On the other side of the desk, I sat with Draven and Eddie. Now that Eddie’s affiliation with the shifters was out, it seemed he didn’t give a flying flip about openly advocating for us. The meeting wasn’t going so well, but we knew this much. All we needed the town officials to understand was how the packs worked and that not every shifter they encountered was a rogue trying to cause issues. Things had settled down recently at which point we thought the humans would understand that, but now the rogues seemed to have ruined any chance of redemption with the townspeople.
I watched as Draven shifted anxiously in his chair. “If this was our doing, do you think we’d be here talking to you right now.”
“Well, why are you here? What can you do for us to keep our town safe and our borders secure? Whoever is attacking us must be coming through the mountains, and we can’t get up in them mountains the way you wolves can,” Lincoln stated.
“We can talk about safety, but first I need your word and notice from the Mayor and all the other rifle-happy cronies going around declaring that they will shoot any shifter in their paths that you all will stand down.”
“Are you saying you know who’s attacking us?”
Draven looked at me and I nodded.
“Jayce and I have a pretty good idea,” Draven told Lincoln.
“And you, Eddie? You can vouch for all this?”
Eddie placed his hands on his hips. “Well, what do you think I’m standing here for? I’m about sick and tired of hearing gunshots behind my house. These people don’t deserve to be shot at. Catch the bad guys--the rapists, the murders and whatnots--, but you can’t lump them all in the same category. There are at least three different packs in the Arrow Lake region. Different packs governed by different leadership.”
“Looks like you’ve got intimate knowledge about these packs,” Lincoln noted, settling back in his chair.
“Eddie’s one of several that actually took time to understand us when knowledge of our existence first came out. Ironically, they ran him out of the force once Lakely’s Law was passed.”
“So, are you suggesting he was removed without reason?” Lincoln asked.
“We all know the truth. When the law was passed, town officials and councilmen were replaced left and right,” Draven said. “This isn’t what this is about. The rogues are back and I don’t think it’s for nothing. They want something. I’m going to find out what that is and then I’m going to run them back out of here and they’re going to stay out. We hate the civil unrest just as much as you do.”
“Indeed. We’re trying to contain the problem and keep it out of the news as much as possible. We’re a tourist town. Most of our tax revenues come from tourism. We can’t afford the bad press. Have you got a better way to contain this?”
“We’ll have to draw them out and find out exactly what it is they want and whose pushing them to violence,” Draven said.
“How will you do that?”
“We have ways...” Draven stated.
“And once you drive the rogue wolves back out of town, then what? I doubt you’re doing this without expecting anything in return?” Lincoln narrowed his gaze suspiciously.
“And you’re right, but for that, I’ll need to meet with the man who calls all the shots. We’ve been shunned from the main town for far too long,” Draven said.
Lincoln frowned. “Hmmm, what you’re suggesting will require a lot of arm twisting, law changes, and whatnot.”
Draven settled back in his chair. “Do we have a deal or not? You get me the Mayor and I’ll fix this little rogue problem.”
“I’ll send word to him. Now that we know you’re not on some one-sided bullshit plans, I’m sure he’ll want to listen,” Lincoln offered.
“And you’ll call back the wannabe vigilantes currently running around the mountainside looking for wolves to shoot down,” Draven added.
Lincoln nodded.
“You’ll also release any of our innocent people from your jails,” I said. I couldn’t forget about Roy and all the innocents they probably had held up in jail cells.
“Citizen’s arrest is in effect. Sheriff’s order as of early yesterday,” Lincoln said.
Draven and I exchanged a wary glance.
“So, if you can’t shoot ‘em down, you round ‘em up and lock ‘em up?” Draven asked.
Lincoln nodded. “And interrogate ‘em. The alleged shifters we rounded up claimed they don’t know shit and they haven’t said shit either. They shouldn’t have even been out on this side of town. That’s blatant violation of Lakely’s Law. It was only a matter of time before they were caught anyway. I have some clout with the jailer. I’ll need one of you to point out the innocents and I’ll let ‘em loose.”
“I’ll go,” I offered.
“I’m coming to the jail with you just in case anybody gives you problems,” Eddie said.
“Guys, looks like we’ve made a plan,” Draven stated, rising from his chair. “Let’s make our home safe again. For everyone. Residents. Tourists. Casual visitors.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
VIOLET
After making dinner, it was late in the evening. Jayce had called my cell to tell me that he might not get back until dark, so I made a small plate for myself to subdue my hunger until he returned and toggled through a few television channels. I curled up on the sofa and got invested in a Lifetime movie about some chick trying to break up someone else’s marriage so she could nail the guy. But after it ended, I got bored and climbed up to the second level, which turned out to be a small loft with a dome window.
There was a desk with a big leather chair facing the backyard. One of the walls was lined with leather bound books. Mostly crime fiction and some police procedurals. I thought I also saw a really old book with Jayce’s pack symbol engraved on the front. I opened it to the first page and realized that it must have been an old family heirloom or something. The sheets were filled with maps and building diagrams. There were also family trees inked inside, mostly hand-drawn. I replaced the book on the shelf and thumbed through more of the books. It didn’t take me long to realize that Jayce belonged to a pack with a lot of history, one that had made an attempt to track lineage.
