Pride to Pack

I appear in the drive, deciding that is the better choice because if I enter through the front door like the rest of the pack they might respect me that bit more. They will probably all know about my druid blood by now. Chloe will no doubt be spreading the word hoping for more haters to join her hate-on-Bel group.

  I walk up the steps to find my least favourite werewolf playing bouncer at the front door. I can hear numerous footsteps behind me leading me to think there are at least three or four pack members behind me. Surely she won’t make a scene in front of them.

  “Hi Chloe,” I say politely as I pass.

  She deliberately plants her feet and stands in front of me, denying my entry. She smirks. “Pack only,”

  I really don’t have time for a fight, I need to find Theo.

  “Chloe you know full well, that Theo has claimed me for his mate and I’ve been introduced into the pack as alpha female. So let me in so we can find Theo and the others.”

  She doesn’t move.

  I sigh. “I haven’t forgotten about your challenge. I told Theo about it and he agreed. I do accept so as soon as he’s back we are good to go.”

  I glance over my shoulder and count at least eight pack members watching and waiting get in.

  It looks like they’re going to get a show after all.

  Deciding my only option is violence, I turn my body slightly. To Chloe it might look like I’m going to just walk down the steps and leave but I’m not. I’m just getting momentum. I swing my body back around with as much force behind my right fist as possible. When it makes contact with her jaw she flies backwards and smashes through one of the closed beautiful front doors. Great I’ll have to pay a fortune to replace that, it’s got to be custom made.

  The small audience behind me gasps. I can feel a small amount of anger coming from them. So to stand my ground I turn to address them, “Does anyone else want to waste more time questioning my position?” No one says anything or makes any move in retaliation so I turn back to the doors. I start to step over Chloe who is out cold on top of the door when I hear Wesley shouting.

  “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?” He catches sight of me and bows his head, probably in apology for his tone of voice. “Rosabel?” He questions as he glances down at Chloe who is still out cold on the floor.

  “She wouldn’t let me in. I told her once we have found Theo we can deal with the challenge she offered me, but she wouldn’t step aside.”

  “Whoa, back up a minute! She’s challenged you? When? Does Theo know?”

  “Yes. Last night after I left you in your room. I assumed you must have heard with it being right outside your door. I told Theo and he agreed we need to duel.”

  “Okay, we’ll deal with that another day. Are you ready to sort this lot out?” he asks gesturing with a sweep of his arm at the werewolves.

  I step into the room and hope that is answer enough.

  We head into the dining room. It has been arranged just like the first meeting I attended with the furniture pushed to the edges of the room. We get to the front of the room and stop in front of the three chairs.

  “Wes, do we need to wait for Chloe to come around and join us before we start?” I whisper, hoping the rest of the chatting throughout the room covers my words. I don’t want anyone else knowing I have no idea what I am doing here.

  He shrugs. “No she isn’t of rank. She can join us when she’s ready. It serves her right if she misses out on knowing the plan.”

  I nod in agreement.

  I turn and face the crowd, looking at each Pack member standing before me. There are a number of faces I recognise. Darryl and Phil who Billy had picked for his patrol tonight, the one that got cancelled the second Theo went missing. I have no idea how to start this meeting? How does Theo start them?

  I force a friendly smile on my face. “Hi.”

  They all immediately stop chatting and nod in unison. They remind me of freaky programmed robots.

  Wesley gives me a reassuring smile and Billy moves next to me, reaching out to stroke my arm in comfort.

  I need to be honest with them. “I’m not sure how to start this, but I’ll try to make it as quick and painless as possible.”

  There are a couple of friendly chuckles throughout the crowd. It helps to relax me, if just a little.

  “First things first. I’ve spoken to Dominick and he’s told me everything that he saw happen earlier tonight. He’s also agreed to act as bait since he has been attacked twice now. I’m assuming that’s the reason the kidnapper is taking pack members. He can control animals so that is his best weapon to kill a vampire! He’s controlling a werelion too!”

  A guy in the front of the crowd speaks up. He looks like a cowboy from the boots with spurs, to the jeans, checked shirt and hat. I bet he even wears chaps some days. “If he’s controlling Theo, all hells going to break loose. There is no one who will win against him. He’s too strong.”

  They all seem to stare at me awaiting my response.

