Chapter Nine

Erik looked at me with a questioning look, as if he thought I looked familiar but couldn't quite place my face. I returned the questioning look with one of my own.

"What's going on guys?" I asked the pile of tangled limbs.

"Nothing at all, we were just talking to Erik here about the trouble his pack has been having with hunters, apparently they have been resorting to kidnapping their pups." Jason spoke up.

"That's not good. " I said as I moved back to the kitchen and topped off my cup of coffee, here in Russia, it's like mud it's so thick. We drank coffee all the time here because it didn't get hot enough for us to be miserable drinking the stuff. Personally, I just liked the way coffee smelled in the morning. I drank it to stay warm in the chilly mornings and for the caffeine. "Would you like some coffee?" I offered politely.

"No, my pack is living in fear, we need help and I'm coming to you and you're fighting amongst yourselves as if it is trivial!" Erik boomed, dragging my eyes back to him. He definitely had no idea who I was. "And offering coffee as if that will help?!"

"No, it is not trivial, Beta, but we deal with this every day, that's why you came to us. Did you expect us to hold your hand while you cry and tell us the big bad hunters are taking your children?" I stated. "We will help your pack, but we don't get out of bed for at least 20k a day, this isn't a charity, our emotional investment comes with payment for it."

"You are soulless aren't you?" Erik questioned me as if it wasn't a statement of his disbelief. "How do you know I'm a Beta?"

"I have learned that I have to be." I said with finality. "We will be at your pack house in two days, you can tell Alpha Stefan that we will rent an apartment so he doesn't have to make arrangements of that nature, Carlos will go back with you to scope out the place and set up our equipment. Jason will speak to Alpha Stefan and you about how we work. I need you to pick out your best fighters so that Dean can work with them. A group of eight is best, not anything over twelve." I moved to the living room and picked up one of my cards and handed it to him. He didn't glance at the name, just the number. "Call me there if anything happens before we arrive. I will see you then." I shook his hand and sent him out the door with Carlos. "As for your other question, It's my job to know things you don't."

As Carlos passed he looked at me with the astonished look on his face I was sure the rest of the guys shared. He mouthed to me ‘wow good job.'

"Bye sis, I'll see you in a few days." He hugged me and then whispered in my ear, "I'll do your part of the job this time, but you will have to face him alone sooner or later."

I just tossed him a dirty look and he just smiled at me. I handed him his bags that we always keep packed in case of situations like this.

"Bye Carlos, send me a text when you have the particulars." I commanded him as if I was the leader, which was Carlos's job. He smiled and tried not to laugh as he acted like this was his normal job.

Then, just my luck, Erik noticed my name on the card and he finally could place my face.

"Jez?!" he exclaimed as he spun around and looked straight into my eyes.

"I should have put a fake name on those damn cards," I swore.

"You need to come with me now." Erik stated.

"Why?" I answered annoyed and frustrated. As soon as I saw him I knew this job would just cause me problems. Now the whole team is going to know what happened.

"Look, I was commanded to bring you in kicking and screaming if I ever saw you. I sure as hell didn't think you'd be a mercenary in Russia." He rattled. "Look, every pack member was ordered to tell Stefan if we saw you, even if we just heard your name, saw you on TV, or even thought about where you could have gone. The guy has gone nuts trying to get you back."

I let all this sink in, on the inside I was at war with myself, my wolf was screaming in my head he wants us, run back to him, while I was thinking I screwed up last time, and I will do it again and hurt the both of us. I can't give him an heir, and he needs to just move on. This was just another job, it didn't change anything. Then a small thought of a younger, na?ve me remembered how I used to agree with my wolf because she had always shown me the right way to do things, maybe a little too fast for me sometimes, but the feelings she had were the feelings I focused on, because I trusted her instincts.

"Everybody, get your stuff we are leaving now." I commanded.

No one argued with me, they just did what I said. I wondered if it was because of my Alpha power or because they all generally agreed that I was in charge of this situation.

I grabbed my usual "go bag" it had cash, weapons, clothes and essential toiletries. I also went upstairs and got my Madigan file that I never went anywhere without like a macabre security blanket.

The act of traveling all passed me in a blur; we rode the Il Duce Luna private jet so we could carry our equipment with us without worrying about baggage checks. It wasn't until someone shoved something in my face that I reacted as if I had been attacked. In my mind I thought it was a weapon and my arms shot out reflexively twisting my aggressor's arm around and slamming his body to the floor. Only when I heard my team's laughter did I realize it was Erik with a phone in his hand.

