Bayou Wolf (11 page)

Did the pack have a name?
That question earned her a glare from Mason. A pack with a name might be even further established.

What did they really know of the Alpha and her plans?
Not enough.

The last question had seemed to be a breaking point for Diesel. He didn’t storm out or register any complaint, he simply walked away.

“Well, break time.” Cassius rose to his feet and extended a hand to her. “Can I offer you a drink?”

Ignoring his hand, she stood and said, “Not interested.” If he needed a blow to the head to get the point home, she would be happy to deliver it. One step away and his hand closed on her arm. Pausing, she glanced at his hand, then at his eyes. The flirting gave way to a ferocious, steady stare. “Unless you want me to remove that hand and beat you to death with it, you should stop touching me. Now.”

He’d tested his power against her once before—when she’d been a newly anointed Alpha and he’d come to ‘witness’ the claiming battles. Biding his time, he’d waited until the last of the challengers fell away and the revels filled the Quarter with her wolves out to party to make his move.

Oh, he’d laughed it off after and grinned about testing her mettle. He’d offered to unite their packs, and he’d wanted in her bed. She’d slit him from his neck to his gut and the only thing keeping her from finishing the task then had been she didn’t want his pack and she sure as hell didn’t want him in her bed.

They could have been enemies after the altercation, but he’d never referenced it again. For the most part, what few interactions they exchanged through Hunters and Hounds had been amicable. Across the room, Mason and Brett stilled. If Cassius cared about their audience, it didn’t show.

“I would like a word with you while we’re both here,” Cassius said, letting his hand linger a moment longer before he released her.

“I’ll consider it.” She canted her head to the side.

“Thank you.” The expression of gratitude was a new one. Cassius’ customary smirk also failed to put in an appearance. He gave her a wide berth as he headed for the bar. Turning her attention from Cassius and his peculiarities, she considered Diesel and his…

“I’ll talk to him,” Mason said, as though reading her mind—or maybe her scent. He waved her toward the buffet they’d all ignored. Fortunately it was cold foods, so it hadn’t spoiled in the interim. “Please stay, and eat. You’ve done enough mom wrangling for today.”

Mom wrangling?
Unfortunately Mason didn’t stick around to see her scowl.

“Too bad you let him get away.” Cassius grinned as he poured himself a drink. “Maybe he’d call you mom as an endearment.”

“Shut the fuck up, Cassius.” Brett’s quiet utterance leapt into the fray before she could respond. “I get it, you’re poking and testing to see who will snap, but enough is enough. You’re bordering on being rude.”

Serafina snorted. Cassius had blown past the border the day he’d been born, but then no one asked for her opinion. Ignoring the males, she constructed a sandwich from the roast beef, cheese and hard rolls. Whoever had prepared the food gave them quite a selection. She’d sniffed out the chicory coffee earlier, but hadn’t let herself indulge. After three hours, it was still hot and a hell of a lot stronger.

“Who’s going to make me, Brett?” Cassius’ voice had gone dangerously deceptive. “Last I heard, you couldn’t protect your pack, yet you want to intervene here?”

Deadly silence followed the proclamation. Instead of flinching away, the air crackled with Brett’s power. It wreathed every word he spoke, “Then you won’t mind testing the theory.”

Instead of being put off, Cassius chuckled. “Glad to see the scars are only on the surface, Brett. Betrayal is a bitter pill to swallow when it comes from within the pack.” No mocking marked his words. “Don’t let the bastards get you down.”

Pivoting, Serafina studied the Sutter Butte Alpha, but the sober moment had passed and he poured himself a second drink.

“We’re not going to agree on a sixth pack, are we?” The real question betrayed his doubts in the process.

“Nothing has been decided,” she replied, re-entering the debate as the testosterone in the room decreased. “We have more questions than answers. We’ve all lost pack members to this new one, either directly via Lone Wolves who’ve joined her. If it were only a handful, it would be of no consequence.”