  “I thought that too, but Dominick said Theo was hurt, badly hurt, and only dragged away once he was unconscious. I can feel Theo’s pain. I don’t think he will be able to calm Theo enough to control him for at least another couple of nights. He’ll have him caged up or locked away somewhere until he can control him. If we can pull together a good trap, with Dominick as bait, tomorrow night we might come out of this alive.”

  Numerous voices throughout the crowd shout out. “Yes!” I watch as others nod their agreement.

  “We’ll come up with the details tonight, and then call those we will need tomorrow. I’m not sure who or how many of you we will need so don’t make any plans,” says Wesley.

  I feel a wall of anger drift through the crowd. It takes me a second to spot her but the minute I see Chloe I know the anger is coming from her and being aimed directly at me. Lucky me.

  “NOT NOW CHLOE! Theo will be furious enough when he gets back and hears about you playing bouncer earlier. You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t kick you out of the pack for this,” Wesley commands. He’s very dominant, thinking back on my words to Theo last night. I’d bet on him to win if we fought.

  Chloe looks from me to him. She immediately turns and leaves without a word.

  The rest of the Pack slowly file out of the house.

  After the Pack leave, Billy, Wesley, and myself go into the lounge. It’s like the meeting after the meeting. Billy goes straight for the kitchen to make the drinks, which makes me think that this is his usual job. Wesley and I sit on the sofa.

  “You did real good in there Bel. Theo will be as proud as punch when he hears about it,” Wes praises me.

  “Thanks, Wes. I just hope this plan works and we get them all back soon. He’s only been gone a couple of hours and I’m already feeling edgy. I don’t know how you’ve managed to get through the two days Alyssa has been missing,” I say truthfully. My wolf seems to be pacing constantly and there is no calming her.

  “Neither do I. I just keep telling myself we’ll get her back. We have to,” he admits.

  Billy comes in with three drinks. “We’ll get them all back tomorrow, try not to worry.” Wesley and I both smile at Billy's words. I have a feeling that none of us are as confident as Billy sounded right then. When there’s a bunch of werewolves going against someone that can control werewolves, there are a number of things that can go wrong.

  “Right let’s get down to business. What did Dominick tell you about tonight?” Wesley asks.

  I tell them everything about the fight, from when Billy left Theo and Dominick alone in front of Misty’s, to when Billy returned after I had saved Dominick. I take a sip of my coffee and look up to find Wesley looking livid.

  “Did you just say Dominick fed from you again, and nearly drained you in the process?” he demands. I won't call him up on his demanding tone. He's concerned about his missing mate. He deserves some slack.

  “Yes,” I say cautiously. When he doesn’t say anything and just stares at me I feel the need to say more. ?
??He did drain me, to the point that if I was human I don’t think I’d be here now, but I am alive and that’s the main thing. It wasn’t Dominick’s fault. He was nearly dead himself and I taste good. Ask Paddy later, he’ll agree - I’m hard to resist.” I laugh nervously, unable to stop my rambling. “He couldn’t stop, but thankfully he stopped in time. I didn’t think he’d drain me or even come close but he was so out of it… I was wrong.”

  “I’m glad I'm not the one who has to tell Theo when he gets back.” Wes says, thankfully sounding slightly calmer.

  Thinking about a Theo being protective brings Ruby to my mind. “Oh my god! How is Ruby? Is she still here? Does she know what’s happened?” I can't believe I had forgotten about Ruby. She must be so worried.

  “Yes, I’m here and I know,” says a voice from behind me.

  I turn around to see her standing from behind the sofa I'm sitting on. Her red eyes and wet cheeks tell me she's been crying for some time. How did none of us notice her? How long has she been there?

  “What are you doing down here? I told you to stay upstairs.” Oh great. Angry Wesley is back.

  Ruby cowers slightly but stands her ground. “No one would tell me anything! I needed to know. Theo wasn’t here,” she points at Wes, “and you guys were holding a meeting and running around looking all worried. I knew something bad had happened.” She breaks down into heaving sobs.

  I get up, put my arm around her shoulders and bring her back to sit on the sofa. She shuffles into the corner of the cozy sofa.

  “I’m Bel. I don’t think we were introduced last night,” I say.

