The Legacy of Kilkenny (32 page)

“What does that mean?
 
He can just have whomever he wants?”

She shakes her head no.
 
“Pru, you’re really taking this too far.”
 
She started whispering.
 
“He is the Great Wolf. When he makes the choice, it is final word.”

“Whatever.
 
He better take his eyeballs off of me.
 
I’m going to be with Oakley.
 
Ughhh
, you all drive me
freakin
’ crazy.”
 
I crossed my arms and stormed off.

ABEL

“
Ew
, Abe you smell like dog.”
 
Allie says making a gagging noise. “Oh, seriously, you need to shower you don’t want to get in your bed smelling like that.”

“Hey Allie, I didn’t know you’d still be here.” I say as I give her a quick hug.

Bryon starts to walk past her and she waves him on holding her nose.
 
“I uh sorry uh.” Allie said between sneezes. “Oh,
go
Bryon.
 
I’m sorry but you might want to shower too.”

I take the steps two at a time trying not to wake up my parents.

“Oh, dude, you don’t think she got bit the other night do you?”
 
Bryon asks.

“I don’t think so.
 
Pru was there, she couldn’t have been bit.”
 
I close my eyes trying to shake the image of Arien biting my sister out of my head. “You go ahead and jump in the shower, I’m going to check my e-mail.”

One email catches my eye.
 
The subject line read:
 
To Abel from Parker – do not delete.

The time stamp on the message is only an hour old.
 

Abel, it is time to step up your game.
 
I’ll be outside tonight at midnight.

Come alone, it isn’t my problem how you do it, but don’t bring Bryon.
 
–
    
Parker
       

Getting Bryon out of the house is easy.
 
Shaynie borrowed Dolly’s car to pick him up for the night.
 
I sigh, wishing all of this mess would go away.
 
I look at my watch, 11:45.
 
Good.
 
Now I can try something I’ve wanted to for the last week.
 
I pop off the screen and jump out of my window, landing crouched down letting my knees take the brunt of the shock.
 
I knew I’d heal if my theory didn’t work.
 
Ha!
 
Chalk one up for the Great Wolf.
 
I see a
Prius
parked two houses down flash its headlights.
 
  
I run over to the car seeing Parker in the driver’s seat, he leans over and unlocks the door.

“A
Prius
?
 
Really?”
 
I ask.
 
“You’re all environmental now?
 
I’d never figure you a
Prius
guy.”

“It’s quiet and less conspicuous than that beast you’re driving.” He points to my Mustang.
 
“I see you are Bryon-free, very good you listen well. What made you come?”

 
“The General said you are still part of the Pack, so that means I trust you.
 
If you didn’t want Bryon to come out, I figured you had a reason.
 
So, what gives?”
 
I lean back in the leather seat, admiring the complete navigation package.
 
“Oh check this out, is this one of the solar-powered roofs?”

“It is.
 
Stop messing with all my buttons.”
 
He swats my hands off the navigation window, starts the car.
 
We silently drive out of my neighborhood and head in the direction of the woods where I had hunted for them.

“I’ve got a trailer out here.
 
It’ll be just a minute.
 
I’m not used to driving to the trailer, but since you haven’t changed yet I don’t have much choice.”
 
He hits a pothole but the little car keeps going.

We pull up to a double-wide trailer.
 
He unlocks the door and turned off what looks like a very sophisticated alarm system.
 

“Have you been staying here since you left?
 
If you don’t usually drive out here, where do you keep your car?” I look around at the hunting lodge décor.
 
He opens the fridge grabbing two bottles of water, tossing one to me.

“I’ve got a storage unit I keep it in.
 
All of the units get cleaned off and the property is sprayed down for dust control every day by the management. All that helps my scent from being traced to what direction I run if someone happens to see me.”
 
He put his finger to his temple and taps it.
 
“That’s what I call using my noggin.”

Did he just say noggin to me?
 
What a dork
.
 
“Is this where you’ve been staying since you left Choctaw?”

“Yeah, pretty much.
 
The General knows I’m here, as a matter of fact, he knows you’re here.”
 
Almost on cue I hear a light knock on the door and in walks the General.

“Good to see you could get out tonight Abe.”
 
He walks over to me holding out his fist for a quick knuckle bump. “I’m glad you trusted your instinct to trust Parker.”
  
He opens the refrigerator pulling out a beer.
 
“I figure you have some questions for us, but why don’t you let me tell you what’s going on.”

The living room and kitchen are one giant room.
 
I would never have guessed that such a large sectional would fit in a trailer.
  
The fabric feels like suede under my hand as I sit down in the corner seat.
 
Oh gross, he has deer hooves sitting on the coffee table.
 
I’m not putting my water down next to those!
 

General Phelan sat back with his feet up and says, “Abe look, Parker and I’ve been keeping our eyes out on some rogues that have been on the run for a while.
 
