Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply (16 page)

“No. I'm here now. I'll just hang around in case something more happens when Waldron gets word that two of his pack members probably won't be coming home. But you're Pepper's sub-leader. So I'll let her tell you what's going on from now on.”

“Totally understand. Thanks so much, Eric. If I were in the market for a mate, I'd choose you.”

He smiled. “But you're not?”

“Oh, I am. Only I'm aiming for someone who doesn't need to take over our pack.”

“Not me.”

“Yeah, well, we all know it. We just have to convince Pepper.”

“I really don't see that happening. And who says I'm interested in taking over the pack?”

Susan laughed. “It comes with the territory.”

“You better not let Pepper hear you say that. I'll let you go and talk to you later.” Eric and she said good-bye, but he really had no intention of getting between her and Pepper. Letting Susan know what was going on with Pepper would be sure to rebound. Still, he was glad to know what Pepper's issues were.

He called for a pizza delivery, despite the fact that he was parked at a fancy country club, the likes of which he'd never belong to. He hoped no one would ask him to leave. When the pizza guy drove up, he was grinning. “I thought you were a crank call. The boss said it was for real.”

“I'm acting as a bodyguard for a VIP, high-roller type,” Eric said. Pepper might not be a high roller as far as being filthy rich, but he really thought the world of her, and that made her richer than any billionaire out there.

“Wow.” The guy took the money and handed over the pizza. “So who is she?”

“Top secret. Let's just say she's a high-class act and I was lucky to get the contract for the job.”

“Too cool. I'll tell the boss it was legit.” Then the guy drove off.

Eric pulled out a slice of extra cheese and hamburger pizza, leaned his back against the truck, and watched everyone coming and going. He was dying to know what Waldron would do next. What the Fairhaven boys would end up doing next. What their parents decided to do. He called Darien to give him a heads-up. “Hey, I know CJ probably told you what happened. But I wanted to let you know I'm just hanging around here in case Waldron gets mad about the whole situation and confronts her.”

“Good show. I'm not sure about her taking those boys in.”

“I'm sure she'll do fine with them.” Eric finished the last of his pizza and saw a group of women exiting the country club. Then he saw Pepper coming out and was impressed with how she was dressed in a skirt and jacket and high heels. She looked smart and sexy at the same time.

Just then, a black pickup truck pulled up to the front of the building and parked. A blond-haired guy got out, wearing blue jeans and a dress shirt. He was parking in a no-parking zone, not that Eric could do anything about it, but the way he was zeroing in on Pepper got Eric's attention. “Hey, listen, I've got to go.”

“Gotcha.”

Eric stuck his pizza trash in his truck, then headed toward the guy.

“Hi, Pepper,” the blond man said and closed his truck door.

Was it Waldron? Son of a gun.

He was rugged looking—like he lived half the time in the mountains cutting trees by handsaw—and muscled, with stubble covering his jawline. His amber eyes appealed to Pepper to give him a chance, but his mouth remained serious, as if it was too difficult to even approach offering her a smile. Which made Eric think the man was truly irritated with her for all that she'd done with the Silver Pack.

Pepper stopped and crossed her arms. “I want you to pay damages for the buildings you had burned in Silver Town, Waldron.”

“We didn't have anything to do with that. Sorry for the trouble they've had. I offered to send some of my carpenters to help out though, just as a way to assist another pack in the vicinity.”

“But you knew about it and had motive, so I don't believe you when you say you had nothing to do with it. Worse, you went after places that all had to do with the Fairhaven boys being taken in—the jailhouse, the tow truck place, and Eric's house—because you have some notion he's interested in courting me.”

“Hell, he is.”

“All right, and so what if he is? That's my business, not yours.”

“If he is, he'd better watch his back.”

“And you think this is supposed to intimidate me? Make me give him up? I don't understand how you think this will make me change my mind about you. You have nothing to offer me.”

“Protection from other alpha wolves wanting what you have. Not only that, but all wolves want offspring. And since you don't have any of your own…” He raised a brow. “I can give them to you.”

Halfway to the building, Eric stopped walking and stood next to an SUV, listening to the conversation. As long as Pepper was handling this to her satisfaction, Eric didn't want to butt in. Surefire way to make her feel he was trying to take over. Although it was killing him not to have his say over the burning of the buildings in Silver Town. He figured that after she left, he'd have a private word with Waldron.

