Winter’s Wolf (23 page)

A lot of murmuring went up from the group. One older wolf said, “Fred, I think that may be overstating it for some of us. We just don’t think the alliance was legal and believe someone unbiased needs to look into the law.”

Betz frowned, and Freedman stepped forward. “We hear you, Roger. I’m sure you express the views of a number in the group. Right, Fred?”

Betz took a breath. “Of course. Just as I know that some of you would like to go burn down the Harker and Marketo homes, but as a group, we’re trying to gather a consensus.”

Crap, that constituted incitement.
If some of these young males had never thought about burning down the alphas’ houses, they sure had the idea now.

A mean-smelling male raised a hand. “I’m sick of this crap. The fag alliance has been going on for two years. Harker and Marketo ain’t getting any younger, and that homo son is going to wind up as alpha if we don’t stop him. I want to make it clear we want those perverts out and a decent male like Fred or somebody to step into the leadership position.”

Another male Winter didn’t recognize shook his head. “Damn, have you seen what the alphanta can do? I mean, Fred’s great and all that, but Cole can shift at will and smell a gnat on the eyelash of a frog. He and that fucking cat practically won the war single-handed.”

Fred really frowned now. “That was a long time ago.”

“Yeah, and he probably just got stronger. You want to take him out?”

Freedman laughed jovially. “Fortunately, no one needs to take out Cole Harker. Alphas are made, not born, as we all know. If enough of us vote for Fred or some other candidate as alpha, then there’s no need for a fight.”

“Yeah, but we all know there’s more bleeding hearts who will go with the tradition of the alphanta no matter how unworthy he is. They want his powers and skill.”

“Ah yes, but we have our own wolf in the hole, so to speak.”

“What do you mean, Ben?”

Freedman glanced at Winter.
Shit, so here it is.
“Most of you don’t know that Fred and I put Winter Thane through the most rigorous of tests to determine his skills. You’ll be amazed and delighted to learn that Winter, who I might add is in the direct bloodline of Marketo alphas, has capabilities equivalent, at least, to those of Cole Harker and Paris Marketo.”

The big wolf frowned. “No fucking way.”

Freedman looked at the male with that pleasant, deadly expression. “I just told you that Fred and I observed him in action. Are you doubting my word?”

What should he do? At the very least, getting out of here unscathed seemed pretty unlikely if he admitted his loyalty to the present alphas. At best, he might get some valuable information and throw this coup off balance if he played along. He smiled. “It’s okay, Marshal.” He stepped closer to Betz on his podium so everyone could see him more clearly. “In the interests of the modesty of the females present, I won’t undress and shift.”

One of the younger females said, “Darn.” She got a look from her father.

“But a couple people have told me how Cole shifted just his arm at the blood ceremony, so maybe that will suffice.” He stuck his arm in the air, accepted the shift power in just a thin rivulet, and let it fill his extended arm.
Fur, claws. All the impressive shit.
But only as far as his elbow.

A couple of females screamed, and the place went seminuts.

The marshal looked damned pleased. “Thank you, Winter. I certainly never intended for you to be turned into a circus sideshow.”

The mean wolf said, “Why would you want to help us?”

Put on a good show.
“My father has at least the power required to be alpha, and yet he was, for all intents and purposes, banished from the pack. I have his skills and more.”

“Are you looking to be alpha?”

Winter shook his head. “I’m not even twenty-one yet, and I’ve been a lone wolf all of my life. I have a lot to learn about pack life—if I even decide to be a part of it.”
There, no actual untruths. Just serious stretching.

The big guy looked at Winter with his bushy eyebrows touching over his nose. Winter gazed back calmly. The wolf stuck out his hand. “I’m Patrick. Good to have you on board.”

“Thank you, sir.” His manners always garnered smiles.

Fred cleared his throat. “So you see our advantages. As Ben suggested, we get ready to call for an alpha vote of confidence. We’ll let folks know that we have our own alphanta standing by to step in.”

Winter held up a hand. “Kind of you, sir, but I wouldn’t presume to use that title.”

“Well, make it clear what he can do, anyway. We’ll try to win this thing with a vote if we can. If not—” He shrugged, and a couple of the males laughed low and nasty.

Someone else yelled from the back of the crowd, “Hey Fred, what about that half-human abomination? You can’t tell me that happened without somebody breaking the cardinal rule—and that’s before those sob sisters decided to save the human who he revealed himself to. We can’t just let that stand.”

Patrick nodded. “Damned right.”

A voice from the back yelled, “We all know what the penalty for breaking the cardinal rule is.”

Others joined in. “Yeah.”

“Damned straight.”

Ice water up the back. A pack coup by a bunch of dissenting conservatives was one thing, but get them worked up over breaking the cardinal rule, and somebody was going to get murdered. Someone Winter cared about. No fucking way. He needed to get out of here, talk to Cole, talk to Lindsey, talk to his dad, and most of all, talk to Matt. Could Winter convince Matt to leave here now that his dad seemed better? Maybe he could talk Damon into bringing his female. They’d all spend their lives like a bunch of happy humans. Who gave a shit about pack anyway?

The crowd still blathered on. He leaned over to Freedman. “Excuse me, sir. I need to go soon.”

The marshal grinned. “You got a hot date?”

“I wish. No, I’m meeting my father for, uh, drinks. He could worry if I don’t show.”

“Where does he stand on this whole issue?”

“We haven’t exactly been sharing our innermost secrets lately. He wants to marry me off and maybe himself too. I don’t much like his plan.”

“You should wait until this whole thing comes down. You’re going to be an important member of the new pack, Winter. You’ll have your pick of females.”

“For now, I should get going.”

“Actually, I’ve got to stay awhile. But Ollie was looking for you. I’ll get him to take you back.”

“Okay.”
Just get out of here.

