by Erin R Flynn
Sander was the first to finish, and he was a bit of a troublemaker like I was, coming to stand by me. “Did you want to be tagged or mentioned in the clip I’ll post about how much we were lifting or doing here?” He gave me a knowing smirk. “You’re making it public you’re not hiding or scared and getting back to work and the pack, right?”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” I teased him, nodding. “Yeah, do whatever social media fun or whatever. The whole idea was to build a community. Take a picture of how far you run and something for the club if they beat you.”
“Got it.”
I was shocked when one of the female vampire trainers came over and went with me into the locker room. I wanted to ask if I was in that bad of shape or what, but she said something before I could.
“After a trauma, the strangest things trigger you sometimes, and it’s easier if you’re not alone. Plus, you couldn’t fight a fly at the moment, and we need you to get better. Chicago does.”
I nodded as I quickly used the washroom and grabbed a towel. I thanked her for waiting for me, and she brought me to the treadmills.
“Can I check the air casts?” Eugene asked gently. He smiled when I sighed. “Please? I know the knee braces, ankle air casts, and wrist braces are a bit much, but so were your injuries and what was done to your bones.”
“Thanks,” I muttered as he checked them. The place was cool enough to wear yoga pants and a long sleeved shirt even if it was July. I wasn’t ready to show more skin than that given I was bruised and like a stick figure.
“You’re good. Just go a few minutes and sit. Then go a few more minutes. The goal is to move, not hurt yourself.”
“Got it,” I promised. He got on the treadmill next to me and started a slow jog as I walked just enough to barely turn the machine on. I scanned my thumb and knew it wasn’t going to be enough power to bother recording as mine, but it was an accurate recording of my progress.
Once I was to the point of actual progress.
I started at the beginning of what Cooper and Harris laid out for me, glad once again I could speed read to take a look at actual cases then too as my tablet was hooked up to the FBI everything. I lasted a whole three minutes before I felt like I was trying to breathe with a weight on my chest. I stopped walking and waved everyone to keep going when they looked like they might stop too.
Rolling over a balance ball, I sat on it and kept reading, letting Eugene tell me a few very simple and basic recovery stretches. Really he wanted me to just remind my muscles to work together and move a tiny bit. I took a ten minute break before getting back on the treadmill for another three minutes.
Hey, that was six whole minutes more than the day before, and that was what I planned to focus on.
What I had to focus on.
I only managed another two minutes before resigning myself to sit my butt on the ball and be glad that I was alive and doing better instead of annoyed I could only walk that long. I’d get back. I’d come back from injuries and wounds before. Granted, this was bigger, but I also was stronger and more than human.
“Time for you to eat,” Eugene said about fifty minutes into his run.
I smirked at him. “I drank my protein shake and my sports drink. I thought I’d at least get to watch you lift something the weight of a car and see all this dire wolf strength and maybe some shirtless hotness for inviting you.”
His shirt was off in a flash, ignoring when a few of the ancients chuckled that he was so willing. He went over to the bench press machine that was resistance but also generated electricity. It was a neat setup, as free weights at the levels most paranormals lifted would be dangerous to have around humans. Or I guess really anyone stupid enough to try and show off in a way they shouldn’t.
He tucked his shirt into the back of his shorts and laid down. He set the adjustments to what he wanted, and I almost fell over as he easily lifted the weight of way past even what I could when I was in top shape.
I smiled and went over to him, locking gazes with him when I got close. “So could you do it while I sat on your lap?”
“Yeah, I would just get hard then, Sera,” he chuckled.
“That’s hot,” I admitted as he kept going. “I loved in New York when you just went and busted the hinges on the safes.”
“I noted that. I wouldn’t have thought muscle guys were your thing.”
I opened my mouth but then closed it, shrugging. “I like fit guys. I’m not into egos, but you weren’t being egotistical about it. You’re not grunting and challenging those around you. You’re confident in what you can do and know you deserve the hype. That’s hot to me.”
“Hot enough that we can go take a soak in the rooftop hot tub like you should after we eat?”
I nodded, flushing when he gave me a wolfish grin.
“Are you going right back to the apartment?” Sander asked, taking note of how tired I was that I couldn’t even hide it. He waited until I nodded. “That place had wraps, and you can order online with another protein shake. Let’s order and we can pick it up while you head straight back.”
I crooked my finger at him until he leaned down and then kissed his cheek. “Thanks. That would be awesome.”
“I live to be awesome,” he teased me with a wink.
I ordered a few wraps since they would keep over the next few hours but left off anything I didn’t think my stomach should have yet, like onions or radishes. I added a few protein shakes because we could just stick them in the freezer like shakes and drink them as they defrosted. Everyone else added their orders as we headed to the exit, and I thanked the attendants, promising to be back tomorrow.
Which amused them. Yeah, I was starting trouble, but it shouldn’t be trouble, which was why I was doing it. Vlad wasn’t sticking to the plan, and there weren’t people there, just the vampires working. Granted, it was off hours from the before and after work rushes, but still, a brand new gym with free two month membership and still nothing after that if you generated enough power over the month?
