Paris sits beside me and laces one hand in mine. “I’ll make some calls.”
“Norden is dead meat.” Addison states gleefully getting back in behind the driving wheel as Thane and Phelan still looking a little stunned, get in and take their seats right alongside the us.
We continue to head for Quebec. I’m no longer tired. I’m tense and pissed. Very fucking pissed and ready to hit something.
I’ve gone over it in my head and realized, I was aware it was a dream but more than that, that there was something off about the dream. Apart from it being a nightmare.
I wouldn’t be afraid to die and lose my life. I don’t have a death wish, and my life isn’t exactly perfect. But it isn’t exactly horrible beyond comprehension either. It’s my life and I’ve made of it what I have, given, circumstances.
I’d be afraid to die if it meant I was going to leave behind people, those I cared about. My love for Paris is deeper than I thought it could possibly ever be between me and a pack mate.
My adoration of Markus is so high, its like hero worship. My family’s support of me is like a warm hug that never ends, that I would never want to end.
My friends, Addison, Jules and Booker, they would be like wounds that opened me a bit more each time one of them was taken from me, if I did not have them in my life.
Booker’s absence would be felt deeply by me and I would weep in silence if he no longer spoke to me. We shared something once, it seems a long time ago now, but it was a memory that is all the things nostalgia is built on and for the reason nostalgia exists.
These things, these werewolves, without them, who would I be? Each of them has affected me on some level and helped shape me into me. I can live with me dying, but losing my life, would mean I would drown in the sadness of not having these werewolves around me.
My existence being wiped out to a blank slate, doesn't bother me in the least. If I was too die, these are the things that I would miss, that would cripple my soul.
I grind my teeth together in my mouth. Norden managed to orchestrate that entire nightmare and I fell for it. All of it. Like a fucking amateur.
“Stupid head.” I mutter out loud.
“Bg?” Paris asks looking back at me. I’ve clamped down my telepathic defences tightly. If Addison or Paris want to talk to me it has to be done out loud now.
I look at my pack mate. “Yeah?”
“Everything alright sweetheart?” He asks me as Thane and Phelan too look at me in earnest with weary expressions.
“Sure, why?”
“You’re eyes are blue.” Paris states in a soothing tone. “And I can see your fangs. Phelan can you feel her anger?” Paris asks my twin, while looking at me the whole time.
“No, she feels calm to me.” Phelan responds perplexed.
“That’s what I was afraid of.” Paris says moving back to sit with me, reaching for my hands.
“You’re afraid of her calmness?” Thane reiterates and I see Addison glance back in the rear vision mirror at me.
“Yeah. You ever been around a female when she’s deathly pissed off? It’s not all yelling and screaming rage like you’d expect. It’s a calm before a storm, right B?” Paris asks looking at me.
I lift my head and look back at my two new brothers. “We can be family through blood and distance, or we can be pack, through so much more. As a pack, we can end Nordon’s reign of terror. Make your choices.” I state “Either way, I’m getting Markus back, and anyone who stands in my way, well, now that I know what I have, will get destroyed. Simple.”
The car falls silent as we drive into Quebec. “Meet the werewolf that swallowed a hurricane whole.” I reply to them all. “Time to live up to the reputation I’ve been given.”
26
Paris has already phoned ahead to the Quebec wolf pack’s leader. We’ve been expected for some time now and I can see just by the amount of vehicles around the street that we’re going to get a full pack welcome.
“So much for a subtle entrance.” I state as the porch light to his cousin’s house, that Paris points out to me comes on and figures emerge onto the front porch. Addison pulls into the driveway of the house.
“You ready?” Thane turns around to look at me. Neither he nor Phelan have answered my proposition to them to be recruited to my fusing nightmare fight with Nordon.
“Are you?” I throw back at him arching an eyebrow.
“Bg look at me,” Paris says turning my head to face him. “You’re eyes are still blue.”
