Howling Moon (19 page)

Lucas raised eyebrows in surprise, lowered his elbows to the desk, and steepled his fingers in front of his nose. “Do you have something in mind?”

“I’ll make the announcement at the pack meeting, but yes. I do.” Raphael gave Lucas a long, assessing look. He wasn’t sure how his friend was going to take what he was about to propose – particularly since he’d just publicly declared that he was going to back Raphael’s decisions.

“I’m knocking her down to Omega. For six months she is forbidden to take part in
any
challenges of any type. For that same six months, in the evenings she will work for minimum wage for at least thirty hours per week at Jake’s Burger Joint, taking orders at the front counter and doing the cleaning.”

Lucas winced.

“Every time she shows up late, or misses a shift, she adds another month to the sentence.”

“What about – “

“Medical emergencies?” Raphael supplied the words. “Betty is a physician, and a healer. She will be the on-call physician while Tatya’s working her second job.” Raphael’s expression hardened as he continued. “And since it was her policy to begin with, I’ve decided that Tatya will be the one to inform each pack member she waits on that ‘Due to consistent abuses of the system we are no longer able to offer credit here at Jake’s Burger Joint.’”

“What?
Credit?
At a hamburger place?” Lucas stared at him with an open jaw, and then leaned back in his chair so far that Raphael thought he might topple over.

“You didn’t know? Jake was
required
to extend credit to the pack members. He’s going broke because they refuse to pay the tabs. Apparently some of our pack members owe
thousands
of dollars.” Raphael smiled fiercely. “I’m swinging by Jake’s this evening to get a list of who owes what. I’ll be calling on the biggest accounts myself. I’m in just the mood for bill collection.”

Lucas hung his head. He began rubbing his fingers on either side of the bridge of his nose as if it was
his
turn to have a headache. “I owe you and Jake both an apology for that. I’ve been putting off meeting with him. He’s been asking to talk to me for weeks. I should have been paying more attention to pack business.”

“As I said, you’ve had a lot on your plate.”

“Perhaps, but this is unconscionable. How has he been surviving?”

“Not well. But Lucas, it’s just as much my fault as yours. I’m his brother, and your Second. I would’ve done something, but I only found out the night of Cat’s first change.” Raphael explained. “I stopped by to get meat to use as a lure for her, and found out the freezers were damned near empty – on the
full moon!”
Raphael remembered his own shock and anger, wondering what might have happened if there hadn’t been
any
meat to attract Cat’s attention. More, though, he was disappointed that his brother hadn’t talked to him, told him that the business was in trouble.

Well, Jake hadn’t asked, but now that Raphael was going to be Alpha in truth there were going to be some changes made. Getting the restaurant back on profitable footing was one of them. The biggest debtors would whine and rage, but he didn’t care. The whole situation should never have come up.

Lucas gave a delicate sniff. Raphael knew the other man scented his hurt and frustration. Hell, it wasn’t that different from the scent rolling off Lucas himself.

“Deal with Tatya as you see fit. I won’t interfere.” He gave a rueful smile. “But I’d be really grateful if you could wait to do it until after two this afternoon.”

“Why after two?” Raphael was curious.

“I’ll be in the air somewhere over Kansas by then,” Lucas explained. “So I won’t have to watch. I don’t know how I’d react if I had to see her be in that much emotional pain – and you don’t need the sort of trouble I might cause. Is there anything you’re going to need before I go?”

Raphael opened his mouth to say no, but then a thought occurred to him. “Actually, there is.” He gave Lucas a wry look. “I could really use some of the Wolven cologne.”

Lucas sat back and stared at him silently for long moments.

The Wolven cologne was a valuable commodity and one of the biggest Sazi secrets. Like any cologne, it smelled good. But it had an added advantage. It worked to burn out the scenting ability of Sazi in the area, preventing them from knowing what the person wearing it was feeling. No one outside of the agency and the council was supposed to know of its existence.

Raphael waited, watching the thoughts play across his friend’s face. It was a big favor, but under the circumstances, the cologne would be very useful in dealing with the pack. They would be confused by his lack of scent and, more important,
afraid.

“I’ll drop it by your office.”

“I’ll be there.” Raphael said it with a heavy enough sigh that Lucas gave a bark of laughter.

“You act as though you’re not looking forward to running things.”

