“Oh my god, Bel!” Ruby cries, her voice sounding closer as she gets nearer.
“You caught me just in time, thanks Billy. You appeared out of nowhere. How did you know?” I ask.
“I felt you through the pack bond, not to mention heard you thudding down the stairs. I’m a werewolf. I’ve got good speed. I’m just glad I was quick enough. We can’t have you damaging that beautiful face of yours.” He leans to kiss me on the head but Ruby pushes him off me trying to help me up; which would be easier if my feet weren’t still halfway up the stairs.
If Ruby had just left it to Billy to help me up, he would’ve been able to support my weight no problem. Hell, he’d be able to bench press a car, one-handed at that. That’s a good bonus to being a were, super strength, and like Billy already said, speed. Unfortunately, Ruby doesn’t have the strength of a were.
After watching us struggle for a second, not to mention seeing my face almost hit the floor once or twice, Billy barges Ruby out of the way. “Move it, Rubes, I’ll get her. You go make Bel a coffee. I have a feeling she needs one to function in the morning.”
Ruby disappears into the kitchen, hopefully to make that coffee. Billy is right. I’m ready for one.
Billy picks me up without a problem and carries me across the room to the sofa.
“Thanks Billy,” I say, as he sets me down on the sofa.
Wesley is sitting opposite me with a face like thunder. Thanks for your concern.
“Sorry it took me a while to get down here, but I checked in on Theo while I was in the bathroom.”
“We heard you. How is he?”
Ruby passes me a mug of coffee and it smells perfect. I take a sip, burning my tongue; I do that so often you would think I’d learn my lesson and wait for it to cool before drinking it, but the smell draws me in every time. I set the mug down on the coffee table before I do it again, as Ruby takes he seat next to me.
All three of them watch me with anticipation written over their faces.
“He’s okay. He didn’t realise my empathy worked through the connection so he tried to pretend he was better than he is by acting all happy and normal, but I could feel how tired he was. He became a bit more truthful after I called him out on it. He’s keeping his hopes up and knows we’ll be there soon. He said he’s been taking energy from the pack, which is helping him.”
“So that’s why you have been so grumpy, Wes.” Billy nudges him in the ribs playfully.
“I thought Wes was always grumpy.” giggles Ruby.
“Well there is my excuse. Now tell us the rest.” He tries to give me an order.
I don’t know what comes over me but I’m not standing for it.
I stare him in the eyes, I wouldn’t normally stare a werewolf down unless I know I could kill them in a fight, like Chloe for instance. Because if you won’t back down and they won’t back down that is what a stare contest will lead to—a death match. Wesley is really dominant and so am I. I’m honestly not sure who would come out alive between the two of us. Since I’m Theo’s mate, I’m pack leader in his absence so the orders should be coming from me alone, not Wesley. I can hold my wolf back and only show the dominance I am willing to show. I’m not really sure how I do it and I’ve never heard of anyone else that can do it. But I made the mistake of showing my full dominance to Jared’s pack and I have learnt not to do that again. I usually try to make it so I sit in the middle of a pack, not too dominant to be considered a threat and not too weak to be abused. There is only Wesley and Billy here, so I pull out my dominance to make Wes come to his senses and back down.
As I strip down emotionally to bare my animal, I feel Chloe come in the room. Her fear starts to grow along with my dominance.
Neither Wesley nor I look away from each other. It goes on for what feels like a long time, neither of us wanting to give in. Thinking on it, I don’t even think he really meant it as an order in the first place, but I am not backing down and Wesley obviously feels the need to stand his ground too.
“Come on guys, there’s no need for this.” Billy tries to stop us.
“Billy, keep out of it!” I order with every bit of dominance I have. I guess my point gets across because he doesn’t speak again.
My order must make Wesley realise something too because he looks down to the floor before dropping to his hands and knees and crawling over to me. He stops before me and turns his head, baring his neck. It’s an animal thing, to offer a vulnerable body part in apology to the more dominant giving them the choice to rip you apart or chastise you.
