Three Hours (Seven Series Book 5) (27 page)

While my heart sank when I’d found the bed empty, I decided to hold my chin high. I kept reminding myself we had a pact behind closed doors, but on the outside, there were no promises. Wheeler wasn’t in love with me, and he wasn’t going to hold my hand in front of his pack and put a claim on me. I was just an exotic dancer who had spiced up his sex life.

“Don’t be foolish,” I whispered to myself, walking down the hall barefoot. “Stop those silly thoughts right now.”

Thoughts that I might actually love him. That would be disastrous! A panther and a wolf? I couldn’t afford to soften my heart for a man who would be ashamed to admit we’d slept together. He had slipped out before dawn, for God’s sake.

As I neared the kitchen, I overheard Wheeler telling someone to make coffee.

“I’ll make the coffee,” I offered.

Wheeler lurched out of his seat, his fingertips pressed against the table.

I pivoted around and put my hands on my hips. “What?”

“You should cover yourself up,” he said, voice tight, muscles flexing beneath his tats.

I glanced down. “I
am
covered. This is more than what I wear to work. My gown will hardly raise any eyebrows in this house.”

William walked by me with silent amusement on his face. While he rummaged through the fridge, I put on a pot of coffee and watched Wheeler reluctantly sit back down.

I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to be naughty around him, but I made it into a game. Wheeler didn’t want me parading around in front of the Weston pack in my sleeping clothes, which I found delightfully amusing since Shifters didn’t consider nudity a big deal. So I leisurely strolled down the row of cabinets and opened a drawer in front of him. The dish towel dropped on the floor, and I took my sweet time bending all the way over to pick it up.

When I turned around, Wheeler had reached out and gripped the other end of the table. His taut muscles looked like granite.

In my defense, I
was
wearing a thong.

“Morning, Naya!” April gave me a lively smile and took a seat at the table. She had on a pair of sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt.

“Have you heard from Reno?” I asked, twirling the dish towel.

“He called me this morning and said they’ll be there around noon or so. Everything’s going great, and he’s going to talk to the Packmaster and make sure Skye has everything she needs before he leaves. He’s done this sort of thing before. It’s great they accept any Shifter animal. It’s like a big commune or something, but in an undisclosed place. Sometimes I wonder if it’s really in Colorado or if he just tells me that to throw me off. I’m just glad it all worked out.”

“Me too. I’m making coffee,” I said. “Want some?”

“No, I’m sticking with juice. But thanks. Lexi will probably want some.”

Lexi wandered in with her hair in a tangle. “Want some what?”

“Coffee,” I said.

She stopped in the middle of the room. “Oh, uh… no thanks. I’m probably going to take a nap later on. We had a late night, so I don’t want the caffeine to keep me awake.”

“I could brew a pot of decaf.”

“We don’t have any,” she quickly said. “Did my mom already leave?”

“A few minutes ago,” Wheeler confirmed. “Is Austin awake? I need to talk to him about Delgado.”

“What about him?”

Wheeler stabbed his biscuit with a fork and ate it that way. “Well, for one, he’s going to be gunning for your friend. That what you want?”

The rest of the pack made their way into the room, quiet and ready to eat. William had put a bowl of fruit down in addition to a jar of strawberry preserves and a jug of whole milk.

“I like the view this morning,” Denver said, giving me a playful wink. He took a seat near the end of the table.

Wheeler merely watched him while he continued eating his biscuit like an ogre.

Denver placed two fingers in his mouth and a sharp whistle pierced the air. “Toss me an orange,” he shouted at Lexi.

She hurled an orange across the table and he caught it with one hand.

Denver straddled the bench and peeled the orange with his fingers, rubbing the sticky juice on his Atari shirt. Denver usually wore cargo pants or distressed jeans, but I’d seen him wearing long shorts in the summertime. I guess he wanted the women to see how nice his legs were.

“So, what are we going to do about Delgado?” Jericho asked Wheeler. “I have a family to protect. Did anyone recognize you at his house?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Wheeler replied with a mouthful of biscuit. “He probably had surveillance cameras set up. He’s not an idiot; he’ll figure it out. Let him get pissed. Angry men make stupid mistakes.”

“And sometimes those mistakes are at the expense of innocent people,” Austin said as he entered the room. He took a seat at the left head of the table and poured a glass of milk. “I don’t want the Council involved, so I’m leaning on my alliances for advice. I’ve called Prince, and he’ll be coming over later on to discuss strategy.”