"It's for you." He managed to spit out.

I didn't say a word to him, just snatched up his phone and raised it to my ear.

"Jezebel Stamos,"

"You go by your full name now?" Stefan's voice floated to me through the small speakers. The sound sent shockwaves from my neck to my ankles.

"Alpha Stefan," I greeted formally.

"Just Stefan, Jez, you don't have to use formalities with me."

"Did something happen?" I asked attempting to keep it business related.

"No, that's not why I asked to talk to you." I knew that much you idiot, take a hint.

"Good, hold things steady until we get there, we will do everything we can to help your pack."

"Damn it Jez, I didn't call to talk business, I want to talk to you, not Jezebel Stamos the mercenary, my mate who disappeared in a bourbon induced haze!" he growled.

"And that right there is why I had the balls to walk away sober." I said coldly as I hung up the phone. I tossed Erik his phone where he had sat down.

I moved to the back of the plane and sat down next to Dean. Dean by all accounts was attractive with a strong jawline, broad shoulders, tall and muscular. He had the kind of face that looked intimidating, but once he smiled, it completely changed his look. Dean almost looked too muscular to me. His body was defined and he looked like a guy who spent every second at the gym lifting free weights, but the truth was, he was just that active. All shifters are active, but Dean took that to an extreme. Dean had to be doing something all the time, whether it be a mission, a run, or sex. It surprised me that Dean would be the type of guy to go fishing though. That was our first date; he taught me to fish and made me bait my own hook. He was surprised to find that I was not the gross out type of girl. I liked getting elbow deep in grease and motorcycles; of course I wouldn't flinch from worm goo.

"I've never heard you be that unprofessional." He commented. The rest of the team chuckled quietly.

"We've never worked with my mate before." I replied.

Dean was stunned for a second that I would drop that word so easily, but he didn't question, or comment about my usage of it.

"Well, you know that this is going to get really personal for you, no matter how distant you try to get from it, you are going to recognize some of these people." Dean commented softly.

"It's going to be hard but I have to remember, that this is just another job." I said mostly to myself than for anyone else.

"It's not just another job." Carlos said, putting in his two cents worth.

"Yea, I know that, but seriously guys, let me stay in my bubble for now, I don't want to think about Stefan, or how I could possibly end up emotionally fucked up." I snarled at them.

Each one of them backed off, sitting back in their seats.

No one said it, but the comment floated in the air like a red balloon, I was already emotionally fucked up. I had contained it but I was emotionally fucked.

I looked at their faces one by one, I saw in their eyes and the way they wouldn't look at me, they thought I should talk to him. Maybe, I should. If nothing else, just to set up the ground rules. I could tell him that I just wanted to help his pack and I would treat it like any other job. There would be no talk about us as a couple, because he is the client. There would be no touching either, not under any circumstances, that would lead to so much trouble. When we had to speak to one another, a member of my team will always chaperone. Well, that is a bit much…nope, it's a good idea, I just won't call it a chaperone, bodyguard?

"Erik, can I borrow your phone?" I asked casually.

Every eye in the room shot up to me with the same look of shock. I realized that it was out of character for me, but really, that much surprise.

"Um, yea." He stammered. "I guess you can."

I caught the phone with my left hand and easily found the number I was looking for. I dialed it from my phone and went to the bedroom of the jet so I could be alone. Everyone would still be able to hear me, but it still gave me the illusion of privacy.

I sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at my phone. The number was there, ready to go, all I had to do was press send. I continued to stare and think; what if I got caught up in it again and hurt him and myself? What if I get caught up in the mate thing that I get stuck being Alpha Female and let the pack down? That's why I needed ground rules. We were both way too headstrong and stubborn to work as a couple. He was selfish, arrogant, and too secretive. I still hadn't forgiven him for the Macie thing. She would be seventeen now…

Why didn't he let me do something about Macie?! I screamed in my head as I pressed send.

The phone rang once.

"Alpha Stefan." He said formally.

"It's me," I said simply.

"Jez?" he asked. "Is this your number?"

"Yes, we need to talk, or at least my team thinks we do," I said awkwardly.

"So it's true, you are a mercenary,"

"That's so shocking?" I bristled thinking he had a problem with a woman fighting for him.

"No, its not shocking that you would become a mercenary, I just can't believe that I didn't think of that, I looked in military ops, government organizations, biker gangs, mechanic shops, everywhere I could imagine, but you were just…"

"Gone," I finished.

"Yeah." He answered.

