Rebuilding the Wolf

by Erin R Flynn

  I wanted to feel really good on Valentine’s Day.

  13

  “I’ve been working on an idea to have a showcase in the spring,” I admitted, willing to let the cat out early to help Tristan. I saw the intrigue in Vlad’s eyes, and I knew he’d want in because it was right up his alley. I blew out a harsh breath. “The idea isn’t fully done yet. It’s just pieces that have been on my mind that I see fitting, I want to try. This shit with all of us acting like we’re at war needs to stop. We need to be better to survive.”

  “This was those acronyms you had in that notebook when I came over weeks ago,” Carter surmised, kissing my neck when I nodded. “I thought the APA was very catchy.”

  “American Paranormal Alliance,” I explained to Vlad. “Memphis was in trouble because the humans were freezing them out, doing damage to their business. Humans are not the only consumers in this fucking country. Look how we’ve all benefited from making friends there. Their chocolate is awesome. That organic beef is great. We need to organize better, band to—”

  “And you would be queen of all of this, yes?”

  I snarled at him, going to move, but Carter held me to him. “No, Vlad. No one is king or queen. That is half the problem! People are trying and fighting for that inconsequential shit and world domination that’s never going to happen, and paranormals are dying, are being beat down, are being abused every time I turn around. We can do better than that! We are smarter than that, and the old ways are just that—old.”

  “You would have a committee?” he checked, rubbing his chin.

  “Yeah. Maybe. I haven’t gotten that far. For now I was thinking of renting a place out—not like McCormick Place because that’s fucking huge—and having like a tradeshow for lack of a better word. Let Memphis have a booth and show what they have. I was thinking wolves because I could get at least a good showing. Seattle sent us friends valentines. Others have shown they’re interested.”

  “But you would be willing to make the offer to vampires for this pilot showcase if I give you Tristan?”

  “I don’t know. You haven’t been all that stable, Vlad. If we do this, it cannot go wrong,” I grumbled. “I was thinking we could host some sort of welcome party at TimeQuake like I would with the shifter leaders if it was going to be the wolves to show how we get along.” He opened his mouth to say something, but I held him off. “You also have a tendency to take over.

  “Yes, I went to you for a party to raise funds, but you turned it into the cookoff which fine, raised a lot and was great PR. But it was all your PR Vlad. It was all about you and your coven when a lot of it was my contacts and people helping. I’m not handing anything over or letting you hijack my idea. I’m offering you a chance to show a united front, that’s it. Other than that, I won’t commit to.”

  “You would be open to my suggestions? My expertise and input? A chairperson on the committee you head? The acknowledgement you wanted me to work with you on this endeavor?”

  I swallowed loudly, knowing that was pretty open and a lot of wiggle room, but I could always smack him back later. This was for Tristan. “Yes, for this first time, and we’ll see how it goes from there. Maybe including everyone the first time will be a mistake instead of just shifters, but I want us to all be a community, so yes, I’m fine with that.”

  “We have an accord, Seraphine Thomas,” he agreed after a moment. “I will inform Tristan he is now a member of your coven and his position he is welcome to keep with me if you approve.”

  I snorted. “I can’t pay him what you do. He makes insane money with those contests, and I certainly don’t want to try and step on toes with that.”

  “I appreciate that,” he muttered, dipping his head to me.

  “Carter was here and heard my thoughts on this, knows what I was thinking. I’ll leave the wording of the official agreement up to you both to work on, not because I’m rubbing him in your face, okay? I have other issues I need to handle.”

  “I understand.”

  “Vlad, think seriously about taking a break,” I said gently when he turned to leave. “You’re burning out. I’m not judging you, I’m saying I know the signs because I’ve seen them and been there. Take a break after you get spanked by the council.”

  He rolled his eyes at me. “It is more than being spanked, Seraphine.”

