The Guardian Alpha (3 page)

They were like a couple of children. Jay resisted the urge to groan and throw his hands in the air. He doubted either woman would take kindly to the expression of exasperation. However, there was one thing they both had to do to close the ceremony and to solidify understanding between pack and town. “Now, please shake hands, so we may close for the evening.”

“I will not bend to human traditions,” growled Selene, averting her gaze to the horizon haughtily.

Mayor Stone snorted, derisively, “What do you want, then? Butt sniffing?”

A ripple of chuckles roused around the Goldbridge side.

“Mayor Stone! That is uncalled for.” Jay growled and Mayor Stone's eyes flashed to him. He didn't care. He had never seen the mayor break her prim demeanor. Her last statement was positively crass for her. Jay softened his gaze – Mayor Stone had sincerely apologized earlier, pressing another from her would tarnish the talks – and turned to Selene, inclining his head to the alpha. “If shaking hands is not agreeable, what would you prefer, Alpha Selene?”

The redhead's lips puckered. She seemed on the verge of saying 'nothing' and relenting to Jay's request. She refused to turn her gaze to her companions. Just as Jay was about to pull a suggestion from his ass, Selene turned to Mayor Stone. She bowed low, her hair swinging to curtain her face from the rest of the world. Jay wondered if her face was a soured pucker.

As Selene stood straighter, Jay's gaze swung to Mayor Stone. He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head, to indicate it was her turn. Mayor Stone's lips pressed into another thin line, but she tilted forward. Bowing just as low as Selene, she held the position for a breath before bobbing upward. “I hope you will consider Goldbridge's offer.”

“And I hope you will think about your past transgressions against my pack.” Selene didn't wait for the mayor's retort or Jay's reprimand. She turned on her heel and marched down the hill. Her entourage followed her, closely. The ferals assembled and glared up the hill, their noses wrinkled and scowls carved deeply across their lips. Jay shifted, wondering how many were glaring at the representatives of Goldbridge and how many were glaring at him. One by one, they followed Selene into the forest.

Jay heaved a sigh and turned away, facing the Goldbridge contingent. The air of uncertainty and irritation clung to the air; people shifted and muttered under their breath. Hopelessness sunk into Jay's head. Would they ever be all right with a compromise? Heck, it didn't seem like the feral pack – no, the Crystal Ridge pack, right? – was willing to give anything up.

The wolves of Goldbridge started to wander away from the hill without the mayor's direction. Displeased muttering trailed after them.

“This isn't going to end well, is it?” Jay muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair. He took a deep, steadying breath and closed his eyes. All the pressure was going to make him sick. He sought some steadying force, deep inside of him and probably located back at the Crystal Ridge pack cave.

There was the slight shifting of grass and Mayor Stone's perfume hit his nose. “On the contrary, you did well to keep the peace.”

“Ma'am?” Jay cracked his eyes open, turning a curious glance toward his boss.

“I believe the alpha and I know our own faults. Neither of us like to compromise and there is plenty of bad blood in this feud.” Her eyes stayed trained on the retreating people of Goldbridge. Her expression pinched against strain. Mayor Stone was choking on a pretty big piece of pride and Jay was all ears. “You separated us before fur could fly.”

“Thank you, Mayor Stone.”

The mayor made a noncommittal grunt before she climbed down the hill. Jay watched her descend and walk off into the shadows of the evening. Lights flicked on in Goldbridge, drowning out the stars that oversaw the world.

The words exchanged between the mayor and Selene played on perpetual repeat in Jay's head. Not the best display for either leader. However, if Kristi had joined her counterpart, Jay could only imagine the blowback they'd be dealing with now. His gaze flickered to the forest. Somewhere, past the trees and brambles, was Kristi. Jay attempted to open the link between them. Small resonances trembled along the connection: water and cold and refreshment – a bath or an evening swim?

Either way, Jay wished he could be there with her. He shook the desire from his head. It was useless, Kristi never wanted to see him again and, frankly, he didn't deserve her. Pulling up the rear, Jay followed listlessly behind the other Sentinels as they made their way back to their trailers.

Unseen by him or anyone else, including the mostly departed ferals, were the small shadows that crept along the forest's edge. The small shadows tilted their heads, sniffling loudly. Then it took off, toward the city of Goldbridge.

CHAPTER FOUR

Steam swathed Jay as he urged himself to relax. The muscles in his shoulders screamed in contempt, clawing down his back. Despite the physical inactivity of the meeting, the strain of stress still took its toll. Under the hot shower, he forced all thoughts of Kristi from his head, willing her image to evaporate into the steam.

