Diablo Lake: Protected

by Lauren Dane

  He followed her down the hall to the back of the house and the kitchen that took up half the entire first floor, including a huge table that could easily seat at least ten.

  Sam stood when Mac entered, his eyes going down to Mac’s toes. Immediately submissive.

  That out of the way, Mac clapped his brother’s shoulder and then pulled him into a hug. His grandmother nodded her approval behind Sam’s back.

  “Sorry to bring you all the way out here but I had the morning off and I wanted to talk to you,” Sam said.

  “And you didn’t want to risk being seen by someone who’d tell Mom and Dad? Or Darrell? Something like that?” Mac asked, nodding his thanks at the cup of coffee Nan placed near his right hand.

  More doughnuts appeared on a plate and the brothers shared a brief, gleeful look before taking one.

  “Your girlfriend is a nice person.” Sam stirred sugar into his cup. “When I got out of jail, she came by my place to make sure I was okay. Heck, even before that when I didn’t much care about being a better person she was nice to me. She believed me when I told her I wanted to get my act together. Lots of people, hell most people, don’t believe me. And I know why because I said it before and screwed up.”

  Mac listened, knowing his brother had to get this all off his chest and a big part of being a brother, and a Prime or Patron, was listening to your brothers’ troubles.

  “Dad and Darrell hired a private investigator to find dirt on Aimee and I think they found something. I overheard Darrell talking to Dad yesterday. It sounded like they were going to toss it at her tonight. I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you or even if I should, but in the end, you’re Prime and she’s too kind to get whatever it is thrown at her without any warning.”

  His dad knew he and Aimee were together. His mother had been encouraging it! But now they were going to do something that would hurt her, and for what? It hurt that his father had gone to Darrell—a wolf his father knew Mac had been looking for to punish. It hurt that his dad was willing to do something so underhanded it would possibly break up his relationship with Aimee.

  Worse, whatever it was—and what could it be really? Aimee was a nice person—wouldn’t be that bad and the revelation of whatever it was would make his dad look abusive. He’d end up getting tossed out of office anyway and leave a huge, steaming mess in the process.

  His grandmother spoke. “That girl of yours’ll bring some magic and class along with her into this pack when you two finally get yourselves married.” She gave him a raised brow. “I mean, Macrae, really. You’re living with her in her house and you’re not married. What if she gets pregnant? What then?”

  “Nan, I’m going as fast as I can without scaring her. It’ll happen eventually.”

  She waved a lily-of-the-valley-scented hand. Her nails were done up a glossy pale pink that managed to survive runs as her wolf. He had no idea why they could other than that she wanted it.

  “She goes out of her way for people and I won’t have your father and his wife trying to hurt that child. And you should know her parents most assuredly won’t take kindly to whatever dirt they dig up on her being tossed out in public.”

  “Why don’t you like our mom?” he asked Nan.

  “Your mother and I have our own business that will stay private. No need to perpetuate this another damned generation. And it’s just a small part of what’s happening. This election business has driven your father over the edge at last. And she’s got her own mess that complicates everything.”

  As much as he wanted to challenge her and make her tell him the truth, he knew once she said her piece she wasn’t going to say more on it unless and until she wanted to.

  “Just tell me if it has anything to do with Josiah Dooley.”

  The flattening of her mouth gave him her answer.

  “Did they have an affair?”

  Her look of incredulity made Mac feel a tiny bit better at least. “No. Now, I’m not talking about this any further. What are you going to do about your daddy and that brother of yours trying to hurt our witch?”

  “Our?” he asked his grandmother.

  “Of course our. Macrae!” She thunked him in the head. “Are you listening to me? Aimee is a witch. We all knew that. She’s got more power than most in this town gave her credit for until recently.”

