9. Chapter Nine

"What if there's no flights?" I asked as we parked at the airport.

"Don't worry," he said sharply. "I'm about to call in a favor, and we'll just hope it works."

"Okay…"

We left his truck together. It was already seven in the evening. A straight flight to Rochester, Minnesota wasn't common. We had used private planes when Niko and Zuri had been hurt, but I didn't keep one of the family's planes in Dallas.

I'm beginning to think I should. Whatever happened to my quiet life in Texas, where no one bothered me, and I went nowhere?

When we entered the airport, I caught the scent of another werewolf and was surprised to see an old face as I turned to track the scent—Ranger, a werewolf I had worked somewhat closely with over a year and a half ago when I was initially pulled into the lives of the Everson family. It felt like an eternity, and everything had changed since then. Sheila came up next to him, another familiar face.

Neither of them looked excited to see me, though.

"Don't worry," Heath whispered. "They're here because I texted them while you were getting your bag."

"What favor did you ask for?" I growled softly.

"To use the pack plane." There was nothing repentant on his face. "We're pressed for time, and I don't think we should waste it looking for a ride and getting caught up in layovers. The pack has a plane to use for the Alpha and inner circle."

"And you think…" I sighed as Heath looked over my head at the two werewolves.

"Ranger. Sheila. It's been a long time," he said tightly. I knew his current status with the Dallas pack was tenuous and dangerous. He was their old Alpha, and that caused tensions I hadn't considered. He'd explained, but it boiled down to he abandoned them, and they didn't know if he would ever come back and take over again. A level of distrust had formed over time and distance since he had stepped down.

Sheila cast an uneasy look at Ranger. Neither of them spoke, and locals in the airport were starting to take notice of the werewolves. Heath had one of those faces people didn't forget. Mostly because it looked too good, too classically beautiful. His five o'clock shadow didn't detract from it either.

"Call me Heath, if that's what you're thinking about," my werewolf said softly, stepping around me and putting himself between them and me. I raised an eyebrow. They weren't a threat to me. "Tywin knew I was coming through."

"He sent us to tell you the last time he saw you pass through Dallas, there was an incident in another area of the States. He's not sure why he should let you through, or why you think you can ask for the plane," Ranger said with the same stiffness as Heath.

"Fine. Heath, I'll find us flights." I started walking away.

"Excuse me, Miss Leon—"

"Jacqueline, daughter of Hasan," I corrected, turning to the two wolves. "Tywin and I had this conversation once before. He can't tell me where I can and cannot go. The airport is neutral territory in every city. If he wants to change that, he'll be opening a can of worms he and the Dallas pack are ill-equipped to handle."

Ranger met my gaze, then dropped his eyes. Sheila sighed.

"We're flying you both," Ranger said softly, "with conditions."

"Let's hear them." Heath crossed his arms, eyeing both wolves. "I bet I'll love this."

"Tywin is worried about you living so close by, Heath…" Sheila groaned. "This is childish. He's worried. He's still a new Alpha, and no one really knows the protocol with an old Alpha who didn't leave because of a fight or get thrown out of the pack. He was also mumbling about something going on in Russia. He wants to make sure you aren't going to stir that pot and is under orders from the council to keep an eye on you when you try to leave the state through Dallas. From my understanding, the other Alphas are too."

"Let's take this conversation somewhere private," I casually ordered. I couldn't talk to them openly, and while standing in the middle of an airport, discussing this might be safe for them, it was dangerous for me. Ranger nodded and led us to a staff entrance, past security, and outside. We walked for what felt like an hour to a hangar where a small private plane was parked.

"This work?" he asked me.

I looked around, sniffing the air, and checking for humans. They could have cameras and listening devices, but there wasn't much I could do about that.

"Yeah, this will have to do," I said, not really liking it, but it was better than a crowded airport ticket area. "He's not stirring the pot. I'm going to see a werecat who is requesting my assistance because werewolves might be involved with the situation," I explained. "I figured a werewolf might be good to help me sort it out."

"Oh." Sheila seemed surprised, looking between us. "Ranger?"

"You want a flight to Rochester," the male said tightly. "Where we all know—"

"The location of the werecat isn't your business," I snapped, feeling protective. Everett was one of mine, and anything to do with him was my business, not a wolf pack's. "He's not going to see the Russian werewolves. He's coming with me to handle something else." I wasn't lying, not really, just omitting that the two incidents were most likely related, but since I had no hard evidence, there was no way of knowing either way. Not that Ranger or Sheila had the right to that information. I was under no obligation to tell anyone what I knew from Everett, except Hasan.

I'll need to bring him into the loop, eventually. I'll get stock of everything in Minnesota before I drag him in if he doesn't reach out before then.

Neither wolf looked happy. Beside me, Heath smelled confident as if I had already won the argument, and we would be in the air soon. He knew these werewolves better than me. I had worked with them for only a handful of days while he had spent years as their Alpha.

"Let's go," Ranger said, defeated.

"I can buy other tickets," I said softly. "I don't need this ride."

"Just get in," the wolf grumbled.

Ranger and Sheila went to get the plane ready and left me with Heath, standing in the hangar bay.

