Go big or go home.
It was a phrase I lived by.
When I realized that Weres would be coming from all over the state just to tell me what it was really like to be a Were, I sat Dawson down and started working on a plan for an hour long television piece.
“There’s no way I can tell everything there is to tell in one article. Plus it’ll be more effective if the people can see the men and women about to be condemned to modern day concentration camps. The Oracle is just too small to reach the kind of audience this story deserves.”
“I assume you have an idea for the budget?”
“Gabriel has deep pockets. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind dipping in to them for a good cause.” Assuming he was still alive to care.
I swallowed past the lump in my throat and pushed the thought away.
Not long after that, Dawson and I parted ways. She needed to start calling in favors from friends with network access, and I had a couple of things to take care of on my end.
I hefted Asrai out of Dawson’s chair, surprised by how light the girl was, and left Dawson and Sonya to flesh out the details. It was still chaotic in the main room. New Weres kept showing up in droves, while the ones who’d first arrived refused to leave. I glanced around until a familiar face caught my eye.
It was Lottie. The waitress from BB’s.
I hurried over to her and I would have sworn that she was still chewing the same piece of gum she’d been smacking on last night. The pink bubble mounting her lips stretched past its endurance and popped in greeting.
“Hey,” she said, growing soft at the sight of Asrai asleep on my shoulder. “How’s the little Fae?”
At the look on my face, she tapped the side of her nose with her index finger. “The nose don’t lie. I knew what she was the second you three sat in my section.”
My arms tightened around the girl, but I didn’t back away.
“I didn’t know you were a werewolf,” I said lamely.
My version of small talk.
She shrugged. “I got turned earlier this year. I used to work at the Examiner. I didn’t even know what was happening until Gabriel showed up and explained it all.” She smiled, and the expression was tender. “He said investigative journalism was probably too high stress for a newly turned Were.”
Another piece in the puzzle. She’d been the reason he’d been at the Examiner that day. Funny how life worked. I would have questioned her further about what happened that day, but there was no point.
“I need your help,” I said instead.
“Oh really?” Another bubble burst, and I felt my nerves start to fray around the edges.
“Gabriel’s been taken. I need to get him back.” I looked around the room.
“Then go get him.”
“I need help,” I said, voice growing hoarse with desperation. “I can’t do it by myself.”
“Then you don’t deserve to be called his mate.”
I jerked away, stung. “Excuse me?”
“Look.” Bubble pop. “A pack is only as strong as its Alpha and an Alpha is only as strong as his mate. Saving him is your responsibility.” Bubble pop. “Besides, we can’t help you without permission from our Alphas anyway. Interfering in another pack’s business is a big no-no.”
Shit.
She blew another bubble, but before she could pop it I grabbed it out of her mouth and shoved the sticky wad into her hand.
“Thanks anyway,” I said sweetly, feeling strangely satisfied when shock kept her from responding. Ok, so there was an army’s worth of Weres hanging out in the Oracle, but none of them would be willing to help me.
Not without permission.
Gabriel’s instructions came back with a vengeance.
I had to call the Alphas.