“Kiss me.” I reply and tilt my face up towards his and close my eyes as his mouth warms mine and his tongue makes my mind think of very wicked things it could do to me. Addison coughs and we break for air and I open my eyes looking back at him. “I love you.”
“Better.” Paris smirks. “Brown eyes, no fangs.”
“Showtime.” I say looking out at the werewolves on the porch, letting out a heavy breath of nerves and look back at Paris who gives me a quick kiss.
“I got your back sweetheart.” He says before I finally decide to move and get out of the car again.
“So do we.” Thane pipes up as I reach the door handle stopping me.
“Sis.” Phelan adds on.
I nod my head back at them and step out of the car. Paris is close behind me. “So this is potentially my extended family hey?” I mutter at him as we both hold up hands in a gesture of greeting and begin to walk towards the house.
“Yeah, I guess I’m taking you home to meet the family for real now.” Paris chuckles.
“Good to know what I’m in for when if the marriage proposal finally comes at me.” I reply out the corner of my mouth, before we walk up the steps to the porch.
Paris has been keeping in contact with the Quebec pack leader, his cousin. Updating them along the way so they know what we’re bringing with us in the form of a trail of trouble that’s likely to follow us the entire time we’re here in their backyard.
Which is just as well because this Norden guy, seems to have quite a hold on his own werewolves and we’re well and truly out of our strong hold and without our usual resources. So we will need all the extra help that Quebec pack are willing to give us.
“Paris!” A male adult calls out as Paris steps up in front of me and into the embrace of a man who looks to be in his fifties. He reminds me of Paris’s own father, he looks similar, but older. Same structural features in the face, his hair is dark grey.
“Uncle,” Paris greets him with embracing in a hearty hug.
They pat each other on the back and Paris steps back and picks up my hand, whilst placing another on my lower back. All eyes fall on me as I step forward to meet his uncle.
“Uncle Xavier, I’d like to introduce you to my pack mate, Bg Sommers.” Paris says in French to his uncle. I reach a hand out to the adult male’s before me.
I know he is assessing me. Have I ever mentioned how much I love being under estimated?
“Bg is it?” Xavier D’arenberg, addresses me in perfect English.
“Oui, Monsieur D’arenberg.” I reply as he shakes my hand.
“I hope you don’t mind me asking, but is that short for something?” He asks me still sizing me up.
“Yes. Its short for Breukelen Girl, my moniker from my pack that they gave me, the Breukelen werewolf pack from New York.”
I watch as Xavier’s eyes widen in surprise. We stop shaking hands and release again. “You’re pack named you after your pack.”
“Oui Monsieur.”
I see the implication of what I’ve just stated sink in on the faces of the as yet, unnamed and unknown other werewolves around us. Paris’s hands rest on my shoulders as he stands with me.
“In Canada, for a werewolf to be have their pack name used as their name, to be known as their moniker, it would be of the highest honour an elder could bestow upon them. It would only be bestowed for the greatest of deeds to the pack.”
“It’s the same in New York.” Paris replies for me so it doesn't look
like I’m blowing my own trumpet and having his uncle on.
“We mean no disrespect here Monsieur D’arenberg, but if we’re not welcome or if you feel it best we kept moving, we’ll do so now, so we can try and get some accommodation somewhere.”
“Do you speak for my nephew as his leader?” Xavier D’arenberg asks me directly.
“She speaks for me as my leader, my equal and my alpha. She speaks for all of us.” Paris states back at his uncle waving a hand back at the boys. I watch as Xavier looks them over again.
He nods his head and bows slightly. “Of course you’d be my nephew’s pack mate. I wouldn’t expect this one,” He says clamping a hand down on Paris’s shoulder “To settle for anyone less intriguing than you.”
We all chuckle and smile politely.
I smile at him turning on the charm “Wait to you hear the stories your nephew has to tell you about me.” The werewolves on the front porch move back into the house and Xavier holds open the door for me.
“Please, come on in. Our pack leader will be joining us shortly and would very much like to meet you.”
