“Lately I feel very young,” I remarked. “Amy’s about that same age; right?”
“A little older. She and Jazz were friends before Jazz became Wolf. Amy’s the one who bit her.” That interested me.
“How about Jason?”
“He’s never said, but he served in World War I, which puts him at least 115. Richard is much older. He came to the US because of the Potato Blight in 1845.”
“Ireland; right? People were starving and there was a huge exodus to the US?”
“That’s the one.”
“Billie is very young compared to the rest of them.”
“Yes. There are only a handful less than 50. A Beta as young as Billie doesn’t happen.”
“There’s so much I don’t know yet.” I rubbed my temples. Used to understanding the people around me, I now found myself puzzled by their motivations.
“It’s a whole new world.”
“When did you find out Jazz was Wolf? When did you find out there was such a thing as Wolves?”
The memory pleased him. “When I proposed to Jazz, she said she had something to tell me. If I still wanted to marry her, I had to ask again. That’s when she told me about Wolves. Of course I didn’t believe her, so she showed me. I didn’t take it very well. A week later, I asked her to marry me, and she said yes.”
“Some proposal.” I noticed the clock. “Well, our eight hours of normalcy are over. I’m headed to the lab to give Jazz some of my blood.”
“She mentioned that quite a few times. She’s very excited.”
“I’m hoping she can answer a few of my questions too.”
“What kinds of questions?”
“Whether or not Billie can inadvertently kill me if she bites me the wrong way.” I said it in a nervous rush.
“That would be good to know,” he agreed. “I better go. My sister is expecting me. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye, Gary.” After finishing the last few details of the shift, I headed across town to Jazz's lab.
Upon entering the private facility, I checked in at the front desk. A receptionist took a copy of my driver's license and handed over a temporary ID before calling Jazz to inform her I'd arrived. Jazz walked through a security door in a white lab coat, safety glasses resting on top of her head.
She maintained a professional air about her as she escorted me through a series of halls. I followed her lead, noticing the rank smell of chemicals and the focused attention of her coworkers. She unlocked a door, and we entered a small room filled to the brim with refrigerators, complex instruments, and computers.
Once alone, her face brightened and the distant professionalism disappeared. “I bring a lot of Wolves in here, and I keep everyone at arm's length until we're alone.”
“Makes sense. So this is your lab?” I replied with a wave at the room. I felt very small in the middle of so much strange equipment.
“One of them. The company does a lot of testing and consulting for scientists across the nation. We also do a little bit of private R&D contract work, which is how I'm able to use this facility to research lycanthropic genetics. In the 1960s, a group of Wolf scientists decided we wanted to study ourselves. So we formed a corporation and each of us works on a different piece of the puzzle. R&D is always secretive, so it's easy to keep quiet. My employers don't know the details of what I'm working on. They get paid for the space, my time, and access to instruments and equipment. Everything in this room is owned by the corporation.”
I was impressed and said so. “How do you stand the smell in here? It's getting to me, and I don't have a Wolf's nose.”
She laughed outright. “I've been working in labs for sixty years. I was a scientist before I was Wolf. I shut out the smell. The others can barely get near the building.”
“How many Wolves are there?” I hadn't thought much about Wolves outside of this one pack.
“25 in our Pack, 32 total in Idaho, and a little over 6,000 in the United States at last count. The worldwide population is only an estimate. 150,000 give or take.”
I had a fleeting image of 6,000 Wolves wanting me dead. “Does anyone outside the Pack know about me yet?”
“Not from me. I'm going to wait until I have something to show my colleagues before I bring it up.”
“I’m not eager for them to know,” I admitted.
“I’m not surprised.” She led me to a chair and pulled a phlebotomy set out of a cabinet. “I'll start with a blood sample. I may ask for more later,” she warned. “How was your day?”
“Eventful,” I replied. “Adrienne showed up at the warehouse.”
