Chapter 12
Wade
By the time we got close to Dustin’s place, I’d reconciled with what we’d done. If we could force a slimeball slumlord to stick to the straight and narrow, that was Justice League indeed.
“What about his wife?” I asked, though, as Dustin turned onto his street. “Shouldn’t we let her know he’s cheating? Humans get diseases and things.”
“You are sweet,” he murmured. “In this case, while doing my surveillance, I spotted her making out with the gardener in their pool house. So no, they deserve each other.”
“Oh.” Well, then, yeah, not my problem. “You think he’ll keep the bargain?”
“I expect some very furious phone calls between the Four Stooges, but they’ll cave. I’d bet none of them wants a crusading reporter digging into their finances.” Dustin sounded certain.
A piece of me that had been in tight knots since the rooftop meeting eased at last. My wolf rumbled deep inside me in satisfaction. Fixer fixed.
The nearest parking space was two blocks away from his office. We got out of the car, grabbed the bag and projector case, and headed down the street. I was watching the streetlights pick out the shape of Dustin’s cheekbones and the width of his shoulders when I saw him suddenly freeze.
“What?”
Dustin nodded in the direction of his building. There, standing in front of his office door, was a werewolf, an older, heavily muscled man who turned our way and took a step toward us.
No question that was a wolf, no doubts. We always knew each other by movement and stance and stare. I didn’t recognize this man, but I knew what he was. Wolf, and very dominant.
“Shit,” Dustin’s nostrils flared as he smelled for other pack members. I did the same, trying not to be obvious, my brain screaming in panic. Wolf? Here? Why? My heart pounded like a jackhammer.
A strange pack had no reason to hunt me or Dustin.
We were legitimate lone wolves. No way could they know that just a few days ago, we’d been naked together in my bed, but the guilt felt branded on my forehead.
I broke out in a sweat, knowing they’d scent my fear, unable to stay cool.
Dustin, beside me, seemed much calmer, though I’d heard his heartbeat quicken too.
A gangling wolf who looked about sixteen but was perhaps twenty came out of the alley behind us, cutting off our retreat. A pack, then, not a loner. There’d be others about, somewhere. Dustin sucked a breath and started forward again. The young wolf closed in behind us.
As we reached the man at the door, Dustin inclined his head in respect. If this wolf wasn’t an Alpha, he was close. Every inch of his stance and stare said so. I bowed my head too, though I hated to do it.
“Shall we talk inside?” The wolf’s voice was as deep as his wide chest predicted.
“Sure.” Dustin moved past him with enviable calm, unlocked the door, coded off the alarm, and swung it open. “After you, sir.”
The strange wolf turned to the youngster behind us. “You’ll come inside with me. The others can keep watch.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
Okay, that answered the question of rank.
The Alpha turned and went in, supremely indifferent to Dustin and me at his back.
Of course, he could afford to be. Dustin waved me after him, then gestured at the young guy.
The kid did give a nervous flick of his eyes sideways, before putting his back to Dustin as he passed him.
Dustin entered last, shut the door behind us, and locked it.
Not that a lock would keep out a werewolf pack for long.
I put the projector case on the counter and moved back beside Dustin, a safe three feet of fighting room between us.
Dustin set down his duffel and straightened.
Putting my back to his would’ve been smart in a fight, but I didn’t dare imply the Alpha wouldn’t keep the peace.
With every nerve strung tight, I stood next to Dustin and schooled my breathing, working for calmness.
The Alpha turned in a slow circle, eyeing Dustin’s dim office space. “Your workplace.”
“Yes, Alpha.” Dustin sounded respectful but self-assured.
“One of my men recognized you. You were Fixer for the Boulder pack, in your father’s footsteps. Dustin Palmer.”
“Yes.”
“You go by Dustin Nash now.”
“I do. I left the Boulder pack and went lone wolf five years ago.”
“This is my territory,” the Alpha told us. “Lone wolves must ask permission to live in an Alpha’s territory.”
“With all due respect, I didn’t know you now also claimed the north side of the city as your own.”
A small growl filtered into the Alpha’s voice. “I claim all of the city.”
“Noted, sir.”
The Alpha turned to me. “And this wolf? I do not know you. Explain yourself.”
I cleared my throat. “Wade McKinley. I left my pack as a lone wolf seven years ago.”
“You also have no manners? No knowledge of pack law?”
“I don’t live here, Alpha.” I closed my mouth before offering more feeble excuses.
