Chapter 21
THE METAL BENCH IS UNCOMFORTABLE. After the events last night and this morning, I'm missing the softness of my bed. The bench is screwed into the concrete floor, my back pressed to the brick wall.
I'm slouching, far too exhausted to care about being refined; about being the prim and proper image of power.
It's been over an hour since they tossed me inside this cell that I share with five other men.
One is a junkie, sitting in a corner whispering to himself, rocking back and forth and side-to-side, certainly convincing me that holding isn't where he belongs.
There's one man fast asleep on the floor.
Dressed in a ragged old brown jacket and washed-out black pants that has seen better days, he's barefooted, has scraggly hair falling past his jawline and kept in a beanie so washed out it's lost its original color.
A homeless man, and everyone in Jasper Falls know him and his story.
He used to have a house and a small business, had a wife and kids too, until he engaged in some shady business, went bankrupt and lost everything else when his wife filed for divorce.
That's the version humans know.
Weres knows the truth. He's a former Lativa Were.
His business went bankrupt following the decision of the other packs to withdraw any kind of help to the pack.
His mate, overwhelmed by their financial struggles and inability to feed their children had rejected him and taken the kids with her when she moved back to her birth pack.
He's been on the streets since then, struggling to find shelter, often chased from one place to the next for sleeping on business porches or wherever he could find substantial shelter.
My guess, he's been sleeping near the station and out of charity, the officers put him in here. He's a good man despite his hardships.
It's a harsh reality check. A reminder of the extent Lativa Weres have suffered over the last decade.
The other three are rogues. They're well-kept but their faces are familiar because I've seen them so many times in the local news.
They're into shady business and are constant menaces to society.
On top of that, they have serious hard-ons for stirring up trouble for pack Weres in Jasper Falls – particularly Marcana.
They've been reported for hassling our women, trying to sell drugs and alcohol to minors, or jumping teenaged boys from our pack.
On one occasion, they launched a direct attack against Beta Chad. They vandalized his car about two years back, smashed the windows and windshields, slashed the tires, scratched the paint and left a death threat.
It was to get back at him since at the time, he'd launched a campaign to combat rising crime levels in the commercial territories near Lativa and inside the slum.
After he issued restraining orders and threatened to throw them in prison for life over vandalism, they targeted his mate while she ran a grocery errand.
They scratched and roughed her up. Judy Hayes got away with minor injuries, but it was enough to make Marcana's beta go ballistic.
He damn near killed those rogues and he would have had the other heads not caught wind in time and stepped in.
Seeing them here, remembering what they did, reminds me of Jace.
I almost lost it back there. I was going for the kill.
Had the police not shown up, even if Jace tried to stop me, I would have killed that man.
Made him a martyr and sent a statement to every Were who knows anything worth knowing about me.
But I'm glad I didn't for three main reasons.
I'm next in line for the position of Gamma and the last thing my people need is a hotheaded future head of security.
It would bring disgrace to my pack and make me a liability.
To protect the reputation I have to uphold, I fought for control over those animal instincts that said I needed to kill that bastard.
The second reason is because of the promise I made to Jace. I saw his worry and it's my intention to honor that promise, though it galls me that that man continues to live after what he pulled.
The third reason has me deeply unsettled. I keep replaying the rogue's words which makes me think this is bigger than I suspect.
Tilting my head, jaw clenching to stifle a yawn, I cross my arms over my chest. I've been patched up, my wounds stitched and bandaged where they're needed.
Pain ripples along my side but I ignore it, focusing on the three rogues seated on the opposite bench.
Their hateful stares bore into me as if they're prepared to jump me at any moment.
I recognize them as part of Lukas Malcolm's gang.
Lukas is a notorious gang leader in Schrattner's County, a Were himself, who deals in drugs and ammunition.
He's the evasive type and has been a thorn in the Council's side ever since his business boomed.
These guys are Lukas' henchmen but so far down the hierarchy that it's not surprising they'll have multiple run-ins with the law because they're too stupid yet desperate for Malcolm to notice them.
They've been eyeing me since I showed up, sizing me up, waiting for the right moment to strike.
The next time one of them looks at me, I raise an eyebrow and hold his gaze. "Got a problem with me, big man?"