“Honestly? No. I’ve never really wanted the pack.”

“Can’t say I blame you.” Lucas’s words were rueful. “But I know you’re up to it. And if you’re not, the next in line’s Martin Black, and he’s the
last
man I’d put in charge.” Lucas’s eyes darkened, and his expression grew sober. “You’ll want to keep an eye on him
and
his wife.”

“Amen to that.”

Cat spent most
of the afternoon at the computer. First, she contacted Charles about Ned’s property. Then there were literally dozens of backlogged e-mails to take care of. Two of the ones marked “urgent” were from Brad. She opened the first one and almost immediately wished she hadn’t. It sounded just like the old Brad, the one she’d loved. He went on and on about what a fool he’d been, mat he’d do anything to make it up to her if she just gave him a chance.

A part of her ached to believe he meant it, that she
could
go back to her old life. The ugly, cynical part wondered if maybe it had occurred to Brad (or more likely to his parents) that with Chris and Janet gone Cat would inherit everything. She didn’t want to believe it, but she couldn’t unthink it, particularly when there were messages from both of his parents as well.

Mrs. Jenkins invited Cat to visit them in the Hamptons for “a little getaway.” Mr. Jenkins wanted to know if Cat had access to her father’s laptop. He needed to get some essential information from her if she did.

Cat responded to Brad with a carefully worded e-mail thanking him for his condolences, but avoided talking about their relationship altogether. Because while she wasn’t entirely sure she was over him, she was almost certain she didn’t want him back.

She graciously declined Mrs. Jenkins’s invitation, and sent word to Brad’s father that the laptop was in storage. She’d try to get it out and locate what he was looking for within the next few days.

The rest of the time she spent productively scheming. One of the easiest ways to get the spyware into Jack’s systems would be to hide it on an e-mail. When the recipient opened the message, the program would attach. The trick was to make the e-mail legitimate, something that would absolutely be opened, without question. The obvious solution was money. After all, Simpson was a politician. There was bound to be a reelection campaign somewhere looking for donations.

Cat started cruising the Internet. Sure enough, Senator Simpson had a significant Web presence, and was soliciting contributions. His voting record showed him being strong on environmental policies and well informed with regard to Western water law issues. He was vilified on more than one site for being proabortion, or “antilife” as they put it.

The streaming video on his campaign site showed him to be handsome, erudite, and extremely well spoken. He was charismatic enough that Cat might have voted for him herself!

Jack might be older than dirt, but he certainly did know how to manipulate technology and the media to his advantage. She wouldn’t be able to count on him being either uninformed or hidebound. In fact, the more she looked, the more impressed she became. Not intimidated, but impressed. Judging from what she could glean, Simpson was personally brilliant, politically savvy, and had a well-earned reputation for getting things done.

Cat glanced at the computer clock and swore. She’d had no idea how much time her virtual jaunt had taken. She’d have to really rush to get ready and get to work on time.

She was sorely tempted to call in. She certainly was dreading running into the pack after last night’s fiasco. But that wouldn’t be fair to Jake and Holly. Just as important, she wasn’t willing to show weakness to her opponents. If they “smelled blood,” her enemies would just get more aggressive. So, she’d face them down – but she’d watch her back. She hurried upstairs and changed into her uniform.

When Cat arrived for her shift at Jake’s that evening the place was packed with people, all of whom fell eerily silent when they saw her come through the door. There was a low growl from somewhere in the back of the room, and the scent of anger was thick enough to walk on. Holly greeted her with false good cheer.

Cat felt as though there were concentric circles painted on her back, but followed the advice her mother had given her years ago, when she’d been snubbed by the popular girls at school.

“Lofty indifference is best,” her mother had told her, “if for no other reason than it annoys the hell out of them.”

All day her anger built as more and more little things happened: the deliberately spilled messes she had to mop up. The orders sent back that she’d gotten “wrong.” It was petty, backbiting, childish
bullshit
and while Cat told herself she was
not
going to give them the satisfaction of playing into it, it was damned hard. Eventually even Jake tired of it. When Holly was taking out the trash he told Cat to go home early.

Cat stalked through the kitchen to the tiny break room. With deft motions she twisted the dial of the combination lock on her locker. She grabbed her purse, slammed the door closed with a clang, and locked it.