A ringing crash shattered through the quiet air. Jay's eyes snapped open, his fingers curling tightly around the bottle he held. An excessive glob of shampoo squirted into his hand, covering his palm. Jay strained against the tattoo of water to hear what had happened. Did something he carelessly piled up topple? Had someone charged into his trailer, out of urgency and desperation? Or was it a feral seeking to stop the discussions between Goldbridge and Crystal Ridge? The last thought brought images of yellow eyes and angry brows; Jay's heart stuttered.

He steeled himself as he shut off the shower, his hearing piqued for any out of place sound. The shower knobs squeaked loudly, but the water ceased pounding. Jay narrowed his eyes and, slowly, pulled the shower curtain aside. An empty bathroom greeted his sight. Moving with care, he stepped out of the tub and snatched his towel, quickly wrapping it around his waist.

The groan of weight along the hallway floor screamed into his ears. He paused, holding his breath. His ears strained to hear more, his nose flared trying to catch a scent. The steam and water and his toiletries masked the intruder's scent. Jay advanced silently on the door, turning the knob with care so it wouldn't rattle.

He slammed the door open, his gaze surveying up and down the hallway. Nothing. Jay snorted to himself, eyebrows furrowed as hairs stood up on the back of his neck. Something wasn't right. He padded down the hall to the kitchen area.

As soon as his sole hit the tile of his kitchenette, though, a shrill scream echoed into his ears. He jolted and snatched the feral, little girl from her mid-air jump. She yelped just as pain splintered up his calf. Jay grunted, dropping the child hastily to the floor as he swatted the other child – who had sunken her teeth into his leg - away, as gently as he could.

“What are you doing here?” Jay gawped as the girls dropped into fighting stances in front of him. His gaze flickered to the front door. What were his Sentinels doing to allow such a breach? Then again, they were used to looking out for full-grown lycans, not pups.

Jay's eyes trailed back to the children, eyeing them. He recognized them. They were the three hellions who interrupted his first bath of freedom with Kristi. Well, two of the three. An alarm went off in the back of his head, but Jay ignored it.

“You said you wouldn't hurt her,” screamed blue-eyed Vera. Her voice had a tinge of hurt in it that scent guilt pounding through Jay's heart.

The blonde girl, Lily, nearly cried as she exclaimed, “You lied!”

Both girls wobbled in their stances, their fists visibly tightening. Jay could see the hesitance wage over their expression. They weren't even sure of themselves, but anger could be a good motivator. As one, they screamed and charged toward Jay, their little fists flying.

“Stop it,” Jay growled as he evaded their tiny hits. Even when impact was made, their blows only stung for a second. This was ridiculous, especially since he was in a towel. In a grunt of exasperation, Jay lunged and caught both girls by both their wrists, “
Stop!
”

The feral children sniffled, tears brimming in their eyes despite their livid glares. Vera swallowed heavily before growling, “Mates are forever. This is serious, Jay.”

“I know,” Jay snapped and the girls' eyes widened. He sighed, his shoulders falling. His gaze swung from one to the other, his tone softening, “I didn't want to go.”

“Then why did you?” Vera sniffled, her brown eyes welling up with tears. Her nose turned a ruddy shade of red as she averted her gaze.

Admiration and guilt danced a strange tango in Jay's head. Kristi was simply adored by her pack. He had hurt her. Even the children felt so strongly about his actions. And, maybe, they came to care for him, too. The girls' near-tears expression made him wonder. Jay shook the thoughts and ruefulness away. When he came back to Goldbridge, he made his choice. The pack would never allow him back.

His throat felt tighter and he rasped, “Girls, it's complicated.”

“Try us,” bit out Vera, her brown eyes hardening. Her fingers clenched tightly in Jay's grasp, her hands moving desperately to be free of his hold. Jay held firm, though. The last thing he wanted were two ankle-biters trying to rain hell down on him – even if they couldn't manage to hurt him…yet.

“Your last alpha, Alpha Gavin, stole silver from Goldbridge.” Jay took a deep breath, uncertain if this was genuinely an appropriate topic of conversation for the pups or not. However, by their hurt expressions and his sense of guilt, it didn't matter. He wanted them to understand. “He planned to use that silver to wage a war on Goldbridge.”

“So?” Lilly pulled at her arms savagely, her brows lowering.

“Lily, Vera,” the girls ceased their struggling as Jay used their names. Their eyes focused on him as he went on, “There are children like you, here in Goldbridge. There are families who have been here for decades.” Jay steeled himself against the backlash he was about to receive, but he bit out, “This is their home.”

Lily bristled, resuming her desperate – if vain – attempts to escape his vice-like grasp, “It was
ours
first.”

“I understand that, but that's why Goldbridge and the Crystal Ridge pack are trying to come to a compromise.”

“Alpha Kristi says we shouldn't have to compromise!”