He looks away, mumbling under his breath about prissy or sissy boy princesses. Whether he has a momentary brain fart, or it's intentional, I'm not going to be baited into starting a brawl.
I won't throw a physical punch, but I never oppose to a verbal clapback. "A sissy wouldn't be sitting in a holding cell covered in blood. Be careful of what you say, rogue."
He scowls distastefully. "You pack Weres think you're high and mighty. You think you're better than us."
"We are. We're not menaces to society. Hassling women and kids, destroying property is what outcasts do."
He growls, jumping to his feet and stomping forward. I meet him halfway, eye-level and unflinching, his followers standing to give him back up.
Assholes like these are all the same. They're all talk, big and bad in groups. They think they've got the upper hand as if I can't take them.
"You got some mouth on you, punk," he snaps.
"I'm not afraid of someone who can't hold his own ground."
"It's three against one. You're outnumbered," he spits, grinning like he won something.
I smirk. "Three's fair game."
"You wanna go kid?" one of the other two barks. "I'll deck your ass right now. Before you could blink and leave you for dead for when your daddy comes to get you! Let's go right now!"
The leader of the trio shoves him back just as an officer comes by. He knocks the baton against the bars, the sharp clinking sound rousing the sleeping homeless man, startling the crazy dude, and making the four of us look at the uniformed man.
"Knock it off!" the officer orders, staring down the three rogues until they back off because they know they're on the losing side. Every officer in this precinct has had run-ins with these gutter rats and won't hesitate to subdue these assholes.
The loud one holds up his hands in that cocky, irritating fashion that makes me want to smash his face into the floor.
"Kid," the officer calls, glancing to me, "your father's here for you.
" Expelling a deep breath of relief, I turn for the gate.
I want nothing more than to shower and get out of these stinky clothes on top of not wanting to risk having actual charges launched against me.
Before I can step out, the loud-mouthed crony takes one more jab.
"Got off easy. Be seeing you, Daniels."
His tone doesn't sit right with me. It sounds like a threat and a promise rolled into one and not him trying to get a reaction.
The wink I return agitates the poor son of a bitch. "I hope so."
I've got pent up anger after this morning. If I can't kill that rogue, at least I can simmer down by hospitalizing a few others.
The rogue inside the cell scrunches his face into an unattractive snarl but I'm already gone, walking down the corridor before he can say a word.
Out in the main area of the station crowded with desks, many of them occupied by officers in uniforms, others in plain clothes, it's surprisingly slow.
Most of the officers busy themselves with paperwork between conversations.
Two people are seated at a desk in front of an officer giving details for a report on an accident. At another, a man sits in handcuffs – arrested for public disturbance based on what I overhear as I'm led though the space.
Jace sits on the plush, green-cushioned chairs lined up outside of the sheriff's office. His parents are speaking with one of the responding officers and in passing, I overhear them giving the report. Dad is here too, seated next to Jace, but he hasn't come alone.
Beta Chad paces nearby on a phone call. No doubt he's here because this can be seen as a direct attack on Marcana but as the mayor of Jasper Falls, he has a right to know of any and all Were-on-human disputes.
I walk up to them, catching enough words from Beta Chad's phone call to understand that it's a Council issue. He's probably got a list of things to do as long as the Wall of China yet he's here trying to get me out of this crap-hole.
"Great. I'll see to it that he does," Beta Chad says, and then hangs up the call.
"Hey, guys," I greet, giving Jace a warm smile. "See? I told you I'd be okay –"
A sharp slap to the back of my head shuts me up. I glance to the perpetrator finding Dad's stare on me.
When did he move?
His eyebrows are furrowed tight, wrinkles on his forehead. His nostrils are flared as big as potholes.
He is P-I-S-S-E-D.
"What the fuck, Sky? I let you skip one day. Instead of resting, you send a man to the hospital and getting arrested! What were you thinking?" He stops mid-rant. His nose wriggles slightly and he abruptly looks down, noticing the amount of blood on my clothes. "And you got injured!"