  “Yeah, I asked Ted about you after you left.” She bursts into tears again and I stroke her knee for a second to comfort her. Weres are touchy feely creatures. We use touch to comfort each other. Sometimes we even sleep in piles. Being the outsider of the pride I had never been privy to one of these piles but I have heard plenty about them. Ruby is only human but having grown up around a pack, I'm sure she’s used to touch and comfort as any were is.

  “He’ll be back tomorrow.” I try to sound confident.

  Wesley looks at me. “What did you and Dominick agree on as plan for tomorrow night?” He still sounds mad but I can tell he's trying to sound calmer. He probably doesn't want to upset Ruby any more.

  “We didn’t come up with anything in great detail. Just that Dominick will be in the alley out the back of the bar and some of us will be hiding in the shadows to protect him when they attack. But before we jump in we have to find the controller. He has to be somewhere with a view of the alley. He’ll need a view of them to be controlling them as well as he is. So he must be at a vantage point. I’d suggest a fire escape or the roof top of one of the surrounding buildings. You two would be best to decide who and how many of us go. I think it would be safest if we make it look like you’re meeting Dominick, Wes. As second to Theo, everyone except pack will think you're in charge. Do you think you’ll be able to handle being in the line of fire when Alyssa attacks?” I hold my breath hoping his answer is what I want to hear.

  “I’d actually prefer that over hiding. I’d want to run out when I see her so if I was meant to be hiding I would ruin everything. That all sounds great, you are going to make a great alpha female,” he says with a smile. "Billy you have a think about who you think is best for the job overnight. We can discuss your choices tomorrow and then start with the phone calls.”

  “No worries! I’ve been thinking, the boss can communicate with the two of us when we are all in wolf form, do you think if we tried now he could tell us where he is and we could go get him now?”

  Wesley looks serious for a moment before a huge smile spreads across his face. “That might actually work. He’s badly injured so he should still be in wolf form. Only problem is we can't talk to him and he won’t know to communicate with us if he doesn't hear us.” His face is solemn but suddenly hope dances behind his eyes. “Bel, you're his mate. It should work between the two of you. Dammit! Why didn’t I think of that sooner?”

  “Do you really think that could work? I haven't even met his wolf yet." I knew that wasn't exactly true as soon as it left my mouth. I know his wolf. He's there with Theo all the time. He's part of him just like my wolf is part of me.

  “Alyssa and I can do it and we’re not true mates like you and Theo are. Your bond is one of the strongest bonds I’ve seen. Everyone in the pack can feel how much he loves you. When Theo falls he falls hard.” He rolls his eyes. “What have you got to lose? You might as well try it.”

  All three of them look at me hopeful. How could I let them down? Plus if I can get Theo back tonight that would be wonderful.

  “Okay, you’ll need to talk me through it. Remember I’ve never done this before.”

  “All you have to do is shift and talk to him in your head. If it’s going to work he’ll hear you and you’ll hear him reply, his voice in your head… It’s odd at first but you’ll get used to it,” Wes informs me.

  Here goes nothing.

  I stand up and crouch behind the sofa. I don’t like the idea of getting naked in front of Wesley and Billy, let alone Theo’s teenage sister, Ruby. I strip with great difficulty; the dress is the easy bit. It’s the underwear that causes me trouble. You try taking undies off while crouching down!

  Naked as the day I was born, I take a calming breath to relax. I don’t even need to call my wolf to come forward. The instant my defences are down she’s there taking over my body. Her anxiety over Theo isn’t helping my pain during the change. I can’t stop myself from grunting. Once I feel the change is complete and the pain starts to ease I open my eyes and can see my furry paws in front of me. I try to shake out the remaining tingles before I walk around the sofa into the view of Billy, Wesley and Ruby.

  A gasp comes from Ruby and I whine in response. I don’t want her to be scared of me. Her gasp confuses me, being brought up with werewolves, surely she has seen plenty of them in the fur before.

  “She won’t hurt you Ruby. You don’t need to be scared,” Wes calmly reassures her.

  “I’m not scared,” She is telling the truth. There is no fear that I can smell. Billy and Wesley should sense that too.

  I start to walk over to her slowly and cautiously so she can touch me if she wants to. That might make her feel more at ease.

