Chapter 11
THE FULL Moon Diner was bursting at the seams with testosterone. Tables had been shoved together to accommodate the large group of even larger men. When the tables had originally been set up, there was so much maneuvering over who would have to sit with their backs to the doors the waitresses moved the tables, with the men’s help. In the new configuration, no one sat in a position of vulnerability. Mac and the Wolves lined one side. Folks from Blaidd’s Gap occupied the other. Josiah sat at the head of the table. His second, Walt Tarrant, sat on his right, followed by Zeb Bivens, Dave Cardiff, Garth Gryffon, and an empty seat. Two humans sat in—Harjo on the Wolves side and Granny Mae, the lone female, who sat at the end of the table opposite Josiah. She was the only one who didn’t mind having her back to the door.
“With a room fulla predators, I ain’t worried ’bout any fool sneakin’ up on me,” she explained with a cackling laugh.
Lew Tarrant, Walt’s cousin and owner of the Full Moon, had sent his female staff home. The blinds were pulled, the closed sign up on the door, and his two male fry cooks were busy in the kitchen. Once he served dinner, they too would be sent home. This was pack business, but the pack council would deal with it. Once plates hit the table, Lew shooed the cooks out, locking the door behind them, and took his seat at the table. He was an alpha—barely. And that was the problem, as he saw it. The hair on his neck bristled and his wolf paced just beneath his skin. Every alpha in town sat at this table, and the power surging from the other side of the table scared the bejeezus out of him.
The men ate in silence while Granny sipped her tea and watched them. Dealing with Wolves was always a touchy business and this much dominance in one room was a recipe for disaster. Strangely enough, she didn’t anticipate the problem coming from their guests. Josiah caught her eye and she blinked twice before sliding her gaze to the men to her right. She and Josiah had to play this just right to keep the Blaidd Wolves under control. Any one member of the McIntire Wolves could take on all of the Blaidd Wolves single-handed. And mop the floor with them. Including Garth, who was as big a brawler as anyone in the county. The huge Wolf wouldn’t stand a chance.
When the last bite had been taken, Lew quietly stood and removed dishes. He was surprised when the man who’d been introduced as Antoine stood and helped. While Antoine cleared plates, Lew brought coffee carafes to the table, along with several pies, plates, and clean forks. No one moved to take a piece. Antoine and Lew sat down simultaneously. Lew’s wolf sensed the other man was stronger, but still preened under the honor the other alpha had bestowed. It gave him pause and food for thought.
Mac leaned back in his chair. He hadn’t liked his men being introduced as the McIntire Pack. While it was tradition a pack take the name of their first Alpha, the 69th had been in existence long before he became their leader. He’d already run a subtle recon on the power of the alphas on the other side of the table. None of them were anywhere close to even the weakest of the Wolves, which was a misnomer. None of the Wolves were weak. He was still humbled that they looked to him for leadership. Always a patient hunter, he waited for Josiah to explain why they’d been summoned to this meeting. It didn’t take long.
“About last week’s situation,” Josiah began.
“We’ll be moving on in a few days. It won’t happen again.” Mac didn’t give the other man time to elaborate.
Josiah exchanged looks with every man on his side of the table. “That’s why we’re here. I want to make a proposition to you.”
Mac searched for the trap in those words, positive there was one. When he couldn’t find something obvious, he replied, “I’m listening.”
“We want you to stay.”
The Wolves reacted restlessly, though the surge in power was just subtle enough it only raised hair on the arms of the lesser alphas across the table.
“Why?” Mac leaned forward, a move meant to be somewhat threatening. “As you’ve already pointed out, we’re stronger.”
“That’s the reason.”
The Blaidd Alpha’s response took Mac by surprise. “I don’t understand.”
“If you wanted to take over, you would have challenged me when you hit town, Blood Moon or not. You didn’t. You and your Pack are honorable men, Mac.”
“Shadows are coming, Ian McIntire,” Granny Mae intoned. “Some follow you. Some were already lookin’ this direction. We can’t control what’s outside of these hills. But we can guard against it. With yore help.”
Mac opened his mouth to retort, but Josiah cut him off. “Just listen first. I ask you to respect me enough to listen to our offer.”
He settled back in his chair, folded his arms across his chest and nodded. The Wolves were tense—a combination of nerves and anticipation. They’d listen. They’d discuss it privately. And then they would turn the Alpha down.
“Blaidd’s Gap and this pack have been here for almost forever. We send our young’uns out. Some come back. Some find lives other places. We’re insulated here in the Cumberlands, just a wide spot on a road hardly anyone travels down. To find your way here, you pretty much gotta be lookin’ for us. But like Granny Mae said, things are changin’. We need to change with ’em. That’s where y’all come in.”
For an hour, Josiah talked and the Wolves listened. The Blaidd Alpha had it all figured out. There was a place in the economy for each of them. Michael would go to work for the state as a game ranger, much like he did in Wyoming and Montana. Sean would work at the small clinic and would learn the old medicine from Granny Mae. Blaidd’s Gap needed a veterinarian. Jacey and Nate could open a clinic. Liz could work with Sean. Rudy, Antoine and DJ could work for Zeb and they’d have a real police department. If they wanted to work, Izzy, Annie, and Amy could work at the local school, Harjo in city government as City Manager. Josiah meticulously laid out their idea to integrate the Wolves into Blaidd’s Gap.
“Y’all will be safe here, Mac. Your pups will have friends. A real school where they can be what they are without fear of discovery. We’ve a good life here, Ian McIntire. Better than you’ll find anywhere else.” Josiah rose to his feet and stared down at Mac. This wasn’t a show of dominance, but one of acceptance. “We need you. We need all of you.”
Mac pushed out of his chair and offered his hand. “We’ll discuss it, Josiah Cadogan.”
As one, the Wolves stood and filed out of the diner, Lew leaping to his feet and scurrying to the door to unlock it before they reached it. After they’d departed, he shut the door and turned the lock once again. He returned to the table and sank onto his chair, his wolf finally relaxing.
“Well,” Granny Mae said. “I think that went well.”