Silver (25 page)

He phased and put his clothes back on. I
watched his reflection in the window as he bent down and attempted
to slip a silver knife into his sleeve, but four big gray wolves
stepped forward growling and showing their teeth. He dropped the
knife and backed up quickly until he reached my side.

“
Now what?” he asked; the
command was gone from his tone and the whiny note that replaced it
made me want to bare my teeth and snap at him.

“
We're going down to the
field. You first.”

He stared at the swarm of Hunters that
filled the brown-grassed stadium. “You've got to be kidding,” he
protested.

I pushed him forward through the door. “You
were the first to make friends with the Hunters, remember? I just
took it to the next level.”

He stumbled down the two flights of stairs
and I had to practically drag him down the ramp to the field. The
werewolves still in wolf form from the third level followed us
down, and when we stepped out on the grass, all eyes turned to us.
I ignored the shiver that ran down my spine from the pain, the
remnants of silver from the bullet that had grazed my arm, and the
searching looks of the werewolves who hadn't seen what had happened
between Mason and me.

Mason squirmed in my hold and I worried for
a brief second that he would break free and call to the werewolves
who were still loyal to him. I grabbed his right arm and pulled it
tight behind his back, encircling his throat with my left arm as I
did so. He let out a strangled protest, but walked submissively to
where Chet was being attended to by Meg, Roger, and Nikki.

“
Is he alright?” I asked
when we drew near.

Nikki looked up at my voice and the relief
that swept across her face soothed the last vestige of the urge to
kill that tightened my heart the longer I was in contact with
Mason.

I shoved Mason to the ground, then turned to
the werewolves. Hunters stood around the perimeter of the field
with guns pointed in every direction. They looked as uneasy as the
werewolves, and I wondered if they all felt as amazed at the sheer
numbers of each group as I did. My heart fell at the sight of so
many gray wolves, but no Alphas. I glanced back at Chet. He moaned
and a werewolf with short blond hair tended to him. My stomach
tightened and I realized that with Chet out for a while, I was the
last Alpha.

I looked down at the blood dripping from my
fingers, then turned and glared at Mason. My expression must have
said what I felt because his eyes dropped and he cowered against
the ground, his face pale. “One Alpha shouldn’t be in charge of all
werewolves,” I said loud enough to carry across the stadium. I
turned and looked at the werewolves around us. “Just like our wolf
ancestors, we were meant to run in family packs, protecting and
caring for our loved ones. Return to your homes.” Several heads
lifted as though they would protest, but I continued, “I’ll be
holding quarterly meetings with your chosen Alphas until the young
black coats grow old enough to take their rightful positions.”

“
How do we know who’s fit
to lead?” someone shouted.

I gave Mason a smile cold as ice. “The
smartest, fastest, and bravest should always lead. That’s the way
it is in the wild, and the way it will be here. If someone is fit
to lead, they will be prepared to fight for it.” I met as many eyes
as I could. “But thanks to Mason’s work we are dangerously low in
number. Don’t kill each other. Accept leadership as long as you are
being led in the right direction.” I paused and my eyes narrowed,
“And if you’re being led wrongly, have the courage to stand up.”
Several werewolves nodded and dropped their eyes in embarrassment;
I noted Chet's pack among them and fought back a smile.

“
Go back to your homes and
live in peace with the humans. The war with the Hunters ends now on
both sides. If you try to keep it up, I will find out and I will
put an end to any trouble.” Murmurs arose and I held up a hand.
“I've come to an agreement with the Hunters. They hunt us because
we are a threat to their families.” Arguing broke out, but the
werewolves fell silent when I continued, “Just as they are a threat
to ours. We can continue as we are, fighting and killing each other
until the next generation comes back to retaliate, or we can work
together to keep our loved ones safe.”

I searched through the audience until I
found Commander Rogart among the armed Hunters near the entrance to
the field. He gave one short nod. I swept my eyes over the field of
werewolves and Hunters and raised my voice so that everyone would
have no doubt as to my words. “As far as I know, I am the last
Alpha, and in this my word is law. We will work with the Hunters
and not against them. We will keep our packs safe and the presence
of werewolves as hidden from the world as much as we can. We will
work to protect each other and keep our race safe from harm.”