Arrow Lake was Jayce’s home. His relatives and ancestors had lived here for decades. How unsettling it must have been for them to have suddenly been cast out by a vote that said that shifters weren’t allowed to step foot within the main town.
I paused when I heard the front door open. When Jayce called out to me, I ran to the top of the stairs excited to see him.
“I’m up here,” I said, smiling widely.
Jayce was fully clothed this time. Bummer. I was silently hoping I’d get another glimpse of man buns or his cock hanging heavy and low between his legs. I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth and willed the images away to keep from becoming aroused. I couldn’t keep my attraction to Jayce at bay and I didn’t want him to think that I was so sex-deprived that I needed it all the time.
He dropped some bags in the foyer, kicked off his boots, and tore off his shirt. After laying it across the chair, he looked up at me in the loft. I couldn’t help but to stare and take in all of his perfection.
I felt my nipples pebble. Dammit. My attempt to subdue my feelings wasn’t working. I couldn’t hide this magnetic pull towards him. I rubbed at the mate mark on my wrist. I had almost forgotten about the thing until now. What he’d told me turned out to be accurate. The effects of the mate mark on a person were higher when in the presence of the one carrying the matching mark. It was as if the thing were drawing us together right along with this other emotion I felt deep in my soul for Jayce.
He rushed up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time.
Before I could utter any words, he took my lips in a breathless kiss.
“Damn, I’ve been missing you,” he crooned.
I chuckled. “I missed you, too. Did everything go alright?”
“Yes, so far so good. I got some of my pack members
out of jail. My alpha and a few others are tracking some of the rogues through the mountains, trying to see what they’re up to. Mostly trying to push them out of the town.”
“Do you think that’ll work?” I asked.
Jayce frowned. “Honestly no. These are rogues. They’ll probably retaliate, and then we’ll go to plan B.”
“Which is?” I asked, cautiously.
He kissed me again. “I don’t want you to worry. You’ve been through enough.”
“Yeah…”
Jayce looked down at my hand at the book I was holding. “You’ve been reading about us?”
“I was kind of bored. I know I can’t go out right now because of what’s going on. I saw the book with the symbol and I was just curious. I hope you’re not mad.”
“No, I’m not mad at all. I don’t have anything to hide from you in particular. I just thought that stuff would put you to sleep.”
“That’s not true. Your pack has a lot of history here.”
He nodded. “Yep. We helped build Arrow Lake back when there was nothing but trees and rocks. Some of these areas weren’t even livable. We were the only one pack living here at the time, but we’ve since split off into other groups. Except for the Black Ridge rogues, we get along with the other packs. We’re not too particular about new packs coming in, but that’s a different story.”
“Of course. Wolves are territorial, right?”
“To an extent,” he said. “As a matter of fact, we’re taking turns tracking the rogues since we know they’re in the area. I’ll have to go out again tomorrow night, but I’m free all day tomorrow. I don’t want you cooped up in the cabin any longer. Let’s go out so you can enjoy it. I’ll tell you all about the packs and whatever else you want to know about us.”
“And about you?”
“Yes, about me too,” he agreed, then lifted his nose and sniffed the air. “It smells good in here.”
I smiled. “I cooked and think I outdid myself this time. I made some braised chicken, homemade mashed potatoes and gravy…”
“God, that sounds good. I haven’t eaten anything since this morning. I’m ready to chow down.”
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go downstairs and I’ll fix you a plate,” I said.
Grinning, he hoisted me up and carried me down the stairs. But when he dropped me on the table and his lips descended between my breasts, I realized that he wanted more than just dinner.
“Jayce, what are you doing?” I panted, as he pulled down the straps of my dress and sucked my nipple between his lips.
“I want dessert first,” he mumbled, kissing a trail down my tummy and hooking my thighs over his shoulders.
“Oh…” I mumbled as he pushed my panties aside.
“Like I said, I haven’t eaten all morning.” He slid his fingers between the folds of my sex and parted me. I was already wet before he pushed his finger inside my pussy. “Don’t you think I know by now when you’re in need?”
I blushed. “I keep thinking about you…I can’t stop.”
“Not to worry, I’m going to take care of that right away.”
With a devilish grin, he lowered his mouth to my sex and brought me to orgasm in record time.
During our heated session in the kitchen, we both worked up a healthy appetite.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
VIOLET
“Just a bit over to the left and…right there,” Jayce instructing, positioning his palm on top of my hand on the fishing pole as we directed the bait down into the lake.
“I would have never in a million years think I would learn to fish,” I said.
“Well, there’s a first time for everything, city girl.” He let go of the pole and placed his hands on my waist. “See? You’ve got this. Just hold steady and try not to jerk too much.”
