“You may not like Gammon, in fact, I don’t give a rat’s ass how you feel about him, but as long as you are around me you will respect him.”
“He killed my dad. For no reason. My dad only wanted to see if I had a mate at the school. I do. So his reason for killing my dad was, it was wrong.”
“Tell me why you know the females are not in the school building.”
Donny snorted, “I ain't telling you shit.”
I slowed the car. Gammon has a strict no stopping your car while you are still in his territory but the Alpha in me could not let this attitude slide. Before I realized what I was doing I had stopped the car and jerked Donny out. By the time one of the sentinels reached me Donny was a bloody blubbering mess on the ground. Throat clearing brought me back to my senses. Startled I looked up at the sentinel. Hearing a sound to my left I realized more than one sentinel had responded to my stopped car. Before I could say anything, really before I could think of anything to say one of the guys held his hand out to the other.
“Told you he would not make it out of the territory before he beat the pup’s ass. Pay up.”
As the money exchanged hands the loser of the bet snorted, “You couldn’t wait just forty-five more minutes to beat him? I made sure Gammon’s threat of stopping on his territory would at least get you to the line. Mind you, I don’t think I would have made it out of the parking lot. But you have always been so careful to follow the rules I just knew you would make it out of the territory.”
Both sentinels glared down at Donny before turning their attention to me. “Gammon thought you might not make it off the territory either so he gave you a pass for this one time. He said to tell you, do not think it is acceptable to ever do this again. And he told us to make sure we filmed it if you did beat his ass. So if you want, I can send you a copy of the beat down.” Laughing the two turned away and headed back to where ever.
“Get him back in your car and out of our territory before Gammon changes his mind.” I had no idea which one barked that order.
Looking down at Donny, disgust deep in my voice, I ordered him to get in the car. I lost no time getting the car started and heading back to the motel. As I drove I questioned him on the females and the school.
As young as he was it took his body a little longer to heal than I would have thought, but by the time we reached the motel he was healed and I was in possession of some surprising information. I wondered if Stormie would be willing to confirm the information. Although, really, I could smell that the boy had told no lies.
No wonder looking longingly at the school mattered not one whit when it came to the mating test. The females were not kept in the school. When Donny had looked longingly in the direction of his mate it was toward the cabins behind Gammon’s office. He thought he had uttered something but he could not remember what it was.
And the mating test Gammon had? Donny said it was nothing more than moving females around the area while the male was locked in a windowless room. Instinct, or something, would cause the male to turn toward the direction of his mate. Gammon had not explained exactly what he was doing to Donny. Donny had just made a few educated guesses. Apparently his mate kept moving around the compound till finally Gammon had him brought out of the room. The only thing Donny had been told was, “You passed the test. You get to live. Your Alpha will be here tomorrow to pick you up.”
Donny did not even try to hide his bitterness when he explained he was not even allowed to meet his mate. He had no idea how old she was or what she looked like. With his attitude I did not feel like giving him any information on his mate either. He could wait till we got back to Piney Woods and then maybe, if he could clean up his attitude, maybe Sam would be willing to show him pictures of his mate and tell him about her.
I grimaced at the amount of blood on the seat when we got out of the car. I was going to have to pay extra plus lose my security deposit just to get it cleaned. That was going to come out of Donny’s first paycheck. I still needed to find what skills the boy had before I could find him a job. I would worry about that later, or let Stormie worry about it. On second thought, I did not want his attitude around my sister.
Casey came out of her room just as I unlocked the door to mine. Shoving Donny inside I motioned her to enter. Taking a deep breath I followed the two into the room as I tried to figure out just what I was going to tell her. I needn’t have bothered.
“So Gammon called and requested a ride to your territory. Interesting times we live in. Who, or what is that.” I followed her pointing finger too Donny. Her next words cause me to jerk my attention back to her. “You need to kill him or bind him.”
“Well I am trying not to kill him. Turns out he has a mate. One of my pack’s females. Gammon sent him to me. I don’t think Gammon would be happy if I kill him after he let him live.”
I watched in fascination as her lip curled up at the side and I swear I saw flames in her eyes. Definitely not human.
“Then you will bind him. He will not get on my plane until he is bound.”
“Um, Casey? If you did not notice he is shackled at the ankles. Gammon gave him to me still shackled. Seems he did not give me the key though.” I shrugged. With his attitude I did not care if he stayed shackled.
As she turned her attention toward me I froze. I was not sure what she was but the flames in her eyes was unnerving. And, yeah, not human. “Bind him to you, to your pack. He is a loose one. His,” she waved her hands around in Donny’s direction, “essence is not bound to any pack. He is loyal to none. One step above a rogue. Dangerous. I will not have an unbound wolf on my plane. You will kill him or you will bind him. If you do not bind him I will kill him. A rogue I will not let live.”