“Oh, no. What did she do?” Jazz cringed as she prepared the tubes and needles with practiced efficiency.
“She gave me until tomorrow to leave town or she’d kill me. It was right out of a bad western movie.”
Jazz glanced up at me in shock. “She doesn't have the authority. Did you tell Billie or Jason?”
I nodded. “Gary called Jason, and I contacted Billie. Billie already took care of it.”
“I'll bet Gary loved that. He doesn't particularly like Adrienne.” She positioned my hand palm up in front of her and wrapped an elastic band over my upper arm. Lightly fingering the inside of my elbow, she searched for the right vein.
“That was obvious.”
“What did Billie do?” she wanted to know. I relayed what little information I had. “I’m surprised she didn’t do more. We're very protective of our mates and we obey our Alpha and Beta. It's true that it's our nature, but it's also part of how we stay hidden. She broke one of our most important rules.”
“And she did it publically,” I added.
“She threatened you in public?” Ready to press the needle into my vein, stopped abruptly. The needle hovered over my arm for a moment before she resumed her task. The needle's sting pierced my skin, and I flinched automatically. “She declared me a danger to the pack and threatened to kill me if I didn't leave town in the middle of the warehouse floor. No discretion. Don't worry, I made sure no one heard her.”
She popped a vial in place and red blood from inside me began to fill it. Anger rose in her, but she didn't express it outwardly. “That's unbelievable. The woman has no common sense.”
“Hopefully she has enough not to come back tomorrow.” She removed one vial and filled another.
“Billie is our Beta for more reasons than her fighting skill. We respect her, she's fair and honorable. She'll do whatever it takes to protect us and the Pack, even if that means going up against one of our own. She's earned our loyalty. She takes the responsibility of Beta seriously. She also has a temper. It never lasts long, but we all know not to cross certain lines with her. Adrienne would be a fool to threaten you again.”
I thought about what she said as Jazz removed the needle from my arm, pressed a cotton ball against the puncture wound, and released the tourniquet. “Is Adrienne a fool?”
She sighed. “Too often, yes. But she's never been this reckless before. I'd be careful if I were you.”
“I am.”
Her concern extended beyond me. “I don't want Gary in the middle of this. He's Human. Will you try to keep him out of it?”
“I won't let anything happen to Gary,” I promised resolutely.
She looked at me with intelligent eyes. “I appreciate that. You and Billie seem so different. But you're a lot alike in some ways.”
I blushed at the compliment. She set the vials aside and pulled out a clipboard. “A few personal questions and we're done.” She ran through a series of questions about medications and general health plus a handful of very specific questions that made no sense to me whatsoever. “The next questions are about you and Billie. Are you comfortable answering those?”
“I'm willing,” I replied honestly.
“Has Billie ever bit you?”
“Yes. Many times.”
“Has she ever broken the skin?”
“No.”
“In what context has she bitten you? For example, du
ring sex or sexual activity, during an argument, while sparring ...”
“Only in our sex life.” I could feel my cheeks burning. Jazz showed no discomfort with the questions, which helped. She continued with more detailed questions about our sex life.
“The two of you shared a matebite; correct?”
“Yes.” I smiled at the memory. “She bit me on the ear. It reddened for about a day but didn't break the skin. I bit her between the breasts and broke the skin. The mark lasted a couple of weeks.” A few more details about the matebite, and she pronounced the embarrassing interview over.
“Any questions for me?” She set her clipboard down and placed her hands in her lap.
“Where do I start?” I let her see how overwhelmed I felt about my new world at times.
“Wherever you like.” Her straightforward logical manner reassured me.
I nodded towards the blood samples sitting in her refrigerator. “The idea that the wrong bite from Billie could kill me is frightening. Would you look into that as soon as you can?”
“Yes. We've speculated about the nature of the chemical incompatibility between Mages and Wolves. Of course we've only ever had Wolves to study. Definitive answers will take time, but I should have the initial round of tests complete in the next week. I'll let you know what I find.”
