Rebuilding the Wolf

by Erin R Flynn

  “Sera is also working on a plan to unify the shifters better instead of bickering and fighting amongst themselves,” Carter added. “The tentative plan is to have a trade show of sorts and each pack have a booth, show what they can offer.”

  “Your alliance idea?” Virgil checked, rubbing his chin when I nodded. “I was thinking more of a directory, but yeah, that sounds better. We’re selling cows to here, you guys and Vlad, and now to a coven in California. To Queen Laila and maybe Stud, but he’s asking for more of a discount.”

  “See, that’s what needs to stop,” I growled. “The last people we should be taking advantage of is each other.” I had more to say, but Harris came racing into the room, his eyes full of anger.

  “You need to take this call so it’s official,” he said, not even caring who I was meeting with.

  “Why?” I demanded, getting to my feet.

  “Grand Rapids just blew up.”

  “Define ‘blew up,’” I pushed.

  He looked at who was at the table and spoke at a level the humans wouldn’t hear. “The Alpha told his pack that anyone who spoke to the council would be sold to a coven as blood whores along with their whole family. And now he’s kicked out the council’s people since they weren’t finding anything.”

  “Mother fucker,” I hissed, taking the phone. “This is Alpha Sera.”

  “Alpha, I formally request aid for our pack,” a distraught voice sniffled. She passed the phone to four others that asked for the same.

  I glanced at Mike who nodded he had names and they were legit. “Just hang on, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Thank you, Alpha,” the last one whispered before the line went dead.

  “What’s going on?” Brian asked.

  “Apparently I’m killing the Grand Rapids Alpha today,” I growled, handing Mike back his phone and using my own.

  “We just heard,” Axel greeted. “What do you need? Whatever you need, Alpha.”

  My wolf howled at the open invitation. I moved away from the others, trying to get her under control. “I want you to tell Haton that I want my tiger at my side to handle this.”

  He sucked in a harsh breath. “To say that?”

  “Yes. Deny it if you want, but that is my exact wording.”

  He purred, probably without meaning to. “You’re calling me as yours to a councilwoman? To the council?”

  “You are mine,” I growled quietly. I shook my head and told my wolf to go back to her corner. “My wolf is getting aggressive and territorial, and I don’t like her interest in you.”

  “Most new wolves have that issue,” he said gently. “Normally sooner.”

  “Yeah, I’m just special. Will you do it?”

  “Yes, and I’ll even thank you later because she’s hinted again she’s interested,” he admitted. “I’ll get my team on a plane right away. How do you want to play this?”

  “Is the wolf team in the area still?” I checked, glad when he said they were. “Tell them to get just outside town or whatever like they’re leaving, but they can come with me for help. I’m spread a bit thin.”

  “You need the council to officially and in writing sanction this,” Dain said from my right, scaring the crap out of me.

  “I agree with your fairy,” Axel answered. “I will put in the request. What else?”

  “I think the rest is on our end,” I admitted, sighing when Dain nodded. “We have extra backup here, as Laila left her people here in case there was blow back from Iran, but Eva’s still there with a bunch of nobles, so there are a lot of balls in the air.”

  “I’ll be there soon and to help with whatever you need.”

  “Be careful what you offer,” I warned him.

  “I know what I offered, and I meant it. I can’t take staying away from you anymore, and I’m tired of blisters on my fucking hand from thinking of you.” He hung up, and Dain chuckled.

  “What?”

  “You do leave an impression, my love,” he murmured. “I went through the same for months after we were first together and while I was away for training.”

  My wolf stirred, and I told her to stuff it, mad she was misbehaving when I’d been working really hard to give her what she needed and extra attention. We were stronger than letting something as petty as jealousy or ego rule us. The pep talk seemed to work, as she settled. I turned on my heel and went back to the group.

  “You had the conversation with Zeno, right?” I checked with Hagan, glad when he nodded. “Get on the phone with him and see if he’ll come out with Linus’s parents and Christos’s.”

