Love's Neglect
Page 15
“You call me Alpha, yet you don’t bare yourself to me.” He moved up behind me, close enough that his hand brushed my ass.
“I thought we were going to try and be friends here,” I chastised, turning around but not moving away as if I was letting him have the win. “You know why I’m not showing you my throat. Don’t push this, Joseph. I don’t want the pack, but I don’t like being backed into a corner either. So let’s be friends and stop with the games.”
“All right—for now.” He nodded and stepped around me, sitting on his couch as he gestured for me to take the chair to his right. I tried not to make some off-handed reference in my mind that to him it was probably the same as being offered the seat to the right hand of god or something but the man did have one hell of an ego. “Now why did my wolves come see you?”
“They asked for my protection as an officer of the law from their husbands,” I answered, choosing my words carefully. “They would like some time apart, and while no accusations or complaints have been made, they were worried this would not be allowed. I assured them that couldn’t be possible since they have every right as US citizens—which we’ve already established they are the last time we met—and as members of a wolf pack following Shifter Council regulations.”
“No, they are allowed to have a break from their mates,” Joseph agreed, his eyes flaring rage. “They should have come to me.”
“I’m sure you would have told them the same, but since some of your enforcers are their husbands, I think you can appreciate why they felt you might not take their side.” I held up my hand when he growled, feeling satisfied when he stopped at my gesture like our true dynamic might be seeping into his mind. “They came to me on pack lands as a woman of the pack, but they addressed me as Chief Thomas. This is a gray area for me, Alpha. I can handle this as a woman of the pack with the Alpha’s blessing if you back me and give these women, our pack, some space.
“As I told Tony, this isn’t a domestic dispute I got called in on and that’s not even my thing.” I sighed a little dramatically as if this whole situation was an annoyance to me and not what I’d been hoping for. “You want me to be part of the pack, I’m here, being part of the pack. This isn’t my job, Alpha. I catch murderers, go undercover to take down mob bosses. If I wasn’t a wolf, I promise a division chief of the FBI wouldn’t be here talking to you about this. A bunch of patrolmen would be here starting shit and we don’t want that.”
“No, no, we don’t,” he agreed again, rubbing his chin. “All right, they have until the full moon to sort out what’s wrong with their marriage, but then I expect them home to their mates and at the pack gathering.”
“I can’t promise that. They have every right to separate from their spouses,” I reminded him.
“Don’t push me on this,” he growled, his eyes flashing power I didn’t even feel. Wow. Why did everyone say this guy was so strong?
“I’m not. I don’t make promises I can’t guarantee. I don’t want to give them a deadline and freak them out into doing something they might not want to in the first place,” I placated, mentally rolling my eyes. “Let’s you and I set that as our goal, but know I can’t promise that on behalf of five grown adults. For now, I think three weeks of space would do wonders for their state of mind and reminding them that they’re part of this pack, not simply captives.”
“My wolves are not captives,” he snapped, spittle flying from his mouth.
Lovely.
“Alpha, I have seen abused women before,” I growled, my own eyes flashing power. “These five are not making this up. Keeping your wolves in line and having a pecking order is one thing, and I know the rules better and will abide by them. But they were not written to give a man the right to beat down his wife when they’re at home. You wanted me as part of this pack, you got me, but with me comes an advocate and enforcer of that. Make no mistake because this is a line I will not back down from.”
He blinked at me a moment, and I realized for the first time, he might be a little clueless as to what went on behind closed doors. “If a member of my pack is abusing their mate, not simply arguments that get out of hand when our animals ride us that happens to both sexes, then I support your action. You may never be my bitch but you would be a wonderful Beta, Seraphine.”
“One thing at a time, Joseph,” I sighed, rubbing my hands over my hair. “Let me get a few full moons under my belt and my life in some kind of order before we go giving me another promotion. How about we just work together for a change and see where that takes us?”
“To help the pack, I’m willing to try and be friends.”
Well praise be Jesus and heaven above.
For more information, please visit
www.ErinRFlynn.com
About the Author
Flynn is a Midwest girl at heart, born a Chicagoan with the mouth to prove it, a loyal Cubs fan, but still a die-hard Green Bay Packers gal who cheers for her alma mater, the Illini from Omaha, Nebraska, where she lives. She has always been interested in the darker aspects of life and mythologies—especially vampires, shifters, the occult, and anything paranormal.
To date, she has published over 100 paranormal books in different genres with dedicated readers who await each release to her numerous series under any of the three Flynn names she writes under.
FlynnEire.com
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Supernatural Script Inc.
Other Titles by Flynn Eire
WARRIOR CAMP
Love’s Deceit
Love’s Indecision
Love’s Denial
Love’s Abuse
Love’s Neglect
Love’s Confinement
Love’s Distance
* * *
SHIFTING REALITY
The Coming Storm
Whirlwind Revolution
Unavoidable Turbulence
Misery Hailing Down
* * *
OPEN ENDED VOYAGE
Recapturing the Illusion
* * *
WOLF HAREM
Second Chance Bite
Spencer’s Secret
Dying Assassin
The Final Addition
* * *
SEXLECTION
Shifters for Sale
Double the Price
Cost of Love
* * *
HOUNDS OF HELL
Avoiding Hell’s Gate
Switching Teams
Fighting Insanity
Defeating Fear
Becoming Family
A Supernatural Script Inc. Book
Copyright © 2014 Erin R. Flynn
Warrior Camp 4: Love’s Neglect
E-book ISBN: 978-1-940036-34-2
First E-book Publication: October 2014
Editing by Jae Ashley
Cover design by Pamela Sinclair, ItGirlDesigns.com
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.