My gaze turned threatening. “We will not
harm humans, and any werewolf found guilty of such will be punished
accordingly.” I let the threat hang in the air for a moment, then
smiled to lighten the mood. “Today begins a new era for werewolves
and Hunters alike. It'll take time to work out the trust issues for
both species, but in the end we will all be safer for it. Get to
know your neighbor, learn to coexist, and we will all be
alright.”

My words hung in the air and I could feel
the tension of both the werewolves and Hunters at my challenge. It
was tenuous and I knew I walked a fine line.

A clear, deep voice rumbled out. “The
Hunters accept Jaze Carso's offer of peace,” Commander Rogart said.
Hunters and werewolves alike voiced their opinion of his words, but
he raised a hand and they quieted. “If acceptable per Mr. Carso, we
will hold a monthly meeting with the werewolf Alphas to work out
our issues and see where we can help in controlling any situations
in need of both of our skills.”

I heard a few werewolves grumble that they
had all the skills we would ever need, but I silenced them with a
look and nodded at the Commander. “That would work out well. We'll
convene at the end of each month in the old warehouse on Thirty and
the Loop, and any problems will be discussed then.” Commander
Rogart smiled at the irony and nodded.

Exhaustion swept through me and the blood
had started to thicken down my arm. I fought back the urge to rub
my eyes and took a steeling breath. “Go back to your homes, choose
your Alphas, and we'll reconvene in two weeks. It won't be easy,
but peace between the Hunters and werewolves will bring far greater
security than you have yet experienced. My father was killed by
Hunters who conspired with Mason, and so this ends now in his name.
Peace with the Hunters begins today, and anyone who doesn't comply
will answer to me.”

I turned away to indicate that I was through
talking as much because I was too tired to come up with anything
else that needed to be said as because I was concerned about Chet
and wanted to make sure he was alright. But I turned and looked
straight into the eyes of my uncle and knew that my problems
weren't over.

Mason stood on his feet, a burning hatred in
his eyes and his fists clenched. Mouse stood between us and Meg and
Roger had guns pointed at him, but he didn't seem to notice.

“
Don't be stupid,” I told
him quietly, my eyes never leaving his. “If you attack me now, I'll
have to kill you. You've left me no choice.”

A strange smile appeared on Mason's face and
his eyes rolled slightly. “You said there was always a choice.” He
charged at me, hands out and lips pulled back in a snarl.

I made a split second decision, ducked under
his charge, then stood, throwing him into the pack of werewolves
who had followed me from the third level. Mason's body disappeared
beneath teeth and claws. I turned away, sick to my stomach. I had
made a different choice, but it wasn't one I wanted.

Nikki put a hand on my arm. “You did what
you had to.”

Her touch soothed the ache in my heart. I
tipped Nikki's face to mine, and kissed her soundly. She froze in
surprise, then kissed me back with an intensity that stole my
breath. I pulled her into a hug and she rested her head against my
chest. I looked up to see Meg and Roger standing over Chet. Roger
just shrugged and the hint of a resigned smile showed on Meg's
face.

Chet groaned and I let go of Nikki and
lowered to my knees beside him. “Is he going to be okay?” I asked
the female werewolf with short blond hair who had been tending to
him. She checked his pulse and the rate of blood flow from wounds
in his shoulder and side. “He should be okay if we get the bullets
out,” she said. “I work at the hospital and have some friends that
are, uh, friendly to werewolves.” She watched me, worried that she
had crossed a line. But she definitely wasn't the first to break
the law against humans knowing of our presence, and I wouldn't be
the one to reinforce it.

I nodded. “Thank you; let’s get him there. I
appreciate your help.”

She wadded up a handkerchief and held it
against his wounds. I turned to the other werewolves and singled
out three at the front. “Give her whatever assistance is needed to
get him to the hospital.”

