by Michelle Fox
“Alpha, isn’t your mate a witch?” Alice yelled out so everyone could hear her. The crowd, who were excited five seconds ago, now were gasping and covering their mouths. She looked around, nodding when other pack members glanced over at her for confirmation.
“Yes, Alice, and if you could let me finish I’ll explain to the pack what is going on.” The look he gave her wasn’t close to what he was going to do as soon as this meeting was over. “Quinn is a witch, and comes from a long line of witches who are part of the Witches and Wizards Council. Her father is an elder in the WWC. She is not the kind of witch who would do me or any of you harm. I’ve told her about Beatrice Hoffman, and what she did to my dad. I know it will take some time for all of you to get used to a witch being around us again, but as you know we have no choice in our fated mate.
“She has the grand opening today for her store at noon. I would appreciate it if you could stop by and at least introduce yourself. Remember, we support our own, and Quinn and Finley Egan were both bitten by the rogue pack this week and turned. So we still need to be on the look-out for that pack. There will be a lot of humans in town this weekend, so keep your eyes open.”
“How do we know she isn’t that kind of witch?” Alice asked, trying to provoke the pack. He looked over at Bane, and he could tell his friend’s wolf was pushing out. He wanted to make her submit too.
“Alice, since you’re continuing with this agenda to make my mate look bad, I think it’s only fair to tell the pack about the lies you’ve been spreading. First, you show up in my bedroom naked and jump me so you can get your scent on me. Then, when I ordered you to leave, you went to my mate’s workplace and told her we’re still sleeping together and you just left my bed.”
“Then, when that didn’t work, you and a select few—who will be dealt with later—showed up here and went around to as many pack members you could to try and turn them against Quinn. She has done nothing to you, Alice. She’s just trying to run a business and bring more people to our community to buy our goods. You should be ashamed of yourself.” Arden watched as members of the pack glared at her; some wouldn’t even look at her. His point was made, harsh as it was. She’d given him no choice, though. “Alice, you and your group will wait by the pack house and I’ll deal with you in a bit. You are all dismissed.”
Arden waited until they were gone before starting the meeting up again. “Pack, a lot of changes are going on. We still have dangers among us, but what we have to do is stick together and not allow animosity to interfere with our pack and what is best for us. Fear can make a person do stupid things. I’ve gotten to know Quinn and she’s not like Beatrice. I want you to meet her and make your own judgment instead of letting lies do that for you. To grow, we need mates, and to stay strong we have to believe in one another. If you have any concerns, please come to me and we can sit down and work them out like we always have. Again, if you would try and support Quinn during this time, I would appreciate it. I think once you’ve met her you’ll find that she’s like us and only wants this to work out.”
“The store is opening today at noon. Also, Jade Cross will have her purse and jewelry line at Southern Treasures. She has already sold a good bit through Quinn’s online shop. Stop by and support Jade and Quinn, and the other pack members who are working there. Ms. Nelly, I know you have quilts that you make for the fairs, and I bet if you talk to Quinn she could find a spot in the store which can bring in more business for you.” Arden waited and saw that some of the Elders smiled and patted Ms. Nelly on the back as they all left. Her mate had passed away, and she needed something to keep her going. Making quilts was something she liked to do, and it helped bring in money for her to live on.
“What do you think?” Arden asked Bane.
“I think it went great, but you still need to do something about Alice and the others for trying to start trouble. Plus, she was being rude while you were trying to conduct an official meeting. So I think cleaning up the common areas and bathrooms would be a good punishment for her and the group. I can go and check to make sure they’re being done properly.”
“Sounds good to me. Let’s go give Alice the bad news.” Arden smiled, thinking about Alice and the others cleaning all the bathrooms in the pack house and cleaning up after all the little ones in the common areas. It was always a disaster after the kids had been playing and using the bathrooms.
Chapter 10
Quinn looked around the store one last time, making sure everything was in place and that everyone she offered a job to was ready to go. She had Rick and Paley running the cash registers. Jade was manning her side of the store, with all the jewelry and purses. Finley had some friends who needed jobs, and she’d given them a crash course in sales. Most had worked odd jobs before, and picked it up pretty quickly. Especially Emily, who’d worked at a coffee shop in Atlanta. She wanted to run the coffee and book part of the store. Everything seemed to be in place and working out.
Why her thoughts seemed to keep going back to Arden she didn’t understand? Maybe it was the great sex they’d had last night or maybe there really was something about being his mate. She wished that he was here.
The back of her neck was itching and had been since Arden brought her home last night. They’d made love again upstairs, but he’d left early this morning, saying he had pack business to tend too. She was hoping he’d be there to support her and Jade today.