"It's just the stitches –"
Dad flicks my ear – hard – and I cover the assaulted body part, stepping away from him. "Ow! Stop it!" The black bag he's holding comes flying at me. I barely catch it in time before it falls to the floor. Pointedly, he gestures to where the bathroom is located within the station.
"Go change. I'm not letting you get in my car smelling as you are."
I roll my eyes at him, but it just earns me another slap behind the head. Grunting in protest, I stick my tongue out at him.
Sending a flirty wink Jace's way to reaffirm that I'm okay, it couldn't have been cuter than when he blushed so hard, his neck and ears turn red.
He looks away to conceal his reaction as best as he could.
Earlier, he'd been worried about me. It's still there but he's doing a good job at keeping it in check as if he doesn't want me to know.
Not that it would do much good. Between last night and this morning, we've grown closer. It won't be too difficult to get a better read on him.
He probably thinks I'm crazy. He's never seen that side of me before so, he's probably wondering about my nonchalance despite the possible charges if that rogue decides to be stupid.
What he doesn't know is that even with all the blood on me, the pain I'm in from my wounds, I'm more worried about him than whatever misfortunes lie in my future.
I don't care about me so long as he's safe.
Jace gives me a small smile, relief prominent in those candy-apple green eyes.
Inside the men's bathroom, I strip off the destroyed shirt and pants, wash away any excess blood, wash my face, and pull on the fresh dark blue jersey and jeans.
Ruffling my hair and taking a deep breath to settle my nerves as the adrenaline from the break-in fizzles out, the true extent of the danger Jace and his parents were in bombards me.
The immediate danger has been dealt with, but it doesn't stop me from wondering.
What did that rogue want? This wasn't a case of a random break-in gone wrong.
Thieves stake out a place, study the patterns of the house's owners before breaking in unless they're desperate enough to risk homicide or getting caught. They strike when no one's at home. If it were any other burglary, he wouldn't have tied them up.
He would have run or shot them.
This doesn't feel like that. The sour feeling in my chest says it's premeditated. This was no regular break-in. Rogues hardly hassle the human population. For the most part, most of them who leave their packs at will live in peace and coexist with humans. Most of them are law-abiding citizens.
So, what's the motive?
"So, I'm right. Why else would you become so vicious?"
He'd looked at Jace after he said that. Is that it? Was Jace the target of this crime?
I have no quarrel with this rogue. I need to talk to the higher ups about this and if we could pull his identity, we might be able to figure out why Jace and his parents were attacked.
I don't like this at all. First the attack at Lativa and now this.
I can't help but feel like this is linked. It's too convenient the timing and then those words. Those words the rogue said to me are stuck in my mind like a broken record. He knows about Jace, about his connection to me – somehow.
I need to figure this out and fast before Jace is put in any more danger.
Returning to the station's office area, I find Dad sitting with Jace speaking in hushed tones. Snippets of their conversation tell me that my father's talking about things at random, asking Jace about school, sports, and anything he can think of that a teenager might like.
It's not difficult to understand that he's trying to distract him from the stress of his current predicament while Beta Chad speaks with David and Kathyrn – Jace's parents. Upon seeing me, he excuses himself, allowing the Connors to finish giving their report.
Jace stands as soon as I approach, his gaze skittering over my face and down to my waist where the wound is hidden beneath stitches, bandages, and my shirt. Worry softens his eyes and I'm tempted to pull him close. I want to press my nose into his hair and tell him everything will be all right.
A little white lie when what I really want to do is run away with him to a place where he'll be safe. Untouched by the dangers of my world.
Instead, I check the cut on his forehead, touching the edge of his jaw to tilt his head a little. It's been cleaned up and a band-aid slapped over it, a bit of redness in the skin around the piece of plastic.
"You held up your end of the deal."
"What deal?" Dad interrogates. He watches us with careful scrutiny, flicking his gaze between us before settling squarely on me. I roll my eyes, momentarily forgetting about him.
"Nothing important." It's idiotic to tell him the truth. He'll probably slap me again.
"Mr. Hayes said you'll be okay," Jace pipes up, glancing at Beta Chad who joins us, tucking his hands into his pockets.
"I managed to work something out with the Council," Beta Chad informs. "No jail-time or fines, but you'll have to complete one hundred hours of community service over five weeks."