“We were witnesses,” I reminded him. “Even if they can’t get Delgado because of the cage fights, he was keeping two Shifters in his house against their will. The young man had been sexually assaulted, and I’d say that’s enough to at least get his privileges revoked from owning Breed clubs.”

Austin rubbed his temple. “Maybe so. But men like him don’t go away easily. Human or not, he’s got connections and money, and that’s a dangerous weapon for any man to wield. Have you heard from him?” he asked me.

I lifted the pot of coffee and carried it to the table. “No, but I’m sure he’ll be ringing me at any moment. I left my phone in the other room so I can enjoy a nice breakfast. Let him throw a tantrum on my voice mail and wait,” I said smoothly. “Who wants coffee?”

Austin immediately put his hand over the top of his empty mug.

“No, I’m good,” Izzy said. “It’ll make the baby kick.”

Wheeler lifted his mug. “I’ll have some.”

Lexi choked on something and began a fit of coughing.

“Are you okay, chickypoo?”

She waved me off and gulped down some orange juice. I filled Wheeler’s cup to the brim. After that, I filled my own and then took a seat at the opposite end of the table from Austin.

Minutes passed as we had light conversation over breakfast. Melody was a night owl and often slept in. Izzy said she inherited that from her father, and Jericho barked out a laugh and placed his hand on her belly.

Lexi craned her neck. “About time you joined us, Maze. Breakfast is almost cold.”

“I don’t feel good,” Maizy said in a weak voice.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Maizy in front of the open doorway. Her cheeks were flushed, eyelids droopy, and yet her body was shaking. She had on an oversized red shirt that reached her knees, and it looked wet around her neck.

“What’s going on, Peanut?” Denver asked in a jovial tone, not turning around because he was too busy buttering his fourth biscuit.

Lexi stood up. “Maizy, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t feel—”

Just as Denver turned to look, Maizy collapsed. I hadn’t even put my fork down before Denver swung his leg over the bench and rushed to her side. His plate shattered on the floor, and the rest of his juice tipped over on the table.

He dropped to his knees and cradled her head. Denver touched her cheeks and then looked at Lexi over his shoulder. “Jesus, she’s burning up. Get the truck!”

“Maizy?” Lexi ran around the table to her. “What’s wrong with her?”

Denver lifted her in his arms and turned around. “Someone start the goddamn truck! She needs to get to a hospital!”

Shifter children were prone to accidents, and we only sought help from Relics. But not all Relics were schooled in human diseases and had access to their treatments.

Denver swiftly moved out the door—still barefoot—with Austin and Lexi right behind him.

“Holy smokes, I hope she’s okay,” April said in a low voice. “I don’t remember her complaining she was sick, but sometimes that stuff just sneaks up on you all of a sudden.”

“Maybe we should quit taking her out to human places where she can catch all that shit,” Wheeler suggested, his jaw tightening.

“Don’t blame this on us.” Jericho rose from his chair, his long hair falling in front of his face. “We take the kids to the movies and the park because that’s what you do in a family.”

“She’s
human
,” Wheeler reminded him. “Maizy’s vulnerable in ways your kids aren’t.”

“Okay, let’s calm down,” I said. “There’s nothing we can do about it now. The doctors will know the right medicine to give her. This isn’t the dark ages. Children don’t die anymore from the flu like they used to.”

“Yes they do,” April said. “Well, I hear about it on the news. Probably just sick kids or the young ones. That’s why they get vaccinated. Maybe I should talk to Lynn about that.”

Jericho tossed down his napkin. “Getting her out in public is what she
needs
. She has to be exposed to all that shit so she can build up her immunity. We can’t shelter her here in the Breed world thinking just because we don’t carry diseases or viruses, she’ll be safe. Eventually she’s going to live in that world. Dig?”

“No, I don’t fucking dig,” Wheeler enunciated, swinging his leg over the bench and standing up. “I brought a panther into the house, and I’m taking my punishment like a man. But maybe I’m not the only one who should be held accountable for endangering lives.”

“Hold on, wait a minute,” Izzy said, waving her arms. “You are
not
about to say we intentionally put her in harm’s way.”

“Wheeler has a valid point,” William said calmly, reeling in everyone’s attention. “I’m not saying he’s right or you’re right, but I think we
all
need to share the responsibility of what it means to keep our pack safe on all different levels.”

William was a slick one, and I could see his influence on the pack.