Oh well, she thought. Maybe she was asking for too much. Finley walked over and put his arm around her. “The store looks wonderful, Quinn. From the crowd growing outside, I think it’s going to be a success. Thanks for letting me work here until I can get back on my feet, and for just being here for someone to talk to.” She understood Finley’s fears, because she had the same ones. He lived at the pack house, and everyone had opened their arms up to him, but her being a witch had left most of the pack ignoring her. At least that’s what she thought, since none of them have been by the store to say hello. Finley told her about pack members stopping by the house introducing themselves to him and bringing him cookies and other food items, but no one had come out to see her, even though she knew most of them had been to town. She couldn’t think about it now, though—she had a living to make.
“Well, we’re in this together, right? Plus, who else understands better than me? We were re-born on the same night, with that great big moon in the sky.”
Quinn hugged Finley. “I’m glad you’re my friend, too.” She didn’t want to start crying, so she let him go and walked away, brushing the tear away before anyone could see it. She’d never had true friends before, and what Finley said touched her deeply. She glanced back at everyone before she unlocked the door and turned the ‘Open’ sign on. “Everyone ready?”
“Ready,” they all echoed back.
She smiled, plugged the sign in, and unlocked the door. Before she could open the door, though, it was being pulled from the outside. She backed up and welcomed everyone as they started piling inside. As she inhaled, she could already smell the coffeemakers brewing all kinds of coffee. Jade and her friends did a great job in getting the equipment there in one day, and working too. They didn’t have many books yet, but Paley had found a bookstore going out of business in Atlanta and she immediately called and asked how much she wanted for her supplies. The lady didn’t have much left, but they were all new books, so off she went with the others to pick up the coffeemakers and books. These kids were a godsend, and she couldn’t thank them enough.
“Hello.” Quinn opened her eyes to see Arden smiling back at her. He was holding a bouquet of wildflowers. “I thought these would look great over on the counter with all the different-colored candles.”
“They’re beautiful, Arden.” Quinn murmured as she held the flowers to her nose.
“You’re beautiful; these will do.” Arden smiled. “It looks like opening day is a big success! While I waited outside for you to open, I could see even more vehicles pulling up.”
“Thank you, Arden. I hop
e so, but I tell you, the ones who are going to be successful are those four back there. They’ve been wonderful to me. And I haven’t told her yet, but Jade has sold three hundred purses online alone. She’ll need some help in sewing her product, because she won’t be able to do it by herself. I can’t wait to tell her. I hope she has some friends who can sew.”
“Are you kidding? There are a lot of people in the pack who can and are looking for work. The pack keeps them up because they can’t find any jobs here, but they do odd jobs for people in the community. When are you going to tell her?”
“Let’s go tell her now. I can’t keep this in much longer.” Quinn clapped her hands together, excited to give her the news.
Quinn and Arden walked over to the counter, where Jade was helping a lady pick out some bracelets for wedding gifts. Once she was done, Quinn couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“Jade, I have some great news. I checked the computer before we opened, and you’ve already sold three hundred purses online. Do you realize what that means?” Jade looked stunned and speechless. “That means you’re going to be a success, girl, and make great money! You need to hire some people to help you sew girl. You have a lot of orders to fill.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Jade had tears in her eyes. “For so long, people have told me that I wouldn’t amount to anything, and it kinda stuck inside me.”
“Who told you that, sweetheart?” Arden demanded. He had his arm around her as the tears fell.
“Nobody, Alpha. I don’t won’t to drag anyone into this happy moment. I sold three hundred purses?”
Quinn smiled and nodded her head. “Yes ma’am, you did, and that means you need to hire some people to help you. We need to hire you an attorney, too, to make sure your line is protected and nobody can take it from you. The lawyer here in town drew up my papers, I’m sure it would be easy for him to do that for you. Plus, you have the money now.”
“Miss, can you show me something?” A lady pointed at the jewelry cabinet.
“Of course,” Jade answered, then told Quinn, “I’ll get with you later.”
They watched as she practically skipped over to the next counter.
“Look how happy she is.” Quinn smiled.
“You did that for her, Quinn. I’m so ashamed that I didn’t know people were filling her head with nonsense. She’s a beautiful girl, who’s going to be a big success. I could pound the ones who told her that.”
“Well, look no further.” Quinn nodded in the direction of the door, where Alice and two other girls had just walked in.
“I dealt with them today. Let me know if they cause any trouble? I called her out today at a pack meeting about how she lied to you. I had enough of it. I hope you believe me, Quinn. I haven’t been with a soul since I met you, and I never will. I know you might not feel it yet, but you’re it for me.”
“Can you get me one of those pocket books down, sir?” Arden and Quinn both looked over at a young girl. She was pointing at one of Jade’s purses, which was hanging on the wall.
“Of course. Which one would you like?” Arden asked. He was tall enough to reach the one she was pointing at.
“How much is it?” the girl asked.
“Well, this one is…” Arden looked at the tag. “This one is fifty-two dollars.”
The girl smiled. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Arden and Quinn watched the little girl take the pocketbook over to her mom.
“I think I’ll stick around for a while and get purses off the wall,” Arden said with a smile.
“That sounds great.” Quinn walked over to the counters where Paley and Rick were feverishly ringing people up. She got behind the counter and started helping by putting their items in bags for them. The line started moving faster when she did.
