Cloe: Two for the Bite of One (3 page)

“Alpha Bryan.” She said as a form of respect. She usually only addressed him like this in a Pack meeting, but with the strangers all turning and looking at him, she was only going to show him the respect he deserved.

Her father nodded, and headed directly over to the table where the strangers were sitting. Cloe and Teagan stood and followed, so they were flanking him on either side.

She knew they made an imposing sight, and grinned in satisfaction when she saw the wolves at the table respond to them. They all shifted so they could see the Trio walking toward them, at least they were not stupid wolves, and she thought and studied each of them in turn while she listened.

“So, what can I do for you?” Her father asked loudly as he drew close to the obviously leader.

“Sir, are you Bryan Pragan?” A wolf down the table that sat with a stack of papers in front of him asked. Cloe had been surprised the leader did not speak first. It was customary for the visiting lead wolf to address the Alpha first.

“Who is asking?” Her father smirked at the lack of respect the visiting wolves were showing. She stepped up and growled lowly, in a warning to the wolves to show their respect.

“No disrespect Alpha, but could we talk in private? I apologize for my second; he tends to speak before thinking.” The man said in a deep voice that rolled over her. Looking closer she saw it was the man she had been looking at earlier, the one with the amazing green eyes. She had been right. He was the leader, and much better looking when you got closer. Holy shit, he was sexy too, she thought as she was finally close enough to see him clearly, his piercing eyes made her cream her panties a little. Broad shoulders and a slim waist, he was built like a bodybuilder. He was just her type; she thought and looked at him hungrily. The only problem she could see was that he was dressed like an uptight professional who really needed fucked till his eyes crossed.

“You can say whatever you want in front of my Beta. We have no secrets.” Her father said firmly. Cloe stood a little taller and grinned at her father"s words. She knew that he valued her opinion, but it still made her feel good when he said something like this out loud.

“Okay, I have a message from Oliver. The Seer"s Prophecy is back in play.” The man said, shrugging at the lack of protocol. If she had to guess, she would say that, the wolf deliberately made this statement to piss off her father.

Her father took a step back and inhaled loudly. “Who the fuck are you?” Cloe felt her father"s tension and stepped in front of him, Teague did the same on the other side. She did not know exactly what they were talking about, but she remembered the Seer"s Prophecy. She knew they were talking about her, but it did not matter. She would protect her father with everything that was in her. When she was younger, they trained for the day that someone would come and ask questions about Prophesies or destinies. Her mother and father had left their Pack in Europe, because of an incident with the Council"s leader. Rogues kidnapped his daughter, and her parents felt like someone within the leadership helped plan it. They would never take the chance with her life. She, after all, was one of the Chosen, whatever the fuck that meant.

Her father drilled them for years; a stranger came around asking questions, she was to smile and answer politely, and then turn and run. She had an emergency fund set up that would last her for a while in hiding until her parents came and got her. That of course, was before she became the Beta of the Pack. Now there was no way she was going to run.

She was ignoring the pull she felt toward the stranger, Cloe stepped back when her father touched her shoulder. She had almost walked to the man and ran her hands all over his body, if it had not been for her father, she would have. What the hell was wrong with her, she frowned and looked around making sure that no one saw her. Shaking her head a little, she saw Teagan staring at the man intently and then at her, she swore he looked like he was going to kick the stranger"s ass, grab her, and run. What was that all about, she wondered?

The man and the rest of his party all stood up, and her father growled and pulled her behind him. “Get the fuck out of my territory.” He said quietly, and Cloe felt the power flow out of him.

Teagan, not knowing what was going on yelled, “The diner is closed!” Fuck, her dad was pissed, because she could see her friend struggle to stay standing; she even felt the compulsion to fall to her knees. But the men never wavered; they must belong to a powerful Pack to withstand her father"s power.