"A community sentence? Do I have to pick up garbage?"
Beta Chad flashes a devious smile in his typical 'I'm a menace, I know I'm a menace and you have to deal with it' way.
"The whole works. I've spoken with Ezra, and he wants to start conservation efforts on that side of town.
I told him you'll be more than happy to help.
You know, clear out the garbage from the drains, scrub off graffiti, repainting and repair vandalized properties. "
His devious smile grows into a full sly grin catching the deep frown on my face. I swear, it's as if these grown ass men enjoy making us miserable.
"Fine. Community service it is. When do I start?"
"Monday. The nice thing about your dad being a Councilman is that you can negotiate the days and time as long as you meet the requirements."
"And the other guy?"
"Once he wakes up, he'll give a statement if he doesn't press charges first. You did beat him half to death," Beta Chad points out. He's not wrong about the charges but the idea that that fool might file any against me is absurd.
"He broke into their house and attacked them. I was only returning the favor." My gaze flits between Dad and Beta Chad, the attack and the rogue's words playing in my mind for the umpteenth time. "Can I talk to the both of you for a minute?"
They exchange glances. My father shrugs but follows the beta a few feet away. Sending a wink Jace's way, I meet up with them. We're at an appropriate distance so he won't overhear the conversation, tucked into a corner of the station that's also a fair distance from other prying ears.
"Does he know about Jace and me?" I ask my father, jabbing a thumb in Beta Chad's direction. Beta Chad answers before he can, a barely visible smile of congratulations tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"About the two of you being mates?" He claps me on the shoulder twice before tucking his hands into his pockets. "I heard. Congratulations, by the way."
It's not that I don't trust the man. He's the alpha's right hand for a reason but with him knowing, it saves me the trouble of explaining why I went off the rails at the Conner's place.
I lean closer to them, not wanting to chance someone overhearing me, sneaking a glance in Jace's direction. He's on his phone but looks up at that exact moment, catching my gaze. His cheeks flush lightly and he gives a smile so soft it makes me dizzy.
"I don't think this was just any other break-in. I think they were targeted."
Beta Chad nods. "Explain," he offers, giving me the space to say what's been on my mind the moment they tossed me into that holding cell.
"It was something he said. You know Weres, particularly males, get protective of their mates. He pointed out that I was unusually vicious. I think he might know about me and Jace."
"How?" my father blurts, quickly glancing around to see if his outburst drew unwanted attention. Dad's eyebrows scrunch in confusion, worry glazing over his blue eyes though he does a good job at masking it.
I know what he's thinking about. When he lingers a moment too long on me, that haunted gleam darkening his face, I know he's temporarily slammed back into the memory of that night twelve years ago.
The parallels between us are frightening. The implications of an attack like this never ends well, and it doesn't bode well for the higher ups of a pack when our mates are targeted.
"That doesn't make sense," Dad wonders aloud. "The only people in Marcana who know of your bond are your friends and their parents. How did a rogue find out?"
"That's what I'm thinking."
Beta Chad makes an agonized sound of protest, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Isn't this a nice way to kick off the summer?
" His tone is heavy with sarcasm, and I can't help but feel sorry for the man despite the worry that plagues me.
He clears his throat, shakes his head, and opts for a serious tone, slipping into his role as Marcana's beta once more.
"On top of finding out if the attack at Lativa was premeditated, though I highly suspect it to be an inside job, we need to find out why Jace and his parents were attacked in their home.
I won't cross out the possibility that it's linked to him being fated to one of our successors.
That raises the question of how a rogue with no past affiliations to Marcana came to know about it.
" He turns to look at me. "I'm guessing you'll want Jace close to you, then? "
"If it can be done. Yes, please."
Beta Chad nods, whipping out his phone to call the pack's alpha. "Isaiah. Have Nicole and Judy oversee preparations at the cottage I gave to Carter. We'll be hosting the Conners until we can confirm it's safe for them to return to their house."
He goes silent as Alpha Isaiah starts speaking. Beta Chad hums in agreement to whatever is said, nods even though Alpha Isaiah can't see it, and then he sighs. Exhausted. Weary.