  His eyes went wide. “Christos doesn’t want to be Alpha. Neither does Theon, which is why we were talking about Linus.”

  “I know that, but Linus and his family doesn’t. If he thinks we need him or have to have him now that it blew up, he won’t behave as well.”

  “I’ll talk with Christos so he understands that,” he agreed, walking off as he pulled out his phone.

  “You’re going with to handle the cleanup,” I told Harris, shrugging when he sighed. “Sorry, man. Cooper and everyone just took a round. Your turn to handle the shit we don’t have funding for. Detroit is the closest field office, and I don’t know them to trust. You’ll have the wolf team from the council for support.”

  “That’s better than nothing,” he agreed, muttering he better go pack.

  I turned back to the meeting and sighed, rubbing my forehead. “You guys got this?”

  “Yes,” Dain, Alok, and Simone assured me.

  “Wait, so what is the bottom line here?” the chief of police demanded. “We help with this or you go public with what happened?”

  I frowned at him. “No, not at all. I’m not a bitch like that. You guys brought me a pile of shit I’m going to have to devote time and resources to for cleanup and keeping it quiet, as you know the media is all over this. It’s going to be PR and more PR to fix this. I’m asking you to help with something on my plate to make nice with me. You don’t want to do it, don’t. There’s no threat.”

  “Just a lot of good will and friendly feelings lost,” Brian warned, making it clear it was for his office as well. “As it wasn’t just Sera and the club involved. He was starting shit with me and my office, running his mouth to a wide variety of people that Sera cheats on me and I’m a disgrace to humans as a paranormal fucker and lover. That she does something to me and I’m unfit for my job.”

  “Whoa, that’s news to me,” I whispered, staring at him with wide eyes.

  “Yeah, it was fun to find out it’s all over CPD and wider,” he seethed. “I hate how you were hurt, how it happened on my watch, but you becoming what you are has been a blessing. You’ve done more good in the months since you’ve been a wolf than most offices do in five years, and CPD of all people knows it as you’ve helped them too. And I’ll be damned if I stand by and let you be demeaned as some slut wolf who’s only good for sex.”

  I leaned over and kissed him with all I had, leaving him breathless. “When I get back, we will have that date. That’s a down payment on the kiss at the end of the date.”

  He chuckled, brushing his lips over mine. “I love you too, Sera.”

  “Glad we settled that. I still think you’re an idiot for putting up with me, but whatever.”

  “Apparently you’ve never looked in the mirror. I think most guys would give just about anything to be with you,” one of the cops muttered under his breath.

  Except all the paranormals heard him. I smirked at the guy. “Sorry, I’m not allowed to add any humans to my dance card. I promised someone there would be only one.” I leaned over Brian from behind and lowered his collar, kissing my mark on him as I stared at the cop, letting power flash in my eyes. “And what he gives me leaves me completely satisfied.”

  “Completely?” Brian chuckled nervously.

  “Bri, you have the stamina that keeps up with lots of shifters I know,” I purred, kissing the mark again. “I have to go before I strip you naked and
give them a show.”

  “Should I be worried?” he murmured, glancing up at me.

  “No, I’m pissed people were running their mouths about you. If they want to talk, I’ll give them something to talk about. I’m just as protective of you as you are me, and I can show every one of those assholes what I give you, and then they won’t run their mouths but just be jealous.”

  “They run their mouths because they are jealous, babe,” he said gently, squeezing my hand. “Go. Go handle Grand Rapids and be safe. I’ve got things here.”

  “You just want another thank you picture.”

  “Sera, god… Come on,” he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand.

  I threw back my head and laughed. “I did promise to make you hard all weekend.” I kissed his cheek and hurried after Hagan.

  “What thank you?” Alok asked.

  “I gave her the bracelet I got her for her birthday finally, and to say thank you she sent me a picture of her wearing it. Only wearing it,” he muttered.

  “It was the first one she took,” Virg chuckled. “She was very excited at the gift. Apparently no one had ever given her jewelry before. I’m not sure how, but okay then. How did you ever snag her in the first place?”

