Choices: Alpha City, Book 3

by Bryce Evans

  Judd pulled up at Ryder’s house. There were guards all over the place. The memory of Penn was still fresh, and nobody was taking any chances.

  “Beautiful cabin,” Maggie stated. It was a beautiful log cabin. All the columns were made of stones. The homes were all built similarly, but Ryder’s had been the first in Alpha City to be built. The porch wrapped around the house. It had rocking chairs on it, and a built-in fireplace off to the side. Flowerpots sat all around the porch. Some type of vine with beautiful flowers hanging off was crawling up the entrance. Plants were growing everywhere.

  “I see a lot of camera systems. Nice job on them, too. I doubt that anyone who didn’t know what they were looking at would notice them,” MJ announced as she peered out the window.

  “Where?” Judd and Maggie both said.

  “When you get out, check out the flowers,” MJ said, opening the door and getting out.

  Judd smiled as he looked around and found flowers everywhere. There were some in potted plants and some growing around the driveway. He couldn’t tell the difference between the real flowers and the camera flowers. But if MJ said there were cameras in the flowers, then there were cameras in the flowers. He grabbed Maggie’s hand as they walked up the steps.

  London and Ryder met them at the door. Immediately London hugged Judd to her. “I’m sorry about Pennson, Judd. He was a—”

  Judd cut her off mid-sentence. “London, I want you to meet MJ. She’s Pennson’s sister.”

  London’s eyes widened. “Sorry. I didn’t know Penn had a sister, but hello and I’m…”

  “I love the camera flowers,” MJ interrupted. “Best ones I’ve seen yet.”

  London just stared at MJ. At first he thought she was mad, but then he saw the smile on her face. “You’re a nerd. Dear God.” London grabbed Ryder, pulling her to MJ. “She’s a nerd, baby. She could actually tell the difference.” She grabbed hold of MJ, put her arm around her, and pulled her into the house.

  Judd and the others leaned forward as they watched London talking about camera things and using this type of shading. What surprised him was when MJ answered her. They walked into the house, talking like long lost friends. Nerd talk.

  At first they were all silent on the porch, until London and MJ disappeared into London’s office. “So that’s MJ?” Ryder asked.

  “Yep.” Judd answered. He figured that MJ would get along with London, but not this fast. He thought he was going to have to work her into the group, but this was great. At least he hoped it was great.

  “She seems nice,” Ryder said as they all stood on the front porch, peering in through the screen door. “She actually saw all the cameras?”

  “Yep.”

  “Did you two see them?” Ryder asked, looking around at all the potted plants.

  “Not a one,” Judd answered. “MJ is different. You wouldn’t believe what she has invented to help us find Claudia and the others. Of course she plans to rip Claudia’s head off too, but I’ll save that story for another day.”

  “Let’s go inside. The others should be here in a few.” Ryder held the door open. “Maggie, I’m glad you’re better.” Ryder hugged Maggie before she went inside.

  “Thanks, Alpha. I feel pretty good. Will Ransom be here today? I’d like to thank him for helping me.”

  “Yes. He’ll be here, with Kayden, Zoey, and Knox,” Ryder answered.

  “Good,” Maggie said and walked into the house.

  “Ryder.” Judd stopped him before he could go inside. “Did Brody tell you what happened yesterday at Mick Vanguard’s house?”

  “Yeah, so we won’t be getting any help from them, it looks like. At least not until she sets her sights on them too.” Ryder let the door close and sat in the rocking chair. “Me-Len will be here in a few to tell us what information they got out of the wizard. Apparently, it’s something good.”

  “We need something good to happen for a change,” Judd said, looking out toward the trees.

  “Judd, I’m sorry about Penn. He was a good man and—”

  He had to look away. He didn’t want to talk about Penn. “Nothing else to say, except we have to stop her before the humans find out, because then we’ll have worse problems. Right now, she hasn’t done anything outside of Alpha City, but if she gets into Valceria she’ll want to take over the world. There’ll be no stopping her.”

