Wolf Roulette: Supernatural Battle

by Kelly St Clare

  Jesus. My palms were sweating. I looked in the mirror again.

  “How will we get out?” I asked Cam.

  Wade found us snorting and chuckling a minute later.

  “Finally,” he snapped. “You’re seven minutes late.”

  We shut up.

  Wade shucked me from the car like an oyster from its shell.

  “How are things in there?” I asked.

  “Perfect,” he snapped again.

  Yikes.

  “Let me see you.” I grabbed his arms and looked over his face. Smoothing a strand of his blond hair back, I straightened an imaginary crease from his suit jacket. “This is your night. You’re going to enjoy it. Take a deep breath with me.”

  He did so, then rolled his shoulders a few times. “Sorry. I’m better now.”

  “Of course you are. You’re taking the hottest gal in town to the ball.”

  “You have two less testicles than what’s ideal for my current preference.”

  “Can’t help you with that, I’m afraid.”

  “Sascha could.”

  “Hands off.” I was already struggling to get a certain strawberry blond off my jealous mind. There were a few female Luthers it could be. Was the woman inside and standing too close to Sascha?

  My gums ached at the thought.

  “My lady.” Wade held out his hand to me, shooting a look at Cam. “You have to walk in by yourself. You don’t match us.”

  Her lips twitched. “Fucker.”

  When she’d entered the noisy hall, Wade exhaled.

  This ball meant more to my friend than just an important Deception Valley tradition. Some people in that room had likely made his life hell at some point. “This is why you cultivated a strong friendship with the head steward, remember? Show everyone you don’t give a fuck what they think.”

  He held my hand tight. “I used you to get here, and now I’m going to enjoy it.”

  “That’s right… baby boy.”

  “Baby girl, you did not just make my night by calling me baby boy.”

  Cringing slightly at the thought of listening wolves, I managed to keep a straight face. “Baby girl did.”

  “Baby boy is happy.”

  “Good, because that was a one-off.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Holding hands, we walked to the entrance.

  The pulsing music cut off, and I blanched. What the fuckery?

  Pascal lingered inside the doors, and at the sight of us, she lifted a mic to her lips. “Announcing Mayor Andie Charise Thana, beloved Chieftess of the Ni Tiaki tribe…”

  I could leave the mayor part of that behind, but the chieftess title was badass.

  “… with her esteemed date, Wade Nathaniel Begathry.”

  My esteemed date had clammy-ass hands.

  Or was that me?

  I let Wade take the first step.

  “I forgot to say,” he said as we moved into the hall. “You look alright.”

  My sarcastic response died as I saw the hall interior.

  Gold and white covered every surface in the old building. Twinkling lights filled huge balloons. The room felt like an enchanted fairy kingdom.

  “Wade,” I hushed. “It’s gorgeous.”

  We walked down the long, sparkling rug. Crowds lined it either side.

  Sascha was behind them to the right and, annoyingly, out of sight.

  “We need to sit on our thrones,” Wade whispered.

  I peered ahead and moaned. Two thrones. For fuck’s sake. Leroy and Hairy would have a field day with this. “You’re unbelievable.”

  He ignored me, waving to the crowd like they were avid fans.

  We climbed the three stairs, and I sat on the largest throne, cheeks burning. Wade took the—only slightly—smaller throne beside me.

  The population of Deception Valley stared up at us, and I stared back.

  My friend sighed happily. “Look at our minions, baby girl. Breathe it all in.”

  “You have an unhealthy relationship with power.”

  Pascal passed the mic to Wade.

  He rose. “Welcome to the Annual Deception Valley Ball. Tonight, I ask that you kick back, relax, dance, drink, and get to know your neighbours. It’s going to be a great night! But first, I’d like to speak more about the vision beside me.”

  I nearly burst out laughing. He was such a lying bastard.

  “As you know, the Ni Tiaki were greatly saddened by the recent passing of Hercules Thana. His eldest daughter took on the huge role Mr Thana filled for decades, and ladies and gentlemen, she has done an exceptional job. I, for one, am so very proud of her.”

