by J. L. Wilder
“Glad to see you’re still kicking, Harry. Where’ve you been?”
“Aww, I gots the arthritis. I took some time off. I only work one night a week, now. I saw you last night, but,” Harry turned a hard look on Hawk, “it wasn’t the time for chatting.”
“Not my fault,” Hawk grumbled.
Harry scowled at Hawk. “So you say.”
“Damn right, I do.”
Kiedra put her hand on Hawk’s. He turned his gaze to her, his eyes softening from the edge of fury to something strangely close to soft.
“What can I get for you two?” Harry asked.
“I want the porterhouse,” Hawk said. “Rare. Like super rare. Like run it through a warm room rare.”
Harry nodded and scribbled on a frayed spiral-bound notepad.
“I’d like a New York strip. Medium would be great.”
“You want baked, mashed, or fried on the side?” Harry asked.
“I want fries,” Hawk said. “Kiki, you want baked, right? Gotta watch that waistline.” He winked and Kiedra shook her head.
“If this is going to have even the slightest chance to work, you’d better drop the chauvinist crap.” She turned to Harry. “I do want the baked potato with lots of butter, please.”
“Any drinks?”
“I’ll take care of that, thanks,” Hawk said as he got up from his chair. “Just get our food, old man.”
Harry dodged the shoulder clap Hawk tried to give him. “You respect your elders, boy, or I’ll remind you why you should.”
Hawk’s mouth fell open and he gaped like a trout. “You...you...you can’t talk to me like that! I’m Alpha!”
Harry snatched the front of Hawk’s shirt and jerked him close.
“You keep saying that, boy. If you were Alpha, you would never need to say it. Your father has only uttered those words once. The night he took your mother as Omega.” He shook Hawk enough to make Kiedra wonder if the marbles that passed for Hawk’s brain would come out his nose.
“Now, I’ll have your respect, pup, or I’ll put you on your ass in this very bar. Am I clear?”
“Yeah.”
Harry shook the younger man again. “What was that, puppy?”
Hawk twisted away from Harry and stood up straight. “I said, yes, I understand.”
“Good. I’ll get those steak orders in and bring you some bread and salad.”
Harry limped away to the kitchen. Hawk stared after the old man.
“Can you believe the nerve...”
“He was right,” Kiedra said.
“Don’t you start too.”
“I’m not starting anything, but you’ve got to stop telling everyone who and what you think you are and instead act like an Alpha.”
“And how, exactly, does an Alpha act?”
Kiedra shook her head. “How did you grow up in your father’s house and not learn a single thing?”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Go get a beer. Come back when you’re ready to be an adult and not a petulant child.”
Hawk rushed up on Kiedra, whose only defensive move was to stand up. She looked away and waited for the blow from his raised arm to fall, but when it didn’t come, she turned back to find Axe standing behind Hawk. He held Hawk’s fist in his hand.
“Out of the way, mongrel,” Hawk snarled.
“What kind of man hits women?” Axe twisted Hawk’s arm down and put himself between Hawk and Kiedra. “You haven’t changed. Never grew up. I stopped you from hitting girls in elementary school, middle school, and high school. You should know better by now.”
Hawk suddenly found himself dangling above the floor, held by the scruff by Harry.
“No fighting in my bar, boys. Take this mess outside.”
“Gladly,” Hawk growled. “Put me down. Now!”
Harry dropped the younger man, who fell into a heap at his feet. He skewered Axe with a look that would whither a lesser man. Harry’s gnarled finger poked into Axe’s chest.
“You take that puppy outta here and whup him like you shoulda last night. Maybe he’ll learn. Maybe he’ll just get his feelings hurt. Either way, the Pack will see what a mistake was made last night.”
Kiedra stepped around Axe. She stood so her face filled his field of vision.
“Don’t do this, Axe. You promised to give him space for a week. I can make it a week. The Pack deserves that.”
“He was going to hit you. He’ll try it again. If I’m not there...”
“No, he won’t try it again.” Kiedra looked down at Hawk. “Right? You won’t ever lay a hand on me in anger.”