We heard they were going back and forth to Louisiana so we thought they may be working with one of the vampire clans.
 
After last night’s events, Parker is going out to take care of the situation.
 
I’m actually going to go out with him.
 
That is where you come in; if something happens to me, you’ll have to step up and be Alpha.”

“Huh?
 
What?
 
How can I be Alpha if I haven’t even shifted?
 
Oh, and why wouldn’t you come back?”
 
I look back and forth at them waiting for one of them to talk.
 
My heart is beating like drums inside my head.

“It sounds crazy yes, but nothing’s going to happen.
 
I won’t allow it.
 
But there are vampires involved and that can get a little sticky.”
 
Parker says as he holds out a bowl of peanuts to me.

General Phelan added, “I’m not so vain as to believe nothing can happen to me, so I need to let you know that I entrust you with my family.
 
In the event anything happens to me that is.
 
Dolly knows how to get in touch with our attorney; he has all of the documents you’ll need.
 
I’ve left a video in his care for the Pack to watch; it will seal their trust in you.
 
You cannot tell anyone of this meeting, understand?”
 
I shake my head yes.
 
  
“Listen, there is a group called the Council, and my family does not know of them, that is part of the bylaws.
 
I accidently let their name slip in front of Prudence.
However
, she doesn’t need to be involved, do not speak of it to her.”
 
I shake my head yes again. “The Council has representatives from all of the Others. It is, more or less, a group of supernatural beings that enforces the rules for our kind.
 
I am the representative for the werewolves.
 
If the council felt that we weren’t taking care of the situation properly, they would send extinguishers here.
 
You don’t want the extinguishers to get involved, they are ruthless and it puts everyone in danger.
 
My family will be safe, but they could put an end to you if they suspect you have involvement with the Pack without being a business associate or werewolf.
 
The story of the Great Wolf is only a story known amongst
the
were
community
.
 
Some vamps found out about the story but we think they have kept the secret to themselves as they find it a challenge.
 
You see, they would love nothing better than be the ones to kill the Great Wolf.”
 
He reaches across me for the peanuts.
 
“Listen Abel, in my paperwork will be a meeting time and place for the next Council meeting, you will need to tell Dolly about the Council and send her to the meeting, unless of course you’ve shifted and then you will go.
 
I know it sounds a little crazy and I’m sure all will be okay.”
 
He leaned over and patted my leg.
 
“You’ll do just fine Abe, I can feel it.”

That makes one of us,
I think to myself.
 
“I’m glad you have so much faith in me.”
 
I wish Pru was here with me.
 

“I have faith in you Abel, you’re going to be a fine wolf.
 
Don’t worry” He finishes off his beer. “We’ll be fine, I just have to cover my bases and make sure all of my I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed.
 
I’m going to let Parker talk to you about the security system and about this secret meeting place.”

“Yeah, Abe I wanted to tell you back a couple of months ago when you smelled me in the woods, but I couldn’t, sorry about that.”
 
He whacks me on the back.
 
“Come on in here, everything is in my office.
 
Be ready to be blown away.”
 

We pass a freshly mounted deer head that I assume belongs to the hooves on the table.
 
“Holy cow!
 
This is crazy.”
 
I said as we enter a bedroom that is set up like some FBI computer lab.

 
“I had to hire some engineers to modify the room and have the appropriate power installed.
 
There’s a second air unit just for this room. Trust me, it gets hot in here.”
 
He slides an office chair over to me.
 
“I’ve signed you up for some online classes under my name so you can get trained on how to use everything. You never have to meet the teacher, so it’s perfect.”

We spent the next couple of hours going over the ins and outs of the systems.
 
I’ve played around with computers so it was pretty easy for me.
 

The next morning I met Pru, Bryon, and Shaynie in the school parking lot.
 
Bryon and Shaynie went inside to the office for
Shaynie’s
schedule.
 
Pru and I huddled together at one of the picnic benches on the lunch patio, eating some take-out that she picked up on the way to school.

“Nom nom,
dwid
Bryn nom
nom
tell you about dog?”
 
I say with biscuit and sausage crumbling out of my mouth.

Pru looks at me disgusted.
 
“Seriously Abe, you’re such an animal.”

We start laughing just a shade too hysterically calling the attention of the rest of the kids that were finishing off their breakfasts.

“I said, did Bryon tell you about Allie saying we smelled like dog?”
 
I throw my trash in the bag and start clearing off the table.

“Actually he did say something about that.
 
I’m thinking it has something to do with her heightened senses from the previous bite.”
 
She stands up brushing the crumbs off of her skirt and tights.

“I hope you’re right.”
 
I grab my backpack and fling it over my shoulder.

“My dad left for a business meeting this morning.
 
I bet it has something to do with the attack on Saturday.”
 
Pru said.

She and I walk to class, a few people stop to high five us telling Pru her party rocked.
 
Our social status on the hierarchy of
schooldom
just increased tenfold.
 
Sweet!