  “I know, that’s why we need to start making some headway on the plan.” Ryder got up and leaned against the post. Turning around, he said, “You know you can tell us how you feel. We’re your best friends, Judd. You just lost a member of your pride. Your best friend was just killed. It’s okay to show your emotions.”

  “I can’t.” Judd shook his head. “I have to stay strong or I will…I’m fine.” Judd just wanted Ryder to stop talking about it.

  “When are you going to see the people on the piece of paper?”

  “Tomorrow, after the funeral. Penn didn’t want anything formal. Just the pride and his sister. Then he wanted his ashes to be thrown into the wind at Pier’s Point.”

  “I think more of us need to come with you when you go. I know you think it will be alright, but after yesterday, we should always go in pairs from now on. Okay?”

  “I think so too, but when we go to the house, I think it should be Maggie and me. I don’t want to spook these people off and make them want to run. I need for them to help us. They have to be real, and everything has to be…”

  Ryder got up and put his hand on his shoulder. “It will be, Judd. I promise it will be okay.”

  Judd’s expression hardened. “I’m scared I’m going to lose her.” He pounded his fist against the column. “I can’t lose her.”

  “You’re not. Just be careful and watch your back. I think Brody and Nolan plan on going with you tomorrow. I know Maggie trusts Mick Vanguard, but right now I don’t know if it was him who told the witch you were coming, or if they’re just following us everywhere.”

  “From now on, we need to do a shell game with the trucks to keep them from knowing where you’re going. The less they know the better, especially now. I don’t want them to know about these people. Apparently, Vanguard didn’t want them to know either, or he wouldn’t have been so secretive about it. The man has traitors in his own home. Makes me wonder how far Claudia’s treachery reaches. What if she has spies even with the vampires? Her black magic seeps out far and wide. She’s had a long time to get her spies in place, Ryder. We’re coming to this game late. Maggie said that the vampires believe that mating with a shifter is an abomination, so we have that against us too. What if they come out against us because of Maggie and me?”

  They both turned as Brody and Nolan pulled up with their guards. “They won’t. It’s time for them to see how successful you two will be together.” Ryder waved. “Let’s go in the house and get this started.”

  Judd couldn’t help but worry about the ramifications of his mating with Maggie. He was afraid for her and the others. He’d already lost his mother and Penn. Who else was he going to lose?

  Everyone stared, speechless, as MJ activated the bees. She turned her laptop around so they could see what the robotic insects were actually doing. The bees not only videoed everything, they picked up their conversations too. Maggie giggled at the expressions around the table as they watched the bees fly around the rooms. Some even flew up the stairs.

  She had an antenna sitting on the table to make sure the bees had a good signal. That was going to be the problem. They needed to find someone who could guide them to where Claudia and Jamal were hiding out and then have a powerful enough antenna so the bees could pick up the signal. It could give them an advantage in seeing who was coming and going from their hideouts. If they could get this to work, it would be a great resource in their arsenal.

  “Those are amazing, MJ,” Nolan said, astonished.

  “Thanks. I think with the flowers we can cover a lot of area in Alpha City and get a lot of information. This means we should be able to f
ind out who’s coming in and out of the city. Then we can put trackers on their cars and hopefully one of them can take us to where Claudia is hiding out.”

  They all turned toward the door when Me-Len and her mate, Meryl Pierson, came in. “Sorry we’re late, but I had to get as much information as I could before we left.”

  “Did he give you anything worthwhile?” London asked.

  “He did. I think you need to sit down, London, for what I’m going to tell you.”

