the Pack—and it wasn’t low. Tracy was a powerful woman, and if she’d had political aspirations, the wolves currently in leadership positions would’ve had to be wary. As it was, she was more interested in protecting her child, and the children of the Pack. She spoke to her father and his lieutenants on issues the Pack faced with their kids. She’d become a bit of a spokesperson for the other moms in the Pack.
She hadn’t quite expected that result, but she couldn’t say she was displeased with it. As a result of her work for the moms and kids in the Pack, she’d gained respect, not only from the mothers and children, but also their mates. Her status within the Pack had risen, and Tracy felt the rightness of her role as an advocate for those who were weaker than herself. She liked helping people—especially those too little to speak for themselves, or too timid because of their submissive nature.
Tracy wasn’t at all submissive or weak—a fact Hank seemed to already comprehend, much to her satisfaction. Her inner wolf had always liked the way he treated her, not like some hothouse flower, but more as an equal. Even if the wolf didn’t quite understand his feline intellect, it respected his power. For there was no doubt that Hank had an Alpha presence.