Blinking a few times I tried to process what she was saying. “Gammon had to kill his Alpha, who was also his father. Are you telling me he does not belong to his old pack still and even though his mate is a member of my pack he does not yet belong to my pack?”
“You have not taken his oath, have you?”
“Casey, I don’t know how much you know about our kind but,” I looked at Donny before motioning Casey to follow me outside. The motel we were staying in had only one way into the rooms. The only windows were one side of the door, and shackled as he was he could not go anywhere fast. But I honestly did not want him to hear what I had to say to her. Wolves had excellent hearing so we were going to have to go a ways from the door before I could finish my comment. Looking back at the motel I calculated we were far enough away to finish what I was saying.
“I have had my pack for six years. Unfortunately I was not trained to be the Alpha. I do the best I can but so much information I should know, I haven’t yet learned. Tell me what I am missing here. What do you mean I need to bind him?”
I could not stop the snarl when I saw the pity on her face. “Sometimes I forget how young you were when you took your pack. No, don’t snarl at me. No need for that between friends. Your pack, they are oath bound to you. I know this because I have met members of your pack. The oath that your take from members of your pack is magical. It binds their very soul to you, to your pack. This one you brought has no oath binding him to you. He is bound to no pack. His kind are dangerous. I don’t care if he does have a mate in your pack. Until you bind him he will care nothing for the safety of you or yours. I won’t take him on my plane without that oath. I will not leave him here with no oath. Not so close to your females. Take his oath and make him pack, or kill him.”
Drawing a deep breath I closed my eyes. When I opened them Casey was still staring at me, just waiting for my answer. “I had thought to take his oath at our next pack meeting. When we accept new people in we do it in a pack meeting and I take their oath then, where the pack can share the experience.” Before I had finished Casey was shaking her head.
“That may work when you have people petition to join your pack, but that one has no desire to join your pack. Bind him or kill him, decide now so I can make arrangements for the body.�
�
Turning to walk back to the room I mutter, “Taking his oath for the win.”
As I walked back toward the room a thought occurred to me. “What if he does not mean the oath, what then?”
I heard laughter, evil, sinister laughter. Shivers raced down my spine but I did not turn around to look at Casey, “Oh, the oath binds whether he wants it to, or not. Once he gives you his oath his soul is bound to your pack. Only you can turn him loose from your pack, or death, death can free him. If ever you have a pack member who wishes to leave your pack, maybe a male finds a female in another pack, you have to release him from his oath and the other Alpha must take his oath. Only one other thing can free him from his oath, you would have to turn from your pack. If you were to become such an Alpha as the one you took your pack from, the oaths given you by your pack would not bind.”
I stopped, without turning around, bitterness in my voice I told her, “My sister was kidnapped by one who had giving me his oath. The oath did not bind him.”
“No, I don’t imagine it did, not like it should have. We have never figured out why he was able to go rogue on you. We assumed he was one you did not take an oath from when you took over the pack. If you are telling me you had his oath, then he would have had to have a mental unstableness to him. Sometimes, even the most normal seeming among us, have mental problems. An insane yet oath bound shifter is uncommon. One with no oath is mentally unstable to begin with, or they become that way with no oath. The oath, it binds and grounds your pack. It makes them belong, whether they want to belong or not.
As I walked in the room to demand the pack oath from Donny I made myself a vow. When I got Gammon alone I would find out what, or who Casey really was. If he did not know I would ask grandfather. Because the one thing I had learned in the last few minutes? That woman was one scary lady who knew way too much about my kind.
***
I have not invited another Alpha to my territory since taking over. My wolf is unhappy. When Gammon and his mate reached the motel the next morning I was surprised at the amount of luggage they had. I made the mistake of mentioning it to Gammon. After the snarling explanation from Gammon, I made a mental note to myself. Females like lots of luggage and their males do not appreciate anyone mentioning that tidbit.
Gammon glared at Donny and demanded to know whether I had his oath yet or not. I assured him I did indeed have the young idiot’s oath. Gammon gave me a rare smile. I don’t think I like his smiles. He must not give them very often because even my wolf whimpered. He looked Donny over like one would a horse they were buying and my wolf surprised me by snarling at Gammon. The look of surprise, probably shock, on my face earned me a smile and a chuckle.
“You know, I wondered how well he would fit into your pack. You may not like him, hell man, so far no one likes him, but the oath ensures he is part of your pack. If I had doubts about your acceptance of the pup your wolf just put those to rest. Now, how much room do you have at your home?”
Startled I drew back, “My home? I was going to put you up at the boarding house in town.”
This time it was Gammon’s turn to be surprised. “You have never invited another Alpha to your territory since taking over have you? No, never mind, it shows. Our wolves will not be comfortable with this arrangement. If we were family, which,” his eyes narrowed, “we may end up being, our wolves would be more accepting. But if you want any rest at all you are going to have to have me closer than the boarding house. Your wolf will drive you crazy wanting to check on me. Besides, my mate wants to get to know her niece’s mate. Tag, you’re it.”