“If you harm anyone, set any more fires, anything else like that—”

“What? Are you going to make me pay?” Waldron gave her a smart-ass smirk, reminiscent of Jonathan's action, and Eric guessed the kid was copying the pack leader.

Eric bristled.
He'd
make him pay for it.

“Oh, and by the way, the Fairhaven boys? They've been nothing but trouble since they grew old enough to be trouble,” Waldron said. “Their parents are well rid of them. If the Silvers want to charge the boys for the arsons, they have my blessing.”

“So your pack members
did
do the damage. Thanks. I'll let Darien know.”

“No. I'm just saying if anyone has a real gripe with the town, it would be the teens. The tow-truck business, jailhouse—”

“And Eric? How does he figure into all this as far as the boys are concerned? He wasn't involved in their arrest.”

“He lectured them at the park when he had no right to.”

“He's a law-enforcement park ranger working in that park, and the teens were stalking us. So yeah, he had every right and the badge to go along with it.”

Eric wondered how the boys would view their pack leader now that he was laying the blame on them, especially since Waldron had to have put them up to it. If he left them to deal with the repercussions, the boys might even reveal the truth this time and not take the bum rap.

“I've got business to take care of,” Pepper said and turned to leave.

“You wanted the Fairhaven twins, and I'm giving them to you without any fuss. So what do I get in return?” Waldron asked, smiling.

She faced him again, her expression composed. “Peace of mind now that the teens who are nothing but trouble are no longer giving you grief in the pack? You owe
me
for taking them off your hands.” She turned then and stalked off to her vehicle.

Eric smiled. Pepper handled that like a she-wolf with real class.

As soon as she was out of hearing, Waldron got on his phone. “Hey, we're going to have trouble with this Eric Silver. Yeah, she's seeing him. So we'll have to do something about it.”

Eric strode across the parking lot to have a word. He heard Pepper's mini-SUV's engine start up. He ignored it when Pepper pulled out of her parking space, driving toward them.

“If you want to do something about it, go right ahead,” Eric said, coming up behind Waldron, his attention fully focused on him.

Waldron whipped around, his jaw dropping, but he quickly clamped his mouth shut, his eyes narrowing.

“Let's do it now. Between you and me. No sending your teens to do your dirty work. I mean, how low can you get?” Eric said.

“For your information—”

“Unless that's the only way you can deal with rejection,” Eric said, cutting him off.

Pepper pulled her vehicle to a stop right next to them. “Eric, can I speak with you?” Her question was more of a command than a query.

Eric was sticking up for himself as much as he was for her. If someone was threatening to do something to him behind his back, he had every right to confront the one giving the orders. He made one final comment. “The lady isn't interested in you. Back off.” Then he turned to Pepper. “Yes, ma'am. I'm parked over there.” He motioned to the next aisle, intending to walk to his truck and speak in private with her there.

“Get in,” she ordered, sounding exasperated…with
him
!

He smiled at Waldron, rubbing it in that she had requested his presence, even though she sounded annoyed with him. He couldn't help himself. After all Waldron had pulled, Eric was itching for a fight to take him down a peg or two. Ever since the day Waldron had bitten him, Eric had felt he'd led the man to believe he was a coward. That he would always run away in the face of danger. And Eric wanted him—and Pepper—to know he had the strength to prove that wasn't so.

Eric climbed into Pepper's car, and Waldron started talking on his phone again. Eric gave him one last glower as she pulled down the aisle where he was parked.

“What do you think you are doing?” she asked, her voice sharp.

“Protecting myself. He was telling one of his people I was seeing you and they'd have to do something about it. Now if that's not a threat, I don't know what is. But the whole point of the matter is that I wanted to meet him face-to-face—as a human this time—and let him know I won't be running off next time.”

She didn't say anything for a moment, then sighed. “I thought you had already left.”

“No. Not after you took the teens on as your responsibility. I was afraid once Waldron got word, he might show up to hassle you further.”

“You were watching us the whole time?”

“Yeah.”

“You didn't come over and say anything while I was talking to Waldron.” She looked incredulous, as though she couldn't believe Eric would just let her deal with it on her own.