  The defense rose to his lips quickly. “It takes a strong person to do so quietly. Easy enough to yell out about whatever you’ve done and want credit for. Aimee does what she does because that’s part of her gift and why she’s so powerful. She’s driven to heal and soothe and help because that’s part of who she is right down to her toes.” Mac couldn’t stop a smile at that.

  “And when you and she imprinted and began to grow those roots of relationship, her magic began to settle into the heart of this pack. Especially the part of the pack that is the most closely tied to you. I’m told Katie Faith is much the same with the Dooleys. You’re an alpha, a leader and you’ll be Patron. That means she’s got that in her too. She’s part of our future. A stronger future where the pack is led with discipline instead of petty revenge or greed. She already ministers to people in town like a Patron should. Like your momma never has. Your Aimee has tamed my brother, Jeph, for goodness sake. She delivers food and clothing and medicine, hell even for my headaches. I love your daddy, but he’s selfish and he’s made a mess here. You’re going to have to undo it and I know you’ll have to shed some blood. Don’t hesitate or you’ll lose the pack and maybe her too.”

  Mac looked across to his brother. “Okay then, Sammy. Tell me everything you know and let’s see if we can’t put a stop to this before it hurts her.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Katie Faith stepped back to look over Aimee’s shoulder into the mirror so she could check out the outfit she’d just helped zip up.

  “Huh. Do I look mayoral?” she asked Katie Faith. Aimee had chosen a navy blue dress with some white piping along the edges of the seams. Classic but with a little flair.

  Her hair she’d just had trimmed a few days prior so it gleamed, laying perfectly around her face. Aimee felt like she maybe exuded some solid steadfast energy.

  “You look pretty and competent, which is always nice. Nothing too tight or loose. Your knockers aren’t out. Cute shoes but if anyone messes with you, whip one off and start toward them like my momma does,” Katie Faith advised.

  Aimee snickered at the thought of doing that to Dwayne. “I’m going to have dreams about that. What fun I’d have.”

  “Have you heard from Mac?”

  “Nothing since that text this afternoon. He went off on some errand with Huston and Everett I think. They were all here when I left for work this morning.”

  “Something pack related, most likely.”

  For the first time ever, Aimee wasn’t sure what to share with Katie Faith. She wanted to talk about some of this pack stuff, but in a way, Katie Faith wasn’t so much the enemy, but her pack was at odds with Mac’s and Aimee didn’t want to betray either one of them.

  She settled on “Probably.”

  “I can’t believe they’ve been avoiding him this whole time. How’s he supposed to run Pembry if the Patron couple aren’t even around and won’t say where they are? I mean, tacky. So tacky,” Katie Faith said.

  “He’s got to come back tonight so Mac will be able to connect then.” And the Pembry wolves had already begun to shift their fidelity to Mac. Every time they were in town together, she felt it, that tug at the power Mac carried as Prime. Each wolf that showed up at their back door needing a hug or a pep talk, everyone who looked to Mac instead of Dwayne or Scarlett, had added power to Mac’s.

  Even just in the few days the Patrons had been gone, the weight had clearly shifted to Mac and she wondered how Dwayne would take it. Worse, how Darrell would take it because he was
still living in a dream world even though his father knew what was coming and was about to toss him out an airlock without warning.

  If Darrell hadn’t been such a turd, she’d feel sorry for him. But since he’d been on the run, hiding from whatever punishment Mac was going to administer, she wasn’t going to let herself feel bad.

  “I’ll drive you over. Your mom and mine will meet us there with the dads and most of the rest of the Consort. You’re going to do amazing. You look very leadery and cute and you’re so smart Dwayne doesn’t have a chance. He’s just ego and hairspray.”

  “I’m going to keep that in mind every time I look at him tonight.” That’d be the trick to keeping him out of her head in a negative way.

  “Let’s get moving then. Grab your coat. Just because a hot-blooded shifter keeps your bed warm doesn’t mean it’s not cold outside.”

  Aimee rolled her eyes at Katie Faith. “Okay, Mom. I think I got it.”