“Yes, I imagine she would,” sighed Jay. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Even though exasperation dotted his thoughts, he couldn't help the fondness that roiled beneath the surface. At least, he couldn't say Kristi wasn't passionate. Still, her passion sometimes got in the way of critical thinking. “When someone is too close to the situation, it's called a bias. I'm doing my best to remain as unbiased as possible.”

Vera screeched, “But you're her Mate!”

“That doesn't mean we agree on everything,” Jay replied, his eyebrows dipping into a 'v.' “And disagreement isn't betrayal.”

“It might as well be,” muttered Lily, averting her eyes.

Frustration flared through Jay's thoughts. He gave the girls' wrists a squeeze and growled, “That's enough. Now, where's Hazel? The three of you are attached at the hips.”

The two girls suddenly went very limp and very quiet under his gaze. Jay's heart pounded into his throat. Before he could press the issue, a desperate knock sounded from his door. Together, three pairs of eyes snapped to the door. “Sir! Dr. Young couldn't get hold of you. Something is going down at the hospital.”

“What?” Vera gasped. From the corner of his eye, he watched the girls exchange wide-eyed looks. His stomach fell to his knees. Various scenarios bombarded his head, quickly followed by the repercussions of Hazel's injuries. If any Goldbridge citizen was involved, the feral pack would have their head.

As Jay neared the door, he hoped and prayed Hazel had nothing to do with the hospital.

CHAPTER FIVE

The cave was abuzz with gossip of the negotiations. Kristi attempted to ignore every word, but the phrases followed her insidiously, tagging at her heels like bad luck. She innately began to understand what happened. Selene and the Goldbridge's watered down version of an alpha began to get heated, so Jay separated them. The discussion would renew that evening.

Hearing of Jay's involvement brought a swell of pride and disgust in Kristi's breast. Try as she might, she couldn't disentangle her emotions. She felt split in two. There was one place that got her mind off her personal problems.

Her feet carried her without thought to the inventory cavern. The pack cleaved a path for her, giving Kristi and her alpha status a wide berth. Still, the talk of the negotiations wafted too close for comfort. She tried to shut her ears out to the noise as she twisted through the corridors that were slowly sloping downward.

She passed by two hulking guards, both who nodded and dropped their gazes as Kristi passed. Finally, she stepped into the huge cavern that housed their hoard. As soon as she stepped onto the runes, the alchemist fire in the ceiling gently lit. Her eyes quickly adjusted and she gleaned over the accumulated items. Two hundred years worth of looting and raiding stretched out before Kristi. Useless things like books and paintings and decorations filled the room, but there were items of immense use.

To her left sat all the medical supplies they had collected. Medicines, bottles, bandages, wraps, gauze, and more lined the tables in neat lines, similar objects clustered together. She had visited this room plenty times, seeking medical supplies. However, this time, she turned to her right.

A wall of weaponry stretched out before her. All of it sickeningly gleamed under the alchemist light and Kristi's stomach churned. The hair along her skin stood on end and her body slowed. She fought her instincts as she neared the silver.

Buckets lined the wall just below the weapons. More silver - ready to be forged into swords and maces and bullets – filled those buckets: silverware, necklaces, and rings, anything that hadn't been screwed down at the time of the raid. To Alpha Gavin, anything and everything was fair game in this war.

Kristi edged closer to the buckets. Her wrist, where that bear trap had clamped down on her, burned as she neared the materials. She rubbed her skin and her mind slagged behind the thought of using these weapons. Her imagination brought the scent of silver burn, the painful screams and yowls of battle, the hiss of metal through flesh, and the ricochets of gunshots.

Then Jay's face lit up in her mind. Anger and rage and bitterness clamped down on her. How did they know Goldbridge hadn't prepared for war, as well? That stinking town could have triple the silver and more lethal weapons. This was a matter of protecting the pack – even if it meant raining down bloodshed on Goldbridge.

She reached for the protective gloves that hung on the walls. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she tugged the gloves on and turned to the barrels of silver. Maybe there was another way, though. Two packs at war, one alpha falls. The packs become one. Kristi swallowed as a plan began to scurry and grow in her head.

“There you are!” Selene's voice shattered Kristi's thoughts. She stifled her jolt of surprise and turned as Selene approached her. The redhead's eyes shifted from Kristi's face to the silver. Something changed in Selene's stance as she returned her gaze to Kristi's eyes. “I'm sure you've heard how the meeting went.”

Kristi turned away, finishing tugging the gloves into place. She only grunted in reply to Selene, before snatching a sheaf of papers pinned to the wall. Pretending to flip through the inventory sheets and smelting schedule – which had been delayed thanks to negotiations – Kristi refused to look to her co-alpha.