Hawk got his feet under him and stood up. “Whatever.”
Axe’s hand snapped out so fast it was nearly invisible. Hawk’s head rocked back, and blood spouted from his nose to drip on the floor. Every Pack member in the bar turned toward the men and the scent of fresh blood so close to the full moon. Low growls echoed from the dark corners.
Harry shook his head. “I said outside, boys. I meant it.”
Axe looked down at Kiedra’s hand when she lay it on his chest. “Please?” She begged.
He sighed. “Fine. I won’t kick his ass if he says, out loud and clear for everyone to hear, that he won’t lay a hand on you. Ever.”
The three of them, Harry, Axe, and Kiedra, turned to Hawk. He glared at them all. Then, through gritted teeth, he spoke.
“I will not lay a hand on Kiki.”
“Ever,” growled Axe. “Say it.”
“Ever. I won’t ever lay a hand on her.” Hawk met Kiedra’s gaze. “I give you my word.”
“The Pack heard you,” Harry said. He turned to address the room. “Every man and woman in this room stands witness. If he goes against his word, we are all responsible.”
An expression of assent rolled through the Pack. Harry nodded.
“Now, am I going to cancel your meal, or serve it?”
“Serve it,” Hawk mumbled.
Hawk moved to his chair and sat. Kiedra glanced between Axe and Hawk, finally going back to her chair and sitting beside Hawk. Axe clenched his jaw, nodded once, and went to the bar.
KIEDRA and Hawk ate in silence. Kiedra kept her head down, trying to avoid the looks she was getting from around the room. Especially the looks Axe was shooting her way. He sat at the bar, downing beer after beer. When he picked up the eighth she’d seen him drink, Kiedra put her fork and knife down.
“What?” Hawk asked.
“Nothing. I’m just not hungry, I guess.” Kiera glared at Axe. He toasted her with his beer.
Hawk caught the look and the toast. He slammed his utensils down, cracking his plate.
“Damn it!” Hawk slapped his hand down on the table. “I guess I might as well take you home. You’re sure not here with me.”
He shoved his chair back until it slammed into the wall. He popped up out of the chair so fast, he had to steady himself on the edge of the table. Kiedra looked up at him and something changed in Hawk’s expression.
“Why are you afraid of me?” he asked.
A sharp retort about the shiner she sported from two days earlier came to her lips, but something about the genuine confusion in Hawk’s voice stopped it.
“You really don’t know, do you?”
“No. I just know I don’t like that look on your face when you look at me.”
Kiedra stood up. “How about you handle the bill and I’ll meet you at the car. We can talk while you drive.”
Hawk shrugged. “Okay.” He looked at the mess on the table. “I guess I better tip Harry really well, huh?”
“I think it would go a long way to mending fences with him.”
“See, that’s why you’re the Omega. I need someone to advise me about diplomatic stuff. I’m not real good at it.”
“That’s one way to put it,” she muttered under her breath.
“What was that?” Hawk asked, eyebrow raised.
“Nothing. I’ll be out at the car.”
Kiedra
made her way across the bar. She made eye contact with Axe, warning him to be good. He grinned and chugged the last of the beer in his hand. He slapped a twenty on the bar and stepped off the barstool.
He followed Kiedra into the darkened entranceway. “Kiki, wait,” he called when he didn’t find her waiting by the doorway.
She turned on her heel and stalked back to him. She poked him in the chest with each word, punctuating her displeasure with her pointed nail.
“You! Go home and sober up. I bet you have to be at work in the morning.”
Axe caught her hand and pulled it to his lips to kiss the knuckles.
“I don’t give a rat’s ass, or a werewolf’s fart about work tomorrow.” He sniggered to himself, repeating, “werewolf’s fart” to himself.
“You’re drunk, Axe. Walk home. Come get your truck in the morning.”
“Won’t you drive me home? Isn’t that what friends do for each other?”
“I can’t. Hawk and I came in my car because I refused to get on the bike with him.”
“I can ride in the back seat.”