  The crowd applauded, and Wade reached out a hand to me.

  I took it, smiling at him.

  “This woman is the future of our valley,” he continued. “In her short time at the head of our table, Andie Thana has proven she has what it takes. Now, a few words from the woman herself.”

  Ugh.

  Grey eyes twinkling, he shoved the mic into my hands.

  If I stood in this dress, I’d fall down the stairs. Sitting it is. “Thank you for gathering for this momentous occasion. In a town like ours, good relationships between neighbours is paramount. We rely on each other far more than those in the big wide. The Deception Valley Ball is a historic reminder of the seriousness of fostering and strengthening bonds with one another. I hope everyone leaves this ball having met someone they didn’t know yesterday. I look forward to meeting more of you tonight and in the future.”

  The crowd politely applauded. I gestured to Wade. “Lastly, tonight wouldn’t have been possible without the man beside me. Please put your hands together for Wade Begathry, a person who has quickly become someone I can’t do without, and a person who is as kind as he is intelligent. Wade, you’ve done such a spectacular job. Thank you on behalf of our town.”

  The crowd roared with approval.

  Wade loved every second of it.

  I handed the mic back to Pascal and scanned the room for the one person I wanted to see.

  “Mayor Thana,” Terrie greeted from the bottom of the stairs.

  With less of the audience’s attention on me, I risked standing and gladly left the throne behind. “Terrie, how are you?”

  Conversation with her led to conversations with the other council members, Wilson, Gabriel, and Rose. Sascha hadn’t moved from across the room, but I seemed to be moving farther away.

  Escaping another conversation, I’d managed one step toward Sascha when Walter Nash swooped in to speak with me at length about the airport.

  When I excused myself from him, I was introduced to the oldest member of our population, and then the youngest.

  Finally, I followed the tugging under my ribs.

  “Head Steward?”

  Seriously?

  I smiled at the older woman. “I’ve seen you around the manor, but I can’t recall your name.”

  She pressed her lips together. “My name is Judy. Up until a month ago, I was the organiser of this ball.”

  Yikes. She didn’t smell happy about it either. “Wade told me you agreed to hand over the task to him. Thank you for that. It means a lot to him.”

  “He said that you’d decided to revamp the ball and put him in charge.”

  Wade, you mothershitter. “I see.” Subject change time. “What do you think of the result?”

  She wrinkled her nose, but I inhaled her begrudging respect and a slight embarrassment.

  “I’m very grateful for the years of work you put into this event,” I said. “From all reports, you’ve pulled off the ball for a long time. I did intend Wade to work alongside you, so please let me know if you’d like to rejoin the team for future events. It would be a great shame to lose someone with your experience.”

  Judy forced a smile—though slightly less offended than before. “I’ll let you know.”

  “Great. Is there anything—”

  Rhona touched my arm. “Hey, got a minute?”

  I g
rimaced at Judy. “Please excuse me.”

  When we were a few metres away, I grabbed her arm. “Thank you.”

  “Looked like you needed saving. Celeb life, huh?”

  “Want to switch like old times?” I joked.

  I stilled, wondering if she’d take that the wrong way, but Rhona arched a brow. “I’ve spent years cultivating this scowl to keep them at bay. Not a chance.”

  “Worth a shot. How awesome did Wade do with the hall?”

  I hadn’t seen my friend again since our speeches, but he’d be preening for his admirers all night.

  “Yeah, he’s in his element tonight.” Rhona jerked her head. “Cam looks like she’s in hers too.”

  On my conversational journey, I’d noted the stewards hadn’t left the one side of the hall, and the pack hadn’t left the other. Cam was over on the Luther side dancing with her wolf lady.

  Oh, shit. She totally let the cat out of the bag. “That’s her girlfriend, Emily.”

  “She’s dating a Luther?” Rhona blurted.

  “A pack member, yes. For a while now. They’re very happy together.”