“I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.”
“I'm happy to help. You are the most exciting thing to happen in this field in a long time. Conveniently, we're looking for the same answers. Different questions, but the same answers. Anything else?”
My phone interrupted our conversation, and I reached for it. I didn't recognize the number, but I didn't think anything of it. “Hello?” No one spoke, so I repeated myself. “Hello?”
“Can I speak to Elliot, please?” Cassandra's drawn came through the phone. My stomach hit my throat at the sound.
“You must have the wrong number,” I responded and she hung up.
Jazz noticed something off about the phone call. “What was that about?” she asked.
“Wrong number, I guess.”
“It seemed like more.” She could smell the lie.
“It felt off. Strange. And the voice was familiar, but I can't place it.” I considered peeking into her mind to see what she suspected, but I didn't want to violate her privacy if I could help it.
“Why are you scared?” She looked at me calculatingly. I couldn’t fix the situation without altering her memories, and I wasn't nearly desperate enough to do that.
“I don't know.” I told her honestly. She quit asking questions, but she clearly didn't dismiss it. “I guess I'm just on edge these days, easily spooked.”
“You didn't seem spooked about Adrienne.”
I thought about that, and she had a point. I didn’t scare as easily as before, and I saw the difference. “She came at me head on, and I saw her coming. No surprises.”
She accepted the explanation but still analyzed me. “That makes sense.”
“Billie probably has a feast ready by now. I better get home. Dinner soon?”
“Yes. Let's plan on Friday after next. I think that'll work for Gary too.” The previous tension dissolved.
“The kids can join us too,” I offered.
“They'd like that. They practically worship Billie.” She sounded like a proud mom.
I beamed. “Do they know about Wolves?”
She nodded affirmatively. “We never kept it from them like some parents do. They know their packmates and they know the stakes of telling anyone.”
“I'm looking forward to meeting them. And getting to know Gary outside of work.”
“We’d like that. I'll walk you out.”
As soon as we stepped into the hall, her professional demeanor returned, and she escorted me back to the front desk in silence.
“Thank you for coming, Miss Aiden,” she extended as I returned my temporary badge to the receptionist.
* * *
Billie had a feast prepared when I arrived home. “I invited Amy to join us,” she told me after a kiss hello. “She's still a few minutes out.” Her kiss worked its way down my neck, and I became instantly aroused. Slipping my hands under her shirt, I fingered the sensitive skin at the base of her breasts. She moaned and pressed me against the wall.
She needed to touch me, I realized distantly. After Adrienne's threat, she needed to convince herself I was safe. Then my shirt and bra landed on the floor, her mouth covered my breasts, and her motives didn't matter. I kicked my shoes and jeans off and pulled her shirt over her head, watching her breasts bounce. I love you, I murmured into her mind. More than I've ever loved anyone in my life.
She replied with actions. Lifting me by the thighs, she raised my breasts level with her mouth. I wrapped my legs around her bare chest and leaned into her, disappearing in her attentions. Her fingers pressed into me, spreading me apart, and her breasts rubbed against my inner thighs. I orgasmed abruptly from the raw passion she radiated. Encouraged by my climax, she consumed my breasts, and I disappeared into the moment.
Pressing me tighter against the wall for leverage, she slipped her arms underneath my legs. My curling toes pointed at the ceiling. A little more flexibility, and I could have wrapped my feet around her neck. Totally exposed to her, she nipped lightly at the undersides of my breasts while my body relaxed into post-orgasmic bliss.
She looked up at me with absolute content and adoration. “I love you. I will never give you up.”
Wrapping my fingers in her hair, I met her eyes with conviction. “I'm not going anywhere.” She set me down gently, and I leaned in to kiss her softly. “But I am going to get dressed before Amy gets here. I'm not ready to join your level of nudity.”
She smiled and ran a finger lightly down my body, leaving a tingling path from breast to thigh. “She's not here yet.”