He followed Freedman through the crowd. Closer to the door, Ollie leaned against the wall, arms crossed. He smiled when he saw Winter. “Hey, just the wolf I was looking for.”

Freedman stopped. “Winter needs to get back to meet his father. Can you take him? I’ve got to shovel some shit here.”

“Sure, boss. No problem.”

“I
CAN
’
T
believe you’re even asking me this, Damon.”

Damon watched his brother pace in that agitated way of his from his desk to the window and back. As usual, Landon Harker sat relaxed in the guest chair as if he didn’t have a care on earth and, behind Damon on the couch, Cole Harker slouched, silent and vigilant.

Merced spun and frowned at Damon. “What is it about the cardinal rule you don’t understand?”

Damon felt his eyes narrow.
Keep it together.
“What I understand is that you all made an exception to the rule for Lindsey and Seth Zakowsky. And you make an exception every day—” He couldn’t help it. His voice rose. “—for your own damned daughter, who could be revealing everything this pack has ever known to some human, and you have no real control over her.” He sat forward on the ornate needlepoint chair. “Elizabeth is Lindsey’s mother. If that doesn’t make her pack, I don’t know what does. Lindsey is my son! I want to court and marry his mother, and I can’t do it if she doesn’t know the simple fact that her son is a werewolf and so am I. That Lindsey’s been able to keep the secret this long is amazing, but it’s not fair to her. She doesn’t know her own son. Either of her sons. She misses many of the high points of their lives because of this rule. I understand the rule protects us all, but surely exceptions must be made on a case-by-case basis.” He slumped back against the chair.

Merced started to speak, but Landon held up a hand. “I understand your frustration. You’re right that if anyone deserves to know, it’s Lindsey’s mother, but the situation is difficult. Both Merced and I face grave opposition from factions within the allied pack. After the alliance through the marriage of two males and the allowing of a human to enter the pack, some of our wolves are outraged. They’re prepared to vote both Merced and me out if they can.”

Damon shook his head. “You still have to stand up for what you believe is right.”

“We can’t do any good if we’re not alphas.”

Damon glared at Landon. “That sounds like human politics to me.”

Merced clenched a fist. “Easy for a lone wolf to say.”

Cole finally spoke. “Come on, Merced, that’s not fair. We’ve all bent the rules to suit ourselves for years now. Damon has a justifiable request.”

Landon raised that damned placating hand again. “He does. But you have to understand that the situation could be way worse than politics. Things could get violent if some of these hard-liners get an upper hand. It could affect wolves and humans alike.”

Damon scowled. “You’ve fought before.”

“I’m not sure even our own supporters are sufficiently convicted to go along with another breaking of the cardinal rule. They included Lindsey for some time, but they’ve distanced themselves since he married a human. Things are beyond tense.”

Damon swiped at his eyes. “Elizabeth will never leave here without Lindsey and Jasper. Is there a chance the pack will let me live with her as husband and wife if I don’t break the cardinal rule? If I live like a human?”

Landon blew out a long breath. “I wish I could say yes. But things are so tense, they’d never believe you. You’d always be under threat and worse, so would she.”

Merced collapsed in his office chair. “I’m truly sorry, brother. I know how I felt when Annaliese ran off with the human, and I die every day over her situation, but I can’t grant your request. Maybe when things calm down, but not now.”

Damon looked at Cole, but the alphanta didn’t seem to have an answer. With a glance at the two alphas, he stood. “There’s a line from some movie I think applies. Don’t be so damned busy keeping your jobs that you forget to do your jobs. What I’m asking is right, dammit, and you know it.” He walked out of the study and slammed the door.

W
INTER
FOLLOWED
Ollie out to his SUV. He needed to hurry and get back to Damon. All bets were off with this new development. Shit, these idiots wanted to kill anybody who might have broken the cardinal rule, and Damon and Lindsey were prime candidates. What would happen when they found out Damon was Lindsey’s father? He needed to warn Lindsey and the alphas that these dudes weren’t kidding around, and that there were lots of them. Then time to get out of Dodge. Somehow he’d convince Matt.

He slid into the car, and Ollie closed the door on his side. He grinned at Winter. “Told you the marshal had some exciting stuff in store for you. How you feeling?”

Be cool.
“It’s overwhelming. It never crossed my mind I could be a part of all this.”

Ollie chuckled. “I thought you’d be psyched. And I’ve got more good news.”

“Oh? What?”

“The top boss wants to talk to you. I’m taking you to him.”

“What? When?” His heart beat in his throat.

“Now.”

Shit!
“Wow. That’s unexpected. Not the best time for me.”

Ollie frowned as he maneuvered the SUV out of the parking lot. “This is the time they set up. You want to meet them? You haven’t got any say in it.”

Think fast.
“Sure, sure, I understand. It’s just that I’m supposed to meet Damon. He’ll worry if I don’t show.” He looked at Ollie. “How about we stop at the Way Station so I can leave him a message?”

Ollie’s frown deepened. “I’m not supposed to let you out of my sight after I tell you about the meeting.”

“I understand. Reasonable precaution.” What the fuck could he do? He had to get word to Matt. “You come in with me, okay? Then we follow the rules, but I don’t have my father trying to track us to New York.”

“Hell no. We don’t want that. He’s a good tracker, right?”

“At least as good as me.”

“Okay. I’ll come in.” Ollie pulled off onto the side road that led to the Way Station.

How the hell could he make this work?
Play it by ear time.

Ollie seemed anxious and antsy as they walked into the club. It was early, so the place wasn’t jumping yet. Winter looked around.
Come on, inspiration.
Nobody. Nothing.

The door to the kitchen opened and Lulu walked out.
Thank you, Powers!
He pointed toward her. “I’m gonna leave a message with her, okay?”