  “Don’t get an attitude with me, young lady,” Katie Faith teased back as they headed out. “Are you okay that he’s not here? In your place I might be panicking. Then again, in your place I’d have me, so then I’d stop because duh.”

  “I wouldn’t have chosen this even six months ago. I’d have been nervous then too. But at this point I feel like I got this. He said he’d be back for the town hall and so he will but I admit it might make me more nervous if he was with me at every moment. Tonight he’s still Pembry.”

  Katie Faith ended up having to park way down the street. She offered to let Aimee out in front of city hall, but she preferred to go in with her friend at her side so they walked together, raising a hand in greeting here and there as they went.

  “Sure he’s Pembry. Like I’m Dooley. But he’s about you. You’re the best person for the job, even if it is against his dad. He’s a wolf, but he’s not blindly supporting Dwayne. Jace says he’s got a good head on his shoulders.”

  “He was horrified by those rumors, you know.” Gutted that his damned parents had put him in that position and then ran off.

  They didn’t deserve to be Patrons of the pack. Worthless as a tit on a boar, as her grandpa used to say.

  “We’ve all got those people in our family. Granted, there are a lot more on the Pembry front porch just now. But none of us can say a whole lot on that.” Katie Faith snickered.

  As they entered the city council chambers, Aimee couldn’t help but smile when she noted how packed it already was.

  Though she was leading in the polls—which was to say the forty or so people asked in a call-in poll they’d conducted two days before—she really wanted the people in Diablo Lake to realize the town and the health of the magic protecting them all was something everyone was responsible for and a part of.

  Wanted neighbors talking about what was best for everyone, not just their family or their group, be they witches or shifters. And that’s what had happened, despite the trouble she knew Scarlett kept trying to cause.

  No matter, because this was about Diablo Lake and it felt like a majority of her citizens were paying attention for the right reasons.

  The steady hum of conversation was laced with some raised voices here and there, a little tension, but so far it seemed to just be neighbors chatting and discussing things without getting too heated.

  One of the council staff saw her and waved her back to be fitted with her microphone so Katie Faith hugged her tight and said she’d be right there in the front row to cheer her on.

  “Where’s Mayor Dumbass?” Sherry, Dwayne’s assistant, asked quietly. “He’s been completely out of contact for days.”

  Surprised and totally delighted enough to relax a little, Aimee laughed. “I figured you’d know. I’d tell you to ask Mac, but he’s not here either. I say if he doesn’t show up I automatically win by default and I’ll take office tomorrow.”

  Sherry gave her a keen look and then laughed. “I like you, girl. We’re going to work well together once you take over. Because whether he shows up or not, he’s not going to win. His time is over in a lot of ways.”

  But on that very mysterious note, Mayor Dumbass—and she needed to stop thinking that because she’d end up using it to his face and it’d be bad—came in through to the antechamber where they’d been putting on Aimee’s microphone and testing the sound system.

  At her side, Sherry made a sound that hit Aimee right as she got a snootful of Dwayne’s expression and his energy.

  “That pissant is up to something. Watch your back,” Sherry whispered before she headed over to her boss.

  Her heart raced as worry began to ease back into her belly. The energy he bled off was mean and dark. Darrell strolled in, making things even worse.

  Her mom came through the doors and upon catching sight of her, rushed over with a smile.

  “You look so pretty. I do love that dress so much.” She enfolded Aimee into a fierce hug. “What’s wrong?”

  Aimee shook it off. Whatever he had up his sleeve, she’d deal with it. Wasn’t much like she could stop it. The man looked bound and determined to cause a ruckus of some sort.

  “Did he say something to you? Because I have had more than enough bullshit from that man. I will take him out.” As she said it, she turned to Dwayne who’d just finished up.

  “Lordamighty, Momma. What are you thinking?” Aimee stepped between them, breaking the eye contact.

