Chaz (VLG #15)

Chapter Thirteen

Chaz parked his car in the middle of the road and got out. Signs were posted to indicate he was about to trespass on private property. It was the border to the Folsom pack territory. It took only a few seconds for two Lycans to step into sight. He figured there would be scouts watching the road.

“Tell Corlin the GarLycan is here. I need to talk to him.” Chaz moved to the front of his rental car and leaned against the hood, getting comfortable. He removed his sunglasses next, shoving them up on his head. They’d have no doubt who he was if they saw his eyes.

The Lycan to his left pulled out a cell phone to make the call. He could hear him whispering. The scout hung up and nodded. “Our alpha is on his way. It will be a few minutes.”

“I figured.”

Corlin arrived on a dirt bike. He just wore jeans. His hair was wet enough to drip down onto his bare shoulders. Chaz figured he might have interrupted him while taking a shower or a swim. The new alpha hadn’t even put on shoes. He liked that the Lycan hadn’t made him wait. Corlin shut off the engine, climbing off.

“We don’t want war,” Corlin loudly stated. “Why are you here? You said you wouldn’t be back unless we’d done something wrong.”

“Have you heard about Noah?” Chaz decided to be direct.

“No. Give me a minute.” Corlin motioned for one of his scouts to come hold his bike up.

Chaz waited, listening to what was going on. Corlin ordered both Lycans to take his bike and walk away, stating he wanted privacy. The two scouts softly argued with him about his safety. They wanted to remain. Their new alpha quickly assured them he didn’t need their protection and to leave.

Once the two Lycans disappeared into the woods, Corlin approached Chaz. “How do you know Noah? He was my father’s lead enforcer before my brothers and I were assigned his duties to share.”

Chaz quickly gave him a rundown of what had happened but didn’t mention the pregnant female or her mate who’d been working with Noah. He’d let them live for a reason. He wasn’t so certain Corlin would be as merciful.

“I killed him and his group to rescue the younglings. I also sent the mated pair and their pups away temporarily to keep them from being harmed while your pack remains unstable. They aren’t fighters and shouldn’t have been used that way. Children are to be protected,” Chaz said.

“Goddamn it,” Corlin snarled, looking enraged.

“Your father taught your pack some dishonorable ways to deal with situations instead of fighting by fang and claw. Do you have a problem with what I did?”

Corlin shook his head. “I’d have rescued those pups and dealt with the situation if you’d let me know what was going on.”

“Is it safe to send Tiono and Nama back home at the end of the week? Don’t lie to me. They were innocent pawns in all this, just trying to keep their young from being murdered.”

“I would never hurt Tiono or Nama. Are their two pups okay?”

“They are. I want your word they’ll be safe upon their return.”

Corlin held his gaze. “My word is given. They hold key roles in our pack. I’m not my father. He refused to acknowledge the importance of our taskers. A pack can’t exist without them.”

“Taskers?”

“They do jobs that are vital for a pack to thrive. Taskers cook, grow food, and care for those who need help. They keep our homes in good repair and teach our pups their various skills. Without taskers, we wouldn’t even have firewood to burn to keep us warm in the winters.”

“I understand.” Chaz pushed off the car and stood. “I hope there won’t be another problem like what happened last night. More deaths will occur if anyone comes after the human under my protection.”

“Have her memories been dealt with yet?”

“A VampLycan has come to do that. He’s with the human now, keeping her safe in case anyone else from your pack decides to go after her.”

“I’ll spread the word that a VampLycan is in town, too.” Corlin sighed. “My father encouraged foolishness in the pack. I wish I could promise there aren’t any others like Noah, but that would be a lie. I ordered everyone to forget about that human. I had to kill four enforcers and three scouts yesterday who challenged me. I’ll probably have to fight two of my father’s advisers tonight. They are still set on declaring war on the pack under your protection.”

“They don’t fear the clans? That is stupid.”