  Me-Len sat down beside London and held her hand. “A long time ago, before I met your grandfather… I was only fifteen years old, and I was working at the Council of Covens as an apprentice. I was so young, and well, I had an affair with Jameson Wingate. I knew it was wrong, but I was so young and stupid and I thought I was in love; he said he was going to leave his wife. At least, that was the way he told it. I believed him, but I got pregnant, and when I told him about the baby, he told me if I told anyone he’d ruin me. The day before I told him, he got voted in as the leader over the council. I had already seen how much power the council leader had, and I figured out real quick what would happen to me if I told someone. He came to my house and gave me money to have an abortion. He said that if I spoke one word of this, he’d ruin my family and me. I believed him. He would have done it too; he had a reputation to protect. He was a Wingate. Their family had been in and out of the council for generations. This would have ruined him, having a baby with another woman, especially one as young as me.”

  “But what happened to the baby?” London asked.

  “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kill my baby. So I left the area and gave birth to a baby girl, and since I couldn’t let him know about her, I gave her up for adoption. I regretted it the moment I did it. Then I met your grandfather. I didn’t want him to think badly of me, so I kept it from him until I had your mother. The day she was born I confessed it to him.” Me-Len laughed and looked away. “That man told me that it didn’t matter and we needed to find that baby. He wanted to raise her just like your mother. He was such a great man. But what I didn’t know was that Marci Wingate knew about the affair and about my baby. You see, she couldn’t have children, so she told her husband that she had already picked out a baby for them. It was my baby she adopted. At least she was a good mother from everything I heard.”

  “Are you saying that Jessica Wingate is your daughter?” Kayden asked.

  “Yes she is, and Sage Wingate is my granddaughter, and they’re your aunt and cousin, London. They’re also part of a secret society called the Archon Society.”

  “I’ve heard that name before, but from where?” Brody asked.

  “Two years ago, a secret society was formed; Jessica and Sage both volunteered. They are powerful witches, but Sage is different. Magic seems to grow around her. She is very powerful and very smart—just like you, London. They’ve been our eyes and ears inside the coven. They came to Claudia, asking to be part of her coven. So far it has worked, and Claudia has them doing research for her.”

  “What if they get caught? What if Claudia finds out about them? She will kill them, Me-Len. They have to leave now, before it’s too late,” London argued.

  She placed her hand on the side of London’s face. “They both know that sweetie, but this is their choice. I want them both here with us, but right now they believe they are making a difference. We need to wait this out. Let them do what they have been chosen to do.”

  “I find out that I have family, and you expect me to just sit here and wait this out? I don’t get it. I want to meet them. Penn and Thorn were killed because of her. If she finds out, she’ll kill them too. I want them safe,” London demanded.

  “London, it’s their choice, not yours. Listen to what you’re saying. If you had a chance to make a difference and end this for your family, you would do it too. Like Me-Len said, it’s their decision. We have to accept their choice.”

  Judd grabbed hold of Maggie’s hand as Ryder tried to calm down his mate. He knew all the emotions in the room were pretty intense at the moment, and he could tell that she was starting to feel the negative emotions floating around. She was very antsy as she took everything in. Maggie hadn’t been around the group for a while, and even she could feel the strong emotions coming from everyone.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Maggie got up and walked out of the room for a few minutes. All the emotions in the room were affecting her. It gave her a terrible headache when everyone was upset. Apparently, almost dying messed up her ability to control her reaction to strong emotions in groups. Witches had a different energy than anyone else, and when they got angry or upset for any reason, they put off a unique intensity.

  She had spent many hours training preparing her mind to keep these emotions at bay. She obviously needed to work on it more, or she wouldn’t be able to help the members of the Order. She stood in front of the rock fireplace, warming her hands, wondering what she could bring to the table. All of this new information shook the group, especially London.

  She had read about Jameson Wingate, the leader of the council, but she had never heard of his wife and daughter. It had to be strange for London to hear about an aunt and a cousin she never knew about. Not only that she had family, but also that they were trapped in that hellhole with the witch and dragon. She could feel how much pain London was in, but like Me-Len said, it was her daughter and granddaughter’s choice.

