“He’s like Kathy,” Bianca suggested. “Maybe he hasn’t developed his skills as closely, but it’s basically the same thing she does.”
Jack nodded. “Why are you blocking him now?”
Ted’s frown deepened. “Jack, he’s not going to convene the Wolves’ Council. I’m preparing to challenge him.”
“You’ll have to kill him, Teddy,” Jack warned in a pained voice. “Are you prepared to do that?”
“I don’t know that I have any choice. I’m hoping that blooding him will be enough, but I’m prepared to do what’s best for the pack. He’s not in control of his wolf. He’s not doing right by the pack. Even not knowing the strength of Amazon, he must realize that if the first two Ushers are affiliated with Amazon, it’s better to have them on our side should the going get tough. He’s not thinking clearly. His wolf feels threatened, and the animal is controlling the man. He never should have been our Alpha.”
“When?” Jack asked.
“When he gives his decision. I can take him, Jack. He was angry at your severance, but Fionn’s severance has left him confused and weakened. He’s whupped.”
“I believe it,” Jack replied. “Okay. Well, you have our support. As much as I hate seeing my brothers bleed each other, you’re right. He’s lost control; he can’t lead the pack. And I’m going to encourage Kathy to work with you to develop your skills.”
“Which one is Kathy?” Ted asked.
“Exactly.” Bianca smiled. “Ted, if you’ll excuse us.” She gestured to the door.
Ted smiled and made his way out.
“Jack…”
“I know, Bianca. You don’t have to say it, love.” He touched her face with his hand, stroking from cheekbone to chin.
“I do. Jack, don’t you think you’ve waited long enough?”
She searched his face for anything that would change the way she felt, but no, the rightness of it speared into her. “I love you,” she whispered.
She watched his face and felt the turmoil of his emotions pulsing between them.
“I love you, too, Bianca. I’d love you even if you were still in denial.” He smiled at her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
She tossed a pillow at him. “Cocky dog,” she growled as she pressed her teeth to his throat and pushed him back against the bed.
“And all yours,” he answered.
Patrick called them back to the conference room that evening. Jack noted the presence of Fionn and Ted, Sara and Annie, and the conspicuous absence of the rest of the wolves from Amazon.
“I’m outside the house, big boy. I’m staying off radar at the moment.” Jack heard Kathy’s voice in his head, understanding that she was ready to shift and summon the rest of their pack at a moment’s notice.
“Where are my wolves, Paddy?” He spoke quietly. Now that Patrick was no longer his Alpha, Jack was no longer under any compulsion to obey him, and he sensed Patrick’s weaknesses.
Patrick was afraid.
“They’re off-site, Jack. You don’t need them to hear what I have to say.”
“Then go ahead,” Jack said, taking Bianca’s hand in his.
“I’m denying your petition. The legitimacy of Amazon Pack is none of our concern, and we don’t wish to upset the delicate balance of the Wolves’ Council.”
“You fool!” Ted growled as he launched to his feet. “Patrick, your jealousy over losing wolves—family, at that—to Amazon Pack is causing you to be short-sighted. You have lost control of your wolf. I am invoking my right to challenge your position within the pack.” Ted’s eyes shone as his wolf bristled and strutted. His chest puffed out, and he allowed his teeth to shift. He bared them at Patrick, the challenge unmistakable.
Patrick growled back, and Jack and Fionn found themselves pushing their brothers outside before they started ripping into each other and smashing the furniture.
Patrick shifted before his feet hit the ground as he vaulted off the steps, his clothing falling in shreds at his feet. Ears back, he snarled and snapped at Ted in defiance. Patrick’s fur was black like Jack’s, and his eyes shone with the same golden gleam. For a moment, he looked like a more diminutive version of Jack.
Patrick caught Bianca watching him and snarled at her. Next to her, Jack bristled in defense of his mate.
Jack hugged Bianca and Sara tight to either side of him as Ted shed his clothes and prepared to shift. He watched Ted crack his knuckles and spine before crouching and shifting with a gruff shake of his head. Ted was a huge black wolf, almost as big as Jack. Fionn placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder.