  “Dude, your ego,” I sighed, rubbing my forehead. “You’re getting spanked. Who fucking cares? Everyone has gotten spanked in their lives. It’s how we learn and grow, do better. So what? They get to see in your underwear drawer and show them off. It’s only more if you let it be more. Walk in there and show them your house is so clean you could give a shit if they look in all your mother fucking drawers.”

  “You speak from experience,” he muttered, studying me.

  “Yeah, it’s call Internal Affairs, and I’ve had lots of such spankings and tear downs because I walked a thin line as solo undercover. Plus, there’s a lot of sexism in the government. One minute someone would be pissed I didn’t do enough and get in someone’s bed, and the next minute I would be too much a whore because the undercover outfit showed boobs. So what? I know what I did and what lines I crossed.”

  “Your coven runs very smoothly and could handle your short absence,” Carter added. “Tell people Goran approved a trip and will cover for you, and it will show a level of calm your people need right now. You know the leader that acts that everything is fine and is calm projects calm to their people.”

  “I will think on it, thank you for the advice,” he accepted before taking off.

  “I still can’t wrap my head around the fact some of you can fly,” I admitted, staring up at the sky.

  Carter pressed his lips to my ear and had a much different reaction to my conversation with Vlad. The kind I could not repeat in front of children. Hell, I didn’t think I could even repeat it to Simone and not blush.

  “Negotiating turn you on?” I asked, not really sure how he’d gotten so wound up.

  “Your brain does,” he admitted. “Smart women—they’re like catnip and Viagra for me. You are so, so smart, Mistress, and watching you bring so many, and sometimes very abstract, pieces together is so sexy.”

  “How sexy?” I purred, turning in his arms.

  “I believe I told you exactly how I felt right now.”

  “No, I think I missed that. It’s windy up here,” I teased.

  “If we weren’t missing lunch and I knew you needed to eat, I would put my dick in your delicious body and show you again, and again, and again, and again.”

  “You should make greeting cards,” I said after he kept telling me more and more. “But for now, what do you want most?”

  He smirked at me. “I already know I made you wet, Sera.”

  Brat. I was surrounded by brats.

  But I was one too. I slid my hand into his pants and stroked him, pressing my lips against his ear when he leaned in. “I hear there’s a line of men who want to put their dick in me. You should find who’s the last one and get behind him to wait.” Then I pulled my hand out and headed for the door.

  “That’s cold, Sera. That’s seriously cold,” he groaned, following after me.

  “But fun. You have lots of fun when we play.”

  “Yeah, I always have fun whenever I do anything with you,” he muttered, sounding unhappy we weren’t doing what he wanted at the moment still.

  We met up with everyone for lunch, and I’d forgotten the chefs had made up trays of food because Simone had said we had helpers coming in. She was right that we had to start being smarter like that because we could spend more feeding everyone than it would have cost to just pay someone to handle what the club needed.

  We ate that much, so we had to be smarter.

  Dain sat next to me, holding some papers. “I spoke with some colleagues, and we’re all in agreement that this blood distribution license would include selling bottles. You meet none of the requirements for the type of license blood banks have, as that’s reg
ulated mostly for how they sell to hospitals and the strict guidelines there. You have nurses from the paranormal hospital take the blood even when it’s not required, as this is for consumption.”

  “I’m more worried about how people will react to it,” I admitted as I stabbed my fork in my salad. “They tend not to like gray areas, and I think this will push too far too fast. We finally got people to chill the fuck out that we’re not having blood fountains and human sacrifices here by serving blood. I think we need to be smarter about this.”

  “Have a conversation with the mayor,” Hagan suggested. “See if it’s something maybe Cook County could be the first to have the regulation for to build on the federal license. After seeing how those assholes in DC act about too much, I’d throw my hat in with the mayor who named Chicago a paranormal sanctuary city and a place of equality. It’s another business to bring to the economy.”

  “I just made nice with Vlad,” I sighed, knowing this would chap his ass.

  “Vlad shouldn’t be in charge of this. He’s one of the consumers, not on the other side with the donors. I know it’s more complicated than that, but I actually agree with some people who think it’s a slippery slope if vampires are the ones who push for this.”