  “How are you feeling?” Maggie turned around to find Ransom standing at the door. She had a lot of questions to ask him about his gift. She was worried that if people found out about him, they would try to use him for their own gain. She worried that if Claudia Blackwood or Jamal ever found out about him, they would do whatever they could to capture him.

  She smiled. “Better. A lot better, thanks to you.”

  “Good. I’m glad I could help you.” Ransom walked closer to her, but stopped before he got to close. He sensed her mate as he walked around the corner. She smiled at Judd as he took in Ransom. She knew he’d sense another male near her. Although it was strange; she kinda liked the fact that he was so protective of her. Nobody affected her like Judd, and her heart already belonged to him. Ransom was very good-looking, but she felt something different for him. She couldn’t figure out why, but he felt familiar, like family. The way he stared at her, too, was different.

  Maggie hoped that whatever they learned tomorrow would convince Judd that mating with her would be okay and not make them into some type of freak of nature—something that shouldn’t exist. It had to be okay. Mick wouldn’t have pointed them in that direction if it wasn’t. She trusted her Sire.

  “I wanted to say thank you for using your gift to help me. I only remember the pain, how much it hurt and how I couldn’t stop it.” Maggie sat down on the hearth and held her hand out to Judd. He slipped his fingers inside of hers and sat down beside her.

  “I didn’t think you were going to make it. I’m glad I could help.”

  “Did you feel any of it at first? The pain I was feeling?” Maggie asked.

  “Yes, though the gift gives me the strength to take it, I could feel your pain. I don’t know if you would have lasted through it,” Ransom admitted.

  “Me either. How have you kept your gift secret? I’ve never heard of anyone like you.”

  “I’m part of a Navy Seal team. They are the only ones, except my commander, who know about it. I hope you’ll keep it to yourself,” Ransom added.

  “Don’t worry Ransom, your secret is safe with us. I’m grateful to you for helping my mate.” Judd reached over and kissed her on top of the head. “I don’t know how I will repay you.”

  “You don’t. It’s my gift to give to those in need and to whom I choose.” Ransom answered.

  “Are there others like you? I mean, with your gift?” Maggie asked. She was fascinated by what he could do. She had read everything she could about the different paranormals, and never once did she hear about a paranormal being able to take away one’s pain. If the vam
pires didn’t know about Ransom, then they didn’t know about any matings between a vampire and shifter. This was good news, or at least that was what she was hoping.

  “Hey guys, you need to be part of this conversation,” Nolan said from the doorway. Her chat with Ransom would have to wait until after the meeting.

  They all got up and walked back into the kitchen, where everyone was sitting at the table eating snacks.

  “How are you feeling, Maggie?” Me-Len asked.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Do you mind if I ask you a personal question? I don’t want to offend you.”

  “Of course.”

  “I understand that you can feel emotions and tell what people are thinking?” Me-Len asked.

  Maggie could tell that she didn’t mean any harm by asking. “Yes. I don’t always get it right, but I can usually tell if you feel a certain way about me or toward someone else.”

  “I’m sorry Maggie, I guess you can probably feel how upset I am. Does it hurt you to be around me right now?” London asked, concerned.

  “Ever since the incident happened with Penn it’s been tough, but it will get better. There are several witches in the room, and you put off a certain type of emotion. I can feel your energy. Even if I’m in another room, I can feel it. I have always been able to do it. I can heal as well, and feel when you’re getting better, too.”

  “You have a remarkable gift, Maggie, and I think you can use it to help us,” Me-Len revealed.

  The corner of Maggie’s mouth lifted. Could her gift really help the Order? “It’s just feelings. How could that help?”

  “If we put you in certain places, maybe you could pick up any negative emotions from pack or pride members. They wouldn’t have a clue you were there, but if their Alpha walked in a restaurant they were in, then maybe we could watch them more carefully if you picked up on any negative feelings. It would help us find out who we can trust, and who we shouldn’t,” Me-Len explained.