The werewolves stepped forward immediately.
They lifted Chet carefully from the ground and carried him off. I
watched them leave the field, my head spinning. Werewolves began to
talk among themselves and the Hunters apparently decided it was
safe to leave the stands. Commander Rogart walked warily across the
field, several Hunters, Charlie Sathing included, at his side.

Brock ran over from the stands, his eyes
wide and face pale in obvious concern at being caught in the middle
of so many werewolves. “That was awesome!” he said when he reached
me. He leaned over breathlessly and put his hands on his knees. “I
need to stop eating so much pizza.” He took several deep breaths,
then stood back up. “I’ve decided to become a Hunter.”

Nikki and I stared at him. “What made you
decide that?” I asked, surprised.

He gestured around the stadium. “Have you
seen their guns? Where else will I get to blow things up and carry
awesome weapons?”

I laughed and searched the crowd near us.
“Hey, Meg?” When she turned, I grinned. “I think I’ve found you a
new recruit.” At her questioning look, I tipped my head to indicate
Brock.

Her brow lowered and she turned away without
commenting.

“
What?” Brock
asked.

Nikki and I laughed again. “Don’t be
offended,” I reassured him. “She’s had a rough day. I hear she’s a
good trainer.”

“
Really?” he asked,
excited.

Nikki shook her head. “Not really. She’ll
run you ragged.”

He backed up quickly and made an excuse
about needing to talk to Mouse before disappearing into the
crowd.

“
You up for a quiet drive?”
Nikki asked with a gentle smile.

I nodded, longing for the silence of the
woods. “Can I borrow your motorcycle?” I asked Roger.

He smiled. “Definitely.”

Meg touched my arm, her expression stern.
“But not before we take care of this.”

I reluctantly shrugged out of my trench coat
and handed it to Roger, who smiled wryly at the tears and folded it
over his arm. Nikki's gaze tightened with concern at the gash down
my arm and the bullet graze, but both wounds had already begun to
heal.

Meg brought out a bag of tools and I avoided
looking at them too closely. Nikki grabbed my hand and my fingers
closed impulsively at the digging of a cold instrument as Meg
removed the shards of silver. She then wrapped both wounds in
bandages. “What about that?”

She pointed to the back of my shoulder. When
I touched it with my hand, my fingers came away damp and I
remembered the bite of Mason's teeth when we had fought in wolf
form. I shook my head. “They're just bite marks, no silver to worry
about.” Meg gave me a stern gaze that would make an Alpha proud and
I finally turned around so she could tend to it. She made me pull
off my shirt and I gritted my teeth when the cloth caught against
the wound.

I watched the werewolves leave the grounds
slowly while Meg patched me up. A few nodded at the waiting
Hunters, which I took to be positive, but most just ignored them
and left as quickly as possible. Change would take time; I just
hoped they could keep the peace until we got all the details worked
out.

Meg whispered quietly under her breath about
stubborn werewolves, cleaned the torn skin, and bandaged it
loosely. “Looks like you'll live,” she said in a tone of approval.
She stepped back to admire her work. “You could probably take that
off in an hour or so.”

I flexed my muscles and rolled the shoulder.
It felt a little stiff, but the pain had already lessened to a dull
annoyance. “Thank you. You're going to miss patching me up,” I said
teasingly.

She nodded. “Now I'll have to get a real
job.”

I gave her a quick hug of thanks and she
paused in surprise, and then hugged me back with a tightness that
showed how worried she had been.

I glanced over to find Commander Rogart
watching us. I held out my hand. “Thank you, sir. I greatly
appreciate your help.”

He shook my hand and glanced meaningfully at
the werewolves milling around the stadium. “It looks like you had
things under control,” he said.

I smiled because we both knew how close I
had come to losing them, and how precarious our new situation was.
“We have a few things to work out.”

He nodded. “The meeting will be soon enough.
It'll give everyone a chance to get used to things, and you deserve
a break.”

He nodded respectfully at Nikki. “My dear.”
He turned and walked away to a group of werewolves who were talking
near the goal post. The werewolves watched him guardedly, but
didn't show any signs of aggression. It was a start.