The large wolf to the right of Devin smiles at me and asks, “Do you know the difference between ooh and aah?” The wolf next to him smacks him in the back of the head.
“Shut it, Lev.” The large wolf chuckles, unaffected by the hit.
“About ten inches,” I answer effortlessly with a straight face. I rather enjoy crude humor. Most of the pack laughs and Lev gapes, though there’s a twinkle of camaraderie in his eyes. It earns him a small smile in return. Grace’s cold gaze narrows and Liz continues to shy away, hiding behind Caleb. I make a mental note to mention a coffee run and a trip to the pharmacy before the conversation is over. They’ll be begging me to come along. A wicked grin curls up my lips.
I’m not the monster here; they’ll learn that. Monsters and evil exist, but that’s not who I am.
“I welcome you to our pack,” Devin begins, although I hear an unspoken but.
“Thank you.”
“Why were you in our territory?” Devin’s baritone voice is even and disrupts my thoughts.
“I respect your straightforwardness.” Meeting his silver eyes with a professional gaze, I begin. “As you know, with the new laws, our food source is now scarce. We’re doing our best to respect the Authority’s wishes, but the blood banks are hardly providing enough to sustain us.”
“Your coven sent you?”
“Yes.”
“Just you?”
“Yes; there are no others. I was hoping to talk after the offering on human territory, for obvious reasons.”
The pack nods in unison at that comment. They wouldn’t dare cause a scene in front of humans. Not when it means facing the consequences of the Authority. “I didn’t anticipate the …” I pause and tap my bloodred fingernails along the table thinking of an acceptable word. “… distractions.”
“What distractions?” Grace speaks up. It seems her curiosity is greater than her fear. There’s hope for us after all.
“Well, you fainting for one.” She pales at the reminder. “And Liz screaming certainly wasn’t conducive to holding a business meeting.” I eye the petite blonde, who has yet to smile. “It seems you’re both much more agreeable today.” There’s only a thin veil of sarcasm over my words. “And then of course … the dogs.”
“Vince has informed us. You have my sincerest gratitude.” I can’t help but to smile at the Alpha’s warmth.
“He’s in the shed.” Vince leans back in his seat. “All set up for questioning.” I eye my pup with envy. He’s laid back and easygoing.
How fate has matched us, I have no idea. I don’t know what he did in some other life to be stuck with a woman like me. Guarded and quite honestly, vengeful. I almost feel sorry for him that I’m the woman who’s meant to love him. I think I’ve long forgotten how to do such a thing.
“What dogs?” A tic in Devin’s jaw spasms at Grace’s question.
“We’ll discuss that matter later.”
The little human’s discontent is palpable. Judging by the bags under her eyes, it doesn’t appear that she’s slept much. Poor thing. Absently, I wonder how she’s taking all of this in. Glancing to Liz, I gather Grace is faring better, seeing as how she’s at least speaking her mind. “I want to know what you’re talking about.” Devin faces his mate with a hard glare, but his voice is soft when he speaks. He gently takes her hands in his. “Later, sweetheart. I will tell you later.”
Her lips purse before she parts them several times without speaking. Finally, she nods her head and repeats, “Later.”
He places their clasped hands on top of the table. “So you came to discuss business matters on behalf of your coven?”
“Yes. As I was saying, the blood banks aren’t enough. Our research indicates that the overwhelming majority of the Shadow Falls residents do not give blood. We’re willing to pay them substantially for their donations.”
“The Authority has approved this?”
“Only on the premise that it’s run by humans and that they are not privy to any information involving vampires.”
I pause, picking up the sound of tires on the long, winding driveway. Someone is coming. I listen closer.
“What does the coven—” I hold my hand up, interrupting Devin’s question. I shouldn’t have disrespected him, but I act without thinking.
“Are you expecting company?” I ask.
“No.” His silver eyes narrow.
I barely hear the voice, but I instantly recognize it. Yet another distraction. Chills trail down my spine. I may not have feared a den of wolves, but I certainly fear who’s coming next.
“The Authority is here.”
Part II
Wolf in Pain
Grace
“Who the fuck is the Authority?”
It feels like with every turn I make, there’s something new I haven’t been told. Every time I try to take control, my life is ripped from my possession. This man beside me … he’s keeping things from me and I can feel it with every bit of marrow in my bones.
His jaw clenches hard at my question and I can tell he’s debating on what he should say. “You told me you would tell me everything, Devin.” I can barely contain my frustration as I force out the words. From the corner of my eye, I see Jude cower at my hostility to his Alpha. It almost makes me regret it. Almost. He says I’m his mate and therefore his equal, but he’s not treating me like it.
I barely have a grip on anything, let alone any choices in these matters.
Devin seems unbothered by my tone and that pisses me off even more. “The Authority is in charge of communications between and within species. They formed an alliance with the humans and enacted laws to prevent certain instances from occurring.” I narrow my eyes at his sanitized response.
“Instances such as the one that occurred yesterday at the offering.” Veronica elaborates, her bewitching voice demanding my attention, the faint accent only adding to her beauty. Her tanned skin is flawless, while the way she carries herself is both demure and yet superior. I still don’t know what to make of her.
She’s a vampire and that alone sends up red flags. I hardly heard a word out of her mouth because every time her lips moved I could only stare at her fangs. She’s provocative and the embodiment of female strength; both things I value highly, yet I find myself on guard. She has a seductive aura I don’t trust.
Although she’s not the only one I hesitate to trust.
“So they’re like the werewolf police?”
Veronica’s feminine laugh echoes in the kitchen. She smiles, revealing those sharp fangs, and tells me, “The Authority looks out for themselves, first and foremost. Very little of what they do involves justice.”
“They can be very just in their actions, Veronica.” Devin’s response is slightly reprimanding.
“Just because they can be doesn’t mean they have been. They often choose a route that will instill fear and maintain their position in power. Would you not agree?”
Vince cocks a brow at his mate and her tone. Rather than overriding her, as Devin’s done to me, he smirks, nodding slightly and waiting for Devin’s response.