27
Xavier D’arenberg introduces me to his wife Pensee and their two daughters, Carolyn and Anouk. Carolyn appears to be around Paris’s age and I can tell by their character they are strong werewolves, the way they follow protocol and instruction from Xavier in regards to us. The way they observe us and in particular, track my every movement. I feel like I’m being catalogued.
“Aubrey will be along in a moment.” Xavier says as Pensee encourages us all to sit down and make ourselves comfortable while she finishes setting up dinner for us all.
“Aubrey, my cousin, leader of the Quebec pack.” Paris says to me in a low voice.
“Thank you, but if it’s alright with you, I’d rather stand. I’ve been in a car for most of the day and that is just not a naturally conducive environment for a werewolf to be put in for long periods of time.” Xavier nods his heads and I find Carolyn and Anouk’s eyes following me as they stand at the back of the room too, whilst everyone else sits.
“So tell me Bg,” Xavier begins crossing his legs and trying to appear casual to me, friendly even. “You’re from the Breuekelen New York pack, what is your standing in it?”
I smile back at Xavier, if he thinks he’s going to phase me by putting me on the spot and trying to show me up, he’s mistaken. I’ve come to expect this kind of attitude and attack of my worthiness by arrogant and more predominately known, pack wolves.
“I’m a pack member of the Breukelen, that is all.” I state more than comfortable with my choice of words and their meaning.
Xavier frowns “So you’re not an official leader amongst your pack?”
“No Monsieur, I am not.”
“The way my brother and his wife talked about you,” He starts and I contain my surprise that Paris’s parents would talk about me to their own family. “They implied you were a rather impressive leader of quite some power. Is that not the case in your pack?”
I keep smiling and resist the temptation to cross my arms over my chest and appear defensive before the older werewolf who’s trying to put me off my game. The room is silent and all eyes in the room are rallying like a tennis match between the two of us.
“I’m a pack member with standing. I come from the leading pack family. My brother is the pack leader, my sister it’s enforcer. My brother Markus,” I pause because I feel my emotions well and I concentrate on holding Xavier’s gaze before continuing “another member of the hierarchy.”
“But you are not the pack leader or one of the hierarchy?” Xavier persists.
“Oui Monsieur, I am not.” I reply again feeling confident in my reply.
“So who are you then, that gives you enough rank to speak on behalf of all these were-wolves?” He asks waving a hand around to indicate Addison, Thane, Phelan and Paris’s presence in the room.
I hold his gaze and I can see from the corner of my eyes, all the boys stand up and move to stand behind me. Xavier’s eyes watch each of them fall in behind me.
“I am the werewolf who howled at a hurricane and swallowed it whole.”
Xavier stands up slowly still looking at the males behind me. I hear the gasps of surprise from Anouk and Carolyn and something clutter in the kitchen where Pensee is pottering around. The rest of the house stills as if waiting for this statement to impact it.
“So you’re the one.” Xavier says in a different tone of voice. I guess he was expecting some hard ass warrior werewolf, probably a male too.
“I’m her.” I reply solemnly. He pauses to look me and the rest of the boys over.
“And this is why you can speak as a leader without title amongst them.”
“That and I’m a liaison between the Breukelen and the Manhattan Maen pack.” I don’t add that this is an unofficial role I’ve grown into, that both packs like to use. “Plus I’m the daughter of a very powerful Dire wolf.” I throw back at him. This time, the surprise is evident in his face.
“Dire wolf?” Xavier repeats softly.
“Are we not welcome here uncle?” Paris asks from just behind my shoulder. Xavier waves a hand at him and scowls at us as he moves away again.
“Of course you’re welcome here, what kind of uncle would I be if I didn’t give your pack mate, the third degree to see if she’s worthy of my nephew?”
The tension in the males behind me relaxes and I look back over my shoulder at Thane and nod my head. The boys disperse and sit back down again.
