by Dannika Dark
A smile touched my lips. “You got it, Pop.”
***
Austin faced the wall, arms folded, studying the intricate carvings on a Native spear. The firelight filled Lorenzo’s office with an ambient glow. Lighting a fire wasn’t necessary with the agreeable weather, but Lorenzo hosted meetings as if he were having a powwow.
The other seven Packmasters had left, leaving behind Lorenzo, Austin, and Prince.
Austin had never felt more conflicted than when Judas advanced toward Lexi. His first instinct should have been to fight for his mate, but Austin’s wolf hadn’t lunged. It was as if their stream of consciousness had merged, each choosing to protect Lexi as their priority. It was the smart thing to do, because fighting in a charged atmosphere could have ended in bloodshed, with Lexi in the line of fire. He loved that woman too deeply to make an impulsive move that could put her in danger, and yet fear had become his biggest foe. Fear that she might have chosen to go with Judas if it meant more protection for the baby, fear that Judas might have instigated an attack with all the Packmasters present, fear that her emotions could put stress on the baby.
The sound of liquid pouring into a glass filled the quiet room.
“I’m still disgusted to hear that the Rivers pack chose to leave Texas and all their land behind,” Lorenzo said.
“Yes, that is most disagreeable,” Prince replied. “They have more children than other packs in the territory, but what kind of lesson is that to teach? I have spent centuries running from war, but flames will always spread if they are ignored.”
Prince and Lorenzo sat before a window, the small table littered with empty bottles and a marble ashtray. Lorenzo sipped his scotch and gazed at his property. “Ivy warned me about having a peace party on a full moon,” he said absently. “Nothing good ever comes of a full moon.”
Austin dragged a small wooden chair across the room and spun it around. He took a seat between the two men, folding his arms across the back. “This is exactly why he’s stalling. I thought long and hard about why a man with this much support would wait so damn long to rise up. Maybe that was his mistake in Colorado—he attacked too soon. The packs were strong, prepared, and ready for action. He’s like a lion that injures his prey, following him until he’s mentally given up and too weak to fight. Extra security wears people down, and so does thinking about war. When Maizy was little, she had to see the doctor for annual checkups. She used to worry and get nervous once a date was set. But if the doctor just showed up unexpectedly, it wasn’t a big deal. Judas is creating anxiety and paranoia.”
Prince nodded. “And he is succeeding. The more packs who leave, the less he has to fight. The weaker packs might surrender and cut a deal. I just hope the Council keeps their wits about them.”
Lorenzo set his glass on the windowsill. “What a conundrum you face, Cole. The father of your mate is now your mortal enemy. Quite a revelation. Lexi should learn to be careful what she wishes for; the fates have a wicked sense of humor, and now they’ve sullied her good name.”
“We can’t hunt for them because we don’t know where they are,” Austin said, ignoring Lorenzo’s usual snide remarks. “And I’m not about to leave my land to go on a wild-goose chase. I don’t see any options.”
Prince shifted his blue and brown eyes on Austin. “Agreed. Leaving our territory would be the wrong decision. A man is weaker when pulled out of his element.”
Lorenzo lifted a pack of cigarettes from the windowsill and lit one up. He brushed his long hair behind his shoulder and studied the tip of his cigarette after pulling a drag. “One thing I was taught about capturing prey is that sometimes you have to draw them out. They will always go where they feel safest and have the most control—where you are vulnerable. If you know how to lure a rabbit into the open, you can capture it quicker than if you chased it to Wonderland.”
“And how do we catch them off guard?” Prince asked, tapping his finger to his chin.
All three men grew quiet in thought.
“Spies are useful,” Prince murmured. “I could send out one of my men to act as a rogue looking to join up with them.”
Austin rested his chin on his wrist. “What if they think we’re all leaving? We could get the word out, except we won’t actually go anywhere.”
Lorenzo blew a cloud of smoke toward the window. “Human hunters wear camouflage and sit up in the trees to kill deer.”