Come on, in a city that everything was too expensive in and at a prime downtown location? Yeah, people should be all over that.
Sander showed me the tweet he was going to send out with a picture of his readout showing how much energy he’d produced over fifty minutes saying the non-human FBI office was doing their part and tagging the other FBI office asking if they would take the challenge. He also added the club’s twitter, asking if the ladies might want to join us tomorrow, including I was there.
That was a lot to get done in one tweet. Granted, he just used my first name, but there weren’t that many Sera’s, so most would pick up it was me. At least it would start some intrigue given he did some eco tags I didn’t understand.
I realized all of them had twitter and were replying back with pictures of what they did.
“Am I the only one without an account?”
Sander shrugged. “Apollo doesn’t like any of this kind of stuff. I’m rarely on Twitter, but the moment I was free and able to do what I wanted without worrying I’d get a look I was so uncouth or whatever, yeah, we all signed up. I’m more a YouTube guy. Carter is totally into Instagram and all the food trends. Chicago’s got such an array, and he’s a total foodie.”
“Glad you guys are settling here.” I smiled. That could have been a disaster, but everyone who had come under me had really seemed to be glad for the change and chance to live as they wanted instead of with the confinements of being under a councilman or such an old world coven.
I wasn’t surprised when the first thing out of Eugene’s mouth when we were alone was asking about what I’d said before speaking with the front desk.
“You’re not asking me to like move in, right? Just move my apartment to Chicago,” he muttered as we pulled onto the street.
“Yeah, not move in with me,” I assured him. My phone beeped, and I read the message from Monroe saying the video conference had just ended and he’d talked with Nikos and added their lun
ch order to ours. Oh, and they were using the golf simulator the building had. “Well, apparently Deputy Director Galvin still wants to talk to me if they’re hanging out at the building for a while.”
“I’m sorry I lost my cool with that important call,” he muttered, clearing his throat as he adjusted his neck.
“I did too,” I forgave. “I don’t do politics well.”
“I do. Normally. Well, at least better than that. I mean, I’m not a political animal, but I navigate the council pretty well for a team lead.”
“I’ve heard that, and it was meant as a compliment,” I told him, not wanting him to think that people were just talking behind his back. It also made me think of something else. “What happened with Barry? He still a team lead?”
“He got probation for a few months, and then he’s been getting shit assignments with a team of newbies. The council was pissed he started so much shit when you were doing so good and Melicent had choice words about him too when they wanted to have someone become as friendly with her as Axel and I are with you.” He cleared his throat again. “But you know that’s not why we like you, right?”
I nodded. “Alena made that clear. I was a bit worried about you seeing me with rose colored glasses, but any man who takes personal time to cover a pack of wolves as a dire wolf isn’t just seeing what he wants. That’s someone who saw the blood, sweat, and tears I put in to help paranormals and Chicago and wasn’t going to let it fall apart while I was gone, believing I would come home.”
“Alena also made it clear there wasn’t a chance in fuck that Axel and I are getting named your mate or consorts if we’re still council.”
“Do you blame her with the way some of them are acting?”
“No.” He didn’t say anything else, seeming lost in his head. He pulled into the parking garage, and I noted the way he checked it out with more interest like he was realizing he could really live there.
And that was maybe appealing to someone who had been on the go and traveled for decades, probably longer.
He came around after we got out and lifted me in his arms. “You’ve walked and moved enough for your first day back. I saw you wince.”
“Thanks,” I murmured, leaning in and sniffing him, my wolf stirring as we scented him all sweaty and sexy from his workout and showing off for us. I nuzzled his neck and felt the desire to bite him. “Say it again.”
“I’m yours,” he breathed, knowing exactly what I wanted. “You’re my Alpha, Sera.”
“I’m going to make you scream that when you’re inside of me,” I promised. “When I submit to you and you show me exactly how strong you are and you want me. You’ll yell to everyone that you’re mine and that my pussy is all you want.”
“Jesus, Sera,” he hissed, kissing me when we got to the elevator. I pushed the button for the right floor as he set me on my feet and kissed me again. “Fuck, I’m trying to behave here. You can’t say stuff like that.”
“Sorry,” I whispered, shivering as his hand moved to my ass. “My wolf is upset like I’m not able to keep who we want as ours when I’m so weak. She pops up and goes right back to sleep.”
“I’ll warn the others because shit, that sounded like an invitation.”
“It was and I want it,” I admitted, moving my hands over his chest. “But we both know I can’t yet. I didn’t mean to tease like that.”
“Tease me all you want. I just want to make sure we’re on the same page,” he murmured as he ran his tongue around the shell of my ear. “And yes, I will absolutely yell that and more when I feel you wrapped around me the first time. I will taste you and make you scream you want dire wolf loving in your life always.”
I looked up into his gorgeous eyes and shivered at the intensity of the promise there. “I hope so.” The elevator door opened, and I slid out from under his arm, wincing when I stepped funny. Instantly I was up in Eugene’s arms. “Thanks.”
“I’m very committed to your getting better for some reason,” he whispered, and I bit back a smile.
Yeah, I just bet he was.
Monroe and Galvin both had their jackets and ties off, sleeves rolled up as Galvin took a swing as we joined them.