“He has to do this, Jackie. It’s the only way to get the Wolves’ Council convened.”
The two wolves circled each other, snarling and snapping. The energy on the front lawn was thick and potent, the scents of anger and frustration winding through the gathered wolves. As they circled, Jack watched his brothers’ body language carefully, sizing them up. Patrick’s stance screamed desperation, and Jack knew he’d strike first. When it happened, Patrick lunged for Ted, who leapt out of the way. Nonchalant, Ted reached out and swiped a paw at Patrick, baring his teeth in warning. Patrick lunged again, and the paw came down on his shoulder, pushing him to the ground. Patrick was quick, but Ted had the advantage in size and strength. His paw slashed Patrick’s shoulder, and they lunged away from each other.
Ted had efficiently blooded the Alpha, and Jack sucked in a breath as he waited to see if Patrick would submit. Breathing heavily, the smaller wolf attacked a third time, and Ted wasted no time.
He lunged hard and fast, striking Patrick and pinning him to the ground on his back, Ted’s teeth clutching his throat.
“Submit or die.” Ted’s voice thundered through all his brothers’ heads.
Patrick whined and snapped and then rolled his head back to expose his throat further. Ted took Patrick’s throat between his teeth carefully, shaking his head as he did so to remind Patrick that he was at his mercy. Then, he released him. Both wolves shifted back to human form, and Patrick bared his throat again. Ted took it between his teeth and then whispered something in Patrick’s ear.
“Yes, Alpha,” Patrick snarled, unable to keep his anger from his voice. He walked into the house, beaten and ashamed, his shoulders slumped in defeat.
One by one, the Mid-Atlantic wolves around them bared their throats to their new Alpha. Jack and Bianca shook his hand in congratulations. From the shadows, Kathy and Angelo stepped forward.
“Congratulations, Ted.” Angelo nodded.
Kathy tossed him a saucy wink.
“Thanks.” Ted sighed gruffly. “I’m going ahead with the plan to convene a Wolves’ Council to discuss the recognition of Amazon Pack. Jack, Fionn, as my brothers, you are always welcome in my home. However, the pack has some hierarchy issues to deal with in the wake of my challenge and ascension to Alpha status, so I’m going to have to cut your visit short. Fionn, are you traveling with them back to Massachusetts?”
“Yes.” Fionn nodded. “Sort your issues here. We’ll see you at the Council. You’re gonna be a great Alpha, Ted.” He grinned and clasped his brother’s hand warmly. “We’ll get out of your way first thing in the morning.”
“Good. The Council will convene at the full moon, so we have almost four weeks. I’ll see you then.”
Jack gripped Ted’s hand tight as he pulled his brother close. “Thank you for not killing him.”
Their eyes met in silent understanding. Jack felt his brothers’ anguish roll through him—Patrick for being shamed publicly, and Ted for having to shame his brother.
“Do you want us to stay until his tattoo is burned off?” Jack asked in a murmur.
“No. He’d hate me even more for that.” Ted sighed. “Take care of yourself and your pretty mate.” He clapped Jack on the shoulder and turned back to his wolves.
Mid-Atlantic needed its new Alpha to take swift and furious control, and that was exactly what Ted Murphy would do.
Chapter Thirteen
THE NE
ARLY FOUR-HUNDRED-MILE DRIVE home was spent discussing strategies for the Council with Fionn. He seemed different than Jack had ever seen him before. He seemed collected and grown up, powerfully put together.
“Fionn,” Jack said softly as they passed to the west of New York City.
“Yeah.”
Their eyes met in the mirror.
“What about Patrick?”
Fionn sighed, scrubbing a hand across his face. “I don’t know. He’s the big uncertain here. Annie is convinced that what happened last night needed to happen, that Ted needs to be the Alpha of Mid-Atlantic.”
“And I’m right,” Annie’s voice drifted out from under her hair. She lifted her head from Fionn’s shoulder, where she’d fallen asleep. “Patrick should never have been Alpha. You would have ascended in his stead if you had listened to me twenty years ago instead of your cock.” She turned and glanced over her shoulder at her sister. Sara was slumped in the back seat, staring at the ends of her hair and humming to herself. Annie climbed back there with her, and the two Guides fell into hushed conversation in a language none of them had heard before.