Prince laughed richly. “And we’re going to sit up in the trees for weeks, Enzo?”
Lorenzo set his cigarette in the groove of the ashtray. “We’ll build trap doors on the land and cover them with leaves and brush. We can build chairs or platforms in the trees and hide them. This isn’t an impossible task. We’re wolves, and the forest is our home.”
Austin liked where this was going. “We’ll need time to prepare. How are we going to coordinate this so we’re not stuck in the woods for weeks?”
Prince leaned forward and laced his fingers together. “If our men infiltrate their camps, they can relay the message that they’ve heard rumors through their sources that we’ve abandoned the territory. We’ll set a date and keep in contact.”
Austin sat up. “What about the other cities? There’s no way we can pull this thing off for the entire state.”
Prince shook his head. “Every man for himself. We have neither the time nor the power to implement a plan on a larger scale. If we can reduce his men and take control of this city, perhaps then we can lend assistance to the others.”
Hell, it was worth a shot. No one else they’d spoken to earlier was willing to step up with a plan. “How long do you think we’ll need?” Austin looked between the two men. “Three months?”
“We can’t delay putting a plan into motion,” Lorenzo agreed. “Based on his cowardly actions, I think he’ll wait at least that before striking. Patient men are dangerous men. We should set a date in August. In the meantime, those without sufficient weapons will need to stock up. Those without experience will require training. Silent weapons may work best during the initial attack.”
Austin mulled it over. “My second-in-command has connections who can supply weapons. We’ve also got an experienced archer in our pack, and she can train anyone interested.”
Prince stood up, his chair legs scraping across the floor. “I can help craft the bows; this is my area of expertise. If we purchase too many weapons, someone might tip them off.”
Austin stretched his back and rose to his feet. “Three months goes by fast. We need to plan yesterday.”
“Agreed.” Prince smoothed his hand over his hair, flattening a few strands that had come loose from his dark ponytail. He was an ancient, and maybe that’s why Austin respected him more than he did anyone else. “I have experience building hidden traps. But once set, the pack will need to memorize their locations.”
Austin gave a mirthless laugh. “Sometimes I watch the twins playing pack war in their fort. I never thought in their lifetime we’d be building one for the real thing.”
Prince patted his shoulder. “Playing pretend is how young boys prepare for what life has in store for them.” Then he sighed thoughtfully, strolling across the room. “Why must we always be at war with each other?”
Austin stuffed his hands in his pockets, jingling the coins around. “Maybe some of the other Breeds will fight alongside us.”
Lorenzo laughed and opened the door. “Keep dreaming, Cole. They have long despised us and will happily line chairs in the street to watch us slaughter one another. Other Breeds don’t give a damn. When will you learn we’re on our own?”
Maybe deep down, Austin wanted to believe that someday the Breeds wouldn’t be so divided. “I’d like to see it happen in my lifetime.”
“So would I,” Prince agreed. “So would I.”
Chapter 19
The two main concerns I had in life were my pregnancy and the Northerners. Aside from that, my stress levels had dramatically reduced. Atticus fit in splendidly at the shop, and even
Trevor had warmed up to him. That man worked like a machine—prepping dough, monitoring inventory, filling orders, and assisting where Izzy or Trevor needed him. I’d never seen anyone learn the ropes so fast.
Two days after the infamous peace party, people were still gossiping about it. Austin had informed us we were to set traps on the property, construct hideouts, and work on preparations. Judas’s plan to wait around was clearly having an effect on morale.
As a welcome diversion, we took an afternoon off and headed out to play laser tag. When the going got tough, the Weston pack goofed off. Although, not really. Reno decided to use the opportunity to train the pack on tactical warfare, so he’d reserved the room for six hours. Everyone was required to attend, including my mother, and nothing could have prepared me for seeing her in a blinking vest with a laser gun in hand.