Chairs and tables cleared quickly. Cloe did not take her eyes off the men who were standing in front of her father, but she knew the patrons of the diner had left. Soon, the rest of the Enforcers would arrive, because someone who left would call them all to let them know the Alpha and the Beta were in trouble.

“Hang on.” The leader held out his hands and looked at her father, trying to seem like he was harmless. Ha, like her father or anyone else in a five-mile radius would actually believe that. “I have proof.”

Bryan steeped forward and got nose to nose with the man and growled. “I do not care, take your message, take your Prophecy, and shove them up your ass. Better yet, shove them up Oliver"s ass, he will know why.”

Cloe laughed and said. “I believe that was your invitation to leave.”

“I wish I could.” The man said. “My name is Darien; I am the Beta from the Denver Pack, and the representative of the New Council Pack. My brother is the Alpha of the New Council. Please just listen.”

Her father stepped back and looked at the man who did not even flinch when her father got in his face, and was impressed. “Let"s go to my office.” The man nodded, looked at Teagan and her before following her father out of the diner and across the street. The other men trailed behind slower, and Cloe stood with her mouth hanging open. When the man named Darien walked by her, she got a good sniff of him. He was her mate, she knew it, though she should have realized sooner. She also did not think the man actually realized it. He had been so focused on her father, and talking to his men, he had turned his head when he walked by her. Well, this was gonna suck, she thought and brought up the rear.

Teagan walked next to her and said, “What the fuck is going on?”

“Not sure, but I need to go to the clinic real quick. Can you and the rest of the Enforcers cover this?” Cloe asked which earned her a frown from her second in command. She knew he was going to get suspicious now, why would a Beta leave her Alpha when something was happening? Cloe did not want to answer him; she needed to call her mother.

***

Teagan, of course, did not argue. He just nodded, and watched as she turned in the other direction and walked quickly away. He paused for only a moment, before turning and following the strangers as they entered the meeting place of the Pack. The rest of the Enforcers were standing at the door waiting. He knew the town was currently on lock down until this was resolved. Like with many small towns, the phone tree gossip was probably on fire about what the strangers wanted with their Alpha. If their motley little Pack was anything, it was cautious. He just wondered about the man who seemed to be the leader. Never, had he felt that type of pull toward another wolf.

He had been born to this Pack. Before Cloe and her family came, it had been a mess.

Their old Alpha didn"t know the meaning of the word loyalty, or leadership. He ruled with an iron fist, and those who did not do as he asked would pay the price.

He was small when Alpha Bryan drove into their town with his family. The Alpha had decided the humans in town did not know their place. He expected them to pay him part of their earnings for being in his territory. Never mind that he had just moved the Pack in the area a few years before. When he attacked the gas station owner for refusing to pay him, it had been a mistake. One that Teagan was glad he could witness.

From the moment he saw the girl in the car peaking over the seats while her mother tried to push her back, he had been lost. She was his best friend and Beta, and he would follow her into the bowels of hell if she asked. All of her Enforcers felt the same way.

Cloe had gained their admiration, and respect, for the way that she treated them, but more importantly her intelligence. All of them knew she should be the town doctor, which alone should have taken most of her time.

When Cloe returned home from college, she built her practice, at the same time as she trained to be the Pack Beta. She was amazing, all of them would agree that she was the heart of the Pack; something about her drew people to her. Not that she paid attention; no, Cloe was a typical genius. She was usually so wrapped up in her thoughts that she did not talk to people. If she did, it was short sentences with only a few words. The town learned to speak Cloe long ago, she did not have the patience to stand there and have a conversation with people when she was on a mission, which was usually. That was one of her most endearing qualities.

Once again, Teagan looked at his Beta and frowned. He felt like something was going to change and really soon. He hoped that his friend was ready for it, she hated change and surprises.

Chapter 2

Bryan closed the door behind him and turned. “So what the fuck is so all important, that you had to come here?” He demanded and looked at the wolves that were standing in front of him.