“It’s not a handful,” Brett stated, taking her place at the buffet as she reclaimed her spot on the sofa with her sandwich and coffee. “Granting her the right to rule sets a dangerous precedent.”

“Yes,” Serafina said. “And no.” After a sip of the chicory, she considered how to frame her next words.

“We’ve already set a precedent because we didn’t put them down immediately.” Tumbler in hand, Cassius paced from behind the bar and walked the room. “Our laws are under scrutiny, and our packs know we are here. Willow Bend definitely does, anyway. They know the question exists and that establishes a fresh chance for survival for all those the law prevented from acting before.”

Not an unfair point. “We need to know more about the Alpha. We can’t make any kind of reasonable decision without assessing her ability. If she can’t hold the pack, the entire discussion is moot anyway.” A disintegrating pack was a far more dangerous beast than the existence of the sixth to begin with.

“Then we should have the Enforcer here who met with her,” Brett said, returning to his own seat with a sandwich about half the size of what he should be eating. The scars, the lack of appetite—the hollowness about him. The Hudson River Alpha was not healthy.

“Bringing Margo back means we have to deal with her mate,” Mason said as he returned. “Salvatore isn’t a bad guy, but the Alpha problem we have is his sister. We do not need to find out if the two have reconciled in the interim and find out we have to deal with Seven Hills at the same time.”

Meeting his gaze, Serafina raised her brows. Where was Diesel?

“He will rejoin us shortly. The phones in the room are irritating him.” When Mason didn’t offer any further explanation or seem perturbed by it himself, Serafina shrugged it away.

Diesel was old. If the sound bothered him, it might have been an excuse to escape the room with the other alphas or a valid argument. Either way, it wasn’t worth worrying over.

“We could video chat the Enforcer. I’m assuming she has access to a computer there.” The suggestion from Cassius halted all of them. “I mean, I know Diesel still lives in the Dark Ages, but this Salvatore had a jet. I figure if you have a jet, you aren’t afraid of computers.”

The wholly reasonable idea settled like a live grenade between them. Mason grimaced, then pulled out his phone and said, “I’ll text her.”

Taking a bite of her sandwich rather than saying anything, Serafina let their muted conversation continue around her. Yes, speaking to Margo would give them more information—but Margo was no Alpha. She was a powerful Enforcer. She may have mated an Alpha, but she didn’t know what it took to be Alpha. The only ones who knew the answers to those inquiries were already in Willow Bend.

So, go…
The whisper in her ear solidified the thought she’d already considered. She needed to meet the Alpha of their so-called sixth pack. She needed to meet her and take her measure.

I can use Rayne to accomplish that goal.
Long before he’d mated the Italian wolf, Rayne Barrows had been a Delta Crescent Hound. Serafina knew him, had grown up with him, and served with him under her father’s rule. Yes, she could use Rayne, but she would need to persuade Linc, and he was altogether different nut to crack.

T
he hours
the Alphas spent meeting dragged by with a level of tedium Linc hadn’t expected. Dylan, Tyler and Owen played several rounds of poker while waiting, but Linc excused himself from the game after he lost nearly two weeks’ pay in the first half-dozen hands. His mind was not on the cards.

Pacing away from the others, he took some time to organize his tools in the truck. One-by-one, he went over each checking for damage. The detail orientation of the work helped him not dwell on Serafina alone with four Alphas. Though certain she could take care of herself, he couldn’t chase her smile, the taste of her lips or the feel of her strength wrapping around him from his thoughts.

Nothing about her was delicate, yet he’d never met a more feminine woman. His cock stiffened every time he remembered her scent or envisioned the tawny color of her eyes. After returning the hammer to the toolbox, he flattened his hands on the tailgate. Obsessing over the silkiness of her skin and the mouthwatering spice of her scent served no purpose.

A hand came down on his shoulder, and a light fist bumped his chest. “Your rent money.” Ty said.