"How is this supposed to work?" I asked.

"Well, when you get back we can figure it out as we go, just let it happen." Stefan replied.

"I'm not coming back to be with you, I'm coming back to take care of your hunter problem," I clarified.

"So you're just going to blow back into my life just to leave again?"

"It's what is best, we are no good for each other," I repeated.

"Who are you to question fate?" Stefan accused.

"We can't even talk on the phone without fighting Stefan," I retorted.

"We could get along if you actually tried to get along with me," Stefan griped.

"Okay, well I'll make you a deal, I'll try to get along with you if you promise to be honest with me when I ask you questions," I answered.

"Really?"

"Promise,"

"Ok, I promise to be honest with you when you ask questions," Stefan answered eagerly.

"Why did you make me leave Macie?" I asked.

"You want to have this fight again after five years?" he asked calmly.

"I want to know why. Why was it a crime to even think about helping her like a decent being?" My voice went low and threatening.

"She's not one of us." He said again.

"I'm not either, but you were eager to take me to your bed." I argued back.

"You are a wolf, rogue, mercenary, whatever, you are a wolf." He hinted.

"So you wouldn't help anything that's not a wolf," I answered.

"No, that's not it."

"Well, that's what you're saying," I growled.

"I'm saying I tried to help her after you left and she tried to kill me. She leads the hunters attacking my pack!" He yelled back at me. "Hunters always want to kill shifters, it's a fact, it's instinctual."

My skin burned with shock. I looked down at my forearm where Macie's name stood out like a banner on my skin. By now, she had found her kind, they start their training at thirteen. That's why her scent was so strong. Her people had to recognize her and when they did, they forced Madigan to flee, that's why he was all over the US.

"Macie is a hunter by birthright." I stated, I didn't question it now. "But she knew me, what I am. She helped me run."

"I'm so sorry Jezzy, I thought that if you didn't know it would be better; no one wants to think about their little sister as something that will turn against you." He apologized and scrambled for the right words to say.

"No, I'm sorry Stefan, I didn't mean to call and start a fight. I wanted to lay down the ground rules." I said. I was talking at the moment but I felt hollow, and my voice reflected that. I almost felt as if I was watching myself.

"Jez, please do not shut me out." He begged.

"I promised to try to get along with you, so right now I can't do that," I said flatly and hung up.

I felt the threat of tears pooling in my eyes and the now unfamiliar burning as if I would just break down, but I wouldn't let myself. I looked down at my arm with hate. How could I not see that Macie would become my enemy, even if she had never been found by her people, she would feel the power inside her. A hunter has power, that's the way it all began, the shifters who killed our leader and were cursed to never shift again, and the generations after them. She had the power of a shifter, just no ability to shift, no wolf or conscience to guide her. Her eyes would always look lifeless to me, because she possessed the ability to be merciless, and not because of Jerry.

I was so wrong about it, because I was still thinking like a human.

"Jason!" I called out in desperation. The tears wanted to flow freely as the little traitors that they were, but it would all be better once her name was off of my skin. It had to come off. I couldn't stand to see it anymore, how na?ve and idiotic I was to not realize what she would become; callous and cruel.

"What is it?" Jason asked me bursting through the door. His face contorted into concern as he saw me staring down at my arm.

"I need you to take it off" I said simply, emptying my voice of emotion so he knew I was serious.

"Take off Macie's tattoo?" he asked, trying to think of a reason why.

"I don't want her name on my arm, she's the enemy." I snarled as I glared back up at him.

"Jezebel, you are scaring me," he said calmly, trying to soothe me with his voice. "Why is Macie bad?"

"Because, she is a hunter." I whispered but I knew he heard me. "She's the one leading them and kidnapping pups."

"How do you want it done?" he asked. "Knife or claw?"

Jason had more reason to hate hunters than I did. His life had been ruined because of them. Jason was always what I needed him to be. Supportive.

"Claw," I said feeling my consciousness drift deeper inside my shock driven cognition. My empty voice took on a dream like quality as my wolf whispered to me for the first time in five years. Rest now child, it will be over soon. The pain of Jason's claws digging into my skin and ripping the strip of skin off so quickly was all blurred. He had cut the section of tatted skin completely out and ripped it from the muscle. I snarled through my teeth and hissed, tears escaped the side of my eyes but I would not yell, and I would not cry. In the heat of it all, my shields fell down and my power casted itself outward like a sonic wave from my body. Then like I had counted on, the power receded to me and began healing my arm. I felt the skin start too reknit, like a gentle tugging feeling. My energy kept the pain at bay and my eyes drifted like weights were hung from my lids and sleep overtook me. The last thing I remembered was the rest of the guys barreling through the door like mad men to see what was going on.

