“I’m not sure, but I think you’re getting some of my powers. We’ll have to test it out when we get to the farm.” I stand behind her in the mirror and wrap my arms around her. I breath in the scent of her shampoo and find the nerve to walk us to the door. Never in my life have I wanted to have sex so bad as I did at that moment.
****************
“Don’t look now, here comes Patrick O’Connell headed this way,” Brianna whispers to me.
I met Patrick when he showed up in Oklahoma at my high school. He tried to convince the General that I should be trained by him. He’s the most feared werewolf I’ve ever heard about. I look around the room for my beta, in hopes Pru hasn’t left to say goodbye to Oakley yet.
Hopefully, he didn’t bring any child-blood-drinking-faeries with him.
“Pru, Patrick O’Connell is here and walking towards me right now.”
“Oh that bastard. I’ll be right there.”
When Patrick was in Oklahoma, he tried to have me attacked to prove I’m not trained. I was able to handle myself and we stopped him from forcing me to go with them to Ireland. That was the day Pru kissed me to distract me.
“That was some speech you gave tonight,” Patrick said. I remember being so intimidated by him when we met, tonight, I’m not intimidated. “We’ve all been wondering when you were going to take over. I think we should have coffee in the morning and go over a few things.”
Yeah, that sounds like fun.
“I’m sure we can work something out. We’re running at five in the morning if you’d like to join us.” I studied his face. Oakley once told me he’s in his mid forties, that would make him close to fifty now.
Patrick purses his lips together and nods, “I’d be honored.”
He just said he’d be honored, is he kidding? “After the run, we’ll eat breakfast; I’ll have them set a place for you. I don’t mind you and your beta running with us, but we like to keep the numbers low. You may bring your other pack members to breakfast though.”
His heavily starched yellow Polo under his sports coat makes him look even younger than fifty years old. “I like your style Abel. For a while, I thought you weren’t getting the training you needed. I’m happy to say it looks as though I underestimated your pack.”
What’s his angle? “Thank you, now if you don’t mind, I’d like to take my lovely date home.” I look across the room and see Violet and Bri talking and snacking on crackers. We haven’t had a big meal in a few days, not with all the drama going on.
Patrick nods at me and promises to see me in the morning.
“Hey girls, you want to go get something to eat? I could go for a good steak about now,” I take a slice of cheese from Brianna’s hand. Funny how our relationship is so casual and easy. Violet even fits in well.
“Oh, I could tackle a sheep and eat it raw about now,” Violet exclaims.
I bust out laughing at her. “Tackle a sheep? Wow, that’s so violent. We better go before Violet has more homicidal thoughts about sheep.” I put my arm around Brianna and call for the pack to meet us at the cars.
****************
Chapter 14 What Is Mine is Yours
During the night, I received a text from Philip telling me Shaynie disappeared. After seven calls to the IT department, we were able to find she removed her tracking device. We never suspected she’d be a flight risk, so Philip didn’t keep her restrained. Why we underestimated her motives again, is beyond me.
It’s four in the morning and I wanted to meet with Dolly, Parker, Pru and Brianna. It isn’t long before we head home, and I want to figure out what organization is behind everything. I tried contacting the Council about releasing Oakley on his own recognizance’s, but they rejected the request.
“Hey everyone. I can’t fathom Shaynie doing this. She’s been a team player for so long.” I gaze out the window that overlooks the entrance. It’s still dark since we’re up hours before the sun will be up for the day.
“I know,” Dolly says. “I really wanted to have faith in her. Our Oakley is incarcerated because of a girl we welcomed in with open arms.” There are lines on her face that weren’t there yesterday. She’s dressed in a black designer warm-up suit and running shoes. She must have gotten up for a run before the meeting.
“This isn’t our fault. The fact is, she’s affiliated with a terrorist group and for all we know, she’s on her way to Egypt now.” I take a sip of my coffee before continuing. I take a deep breath and blurt out, “Patrick O’Connell will be running with us at five. He said he wants to talk to me about something in private. I can’t imagine what about, nevertheless, I’m intrigued.”