Stiffening, he couldn’t suppress his jerk of surprise. The money bounced to land on the tailgate. Picking up the rolled bills, he glanced at Ty. His brother folded his arms and leaned against the tailgate next to him.

“Your rent. I cleaned them both out and got your money back.” Wearing a faint frown, his brother studied him. “And something’s bugging you.”

Not bothering to lie to Tyler, he shrugged. “I can’t talk about it.”
Truth.
It directly related to Serafina Andre, and they all had orders to protect their assigned Alphas. What they heard? What they discussed? Not open for debate with others.

Nodding slowly, Ty didn’t argue the statement. “What
can
you say?”

Taking the time to shut the toolbox, Linc scanned the spot where Dylan and Owen had been. Neither Hunter was present.

“They went to do a circuit around the property. We’ve got Hunters stationed everywhere but after last night, Owen’s not taking any chances.” Ty bumped his shoulder with a fist. “It’s just you and me.”

Great, he’d totally missed the other two wolves leaving. Not a good sign. Lusting after Serafina was a distraction they couldn’t afford. What if he missed something important and she got hurt because of it? After shoving the money into his pocket, Linc mirrored his brother’s pose and leaned against the tailgate.

“You knew Claire was your mate when we were kids. You never wavered on it.” Linc remembered the day Ty told her. It had been the weirdest damn thing. He and his brothers had been playing, some stalking game when Ty abandoned his hiding spot and stalked across the playground.

“Yes,” Ty said with a nod. “She was the prettiest girl at school. Still is.” The hint of humor didn’t alleviate Linc’s dark mood. “But knowing and being smart about it—were two different things.”

If it had been A.J. instead of Ty, A.J. would have ordered him to spill his guts. Ty waited with more patience than Linc ever possessed. His mother used to joke Ty took all the patience, it was why Linc had none. “When Mason ordered Vivian brought here, we both decided to prevent anyone taking her—because we knew what A.J. did for her and we knew A.J. wouldn’t want her hurt.”

“We made the call we knew he would.” Ty nodded. They’d not hesitated at the time, even though it pit them against Mason and threatened their own freedom. Protecting family came first and Mason was still too new as Alpha, they weren’t entirely sure they trusted him.

“We were wrong.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t know it at the time. So, I stand by the decision we made. Vivian came first. She’s A.J.’s mate. He protected Claire for me—even when I was being too bullheaded to see it.” A.J. had. Linc hadn’t.

He grimaced.

“Brother, that’s done.” Ty thumped him and the blow eased the ache of failure in his gut. “You were protecting
me
and I get it. You were stupid, but your heart was in the right place.”

“Story of my life.” He was stupid, wrestling with the urges Serafina woke in him, urges which could be seen as disloyal to his Alpha. To his family. What the hell was wrong with him?

“Linc, talk to me.” Concern deepened his voice. “Cause now you’re worrying me.”

“When I can, I will.” If it were any other wolf he entertained these feelings about, his brothers would be the first ones he called. Serafina wasn’t any other wolf. The fact he’d promised to be in her bed weighed upon him.
Time to change the subject.
“How is Claire today?”

“Fine. Don’t try to distract me.” Though always willing to discuss his mate, Ty didn’t take the bait. “I know you can’t discuss her, but is whatever is wrong related to her?”

“I can’t answer that,” he said, meeting his brother’s eyes. “You know I can’t answer it.”

“Which is, in and of itself, an answer.” Worry coated Ty’s every word. “Tell me this, do you need me to call A.J.?”
Need. Not want.
The specific phrasing comforted him on a level which needed no words.

Did he need A.J.? His wolf was silent on the subject. Unlike Linc, his wolf didn’t seem remotely troubled by the situation. His beast wanted Serafina as much as he did, and she wanted them.
No problem, right?

“Linc?”

“Leave it alone, Ty.” He straightened and returned to his tool inventory. “It is what it is. If I need help, I promise, I’ll ask.”

“All right, cause if you don’t, I’ll tell Mom on you.”

“Traitor.”