When she looked up next it was already six at night, and the store was almost ready to close. Everyone looked tired, and when she examined the store most of her inventory had been sold. That meant she needed to get on the phone and order more, so that when they opened back up on Tuesday she would be re-stocked.
Quinn rushed over and locked the door after the last woman left. “We did it!” she yelled out. When she turned around everyone was smiling and coming up to congratulate her.
“This calls for a celebration,” Jade announced. “Let’s have a cook-out. What do you say, Quinn?”
“Um, well, I have a lot…”
“That can wait until tomorrow,” Jade interrupted. “Finley can drive you out and maybe one of the guards can drive you back.”
“Or I can.” Quinn jerked her head in the direction of the voice. Her ears had to be deceiving her. But no, there was her brother smiling at her. She ran over to him and jumped in his arms. August was her twin, and he had red hair, too, but it was dark auburn rather than flame-red. He’d grown a goatee since she last saw him, and cut his hair short. He looked great; and normal, for once. He had on dark-colored blue jeans and a button-down shirt. Not the normal suit and tie she was used to him wearing as a successful doctor.
“When did you get here?” Quinn asked, excited to see her twin.
“A little while ago. I just watched to see how it was going, and it looked like you were selling a lot of stuff, Sister,” August said proudly.
“Come here and meet the gang.” Quinn pulled her reluctant brother over to Jade and her friends. “Everyone, this is my twin brother, August. He just surprised me with a visit, can he come too?”
“Of course he can,” Jade answered immediately.
“Hey, can I talk to you in private?” Quinn narrowed her eyes at her brother for being so rude. He wasn’t even acknowledging Jade or the others, and she wouldn’t have any of that.
“Excuse us. Jade, give us thirty minutes and I can drive to the property.” Quinn grabbed hold of her brother’s hand and pulled him away toward the back door. A guard was standing at her stairs, and eyed her hand on her brother like she was up to something.
“Pete, this is my brother August. We’ll be down in a few minutes, and then we’ve been invited to a cook-out behind the pack house with Jade and her friends.” She could see Pete immediately relax when she told him that August was her brother. Unfortunately, she also knew that Pete would be calling the Alpha and telling him that August was here. He was a wizard, and that would mean two magic users on Dixon Land. She wondered if the pack would collapse in fear from them being so near, or if they would act like nothing was wrong. Because he was her brother, and nobody was going to tell her that he couldn’t visit.
“What are you doing here, August?”
“Well, I’m happy to see you too, Sister,” August said smartly.
“Look I know when you’re lying, and I know something is up. What is it? Is something wrong at home?”
“Of course not, except that you’re not there like you should be. But you don’t need to be here, Quinn. You’re too good for this hick town. Dad said if you come home now, he may be able to make sure our name isn’t tarnished.”
Quinn stared, then burst out laughing. “Did he make you learn that speech, or did you make that shit up yourself?”
August frowned. “You can’t make me believe that this is what you want. In this hick town? You know you can open your own store back home where it’s not so country. We’re not like the wolves.” Quinn was ashamed of how her brother was acting, sticking his nose up in the air like they were better than Jade and the rest of her pack. Wow, she thought, I just called it my pack. She smiled.
“What’s so funny?”
“You are. I can’t believe my own brother has his nose up in the air, just like our father. We’ve always despised that act. These people have shown me nothing but kindness—more than I ever got back home, August. I was going to tell you later, but I guess this is the best time to do it. I am just like the wolves. In fact, I’m a werewolf too.”
August narrowed his eyes, then looked at her again. This time she could tell he could see the difference in her. “Wh
at happened to you?”
“Earlier this week I was attacked by a rogue wolf and turned. Ta-da.” Quinn threw her hands up in the air.
“I’m going to fucking kill them. All of them.” Quinn could see the magic storming around August.
She put her hands on his shoulder, stopping him. “Calm down. It was a rogue wolf, August, not this pack. But they did take me in, and they’ve helped me. I’m happy here. For the first time ever, I’ve found a place that I can call home and be happy in. Please don’t ruin that, or try to make me go back to that hellhole.”
Quinn watched all kinds of emotions run across August’s face. “I’m happy here, and finally free of him. I make my own decisions, and my dreams of owning my own business have come true.” She pulled him closer and whispered, “Please be happy for me; and August, you can leave too. You could be whatever you want here, and practice medicine too.”
“Sister, you know I can’t. He’ll be…” August’s voice stopped. She could see the stress he was under.
“Enough, August. We’ve been under his control long enough. I’m done, and you are too. You can practice anywhere. We don’t need his approval.” Quinn pulled her brother closer. “It’s our time now. He had his chance, and if he wants to take over the Council then that’s on him. But he isn’t taking us with him when he fails; and make no mistake, brother, he will fail.”
They both jerked when someone knocked on the door. Quinn dropped her hands. “Come in.”
Finley had to duck as he came through the door. August looked up at him in surprise. She thought he’d left already.