The Bane of My Existence

Chapter 12

"Please accept my apologies, " said the deep tones of Alpha Baxter Snarl  of the Payton pack. Dad was quick to make the introductions after the fiasco.  Our attaker was of a visiting pack sent by its Alpha to investigate and witness Baxter's support for Calvin Bane.

"Its alright, Alpha Snarl. You had no way of knowing he was going to attack," I muttered soothingly not that I cared either way. As far as I was concerned the attack proved one thing and that was the Were's were not to be trusted.

"Call me Baxter or better yet, Bax," said the Alpha sporting what I assumed must be what he considers a winning smile.  But it raised no answering response in mine. I stared back mutely letting him know clearly without words that I was not laughing.  That I at least took this attack seriously.  It didn't matter that he hadn't a clue that his companion had an agenda of  his own in turning up here.  As far as I was concerned our trust in the Alpha had been missplaced. We allowed him on our land to meet us and he chose to experiment with our trust by bringing a Were whose loyalty he couldn't vouch for thereby endangering Calvin and my family with utter disregard. 

I couldn't hold back my low growl of displeasure. 

" Rolene, " said Dad warningly but Alpha Bax seemed unperturbed. Instead an odd light shone in his eyes that if I hadn't known any better I would have considered a sign of appreciation and perhaps approval maybe. But I did know better so I growled warningly again... before I whimpered in pain. I turned to glare at Kate.

"Sorry," she said simply, looking anything but sorry.

I was patched up while my attacker was escorted off our land by  Raul and David, the other Were who turned up with Bax who didn't turn bat shit crazy in wanting to kill Cal the future King of all changlings. Bax had left more of his men at a camp in the reserves just off Cody's father's land. And they were taking the prisoner to them.

" Shall we head in? said Dad wanting to get the official elements of the Were's visit out of the way. But Bax shook his head still staring down at me. And because he was staring, everyone else looked down at me too.

I wasn't the self conscious sort but I hated public scrutiny as much as the next sane person so I scowled and may even have turned an odd shade of red.

"There all done, " said Kate finally, oblivious to all the staring going on. She looked up then questioningly. Only just noticing all the blatant staring.

" What did I just miss?" She leaned in to hiss down at me.

" Beats me," I whispered back only to yelp out in shock. The ground flew away from under me. I was hauled up gently into strong arms. I turned to look up in shock at the grinning canines of Baxter Snarl.