by Jody Morse
And what if I don’t want tell you what it was? Samara questioned. What will you do then?
The moonlight reflected against Rocco’s white fangs as he opened his mouth, revealing a sinister canine smile. I have Darren on speed dial. If I wanted to tell him where you are, all it takes is for me to press one button.
How do we know you’re not going to tell Darren whatever we tell you?
Rocco shook his head. You have my word that I won’t say anything. And I can tell you why. If my guess is right, and I’m pretty sure it is, whatever it is that you’re going to give me will make me a more powerful werewolf. It will make my whole pack more powerful. Do you really think I want to tell Darren Jackson something that could potentially help out the Ima . . . or the Vyka, whatever pack it is that he’s on these days?
Samara considered what Rocco was saying. As much as she knew that she couldn’t trust him fully, and she knew that she never would, she also believed him about this. Rocco wasn’t about to do anything that would help out another pack. He was far too selfish for that.
So, what do you think? Rocco pressed. Are you going to give me this thing, or do you want me to give up your spot to Darren?
Give me a minute, Samara replied. I need a minute to think about this.
Stepping away from Rocco, she glanced over at Luke. Meeting his emerald green eyes, Samara communicated with him mentally so that the others couldn’t hear her thoughts. What do you think? Should we tell Rocco the truth about wolfsbane?
I think you have no other choice, Luke responded to her privately. We’re not ready to try fighting against black magic again. Seth told me he, Chris, and Steve were communicating with Bennett, Dante, and Nadine earlier this afternoon.
Samara felt taken back with surprise. It had been a while since anyone had mentioned the Trusted Ones, let alone tried to conjure them with the werewolf Ouija board. They did? Why didn’t you tell me?
I didn’t have time before we left the house, Luke replied. The Trusted Ones haven’t been around lately because they’ve been off trying to find other good spirits just in case something does happen soon. They said a lot of human sacrifices were made recently, and the dark spirits are getting more powerful than they were before. We’re not in a position to try to fight them yet. It would end really badly. At least, that’s what Dante said.
Samara nodded. So, you think we should just tell him? Right now? That’s your opinion?
Well, yeah. I think we should tell him right now, or he might try to contact Darren. He might ask to see the flowers for himself, though, so he knows how to identify them in the future. If he does, I guess we’ll have to give them to him.
Samara turned back to Rocco and she was about to tell him the truth—that wolfsbane was what she had been planning to give Troy in exchange for the talisman—when she realized something. She needed a second opinion.
She didn’t turn to look at him because she didn’t want to give herself away, but she thought, Declan? I need your opinion. Should I tell Rocco about the wolfsbane?
No, you shouldn’t tell him.
Samara felt her own inner smile; somehow, this was what she had been hoping Declan would say. She realized that it was what she had been hoping because it was what she wanted herself. Samara wasn’t ready to tell Rocco the truth about wolfsbane yet . . . not until she explored all of her options first. What should I do, then?
Stall him so that he won’t try to contact Darren yet. Tell him that you need time to think. It will give us some time to come up with an alternate plan, Declan replied.
Okay. Samara took a deep breath. Okay. That’s what I’m going to do.
When she glanced over at Rocco, he was standing there, staring at her, waiting expectantly for an answer. Well? Have you reached a decision yet?
No. I need more time to think, Samara replied. I’m going to take your offer into consideration, but I would like to take the time to discuss it with all of my pack members since it’s a decision that affects all of us. I need time . . . if that’s okay with you.
Rocco studied her face for a few moments before he seemed to accept what she was saying as the truth. Okay, I’ll give you more time. Not that much time, though. How’s this? We meet back here tomorrow night, same time. That should give you enough time to talk to your pack about everything.
Samara nodded. That’s perfect. Thank you for being so cooperative.
Yeah, well, let’s just hope you make the right decision, Rocco replied before whirling around and darting away from them. The members of his pack all gave Samara small nods before following after him.