Monroe caught sight of us first. “Haton asked me when you were coming back, if you or Axel had mentioned when you were back on active duty.”
I snorted. “I just offered him and his team apartments.” I shrugged when both men gave me a curious look. “I warned Haton after working with Axel and his team that she might not want to let any team leads around me because I absolutely would try and steal them.” I smirked at Eugene when he flinched. “The flirting is extra. I meant professionally, and I don’t date men for the FBI.”
“Glad we made that clear,” he said as he sat me down. “Still not sure why you bring that up after I made an ass of myself.”
“Because she’s already caught up on the new, bigger budget getting approved for her division,” Galvin replied with a sigh as he grabbed a bottle of water and sat on the arm of a different chair. “First, how are you really? How did your first day doing anything go?”
“I feel ready to sleep the rest of the day, and I walked three minutes twice and then two minutes the third time,” I drawled. “I believe the doc, it will be a long recovery. Slow and steady until we jump start me. I get it, I was good.”
He nodded, looking relieved. “So how much do you know?”
“I looked over the final totals of everything we got from New York and dominoes pushed over and that you submitted a bigger budget proposal with those numbers. I assumed you got it as you don’t back anything that you don’t think will fly.” I shrugged. “The powers that be seemed to let us have a training class after the facility and everything was donated, but after seeing what we really did, they’re willing to get a non-human team at each office.”
“Yes.” He glanced at Eugene before looking back at me. “And you want him to be on one of these teams for us?”
“No, I want him here as a trainer helping my office. He’s said more than once that staying in one place has been nice and we need more trainers. We should have more than four to have a paranormal Quantico no matter how awesome they are.” I chuckled when he gave me a skeptical look. “Do you know what it takes to become a team lead of the council?”
“A fucking lot,” Monroe answered for Galvin. “Like seriously impressive.” He looked at Eugene. “The question is would you even consider it?”
Eugene gave me a shocked look. “You’re serious. Why?”
“Because you don’t want to be a councilman. You don’t want the political side, and you could do more good with us than the council.” I waved off what he was going to say. “They were more useful when you guys were hidden. Then I get it. But now you’re like the UN and you can’t go in unless all parties agree and blah, blah, blah. We’ve got more countries asking us for help after what we did in Mexico and the other cartel you took out.”
“Plus, even if you took Sera out of the equation, you like being a part of what we’re doing and the progress we’re making,” Monroe added. “And you’re seriously not happy that the council keeps pulling shit on a level you’ve not realized until now that you care for a specific Alpha. You and Axel have repeatedly said what she’s built here with others is the future we need for paranormals, not the past the council is stuck in.”
I didn’t know that part, feeling my face flush at the praise. “That’s nice to hear, but I was thinking that they both said their teams were all ready to become team leaders but none want to step down.” I met Eugene’s gaze. “Take a lateral step and stay here with us. Let your guys build new teams of newbies the council should be bringing in from bad countries or spots. Let them get some new blood and change up and help us on this path. Just think about it.”
“What path? What have you plotted when you’ve just gotten back?” Galvin asked, cutting in before Eugene could reply.
I snorted. “I had this plan before I was taken.” I thanked Monroe when h
e tossed me a bottle of water, a gentle reminder I should be hydrating. “We need to build up the training center like Quantico and maybe push in the next six months for Monroe to become like you for our division. Until then, I wanted those graduating to be put into teams at offices that have no presence but should and we’ve already been to.
“Cooper goes to Memphis with a team of newbies for a few months and makes absolutely fucking sure there is no problem. We liked that office, and they got along well with Cooper. Harris takes a team to Vegas where we’re still hated, but you have to be a total douche to hate Harris, really you do. Davis takes a team to somewhere smaller that we don’t foresee a problem and makes it more like ‘no worries, we should always have been here.’
“And during that we pull several who are more than ready to become SAiCs or work with the ones that got promoted at other offices closer and have them take some more newbies where we know they would be welcome. That way we’ve got more trained SAiCs when the next class graduates, as we can use that budget to get more hired. They answer to their area main office, but we put them in since we’re the hub.”
“For someone who keeps saying she isn’t political, you absolutely are full of shit,” Galvin mumbled, shaking his head.
“I’m not. I won’t kiss your ass when I want to smack you. I have spent years undercover checking out organizations that get around us and the law, navigating tight corners just like we do. Just like the Navy did. I navigate like a boss and any obstacle course as long as the goal is to get to the end and do it efficiently and not through cocktail parties and fundraisers, though I’m okay with some of those we’ve done.” I shrugged and took a long drink.
“Did someone tell you that Queen Laila came and pulled a ton of garbage out of the Chicago River because her friend Princess Seraphine asked her to and she would again when you came home and were still Alpha?” Monroe asked, nodding when I gave him a shocked look. “Several big hitters made it clear that the good will would not be with anyone else who took over for you, including Bijan.”
“Wow, I better send some thank yous,” I muttered, shocked they’d gone to bat for me like that. Maybe not Laila, she liked me and I liked her, but Bijan barely knew me. I’d helped, but it probably had to do with Jason’s pushing.