“Let’s keep a cool head,” he continued, peeling an overripe banana. “Wheeler is on the defense because he helped a family friend by doing what he was told, although it inadvertently put our pack in danger. He
did
call in advance to give us notice and prepare. Each of us is guilty of irresponsible decisions, and yet we’re not held to the same standard of judgment. How many times have we forgotten to buckle our seatbelts or driven another pack member home after a few drinks at the bar? Sure we can shift and heal, but—”

“No, you can’t,” I interrupted. I pushed my plate away and met the gazes of everyone sitting at the table. “Shifters aren’t immortal. I think sometimes we take for granted that we can heal. Yes, it takes a lot to kill us, but my mama died in a car accident. She hit her head and went into a coma—one she never woke up from. Once the human hospitals took her in, I couldn’t get her out. She spent days on their machines.” I wiped away a tear, my emotions raw. “When they declared her brain-dead, I had to make the decision to take her off life support.” All eyes were downcast. “We’re not immortal, and we shouldn’t live our lives as if we are. Accidents happen, so maybe we shouldn’t take each other for granted.”

The room quieted.

“I’m so sorry,” April said in a soft voice. “I know how you feel. I lost my father in a car accident.”

“Honey, I didn’t mean to stir up bad memories,” I said ruefully. Once again, I’d worn out my welcome, so I stood up from the table. “I’m sure little Maizy will be fine—you all take such good care of her. I’ll call Lynn and make sure she knows what’s going on. It would be nice if someone changed the sheets on Maizy’s bed and fixed up her room for when she gets home. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in the heat house.”

As I left the room, I glanced over my shoulder and noticed Wheeler pouring his second cup of coffee. He took a sip and grimaced, holding it up to me in silent approval.

Delgado never called.
I kept my phone charged, but the more minutes that ticked by without contact, the more nervous I became. Austin was wrong about which weapons make a man dangerous. We’re all armed in some form or fashion, but pride is the worst weapon of all.

Even if I left the Weston pack, they were already involved in a way that couldn’t be undone. The only honorable thing for me to do would be to see this thing through until the end.

When nervous, I had a tendency to clean. I spent the rest of the morning polishing every corner of my room, including inside the cabinets. When I found myself cleaning each leaf of a fake plant, I decided it was time to mingle with the household. I changed into a pair of red shorts and another white shirt that tied at the bottom. Since I was now a guest under their roof, I went barefoot, respecting their rules.

Austin remained home, waiting for Prince. I helped him move some of the cars out front. Lexi had called us with periodic updates on Maizy. By midafternoon, she confirmed they were still in the waiting room. April invited me to sit with her by the stereo, and she turned on some blues music at a low volume. We talked for a little while, but eventually the chatter died down and she began to read. April was a friendly girl—more shy around men than women—but I adored her sensitive nature.

When someone knocked at the front door, April glanced over her shoulder. “That must be Prince. Austin!” she yelled.

“Why don’t
you
answer the door?” I asked with a soft giggle. “The poor man is standing outside and listening to your shouts.”

“Normally I would, but I don’t always know the rules when another Packmaster is invited over. They get all funny about stuff like this. A member of the Council came over once and I answered the door in my slippers. That didn’t go over well with Austin, especially when I slipped and fell on my butt.”

“This is silly. I’ll get it.”

“Wait, I wouldn’t do that. Austin!” she yelled again.

I brushed off a chill and headed toward the door. The house was alight with sunshine that filtered through the sheer curtain and cast a luminous gleam across the wood floor.

I swung the door open and jutted my hip to the side. “You must be the alpha everyone is fussing over,” I said in a friendly voice.

Prince was pleasingly tall and dressed in a casual pair of slacks and a grey button-up shirt. I could sense he had a lot of money. Perhaps it was the sparkly gold watch on his wrist, or maybe it was the expensive cologne I’d become familiar with. Packmasters were usually men with brawn, but he seemed gracefully older and sophisticated. His dark hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, and when he removed his mirrored sunglasses, I stared into his eyes for a little longer than was necessary. One was brown and the other a deep blue.

He tucked his glasses in his shirt pocket and inclined his head. “I’m here by invitation. My name is Prince.”

“Naya James. Pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss James.” He traced his index finger across an eyebrow and assessed me in the way most Packmasters did.

“I’m not a wolf, but feel free to enjoy the view. Come inside.” I turned away just as Austin jogged down the stairs to meet him at the door.

“Prince. Thanks for coming on short notice. Have a seat. Do you want anything to drink?”

“Thank you for your hospitality, but no.” He swaggered into the living room and sat in a leather chair across from April.

