Fagin's Folly

by Lisa Oliver

  “You knew, he and other men?” Cooper put his hand over his mouth to stop from laughing. He knew Fagin hadn’t been a virgin when they’d met and he was thankful for it, but the thought of Fagin’s mother knowing all this time made him want to laugh out loud.

  “He used to sneak out, all agitated like he had something going on and then the next morning at breakfast, he’d be whistling as he dropped his clothes off to be washed. He never said and I never asked, but I’ve known since that boy was sixteen he would have a male omega as a mate. I’m so glad he met you. Your mom must be so proud of you.”

  “I like to think she is,” Cooper managed a tight smile. “She’s been dead a long time. But she always used to tell me stories about how a strong alpha would come along one day and sweep me off my feet. She was partially right, but Fagin knocked me off my feet instead.” He shook his head fondly at the memory of his mother. Her and Mrs. Mars would have got on well.

  “Well, as a mother, let me tell you, if I had a son who was as neatly turned out as you are, with brains to match, I’d have been very proud,” Margaret said. “Unfortunately, Jerome prized brawn over brain and now it’s going to bite him on the ass. Yep, there he goes. I told you.”

  Cooper looked over to the challenge ring and sure enough, Fagin’s wolf had taken a sizable chunk out of Jerome’s rear end, although he noticed Fagin had taken some bites as well. “I swear,” Margaret continued, “I just want to hit that husband of mine with a newspaper sometimes. He knows he’s going to have to submit, but he’s going to string it out till the bitter end.”

  “Does Fagin’s father fight many challenges?” Cooper asked, wishing he couldn’t smell the blood running down Fagin’s flank. It made his own wolf want to jump out and be all protective; which wasn’t a normal state for him or his wolf.

  “Barely any,” Margaret said as she winced as Fagin landed on Jerome’s back. “Fagin won’t get challenged much around these parts. The pack’s too big and mostly isolated from others. And the silly old fool has just lost the one challenge he should’ve never made.”

  Sure enough, Jerome had shifted into his human, yelling his submission.

  “Are you going to be okay? There’s going to be a lot of changes around here.” Cooper felt he had to ask even when every cell in his being wanted to run to Fagin and check him over for injuries.

  “There’s a wee guest house out the back of the pack house, on the other side of the pool. If you could see your way clear to letting me live there, I’ll be fine. Over the years I’ve made a lot of friends in this pack. Women friends, who with a bit of a nudge from me, will ensure Fagin’s transition to alpha goes smoothly.”

  “You’re not going to expect us to have pups, are you?” Cooper wasn’t going to let Fagin’s mother get her hopes up over something that wasn’t going to happen.

  “I’ve got more grandkids than I know what to do with now,” Margaret cackled. “I don’t need anymore. You just make sure Fagin keeps his head on straight and don’t let any of those young pack females bother you none. I know he wears your mark and all, but some of the people in this pack haven’t got the brains they were born with.”

  If Jim Bob and Bobby Joe along with Missy the hussy were any indication of the pack members, Cooper could quite agree.

  /~/~/~/~/

  Fagin stood in the middle of the ring and surveyed his pack. These were the people he grew up with; the people he’d always believed he would lead one day, until he realized he was gay. Now, it would be him changing the laws, rewriting the rules and he wondered how many of the pack would accept his changes. Buster stood just a little behind him and to the left. His father and brothers were being held by council guards. His father’s enforcers were looking at the ground while the rest of the pack stood waiting silently to hear their fate. There was only one person missing.

  “Cooper, can you come and stand by my side please?” Fagin turned to where his mate was standing with his mother. “I’d like to introduce you.”

  Looking immaculate in his pale gray suit, Cooper stepped over the stones that marked the challenge circle, a bright smile on his sweet face. “You need a shower,” he said as he tucked himself under Fagin’s outstretched arm. “A very long shower.”

  “I’ll get right on it,” Fagin promised before speaking loud enough for the pack to hear. “As you will see from the bite scar on my neck, I have been granted a precious gift from the Fates. Cooper Samuels, a respected accountant and tax specialist from town is my fated mate and now alpha mate of this pack. As an omega wolf he strengthens my wolf and provides a calming influence on pack members in gatherings such as these.”

  “I know mating with Cooper was against my father’s rules and the laws suggested by our elders. However, times have changed, the leadership of this pack has changed, and this pack will change with it. As I grew up here, I saw opportunities lost in terms of education of our young ones, because my father’s focus was on growing pack numbers rather than training the ones we already have. I will be abolishing the mandatory bonding laws; the mandatory pup laws and if any of you should be blessed with finding their fated mate, same-sex or otherwise, they will be welcome in this pack.”

  A murmur of excitement ran around the pack. After a moment, Fagin held up his hand for silence. “I am not suggesting for a moment that all of you will be accepting of the changes I plan to implement. You are all free thinkers and within the limits of shifter law, you have free will. However, there is one rule I will insist on here and now. Cooper Samuels is the alpha mate. To me he is the single most important person in this pack and as such will be protected by every single being who stays under my lead.”

