Careful What You Ask For (15 page)

B
riana

I
came
wide awake at five in the morning on my last day. Tires crunched on the dirt road, and then on the cedar embedded into dirt where the cars parked in front of the old farmhouse.

I recognized the sound of Randall’s truck, and my stomach rose into my throat. I slid into jeans, a bra, a t-shirt, slipped my feet into some shoes, and met him on the front porch.

“I assume you’re packed?” he said as I came out the door.

“I can be in about ten minutes.”

“You don’t have ten minutes. Let’s walk into the woods.”

“I’m supposed to have until tonight!”

“You had until today.” He walked down the steps and around the house, and I followed him across the back pasture into the woods. He wasn’t in the mood to be disobeyed, and I instinctively knew I didn’t want to start this conversation out by refusing a direct order.

We walked a half mile to a little clearing and he turned to me as he stopped. “What’s your decision?”

“I was supposed to be able to talk to Patrick this morning. We haven’t spoken in days while he gave me time to myself so I could be sure. I need an hour with him before I give you my decision, please.”

He crossed his arms. “Be your own wolf, Briana. Decide.”

“I won’t oath directly to you. I was intending to probably oath to Patrick, but… shit! This isn’t supposed to happen this way!”

I almost expected him to react with anger at my impertinence, but he calmly told me, “I can’t let you oath to him before you oath to me. You’re telling yourself he’ll be your Alpha and not me, but you’re avoiding the fact you’ll still be one of mine if you oath to Patrick. I need you to acknowledge my place in the hierarchy, which means I won’t let you oath to him until you’ve given me your oath first.”

I crossed my arms, realized how it looked, and uncrossed them. “I need to talk to Patrick. You can be across the field from us to make sure I don’t oath to him first, but I need to talk to him.”

I’ve seen Randall punish his people before. I’ve also seen him punish lone wolves before.

I’ve never felt it, though, so I wasn’t sure what was happening when he somehow reached inside me, grabbed my wolf, and ripped her through me and out. It was like I was a reversible shirt he’d flipped inside out. I was still in my human brain, but on four legs without the skill to move them. Or, perhaps it was the jeans and t-shirt hampering me. Or a combination of everything.

I fell on my side with a whimper, and I once again felt the invasion of his energy as his metaphysical hand reached into my soul and ripped me inside out once more. This time, I curled into a fetal position in my human form. My clothes were still on me, but weren’t on right. They were twisted and rotated around me wrong, but they were the least of my problems because every cell in my body burned and hurt. I didn’t know it was possible to hurt this bad, and I dry heaved and retched, but there was nothing on my stomach to throw up.

“You consumed part of a Pack member,” Randall told me in his special
Alpha-Making-a-Pronouncement
voice. “As a lone wolf in my territory, I have the right to kill you. Oath to me or suffer the consequences, Briana.”

“Please don’t do that again. Please!” I begged from my position on the ground. “You and I both know a forced oath is bullshit – why are you doing this!?”

He dropped to the ground beside me, crossed his bent legs in front of him, and leaned forward so his face was ten inches from mine. “Your time away from us as a human gave you ideas about
fair
. You’ve forgotten that being weak makes you vulnerable to everyone stronger than you in our world. I can teach you here, in a controlled environment, or you can learn it away from me, where I have no control over the outcome.”

Every cell in my body hurt, but I went to my knees in front of him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t show proper deference. I know I’ll live in your territory only with your blessing and following your rules if I’m a lone wolf, and under your absolute rule if I join the Pack. This is
hard
, Randall. If I’m not going to try to make it work with Patrick, then it’s possible I need to move out of your territory.”

Randall had turned his back on me when my wolf hadn’t come. I understood logically why he felt it best, but rejection when you’re a teen hurts your soul, and mine was apparently still wounded. I wanted to be an adult and forgive him, but I wasn’t sure I could.

His wolf soothed my wolf, and then Randall soothed both the wolf and the woman. His energy can hurt or it can heal, and now he used it to ease my pain. He lifted me into his lap and held me like a baby as he told me, “It’s always hard when someone’s wolf doesn’t come, but I think it was harder for you because by the time you were a teen, both your parents were wolves. If one parent is still human then the child and that parent can bond during the full moon when the other family members are running, but you were all alone when you wanted to be running with them.”