  She moves to sit forward on the chair and reaches out to stroke me, starting with my shoulders. “Theo hasn’t let me be around you guys in wolf form for such a long time. It was a shock to be so close to the beauty of you,” she says, as her stroking hand works its way behind my ears. She knows how to stroke a wolf. That’s the best spot to scratch. She could scratch me there all day if she wanted too.

  “Our Bel here is some beauty,” Billy says. He’s the sweetest, scary biker, werewolf I have ever met.

  “Let’s find Theo. Focus people.” Wesley sounds anxious. He’s right!

  I lie down on the floor in front of the sofa and close my eyes.

  “Theo, can you hear me?” I ask in my head, feeling like an idiot. Nothing, I knew this wouldn’t work.

  “Theo, Theo, it’s Bel.”

  “Bel – you’re – here?” He pauses between each word as if it’s taking a great effort to speak.

  I’m suddenly hit by an immense wall of pain. Great. My empathy even works this way. I suppose it’s all through telepathic connection in a way so I don’t know why I am so surprised.

  “I – can’t – see – you.” I feel his hope, no doubt at the thought of rescue. He must think I’m there and not realise I’m only in his head.

  “No, I’m not in the room, Theo; I’m in your head, like when you communicate with Billy and Wesley in wolf form.”

  I feel him deflate as the hope in him vanishes in a split second.

  “We’re coming to get you. You just need to tell me where he’s keeping you,” I say quickly, hoping to lift his mood.

  “Was unconscious, don’t know,” he stumbles.

  “What can you see around you no
w?” I ask hoping he can pick something, anything, up.

  “Black. No eyes,” He’s not making much sense.

  I reach through the bond hoping to pick up something better, but I get the shock of my life, he’s so close to death.

  “Theo, baby, we have a plan - a trap for whoever has you. We’ll have you back tomorrow night.” I hope he can hang on until tomorrow.

  “Danger. Can control pack. Can’t confront him,” he warns.

  “It’s okay. The Pack will be safe, I promise.”

  I hope!

  “Why aren’t you healing? You shouldn’t be in this much pain now.” He should have been healing. If anything, he feels like he’s getting worse as I talk to him.

  “Need meat.” His anger hits me like a physical punch to the gut.

  “What? He’s not given you any?” I can’t believe he’d starve an injured werewolf. He must be insane. Wolves are dangerous as it is but an injured wolf is even worse. All they can think about is healing and meat gives us the energy to heal.

  “N…” I take that as a no.

  “Please stay with me. Hang on until tomorrow night. We’ll come and get you. I need my Teddy bear to hug remember?” Nothing.

  Oh god, please!

  “Babe, you’re my mate. I’ve only just found you. Don’t leave me now. I need you.”

  “Bel – I – love – you!”

  “I love you too. You’re going to hang on for me, aren’t you?” I beg.

  “I’ll try.” He feels uncertain. “He’s coming.”

  “Can you smell him?” I feel a sharp pain in my neck.

  “Tran.” He disappears. I can’t feel him anymore.

  Tran? Tran? Tranquilliser!

  My anger and sadness fills me.

  I open my eyes and the scene before me is really confusing. I appear to be stood at the bottom of the stairs growling at Billy and Wesley who are guarding Ruby half way up those stairs.

  Chloe barges through the door to the hall on my left shouting, “What is going on d…?” the second she sees me she changes her tone to a whisper. “Wes, what’s happening?”

  My attention instantly changes from the three on the stairs to Chloe. My Wolf has been dying to tear her apart.

  Wes doesn’t answer her and addresses me instead. “Bel, did you talk to Theo?” I can feel him coming back down the stairs.

  I stalk closer to Chloe. She is backing up against the wall. The fear coming from her is making me enjoy this all the more. I growl at her.

  The terrified scream behind me catches my attention.

  Ruby.

  “Bel, where’s Ted? Let’s go get Ted.” She sounds terrified.

  Ted, my Teddy.

  I instantly shift back to human. I’m stood naked in the room in front of all four of them.

  Wes grabs my clothes and brings them over warily.

  “I’m sorry about all that. I didn’t realise it was happening, I wasn’t aware of the things here. I was with Theo. Did I hurt anyone?” I look at each of them inspecting for injuries.

  They all stare at me in silence.

  I can still feel Chloe frozen in fear behind me as I slip the dress over my head. I shift the position of my body slightly so that my back is to the sofa and Chloe is to my side, just in case she decides to attack. She has her head down in a bow towards me.