“No you cannot. I’m not getting into an enclosed space with you and Hawk. I’d like to be alive tomorrow.”
Kiedra pulled her hand back from Axe and stomped the couple of steps to the door. She opened it and stepped out, but turned back to Axe before the door closed.
“Go home. Please, Axe. Just go home and get some rest. We’ll get through this, but we have to play by the rules or it will all be for nothing.”
She turned away and let the door close behind her. Hot tears burned as they slid down her cheeks. It was just too much. The animosity from the Pack. The fight. Axe’s insane need to pick a fight with Hawk. All of it was too much. She walked to her car and leaned on the hood. Her hands covered her face and she curled in on herself to hide her tears.
“Aw. What’s the crybaby crying about?” A voice slid out of the darkness of the parking lot. “Maybe I should break the crybaby’s nose and give her something to cry about. What do you think?”
“I think that sounds fair since she damn near broke your nose.”
Kiedra drew in a deep breath and wiped the tears from her face as she looked up to find Leslie and Alice standing in front of her.
“It’s been a long day, girls. Do whatever you’re going to do and go on. I don’t have the energy for the games.” Kiedra’s shoulders slumped as the reality of her bravado sunk in. She was exhausted and she’d rather take a beating than listen to the crap the two women in front of her would spout if she let them get a head of steam rolling.
Leslie dropped her purse at Alice’s feet. “Hang on to that for me, would ya? I’m gonna kick this bitch’s ass!”
Leslie lowered her body into a fighting stance. Kiedra sighed and pushed off the hood of the car. She moved a little away from Leslie and Alice.
“Think about this, Leslie. What’s Roland going to do if you beat me up?”
“I don’t care. You’ve taken everything I’ve ever wanted from me and you don’t even want it!”
Kiedra couldn’t fault Leslie’s logic. Through no fault of their own, both women were in bad places. Leslie wanted nothing more than to settle down to have children with Hawk. Kiedra wanted something similar with Axe. Hawk, however, had other plans. In the Greensward he’d made a choice that dashed the dreams of both women.
“Leslie, I agree that we’re both suffering right now, but you’re upset with the wrong person. I have never encouraged Hawk. He’s the one you should be angry with.”
Leslie’s face contorted. Something in her was breaking. Kiedra could almost hear the cracks and crashes as she watched the other woman collapse in on herself. Alice stood to the side, alternating between watching Leslie and glaring at Kiedra. When Leslie turned away from Kiedra, Alice stepped up and swung her right fist into Kiedra’s gut.
The air rushed out of Kiedra’s lungs as she bent forward from the force of Alice’s blow. She went to her knees, clawing the gravel in the parking lot. She silently begged her lungs to reverse and pull air in.
“You should have stayed in Seattle, bitch. Everyone would have been so much better off,” Alice spat.
Kiedra drew in a screaming breath. Her eyes watered with the effort to pull air in and push it out. Her arms folded over her midsection, holding herself and fending off the pain that threatened to overwhelm her.
“What in the name of every Whiteridge Clan Alpha is going on out here?” Hawk bellowed as he trotted from the door of the bar to Kiedra’s car. He snatched Leslie by the arm, jerking her upright and twisting her to face him.
“What did you do, bitch?” he demanded.
“Nnnn...nothing. I didn’t do it.”
Leslie cringed away from Hawk when he raised his hand to slap her. Alice stepped up, grabbing Hawk’s wrist before he could strike Leslie.
“Don’t you dare,” she snarled. “I hit the bitch, not Leslie.”
“What gives you the right?” Hawk dropped Leslie’s arm so quickly that she stumbled back from him, ending up on her butt in the gravel beside Kiedra.
“Someone has to stand up for her. You sure as shit never do. You made her promises, Hawk. I heard them. You promised she would be Omega and you’d get married. You’ve been promising her that since your father announced he was stepping down.”
“I can’t change what happened in the Greensward. When I won, the Omega was made known to me. It wasn’t her and that wasn’t my choice.”
“Bullshit!” Alice screamed. She pointed at Leslie. “She told me what you found out.”