Parker leans back in his swivel chair and crosses his arms over his chest. “Yeah, that should be an interesting talk. He’s such a douche. Of course he’s already trying to get in your good graces. He sure gave us bullshit your first year as a wolf.”
“Politics are like that, they fight until you’ve taken office and then they become your best friend when you do. Parker, I want you and Bryon to go to Egypt and find out what you can about this group. There are wolves missing in America that we need to find. Another wolf abduction happened yesterday morning from the Mall of America. We can’t keep losing wolves. Quinney gave me a thought yesterday about them building some type of army. It makes sense.”
“What about Sapphire and Storm,” Pru asks.
Parker unfolds his arms and leans forward to sip on his energy drink. “That’s something I want to talk to you all about. Sapphire and I have talked about this for the last year, but didn’t know how to go about it. I know the timing sucks…..well, the fact is, I want to start my own pack. I’ve been thinking about us being a sister pack to yours. I would be the acting alpha of my pack. We’ve been contemplating about staying here in Ireland. It would give the Phelan Pack the inside scoop about everything going on around here. Storm would have a chance to learn a new culture. And don’t worry, I’ll help your transition and everything. You and Brianna could move into our cottage for privacy.” He blurts everything out in one continuing sentence.
I didn’t expect anything like this to happen today. “It sounds like it’s all figured out. So, you’d still be affiliated with us but you’d be the boss and live in Ireland?”
“That’s a brilliant idea, Parker,” Dolly says. “We’ve encouraged you in the past to consider having your own pack. It would be good for you and your family. You’ve been a leader for so long, it shouldn’t be hard to recruit some people for you.”
“You’re right, Mom, Parker will make a good leader. It would be beneficial to have someone here we can trust. What’s your timeline, Parker?” Pru asks. She’s fidgeting with the strings on her windbreaker. She likes to find something to distract her from over thinking something.
“Sapphire and I would like to do it within the next six months. We’ll make sure we find you people that can fill the gaps before we leave. Ruby wants to come with us too. That would interfere with the horse lessons we give to the kids in the community. Sapphire thinks she has someone who can come in and teach the kids though. We don’t want you to worry. I’ll help with the screening of the new thirty members so you won’t have to do it alone.”
Pru cocks her head to the side. “Hello, am I chopped liver over here? I am the beta after all.”
“Yes you are, you’re also young and have other things going on in your life,” Parker replies. “Besides, I have a few things to teach you too, little Miss Pru.”
She rolls her eyes at him.
“Okay, that sounds like a plan,” I say. “I’ll support you all the way. The General would be proud of you. I want to discuss something else. As you’re aware, Bryon has been one of my best friends over the last three years. He’s really tight with Shaynie. We always send them together on trips. Do you think he knows anything about what Shaynie was involved in? The Council interrogated him, but have we? I hate to consider him being part of her plan, but we can’t be over cautious right now.” Everyone exc
ept Brianna shakes their head no.
“I’m sorry, but it’s a real possibility. He was running errands for her, he may not even realize that he knows anything. Playing devil’s advocate here, if Shaynie knew you could hear thoughts then she might not have told him her plans. Not everyone is perfect though, she may have let something slip,” Brianna says without holding anything back.
Pru taps her fingernails on the mahogany table. “You’re right, he might not realize he knows anything. We should question him together. You might be more than just a pretty face,” Pru says to Brianna.
The room went from easy and relaxed, to tension filled. “Why did you just insult her?” I think to Pru.
“I didn’t insult her, I complimented her. She’ll need to toughen up if that gets under her skin.”
“Even though you’re pissed at Shaynie, don’t take it out on Brianna,” I scold.
Dolly sensed there was a conversation going on, so she started talking about her run this morning.
****************
“What was that all about? I’m more than a pretty face? She should look in the mirror,” Brianna thinks on our elevator ride up to my room.
“She didn’t mean anything, don’t worry,” I wrap my arms around her and kiss her forehead.