A part of her wanted to throttle Raphael for putting her in this position. Not that it was really his fault. It was nature. The wolves were a pack. Packs stick together against outsiders and Cat was even more of an outsider than the human family members.

The younger wolves picked on the human siblings. That was why so many of the humans left home as teenagers, turning their back on the entire Sazi world and culture. Holly only stayed because of her father. He depended on her to help him run the restaurant. So she stayed and she put up with the torment. She’d sworn to Cat that as soon as she finished college she’d leave. Cat hoped she would. Holly was much too nice to have to put up with the constant harassment.

Cat stepped out of the building. The heavy metal door fell shut, cutting off the kitchen sounds. They were replaced with the noise of traffic and activity in the parking lot.

Hidden in the shadows between the Dumpster and the building Cat watched as a group of young women surrounded Holly and began harassing her – again. Cat felt her temper rise. She was sick of watching and ignoring.
Assholes.
Cat dropped her purse into the deep shadows and began moving forward. Just then the circle of girls tightened and someone shoved Holly against her Geo. The blow knocked the smaller woman off balance, causing her to drop the trash bag, littering the ground with garbage.

Cat stepped out of the shadows, strutting directly into the center of the action.

The wolves flowed like water, changing position, grouping themselves behind the instigator. Corrine Castillion gave Cat a hostile look. Her dark eyes shone with malice.

“This is none of your business,
feline.”
Corrine spoke in a smooth musical alto, putting just enough emphasis on the last word to make it an insult.

Cat looked down her nose at the tiny brunette. She knew Corrine’s reputation. A bitch in
every
sense of the word. She was powerful, beautiful, and dumb as a box of rocks. Michael had told Cat that Raphael had been ordered into Corrine’s bed to breed powerful puppies for the next generation of the pack. It boggled Cat’s mind that anyone would consent to be bred like a pedigreed poodle. Michael was jealous of Raphael. He’d hoped the information would make her stay away from the older man. The only reason it hadn’t worked was that Holly had taken time to explain that only the top two males of any wolf pack were fertile, and how difficult it was for most of the Sazi women to carry to term.

Since wolves were family and pack oriented, it left most couples desperate for children. Adopting a human child wouldn’t work – the baby would be terrified of its parents. So, while it creeped Cat out, she couldn’t really hold it against Raphael for helping them.

“Holly is my friend.” Cat spoke the words without emphasis, but placed herself firmly between Holly and the others.

“Cat – “ Holly began. She might as well not have spoken. All eyes were locked on the growing tension between Cat and Corrine.

Cat watched as Holly turned this way and that. She probably sensed the potential disaster in the conflict but had no idea how to head it off. Holly tried to signal for Peter to come help as he walked by, but he ignored the confrontation and walked inside the restaurant.

“You think you’re special?” Corrine’s voice was nearly a hiss. Her wide brown eyes had narrowed to dangerous slits. It was obvious she bore a grudge against Cat. Perhaps it was the thing with Tatya this afternoon, but Cat didn’t think so. It seemed much too intense, too personal for that.

Cat felt the surge of Corrine’s magic; felt her own power responding strongly enough that she had to fight to keep herself in human form. That was alarming. She knew that Corrine could change her form at will, just like she could. But the first law was to
never
risk changing where an outsider could see. They were standing in the middle of a public parking lot with a busy access road within clear view!

Cat kept her cat from emerging by sheer force of will. It was not easy. Pride forbade her from letting the others see her struggle. Her face retained its calm, almost bored expression. When she spoke her voice was smooth and cutting as a razor.

“You really must not have much confidence in your abilities.” She observed with saccharine sweetness. “Otherwise why would you pick on full humans? And then only when you have them outnumbered.”

“You bitch,” Corrine snarled. Her eyes had darkened to black, the whites diminishing. Her skin tightened against the bones of her face.

“No, dear,” Cat corrected. “I’m not a canine.”

“It’s
lupine,
stupid.” One of the women in the background spoke. She was a blonde Michael had described to Cat as having little power and even less brains.

“Really?” Cat smiled her eyes never leaving Corrine. “I couldn’t tell.”

Corrine arched her back, a low growl coming from lips that pulled back to reveal lengthening fangs.

The blonde, however, was not finished. She threw another verbal barb at Cat. “You think just because you’re dating the pack leader’s son you can do what you want? He’s not even ranked.”