I nodded agreement because I didn’t trust my voice.

“You grew into a strong woman, and now you’re a strong wolf. You’ll do well by Patrick’s side helping him run the Ringgold Pack, but there can’t be any doubt about who you and I are to each other. In a few years, I expect you and Patrick will be a formidable Alpha couple, but you and I have to come to an agreement first. I’m sorry, but this is the way it has to be.”

I took a breath and let it out.

“I need to call Duke before I do anything. This isn’t about you and me, but about my not burning any bridges.”

He nodded, and I pulled my phone out of my pocket.

I’d have much rather done this without Randall listening in, but I didn’t dare ask for privacy.

“Do you have a few minutes to talk on the phone?” I asked when he answered.

“Sure, everything okay?”

We were on an open phone call so I had to be careful of my wording.

“I’m safe. I’m at Maggie’s and your brother’s here. He’s pushing for me to make a decision this morning, before Patrick arrives. I felt I should let you know what I’m doing, since I had no intentions of going to your brother’s side when the MC took me in.”

He was silent a good twenty seconds before saying, “If you officially join them, you’ll be welcome at the bar but will need an escort into the clubhouse. Since I’m aware of the extenuating circumstances, there’s no hard feelings. If there’s a public ceremony, I’d like to be there to symbolically hand you over.”

My eyes teared up, partly at my not being welcome in the clubhouse anymore, and partly because he wanted to claim me up until the very last. “Thanks, Duke.”

“When you’re safe around the general public, we’ll set up a going away party for you in the bar. Let me know when you think you’re ready and I’ll invite you and Patrick.”

This invitation probably had as much to do with supernatural politics as it had to do with my leaving them, but it was still a nice gesture. “I will. Thanks again. I don’t know what to say.”

“Do whatever’s right for you. Tell my brother I said hi. I’ll talk to you later.”

I looked at Randall as I disconnected. “Duke says hi.”

“I heard.” He sighed. “I won’t ask you to make the Pack oath to me, but the one I give to the Alphas under me. You’ll swear fealty and homage to me, and diligence to the Pack you’re responsible to.”

He stood, and I went back to my knees.

“Offer me your hand.”

I held it up, fingers spread and bent back so my palm was vulnerable, and he shifted his hand as he swung it down. I gasped as his claw sliced my palm open, but managed to hold it in place. He cut his own palm and held it to mine.

I kept my voice steady as I gave the oath. “I swear fealty and homage to you as the Alpha of Alphas, and diligence to the Pack I’m responsible to.”

Our blood mixed and Randall pushed energy through his hand and into my body. I went lightheaded and my wolf wanted out, but I managed to keep control as the energy sizzled through our bodies and the words became oath.

Without my asking him to or giving him leave to, Randall
changed
my hand to wolf and back to human. He didn’t have to ask. He owned me now.

I looked at my perfectly healed hand and knew the proper response was to thank him, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

When the silence grew uncomfortable, I said, “I think perhaps you’re right about me seeing some things from a human perspective now. I’m appreciative my hand no longer hurts, but a little freaked out I’ve lost the autonomy that would allow me to protest something done to my body without my consent.”

He considered me a few seconds. “You were honest, and respectful, so I’ll give you some time to adjust. I’d like to take you to lunch in town. Get your things together and we’ll go.”

“I’m not ready. My control is good, but it’s still a risk.”

“Not when you’re with me. I’ll keep you human if you lose it.”

P
atrick

T
he message from Zach
— Randall’s second in command — was for me to meet Randall at The Village House for lunch. I’d intended to drive to Sand Mountain to find out Briana’s final decision, and the timing on this couldn’t be coincidence.

I wasn’t terribly surprised when I walked in to see Briana and Randall seated at a table, but I still had trouble maintaining my calm. My wolf wanted to eat Randall, and I’m certain he knew it when our gazes met across the room.

I focused on speaking with the hostess as we walked across the room, and I chose the chair beside Briana and across from Randall. I leaned in to give Briana a quick kiss on the lips before I took my seat, and then looked to Randall. “Thanks for bringing her off the mountain, but a phone call to let me know would’ve been nice. Have the two of you ordered yet?”

“Only a few appetizers. Briana and I needed to resolve some things before the two of you had your conversation, and I’m not in the habit of asking permission when determining how to handle the wolves in my territory.”