“They seem sincere, Kristi,” Selene said, her voice soft with frustration and uncertainty.

Kristi didn't bother looking up as she flipped another paper. “They always do.”

“You can't hold the whole town to Jay's actions.” Selene's words came out harsh and angry.

Kristi almost felt bad. She turned and caught Selene's glower. She cocked an eyebrow at her co-alpha, as if to say 'watch me.'

Selene heaved a sigh and ran her hand through her hair. The twinge of guilt laced through Kristi's thoughts. Selene was trying to take the mature route. She knew that. Bitterness and hurt dragged Kristi down as soon as she considered an alliance or renewed contract with Goldbridge. And she couldn't argue against the feelings. Jay had betrayed her. Goldbridge had a history of using and abusing the pack. To trust them, to give them an inch, meant setting up their followers for pain or – worse – death.

“We need to be critical, Selene,” Kristi turned away, resisting the urge to hunch her shoulders to her ears. She had nothing to be uncertain about. She was an alpha, now. She and Selene were on even footing. “Goldbridge has a very long history of lying, backstabbing, and going against written pacts.”

“I know that,” Selene snapped. Kristi's gaze snapped to the redhead's face. For a brief second, a flare of tension swayed between them. The tenseness eased away as Selene's stiff shoulders relaxed. “The city is under new leadership that's willing to meet with us. That's something.”

“Yeah, something worrisome.” Kristi muttered under her breath. As she turned back to the barrels of silver, she rolled her eyes to herself. Goldbridge had
always
been a bad idea. It had ruined their pack and sent them into the forest, away from sacred lands and fertile dirt. Goldbridge's construction drove away prey and brought in pests of all sizes. The longstanding rivalry had killed countless lycans, on both sides.

“What are you doing anyway?”

Kristi's heart slammed into her throat. She hadn't been thinking of anything when she came to the inventory room. She just wanted to get away from all the talk of Goldbridge – fat lot of good that did. However, with the papers in her hands and the gloves on, one answer came to mind. “I was thinking of taking it to the forest folk for smelting.”

“What for?” There was an edge to Selene's voice that grated on Kristi's thoughts.

She swallowed down her bristling thoughts of rage. It wouldn't do anything for pack morale if both alphas went head to head. Instead, she forced her tone into light caution, “You never know when we'll need it.”

“So, you're going to make weapons while I try to manage peace?” The barb in Selene's voice grew. Kristi's gaze flickered up as Selene sighed in exasperation. The redhead crossed her arms and sneered, “That's just great, Kristi.”

“Hey, someone has to look out for our people.” The words came out of Kristi's lips before she could manage them. She instantly regretted it.

Selene's gaze hardened and Kristi could see her lips twisting into a growl. “That's what I'm doing.”

“And you did such a great job yesterday.” It seemed Kristi's mouth had a life of its own. Then again, she didn't really mind. The whole thing with Goldbridge had been gnawing on her mind and leaving a sour pucker to her stomach. She and Selene were of even status; she could freely criticize her. That didn't stop Kristi's heart from shuddering under Selene's heated glare. “I heard the stories. You and that alpha–”

“Mayor.”

“Whatever,” Kristi muttered, wrinkling her nose. She couldn't believe Selene was correcting her, over Goldbridge of all things! “You and that
mayor
were about ready to sink your teeth into each other.”

“And Jay arbitrated a temporary solution,” replied Selene, icily.

Kristi balked at the mention of her Mate. Bitterness and frustration coiled in her head as residual pain flickered over her nerves. Spite coalesced over her tongue as she spat, “In the mean time, one of our own could get hurt or killed while our guard is down.”

Anger flashed in Selene's eyes. Her eyebrows dipped into an angry 'v' as she swept her arms toward the silver and the weaponry. “And that's how you justify preparing for a battle that may never come?”

“
Yes,
”
Kristi hissed, setting down the sheaves of paper. Her muscles tensed as she and Selene stared each other down. Her shoulders set, her hair prickled across her scalp, her bones prepared for an impromptu transformation. Selene's body tensed, making the same adjustments.

The atmosphere between them flickered with lightning and weighed heavily under the tension. Heat intensified while a chilly air infiltrated Kristi's bones. If this would come down to claws, Kristi's was prepared. Part of her, though, was thankful for a lack of an audience. Selene was a good alpha and doing her best, but it seemed Alpha Gavin was the bite behind their leadership.

“Alpha Selene, Alpha Kristi, we have an urgent matter!” A pack member rushed into the inventory room, red-faced and out of breath. His wide eyes bounced between Kristi and Selene. He seemed completely ignorant of the death glares the alphas pinned against him. Or, perhaps, his news was simply much more important. “Three pups have gone missing.”