We’re the only ones on the elevator so I’m not sure why we’re not talking out loud.
There’s fifteen minutes before meeting everyone for the run. The walls are closing in, the room is warm, too warm. Oakley’s cologne forcefully reminds me that we’re missing one of our own. A sense of despair washes over me.
“Don’t worry, Abel. Everything will work out.” She steps closer to me, closing the gap between us. She wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head against my chest.
I wrap my arms around her and crush her against me. For a moment, we stand there in a tight embrace.
“Abel?” She says breathless.
“Yes,” I reply.
“You’re kinda squeezing the air out of me,” she replies.
I loosen up my hold on her and she sighs in relief. The next thing you know, we’re both laughing.
“I’m sorry I almost hugged you to death,” I laugh.
“It would have been a great way to die…..who am I kidding? I thought I was going to pass out,” she giggles.
I lean in and kiss her throat right at the base in the little hollow part of her neck. My hands are tangled in her hair as she leans back, her feet are barely on the floor as I hold her. I’m stronger than her and hungry for her touch. In that very moment, my life is clear with her by my side. I see us laughing and raising little Storms of our own.
A moan escapes her mouth and vibrates against my lips as I kiss her up and down her throat.
I hear laughter in the hallway outside our door. It sounds like Sapphire and Storm having a Storm-cracks-me-up moment. He says the craziest things that leave us all speechless at times.
I reluctantly relax my hold on Brianna. Her eyes meet mine. I take her hand and walk her over to the mirror. We both see it plain as day on our faces and eyes.
A light rapping at the door reminds me that we have company.
Sapphire’s shocked look embarrasses me a little. It isn’t like we’re little kids, we’re going to be husband and wife. We’re both over 18. So what if I get turned on when my girlfriend kisses me. That little speech does nothing to erase the fact that I was caught getting sexy with my girl.
“Am I interrupting?” Sapphire tries to ask with a straight face.
“Grow up,” I tease back. “We’re on our way down. Give me two seconds.”
“Your eyes are creepy,” Storm says.
“Thanks, I think you’re creepy,” I say and rustle his hair.
Storm puts his hands on his hips and gives me his serious stare. “One day, you’re going to wish you were nicer to the cute kid.”
“I’m sorry, forgive me?”
“Never,” Storm says with a wink. “Did you know I have an Olympic Gold Medal? I’m cooler than you.”
“I think so too. Let me get Brianna so we can go turn into wolves. Stand guard with your mom.”
“Roger that. I don’t know what that means, but I saw it on TV. Shake your tail,” he bends over and shakes his butt. “Mom always says that to me.”
I laugh and turn around.
Brianna is sitting on the edge of the bed sending a text. “Storm is cute. I’m just sending a text to Violet to tell her to meet us downstairs.”
“Are you okay?” I hold out my hand. Her hand is small in mine, even so, her grip is strong.
“I’m good. Let’s go run.”
****************
Patrick is downstairs with two of his pack-mates waiting by the fireplace. We do introductions and head to the bunkhouse to shift. It hadn’t occurred to me until now, that this is my first run as the alpha.
Parker takes Storm and Bryon with him to check the perimeters. The rest of the pack will run in a loose circle around Brianna and me. Pru and Dolly will flank us as we run to fight off any intruders. Since Patrick is a guest, he’ll run in the inner circle and the people he brought with him will run with the outer circle.
Twenty minutes into the run, Patrick breaks the silence. “There’s a rumor your girl Shaynie fled. Is it so?”
“Yes, she disappeared last night. Is there any information about her disappearance?”
Patrick hesitates before responding. “Look, I know we got off with a bad start when I flew out to Oklahoma. It was to assure you had the proper training, nothing else. Either way, I’ve been hired by the Council to find out what happened the other day. With Shaynie playing a vanishing act she just made herself look bad in their eyes. Oakley’s a good guy. He’s never caused any problems and seems to have his shit together. What I’m wanting from you is a view into your memory. I want to see what you saw when you arrived at the warehouse. Since the Council members aren’t werewolves, they can’t see into our memories. I have a special power, I can share my memories with other supernaturals.”