“Jackass.”

They grinned and Linc swung first. They were in the dirt wrestling when the tool box slid sideways because they hit the truck. Tools spilled out with a clang of metal.

Laughter wormed its way from beneath the dense cloud of worry. Linc got his arms around Ty’s neck, then his brother drove an elbow into his solar plexus and knocked the wind out of him. Still gasping, he landed on his back and slammed his feet into Ty’s chest and flipped him.

Rebounding, they circled each other.

“Twenty on Linc.” Dylan said from the far side of the clearing.

“You’re on,” Owen’s chuckle should have stopped them, but Linc didn’t dare take his gaze off Tyler as they each feinted trying to draw the other out.

Leaves crumpled to the east. Linc pretended to glance toward the sound and Ty fell for it, his brother rushed him and he flipped him. Tyler didn’t give him long to celebrate the move before yanking his legs out from beneath him. He hit the ground with an ‘oof,’ then Ty’s elbow slammed into the side of his head.

O
ne thing was certain
, by the time Serafina called him to pick her up from the Carlyle Manor House, Linc’s brooding had passed. She stood at the base of the steps, her face tipped toward the gunmetal clouds overhead. The sharpness ozone and ice poured through his open window. Slowing the truck on the turn, he opened his mouth to call a greeting when the black leather clad wolf stalked down the steps behind her.

“I told you I wanted to talk to you while we were both here.”

“I heard you,” Serafina replied, her expression unruffled. “I also told you I would consider it.”

“But you’re leaving before we talk?”

“Yes, because I’m in the truck pulling away while you shout obscenities behind me.” The irony in her statement pulled a smile from Linc’s wounded mouth. Halting the truck in front of her, he studied the Alpha behind her. Serafina’s serenity seemed utterly untouched by the other.

“Great,” the Alpha said, blowing out a breath. “Fine thank you, I deserved the remark. Do you have time to discuss this with me now or should I find you later?”

Opening her eyes, Sera glanced at Linc and met his gaze. Her eyes narrowed as she took in his appearance—black eye, split lip and a black and blue mark on his jaw. They’d all heal by morning. Her eyebrows raised and his grin widened. Glancing from her to the wolf behind her, he slid the gear into park.

With a faint twist of a smile on her lips, Sera turned slowly to face the other Alpha. “Cassius, what do you want?”

So, he was Cassius. The Sutter Butte Alpha and the
douchenozzle
Ty had actually started to like. “A private word.”

“This is as private as I’m willing to let you get.” She spread her hands wide. “So, talk.”

The blond wolf gave Linc a dark stare. A muscle danced in his jaw as his cool, detached gaze assessed him. Meeting his stare long enough to let the Alpha know he wasn’t worried about him, Linc shifted his attention to focus on a spot near his right ear. It kept his gaze up, but without challenge.

“You Buckleys do look alike.”

Not reacting to the familiar charge wasn’t difficult. Tyler might like the Alpha, but Linc reserved judgment especially with the leather-jacketed thug so fucking close to Serafina. “So we’ve heard, Mr. Braun.”

Cassius slid a pair of sunglasses onto his face, but the weight of his gaze removed let Linc study him. Though he wanted out of the truck and next to her, it could very well undermine her with Cassius and insult her.

So he kept his ass in the truck, his grip on the steering wheel light and his attention rapt. It would take him about six seconds to clear the vehicle. She was more than capable of looking after herself, but Linc harbored no illusions about the size of the Alpha facing her. While Cassius was exactly her height and had at least fifty pounds in muscle mass more than she did, Linc was bigger. And hardheaded. Alpha or not, he’d get a pound of flesh out of him if he so much as scratched one inch of her silky skin. Then hold him down so she could beat the crap out of him.

“This discussion is between the two of us.” The power in Cassius’ words brushed over Linc and then slid right on by. He ignored the attempt to command him, Mason’s orders to keep to himself what he heard while on the assignment suited their purposes fine.