  I inhaled her conflicted scent.

  I’d expected solid revulsion.

  “I see.” Rhona took a breath. “Look, I came to tell you that I’m going to head back home. Dad and I always came to these things together. It’s a bit much.”

  I nodded. “Of course. I can understand that.”

  Rhona wrapped her arms around me.

  Frozen, I didn’t immediately respond. She’d never hugged me first—not even when we got on well. I lifted my arms and hugged her back.

  Her cheek rested against mine. “I’m glad to be back.”

  We untangled from each other, and she released a pent-up breath.

  “See you later,” she said.

  Rhona just hugged me for comfort. I’m not imagining that, right? I asked Booker.

  The sister can get fucked.

  Right. I’m going to find Sascha before I’m waylaid again.

  This entire night is ridiculous.

  Booker was having a blast.

  Waving at Grim and Lisa, I weaved between the Luthers and spoke briefly to Evelyn, Jemma, and Kara.

  The elastic band under my ribs tightened, and I glanced into the far back corner.

  My eyes met his. The world funnelled.

  He’d left the suit jacket behind. Shirt sleeves rolled up, top buttons open, and black shoes gleaming. I took in the man leaning against the wall in the shadows, and the confines of my chest were too tight to contain everything I felt.

  Sascha.

  Greyson.

  Mine.

  He made no move to come to me, and I hovered. Did he want me to approach or keep my distance? We’d never been in public together.

  Blood poured into my face as the moment extended.

  Sascha was apparently stuck to the floor. Maybe he didn’t want to give the wrong impression or something?

  Turning, I halted when he jerked.

  Beautiful wolf, come here, he blurted in my mind.

  Peering back, I arched a brow. Why don’t you come here?

  Uh...

  I strode toward him. Are you still hurt?

  Not quite.

  “What is it? What happened?” I asked when I stood before him.

  Leaning on the wall beside him, Leroy snorted.

  Was something funny?

  I folded my arms. “You look nice.”

  “You look nice,” Sascha repeated.

  Leroy snickered, and I glanced between them as a faint red tinged Sascha’s face. Were they laughing at me?

  I brushed my wavy hair back, and Sascha choked on a breath.

  Okay. “I’m not sure what’s going on. I’ll leave you guys to it.”

  Was it the presence of the stewards? He wasn’t like this when I visited pack lands to check on him.

  That was not how I hoped he’d react when he saw me.

  Lowering my gaze, I hurried back through the Luthers toward the stewards’ side.

  “You look wonderful, Andie.” Roderick approached with his wife.

  I forced my shoulders to relax. “Thanks. Wade and Cam had everything to do with it.”

  “They have great taste.”

  I absently chatted with Roderick and his wife, unable to tear my internal focus from Sascha. When he started moving across the hall toward me, my heartbeat tripled.

  “Andie?” Roderick said.

  I shook my head. “Sorry, could you repeat that?”

  He opened his mouth but closed it as a warm body stopped directly behind me.

  “Andie?” Sascha said.

  I glanced over my shoulder. “Yeah?”

  The werewolf cleared his throat. “I wondered if you’d like to dance. With me.”

  Roderick’s surprise gave way to amusement. His wife darted a look between me and Sascha.

  “Oh. Sure.”

  Taking his offered hand, I let Sascha lead me onto the dance floor where couples were swaying for a slower number. Thank fuck, because I was not a dancer.

  Swaying, I could do.

  Grossly aware of the scrutiny on us, I didn’t relax into him as my body screamed at me to do. Sascha held my hand in a loose grip and slid his free arm around my waist.

  “You look better than nice,” he said seriously.

  … Thanks?

  “Have other women ever remarked that you have a way with words?”

  He winced. “What I mean is that you look beautiful.”

  I peered at him. “Wait, are you nervous?”

  Sascha flushed.

  Flushed.

  My jaw dropped. “You are!”