With everyone running around and minimal ventilation, the room felt like a jungle, and some of the men had stripped their shirts off.
“This is like Chippendales gone awry,” April said quietly, her left shoulder against the wall and a gun in her right hand.
“You won’t get any complaints out of me,” Naya purred. Even she had dressed down in a pair of black leggings and a tank top, a style Wheeler fully endorsed. Especially with her cleavage spilling out.
“Why does it always have to end up men against women?” I said gruffly.
Melody appeared from behind a pillar in front of us and stepped close to our huddle. “Uncle Reno’s recharging at the base, and Grandpa’s taking a nap behind one of the walls. Both grandmas and my mom are protecting the base station. I think we’re going to win.”
April smirked and put her arm around Melody. “That’s why I don’t mind when they split the teams up this way. Mel is our secret weapon. Right, sweetie?”
Melody was a gifted teenager who not only designed her own clothes, but she’d also shared a natural-born ability to handle weapons with her Uncle Reno. Most girls her age might have gotten bored after hours of strategizing and hunting prey, but not Mel. She wanted to learn, improve, and compete with the best of them.
The most interesting aspect of watching our pack in the game room was how Hendrix and Lennon never took a shot at Melody. In fact, if one of their teammates fired a gun at her, they’d intervene and block the shot. Since we were divided by gender this round, Hendrix and Lennon volunteered to side with the women since there were more men in the house, and that way they wouldn’t be forced to compete against their sister.
I leaned forward and whispered, “Why don’t you take out Uncle Wheeler? I saw him on the second level, hiding along the back wall. If you walk slowly, you can see him from the top of the ramp. Take a shot before he knows you’re there, and drive him out of that hiding spot.”
Her face lit up. “Awesome!”
When she disappeared, April’s vest lit up like a Christmas tree, buzzing with electronic sounds that indicated someone was firing at her kill zones. She scowled and spun around, shooting her gun in vain.
Trevor laughed. “Sorry, babe. Thought you were the bad guy.”
“You did that on purpose! That’s going to lower our score.”
She chased after him and left us alone.
Naya planted her hand on her hip, tilting her head to the side and watching Trevor disappear around the corner. “He’s been in an altered mood lately. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so… carefree.”
I was uncertain if Trevor and William knew it was me who’d walked in on them. Neither of them had mentioned it nor acted any differently toward each other than they had before.
Except… the awkward shyness that Trevor always carried around William had vanished. That tipped me off that the other night had been their first time together.
“Maybe he’s less stressed now that Atticus is working at the shop.”
Naya’s big lashes fanned together, making her brown eyes all but vanish. “You know something, don’t you? Spill it.”
Our session abruptly ended with Denver shouting on the first level, so I stripped off my vest and headed toward the ramp. “If I don’t get something cold to drink, I’m going to shoot someone for real.”
We emerged from the room and collected our scores for the final round. Not one person had fired at me. Despite my smack talk and uncovering hiding spots, the men avoided me like the plague. Packs were sometimes superstitious about pregnant women, so not one of them raised their gun at me.
I could tell by Denver’s swagger that he’d racked up the most individual points.
“Show off,” someone muttered at him.
He put his faded T-shirt back on. “Shut it. You’re just jealous.”
“Yeah, I’m jealous you racked up all your points stalking two kids,” Reno said, smacking the back of Denver’s head.
Austin and Wheeler moved two long tables together for the pack.
I sat down, and Austin hunched over me from behind, curving his hands around my stomach. “What are you hungry for?”
“Mmm, that’s a loaded question,” I whispered up at him, nibbling his ear. “It’s not like I’m famished. Grab me a soda with crushed ice. I’m hot, I’m thirsty, and I’m probably going to have to pee again in another five minutes.”
“You’re eating, and that’s the deal. I’ll order everything, and you can decide what you want.”
I laughed, but when he walked off toward the counter with April, I realized he was serious.