Feeling proud of herself, Samara turned to her pack members. Well, that was easy enough.
What was that? Luke asked, glaring at her angrily.
It was me stalling him. Why are you so angry? Samara questioned.
Luke studied her face, trying to figure out what had just happened. You didn’t listen to my advice at all. I thought you were going to tell him about the wolfsbane.
I was going to, but I had a change of heart, Samara said, realizing that the only way she could explain what she had just done would also involve explaining that she had asked Declan for his opinion—and took it.
I don’t understand why you would even bother asking my opinion if you were going to do what you wanted to do anyway. Luke lowered his eyes.
Samara tried to feel sympathetic about what had happened, but she couldn’t. She was positive that she had done the right thing. If she had told the Shomecossee about wolfsbane tonight without giving herself time to think about it, she may have regretted it.
Look, Luke. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you by not taking your advice. I appreciate your opinion . . . I really do. I just had to do what was right for everyone. Making a decision without thinking it all the way through could backfire.
Luke shook his head in disgust. Whatever, Sam. You’re the Alpha. I guess that means you get to make all the rules, and I technically don’t have a say in it.
As Luke turned around and began to walk back in the direction that they’d came, Samara let out a loud sigh. The last thing she wanted was Luke to be mad at her, but she’d had to follow her gut. And her gut told her that giving Rocco the wolfsbane would be a bad idea.
Declan came to stand in front of her, meeting her with his brown eyes, which look more golden than they normally did when he was in his human form. I’m proud of you, Sam. I think your grandfather would have been proud of you, too.
Thanks, Declan, Samara told him privately. She couldn’t help but wonder to herself: how much angrier would Luke be if he knew that she’d taken Declan’s advice instead of his own?
*
“How could any of us let this happen?” Colby said, pacing back and forth across the entertainment room nervously as they held a pack meeting about what had happened with Rocco. “How did he follow us back here without any of us knowing?”
Samara shrugged. “I don’t know how it happened, but obviously it did. The fine details don’t really matter that much now.”
“Yes, they do,” Colby replied, glancing over at her. “We can’t ever let this happen again. We need to be more careful from now on. Every time we come here, we all need to look over our shoulders to make sure no one is following us because we can’t afford for this to happen again.”
Emma rolled her eyes at him. “Right, Colby Jack. Obviously none of us want this to happen again, but what I think Samara is trying to say is that we need to figure out what to do in the meantime. Either we come up with a plan—hopefully one that doesn’t involve telling Rocco about wolfsbane—or we’re going to be dealing with Darren.”
“Exactly,” Samara replied. “I don’t want to tell Rocco about wolfsbane if I don’t have to. If we don’t come up with anything else, I guess we can tell him because it won’t be as bad as dealing with Darren, but . . .” She trailed off. Why didn’t she want Rocco to know about wolfsbane exactly?
“I don’t think Grandpa Joe would have wanted us to tel
l Rocco,” Seth said aloud, running a hand through his dark brown hair. “He left us behind the information because he wanted to help us, but I don’t think he would have wanted to help Rocco.”
Samara realized what it was about telling Rocco about the wolfsbane that bothered her the most. “I don’t think he would have wanted us to help Rocco because he wouldn’t have wanted him to abuse wolfsbane’s powers. He wouldn’t have wanted it to get into the wrong hands.”
“Exactly,” Seth agreed. Tapping his chin, he asked, “So, what do you think we can do to make sure it doesn’t get into Rocco’s hands? There has to be something else we can do.”
“I think I have an idea. Why don’t we just see if there’s something else Rocco wants?” Chris spoke up. When everyone glanced over at him questioningly, he explained, “There’s gotta be something else Rocco might want from us. Maybe if we counter his offer by giving him something—something less important—he’ll agree to keep us hidden from Darren.”