He was being deliberately abrasive, and I carefully considered my words. “I was thinking more along the lines of scheduling and convenience than a need to give permission. Have I done something to irritate you?”

“On the contrary. I’m pleased with the way you’ve managed the new Pack.” He sighed. “I’m not the most powerful wolf on the planet, or even the continent. Briana’s my wolf, but I’ll respect your claim as mate because I’m not an asshole. The same can’t be said of everyone with more power than me, and I needed to gauge your reaction.” He met my gaze. “Also, Briana and I had to work through some of our issues, and it had to be just the two of us — before the two of you did anything difficult to reverse.”

Under normal circumstances we don’t mention the fact we’re wolves in public, but Randall was doing something to keep the tables around us from hearing our conversation. I wasn’t sure how he was doing it, but I could tell he’d done something to the air around our table to somehow muffle our conversation.

I took a breath, centered, and felt Randall and Briana’s energy. I counted to ten in my head before I asked Briana, “You oathed to him?”

She gave the slightest nod possible, her eyes wary. “As an Alpha under him, but not in his Pack.”

Thankfully, the waitress chose that moment to deliver bread, onion rings, cheesesticks, buffalo wings, and shrimp kebobs. By the time she left, I’d figured out how to respond diplomatically.

“It’s my hope you’ll involve me in decisions involving my people,” I told Randall. “I’m aware you don’t have to, but I hope you’ll choose to in the future.”

“When you’re too personally involved, there’s a good chance I won’t. Otherwise, I likely will.”

It was a fair point, and I waited for him to eat a cheesestick before I reached for a wing. I put it on Briana’s saucer and then got one for me. The wolf might make her wait to eat, but the man could be a gentleman.

Time to change the subject. “I know you have connections in the Ringgold Police Department — what can you tell me about the investigation into the bodies found on my property?”

“It’s being assumed they were in the forest, had a disagreement, and just happened to come out of the woods in your yard. They crossed the creek in a boat, and the crime scene people found it — with their fingerprints. As of now you aren’t a person of interest.”

“A few detectives talked to me about it when I officially returned home, but so far nothing else has happened.”

No one spoke for several moments. Randall didn’t seem fazed by the uncomfortable silence, but I could sense Briana’s wolf pacing inside her.

“Center yourself,” I told her softly as I rested my hand on her arm. “We’re good. You told me you’d learned to bargain with her. There’s plenty of food here and more coming. Let her know how much food she’ll get if she sits back and lets you eat.”

“Are you upset with me?”

I shook my head. “I’m not pleased with the situation, but I’m thrilled you’ve decided not to be a lone wolf.”

She took a breath, centered herself, and reached for another chicken wing. “Thanks. I needed that.”

I felt her wolf settle and my gaze met Randall’s across the table. “She wasn’t ready for this.”

“She’s safe with me, but you’re correct she can’t be in public yet without one of us present to rein her wolf in if she loses control. However, you just helped her regain control with your words and not by force. I’m impressed.”

“How are you muting our conversation so people around us can’t hear?”

“I’ll show you another time.” He turned to Briana. “You’ll have a steep learning curve, and Patrick won’t be able to lend you Alpha power over the Pack until you have better control. I approve of your union, but new wolves aren’t supposed to wield so much power right off the bat. If Patrick gives you too much, it’s your responsibility to let him know.”

He looked to me. “I’ll tell anyone who asks that she was disciplined for killing and consuming someone in the Pack while she was a lone wolf, and that the details are a private matter. I’ll make it clear any further questions will be an affront to my authority.” He glanced at Briana and looked back to me. “I’ll leave discipline to you.”

I went through the rules as I understood them in my head. “She was defending me when she killed him. I can reward, punish, or let the two cancel each other out.”

He nodded and changed the subject. “I love eating here. It’s hard to find restaurants with grass fed options. My brother’s club has an arrangement with the management so they can be seated without reservations, and now I’ll owe him because he got us in last minute.” He was quiet a moment before adding, “In most cities, the Pack and MC are at odds with each other. So far we’ve kept the peace and I intend to keep it that way. Some of the MC live in Fort Oglethorpe, so it’s likely you and your people will run into them while shopping and attending local events. I expect a heads up if there are any altercations.”