  “Those of you too set in your ways or who believe an alpha is only fit to rule if I have a bundle of pups tagging my ankles are free to leave. Anyone who doesn’t believe in same-sex mates, you can leave as well. My good friend Buster will be my second and he will take down the details of anyone seeking to transfer to another pack, or who prefer to make their own way in the world. You will have forty-eight hours to make your decisions and remove all your personal belongings from the territory if you decide not to live under my new rules.”

  “You’ll be left with nobody to rule,” Jerome yelled out, struggling with his bonds. “My people will follow me.”

  “To jail, father?” Fagin squeezed Cooper a little tighter to his side. “After what you did, drugging me and Buster, trying to get me to bond with a female carrying your pups and kidnapping my precious mate from my territory. You’ll not be seeing the light of day for a very long time. But,” he addressed the pack again, “for those of you who don’t see anything wrong with the way my father handled things, make sure you are out of the territory before the forty-eight hours are up. Any questions?”

  “Will you be holding challenges for your inner circle positions, Alpha?” Gregory, one of his father’s younger enforcers asked.

  “Those who are interested can let Buster know, and I’ll make a decision once I know how much of the pack I have left.” Fagin grinned. “Anything else?”

  “Who will be holding the position of Alpha bitch in this new pack now Missy’s gone, Alpha?” Fagin shook his head at Tina who was another one of his conquests.

  “Missy was never alpha bitch, she just liked to act as though she was. My mother was alpha mate and head bitch accordingly, regardless of what any of you younger people thought. As I have no intention of having pups, I see no reason why my mother can’t retain her position as head female. She will run with the inner circle at pack runs, but Cooper is and always will be the only alpha mate while I rule this territory.”

  There were a lot of disappointed faces among the single females of the pack, but Fagin ignored them all. “I know you all have a lot of questions and decisions to make. I have no intention of saying anything more until I know how many people will remain loyal to this pack. There will be a pack meeting on Sunday night. Anyone who considers themselves part of this pack will be there and will show their loyalty t
o me and the alpha mate or be banished immediately. You all have plenty of time to talk this over with your friends and family. If you need anything in the meantime, my mother, Buster, or myself and the alpha mate will be available. Now, if you’ll all excuse me. My mate informs me I need a shower.”

  “It doesn’t say a lot about your strength as an alpha, when you let your mate boss you around, alpha.” Buster’s father just had to go and open his mouth and Fagin heard Buster groan. But it was Cooper who whirled around and silenced the man.

  “Are you challenging my mate? Only,” Cooper waved his arms at Fagin’s brothers and father who were still apprehended, “I don’t know if you covered your eyes during those fights, but if you think your alpha can’t kick your ass for being disrespectful think again. And when he’s done kicking your ass and banishing you from the pack, I’ll still expect Fagin to shower before he has his victory fuck. I have standards, which is more than I can say for a man who could only beat up his son when he was too drugged to defend himself. In fact, you know what, because of what you did to my friend, I should banish you now. I can do that. I’m the alpha mate. What do you think about that?”

  “I apologize if I seemed disrespectful, alpha mate.” Buster’s father tilted his neck so hard, it was amazing his head didn’t fall off.

  “We will discuss your behavior later.” Fagin grinned at his mate. “I’m going to have a shower and if I’m really lucky, the alpha mate will scrub my back for me.”

  “You always get lucky with me,” Cooper’s matching grin was all the promise Fagin needed.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “How bad is it?” Fagin joined Buster at the makeshift bar they’d installed at the pack house. Until he had their things moved from his original house, he was making do with his father’s liquor cabinet. Grabbing two long necks from the fridge he passed one to his friend.

  “About what we expected.” Buster took a long swallow. He’d been visiting many of the pack members, working out how many were going to transfer or just leave. Cooper was busy in what was the alpha’s office, going over pack accounts and busy tapping on his computer with Fagin’s mother as a useful source of information. Fagin had called Buster in because he wanted to judge the mood of the pack before the meeting later that evening.

  “The elders are complaining they aren’t being listened to and you’re being disrespectful. The single females in the pack are grumbling that one of them should take over your mom’s spot as head alpha female whether you chose to have pups or not. The old enforcers are worried what their status in the pack will be if you don’t choose them for your inner circle. The younger enforcers are prepared to fight in the challenge circle for a position at least, which is one positive. They see this as a chance for promotion within the pack.”

  “What’s the vibe about the alpha mate?” This was Fagin’s biggest fear. If Cooper wasn’t safe, then he wouldn’t remain in the pack. But between the territory the council awarded him when he set up his own pack, and the territory previously held by Jerome, it would be a lot to give up and they’d have to move out of state if he gave up his position. He didn’t want to do that to Cooper even though it would seem his mate would have to give up his job now he had two sets of finances to run.

  “Mixed.” Buster waved his hands in a fifty-fifty gesture. “The older pack members that just want to get on with their lives peacefully don’t seem to worried about it. They understand the concept of fated mates, they saw your mated scar and accept Cooper is yours.”

  “But?” Fagin knew there was a but coming. There was always a but coming, especially since he’d taken over the pack.