Corlin rolled his shoulders, looking annoyed. “It’s why I’m going to challenge them. They will have to fight me or concede their positions. I don’t want them advising me. Those two are too set in the past and refuse to accept that buying land is the new way to expand our territory. They see that as unnecessarily wasting pack funds.”

“You can’t take away their positions with an order?”

“No.” Corlin studied Chaz. “You don’t seem to know a lot about pack workings. Why is that? Isn’t your association with the VampLycans as close as you stated?”

“We’re all clans in Alaska. The VampLycans have a leader instead of an alpha. Their society isn’t run the same way as your packs. That’s why I’m asking questions.”

Corlin nodded. “Advisers are usually considered highly intelligent and have a history of giving good guidance to the alpha that appointed them. They hold their positions for at least five years if an alpha unexpectedly dies to help a new one settle into his role.”

“Only unexpectedly?”

“Yes. I would have been able to appoint my own advisers with my father’s approval if he’d planned to step down in the future for me to take over as his chosen successor.”

“I don’t see the difference,” Chaz admitted.

“It’s tradition and, honestly, a bit about how an outgoing alpha can still exert a little control. I mentioned that my choices would have to be approved. Without that, the existing advisers of the dead alpha are kept in place to make sure I can do the job and not fuck it up.”

That made a little more sense for Chaz. “Even if they are assholes?”

“Unfortunately. I’m not going with tradition. That’s why I plan to challenge two of the advisers. My pack will be shocked when it happens, but it needs to be done. There is a lot that’s going to be changing over the next few weeks. My sisters and I have made a list of packmates we know will stand in our way. We’ll be culling some of our pack.”

Shock flowed through Chaz.

“Don’t look at me that way.” Corlin tensed, as if ready to fight. “You met my father. His influence on some of our pack is too strong to break with words or orders. They won’t hear reason. You saw that with Noah. How they think and act is like a disease that must be wiped out to prevent it from spreading to others. What do you do with dishonorable packmates in your clan? The ones who break your alpha’s laws and have no regard for the lives of your taskers?”

Chaz was starting to understand. Their clan once had a Gargoyle council that had been rotten to the core. They’d abused their powers in terrible ways. That fact had come to light after they’d targeted a GarLycan for mating with a human. All of them had died for attempting to kill Creed and harm his mate. They’d gone against Lord Aveoth in doing so. Their deaths had been justified and resulted in their clan becoming healthier without them around to cause more trouble.

“My father encouraged others to abuse and sometimes even kill our taskers. They call them bottom feeders. He wouldn’t even allow them to mate without seeking permission first. He limited the amount of pups they could have to two. Only the strongest were allowed to make those kinds of choices in the pack. It’s not right.” Sadness shrouded Corlin’s face. “I fell in love with a tasker when I was seventeen. She was a year older, had the purest heart, and cared for the young pups of other taskers while they worked. I’d see her holding them while she sang sweet songs and…” His voice broke.

Chaz waited while Corlin seemed to compose himself.

“I can’t prove it, but I suspect my father ordered one of his scouts to kill her. He denied it, but he also didn’t punish the one who murdered her. I did that by killing him in a challenge. I was publicly whipped for taking the life of an important scout over a worthless bottom feeder. That was my father’s ruling and words. My brothers were the ones who held me down while I was punished, telling me it was for the best since I’d have shamed them if I’d mated Massy.”

It was a terrible story, but Chaz had one question. “What was the scout’s excuse for taking her life?”

Rage deepened Corlin’s voice as he continued to speak. “He said she looked at him wrong. That’s why he tore out her throat. My father allowed taskers to be murdered for petty shit like that. Things are going to change, and the ones I know who won’t comply with the new ways this pack is going to be run need to die before they can harm others like my Massy. Under my rule, taskers will be protected, and anyone who harms them will be severely punished. They will also no longer need to ask permission to mate who they love or be limited to the number of pups they can have.”