I choose the latter by leaning forward and biting his throat, not hard enough to draw blood or even hurt; a nip more than a bite. But it’s a chastisement, which is needed. As weird as it feels, I know I have to do it, it comes with the job. Maybe it was Theo’s anger over Wes and his orders still residing in me that caused me to stand my ground.
We both sit back in our seats without another word.
By now Chloe has joined us, sitting on the floor at Billy’s feet. She’s dressed extremely conservatively for Chloe; wearing a fuchsia pink hoodie and sweatpants, with hardly any flesh showing at all. I guess Theo isn’t here to impress.
They all look at me in silence, waiting for me to carry on.
Before I can open my mouth, Ruby breaks the silence. “Does someone want to explain what just happened?”
Billy looks at me questioningly.
I nod allowing him to answer.
“Dominance games. Pack stuff, sweetie.” He smiles at her reassuringly.
“But she bit him,” she says, sounding astounded.
Wesley turns his neck to show her that there is no wound, just a pink mark which will fade to nothing in five minutes. “It wasn’t hard,” he admits.
She shrugs dismissively.
Billy is watching me. I can feel through his emotions that my dominance arouses him. I don’t know whether to feel flattered or creeped out by that.
Chloe has fear rolling off her in waves. I’m not the only one who can feel it. Billy reaches out and rubs her shoulder in comfort.
Wesley is concerned, no doubt about Alyssa.
“Theo said the others are safe and well. They were all together after he came around from the tranquilliser,” I say, realising I have made them wait long enough.
They all stare at me in silence so I speak again, hoping we can get back to more normal conditions. It’s all too tense after the stare down. “So who are we taking tonight?”
Wesley hands me a piece of paper over the coffee table. “Billy and I picked a few guys we think will be best for the job. Their names and numbers are on there,” he says, pointing at the piece of paper in my hand. “Obviously, if you think someone is better for the job, by all means change it.”
“No. It’s okay, Wesley. You both know the pack members better than me. You know who is right for the job.” I glance over the list and notice Chloe’s name isn’t on it. Theo had told me she was one of the most dominant, and a good fighter, which made me think she’d be pretty useful. “How come Chloe’s not on there? She is one of the strongest in the pack.”
Chloe looks at me, gobsmacked.
I tried to sound as friendly as I can but I’m still showing too much dominance for my liking, with me shifting so much recently, I’m finding it hard to push it back into hiding. My wolf likes being out at full strength.
“Yeah. We were going to put Chloe on but we thought she’d be better staying here with Ruby. We know how good you are, Chloe,” says Wesley. He sounds a lot calmer. We might be getting back to normality now.
“I don’t need a babysitter, I’m seventeen,” Ruby complains.
“No. She’s not staying to babysit you. Think of it as more like a bodyguard. Especially, with the front doors in the mess they are in. Theo left you with me when he went out and I can’t let anything happen to you while you’re in my care,” Wesley says.
“Fine,” Ruby snaps back, clearly not happy but willing to let it slide.
I pick
up the phone from the coffee table and call the guys on the list. They all listened to my instructions silently with no arguments—just like the three wolves in the room with me. Each of them assured me they would be at Misty’s on time.
Billy manages to get us all joking and laughing in no time. He’s got a heart of gold that one. He soon takes Ruby and Chloe in to the kitchen to help him make sandwiches for lunch, leaving me and Wesley alone in the lounge. I think he did it on purpose since there is still a little bit of tension between us. Maybe he hoped we’d be able to sort it out in private.
Wesley speaks up first. “About what happened earlier, I didn’t mean it as an order. I was just grumpy and didn’t think before I spoke.”
“I know. I don’t know what came over me, I think it might be something Theo said to me,” I admit.
“You had every right. I shouldn’t be giving you orders.”
I feel the need to explain. “Theo said that too. I think with his words fresh in my mind and my wolf close to the surface with all these changes I have been doing, my animal instincts took over.”