  He had a point. They still got their blood, people volunteering or buying it or however vampires got it, but it was the perception and ways people would bitch about things. We could inch forward with progress, but leaps and bounds didn’t tend to work out as well. The turtle won the race and all of that.

  “We have a problem,” Beth said as she hurried over to us. “Someone accosted Margo when she was making deliveries for Nina and she shifted.”

  “Crap,” I sighed, setting down my fork and wiping my hands. “Is she okay?”

  “The police are holding them there until someone from the pack comes and gets her because the driver is a witch.”

  I blinked at her a moment. “Just let her get into the damn van. Idiots. People are idiots when it comes to some of this stuff.” I glanced between Hagan and Reagan. “She was an extra server tonight so all the hosts could be at the club. Are we okay with Alvin filling in? He’s legal and he’s asked before.”

  “I think it’s okay because it’s Valentine’s Day and it’s going to be all lovey dove couples or group dates for dinner,” Reagan muttered. “Or catering the brunches, but even when it’s not hosting, people can be jerks to the servers and they need to learn more control over their shifts. He’s the best, but yeah, that’s where I’m at.”

  “Okay, that’s good with me,” I accepted when Hagan nodded. “If he wants otherwise, we need a fill in.”

  “She won’t be able to change back for several hours,” Brian blurted as if just catching onto that.

  I didn’t judge. I fully understood how hard it was to keep up with it all.

  He ended up coming with me so we could flash badges and handle the situation fast. I sat with the idea of going to the mayor with the proposition, so I missed when Brian said something to me.

  “Is it Dain?” he asked gently, sliding his hand in mine.

  “No, I honestly don’t know what to do there,” I sighed, squeezing his hand. “A lot of swirling crazy. I was thinking about his idea and the mayor. It sounds great unless someone pulls a shit move and shuts it down and then we screw it for everyone.”

  “You’d have that risk if you just did it without planning ahead and they shut you down. I think the mayor path is the most promising direction.”

  “I can’t believe we’re seriously coming up with ways to bottle blood mixes like a fucking vineyard. Have I completely traumatized you yet?”

  “Nope,” he chuckled. He groaned then. “This might.”

  I turned to look where he was, and my eyes went wide. I was out of the vehicle before Brian even fully slowed down and raced over to the policeman who was pointing a gun at Margo.

  “Are you fucking insane?” I hissed, snatching the gun away, which I knew was wrong, but it was better than punching him out like I wanted to. His partner had good reaction time and pulled their gun on me. I met their gaze, keeping still otherwise. “I’m Division Chief Seraphine Thomas and Alpha of this wolf. She is whimpering, terrified, and showing no aggression, and you’ve got a fucking gun on her. Why?”

  The guy lowered his gun, and I handed back the one I’d snatched. “We didn’t have the full story but got called in to a wolf making a racket and growling at people.”

  “Alpha, I told them Margo was protecting me,” Nina’s witch explained. “The man came out of nowhere, saw the name on the van, and suddenly was demanding we give him one of the hosts’ real name and take him to her. He shoved Margo into the van hard and said she’d better listen or he’d hurt us. She shifted and protected me. All she did was block me from him and snarl. She never even snapped her teeth or took a swing at him.”

  “And your response to that was to pull your gun on the woman?”

  “You mean the wolf?” he snapped.

  “She is a woman, Officer. She’s fully aware of what’s going on here. It’s why she was whimpering and was lying there with her head hidden. There was never a need to pull your gun.”

  “They wouldn’t let me get her in the van,” the witch added.

  “Which was the right way to handle this situation,” Brian said as he joined us. “You guys don’t pull your guns on any dog you see, so don’t even give me that shit she’s a wolf.”

  “She wouldn’t change back,” the cop argued.

  “She can’t,” the three of us snapped at the same time, but I kept talking. “She won’t be able to change back for six to eight hours.”

  “I saw the video with you on YouTube and you changed right back,” he pushed.