Chaz nodded, agreeing with that. “What other things do you want to change?”

“My sisters are more than potential breeders to be given to the strongest enforcers. That’s what my father planned to do with them. They’d have been forced into matings with males they hated. I killed both of those enforcers yesterday in those challenges I mentioned. My sisters will be free to mate with who they love now and have been given powerful positions. I’ve made Cathra my main adviser, and Dorleen is my lead enforcer.”

“How is your pack taking that?” Chaz felt bad for the Lycan over losing the female he loved and being betrayed by his family. He couldn’t even imagine what that would feel like. His own father and twin would fight to the death at his side to protect someone he wanted to mate. It also explained why Corlin didn’t seem to hold a grudge against him for killing his father and brothers inside that warehouse.

“They don’t know yet. That’s going to change after I cull the pack of my father’s most devout followers and make it safer for my sisters, other females, and all the taskers. I’m going after the ones who have caused harm and still pose threats to them. My father left them vulnerable to abuse since they held such low value to him.”

“How many are left on that list you mentioned?”

“Sixteen,” Corlin admitted. “Those are the worst offenders. The rest will fall in line once they are gone or will swiftly know death if they harm females or young.”

“Fuck.” Chaz leaned against the car again. Younglings and females were something he felt highly protective of. “You’re going to need some help. The faster you do this, the quicker you can stabilize your pack.”

Corlin held his gaze. “Are you offering?”

“I guess I am.” He pulled out his phone. “I don’t blindly kill. I’ll need to speak with everyone on your list to make certain they deserve to die.”

“I can have their victims talk to you, too. Trust me, you’ll want to kill the same ones I do, especially after you meet the five-year-old girl still healing from two broken legs. A scout did that to her a few days ago because she was playing where he didn’t think she should be. That was her only crime.”

That pissed Chaz off.

Corlin wasn’t done. “The bastard laughed about what he’d done to others, saying they should try it, too. That her screams of pain were funny as he snapped her little bones. My father forbade healers to work on taskers. As soon as I took over, I sent one to their home. Little Mona is now recovering.”

The decision was made. “Give me a minute.” Chaz had Garson’s number, thanks to his brother’s text. He called him.

Garson answered after the first ring. “What’s up, my man?”

“I’m going to be delayed. Keep Shoni safe while I help stabilize this pack so they cease being a threat to her.”

“I can do that,” Garson swore. “She’s a cool chick.” He paused. “Human. I need to take the word chick from my vocabulary. How long are you going to be?”

Chaz sighed. “I’m not sure. It might be a day or two. Keep her safe until I return. Then we’ll sit down to work on what needs to be removed from her memories.” He said that last part for Corlin’s benefit. He didn’t want the Lycan to think of Shoni as another threat that needed to be culled.

“Will do,” Garson chuckled. “She’s not immune to my eyes. I tested it by asking her a question. Do you want to know what it was?”

Chaz had no time for Garson’s immature bullshit. “No. I have to go now.”

“But―”

He ended the call before Garson could finish what he’d started to say and pocketed his phone. “Do I have permission to enter your territory, Alpha Corlin?”

“Yes. Thank you, GarLycan.”

“My name is Chaz. You can use it. Do you want a ride in my car, or should I follow you?”

“I’ll go with you and give you directions to the pack house.”

* * * * *

Shoni had just finished making a grocery shopping list when Garson came upstairs. He paused at her open bedroom door, where she sat on the mattress and leaned against the doorframe.

He smiled. “Chaz just called. He got held up.”

“Is he okay?”

“He’s Chaz. You’ve seen him in action, right? Nobody is going to get the best of him. That’s why I’m here. You saw way too much when he kicked some ass. He’s helping to stabilize the pack. I’m not sure exactly what that means since he’s not much of a talker.” Garson shrugged. “That’s Chaz. Fray would totally spill the beans so I could tell you more. All I know is I’m to keep you safe, and he might be gone for a few days at most.”