She quickly got up and hurried toward the stairs. “I have to get ready for work.”

Prince chuckled as he sat down. “Timid little creature. I find her and Reno to be an anomalous pairing.”

Austin rubbed the back of his neck and eased into the leather chair opposite Prince. “Yeah, those two are something else.”

Then I realized Austin’s behavior had to do with rank. My, the culture of wolves fascinated me. I slinked around the sofa and took a seat in the middle, crossing my legs.

Prince unabashedly appraised me from head to toe, a smile playing on his lips.

“Has something struck you as amusing?” I asked.

His finger and thumb were in the shape of an L, holding up his chin. “Body language intrigues me.”

Clearly Prince was an observant man who interpreted every gesture into a meaning.

“Careful not to read into me too much, you might be dyslexic. Had I crossed my legs toward Austin—a mated alpha—it might have given you the wrong message about the nature of my relationship with him.”

Austin cleared his throat as a warning not to engage in this topic with Prince.

“No, no,” Prince said to Austin. “I don’t meet many women who understand the subtle nuances behind posture and the messages behind body language.” He regarded me with his gaze. “Then why not put both feet flat on the floor?”

“Because that’s not how a lady sits, and I would appear closed off since I’m not facing anyone. This conversation involves me, so it’s important I show I’m honest with nothing to hide. Crossing my legs in your direction is not about me showing interest; it’s about giving you my attention and trust.”

He silently studied me with a closed-lip smile. Austin appeared hesitant to interrupt, so I saved him the agony of watching his friend flirt with me.

“A human purchased the club I work at, and many others. He’s behind a series of kidnappings, and it turns out he’s using these girls for cage fights.”

Prince’s smile withered, replaced by a frightening expression.

Austin crossed one foot over his knee, then set both feet on the ground and widened his legs. “Last night we broke into Delgado’s house and rescued two Shifters.”

“You broke in,” Prince said flatly. “Without a warrant?”

“We had enough evidence. He’d made Naya an offer to work for him as a cage fighter.”

Prince slanted his eyes toward me. “Is that so?”

I picked at my nail, deciding a manicure was in order. “Someone like me is valuable to a man like him.”

“We expected him to call back, but he’s gone silent. That makes me nervous,” Austin admitted. “I don’t expect he’ll come busting through my door, but a man with that much money could buy off someone in a position of authority to take me down. By force or false charges. Either way, the unknown kept me up all night.”

“How many of his men did you kill?”

“Two confirmed. The others were left tied up or unconscious. We moved the girl to a safe, undisclosed location, so that leaves us with the young Shifter. From what they told me, he’s not in good condition. He might have skipped town by now. That’s what any sane person who’s not in a pack would do.”

Prince turned his head and stared at the black television. “How did a human purchase our clubs to begin with?”

“It’s been going on for years. Somehow he got his foot in the door long enough to make some good money—enough to pay someone off. Maybe selling drugs to humans is one way he got started, but he’s our problem now. We can’t touch him because the Breed laws prevent us from going after humans. That’s his shield.”

Prince laced his fingers together and stretched out his legs. “An egg has a shield to protect it, one that’s easily broken. No one is untouchable. And if what you say about the cage fights is true, then you have my full support in taking him down. To be honest, if this was nothing more than his owning a few Breed clubs, I would have walked away. A nuisance? Yes. But by no means a reason to start a war.”

“Is that what we have here? A war?” Austin asked.

Prince leaned forward and steadied his gaze on Austin. “I’ve lived a long time and come from a genetic line so pure that I’ll probably never find a suitable mate who will carry strong children for me—ones that will live as long as I will. Most of the purity has been bred out over the years. I’ve spilled blood on the battlefield and negotiated treaties. This repugnant human won’t rob me of sleep, nor should he you. But once you let in the roaches, they infect. They spread their disease until you’re surrounded by nothing but vermin. Delgado’s power isn’t his personal rise to success—it’s the tricks he’s learning about the favor trading in our world. There’s money in cage fights, but if he’s keeping personal slaves, then I’d guess his fascination with us goes beyond money. He wants to dominate us—turn us against each other like savage animals, just as he does in the cage fights.”

“Why Shifters?”

“Maybe it’s not just us. Maybe he owns Mage bars, but I doubt it. Those immortals have insurmountable wealth and are not easily manipulated. We’re weaker because our struggles for independence are only in the early stages. So many Shifters crave power and money and are easily bought.”