“True.” We moved to the couch and spooned, her arms wrapped around me. I felt loved, and I felt safe. Her fingers brushed back and forth across my chest, and I snuggled into her. “You feel like home.”
She smiled. I couldn't see it from my position, but I could feel it. “This could be your home. To me it already is. You belong here. Would you like to make it official? Move in with me?”
“I'd love to.” She kissed the back of my head, and I closed my eyes. “Damn. Amy's almost here. I'm going to get dressed.” I started to get up, but she pulled me on top of her. Laughing, I pretended to fight her. She flipped on top of me, straddling my waist and pressing my wrists into the cushions by my shoulders.
“Amy's here,” she smirked, still holding me down. At my horrified expression, she let me go so I could hurriedly dress. She sat on the couch and watched me scramble into my clothes. Amy knocked before I finished dressing. I shot a warning glance at Billie, and she waited until I’d zipped my pants before inviting Amy in.
“Hiya, Sadie!” She bounced through the door, hugging Billie and me in turn. She had to have heard and smelled us, but she didn’t acknowledge it in any way. “Dinner smells delicious.”
Billie retrieved her shirt from the floor and wiggled into it. We ate at the kitchen table, and I discovered that Amy hadn't heard about the day’s excitement. I filled her in on Adrienne's visit, and watched her blanch, mouth gaping wide, when she heard how close we all came to exposure.
“That little … oooh! Billie, please tell me you threw her into a wall.”
I grinned at the reference but directed my interest towards Billie's confrontation. “I found her at Matthew's home of course. She has a nice gash across her head from throwing herself into a wall, but I didn't touch her.” She recounted the event harshly. “Then I threatened to break every bone in her body if she ever threatens my mate again.”
Amy whistled. “You really went easy on her.”
Billie disagreed. “She was terrified, cowering and shaking like a Pup. I'm not a bully.”
“Even I want to hit her for threatening Sadie,” Amy argued.
“She didn't
fight me. She didn't even argue. If she does it again, I'll fulfill my threat. She's afraid of you.” Billie poked her fork in my direction. “And she doesn't trust me because I'm with you. If it was just her, I wouldn't be concerned. She's been a problem since before I came here.” She set her fork down and crossed her hands on the table. “Matthew agrees with her. Not her actions of course, but he agrees with her opinions. He doesn't trust me either.”
“This is not good.” Amy's trepidation rose until it began to fill the room.
“Why is Matthew's opinion so important?” I asked, remembering the Wolf I met the night of the attack. I didn’t like him much then, and I hadn’t seen him since.
Amy answered. “Matthew wouldn't say something like that about his Beta unless he felt strongly about it. He’s ex-military and does what he’s told. He’s totally loyal. It shows what's going on in the whole Pack, not just one or two people.”
That sounded ominous. “What do you think will come of this?” I asked the medic.
She shook her head and thinned her mouth. “I don't know. It's worrisome. Scared Wolves are dangerous, and when we don't feel secure in our pack, we get scared. Billie makes us feel safe. She’s tough as nails and nearly impossible to beat in a fight. She can protect us from anyone and anything. Who will protect us from her if she turns on us? I'm not thinking that, but they are.” She qualified her statement quickly. She thought for a moment. “If it gets out of hand, they’ll come after you first.”
“You're not very comforting today,” I told Amy, trying unsuccessfully to lighten the mood.
“Sorry.” She scrunched her face like a child. “I hope I'm wrong.”
I smiled appreciatively before filling Billie in on my conversation with Jason. “I told him I would defend myself if I have to.”
Billie's head jerked up, and her eyes widened. “You did what?”
“I asked him to keep her away from me. I said I don't want to break my promise, but I won't let her kill me.”
“What did he say?” She considered this new development thoughtfully.
“Not much.”
“Show me the conversation exactly as it happened.” I relayed it mentally as Amy watched us with childlike eyes.
Psyche Honor (Psyche Moon) Page 14