I don't know why some people say things like, I'll sleep when I'm dead. I can understand being so busy that you don't get a lot of sleep but sleeping is such a wonderful feeling. My body felt like it was floating I was so relaxed. Then I was running, my wolf was chasing her prey. The power in my haunches propelling me at death defying speeds as we weaved through the trees. Then I wasn't alone anymore, Stefan's wolf was coming up behind me and I realized what was really going on, we weren't chasing anything, we were being chased. If I weren't dreaming I would have asked why I would be running from Stefan, but it's a dream and my subconscious is running so I ran faster. I leapt over a log, and as I was in the air, the ground fell away and suddenly I was falling off of a cliff. My paws frantically searched for solid ground but found none.

My body propelled itself out of the chair as I inhaled quickly then was jerked back by the solid hold of a seatbelt and an oxygen mask in my face. It took me a moment to realize what was happening, because my brain did not want to perceive it. The door to the cockpit was wide open and the plane was descending at a dangerously fast pace at a dangerous angle. In my seat, I could feel the pull of the nose to dip downward into a dive. We were going to crash!

I looked to see where everyone was, Dean and Jason stood in front of me fighting three hunters in black wet suit looking things. I was still fully armed with my guns, and I didn't take the time to undo my restraints as one came over the row in front of me to attack me, I pulled my pistol and shot three shots in between the eyes. I used my other hand to cut the seatbelts with a knife, ripped the oxygen mask away from my face and shot two more getting ready to charge me. I barreled up to the cockpit to find the pilots in a fight of their own. Two more hunters were attempting to overpower the pilots and take control of the plane. I didn't give myself a moment to process as I grabbed one from behind and slit his jugular open, the other fell dead as another bullet left the barrel of my gun.

The pilots were stunned into silence and frozen in place as they looked at the crumpled bleeding heaps at their feet.

"Fly the plane," I commanded. Shock does odd things to different people, some people freeze up and others don't; sheep and wolves at its finest.

The plane leveled out as I made my way back toward my seat. Just as I came through the doorway, the rest of the hunters rushed toward me. I smiled inwardly. I loved the thrill of combat. I wasn't a sadist or some kind of sociopathic nightmare killer, but I didn't blink when doing what needed to be done. I pulled the knives from my sides and spun, deftly maneuvering as they attempted to surround me. I cut each of the four hunters across the stomachs. Each howled in pain, but as I spun upward I shoved both knives deep into the skulls of the two at my sides from chin to brain. The other two surged me and I let go of the knives to hit one in the throat with the side of my hand hard enough to crush his windpipe, the other one got kicked in the nuts then I shoved his nose into his brain with the heel of my hand so fast, I still had time to grab my knives and pull them from the other two's skulls before they hit the ground.

I had blood spatter on my skin and clothes and I took in a deep breath as I made my way back to the group.

"Everybody alright?" I asked as I pulled a bag out from over my seat. I kept baby wipes and a first aid kit in the side pockets of the duffle for times like these. I started to clean my knives as Jason made his way toward me.

"Just a few cuts and bruises," Jason said as he took some wipes for himself and washed his hands.

"Carlos?"

"Peachy" he answered.

"Tommy?"

"Just fine babe," he said walking by and smacking me on the butt, which I returned with a round-house kick to the back of his head.

"Dean?" I called out.

"Fine," Dean replied with a strained aching sound to his voice.

I sped over to where his voice came from. He was laid out on the floor in between two rows of seats. A stream of blood was pooling on the floor by his stomach. His gut was ripped open and pieces of his entrails were exposed.

"Jason!" I yelled. "Get me the first aid kit! Now!" My voice sounded controlled but had an edge of frantic added to the mix.

Jason took one look down at Dean and cringed. He handed me the first aid kit apprehensively.

"Sweetie, I don't think there is much you can do." He said trying to be the voice of reason, but I was in such a state of shock and couldn't do anything but think that I had to save him.

Dean was family, he was part of my team, my new family. I cared about him dearly. Here he lay in front of me with his insides hanging out. I would not believe that he could…

I pushed the thoughts out of my head and tried to think of what to do first. I should probably try to clean it first. The first aid kit had alcohol wipes, hydrogen peroxide, and gauze.

"Dean?"

"Yea babe," he answered, his voice strained but still strong.

"This is going to hurt."