“Impressive,” Says a new voice from the doorway to the living room. We all look over and I see a dark haired female, of around five feet ten, leaning in the doorway of the room, straighten up. She has dark blue eyes, like her father, Xavier, the same type Paris has, like his father.
“Bonsoir, I’m Aubrey D’arenberg, leader of the Quebec pack. Welcome to Quebec, I have been dying to meet you Miss Sommers. You are the stuff of legend and intrigue, making quite a name for yourself I hear.” She says holding out her hand towards me, even though she hasn’t moved from the doorway. “As well as stealing my cousin’s heart.”
I walk midway over but no further and hold out my hand towards her, Aubrey straightens up and walks over to meet me so we can shake hands. Werewolf politics, it’s as much about image and display as it is about actual pack power and results.
“A pleasure Madame D’arenberg.” I say smiling at her. “It wasn’t stolen, so much as given.” I state glancing a look back at Paris.
These French-Canadian werewolves don’t know me and that puts me at a big advantage over them as much as it can. They may not see me for what I am, but I know how many aces I have up for sleeve to take advantage of.
I am with their nephew and cousin, Paris and that alone is enough to make them interested in me. I grew up in a leading pack family and I’ve already given them a hint of that, so it should broaden their minds enough to talk to me seriously.
I have made them aware that I am the werewolf of legend and I am flesh, and this should be more than enough to make them want to see what I am capable of. I’ve laid out the bread crumbs for them to follow me into battle. But I need to secure their trust and therefore their resources, their pack. And I need to do it fast if I am to get Markus back.
Which is where being my father’s daughter comes in handy. Markus would be so proud of me right now if he could see me.
Growing up in the Sommers family, there was never any expectations placed on me like there were of my older siblings Aksel and Bodil. And that allowed me to gain a lot of skills and knowledge that they had to work for.
I was around my father a lot when he had dealings with other packs. I was very observant and I know what works and what does not, after watching my father in action.
I feel perfectly content and confident to do business with the Quebec werewolf pack, regardless of my standing with the D’arenberg family.
Although it helps, that Paris’s parents have already spoken highly of me to Paris�
��s uncle. It should pave the way for my dealings with Aubrey D’arenberg, to be easier than a first time leader dealing with an unknown pack would be most times.
Pensee D’arenberg walks out into the living room with an apron on. “Dinner’s served, you can discuss pack business after Paris and his friends have eaten a full meal.”
29
Dinner is a casual affair and the boys all have second and third servings of the meal. They’ve been hungry since we went for our impromptu run before driving into Quebec.
None of us came across anything to hunt and besides, game isn’t all that filling to a werewolf. Thoughts of this sadden me as memory of Markus and what I’ve gotten him into plagues my mood. I do my best not to let it show.
Addison helps Pensee do the dishes, Phelan jumps up to dry them and Thane stacks them away. Paris sits with me and Aubrey and Xavier, while Anouk and Carolyn transfer our bags to our accommodation, at Aubrey’s house.
“I have plenty of room.” She says when Xavier protests again. I watch the exchange between father and eldest daughter. She has his stubbornness.
“My husband was killed three years ago,” Aubrey says by explanation to me “He was our pack leader and after his death I challenged for the right to take over the top job, and here I am.”
“Congratulations.” I state sincerely. “It’s a rare thing to come across a female in a leadership role in our community. I think you’re the first female pack leader I’ve actually met.” We both look back at Xavier.
We hear the sound of a car pulling back up and doors closing. “Ah, Carolyn and Anouk are back, just in time to transfer you to your accommodation, at my place.”
“Fine, they can stay with you.”
“Thank you father.” Aubrey says planting a kiss on his cheek. “We’ll continue our discussions over at my residence.” Aubrey says standing, Paris and I follow her lead. “And on the way, you can tell me how my cousin fell for you.”
Time is not critical here. But it is an irritation. I am more than sure Nicholas Norden will not harm Markus because he needs to Markus to trap me. And so long as he has what makes me weak and vulnerable to him, he has power over me.
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