  And when she did, the land at her feet, the magic that lived in and fed Diablo Lake responded like a shield, snapping around her and deflecting Dwayne’s energy.

  Cool!

  Her mom’s eyes went wide. “Did you just do that?”

  Aimee mouthed, “I think so!”

  “You won’t be so high and mighty after tonight,” Darrell said under his breath as he escorted Dwayne out.

  “Aren’t you still on the run from your punishment? I’ll let Mac know you’ve popped out from under that rock you’ve been hiding, shall I?” she called out, not feeling very professional.

  Still, since she’d actually wanted to say, “Bitch, I’m motherfucking high and mighty because you’re a fucking tool,” she felt she’d done the better of the two options.

  No matter how appealing the idea of knocking Dwayne Pembry and his son on their asses was.

  “He needs to take it down a notch or I will be coming for him. This has gone on entirely too long and I am over it, as you kids say,” her mother told her. “That man was part of rumors about Katie Faith years back and he’s at it again, using his wife to do his dirty work.” She shook her head, disgusted. “So if he makes it his goal in life to mess with you that way, I will make it my goal in life to make him sorry for it. That’s my job as your mother and I won’t hear anything else about it.”

  Her mom was about a million times scarier than her dad but a lot of people didn’t know that until they crossed her and it was too late.

  “I get it. And I appreciate the support. Let’s just get this done, okay? Without fuss if possible. The election is next week. We can make it if we don’t let those jerks get under our skin.”

  Her mother’s harrumph of annoyance told Aimee she’d gotten all she was going to by that point.

  She walked out, her mom at her side and realized the room had filled up even more.

  Darrell had disappeared but Scarlett sat in the front row with Samuel, who smiled at Aimee and waved.

  She knew a lot of people in town didn’t trust Sam Pembry, but despite his mistakes—and he’d made a lot—Aimee really believed he was trying to change. And if you can’t get support when you’re trying to do the right thing, doing the right thing might get so difficult people quit and go back to the easy path of making bad choices.

  He wasn’t the sum of the dumb crap he’d been up to since he was a teenager. Not at twenty-five. He had plenty of life in him, plenty of time t
o do better and that’s what she’d told him. And then wanted to cry because she could tell not a lot of people believed in him and his promises of reform. She understood that too. And gently reminded him that his best revenge was to make good choices and that eventually the right people would trust him again.

  She really hoped that was true.

  Mac wasn’t anywhere to be found, which made her frown a little. But her parents were there, with Katie Faith, Jace, a bunch of her wolves and Nadine and Avery. Witches and their magic had taken up chairs and lean space against the walls, their magic coursing through the room.

  She drew strength from that. Her people there to support her at an anxious and important time.

  Right as they finished up the introductions and launched into the first question, Darrell came in with a woman she knew wasn’t from Diablo Lake. Then Mac barreled in after them and a tense interchange took place at the back of the room.

  But she kept answering, hoping it was nothing, but knowing it was something terrible. The energy of it seemed to creep ever closer to the stage and when Aimee finished and turned to Dwayne, he was still smirking at her with a mean light in his eyes.

  “Before I answer your question,” Dwayne started, “I have something the folks in this town should know about my opponent.” He snapped his fingers, interrupting Darrell and Mac’s argument. “Boy, bring her up here and introduce her to the folks of Diablo Lake.”

  The city council members and the moderator all started arguing, yelling that this was irregular and not in the rules but Dwayne ignored them as the woman finally approached the dais and turned a look at Aimee so full of hatred she realized right then who the stranger was.

  “Aimee Benton had an affair with this woman’s husband for three years,” Darrell said into the mic he’d grabbed.

  “You whore!” someone sounding an awful lot like one of Darrell’s friends, yelled out.

  The slap of it stunned her for long moments as everything swirled around her. Naked humiliation washed over her. Her parents were there! Miz Rose. Nadine and Avery. And Mac. Oh dear God, what would he think?