  “The elders will be a problem. If this pack ever had a male omega no one knew about it. But then they’re still hung up on the pups rule that’s been in place since Adam was a boy. In their eyes, Cooper is a defect that should be culled from the pack.”

  “Not while I’m still breathing,” Fagin growled.

  “Yes, well, you should be paying me double for having to sit and listen to them wheeze and grumble like they wrote the Ten Commandments. Aside from that, I’d keep a close eye on a couple of the females; Tina for example, along with Jasmine and Helena. They are saying the right things, but…it’s not ringing true if you know what I mean.”

  Fagin nodded. He’d been intimate with Tina and Helena before which made the situation delicate. He wasn’t about to force them to mate other pack members, but he thought holding a meet and greet with another pack might be an idea in the near future.

  “Have you heard any specific threats, or are these just hunches for now?” Fagin asked.

  “I think the sooner you get an inner circle in place, the better, but I’d trust only two or three guys for now. Gregory’s one; I think he’d do well. Possibly Rory and maybe Warren.” Buster named young men who Fagin knew reasonably well. They were good choices.

  “It might not hurt to put the word out through the council, you’re looking for a few more enforcers. You’ve got a huge territory. It would also help keep Cooper secure,” Buster added. Putting down his bottle, Buster stood straight, his face serious. “You know I’ve never believed I should get any favoritism within the pack just because we’re friends,” he said.

  “If you’ve got a favor to ask, then ask it,” Fagin replied. “I’ve had so much going on what with the council, mom moving into the guest cottage and worrying about Cooper, you’ve done a huge amount in taking the weight off my shoulders here, and that’s without supervising the bar renovations in town. If it’s in my power, it’s yours.”

  “It’s about my dad.” Fagin stilled. Buster and his father had a tenuous relationship at best, but if Buster wanted his father to remain in the pack it was going to put Fagin in a difficult position. Cooper hadn’t been joking when he said he wanted the man banished and as Buster’s father had been Jerome’s second, he couldn’t be trusted.

  “I did want to talk to you about him,” he said cautiously. “You know the part he played in all the drama. What restitution, if any, do you want from him?”

  “I thought with Jerome in jail, he’d pull his head in and just accept he had a roof over his head and food on the table. But….” Buster swallowed hard. “I’m here to report he’s attempting to incite challenges against you, in direct violation of shifter law and the laws of this pack.”

  “Oh fuck, Buster, what happened?” Fagin really felt for his friend. Buster’s childhood was the same as his; normal in every way. But when Buster’s mom and sister were killed, Buster’s father threw himself into his job and Buster spent more time with Fagin than ever. But despite strained relations between father and son, for Buster to report his father for what amounted to a serious crime was a huge shock.

  “Can I?” Buster gestured at his empty beer bottle and Fagin grabbed him another one from the fridge because he was closer. “Dad was really quiet that first night, you know? I went to see him, as part of my duties and he wouldn’t talk to me. Nothing new there, right?” Buster’s laugh was hollow. “I didn’t see him at all yesterday, but as I was finishing my rounds last night, he waylaid me as I was coming back here. He said he’d made dinner for us and that eating together would give us a chance to catch up.”

  “I didn’t know he could cook.” Fagin got an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach.

  “I’m sure someone else cooked the meal for him,” Buster agreed. “Anyhow, I thought maybe he’d say something about beating me up; maybe even apologize and say he was simply acting under orders. But it’s all quiet and we’re eating and then all of a sudden he started going on about how I was the one who should be alpha and that he knew a lot of the pack would support me in the position because I wasn’t tainted with the gay gene.”

  “He wants you to challenge me?” Fagin would walk away before he let that happen. He and Buster were too close to fight like that.

  “I guess he didn’t have much of a choice. We’re not overrun with alphas here, but it’s clear he wants you out.”

&n
bsp; “Fuck. I’m so sorry.” Fagin looked at his friend; really looked at him. Buster was bigger than he was and he knew they were evenly matched in terms of strength and speed. He’d be a good pack alpha. “I’ll flip you for it if you like.”

  “For what, the pack? Gods, no, don’t be an idiot. I don’t want it.” Buster mock shuddered. “It’s bad enough listening to them all whining and complaining but I only have to report back to you. Having to make decisions for them all on top of that would be worse.”

  Fagin admitted to himself that was already giving him a headache. “So, how did you leave things with your dad?”

  Buster laughed although there wasn’t much humor in it. “I told him that you’d caught the gay gene from me and as soon as pack life had settled down, and we’d got more enforcers, I’d be looking for my own male mate. When he started choking on his stew, I slapped him on the back and left. I stewed all night over whether to say anything or not. He is my dad, you know and the only one I’ll ever get. But,” Buster heaved a sigh, “My first loyalty is and always will be to you. My father broke the law, he needs to be banished at the very least, if not charged. I’d just appreciate it, if you didn’t do it in front of the pack. He was the pack second for a long time and bringing charges against him in front of everyone else will be a humiliation for him I’m not sure I can live with.”

  “Consider it done. We can go and see him tomorrow night and inform him then, after dark when there won’t be many people around.” Fagin wrapped his arm around his friend’s shoulder. “I know how hard this is for you.”