She yawned. What?
It’s a status battle thing. Thought you might like to partake.
Booker was awake in an instant. Establishing hierarchy ranked just below eating hearts.
We’d only used this mental attack thing in the midst of a fight before, so I followed Booker’s lead to locate the power deep in our chest. It usually sat there unnoticed, but from the mind battle with Daniil, I knew this energy could drain away.
That must be why the woman was slowly ramping up her attack. She didn’t want to overcommit.
Let’s just use a little bit of what we used on Daniil.
Got it, my wolf said gleefully.
I felt the energy rising through my chest and throat. It built in my mind, and I felt the rushing moment Booker unleashed it on the woman.
The pretty brunette thumped to the ground.
My jaw dropped as the muted conversation in the room seized.
“How much did you use on her?” An angry blonde leaned over the unconscious brunette.
Yikes. “Just a bit.”
The blonde picked up the brunette and left the room, accompanied by a few other women.
Look at us making friends, I told my wolf.
She didn’t answer, fast asleep again. I seriously envied her sometimes.
Sascha’s mother smiled at me. “Kara’s fine. She’ll wake in no time. You just overwhelmed her mind.” She raised her voice. “While we’re on the subject, would anyone else like to challenge Andie for assuming the top position?”
Just in case, I shoved a baby carrot and potato in my mouth.
No one from the nearest group seemed overly keen, and conversation resumed after several tense minutes.
I chewed on a slice of chicken and watched the wave as the females ate after me. Some still refused to eat.
Guess they’d go hungry. No skin off my fangs.
Sascha’s mother moved closer. “I’m Evelyn. You may not remember me.”
“I remember. You were knitting.”
His mother was definitely one of the older wolves I’d smelt, but I didn’t feel any danger in her company.
Sascha’s mother smelled like pine—just like her son. I’d noticed that Wade’s mother smelled like salted caramel too. Children seemed to inherit their mother’s scent as their primary smell.
“Are you recovered from your battle with Daniil?” she asked.
“There were wounds on my torso and legs, but they’ve healed.” The fight with Daniil was the easiest part of that night to process.
“I’d like to bring an issue to the pack leader,” a woman called from halfway down the bungalow.
She was small with a pointed face and large brown eyes.
“Delta,” another alpha muttered under her breath.
“Rosalie, I will hear you,” Sascha replied from the head table.
The occupants of the pack house fell silent.
Crap, this was probably about me. I shoved the three remaining potatoes in my mouth.
Evelyn rested her hand on my thigh. “Best not to eat when Sascha isn’t, dear.”
Hell would freeze over first.
Rosalie drew herself tall. “Your potential mate has joined our midst. She sleeps in our territory and uses our water and supplies. She eats our food. By our pack law, everyone on our territory must contribute.”
Luthers darted looks at me, and I paused in chewing, cheeks filled with potato.
Sascha leaned back in his antler throne. “I had thought to give Andie time to recover from her ordeal.”
“From her own lips, we’ve heard that she is healed.”
Sascha remained impassive. “There are wounds other than the physical. You saw what was done to her.”
Ugh. I resumed chewing.
“Are there other pack members who support this claim?” he asked.
Swallowing, I counted the hands.
A lot of hands.
The thought of me freeloading was the most hilarious thing to happen in a long time. Me, who’d made sure the bills were paid as best as possible since age eleven and who’d cared for her sick fake-mother, taken on her debt, and then somehow ended up caring for more than a thousand tribe members.
I snorted and slapped a hand over my mouth.
“Andie?” Sascha said. “Do you have something to add?”
“No. Nope.” My voice was strangled. “Sorry. Continue.”
He focused on Rosalie again. “What do you propose?”
“That she pays her way. She could help in Clay or Water.”
I wouldn’t mind that actually. The tribe knew precious little about pack operations in those grids.
“The Dens,” Hairy interjected. “She can play music again. Profits increased by over 2 percent while she was with us.”
Wade brought my saxophone with my other stuff, and I’d wasted no time sneaking the instrument back into the Jeep when he wasn’t looking. “I won’t play music.”
Hundreds of eyes found me again, including Sascha’s.
Hairy cast me a confused look.
I’d never touch that saxophone again. “Is there a different job at The Dens?”
Mandy spoke, “How about the casino side of things? You could work a table.”
Sascha’s growl unfurled like a whip. “You know she won’t do that.”
Yeah, that bothered me once. But who the hell cared anymore? Life was already as fucked up as it could get. What was one sliver more?
I smirked. “The casino? Sure, why not.”
“Andie.” Sascha began.
I stood, empty plate in hand. “I’m not sure how it works here, but I’ll need to be paid money.”
Rosalie crossed her arms. “That’s not how it works in a pack.”
“I have the rest of my gambling mother’s debt to pay off, so the pack will need to make an exception. Or, I can find other employment and pay a set fee to the pack for living on this territory and eating your food. I’m fine with either.”
Finding other employment could prove difficult though. The tribe owned most of the other companies, barring a few family-run businesses in town that didn’t hire outside help. The supermarket and bank would be the best bets.
Murmurs broke out.
I’d wager that Sascha didn’t want me off his territory.
He also needed to keep his pack happy.
“We have communal pack funds that each Luther has access to,” he eventually said. “Instead of this, we’ll transfer the personal share of what you earn to your account. Are you certain that you wish to work in the casino? We can find different work.”
I lifted a shoulder. “The casino is fine. When do I start?”
4
“One pays thirty-five, two pays seventeen, three pays eleven, four pays eight, and twelve pays two,” I recited to Leroy, gazing at the roulette table.
The Dens wouldn’t open for business until tomorrow night, but my training started three days ago.
Leroy placed a blue chip at the junction of zero, one, and the first twelve box. “If I put this here?”
“Five pays six.”
“Good.”
I’d always forced my mind away from gambling of any kind, but I doubt anyone could grow up without seeing a roulette table. Consider me surprised that this seemingly random assortment on red and black, odd and even numbers could make sense, but it was starting to.