  He sighed as soft chuckles rose from the Luther corner. “I couldn’t think what to say to you when you came in. Well, I’d planned what to say, but then you came over, and I forgot the words.”

  Bemusement radiated from him.

  I tried to contain my grin, but it escaped.

  That put a different spin on earlier. “I was too nervous to notice you were nervous if that helps.”

  “I’ll be one hundred in a few years, and you’re in your twenties, so not really.”

  I laughed as he spun me.

  “What were you going to tell me?” I asked.

  Now who’s vain? Booker said smugly.

  He cleared his throat. “That you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Woman, that is. Not thing.”

  My shoulders shook. “Relax, Sascha. I don’t bite. And thank you. You look very handsome tonight.” Every night. All the time.

  Sascha brought his mouth to my ear. “Would you look at that?”

  Turning my head to follow his line of vision, my attention snagged on Stanley and the pack member he was leading to the dancefloor. The other couples were human and human or Luther and Luther.

  “Shit,” I whispered.

  Every member of the head team was doing the same. Some of their spouses too.

  No way.

  Cam was already with her girlfriend. Wade, watching proceedings, hurried to Jemma and bowed with a flourish.

  “You didn’t plan that?” Sascha held me tighter.

  “That’s all on them.”

  My eyes widened further as Hairy, Leroy, and Lisa crossed the room to the steward side. I held my breath as they approached Detta, the head cook, Jessi, the tree-hugger, and Marty, the gardener.

  The tribes’ shock swept outward, clashing against the Luthers’ shock in the middle of the hall.

  Shock wasn’t the only emotion.

  Disgust.

  Fear.

  Suspicion.

  But all three of the stewards said yes to dancing with a member of Sascha’s most trusted wolves.

  “You didn’t plan that either?” I whispered.

  Nope, his voice rang in my mind.

  What does it mean?

  His brows lifted. Change? For better or worse.

  Yeah, the scent in the hall was uncomfortable and conflicted to
say the least. You told your team about the alliance then?

  Sascha nodded. I wanted to test their reaction first.

  I’d done the same with my head team. How did it go?

  Mixed, to say the least.

  I blew out a breath. “Right.” Same with my head team, but over the last two days, they’ve come around to the idea and voted to support alliance negotiations and the possibility of a land proposal.

  His focus snapped to me anew. Really? A land proposal?

  I’m convincing. I winked. In all honesty, they spent five hours last night trying to think up every possible way to give the pack security without a land trust, but so far, they’re yet to find it.

  Because there is none, he said grimly. Believe me.

  I did.

  I jerked my head at Hairy and Detta as they twirled by. Seems like you got through to them.

  I’m more surprised than anyone.

  Why should you be? Our pack respects you, Sascha. They know when hierarchy is needed and when it’s not. Look at them now.

  We studied the Luthers.

  Alpha stood by delta. Beta by gamma. Omega with alpha. Every possible combination. After experiencing how strongly Booker and Greyson clung to their sigma status—and how confronting it was for them to alter their views—I only had the utmost respect for the enormity of Sascha’s daily task.

  He didn’t just play Grids each day. He managed a delta’s need to prove themselves.

  The headstrong will of an alpha.

  The disinterest of a gamma and timidness of an omega.

  Betas were the most stable presence, perhaps, but that made them extra indecisive—a quality wolves possessed in droves as it was.

  Then there was Greyson to manage too.

  Sascha pulled me closer again, and I let him.

  He lowered his head. “You know—”

  Alarm sirens wailed overhead, and I clapped my hands over my ears, crying out at the pain ripping through my head.

  Danger, Booker snarled.

  She was moving us before I’d processed that she’d taken over. She placed our back to the nearest wall. The sound cut off, and—chest heaving—I searched for the source of the sound.

  It was an alarm, I explained to her, quickly double checking my fangs and claws were away.

  Too loud, she growled.

  I know, but everything is okay.

  She’d only taken over like that once—when we’d taken an unexpected trip over the waterfalls.

  My mind cleared of her fear, and I pushed off the wall.