“Everyone split and run for fun. We’ll be trapped on a plane on our way home, release your energy now!” I think to the pack. “How will it benefit Oakley. Don’t get me wrong, I’d do anything for him, but why delve into my memory?”
“When we go back to remember something, we don’t always remember it accurately. With me going into your memory, it’s like being there and experiencing the same situation.”
“After breakfast, come to my room.” I catch Brianna staring off into the woods. I wonder if I’m putting her through too much too fast.
“We’re bringing in a Necromancer, they should be here around lunchtime,” Patrick admits.
“A necro-what?”
“Necromancer, a person who can raise the dead.”
“Oh yeah, why wouldn’t there be a zombie resurrector on stand-by? Let me guess, they’re from New Orleans.” Anything to do with death comes from New Orleans.
“No, she’s from right here in Kilkenny. She only takes a few cases a year, we’re lucky to have her.”
“Why do you need this necro-person?”
“She’s going to raise one of the people killed to find out how they died. She’ll bring them to life and I’ll delve into their memory. Most risen people don’t have the ability to talk. It all depends on how long they’ve been dead.”
“With all respect Patrick, we know how they died,” I say.
“It will shed light as to who killed them. If it works, your man Oakley will be exonerated. One last thing….one of my pack members would like to join your pack.”
“Who?”
“Biggs.”
Biggs is a well known wolf. I’ve never met him, but Dolly talks of him fondly. I’m not sure how I feel about having an O’Connell in my pack. “Tell him to apply, I can’t promise anything, but it’s a good possibility.”
“Hmmm. I sure hope Oakley will be out to help you find the new members. Did they set a wedding date yet?” His words are dripping wit
h honey but the meaning was crystal clear.
“You didn’t just threaten me did you?”
“No sir. I was just saying I hope Oakley is out in time.”
He tries to pass in front of me, in an attempt at showing me he’s an alpha. My wolf gnarls at him and I nip at his hind quarter causing him to fall back in line. Instinct kicks in for Pru and she barks in protest. Before I have a chance to call everyone off, the pack is circling around us.
Patrick’s wolf is surprised. His hackles go up and he hunches back in an attack mode. I match his snarl and hold my ground. Before I can register another wolf coming our direction, it leaps in front of me and pounces.
The wolf jumps onto Patrick’s back and tries to go for a death-grip on his throat. The grey wolf is fearless as he goes up against the alpha of the O’Connell Pack.
From the woods leaps another wolf, his black coat unmistakable.
“STORM! STOP! NOW!” I yell as sternly as I can at the grey wolf on Patrick’s back. Sapphire and Parker are yelling at him too.
Patrick shakes the small wolf off his back and pins him to the ground locked in his jaw.
Parker is about to lose his cool and we’re about to start a war with the Irish wolves.
“Patrick, release him now!” I demand. He looks up at me and holds my gaze. I narrow my eyes at him and snarl as loud as I can. In less than five seconds, he lowers his head and drops down to his stomach. The first act of me enforcing my power against another wolf. I’ve just made him submit to my will. Patrick whimpers lightly, against his will, I’m sure.
The black wolf steps forward and picks Storm up by the scruff. I would hate to be around for that scolding. Parker is going to ground him for life plus an additional ten years. Sapphire eases her way next to Parker to help ease his wolf.
“I’m going to cut my run short and take this little numbskull back to the hotel,” Parker thinks to me.
“Have fun,” I reply.
I want to laugh but I have Pru in my brain telling me not to show any weakness, especially one for a child.
“Abel! Abel! Did you see me? I beat that alpha up! Are you proud?” Storm thinks to me. He’s not able to talk in wolf without his parents hearing him. Dolly says it will be that way until he’s eight.
The Great Wolf: A Legacy of Kilkenny Novel Book Three (The Legacy of Kilkenny Saga) Page 12