While Alice and Hawk yelled at one another, Kiedra and Leslie both climbed to their feet. Leslie stood with Alice while Kiedra edged farther from the furious Hawk.
“What is she talking about?” Kiedra asked. “What did you find out?”
Alice shot Kiedra a pitying look. “Did you really think the new Alpha wanted you for you, Kiki? You have such a high opinion of yourself, always have. Always thought you were better than the rest of us. But you can’t be Omega. The Omega has to be able to birth Pack children. The whole reason the Alpha chooses the Omega is to continue the Pack’s line. To bring more children into the Pack. You can’t do that, so why would you be the Omega?”
“I don’t know how you missed this fact, Alice,” Kiedra said, “but I don’t want to be the Omega. I have agreed to this time with Hawk because I feel an obligation to the Pack for the care I’ve received since I was a child. I certainly never sought this out.”
“Yeah, well, once Hawk heard you inherited a shit ton of money from Mamma, it was all he could talk about. How maybe there was a reason you were part of the Pack. Maybe it was so the Pack could be financially secure for the first time in a century.”
KIEDRA turned on Hawk, pushing his shoulder to grab and hold his attention.
“Is that true? Did you do this for money?”
Hawk arranged his features to a neutral mask, but not before Kiedra saw the greed he tried to hide.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He refused to meet Kiedra’s eyes.
Alice, eyes blazing, punched Hawk in the chest. “Liar!” She shook her head and paced the width of the car. “Leslie and I were there, jackass. We heard you on the phone with someone talking about the huge inheritance this one...” Alice cocked her thumb at Kiedra. “Was getting.”
“You’re mistaken. I was on the phone with my dad. He said he was taking Kiedra to the lawyer’s office.” Hawk looked at Kiedra, but his eyes kept skittering away from hers. “I don’t know what Sylvia left you.”
Kiedra turned away, heading for the driver’s side of the car. She stood, hand on the handle, shaking with fury. “Find your own way back to my house to pick up your bike, Hawk. I’m going home. Alone.”
“Kiki, wait. They’re wrong. I knew you were getting something from Sylvia. Everyone knew that. I figured it was the house. Probably with a big tax bill due in October. You’re the Omega. It has nothing to do with money.”
�
�Good. Because even if there was any money, you’d never see a cent of it.”
Kiedra got in the car and cranked the engine. Hawk, Leslie, and Alice cleared the space in front of the car so Kiedra could pull out. As she did, Axe stumbled out of the bar. He raised his hand and shouted to Kiedra.
“Hey, can I get a ride?”
She stomped on the break to stop the car. Axe jogged to the passenger side. He flipped Hawk a sardonic salute and got into the car. He was pressed into the seat when Kiedra floored the gas and peeled out of the parking lot, leaving Hawk open-mouthed in the dust behind her.
“Son of a bitch!” Kiedra pounded on the steering wheel. “God damn it!”
“Hey, whoa. What’s going on?” Axe scrambled for his seatbelt. He snapped it closed after the car swerved from one side of the road to the other.
“He lied. He lied and now I’m caught. You’re caught. We’re all screwed because he wanted my money!”
Axe pulled himself upright in his seat. He shook his head to try to clear it and asked, “What are you talking about?”
Kiedra shook her head. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.” She drove in silence, clenching the steering wheel until her hands ached.
She pulled into her driveway. Hawk’s motorcycle drew her eye and she had to talk herself out of running it down. Instead, she parked the car beside the motorcycle. She slammed the car door and stomped up to the front door, leaving Axe in the car.
She slammed the front door behind her and threw her keys at the basket beside the door. When the door opened behind her, she yelped like a scalded puppy.
“Hey, it’s me. You didn’t take me home,” Axe said.
Kiedra pounded her fists against Axe’s shoulders until he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight against himself.
“Kiki, stop it. Stop this.” He kissed the top of her head. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Let’s go. Tonight. Now. Get in the car and leave. We can be in Seattle by morning if we catch a break at the airport. We can be free of all this crazy bullshit.”