“Nope.”

She let out her breath. “Okay…I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but I really do owe you my thanks for Susan and for all the rest of your help. I'd like to invite you to dinner.” Before he could say a word, she quickly added, “I'll invite Richard, Susan, and the Fairhaven boys. We'll have a nice dinner and talk sociably. I'll tell the boys what I expect from them and what they can expect from me. I'll let them know what Waldron said about them setting the fires, and that since they torched your home as well as other Silver properties, you will be sitting in on the dinner to give your input. You can have a conference call with Darien and Lelandi on the matter before then.”

“Sounds good to me.” It wasn't quite what he had expected as a thank-you dinner with her, but more time spent with the she-wolf was, well, more time spent with the she-wolf. He would prove he had no intention of taking over whenever she had to deal with her people or others, like Waldron. He would sit back, learn her approach, and be happy to provide any input she wanted, if it made her happy.

Later, he hoped a dinner with her would be less crowded, and he looked forward to that.

The Fairhaven boys appeared apprehensive when Richard brought them to Pepper's house for dinner that evening. Leroy had his hands shoved in his pockets, glancing at his brother. Jonathan was trying to look tough and unafraid, his thumbs hooked in his belt loops.

“Jonathan, Leroy, glad you could have dinner with us,” Pepper said. As if the kids had a choice.

“Why?” Jonathan asked.

Pepper knew from the start the kid wasn't going to be easy to win over. “We're going to talk. And have a nice dinner.” She turned to Richard. “Why don't you take the boys and Eric outside? You can prepare the ribs on the grill.”

“Sure thing,” Richard said.

Eric smiled a little at her as if he'd just been relegated to being one of the troublesome boys. She hadn't meant it that way, but she smiled back.

When they went outside, she and Susan began preparing everything else for the meal while the guys were out on the back patio, talking about life in general. She figured it was a good start for the teens to learn what the males in her pack loved to do during social gatherings—which wasn't plotting to take over another pack or whatever else Waldron was scheming to do. Did Waldron ever have fun social times for his pack? Did he include the teens in adult activities or only have them do his dirty work? Someday, she figured she'd learn the truth.

“What do you think will happen with the boys?” Susan asked, sounding apprehensive as she shucked corn on the cob.

“They'll be fine. Oh sure, we might have some trouble with them because of the way they've been raised, but I'm certain they'll find their place with the pack before long. Richard said he was showing them which trees were diseased and too far gone to save today. They cut down a number of trees and have the blisters to show for it. Good hard work never hurt anyone. They'll be tired tonight for certain. And that's how we'll handle this. The more work they do to show they're eager to be good citizens in the pack, the more privileges they'll earn.”

“Richard and I believe Waldron gave them up so willingly because he figures they'll spy on us. Did you confiscate their cell phones?” Susan grabbed another ear of corn.

“No. It's true they might be keeping him informed, but if they want to keep in touch with their parents, I want them to have every opportunity to do so. I want them to be here of their own free will. They can leave anytime. But I want to make sure they understand what the consequences will be if they leave us and continue stalking me or do anything else to create trouble for either of our packs. And that they'll still need to pay for the damage to the buildings in Silver Town no matter what, if they were the ones who set fire to them. Even though they might inform on us for a while, I truly believe they'll come to realize we're the good guys and have great things to offer them.”

“Richard's been great with them all afternoon. I took lunch to them and we all ate together. They seem like they could be good kids if given half a chance. We'll have to see how they are with the rest of the pack.” Susan broke the corn cob in half and began shucking another.

“We just have to let them know that being with us is not a punishment, but a way to learn a job skill and be able to get along with others in a working pack.”

“What about Eric?”

“What about him?” Pepper asked, turning on the heat under the pot of water for the corn.

“Why is
he
here?”

“No reason other than that I wanted to discuss the arson. Since Eric's home and two other buildings were burned in the Silver territory, I figured he could represent his pack and…” Pepper shrugged. “We'll see what happens from there.”

Susan sighed. “You really need to get with the program with him.”

Pepper frowned at her. Susan gave her a bright smile back.