But still working himself to the bone. "It's turning into a shit-show. So much for a normal summer. Now I have to go play detective." He pauses again, listening to what the alpha replies with.
I clearly catch the words, "You're the mayor. That's within your jurisdiction," and the underlying laughter in the alpha's comeback.
Beta Chad makes a face – annoyed – highly unamused that Alpha Isaiah is making fun at his expense. Before he can respond, the alpha continues talking.
"I managed to pull a few strings," Beta Chad informs when there's a pause on the other end of the line. "Got him community service. He'll be helping Ezra out, but I'll have a security detail arranged for his safety. He'll be in Lativa territory, and that's risky enough."
He hangs up the call and turns to us. "It's being taken care of. Isaiah's holding a pack meeting later today to inform every one of our guests. We don't need incidents freaking them out so that means no shifting until they've left."
I tilt my head. "What about the pups who haven't shifted yet? Do we claim they're pet puppies?"
Beta Chad laughs. "No. That's what the meeting is for. Until this problem blows over, Weres with pups who haven't shifted will need to be cautious."
Jace meets my gaze over Beta Chad's shoulder. A tiny smile curls the corners of his lips, and I almost melt at the way his eyes seem to soften.
"I hope the subordinates don't make an issue of it."
Jace's parents are still giving their report to the attending officer.
Looking at them, remembering the way David Conner had looked at me in the garage, I doubt they will be doing much freaking out if they see a pup.
I doubt they'll freak out if they find out what I am.
Call it intuition, but I get the feeling that they already know about me, or at least, that Dr. David Conner suspects I'm not exactly human and what his son might be to me.
When I'd freed him of his bonds, he gave me a look I couldn't decipher. While cooling off in holding, playing that encounter over and over in my mind, I made the connection.
It's possible in his years as a doctor, he's treated Weres.
Rogues don't have access to personal doctors like packs do, so they rely on the local hospital.
Maybe he crossed paths with enough of them to figure out when he's faced up against one because while we look human, we do display certain traits and characteristics that are ultimately distinct.
Maybe he knows what I am. I can't be sure how much he knows, but he trusted me in that split second to defend his family because maybe he knew the intruder wasn't human either.
"I think Jace's father knows what we are."
Beta Chad pauses, glances from me to David Conner, and then back to me.
Something passes over his face. It's so quick that I almost miss it but it's not the reaction I expected.
There's no disruption in his calm disposition at the possibility that a human might know about the existence of Weres.
The tone with which he says, "Sure. I should go talk to them," only deepens my belief that the Conners aren't ignorant of what crawls around in Jasper Falls.
"What're you going to say?" Dad prompts.
"Probably something along the lines of the intruder being part of a burglary and kidnapping ring, hitting middle-class families, and is a suspect in an on-going investigation. That it's the Council's job to protect two of Jasper Falls' most reputable doctors."
"So, bullshit?" Dad clarifies.
"Sound convincing?" he queries, grinning sheepishly.
"I'd buy it if I didn't know better," I reply, and he laughs.
"Nice. Now, watch and learn from the master."
Beta Chad strides confidently toward Jace's parents and starts speaking with them. It takes him little effort to drag them away from the officer who is a Were from Crescent Hill.
"I swear, that guy's still as full of himself as he was when we were your age," Dad points out. To that, I immediately think of Carter.
"Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, then."
Dad laughs. "Don't let Carter hear you say that. You might hurt his feelings."
I seriously doubt it. Anyone who knows Chad Hayes and his sons know that Carter and Nathaniel are basically younger versions of their father. Carter's confident and proud, maybe a little more violent than his dad – the whole hard-to-control animal instinct and all of that.
Nathaniel's confident too. But at six years old, that little dude's too sarcastic for his own good. And he's protective. It doesn't matter that Carter's the equivalent of giant in front of him, Nathaniel will gleefully hit anyone who looks at his big brother the wrong way. I've seen it.
Lived it, actually.
"Your paperwork's already taken care of," Dad says, clapping me on the shoulder.
"I'll be waiting in the car when you're done so we'll go get yours," he says, then turns to where Jace is still seated.
He sends a wave goodbye to which Jace returns with a one of his own and a small smile.