I did not have to ask how he knew the boarding house was no where close to my house. If you boarded a female at Gammon’s school you gave up territory maps and how you planned on securing your territory before you got them back. Grandfather had told me the story of one incident where the Alpha did not get their female back. Seems the Alpha, and Grandfather would not say who or where this happened, thought living in town among humans would be acceptable. Gammon disagreed and somehow found a mate for the female with another pack far from her original pack.
“I thought it would be just the opposite. My wolf will not be happy with another Alpha so close.”
“You wolf will not be happy no matter where I go in your territory. That is your problem. Do not make it mine. Control your wolf and everything will be well. Now, if you are ready, my mate is anxious to go. She has waited over 20 years to meet the child of her twin sister, and I can see no other identity this pup may have than that of her niece.”
***
When we got back to my territory I got Gammon and his mate settled in one of my spare bedrooms and told them I was going to the cabin to check on my mate. Gammon would have been fine with that, right up until he saw the silent tears trickling down Mia’s face. I was ready to bolt out the door when I saw Gammon’s eyebrows raise and the deer in the headlight look on his face. Gulping, I began backing out of the room. I was not quick enough. I heard her whisper to Gammon that she wanted to go.
“I don’t think she knows what she is, what we are, so I am just going to check on her. My grandparents are um, camping out on her porch. When I talked to my mom earlier she said Grandfather told her Gabby has not even opened the door since Stormie left there day before yesterday. That may actually be because Grandmother refuses to get off the porch. She heard Gabby whimpering and crying in her sleep a couple of nights ago.”
The information that my grandfather was here was not very welcome. I think Gammon still holds a grudge against the council members for the school being located in his territory. I know I would.
Mia on the other hand, brightened up at the news my grandparents were at the cabin. Since we can not communicate telepathically when in wolf form, being from two different packs, I suggested we drive to Sam’s and change there. I needed to introduce him to Donny anyway. Gammon and Mia both looked at me in concern when an evil little laugh slipped out.
“You have met Sam. Do you really think he is going to be happy having a young pup fostered on him? You did not think I was going to keep him here did you?” I could not keep the smirk off my face at the thought of what was coming.
Gammon’s laughter was just a tad evil sounding also. We had both had about as much of Donny as we wanted. Being stuck most of the day in a small plane with the pup had used up our patience.
***
“No, absolutely not. I do not have room for a young idiot pup in my cabin.” Sam had his arms crossed and the doorway blocked with his body.
“Sam, I have been in your cabin. You have two empty bedrooms. You have plenty of room for him. I told you he is your niece’s mate. That makes him your responsibility.”
The incredulous look on the old man’s face was priceless. I wish I could whip my phone out and take a picture. David and Stormie would have enjoyed seeing this.
“How in the bloody hell do you figure he is my responsibility? This is your pack. No really Trey, I barely ,tolerate even keeping Cara here when we bring her back to visit, what, by all that is holy, makes you think I will keep her mate here?”
An evil laugh slipped out, “Because your Alpha demands this of you. Besides, the only reason you don’t like keeping Cara here is because of that awful caterwauling music she listens to. You have a bedroom set up especially for her so don’t give me that. Besides, as her closest living relative you owe it to her father to make sure you whip her mate into shape before she meets him.”
I smiled when I saw the resignation settle on his face. Then his eyes narrowed, “Just how bad is this pup that I need to whip him into shape? And how does he know he is Cara’s mate if he has never met her? Just where did he get a chance to find out she was his mate?” The last couple of questions were directed at Gammon. Since we had arranged to change to wolf form at Sam’s and trot down to Gabby’s cabin he and his mate were standing off to the side waiting.
I hoped Donny would keep his mouth shut until we were gone. My hope was not to be realized
though. I guess he had decided he had enough with people talking about him, instead of to him. The ass beating did not beat enough sense into him. I may need to do it again, and again until it takes.
“Don’t worry about the how and why old man. You heard him. Cara is my mate. Thanks for finally, after days, telling me her name.” The bitterness seeped though his voice on the last sentence. Unfortunately he was not finished, “I am tired. I have no clothes but what is on my back. I want a bed of my own and a chance to find out more about my mate. Congratulations you won the coin toss and lookie lookie you get a new nephew. Yah you.”
I barely managed to dodge out of Sam’s way as he launched himself at Donny, snarling. I don’t know what Donny thought would happen when he disrespected Sam. I have no idea if he thought he would be safe because Sam has a few too many years under his belt or if he just did not care. Donny was still young and had not yet bulked up with muscles. Sam, though one of the eldest of my pack, was still in great shape. I debated pulling Sam off of Donny, only for a second.
Gabby (Safe Haven Wolves Book 1) Page 11