6

John

The smell of meat roasting drifted from the kitchen and wafted through the lodge house to the meeting room. My stomach grumbled in response, but my own hunger seemed an afterthought.

“Did you get something to eat?” I mind-linked Fallon. She was sitting across the oak desk looking every bit the cold and collected female I’d first laid eyes on during the show.

“I’ll eat at the festival tonight.” The tone she used with me was soft and I stared a moment longer, wondering how she could do that. Her face dared anyone to fuck with her while she calmly placated me, but I physically felt the nervousness she refused to acknowledge.

“Is Shirley making venison roast?” Bryant, my Beta and second in command, sniffed the air. He was a military veteran shifter who wore the deputy sheriff badge along with his other pack duties.

Technically, I was sheriff up here. But that was more of a formal title. We had about five thousand square miles in the O’Neil territory stretching from west of Mackinac Bridge and bordering the Hiawatha National Forest. In all that land, there were less than a thousand shifters.

Most of them were older than sin and didn’t come out of their cabins for much. A festival, though, could bring out even the worst.

“Yup.” Tim, Shirley’s brother-in-law and a mean old bastard, leaned back in his chair. His gaze passed over Fallon. “Might be she could use some help in the kitchen.”

“If you have–”

“Don’t,” Fallon demanded in my mind. Her upper lip curled into a snarl.

“Is something wrong with your hands?” she asked Tim.

He looked at his palms in confusion. “No.”

“Then why aren’t you in the kitchen if she needs help?” Fallon continued to stare at him with those angry eyes that would make any sane male’s dick shrivel. Something must’ve been wrong with me, because I felt mine twitch in response.

Tim’s face blotched red, even as he tried to laugh it off with the other two elder males at the table. Andrew and Patrick sat on either side of him, representing the two other communities who’d traveled in from the woods for the festival today. They were considered the council. But I didn’t consult with them for… much of anything.

“Is that how they do it over in Seattle?” Tim stressed the syllables of the city like some redneck despite having lived down south half his life. “Do your Alphas stand kitchen duty too?”

“My brother can whip up a mean bouillabaisse.” Fallon smirked. “I’ll get you his recipe sometime.”

“Ain’t right,” Tim muttered, glancing over at Andrew, who bobbed his silver head.

“What isn’t right?” I challenged, hoping he’d speak out of line. After the drama with him, his wife Reba, and their daughter Colleen when I’d taken over as Alpha of the O’Neil clan, my wolf had been itching to see Tim stand and fight.

“You need to back down on this,” Fallon said, not taking her eyes from the men at the table.

She’s crazy if she thinks we’ll let them treat her this way.

“You know how things are.” Patrick sighed as he folded his meaty arms over his chest. “And while I’m not saying it’s right, it just is.”

The men looked to each other and then to Fallon. I felt her heart fluttering even as she continued to stare them down. Bryant turned his face to the ceiling, no doubt praying for patience, as my beast started pacing within.

“I think you’ve forgotten this isn’t the old days, and it slipped your mind who is leading this pack,” I said.

“My memory is fine.” Andrew nodded. The old wolf was one hard winter from death’s door.

“It sure is.” Tim patted Andrew on the back. “Remember when females knew their place?”

Fallon bared her fangs and growled.

“Enough.” I slammed my hands down on the table. “Fallon is your Luna and she will be shown respect.”

My mate’s frustration pulsed through my veins as she kicked her chair back and stood. “I can’t say it was nice meeting you.” She nodded to the old men, refusing to look at me as her gaze went to Bryant. “You’re not too bad.”

“See ya’ around.” Bryant chuckled, shaking Fallon’s hand before she withdrew it.

Her black-clad hips sashayed out the doorway.

“What was that about?” I called after her.

Fallon mentally slammed a barrier up.

Is she mad at us? My wolf asked in disbelief as the old men in the room sat watching my mate walk away.

“You have something else you want to say, Tim?” I turned my anger toward the bastard.

“No, Alpha.” He bared his neck in respect. “Not since that’s taken care of.”

I tightened my fist. “What’s taken care of?”

He motioned with his eyes to the door. “She doesn’t belong here.”

“You don’t have a choice in the matter.” I kept my tone low and calm. “And unless you want to challenge me, I’d suggest keeping your mouth shut when it comes to your Luna.”

“Alls I’m saying is that she doesn’t belong in the conference room.” Tim smiled, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Her place is best served with the pack. If they’ll have her that is.”

Andrew and Patrick grumbled their agreement. Both men refused to meet my eyes.

“Does someone want to tell me what the fuck he means?” I turned to my Beta, tired of the riddles. I’d only wanted to introduce my mate as a formality because it’s what she wanted. This was my pack and I ran things my way. Until someone was strong enough to take me out, I didn’t have to bother with how stuff used to be. And the youth of the pack were happy I’d taken control. Though many of them were gone now, chasing dreams around the world, and leaving the old wolves here to wait for their return.

Bryant scratched the back of his neck and shrugged. “You know how things are in small towns.”

“Why does…” Oh Goddess. Even my beast groaned at the unfairness of it all. This was the worst fucking thing about being an Alpha, made even worse by the backwoods pack who had nothing else to do except hunt and screw around. “What are the rumors saying now?”

“About our Luna or the Williams Pack?” Bryant shook his head slightly as he watched the frustration play across my face. He motioned with his eyes to the elders. His intent was clear. Feed them some information so they’ll leave.

“I handled Chase Williams.” Not like it was any of their business what I did or didn’t do, but ceremony dictated I inform them at least. “He’s in my debt. No more crossing pack borders with shady business dealings or leaving casualties for our wolves to find.”

I was honestly surprised they hadn’t aired that bit on the show. Bryant had said most of the pack was watching every episode, either here at the lodge or down at the bar. But maybe mafia dealings weren’t politically correct enough for daytime television.

“We knew you would,” Bryant said, looking around the table. “Right boys?”

“Right,” Andrew and Patrick nodded. Tim voiced his agreement half a second later, avoiding my direct gaze. He stank of a lie, but I didn’t expect him to act differently after all this time.

We should’ve taken him out after the challenge.

I folded my arms over my chest, ignoring my beast. Coming back to this pack after my military service had given me a different perspective. It wasn’t like being behind enemy lines. I didn’t want to clear house in one sweep. And besides, Tim might’ve held allegiance to the old Alpha, but he still deferred to me when the time came.

And he’s not a threat.

I kept my gaze trained on the side of his face, daring him to raise his eyes and prove me wrong.

He didn’t. Not even as he and Patrick helped Andrew out of the chair. The three of them shuffled toward the door, heading for the main room to get some coffee before the festivities began.

Bryant sat in his chair, watching as they closed the door. “We should hold some sort of election. Vote them out.”

“There’s not enough people willing to fill their positions.” I sighed, not caring if they heard me.

Unless some of the pack came back after graduating college or once they found mates, our numbers would continue to dwindle. The elders served as territory representatives for their various properties because we were spaced out so far.

“Rumor has it Larson convinced his pregnant mate to buy a house up here,” Bryant offered.

“Always with the rumors.” I sank heavily onto my chair, staring at the closed door.

“Are you alright?” I tried reaching out to Fallon again, just to be ignored.

“Speaking of which…” Bryant’s grin was apologetic as I turned to face him. “You might want to have a little chat with the pack before the gathering tonight.”