"When you said they weren't your friends anymore, I didn't realize you were serious," I muttered, looking back at him. "I figured a few would still be…"

"Members of the pack might still like me, but Tywin is a new Alpha, and he's paranoid. Ranger and Sheila probably just don't want to be caught in the middle. On top of that, you're a werecat, and I'm convincing them to help you."

"I've helped this pack," I reminded him.

"I know, and I reminded Tywin of that. He wouldn't have a pack today if it weren't for you helping us. What's one quick plane ride for that?" Heath gave me a small smile. "I'm more dominant. I was when I ran this pack, and I still am. I'm the most dominant wolf in the state of Texas, and probably in the top three in the United States. He was going to listen. He's going to be pissy about it, but he listened."

I didn't reply, thinking about what he said about how dominant he was. I had never really considered Heath's power in the general scheme of things. He always played off his power by saying there were others above him. I had never really considered how many, rather, how few, werewolves were above him.

Something about his casual declaration and ability to use that dominance when it suited him showed he wasn't just being boastful. He had held onto that information for a long time, which he could have told me over a year ago. It was something to think about.

My phone buzzed, and I checked the text to see if it was from Everett. I had sent him a text, asking for his address, and he sent it back over an hour later. I quickly updated him, telling him we were about to jump on a plane and head his way. Hopefully, this was something we could clean up easily and wasn't as bad as it felt.

"Would the Tribunal werewolves tell Hasan about the Russian werewolves?" I asked my partner quietly. "They might be able to put their feet down and stop anything before it happens."

"No. It would make them look vulnerable. I bet Hasan has his sources, just like they would, but…" Heath seemed thoughtful. "They didn't take advantage of what your family went through in February, so I don't see Hasan using this to take advantage of them."

"But they won't talk to each other. They keep their distance, just in case."

"Just in case," Heath agreed. "It's safer that way. No one likes when other species get involved with their affairs."

"Yet…" I lifted my hands and gave him a hard look. I got what I wanted, a masculine chuckle.

"Yes, yes, I know. Werewolves and other supernaturals successfully pull you werecats into things that shouldn't be your business. Take that up with Hasan. He's the one who decided someone needed to protect the human aspect of the supernatural world and that werecats should do that," Heath said, smiling. "You are one of the few people who can talk to him about it."

"Yeah…" I stared at the plane. "You think we'll be able to leave soon?"

Right after I said that, Ranger walked out of the plane again and waved us to board.

"Well, never mind." I started walking, chuckling a little. Heath ignored the wolf as we boarded, but I stopped. "Thank you for doing this."

"Yeah, sure." He was curt and stiff, not that I could blame him. I moved into the main cabin of the little luxury private plane and sat as far from Heath as I could. When he looked back at me, I really tried to convey the reason through the look on my face.

There was no way in hell we could sit together for this flight. The risk of seeming cozy was too high.

He shrugged and turned around again, looking toward the front.

We settled in for the flight. Sheila went through the safety procedure, then went back into the cockpit with Ranger, locking us out.

I ignored Heath as we entered the air, turning my thoughts onto the situation in Minnesota. I had no real idea what I was walking into, which disturbed me. The last time I left my territory on a plane with Heath, I had no idea what I would find. It made me uncomfortable last time, but now, I knew to fear the possibilities.

Not that my territory was much safer last winter. The other werecats pushed me into running and…

I banished the memories, trying to stay in the present. If I thought about my captivity too much, I knew I would have nightmares for a week.

One Russian werewolf Alpha is dead to a submissive werewolf, who can't take over, which leaves the pack in disarray, and from the sound of it, Everett has a human covered in werewolf blood.

Instinctively, I knew the human wasn't safe. If Heath was right about the Russian werewolf pack, they would go after every human involved with the Alpha's death for revenge. Innocent doctors, nurses, and techs would be killed if they had any reason to think the hospital was responsible for the death of their Alpha.

Heath made it sound like the pack was old and strong, something that made this more complicated. Most wolves in the U.S., from my understanding, were fairly young and not as strong.

About two hours into the flight, I got a text I wasn't expecting.

Dirk:So, you just leave town without telling us now?

Wincing,I quickly replied.

Jacky:Sorry, it was urgent. Landon is going to check in with you guys while I'm gone. Hopefully, it won't be a long trip. Is that okay with you? Also, please don't tell Niko or anyone else from the family about this.

Dirk:I won't tell them. Oliver doesn't even know you left yet, I haven't told him. Landon gave me a call and let me know, and I've been thinking about how to tell Oliver without scaring him. He's easy to spook.

I frownedand wondered for a moment how Landon had Dirk's number, then decided to ignore it. If Dirk and Landon were friends or could contact each other, that was only a good thing for me.

"Heath, when did Landon and Dirk exchange numbers?" I asked loudly.

"Back in February, I bet. They ran an errand together and probably traded contacts in case they got separated."

"Ah." I nodded slowly and got to work on my response.

Jacky:Stay safe. Thanks for understanding.

Dirk:Will do and no problem, boss.

I chuckled.Dirk, born and raised in Germany, was blending in with America really well. Oliver couldn't completely cover his English heritage, but obviously, Dirk had training in it from Niko. More and more, he came off as a relaxed American guy, an act to get his customers to tip him better.

Putting my phone away, I relaxed for the long flight. I had a feeling it would be the last chance I had for a long time.