Half an hour later when they all sat down to eat, Pepper asked what the boys liked to do best of all. They both loved hiking and fishing, but when Eric reminded them about the skiing near Silver Town and how he and his brothers and cousins could show them how to do it this winter, both boys listened quietly and nodded.

Pepper thought that they were afraid to try it out—which she really didn't think was the case—that they were afraid of the Silver pack, or that they had no intention of staying around that long if their short-term goal was just to spy on her pack. The worst-case scenario was that they were certain they would be part of her pack by then with Waldron as the leader, so they knew they wouldn't have anything to do with the Silver pack.

After having a delightful dinner and good conversation about things they thought the boys might like to do and what they were expected to do, Pepper finally brought up the serious issue of arson and Waldron's claims that the boys had always been problem wolves.

“Now, we don't really believe you're troublemakers for his pack. We think Waldron's making it up to lay the blame on you both,” Pepper said, judging their reactions.

“He actually said we set fire to the buildings?” Jonathan asked, his voice dark.

“Yes. And he said we could turn you over to the Silver pack so they could press charges.”

“So does that mean we're going to jail?” Jonathan asked, looking like they'd led him to the slaughterhouse.

“We can work something out,” Eric said. “But we have to know if you acted on your own or Waldron told you to do it. Or if you're covering for someone else.”

Jonathan let out his breath. “He really said we did it?”

“He did,” Pepper said, getting the distinct feeling Waldron had lied.

“We didn't cause any trouble for the pack,” Leroy said. “Waldron told us to follow you. And when he learned you were eating out with Eric, he got really angry. He told us what to do after that. We were to follow you back to the park and see what you were doing. He said if we got caught, we wouldn't get into too much trouble because we are underage.”

“You mean about setting the fires?” Pepper asked.

Jonathan was scowling. “No, about following you around.”

“So you didn't set the fires? Or you had help?” Pepper asked. She didn't think the boys could have set all the fires in the same night.

Leroy looked at Jonathan.

Jonathan swallowed hard. “We didn't set fire to anything.”

Leroy shook his head, agreeing with his brother.

Pepper was beginning to believe it. “So, in truth, he wanted you to take the blame because he believed you wouldn't get as much punishment as an adult would. But when you said you wanted to join my pack, he figured you could take the blame no matter the consequences.” Pepper was shocked at how rotten Waldron could be. He'd been charming with her, trying to win her over before she'd met Eric, but now she could see just how devious he was.

Jonathan frowned. “He really said we caused trouble for the pack?”

“Yeah, he did. And he said I should give him something for taking you boys off his hands. But I told him if you were so much trouble, he ought to pay me for including you in my pack,” Pepper said to the boys, then turned to Susan. “Did you want to bring in the dessert?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Richard and Susan began clearing away the dishes.

“It's not right that your pack leader would set you up to take the blame for something he dictated.” Pepper set her napkin on the table. “Or blame you for something you didn't even do. Pack leaders are meant to take care of their people. Make sure they abide by pack rules, which means also abiding by human laws. It's too dangerous for our kind to get caught and go to a human jail for any length of time. Your pack leader is supposed to set the example of what to do, showing how to protect yourself from other wolves and live among humans in a way that doesn't bring unnecessary negative attention to yourself. What he's doing is wrong.”

Jonathan looked sheepishly at Eric. “He”—Jonathan motioned to Eric—“came by the jail with our dinner after we got pulled over for following you in Silver Town. He brought us a pizza just like we said we'd like, sodas, and chocolate milk shakes too. He wanted to know the truth about why we were stalking you. We wouldn't have torched his house. He was nice to us. Everyone was. The sheriff let us come out of the cells to watch TV. One of the deputies, CJ, brought in some movies for us to watch that he thought we'd like.”

“Yeah,” Leroy said.

“We didn't let Waldron know how well we were treated while we were in jail because he might have thought the Silver pack members were trying to bribe us into telling the truth. But we never got into trouble in our pack. Unless someone else started something. Or we did something by accident,” Jonathan said.

She thought it was interesting that Jonathan seemed to be angriest about Waldron accusing him and his brother of being troublemakers. “Why did Waldron leave his pack in Idaho?” she asked.

“Benjamin, the pack leader, said if his brother didn't leave with those who sided with him, he would kill him.”

“Why?”