“How did you become so dominant and then just let it disappear again? You only feel mid-pack dominant now, but you were a hell of a lot more a minute ago?” He asks.
“To be honest. I’m not sure how I do it, or what I do. The best way to describe it is that I bury my dominance deep inside me and only leave a mid-level amount on show. When I was younger I had it all on show and had so much trouble with Jared’s pride feeling threatened. I was always being challenged. That was probably just as much to do with being a wolf and didn’t belong with the lions, as it was to do with my high dominance. One day it just happened. I could hide it, not that it helped with the lions. They already knew my full strength. I don’t ever want to be treated like that again, so I keep it under wraps now.”
“I never realised it would be hard being a lone wolf. Does Theo know about your strength?”
“I’ve never let it out since I originally hid it a couple of years ago. I don’t think he knows, unless he has a way of feeling it without me showing it,” I say, with a shrug.
The others come back with three big plates full of sandwiches and mugs of fresh coffee.
“I can’t believe you two thought me and Bel were, you know…this morning,” Ruby says, between bites of her sandwich.
“Come on. You were in bed together,” Wesley says, grabbing a sandwich.
“And only in your underwear,” Billy adds.
“What were we meant to think?” Wesley finishes.
“Chloe. What would you think if you saw me and Ruby just waking up in Theo’s bed together?” I ask, just to prove a point.
“That you both needed to feel close to him,” she answers, proving my point perfectly. Men!
“What? You wouldn’t think they’d been together? Not even if they got out in just their bras and undies?” Billy seems astonished that she hadn’t jumped to the same conclusion he and Wesley had.
“No. I guess it’s a girl thing. My best friend and I used to sit and talk to each other while we had baths when we were growing up. Hell. We still do if we are getting ready for a night out together,” She informs him, rendering Billy speechless.
“Besides. Rosabel is mated to Theo, and you both know I’ve had a crush on Paddy and Eddie, for like forever,” Ruby says, blushing as she realises me and Chloe had no idea.
“Aw, Paddy is a sweetheart. Eddie is a player, I’m not sure he’s suitable for you Ruby,” I say, getting nothing but an eye roll from her.
“Yes. Stay away from Ed. He’ll end up breaking your heart,” Wes warns Ruby. “I bet you weren’t calling Paddy sweet when he was trying to make you his meal not so long ago,” he says to me, with a smirk.
Ruby glances from Wes to me with a worried look on her face; probably concerned that her crush might have a habit of eating people. “What?”
“It wasn’t really his fault. I was bleeding my delicious blood all over the place, right in front of him two days before the full moon. What did I expect?” I say, making everyone laugh at the thought.
Twenty-Six
UNEXPECTED GUEST
ROSABEL
“Hubby. I’m home,” says a stranger’s voice from the front of the house, followed by a really irritating cackle of a laugh.
“Oh. God help us. The bitch is back! That’s the last thing we need right now,” Billy announces, obviously recognising the voice or more likely the cackle. That cackle isn’t one you will forget in a hurry.
A blonde walks through the door looking like she’s raided Chloe’s wardrobe. She’s wearing a baby pink tank top and a denim mini skirt, or belt whatever you prefer to call it, she’s matched it with black knee high boots to finish off the look. Her mannerisms are just like Chloe’s. She’s almost like a twin.
“Oh great,” Ruby whispers, as she gets up and heads for the kitchen.
“Wesley. What are you lot doing in my house? Where’s Theodore?” She sounds just like Chloe too.
I bloody hate women with an attitude.
“Ruby is living here now. Theo asked us to stay and look after her while he’s away with business.” That was quick-thinking Wes. Well done.
“What? All of you? There are four of you looking after a seventeen-year-old?” she asks, sounding slightly perplexed.
“Yes. Safety in numbers and all. As you probably noticed, the front door isn’t quite intact,” Chloe throws out there.