“He’s an old friend,” Dustin said. “We just met up again recently, and I asked him to give me a hand with a project.”
The Alpha prowled around us. Dustin and I didn’t move or look over our shoulders when he was behind us, despite the crawling sensation on the back of my neck and the way my wolf had roused and was growling, deep and low down inside me, ready for any challenge.
When the Alpha finished circling and stood in front of us again, he mused, “Now, what to do about the two of you?”
“I could fight that one.” Dustin waved at the young wolf. “I beat him and you let us go?”
The youngster’s eyes widened. The Alpha laughed. “Not much of a challenge for you. Not yet. Although give him a few years.”
“Let us petition you, then, to remain lone wolves.”
“Not in my territory. No.”
“Outside of it. I was thinking about leaving the city anyway, relocating my business farther north.” Dustin didn’t look at me, but my wolf rumbled an approval despite his tension. With us.
“I want you for my pack,” the Chicago Alpha told Dustin.
“My Fixer’s old, over a hundred. His previous apprentice was a disappointment, and the current one is far too young.
” He nodded at the young man. “Rick will be good at the job someday, but he’d benefit from decades of mentorship first. We’ll find a place for you in my pack and you can be that mentor.
You could even keep this business.” He gestured around the office.
“And if I refuse?”
“You might be made to accept.” The Alpha stood taller, balanced for action on the balls of his feet.
“Two of you, two of us,” Dustin drawled.
“Could be interesting.” He hesitated a beat for the implications to sink in, although only Rick betrayed his anxiety in the quickening of his breaths.
Then Dustin added, “How about a compromise? No one dies, Rick learns some tricks, and you don’t end up with a Fixer you can’t trust because you coerced them into your pack by force. ”
“I’m listening,” the Alpha rumbled.
“Wade and me, we’ll move north to where he lives now.
An hour out, but not too far. You let us be lone, or maybe a pack of two once we figure out who’s more Alpha, and in exchange, I’ll consult for Rick.
I’ll come down here to teach him stuff, or he can come to Darville, if you don’t want me in your territory.
I’d be available on the phone if he’s in a bind, let him have some of my useful contacts, gradually, over time, if I trust him.
He gets the mentoring, we get our freedom. ”
“Hm.”
“We’d claim a territory, but a small one. Just the city limits of Darville. We’ll stay out of all of greater metro Chicago unless you invite us, your wolves stay out of our town. In exchange, we provide any assistance Rick needs going forward.”
“You can’t continue your business in this city.”
I heaved a huge internal sigh of relief, because if the Alpha was negotiating terms, this was less likely to end in bloodshed. My pulse slowed and my wolf eased down from fight-or-flight.
“Of course not,” Dustin agreed. “I’ll move my PI firm up to Darville as well. I’ll need a week or two, though, to pack my office and find a new location I can rent.”
“I’ll give you three days,” the Alpha said belligerently, as if daring Dustin to say no.
“Done,” Dustin agreed.
“I’ll send a team of wolves to help you pack up. See you on your way.”
Crap. A bunch of Chicago wolves all up in our business meant Dustin and I would have to be insanely careful and discreet for the next three days. I made sure not to visibly react.
Dustin nodded, because there was no other safe option. “I’ll be glad of the help. I’ll rent a truck. Starting in the morning. What time should I expect them?”
The Alpha blinked as if that simple question took some of the wind out of his sails. “Let’s say seven.”
“Excellent.” Dustin bowed his head. “Thank you, Alpha. May our future relationship be a fruitful one.”
After another long pause, the Alpha said, “See that it is.” He whirled on his heel and strode out.
Rick paused a moment, looking between the two of us, then inclined his head to Dustin. “Pretty clear who’s going to be the Alpha of your pack.”
Dustin grinned as if he hadn’t a worry in the world. “Free bit of advice to start this mentorship. Don’t theorize ahead of your data. See you in the morning.”
Rick frowned, gave me another slow stare, then hurried after his Alpha.
When the door had closed behind him, Dustin strode over, flipped the lock, and went to the alarm panel.
“Let me change that code.” He typed, and beckoned me over to watch.
Touching the buttons a second time, slowly and deliberately, Dustin input a new code for me to memorize, then hit the activation with a savage stab of his finger.
He turned to me and mouthed, Fuck, with no breath behind it. “Come on upstairs. Might as well start with packing my clothes, since we have a couple of hours before bedtime.” If a wolf was lurking outside, that was innocent enough for them to hear.