“Waldron wanted to run the pack. He was trying to create a mutiny. Only Benjamin caught him at it and expelled him right away. He told Waldron if he saw him in Idaho anywhere near his territory, he'd kill Waldron outright and any of his followers too.”

“Why did your parents go with him?” Pepper asked, shocked to hear it.

“He promised our dad a sub-leader position. Dad wouldn't have had one otherwise.” Jonathan sat back in his chair. “Waldron made a lot of promises to the pack.”

“What made him come here?” Eric asked, his tone suspicious. “How would he know that Pepper was a single she-wolf running a pack?”

“She wasn't a single she-wolf when Waldron first found out about her. She killed his cousin when he murdered her mate and tried to take over her pack,” Jonathan said, pointing at Pepper. “Not only was Obie Waldron's favorite cousin, but he always said he wouldn't fail where his cousin had. But still, Waldron was trying to take over his brother's pack first. It's bigger and would give him more power, and Waldron knew everyone. He thought he'd have an easier time of it than trying to win over a new pack. Of course, he didn't tell us that, but Leroy and I overheard him talking to his sub-leaders, our dad included.”

“Hell,” Eric said.

Pepper felt her whole world spin. She was stunned that Waldron could be related to the animal who had killed her mate.

Seeing Pepper's face turn ice-white, Eric didn't know what to do. He wanted to talk to her in private, but he didn't know what to say to make her feel better.

Susan and Richard had remained in the kitchen, cleaning up, which Eric thought was a ploy to stay out of the way and let Pepper and the boys have this discussion without so many adults listening in on the conversation. To help them to open up more.

Then, as if on cue, Susan and Richard started serving dessert—chocolate mousse pie. Everyone ate it while the subject switched to what needed to be done tomorrow, and the boys seemed a little lighter-hearted after giving up their secrets.

Pepper was quiet while Susan and Richard and the boys dominated the conversation with talk of what they had planned for the pack for the rest of the year. As the adults finished their desserts, the boys had a second helping.

Then Richard looked to Pepper and she nodded. “It's time to say good night. I had a nice visit with everyone,” she said.

“Thanks,” Jonathan said, and his brother echoed his thanks.

“I'll take them home,” Richard said. “Come on, boys. We have to get up early to go to work tomorrow.”

They both groaned, and then they all left.

Susan hurried to take care of the dessert dishes.

“I'm sorry about what happened to your mate,” Eric said to Pepper.

“I had no idea Waldron's relation had anything to do with it. If I had, I would have viewed him being here a lot more warily. Sounds to me like revenge could be at the root of it. Explains why he is so persistent.” She joined Susan in the kitchen. “Thanks, Susan. I'll take care of the rest of this.”

“The dinner seemed to go over well with the boys. They loved the food, and I think they realize how rotten Waldron is,” Susan said, putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher. “Um, about him being Obie's cousin—”

“We'll talk about it later. I'm tired and not in the mood to speak of it right now.”

“Sure,” Susan said and cast Eric a look that indicated she hoped he'd stay and visit with Pepper a bit to ensure she was going to be all right.

He hoped to, but it was really Pepper's call.

When Susan said good night and left, Eric asked Pepper, “Do you mind if I have a cup of coffee before I leave? After being up most of the night, I don't want to drift off on the drive home.” He figured she'd be glad to send him on his way too. She'd most likely be thinking about what had transpired tonight, maybe wanting to sort it all out on her own. But if she needed to have someone to talk to, he wanted to be that someone.

She let out her breath, looking tired but beautiful. “About that. It's a four-hour drive home for you. Stay the night. You can leave for work tomorrow from here. It's about the same distance to your job as going from your…” She suddenly stopped speaking. “I'm sorry. I forgot about your home.”

“It's all right. And you're correct. The distance from Sarandon's place is about the same too. And thanks. I'll take you up on the offer.” If Waldron pulled anything tonight, Eric would be here to protect her.

“Sure. Let's have some coffee then. Decaf if you'd like. That's what I'll have, or I won't be able to sleep tonight.”

“Same for me since I won't have to drive.” Eric eyed the second mousse pie in the fridge as she reached in to get cream for their coffee. “I didn't want to ask in front of everyone else and give the boys the idea they could finish the pie, but…”