Better not even, I thought to myself. Austin had been exceptionally attentive during my pregnancy, with an overwhelming instinct to feed me—even when I wasn’t hungry.
I, on the other hand, had my own set of crazy going on. Weird nesting habits—like only wanting certain blankets around me, after-midnight cravings for chicken wings, obsessively cleaning the bathroom, and childproofing every room.
Jericho took a seat across the table, next to the twins. “What’ll it be, kiddos? Burgers or hot dogs?” He kissed the bear claw on his necklace and pretended not to notice the two girls sitting nearby who were gawking at him with hearts in their eyes.
Lennon and Hendrix were arguing over the menu, flipping it over and complaining about who got to pick last time. For some silly reason, they liked ordering the same thing, even if they disagreed.
Reno took the seat at the left end of the table.
Maizy appeared with a hot dog and set the plate in front of Denver, who was sitting to my right. “Be right back with the nachos!”
Denver stood up. “I need to drain the pipe.”
Reno nodded at his hot dog. “You leave, that’s mine.”
With that, Denver lifted the hot dog and ran his tongue along the bread from one end to the other. He gave Reno the finger and stalked off.
Reno reached across me and muttered a few obscenities while pulling out the untouched hot dog meat and leaving Denver nothing but the licked bun.
“Reno Cole!” April said, setting a cheeseburger and fries in front of him. “Can’t you wait for one minute?”
Wheeler nudged Trevor. “Bet he hears that a lot.”
When Austin set a tray in front of me and sat down on my left, I fell over laughing.
“I hope some of this is for you, because I’m not sure I can put away two hamburgers, three hot dogs, onion rings, nachos, celery, and what is that?”
“Hummus dip,” Trevor said, eyeing my plate from across the table. “And if you don’t want it, pass it over.”
William ran his hands through his messy hair, still standing behind Trevor. He had on a shirt with a wide collar that showed off his collarbones and chest. The white material was thin and tight fitting. When he lowered his hands, one of them disappeared behind Trevor, who straightened his spine like an arrow.
April returned with the rest of the food, working her way around the table and passing everything out. My mother didn’t like eating at places that served food in a paper container, and April was definitely not eating since she had a phobia about people spitting in her food. Once she sa
t down, Reno fed her his fry and she reluctantly ate it.
William cleared his throat. “It’s good to see the family together.”
“When is the family not together?” Austin asked around a mouthful of burger. Two pickles fell out and he held one to my lips.
And I ate it. What woman doesn’t like a man feeding her? I even sucked a little juice off his finger, and for about five seconds, that man forgot he was eating a burger and locked eyes with me. I’d once sucked butter off his finger when we were at the movies, and Austin had grabbed my hand and taken us down to the lobby to get ourselves a snack. Only we bypassed the concession stand and went right for the backseat of his car in the parking lot.
Denver finally appeared and stared down at his plate. Maizy had brought him another hot dog, but he noticed the empty bun beside it. “Dickwad,” he murmured.
Reno smiled cockily before drinking his soda and crunching on a piece of ice.
“So, as I was saying, it’s always good to have the pack together,” William continued.
A few people looked at him sideways except for Trevor, whose eyes widened like those of a deer caught in the headlights. When he tried to scoot his chair back, William blocked it.
If the baby wasn’t giving me butterflies, this awkward situation was.
When William placed his hands on Trevor’s shoulders, holding him down in his chair, I realized what was happening.
“It seems a shame to keep secrets within a family, wouldn’t you agree?”
Denver waved his hot dog. “Who’s got a secret? Because if any of you licked my wiener—”
“That’ll be enough,” Lynn said curtly from the other end of the table.
Some of the men were abashed and resumed eating. Katharine didn’t mind the vulgarity, but my mom didn’t tolerate that kind of talk in her presence. I remembered the first time Wes had taught me the F-word. I didn’t quite understand the impact of a four-letter word until I said it at the breakfast table one morning when I didn’t want to eat my banana.