Then, he walks off, pausing at the reception desk to sign off and collect my keys and phone that they put in a Ziploc.
Beta Chad is still with Kathryn and David, so I take Jace's careful glances as an unspoken invitation to join him.
"So much for killing time, today," I say, pushing my bag one seat over to sit next to him. "How are you?"
He's quiet for a while. I can only imagine what's going through his head, but I know he'd been frightened. I felt it through our bond which had me speeding across town, breaking a few red lights on the way the second I felt that something was wrong.
"A little shaken, but mostly fine." He gives a small smile that doesn't reach his eyes. Even now, he's still frightened. I'm tempted to pull him into my arms.
"Carter's dad said that that man might be involved in some kind of burglary and kidnapping ring. The Council is currently investigating it. Apparently, they hit middle-class families."
Jace frowns, his lips turning downward into a pout. "That's odd. I haven't heard anything about it."
I shrug it off, deciding to tell him another small lie that he'll hopefully buy. I couldn't outright tell him that that man is a werewolf – like me, only a rogue – and has a keen interest in him for some twisted reason.
One day, I'll tell him the truth. Just not today.
"They're keeping it under wraps for the while. They don't want to cause chaos and that will definitely happen if the press catches wind."
"That makes sense, I guess." He crosses his arms over his chest, looking a little more relaxed. "I'm guessing there'll be police around our house for the next few days?"
"Maybe."
He raises an eyebrow. "Maybe?"
"Until this dies down, you and your parents can stay in Marcana. You'll have your own privacy. No one will bother you, but you'll be safe. I don't want anything happening to you." Jace turns red so quickly that he averts his gaze, sucking in the insides of his cheeks to keep his blush at bay.
"Oh."
"We're having accommodations set up. If you or your parents need anything, we'll have someone attend to you."
"Yeah?" he asks, turning back to me, his emotions under control. I'm beginning to think he feels some type of way toward me to have reactions like this.
It's definitely good and favorable.
"Or you can always ask me." His face flames red again, letting slip a small smile and I have to fight the urge to grin like I just won the lottery.
"Are you leaving now?"
"Yeah. I left my car at your place, so I'm going there to pick it up." His parents seem to be in a lighter mood. They look fairly relaxed, worried still, but less tense.
Grabbing my bag, I stand up and stretch a little, feeling exhausted and gross and sore everywhere.
"I'll –"
"Will you be there when we show up?" he queries, cutting me off.
He's standing now, awkwardly fluffing the back of his hair.
A blush colors his cheeks, snaking across to his ears and down the side of his neck.
Once more, I'm tempted to give into the desire to kiss him.
Maybe on the cheek, the shell of his ear, or maybe his neck.
I wonder if his skin is as smooth there as it looks.
He fidgets with the hem of his jersey. "I'll be more comfortable with you. You know, different place and all. You'd be a familiar face."
"Sure. Want to hang out later?"
"Really?"
His eyes brighten at the suggestion, dilating with such hope that his excitement has me on cloud nine. He catches himself in the next second and clears his throat, schooling his features for one of indifference.
"Yeah, sure. That'd be cool, I guess." He shrugs nonchalantly.
Hoo-lee fuck. He has no idea how adorable he is. I'm one thousand percent convinced of this.
There's no doubt that he feels some type of way. It's always the initial reaction of pure enthusiasm covered up too quickly with a mask of nonchalance that gives it all away – the cracks in the fa?ade.
He turns redder realizing he's been caught when I chuckle and ruffle his hair. "I'll see you later."
He swats my hand away.
"Yeah. Bye." I get an awkward wave.
"Don't miss me too much."
"Don't you have a car to go find?"
Laughing, I turn to leave, pausing briefly at the precinct doors to steal another glance at him. He's still watching me and the look on his face says it all.
He wants me to stay. In fact, I feel it. Feel him reaching out, his yearning and desire to remain close and it just about shatters my control.
I've known it since this morning when I woke on the beach with him wrapped around me. Our bond has deepened with each exchange of small intimate moments, and each gesture no matter how small.
After the morning we've had, I'm certain of one thing now.
There is no extreme too extreme that I won't go to for his happiness. For his safety.