  “I’m Alpha. I can do all kinds of things just like you can compared to someone you’re stronger than. You should not be on patrol if you haven’t even read the updated information we’ve put out.” I pulled out my phone and brought up a picture of Margo. “This is who you pulled your gun on. Do you get that? She’s not an animal! A man assaulted her, and you pulled your gun on her.”

  His face went pale as he finally got what he’d done. “She was agitated when we arrived, and the call was about her, not this man.”

  “I get that, but the moment you identified yourselves, she went completely docile,” the witch said.

  “Show me,” I said to Margo as I went over to her.

  “No,” Brian argued, grabbing my arm. “Sera, no. She can file the report tomorrow. I’ve seen blood come out of your nose when you do that.” He glanced over to Margo. “We can go to the station and report the guy tomorrow, right?”

  I sighed when she nodded, whimpering again to say she didn’t want to hurt me. “Okay, fine, tomorrow.” I went over to her when Brian let me go, scratching her behind the ears and kissing her head. “You did good, Margo. You did exactly what you should. We’ll get someone to cover for you tonight. You just ride along for the rest of the deliveries and get some rest.”

  She gave a yip and licked my face before hopping into the back of the van and lying down. I gave a look at the policeman like wasn’t that easy?

  After we talked to the witch, we had a lead at least.

  “Shit, that sounds like the same guy who was starting crap yesterday at the apartments,” Brian muttered. “She’s got a stalker and it’s already getting violent.”

  “Jonathan said they got his image from the security at the building and added it to the club. The guy won’t get in but will probably try for her tonight. We’ll get him,” I said confidently, hoping it was true.

  14

  “Hey sexy, you looking for a date tonight?” I asked Brian hours later right after the club opened.

  “Thanks but no,” he muttered, his gaze not leaving the crowd.

  I moved in front of him and modeled the matching open bra and garter set for him. “Are you sure? I’m a good date.”

  He looked then, swallowing loudly before looking away. “I’m sure you are
, but I’m spoken for, sorry.”

  “Oh? Is she as pretty as me?” I pushed, flipping my hair over my shoulder, having way too much fun with this… And the potion Nina had given me so I could blend better. It changed my voice, hair, and eyes. What it couldn’t change was my body or like diameters as she’d put it. So my height had to stay and whatnot. Hair was different so, yeah, I didn’t get that, but right then I had black hair with a sexy, short cut.

  “Yes, and I’m very much in love with her, so I’m sorry, but you’re wasting your breath with me,” he muttered.

  “Why do you love her so much?”

  “That’s not your business.”

  I leaned in so my naked breasts brushed his arm. “Tell me why, Bri, and maybe I’ll keep on the heels.”

  He did a double take, and then his eyes went wide, remembering what I’d said the first time we’d had sex, which was seriously flattering. “Shit, really? Tell me I’m not crazy here.”

  “Nina is very talented and powerful,” I purred, rubbing against him. “I swear I just came to tease you a bit.”

  “Not a test?” he checked, smiling when I nodded. “Still glad you got to see for yourself how I’d really behave.”

  “Me too,” I admitted, frowning when he moved away.

  “You’re not you, and I’ve made the mistake once of not taking perceptions more seriously. I can be taught to do better, and I’m not okay with what someone might say to hurt you if I’m seen letting a woman rub up on me.”

  “Damn, you are pretty perfect sometimes,” I whispered, my heart fluttering at how serious he was.

  He cleared his throat. “Will you wear that on a date with me then? Knowing that was on under your clothes would be the greatest torture.”

  “I can make that happen,” I chuckled. “You should see some of the other outfits too. Don’t forget to take your break at ten thirty and meet me at the reserved booth.”

  “I won’t be late for whatever present you’ve got planned for us,” he promised.

  I gave him a wink and headed back out to watch the crowd and handle some other problems we’d been having. Namely people propositioning the hosts and dancer, actually everyone who worked at the club. Simone couldn’t even brush it off anymore and had finally agreed to let me handle it legally so we made a clear statement people couldn’t fucking buy us.