Samara shook her head. “I don’t think that’s going to work. If there was something else Rocco would have been willing to take instead of the wolfsbane, he would have told us about it. He didn’t have any other ideas. I think it’s going to have to be wolfsbane or nothing.” She glanced over at Luke, who was sitting quietly on the couch; she felt tempted to sit down next to him, but he still seemed angry at her, so she sat down on the floor with her back facing him. Samara could feel both Luke and Declan staring at the back of her head as she did it.
“Why don’t we just conquer Rocco?” Kyle questioned.
Silas, who was sitting on the floor next to him, had a horrified look on his face. “You want us to kill Rocco?”
Kyle glanced over at him. “Well, yeah, I mean it’s one of the ways we can prevent him from getting in contact with Darren, isn’t it?”
Silas ran a hand through his dark, Latin hair and sighed. “I am the first one to say that I can’t stand Rocco. He’s one of the biggest jerks I’ve ever met. When he kicked me off his pack because he found out I was gay, I just wanted to kill him.”
Samara recalled that Kyle had mentioned that the Shomecossee had kicked Silas out of their pack, but he had never told her why. It made her feel awful to know that the reason Rocco hadn’t wanted Silas to be a part of his pack was because of the gender of the person he was capable of falling in love with. It made her so much more relieved to know that everyone in the Tala pack had been accepting of Kyle and Silas’ relationship.
“I didn’t think I would ever be able to come to terms with my sexuality,” Silas went on, “until I met you. Now, I’m not so angry at Rocco. Sure, he humiliated me, but he doesn’t deserve to die. He’s just doing what he’s doing now—threatening to rat us out to Darren—because he’s selfish. He’s willing to stoop to any level just to become more powerful. I doubt he even realizes how dangerous Colby’s dad is.”
Kyle hesitated. “I guess you’re right. He probably doesn’t know, especially since he doesn’t know anything about black magic. At least, I assume he doesn’t know anything about it.”
“We’re not going to kill Rocco,” Samara said. “At least, we’re not going to unless we absolutely have to.” Deciding that it was time for her to say something that she had never addressed with her new pack, she added, “Look, guys. I know there are a lot of other Alphas who like to go on killing sprees just to show how powerful they are—and to make themselves more powerful by adding new members. But if it were up to me, all packs would live in harmony. There wouldn’t be any killing at all. The only time this pack is ever going to kill is when we have no other choice. Does everyone understand?”
Everyone nodded.
“So, back to the issue at hand,” Samara said. “Does anyone else have any ideas to help us get past this thing with Rocco?”
Kyana raised her hand nervously. “I do have an idea, but . . . I’m not sure if it’s something that will work.”
“Let’s hear it,” Samara said.
Kyana explained her idea and why she thought it would work. Once she was done talking, Colby smiled. “That’s brilliant, Kyana! I never would have thought of that myself.”
“It really is smart, babe,” Chris said, smiling proudly at his mate.
“We’re so lucky to have you on our pack.” Samara smiled. She felt happy because she had a feeling that Kyana’s plan was actually going to work.
Chapter 12
“Honey, what do you think of this one?” Samara’s mom asked her the next afternoon after school.
Samara glanced over her shoulder at the wedding dress that her mom held up; it was off-white with lace sleeves and a high neckline. She shook her head. “No, I don’t think that’s really my style.”
Her mom hung the dress back on the rack and moved to look through another section of dresses. “I still can’t believe we’re doing this right now. It seems unreal.”
“Right?” Emma asked from behind her. “I always thought I was going to get married first. I mean, no offense, Sam, but your views on marriage used to be really cynical.”
“Of course they’re cynical! I’m only fifteen,” Samara replied. She noticed the saleswoman glance over at her with raised eyebrows. She probably thought it was distasteful that a fifteen year old was trying to find a wedding gown. That or the woman probably thought Samara was pregnant and having a shotgun wedding.