“Of course.” Serafina’s pervasive calm soothed the agitation in Linc’s wolf. “Though if you waste much more time reminding me of a fact you already requested, I might get a little cranky.”

The other Alpha chuckled. “Fair point. I wanted some advice.”

Surprise rippled through Serafina’s scent, a reaction Linc shared.

“It’s time for a change in Sutter Butte. The battles, the fighting—it served a purpose in the early days, when the pack was comprised of every outcast from the others.”

What?

“But you don’t feel it has a place anymore?” No judgment marked her tone, only earnest curiosity.

“I think it began creating more problems than it solves.” Did he reach the stellar conclusion before or after Tyler’s mate had been put through hell? Linc locked his hands on the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. “True change takes time and support. I wanted to know if you would loan me Sovvan for a few weeks.”

Had Linc been in front of her, he did not think he would have noticed the way Serafina’s back stiffened. “You are asking me to send one of my wolves into the insanity of your pack with what guarantees for her safety?”

“My personal protection. She will travel nowhere I am not, but I could use her assessment and assistance.” Though he was for all intents and purposes asking for a favor, hat in hand, Cassius’ tone carried a thin note of steel. “I would owe you a favor, Serafina.”

“Yes, you would.” She inclined her head. “I will consider your request. We may talk more at length in the future before I am willing to send Sovvan, but understand, I will give Sovvan the option of saying no and I will send a Hound with her. Are we clear?”

“Crystal. Your consideration is all I can ask. Thank you, Serafina.” Cassius gave her a nod, then glanced at Linc again. “Buckley.”

Douchenozzle.
“Braun.” Since he wanted to use last names, Linc joined in the fun. Cassius angled away from them and strolled down the drive, a cell phone in his hand. Picking up his phone, Linc texted Ty.
Your Alpha is walking down the drive.

Instead of getting into the car immediately, Serafina watched Cassius go with an inscrutable expression. “Do I want to know why you’re all banged up,
sha
?”

It took Linc a moment to realize she’d asked him the question. Grinning, he said, “Chat with my brother.”

Pivoting, Sera faced him before tugging the passenger side door open. “
Sha
, if my brother and I looked like that after every chat, folks would worry.”

“Looks worse than it is.” The beating helped, and he hadn’t let Ty go unscathed. So how far could he push? They weren’t lovers.
Yet.
“How was your day?”

Her husky laughter sent a pulse of need racing through his system. Weird how he spent most of the day worried about what wanting her meant, only to have her make it all right with one low, throaty sound. “Long. Troublesome. Full of more questions than answers.”

Once she’d settled and snapped her seatbelt into place, he put the truck in gear and turned toward the drive. Internally, a clock ticked down on his system. They were heading back to the guest house where she’d declared he would be hers. Need coiled in his muscles, tightening with every pound of his heart. “Well, you can relax for a few hours till tomorrow, right?”

Adjourning for the evening allowed them all to recoup their strength, consider their arguments, and resume the following day. It also boded well for the prospective new pack. No one had decided to eradicate them immediately.

“Yes,” she murmured. Then she added, “And no. Linc, I know I said I wouldn’t ask you to go against your conscience or Mason.”

His stomach plummeted, the desire in his system doused under a dose of icy reality. “You did.” He kept his tone careful and his attention fixed on the road. No sense in borrowing trouble.

Closing her hand on his thigh, Sera spoke in a gentle, but firm voice. “I’m not asking you to now, I promise. I have discovered, however, that I need to absent myself from Willow Bend proper for a few hours—possibly into tomorrow. So, what I will ask you to do is take me to the border, to someplace where I can rent a vehicle. Once you’ve left me there, you can tell Mason.”

Suspicion edged him and he flexed his fingers on the steering wheel. “You’re certainly not a prisoner, so I can take you wherever you want.” It didn’t violate Mason’s rules. She wanted to leave Willow Bend, not venture further into their territory or visit any part of it not open to their guests. “What about Jerome, Trish and Amy?”