Darien stopped, and held out his arm to his Enforcers, who were growling at the threat they perceived from the older wolf. Alphas were territorial, but this was a little overboard, Darien thought. He knew all the protocols; his father was the Alpha of one of the largest and most prestigious Packs in Europe. In fact, the Denver Pack started as an extension to the Gevaudan Pack. His brothers and he had grown up, being taught the true ways of the wolf. All of them were strong, and held the necessary traits to be an Alpha. But Quin had been the only one to really want it when the time came. Darien did not like the politics; he was too gruff and tended to piss people off when he ordered them around. That is why he was the perfect Beta. His brother Gregg was going to be the next Alpha of his father Pack. He was currently just helping Quin and the rest of the Old Council with this mess, while Darien was hoping that being the Beta of the Denver Pack turned into a full-time assignment.

Something else was going on here; he was protecting more than just his daughter. Since they met the man, he had been challenging. Darien did not know what to make of it.

Oliver said that of all the Chosen"s families, Bryan and his wife had been the most encouraging. He figured that when he showed up here and told him Oliver had a message the man would greet him with open arms.

They had hunted for a few months for any of the Chosen. Darien and his brothers had been surprised to find that one of them had settled not four hours from Denver. They were happy that Milliken was so close. Rogues kidnapped one of the Chosen and his mate, and they did not want anyone leaving the state in case they needed help to protect the Pack. The Denver Pack locked down its buildings and members, until they could get a grasp on what was going on. They had searched for the missing Chosen on the computer instead physically looking like they had been. Quin did not want too many of the Enforcers to be gone from protection detail for extended periods of time. They had a schedule, the Enforcers schedule already stretched them too thin, and Darien coming here caused a disruption. They were due to be back tomorrow morning at the latest.

Quin"s mate Cami, and Jo, another Enforcers mate and one of the Chosen were pregnant and due anytime, while Casey, one of the Chosen, was still in her first trimester. With so many of the females pregnant, it made the males ultra-protective. All because of the damn Prophecy, he thought, it said the Chosen could not claim their rightful place at the New Council unless they were breeding the new generation.

Throw in the fact that Rogue wolves are hell-bent on destroying the New Council before it could form, and you had a mess. Earlier this month, one of the Chosen"s parents betrayed them and helped with the kidnapping. Screwed up, as it may seem, it had at least given them a reason to call in for reinforcements from other Packs. Unfortunately, they were still reeling from the deceit, so until they found Reggie, they felt the need to increase security. They needed stronger wolves in the area, also someplace they could hide the pregnant females until they gave birth. Right now, they were in the apartment complex that was locked down twenty four seven. It was driving everyone nuts.

Quin and Jaden, the Alphas of both the Denver Pack and the Council Pack, had put all of their resources at finding the Chosen. Once they found all of them, they would make up the New Council Pack and lead the Were Packs into a new era, an era where they could live with the humans in the open. Until then though, they were all a bunch of sitting ducks at least that is what Darien thought.

Quin had been the Alpha of the Denver Pack for the last ten years. When he met his mate Cami, and found out his best friend Jaden was also his mate, they started a countdown they knew nothing about. When Quin was a baby, a Seer from the Old Council Pack had a vision given to her by the Gods. They said that on the first day of every month for one calendar year, one Were Child would be born. This child would be one of the Chosen, one of the special few that were intended to lead the Were"s in the future. They would make up the New Council and lead them into peace and harmony with humans.

Oliver, who was the Alpha of the Old Council, had a child born in February. Everyone thought Josephine was murdered. The kidnappers sent a bloody blanket as proof of her death, after Oliver failed to comply with their demands. It wasn"t until recently, when they found Jo, because she joined the Denver Pack without knowing she was one of the Chosen. It all came to light, when she changed into a White Wolf after an ex-lover shot her. Quin only learned about the Prophesy after calling his father, seeking advice and help.

When Quin discovered who Jo was, Oliver, and many of the Old Council showed up in Denver, with the current Seer. She had produced all the papers from the previous Seer.