I leaned back against him, feeling safe and secure in his presence. There were already a few fish in the cooler, which we planned to take back and throw on the grill tonight. “This is so peaceful. Do you come out here often?”
“When I wasn’t employed by the pack, I used to. Now I just come out here for food, especially when I haven’t gone to the farmer’s market in a while. I don’t always use a fishing rod though.”
I chuckled and glanced over my shoulder at him. “You just dive right in and catch these poor guys with your teeth?”
“Mostly in wolf form, but if I concentrate enough, I can snatch a fish out of the water with my bare hands.”
“Wow. Aren’t you handy?”
“I used to have a boat, but I sold it a long time ago before I became an enforcer,” he said. “With all the stuff going on, I had no time to take it out on the water or do the scheduled maintenance on it.”
“Did you choose your job role in the pack?”
“Yes, I did. My grandpa and I were close and he was an enforcer. I think maybe if I were a human that I would’ve probably ended up being a sheriff or something. The humans aren’t ready for that yet though. Another time, another place, I guess.”
I frowned. “Well, why not? You’d make an excellent one.”
“We share this town with humans. I know for a fact there are shifter led towns out there, but not this one. Maybe one day…”
“It must be nice to have the alpha be your cousin,” I noted.
Jayce chuckled. “Kind of, but not all the time. I don’t get any special privileges or anything like that. Hell, he works Treyton and me much harder than the others reporting directly to him. When Draven accepted the position, he chose men he could trust to help him. Other packs allow members to fight for leadership roles, but not the Timber Rock shifters. We’re a family. We’d rather someone leave the pack than stay in it and cause problems.”
“So, no sibling rivalry or jealousy?”
“Naw, not like that. Of course, we’ve never crossed that line with each other. I know what belongs to me and they know what’s theirs. I guess it’s a good thing that we’re related though. We understand each other.”
“So, you’re an enforcer. And what about Treyton?” I asked.
“He’s the beta and he mostly rounds up the guys who patrol our borders. We used to live together in the cabin, but he moved out to be closer to the mountains. If grandpa hadn’t begged him to take the position, he probably would’ve been a lone wolf. We have a few of those in our pack where they just want to be left alone on their own property. Fine with us. As long as they report when we need them to.”
“And how did Draven become alpha?”
“By birthright. Both parents were shifters. He’s pure wolf shifter.”
“So only pure wolf shifters can lead?”
“Not necessarily but his father led for a short time before he did. Either way, Draven was the best one to lead us. Sometimes you just know when someone is a true leader. He’s also the eldest.”
“Then Treyton’s like you with one human parent?”
“Right.”
The line jerked and I gasped. “Oh God! I think I’ve got one.” Something started flapping under the water.
“You sure do. Let’s bring her in and then we can go make dinner,” he said, shifting his arms around mine to help me reel in the catch.
After a bit of a struggle with the line with the fish flopping about on the deck, we finally got the catch in the cooler with the others. We walked back to his truck where he put the cooler in the back.
“I enjoyed that. Thank you. I’d like to hit up this farmer’s market you talked about. Sounds like a perfect place to get some souvenirs to take back with me.” It sounded so odd to be talking about leaving here.
“Souvenirs to take back?” He spoke slowly and then cleared his throat. “Sure. I can take you. Probably tomorrow.” He lifted his wristwatch. “The locals run it all day until a few hours before sundown and they’ll be closed by the time we get across the bridge.”
“Ah, okay.”
“Tomorrow. I promise. Does that work?”
I smiled and nodded.
“No, not at all.” Even if I was, I wasn’t about to turn down time with Jayce. He seemed so comfortable outside with nature. Plus, the weather was perfect. “Where are we going?”
Just before closing the door, he leaned in and kissed me. “Sit tight. It’s a surprise.”
He drove along a dirt road in a new direction. Either way, I didn’t know anything about Arrow Lake, so we could have been going around in circles for all I knew. I didn’t care. I was becoming more and more content with Jayce by my side.
“I see the mountains,” I exclaimed, excitedly, leaning forward and peeking out the windshield at the landscape.
Jayce reached over the center console and took my hand. “Yes, we’re getting closer. Remember when I told you that Arrow Lake is home to other packs?”
I nodded.
“Well, we have a peace treaty in place with the Shifters of Crystal Lake. We share many resources, including the land.”
He turned the corner and drove the truck around the bend. As soon as he pulled the truck up to the edge of a lake, I had already taken in the beautiful sights before me. A huge lake and a majestic waterfall with streams coming down from what could have been the sky. The stream was tall, cascading down into the lake. The sun rays hit the surface, creating a crystal-like effect.
“This is Crystal Lake.” It was more of a statement than a question. There was no doubt in my mind.
“Yup. And the famous Crystal Falls.”
“Oh my God. So beautiful. Are we allowed to walk to the edge?”
Jayce chuckled. “Sure, that’s why I brought you.”
Anxious to see the full beauty of the lake, I threw the door open before Jayce could get to the passenger side. I jumped down and hurried toward the water’s edge.
Jayce: Shifters of Timber Rock Page 10