“Oh.” That news made her heart sink. They only had a few days left together, and now Chaz wouldn’t even be there.

“Then again, he might be back later tonight. He didn’t sound sure about how long it would take to do whatever. Let’s go shopping. You said you wanted to cook dinner.” Garson straightened. “Please tell me you haven’t changed your mind. Please, please, please. I’ll be your best friend forever. I love home-cooked meals.”

Shoni slid off the bed. “Sure. I need to go to the grocery store, anyway.”

“I’ll even pay.” Garson winked. “It’s the least I can do if you’re providing dinner. I’m a decent cook, but I have a feeling you’re much better at it. My dinner choices are usually grilling meat.”

Shoni put on her shoes and grabbed her purse. “You don’t need to do that.”

“I insist. I don’t know how much money humans make working jobs, but you live in a tiny house. I figure you’d live in a bigger one if you made anything close to what funds I have access to. Besides, you’re owed for the shit you’ve had to endure since you got pulled into our world.”

Shoni approached her bedroom door. Garson backed up, keeping space between them. He led the way downstairs. Once there, Shoni showed him her alarm system and shared the code.

“Do we take my car or yours?”

“Mine. I rented a cool sports car. I love driving it. We sure as hell can’t have one where I live in Alaska. Between the winters and our shitty roads, it would be useless up there. I usually drive an ATV, if I even use something with wheels. We mostly run in our other form to go distances at home.”

“Other form?” Shoni went outside, setting her alarm and locking the door behind them.

“Right. You’ve only seen Chaz. Well, I think we look scarier than his kind do. Think hell beast.”

Shoni glanced at him as they walked toward visitor parking. She instantly knew which vehicle belonged to Garson. It was a bright red two-seater with the top down. She hoped it had decent trunk space to fit everything she wanted to buy at the store. Otherwise, she’d be packing the bags at her feet and on her lap.

“Okay.”

“I’d show you what I look like in my other form, but I really am scary. I don’t want you to freak out.”

Shoni decided not to push the issue, even if she was curious. She’d feel braver if Chaz was with her. Garson seemed like a good guy, but she didn’t know him well. She also remembered what some of those Lycans in the warehouse had looked like. That wasn’t something she ever wanted to see again.

“I’m good,” she told him, getting into the passenger seat.

Garson climbed in the driver’s seat. “Tell me where I’m going.”

Shoni gave directions to her local grocery store. People in the parking lot gave Garson second and third looks. Especially the women. She didn’t blame them. He was a fit, good-looking guy. He rushed ahead of her and grabbed the shopping cart.

“I’ve got this.” He grinned. “I love everything…” He glanced around. “…human. How cool is this?”

She laughed, unable to stop herself. “You’re like a big kid.”

“I’ve heard that before. You lead. I’ll follow.”

“Just not too close, please. I don’t want to get hit with the cart if you get distracted. That hurts.”

“Got it.” Garson winked at her. “You’re safe with me.”

Shoni often had to stop herself from laughing as she grocery-shopped. Garson was like a man-child. For every one item she put into the cart, he added five more. He seemed to be unable to resist snacks that looked good. The cookie aisle was almost too much for him. She’d had to step in after he loaded the cart with over ten bags of various assortments.

“Enough. No one can eat that much sugar without getting sick. Pace yourself.”

“Right,” he’d agreed. “We haven’t even hit up the chips section yet.”

He hadn’t been kidding. The shopping cart was piled over the top with at least fifteen bags of chips. Shoni ended up grabbing a second cart just to finish her list. The bill total had her eyes widening as Garson paid at checkout.

“You do realize you’re going to have to leave me here and make a few trips back and forth with all these bags, don’t you? No way will all this fit in that tiny car of yours.” Shoni figured he’d have to make two trips at least.