“Ok. I’m going to get changed. If Theodore isn’t here, his room will be free. I’ll go in there,” she says, before heading for the stairs.
This strange woman is not sleeping in Theo’s room. I don’t care who she is. “No! That room is taken. Any of the downstairs rooms are free,” I clarify.
I hear Billy chuckle and start to wonder what he’s laughing at, until I catch a whiff of my bonding scent. Jealousy will do that to a girl.
“And who might you be?” she snaps at me with attitude that could give Chloe’s a run for her money.
I look at Billy, who looks at Wesley, who looks back at me with a shrug.
Ruby comes back from the kitchen and perches next to me on the sofa. “That’s Rosabel. She’s Theo’s girlfriend and that’s why his room is taken.”
“His girlfriend? Oh, well. I’ll go in the baby pink room down the hall near the front door. My case is through that way. It saves me carrying it far,” she says, sounding put out as she walks off. I don’t feel one bit of guilt.
“Who is that?” I ask no one in particular.
“She’s Theo’s wife, Selena. They’ve been separated a year. She cheated on him,” Wesley answers, clearly not wanting to.
I’m floored by his answer. No one has mentioned a wife to me. “His wife,” I whisper to myself.
“Aw. Didn’t he tell you he was married?” Chloe asks smugly. So much for thinking she was starting to like me.
“We’ve not really had a chance to have the getting to know you conversation, yet.” That wipes the smug smile off her face; I don’t need to tell her what we have done. She already knows. I quickly dismiss Chloe and look at Wesley. “You said she cheated on him. Is she insane? He’d kill the guy.”
Wes glances nervously in the direction Selena had disappeared. “She doesn’t know about any of us.”
“What? He married her without telling her what he is? Where did she think he went every full moon?” I whisper, so she doesn’t hear me if she decides to come back—not that I couldn’t feel or hear her coming. Sometimes when you know something is a secret, you can’t help but whisper when talking about it.
“Exactly. She isn’t really bright. She just believed he was away on business,” he explains.
“Well, fuck,” is all I can manage. I can’t imagine Theo deceiving someone like that.
Selena comes back in the room, halting the conversation. She sits down and starts chatting to the others, as if she has never been away.
I manage to sneak off unnoticed and go back up to Theo’s room,
to get away from her. I need some time alone with my thoughts. I’ve got more than enough things to think about right now.
Twenty-Seven
EXECUTIONER
ROSABEL
I am only alone for about half an hour before Wesley knocks on the door to tell me we should think about going to find the best places to hide in the alley behind Misty’s. He’s right, of course. I tell him I’ll meet him there after teleporting to the apartment, so I can change into more suitable clothes.
When I open my eyes, I find myself in my bedroom at Misty’s. I can’t help but notice how strange it feels being here. I don’t belong here anymore. I go through the few clothes I have, hunting for the black hoodie and matching pants I know are there. I quickly pull them on with the black Nikes I have from my uniform at ‘the Chief,’ glad I had thought to bring them; considering I never wear them. It looks like they’ll be my mission sneakers now.
Walking through the house looking for Misty, I come up empty. She must have gone to the bar early knowing we will be heading that way early as well.
I take a slow stroll to the alley to meet Wesley and Billy. I take the fifteen minutes it takes to psych myself up. I’m nervous about giving orders to all these guys. They all seemed compliant on the phone but they could always change their minds when they are face-to-face. We all need to do everything we can to get Theo and the others back. I feel down our mate bond, hoping for an insight into his well-being. He’s still there but I can’t get much else from him. Maybe he’s blocking me from feeling him again.
It doesn’t take us long to scout out some good hiding places. We decide to head in and grab a drink while waiting for the other guys.
We have chosen five of the of the most dominant pack members, thinking or more like hoping, the controller will have more trouble taking over the more dominant members. The only problem with that way of thinking is he’s controlling Jared and he’s alpha material. Wesley is adamant Theo’s pack has some of the strongest wolves in Australia.
Mount Roxby Box Set Page 20