“I know, but I always dreamed of what my wedding was going to be like, even when I was a kid,” Emma said dreamily, holding up an ivory, beaded mermaid dress to her own body, and examining herself in the floor-length mirror. “I have it planned down to the color of the flowers and the bridesmaids’ jewelry. But you never really put that much thought into what your wedding was going to be like.”
Samara shrugged. “If it were up to me, we would just elope. Luke’s the one who wants a real wedding.”
“Well, thank God for Luke, then,” Emma commented. “One of my biggest ambitions in life is to be your maid-of-honor.”
Samara laughed. “Then I think you seriously need to reevaluate your priorities. There are things that are way more important than being in a wedding.”
“Oh, I have a bucket list with tons of other stuff on it, like swimming with dolphins and writing a novel,” Emma replied. “It’s just that being your maid-of-honor was always closer to the top of my list than to the bottom.”
Samara rolled her eyes. “Okay, Em. Maybe I’ll make my own bucket list someday.”
“You totally should. It really changes your outlook on life,” Emma said thoughtfully. She held up a dress. “What about this?”
Samara glanced at the dress. It was a white sheath dress that would fall just below her ankles. She shook her head. “No, it’s too . . . plain.”
“Okay, Miss Picky.” Emma rolled her eyes and hung the dress back on the rack.
Samara knew she was being sort of unreasonable. This was the third bridal store they’d been in, and she had yet to even try on a single wedding dress. She couldn’t help it, though. Everything seemed to be too boring, more elegant than what she wanted, or just plain tacky. Nothing had really caught her eye—nothing that she could actually picture herself getting married in, at least.
Her mom checked the time on her cell phone. “I have to meet Rae for dinner around six, which still leaves us a few hours left to shop. Why don’t we check out that other bridal store? Lux Bridal?”
“Yeah, I heard they have some really good designers,” Emma said. “If Samara doesn’t find anything there, I say we just make this a sundress wedding.”
A flash of white material caught Samara’s eye, just as her mom headed for the door, chuckling. “I’m not so sure a sundress wedding would go over too well in March, Emma,” Mrs. McKinley said. She turned to Samara. “Are you coming, sweetie?”
“No,” Samara said, pulling the dress from the rack. “I think I found one I like.” Once she was holding the dress in her hands, she knew that she liked it even more. The white satin dress had a long, flowing chapel
train with a sweetheart neckline and rhinestone, crystal, and sequin bodice beading.
“It’s about time!” Emma chirped. “Go try it on.”
Samara stepped into the dressing room and closed the beige curtain behind her. She glanced at her face in the mirror. It was still hard for her to believe that she was trying on a dress that she could be getting married in.
Once Samara changed into the wedding dress, she glanced at herself in the mirror. She knew it was rare to find the right dress on the first try, but it was a perfect fit. It clung to her body perfectly. The dress looked like it wouldn’t even need any alterations; it was almost as though it had been made just for her.
As she opened the dressing room curtain, her mom and Emma both gasped.
“It’s gorgeous Sam!” Emma squealed, clapping her hands excitedly. “This is the one. You have to get it!”
Samara glanced over at her mom. “What do you think?”
Her mom had tears in her eyes as she said, “You look beautiful, sweetie.” She smiled. “I just can’t get over it. My little girl is getting married.”
Samara forced a small smile. She couldn’t believe it, either.
*
“So, what’s your decision?” Rocco asked when they all met back at Old Mill Road later that night. It was time to put Kyana’s plan into motion.
This time, Samara had brought the whole Tala pack with her, just in case she needed them for backup. Rocco must have been thinking the same thing because what Samara assumed was all of the members of the Shomecossee had also showed up. They were all sitting in a line, staring at the Tala, as though they were sizing them up.
“I’ve decided to take you up on your offer,” Samara said, staring him in the eyes. “I’ll tell you my grandfather’s secret, but first you must agree to my terms.”
Rocco looked intrigued. “I’m listening.”