  “I didn’t give up whereas others took her ‘fuck off’ vibe at face value. She was worth it. She’s always been worth it to me.”

  My wolf settled at hearing that. He wasn’t going to leave. No matter what, Brian wouldn’t ever leave me. Someone was going to stay.

  Please let him really stay.

  17

  Hours later, I was getting off my plane in Grand Rapids to handle the shit there before turning right around and handling more shit to do with the problem back home. Most days it was a miracle I wasn’t an alcoholic.

  “Holy mother of fucking huge wolf,” I whispered as I laid eyes on the guy standing in front of our greeting party.

  The stern looking man’s lips twitched slightly. “Others call me Eugene, Alpha.”

  I raised an eyebrow at that. Eugene was a name for a cute little computer geek or dorky gaming guy, not someone who would make most huge bikers shit themselves. I walked closer, noting he was over a full foot taller than me, and that wasn’t easy when a woman was five-ten. Seriously, he had to be six-ten or eleven and just built. To complete the “I will fuck you up” look, he had stern, chocolate brown eyes and dark red hair pulled back in a ponytail.

  “Sera,” I murmured as I extended my hand, yelling at my siren to behave, but even my wolf was riding me too, as we still needed strong pack members to keep the ones we loved safe.

  He glanced down at my hand in confusion, and I sighed, letting out enough of my power to top theirs. I still wasn’t used to being a wolf in professional settings, though this wasn’t strictly FBI.

  He moved in and bared his neck to me, leaning way over so I could reach it. I kissed his neck, humming happily when I felt his fingers on my arm.

  “That’s not even a fraction of your power, is it?” he breathed in my ear.

  “No, just enough to prove I’m boss,” I admitted before backing away. I smirked at him, leaving his offer dangling since he’d touched me during greetings. I didn’t know these guys yet, and there was work to be done before I could even entertain such an idea.

  “Where’s Axel?” he asked after I greeted the others.

  “He’s been diverted. There was a situation.” I hoped it was close enough to the truth it flew, but I didn’t linger on it like it was no big deal. Instead, I went right over to our “witnesses” and spoke with them.

  “Our Alpha called a meeting on pack lands to discuss with everyone that the council left,” one of them told me.

  Oh, I just bet he did. “That’s fine. Just stay here with Agent Shaw and we’ll handle this.” I rubbed her neck in comfort instead of her shoulder, a weird gesture for sure, but I needed skin contact. And it worked. She gave me everything I needed and more. Two of the five witnesses started to argue, and I looked at them easily. “Is there some reason you have to join us? That you would disobey me?”

  “No, Alpha,” they muttered, lowering their heads in respect.

  Uh-huh.

  We climbed into the council team’s rented SUVs and headed to the pack lands. Eugene gave me updates and what they’d found, which wasn’t much of anything really, and before long we were pulling up at the private forest preserves that were the pack lands. They were bigger than back home, and that made sense since land in Grand Rapids wasn’t as expensive as Chicago.

  “Hi, sorry to crash the party, but some of your pack requested my help,” I greeted brightly as I got out of the SUV, the attention of every wolf around on me. “I’m Alpha Seraphine Thomas from Chicago.” I glanced at Harris as we walked into the middle of the large group. “Do I say this is an invasion? No, Battle Royale with the Alpha?”

  One of the council guys snorted, and I was glad I could at least amuse them.

  “How about ‘it’s a trap,’” one of the Grand Rapids wolves who was either Alpha or up there said with a smirk. “Wow, you are really just a stupid blonde bitch to not figure that out.” Over a dozen of them pulled out automatic weapons that weren’t legal for them to have, and I noted that for later.

  But first… I glanced at Harris, and the two of us burst out laughing. I laughed so hard at the guy’s bad Bond villain impression, I was wiping under my eyes.