Arriving at the compound gate, Jack asked the guard on duty to call ahead to Monica and let her know they were on their way up.
“I can feel you, you know,” he heard Monica’s voice say in his head.
He swallowed his grin. “Yes, I know. Politeness costs nothing, however.”
“Get your asses up here.”
“Yes, Alpha.” Jack looked at Bianca, who nodded that she, too, had heard their Alpha’s command. He turned and cast a glance at his brother. “Time to meet your mate, bro.”
“No. I’m going to meet the Alpha and judge her worthiness to lead this pack. If I deem her unworthy, I’ll challenge her. I’m not going to mate with her. I chose my mate twenty years ago.” Fionn’s voice was stern, brooking no argument.
Bianca’s eyes flashed with anger, but she knew she was no match for Fionn.
Jack patted her hand softly. “Steady, mate. He’s preening for Annie.”
Annie made a huffing noise from the far back. “I am not your mate, dick-for-brains.” She hissed the words, sounding every bit the cat she was.
“It’s not up for discussion, Guide. I can’t force you to return my feelings, but I’ll take no other mate.” Fionn glared over his shoulder at Annie, his brows drawn tight together.
As they rode the elevator up to Monica’s apartment, Jack could feel Bianca’s tension.
“He’s not going to challenge her,” he said, trying to comfort her.
“He could.”
“He won’t. They’ll be mated, love. You’ll see.”
As they entered the apartment, Ellen approached to greet them. She was clearly on guard duty in Monica’s quarters that night.
“Guardians, welcome back.” She turned to Sara and Annie. “Guide, you are welcome, as always. Who do we have here?”
“My sister, Annie, Guide to the Second Usher,” Sara said, introducing her sister. “And her wolf companion is Jack’s brother Fionn, the Second Usher.”
“Enchanted.” Fionn winked at her. He let loose his power, and Ellen’s eyes widened as she offered her throat. He took it and then pulled back and smiled at her, almost a leer.
Annie rolled her eyes as she shook Ellen’s hand.
“Wow, Fionn Murphy is the Second Usher?” Ellen snorted. “Monica is gonna lose it.”
“I’m going to lose what?” Monica came around the corner, one dark brow arched at Ellen. She stopped when she saw Fionn and Annie.
“Annie. Welcome back. It’s been some time,” she said softly, reaching to take the cat in an embrace. She glanced at Fionn, curiosity and uncertainty painted on her face. For the first time since Jack had met her, Monica looked disconcerted.
“Monica, I’d like you to meet Fionn Murphy, the Second Usher,” Annie introduced them, prodding Fionn forward.
“Alpha of Amazon. It’s my intent to affiliate with your pack,” Fionn said, nodding his head.
“Yet you don’t offer me obeisance?” Monica’s voice was hard and cold.
“Neither do you offer it to me.”
“No. I am Alpha here. You’re a strong wolf—as strong as I am perhaps. But you are a rogue, and I won’t submit to you.”
Their eyes met, and they stood toe to toe, staring into each other’s eyes. The tension in the room rose along with the hairs on the backs of everyone’s necks. Jack placed a steadying hand on Bianca’s arm. Every wolf in the room could scent the heat between them, knew that each was feeling the call of the mate. Bianca sucked in her breath as she watched Monica’s lip curl back.
“You are worthy to lead this pack,” Fionn said, nodding. “Very well, Alpha. Is there somewhere a fella could rest up? It’s been a long drive.”
“Are you forgetting something?” Monica stayed him with a hand on his arm. His nostrils flared, in lust or anger; it was hard to tell which.
“You are not my Alpha.” His voice was so low, Jack thought he might have misheard, but he knew his brother well enough to recognize the defiance in his voice. “And you’re not my mate.” Fionn turned and stomped away, pressing the button on the elevator with an arrogant grin over his shoulder.
Annie breathed an apology to Monica and followed him.
