Uncharmed

Chapter 18: Plans

             “So how’s the pack adjusting to having a new member?”

            Tania stared at Alex. “You were eavesdropping,” She accused, as Alex fell in step beside her.

            “Well how was I supposed to resist when Jason comes to talk to you about something important. My curiosity was piqued. So is everything alright with your Black Tip friends?”

            “It’s fine. Ben’s parents are happy he found a mate and though Celine’s father was a little leery about the whole thing after he met Ben he felt much better about it. The whole pack’s planning on coming here next year so we’ll all be together. It’s going to be awesome.”

            Alex laughed. “It’ll certainly make things livelier.”

            “You talk like that’s a bad thing,” Tania teased just as a large load of snow fell off one of the nearby trees, making a large thwump noise as it his the blanket of snow underneath.

            “Well I have to admit I don’t mind lively but how are you going to cope with another large group of people who are going to know who you are?”

            “The pack already knows who I am. They are, after all, my pack.”

            “I wasn’t talking about them. I was talking about all the friends they’ll make once they get here. You’re going to have a lot of froshies who’ll know who you are because of them.”

            “Well I won’t be going on stage at orientation like a certain someone, so I’ll be just fine.”

            The vampire grinned. “I think ‘I’ll be just fine’ should be your catch phrase. I swear you say it more then any other sentence.”

            “That’s because it’s true.”

            Alex snorted. “Only half the time.”

            “Only all the time,” Tania retorted.

            “You wish.”

            “It’s a fact.”

            “Uh-huh.”

            “It is!”

            “Sure it is,” Alex replied, grinning wickedly.

            “Jackass,” Tania muttered.

            Alex only laughed.

            A loud knock at the door made Tania jerk awake, eyes wide before she froze like everyone else. As they all stared at the frowning Theron, he shrugged before holding up four fingers and then pointing at Alex. Tania understood the system now. There were four vampires outside the door none of who Theron recognized the scent of. As Alex thought about it, the knocking came again, louder. Finally he nodded and Theron got up to open the door while at the same time, Ilana pulled Tania closer to her.

            “Just keep quiet,” The dryad whispered into her ear. “If it comes to a fight go into one of the bedrooms and stay there.”

            Tania stared at Ilana, and nodded once slowly before turning her attention to the door and the four vampires who strode in as if they owned the place. The apparent leader, a brown haired man who looked to be in his late twenties, announced “Alex Donovan, you have been summoned by the council to appear before them and receive judgement for your crime.”
            “And what crime would that be?” Alex drawled lazily, looking very much at his ease, half sprawled over the back and arm of the couch.