  “Thanks, I needed that,” I sighed, getting myself under control. “Of course it was a trap. Like no shit, dude. We just needed to know whose side they were on.” I pointed back to the council team. “And since you’re pointing guns at them, they’re not with you.” I glanced over my shoulder at the team when they growled. “You’re kidding, right? The last shitstorm with wolves and council was Milwaukee. You think I’d take any chances this time?”

  “Well, when she puts it like that, I sort of think we’re idiots for not having figured this one out,” one of the guys muttered.

  Yeah, pretty much.

  “Hey there, Princess,” a loud voice purred.

  I slowly turned back around to face the voice, my heart beating so fast it thrummed through my entire body. Fear swarmed me in a way I couldn’t control at hearing that voice. I had so few triggers from my shit childhood, but being called that, and by that voice threw me into a tailspin.

  It can’t be him.

  But I was wrong. It was him. I blinked a moment, shaking as I reached for my gun even knowing I had come unarmed.

  He smirked at me, probably knowing exactly what he was doing to me. “Long time no see, Princess.”

  “You know the Alpha?” one of the guys behind me hissed.

  “Mike, I’m sorry,” I breathed to my friend and teammate before my power came out of me in defense of the threat before me. I couldn’t even control it. Flashes of memories I’d stuffed into the corner of my mind hit me as every ounce of my vast power unfolded from me like a gigantic fucking tidal wave, instantly drowning everyone around me and continuing out.

  It helped me get my fear under control, and then my rage burned from my very core and flooded my power as well. I didn’t even realize what I was doing until I was standing before the monster of my nightmares and kicking his knees out, smiling when the snap echoed.

  “Who’s the princess now?” I snarled, slamming my boot on each of his feet to shatter them. “Huh? Are you a princess? Do you want to be a princess?” I kept shouting at him as I inflicted more and more damage, shattering his body as I went. He was completely helpless to my power, and after I broke his hips, I pulled my power back, wanting him to feel all of it.

  He howled in pain as I sat on him. My fist flew and smashed his face in as I screamed at him. I kept going, ignoring the blood or the fact he was probably already dead. I snapped. I had completely and totally snapped under the pressure and having the monster stand before me, taunting me again. I wouldn’t allow myself to endure his torture. I wasn’t that little girl anymore.

  “He�
��s dead, Sera!” someone roared as they grabbed me around the waist.

  “I won’t be his princess!” I screamed, fighting them. “I don’t want to be a princess.”

  “You’re not, god, you’re not, Sera, he’s dead,” he whimpered, hugging me tighter as he dragged me away. “Come on, we need you. Snap out of this, Alpha.”

  When he got me far enough away from the blood and overwhelming smells of my destruction, a wild, familiar scent filled my nose. “Axel?”

  “Yeah, it’s me,” he sighed, burying his face in my neck. “What the fuck happened?”

  “Is he really dead?” I whispered, shaking as I stopped struggling.

  “Yeah, very, very dead,” he promised.

  “Good.” I realized something else, gasping as I broke free of his hold. “Where is his wife? Where is his mate?” No one answered me, and I finally took a good look at the chaos around us. Axel’s team and ten of my ancient vampires were doing everything they could to hold back the pack and everyone I’d drowned in my power. They hadn’t shifted, but they were completely enthralled.

  Crap.

  I reached through the line and yanked out one of the local wolves, smashing my mouth to his and feeding. Hestia and Phobie had worked with me on how to clear the enthrall by feeding and to snap them out of it. I’d done it when Queen Laila had used her glamour on my guys when we were at court, but it wasn’t the same as reversing my own power.

  I waited until the guy’s eyes cleared of my power. “Where is his mate?”

  He shook his head, his eyes bugging out with fear. “She died. He was married to a human woman who died. That’s when he came to our pack and worked his way up. That was years ago.”

  “She’s dead,” I whispered, relief flooding me when he nodded. “Good.”

  “Sera, what’s—” Axel started but shut it when I held up my hand.

  I found Harris in the madness and yanked him out, taking back my power in a way. “Sorry, Mike.”

  “It’s okay,” he murmured, hugging me. “I felt your fear. God, Sera, you were so scared. What the fuck happened?”