“I’m not dating Mike.” Cat didn’t have to pretend indifference.

“And even if I was, I prefer to base my reputation on my own abilities – not those of a man who has been
ordered
to sleep with me.”

It was more than Corrine could stand. She snarled, her power surging as she deliberately began to change. Cat was horrified. The woman was an
idiot.
Changing in public could be a death sentence. Cat reached out, grabbing the other woman’s arm. She poured her own magical power into the smaller woman in an attempt to avert the disaster she herself had provoked.

Corrine’s arm was a flashing blur as she slammed her fist into the side of Cat’s head. It was a stunning blow, but Cat held on. Sweat poured from her body from the heat of their clashing magic and the sheer physical strain of holding onto the struggling woman.

People began pouring out of the restaurant. At the same time, Cat heard the squeal of tires and slam of a car door. She didn’t look. She didn’t dare take her attention from Corrine. At the moment she had the smaller woman in a headlock, but Corrine was bucking, kicking, and had raked her nails across Cat’s bare arm deep enough that blood poured from the scratches.

“What in the
hell
is going on here?” The voice was not loud, but cold, cutting and heavy with power. Corrine went limp in Cat’s arms so suddenly it was a struggle not to drop her dead weight.

Cat turned to face the source of those words and found herself staring in open-mouthed awe.

Raphael stood only a few steps away, in what should have been the shadow of the building. There was no shadow. He stood bathed in a bright blue light; bright enough that she could see every detail of his appearance, from the blood red of his shirt to the shining metal tips on the toes of his black leather boots. It took a moment for Cat to realize there was no outside light source. Raphael was generating it himself. It was impressive as hell, and more than a little frightening.

“Raphael.” Corrine’s voice was a harsh whisper as she started to raise her eyes to his. She froze in midmotion. His granite features said more clearly than words that at this moment he was not Raphael. Tonight he was the Alpha.

Cat released her hold on Corrine, taking a half-step back until the back of her legs brushed against Holly’s car. She had not dropped into submissive posture like the wolves. Instead, she very deliberately kept her body language neutral. She wanted to be sure to give no
hint
of what had happened between the two of them.

Not that it mattered. Not now. Despite the shields Raphael had locked around his mind Cat could sense his thoughts and feelings. There was no warmth – only barely controlled fury that made his power burn like heat against her skin. Still, she refused to cower. She forced her spine straight; made herself meet eyes that had gone penetrating gold from the power of his magic. Whatever punishment she was in for, she’d take it with dignity.

“So,” Raphael’s words fell into the well of silence that spread out from the group. “Who wants to tell me what crisis is upon us that is so dangerous, so desperate, mat I find a Sazi of status within the pack would forget herself and start changing in full view of a major thoroughfare?” His voice was a lash poisoned with sarcasm and Corrine flinched as though from blows.

“Holly?”

“Alpha… I…” Holly’s voice was a whisper, her eyes focused on the ground at her feet.

Cat looked at Holly and sighed. “It’s my fault,” she said.

“Excuse me?” Raphael’s gaze locked with Cat’s. It took every ounce of will she possessed not to cringe before him.

“They were picking on Holly
again,”
Cat explained in a tired voice. “I stepped in.”

“I see.” Raphael waited for her to continue.

Cat spoke, ignoring the pleading look Holly shot her. “I said some things I shouldn’t have. I provoked her.”

“Provoked?” Raphael examined Corrine as though she were a bug under a microscope.

“Provoked,” Cat repeated.

“And you expected?”

“I figured we’d fight, but I thought it would be as humans. When I realized – “

“She held her.” Holly interrupted. She cast a defiant look at Corrine and the others, but didn’t dare face Raphael directly.

“You
held
Corrine?” Raphael looked at Cat now. His expression was incredulous.

She shook her head. “I don’t know what that means. I just couldn’t let her change. So I didn’t.” Her voice faltered. Raphael’s expression was too complex to read.

The silence in the parking lot deepened. Cat could hear the rustling of the leaves of nearby trees, the distant traffic. Most of all, she could hear Corrine’s ragged breathing. Everyone was staring at Cat now. It made her skin crawl. She wanted to shout,
“What?”
but didn’t dare. Apparently keeping Corrine from changing was significant. Why, she had no clue.