“Well, that was interesting.” Monica shook her head. “C’mon, you guys. We need to chat.”
Jack, Bianca, and Sara followed her to her sitting room. She poured herself a drink and sat down. Jack felt uneasy, torn between his brother and his Alpha.
“Don’t worry, Jack Murphy. Your egotistical asshole of a brother and I will see eye to eye before this thing is over. Trust me. I’m two hundred fifty years old. I can handle that pup.” She snorted.
“So, our petition was accepted, you fetched your brother, and something else happened?” She looked around at their faces.
All three started to talk at once, and Monica held up a hand. “Jack.”
“My brother Ted challenged Patrick for Alpha status and won. Patrick had lost control of his wolf. It had to be done.”
“I see. When will the council meeting be held?”
“Three-ish weeks,” Bianca replied. “Next full moon.”
“So, Fionn won’t have a chance to affiliate before the council. That’s a shame,” Monica muttered. “I’d love to get in his head.”
“He is your mate,” Sara replied. “If we could convince him to mark you before then, you could share his thoughts. Regardless of what he says, he imagines himself in love with Annie, but he’s not.”
“Oh, he loves her, all right.” Monica frowned. “I can see it in the way he looks at her. It’s not a mate bond, but there is love there. I’m not going to force the issue with him. I don’t particularly like his attitude. He’s a strong wolf. He’ll be a valuable member of our pack. He’ll ascend to Alpha by mating with me or by killing me. Either way, our fates are linked.”
“You seem pretty laissez-faire about the whole thing,” Bianca observed. “Are you not attracted to him?”
“I’m not going to girl talk with you, Bianca. I’m sorry.” Monica smiled at her. “You and Jack will lead the team that petitions the Wolves’ Council. We have work to do in the meantime. I want Angelo and Ellen with you. Kathy will stay with me. And for fuck’s sake, take that brother of yours and his housecat.” She narrowed her gaze at Jack, who suppressed a smile as he nodded.
Jack knocked on the door of the room that had been assigned to Fionn. Annie was staying at the inn with Sara, thank the Goddess.
“C’mon in, Jackie,” he heard his brother’s voice say, and he pushed open the door.
Fionn was lying on the bed in his boxer shorts, reading a paperback. Jack glanced around the room. It had the same sort of institutional appearance that the other dorm rooms had. Fionn had brought little with him—a few pairs of jeans and T-shirts hung in the closet, and a box of books lay on the floor by the bed. Glasses perched on his nose, his colorful tattoos winding up his arms, h
e looked for all the world like any college student might.
“Hey, Finners.” He found himself using his brother’s childhood nickname. Fionn smiled at him, and Jack couldn’t help but think it was damned nice to have his brother here. “What are you reading?”
“Dune.” Fionn held up the classic science fiction novel. “You know, Herbert knew a thing or two about the human mind.”
“A thing or two,” Jack agreed, trying to come to grips with the serious man in his brother’s skin.
Fionn was the baby of the family by many years. He’d been born in the 1970s, the most playful pup in the pack. Jack rubbed at the scar on his face as he searched for that little boy in his brother’s face. Finally, he spoke the words he’d come to say.
“You and Annie are coming to Council with us.”
“I figured we would. Who else? The little red spitfire?”
“No, Kathy’s staying here. Ellen will join us. She’s not stealthy like Kathy, but she’s strong.”
“So, you and me, Annie and Sara, Bianca and Ellen. Any other males?”
“Someone from Angelo’s team. Most likely himself or Graham.”
“Tell me about Angelo. He’s in love with Monica.” Fionn arched an eyebrow at Jack.
“You notice a lot,” Jack commented with a snort. “Angelo is a good man. He’s brilliant, serious, way more dangerous than he looks. As for him and Monica…well, he cares deeply for her, but they’re really just friends. I think he wants to be in love with her more than he actually is. He had a mate he loved deeply, and he lost her. He misses that connection, that feeling of being mated. Monica is his best friend; he wishes he could have that with her. But he knows he doesn’t. You know, Fionn, Monica is a good woman, a great Alpha. You’d like her a lot if you gave her a chance.”
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