  “No, Bel just scared us, that’s all.” Ruby sounds shaken.

  “Ruby, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you,” I plead.

  “It’s okay.”

  “What made you so angry? Is Theo okay?” Wesley asks, even he sounds shaken.

  I look at Ruby wondering what to say? How much can she take? It doesn’t take her long to guess what I’m thinking.

  “Just tell me. I need to know, even if he’s dead. Please just tell me.” I hope she really means what she’s saying.

  “He’s not dead, but he’s in a real bad way. I’m not sure he’ll last the night.”

  The whole room fills with everyone’s sadness.

  “He wasn’t making complete sense, but he knows we are coming for him tomorrow night and he said he’ll try to fight, to hang on until then. He’s not getting any meat and he isn’t healing.”

  They are all listening in silence but their emotions are speaking loud and clear. They’ve all gone from sadness over his imminent death to raging anger over the controller not giving him any meat.

  “He can’t see anything. I don’t know if his eyes are injured or he’s blindfolded, he just said black, when I asked him what he could see. He was unconscious between Misty’s and getting there so he doesn’t have any idea where he is. The controller just shot him with a tranquilliser dart and that’s when I lost contact with him.”

  They are still staring at me in silence, but the rage is speaking loud and clear.

  Billy is the first to break the silence. “Fuck! I can see why you became so aggressive.”

  “Okay, so tonight’s rescue mission is a no go but we still have tomorrows plan of attack.” I think Wesley is trying to reassure us all so we keep our hopes up, but maybe he is just reassuring himself out loud.

  “Since I know we’re not being ambushed and the growling has finished, I’m going back to bed, good night.” Chloe turns and leaves out the same door she had just entered, shutting it behind her.

  “I’m off to bed too,” I say. “We’ll need as much energy as possible for tomorrow. It’s going to be physically and emotionally draining. Billy you’re staying here the night aren’t you?”

  Billy nods in response.

  “Bel you might as well stay too. There are enough rooms. You’re acting leader, it would probably be best to be were the Pack can get in touch with you,” Wes suggests.

  “Plus the more weres in here the safer since someone broke the door and deemed it unlockable.” A smarty-pants Billy adds making us all laugh.

  “I’m not sure. I need to eat.” Shifting takes energy and makes me hungry. “I don’t have any other clothes here and I can’t really sleep in this,” I say gesturing towards my dress.

  “Ted has heaps of food in. He’s always eating. I’m sure we can find you a spare t-shirt and sweats. Please say you’ll stay,” Ruby begs with an eager look on her face.

  “Okay, but I hope there is a lot of food because I’m going to be shifting a number of times over night to check in on Theo, remind him to hang in there. Where are you sleeping Ruby?”

  “I’m in the room next to Ted’s. You could sleep in the room at the other side of mine,” she offers.

  “Okay, that sounds like a plan,” I agree with a smile.

  “I guess that means I’m your next door neighbour, hey?” Billy says as he nudges Wes in the ribs.

  “Ow, Billy. If you’re scared of sleeping downstairs on your own, you can be my neighbour. I’m off up now. Do you want me to walk with you, Billy, to keep you from getting scared?” Wes jokes making us all burst into laughter.

  “Fuck off, mate,” Billy says.

  “We can ring the pack members we decide would be best for the job after breakfast about ten o’clock. All three of us will need to be down here to discuss it at eight thirty,” Wes says more seriously.

  I frown. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that Wes wants me in on the decision or if it’s the fact that he was referring to eight thirty in the morning. I haven’t seen that time of the day in years!

  “Why do I need to be here that early? I wouldn’t have a clue who would be good for the job.” I complain.

  “You need to ring and give the order to do the job. It comes with the role of the alpha’s mate. Well in this situation, it does anyway.”

  “Well then I can come down at nine forty five,” I suggest more cheerful at that thought.

  Billy starts to laugh, “Are you not a morning person by any chance, Wolfy?”

  “Are you kidding? I’ve not seen that side of noon for the last two years,” I say shaking my head. It’s too bloody early.

  “Eight thirty,” is all Wes say
s just as he opens the door leading to the hall.

  Billy waves bye to us and follows Wes, closing the door behind him. Leaving me and Ruby alone in the lounge room.

  23. REUNION

  Theo