“We’ll figure it out.” Garson didn’t seem concerned in the least.

“I pity the woman who dates you if you always shop like this.”

The woman bagging the groceries suddenly snapped her head up. “You’re not his girlfriend?”

Shoni shook her head, studying the woman. She had to be in her mid-twenties and was staring at Garson like he hung the moon and stars. It was obvious the employee had an instant crush on him. “I’m just a friend.”

The woman outright grinned at Garson, batting her lashes. “I have an SUV, and I get off right after this. I could follow you home with all these groceries.”

“That would be excellent.” Garson grinned at her. “You’re a sweetheart for offering.”

It was hard for Shoni to resist rolling her eyes. She did plan on having a talk with Garson once they were alone about using poor women who were awestruck by his looks. Not that she could blame the employee. She’d have probably made the same offer if she hadn’t met Chaz. He was way better looking, in her opinion.

“The universe magically provides,” Garson whispered to Shoni.

She did roll her eyes that time. They waited outside for a few minutes with both carts until the now off-duty employee rushed out. “I’m Janice.” She held out her hand to Garson.

“Garson.” He took her hand and slowly raised it to his lips, brushing a kiss on the back of it.

The woman giggled. “You are so charming.”

“I try,” he admitted. “You’re my hero for offering to drive my groceries home. Where’s your SUV? I’ll unload all the bags and give you directions to my place.”

Janice glanced at Shoni. “Will she be there?”

“She’s my hired chief for the night. What are you making for dinner again?” Garson didn’t even glance Shoni’s way.

She bit back a sarcastic remark and answered honestly instead. “Pork chops in a mushroom sauce, stuffing, and I would make a salad, too, but you stated you’re not a rabbit.”

Garson chuckled. “Let’s go. You can be my dinner guest.”

Less than five minutes later, they were in his car, leading the poor woman in the SUV back to Shoni’s condo. “Am I really cooking for her, too?”

“No.” Garson glanced over at her. “I’ll slip her a few twenties for her time and send her on her way.”

“Right. She’ll be repeatedly showing up to my place looking for you now.”

“No, she won’t. Here’s what you don’t know because you’re human. That female is taking drugs. I can smell them on her. I confirmed it when I kissed her hand and used the tip of my fang to puncture her skin for a taste of her blood. It means she won’t be immune to my eyes. Drug users are always susceptible to Vampires and VampLycans.”

“You bit her?” Shoni was aghast.

“No. I nicked her skin and then used my saliva to heal it. She won’t have a mark on her by now. We’ll get to your tiny home, unload the groceries, and then I’ll use my eyes to make her forget where you live. I’ll also make her think I turned out to be a total creep she never wants to see again.”

“That’s kind of shitty. She was totally crushing on you.”

Garson kept his attention on the road. “Most humans do. I don’t mean to sound like a dick, but how else were we supposed to get all this stuff to your place? I didn’t think ahead. I should have listened to you or rented a bigger car.”

She silently agreed.

“I’m going to pay her. I said that, right? A dick would make her do this for free. At most, she’ll be sixty bucks richer for half an hour of her time.”

Shoni didn’t say anything else. Once they reached the visitor parking lot, she got out and walked to her condo. She wanted a little space between them. Garson entered her apartment with a bunch of groceries a few minutes later.

He must have known she wasn’t happy with what he’d done since he set them down and went out to retrieve more. Shoni started to put them away. A lot of his stuff ended up piled on the counter since her cabinets wouldn’t fit that much food.

He finally came in with the last load and closed her front door, locking it. “I’m sorry if I made you mad. I gave her two hundred dollars. That’s all the cash I had in my wallet. Does that get me out of the doghouse?”

She turned, facing him. “I don’t like using people. That’s what you did to that poor woman. You flirted with her to get your way.”

“She offered and won’t remember that I flirted back.”

“That doesn’t make it right.”

He chewed on his bottom lip. “I’m not human like you.”