“I can testify to that,” I said. “I’ve worked with all kinds, but since Shifters have it the hardest, they’re likely to do more for the money. It’s a pity.”

“And that is our struggle,” Prince agreed, leaning back in his chair. “We went from slaves living on the brink of society to free men. Yet no wealth to build upon, no home, no land, no skills. And still many continued to shut us out, even though by law they could no longer own us. I remember a time when we were turned away from jobs and no one would accept our business. Packs quickly formed to gain unity and strength, but it was an arduous battle for land. Even now we still fight amongst each other because we know it will take years to catch up to the monetary success the immortals luxuriate in.” Prince’s leg bounced a few times, causing his heel to tap on the wood floor.

“So what are you suggesting?” Austin asked warily.

“Snuff him out.”

A flurry of footsteps tromped down the stairs. “I’m off to work,” April called out.

“Who’s going with you?” Austin looked over his left shoulder and watched April drop her purse on the floor.

Trevor appeared at the bottom of the stairs with his guitar case slung over his shoulder. “Don’t sweat it. I’m going to see how the human girls like my act.”

“This should be interesting,” April said. “We serve children.”

“Hey, you’ve got plenty of cougars in there.”

“They’re probably married!” April slipped on her shoes at the door.

Trevor already had on a clean pair of dress shoes. “Babe, there’s no guilt in window-shopping.”

They went out the door like a hurricane, and I smothered a laugh.

Wheeler trudged down the stairs and looked like he’d gotten less sleep than I had. He’d showered and shaved, and by shaved I mean he’d taken a razor to his face and trimmed up his beard just the way I’d suggested. Clean on the sides with a circle of whiskers around his mouth and chin that made me think of how bikers sometimes wore theirs.

If my feet had been hidden in a pair of shoes, I would have curled my toes at the sight of him.

I tried to avert my eyes as he entered the room, but it felt like my chin was glued to my right shoulder. He didn’t just walk into the living room—he swaggered in a sexy, masculine way. My God, had I ever paid attention to how sinfully delicious Wheeler was to look at? He’d dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt that fit him tight enough to show his lean muscle. I guessed for appearance’s sake, he’d covered his tattoos so as not to offend Prince. I also liked the way his jeans fit him—slightly loose in the crotch and…

I looked away and turned my motor off before it began to purr.

When he sat on the sofa next to me, a heavy scent blanketed the air—one of soap, aftershave, and the dark spices of a real man.

I cleared my dry throat, feeling my silly heart begin to beat faster.

Wheeler stretched his arm across the back of the sofa, and I felt a slight tug on my hair. I set both feet on the ground and straightened up.

Prince squinted at me and then his eyes drifted to Wheeler. Hand to God, I felt a heat rising across my chest. Against my white blouse, that would be no good!

“What’s the plan?” Wheeler interrupted.

“Wheeler and Reno were the ones who broke into the house,” Austin explained to Prince.

“And Naya,” Wheeler added.

Prince looked at me, nonplussed. “So you’re not a wolf, but you participated in a dangerous mission with a wolf pack?”

“I had a personal investment. I would have gone in without them.”

A single eyebrow arched and he turned his attention to Austin. “Let’s wait for him to contact you or make a move, and then we’ll decide. There’s little you can do at the moment without knowing his whereabouts.”

“I have his number; we can call him,” I said.

“I’m afraid that wouldn’t get you far. A man like him doesn’t want you to know his next move. He won’t accept your terms or conditions at this point.”

“He might. I’m a panther.”

Prince’s jaw slackened.

“He values me at a high price.”

Prince curled his lips in and began rubbing his hand across his mouth. I didn’t have a doubt in my mind why he looked uncomfortable. Ancients like him had seen the darker side of our past—had lived it. Prince gave Austin a judgmental stare, but Austin merely sat up straight and centered his eyes on him.

“If I take out Delgado, will I have your full support?” Austin asked. “Your protection?”

“My absolute protection—as much of it as I can offer. The laws are in place to create order, but sometimes we have to take the law into our own hands. Discreetly, of course. It’s important you don’t make any mistakes, because you might only have one chance. Too many failed attempts will draw suspicion to your court—too many eyes you can’t afford to have on you. When things like this happen, you want to keep that knowledge to a limited few, such as those sitting in this room right now. Your pack will remain unified, regardless if you conceal information from them. You’re their leader, and Packmasters have no obligation to disclose the details behind our orders. We protect our packs, and that’s why it’s better to only have a handful that could be held accountable if something goes wrong. Your goal is to protect as many of your packmates as possible.”