Shoni turned away. “Right. We live by different rules.”

“We do.” He loudly sighed. “I’m sorry if I upset you. It wasn’t intentional. I screwed up. My two best friends always tell me I don’t think enough. Kar and Lavos would probably punch me in the nuts for what I just did and agree with you. My bad. Do you want to do that? You can kick me.”

She spun. “No!”

He had both hands covering his crotch with a sheepish look on his face. “My nuts thank you. Friends? I promise no more flirting to get other humans to drive my groceries around for me.” He lifted one hand, expending his smallest finger outward. “Pinkie swear.”

“You are an overgrown kid.” Shoni shook her head, her anger seeping away. “It’s wrong to use people whether they remember you doing it or not.”

“Lesson learned. Promise. Want to hug it out to make up?”

“No. You bite. I won’t be forgetting that.”

“I didn’t bite her. I nicked her skin to get a taste of her blood to be certain she did drugs. Some humans carry that scent if they’ve touched cash or brushed against someone else who does them. I needed to be sure she wasn’t immune before bringing her to your home.”

“Well, I don’t do drugs, no matter how I smell. Keep your fangs far away.” Shoni made a cross with her hands by touching both index fingers together. “I know that doesn’t work on Vampires since Chaz told me so, but take the symbolism of it to heart, okay?”

Garson laughed. “You’re funny. I won’t put my fangs near you. Promise. Your blood is safe from me. I also don’t want Chaz kicking my ass. Will you still pretty please make me dinner?”

She turned away. “Sure.” Her mind instantly went to Chaz, hoping he’d arrive before she finished preparing the meal. It was possible he could return much earlier than planned. Not likely, but I can hope . She missed him.

Two hours later, she sat next to Garson as they ate at the counter. Chaz hadn’t returned. That made her worry. “Do you think whatever Chaz is doing might be dangerous?”

“He’s a GarLycan. Don’t worry about him. They are damn near impossible to kill. A Lycan pack would have a hard time even hurting him. Chaz is hardcore.”

They finished their meal, and she put the plate she’d made for Chaz in the fridge. She warned Garson not to touch it. “He might come in hungry. I want something waiting for him, just in case.”

“Awww. That’s so sweet. Look at you caring for him that way. I’d totally mate you if I were Chaz. You’re a good human, Shoni.”

“Thanks. I’ll do the dishes, and then I’m going to bed. I have a guest room you can use when you get tired.”

“I’ll do the dishes. You cooked me a delicious dinner. I wasn’t sure about mushrooms on pork chops, but you’ve made me a fan.”

She nodded. “I’m not going to argue with you over that. Thank you.”

“I know it’s still early, but you look wiped out. Go to bed. You’re safe.”

Shoni didn’t need to be told twice. She went upstairs, used the bathroom, and then entered her bedroom. She closed the door and dug out a flannel long-sleeved pajama set from her dresser. It was one her grandma had bought her for Christmas two years before. There was no way she was sleeping in something sexy with Garson around. She wasn’t about to forget how he’d used his fangs on Janice. It creeped her out.

She left the walk-in closet light on when she went to bed. Chaz’s scent remained on her sheets since she refused to change them with him gone. She pressed her nose against the pillow he’d used the night before, inhaling deeply. It was possible he wouldn’t be coming back at all.

Maybe this is Chaz’s way of saying goodbye. By not saying it at all. It’s not like I’m going to remember once Garson does his thing with my memories.

Tears pricked her eyes. Shoni refused to cry. Chaz hadn’t lied to her or led her on. What they had was meant to be temporary. He didn’t owe her anything but keeping his promise if they’d made a whoops baby.

She reached down and touched her belly. The idea of having Chaz’s baby didn’t horrify her. Then she thought about what Garson had said about human mates needing to leave their families and friends behind. She released her stomach, knowing she could never cut Ember from her life.

It took her a long time to finally drift to sleep.