Julius above
Julius POV
Alexa, Brandon, and I supervise the training of the warriors; our allies on the west notified us about a quite big group of rogues heading into our way. If there are many of them, they will feel strong, and that increases the risk of attack, especially on isolated packs like ours.
Brandon seems to be in a very good mood today, and I wonder why? According to what Alexa has told me, he wasn't very productive in his actions during their journey. He was more of the wallflower all the time.
Yet now, when I observe his training, I must admit his wolf seems stronger and more... violent, but at the same time, Brandon seems to be in perfect control, so it's not bad news. And yet, for some reason, I feel Drake's hate towards Brandon. I don't understand why. My condition is more stable recently, I feel stronger, and the state of muscles in my legs has improved significantly, but I still can't move them. Drake is close, but still, I can't grasp our connection. I still struggle.
Alexa stands next to me, calm as always, or maybe she just pretends.
"We haven't talked about Terry," she says, and I snarl, feeling anger rising in me.
"Don't give me that look, Julius; Terry was our friend, yours and mine, maybe not a close friend but still a friend. Someone with who we've drunk, talked, spent time."
"And he lied to us; he was lying all this time!" I say.
"And we lied to him too because, for us, he was a normal human, so we've kept quiet about being werewolves."
I inhale sharply; I can't believe she tries making excuses for the fucking bastard!
"We kept our privacy; he is a killer, one of the most dangerous villains our kind has ever had! I don't believe that he just happened to stay so close to our pack! He must have a hidden agenda! I understand that his father helped Mae, but Terry is not his father!"
Brandon comes closer, and I feel my eyes shifting and Drake's bloodlust. I don't understand what's going on. I may not like Brandon, but he is still my cousin, and I've never felt such strong hate, actually without any reason except jealousy.
"What are arguing about?" asks Brandon, and Alexa glares but answers quite politely:
"We are talking about Terry; I'm quite sure that during our trial, we will both be asked about how to proceed with his case. And I kind of feel down; I liked talking with him."
"Well, I don't, but I won't bullshit you that he was always fishy for me because he wasn't. I thought about him as a tough guy, no one extraordinary."
"And how is Danny?" I ask; I haven't spoken with him for two weeks, but it already feels like months.
"He doesn't like to talk about his childhood. He spends most of his time painting. I think he still struggles with the decision of whether he should notify his mother or not. After all, Terry is her brother." Brandon says and looks at Alexa." If I ask you a question, will you skin me alive?"
"Depends on what you are going to ask."
"About Fiona..."
Alexa growls, but Brandon continues:
"We've already established how big a jerk I was, but is she alright? As promised, I haven't spoken with her, but I still worry about her."
"You created this mess, but she's good; she seems calmer recently, and I think she will be okay."
Brandon nods and then looks at me and asks another question:
"And how do you feel about Madison's comeback?"
I sigh; I try avoiding this topic; I don't want to have anything to do with her.
"She is Trist's mother; if she managed to prove to me that she can be trusted, I will ask Natasha to let her stay. But I don't care about her."
"But you lost your wolf the moment you rejected her; isn't that too big a price to pay?" Brandon asks.
"Mate should be your strength, but if they are the reason for your suffering, you must break the connection," I say slowly.
"Have ever thought that you could just force her into obedience? You were so much stronger than her?"
I gulp; it's actually a serious question. I was a higher-ranked wolf; I was able to force her to stay faithful or not leave the house. I could, but I didn't want to. In the beginning, I loved her, or at least was trying to love her; I just wanted to get the same from her.
"There comes the moment in every failing relationship when you realize there is no point in trying anymore. I wanted a mate, not a slave." I say, and Brandon smirks a bit mockingly?
"Mating bond is sacred," Alexa states," but something that has to be maintained by force will never prevail."
"So about Terry?" Brandon changes the topic: The trial will start tomorrow, so maybe I will go today to his bar for the last drink. I want to speak with him, maybe try to sound him out."
Alexa's eyes become slits, she doesn't seem happy with Brandon's idea, but I do.
"I think it's not that bad idea," I say.
But the moment I move inside Mae's bar this evening, I'm not so sure. I don't even know what I really want from Terry. I'm not going to believe anything he is going to tell me, so why should I bother myself with him? For what purpose?
He notices me, and for a moment, we just glare at each other. Before I move to my regular spot near the wall and wait. I wonder who will have the guts to come closer to me.
Mae is the one who makes a move as she brings to my table what I usually take and sit next to me. I look at her very elegant golf blouse, and I can't stop the feeling of compassion; after all, I know now what she was hiding under it for so many years.
"You look at me as if the current situation was my fault," I say
"Well, it's not my fault. I understand that you are confused or feel tricked but being hostile is entirely your choice, Julius".
"He is a monster," I whisper lowly, feeling my anger rising.
"It's not your choice to decide that; you are not his judge. This is my bar; this is my land. I offered him shelter; I took responsibility for that. Julius, don't do anything stupid while you are the customer in my bar. That one is on the house," she says, standing up.
I take a sip of my drink and look around; Terry seems busy with the customer, and so is Mae, although it's not that busy today. Terry's dog lies in the corner near the stairs to the apartment, which is upstairs. It is still covered in bandages, but now I know that he is just another weapon for Terry's use.
I clench my fist. He should be dead; he should be taken away and executed without any remorse or hesitation. That's how hunters used to treat us; they should have the taste of their own medicine. The should...
The girl is coming downstairs; I recognize her; she is one of the rogues, the blond one. She looks around, a bit uncertain of what to do, but Terry notices her:
"Pearl, what do you need?"
"Ivory busy with training, I don't want to be alone, can I sit with you? You said we can sit in here, now."
He sighs but nods yes, and she goes to sit at the end of the bar with her crayons and sheets of paper. I actually notice it the same day we talked, but she seems a bit behind? I don't know for sure, but she doesn't behave the way she should at her age. She draws and, from time to time, asks questions, and I must admit she is cute; her talking is like a small kid's gibberish. Terry pours her a glass of juice and is patiently listening to her until he notices that I'm looking at them.
He isn't happy with that, so he comes to sit in front of me.
"You seem to have a problem with my daughter," he says in a stern voice.
"Serious statement, don't you think, My daughter," I say mockingly; I don't believe in his honest intention; I know Mae long enough to be sure that should never allow any harm to these girls. But what the hell is his purpose? He suddenly found his inner angel and wants to save the world. Total bullshit!
"What do you want, Julius?"
"I want to ask some questions; I think you owe me that much," I say in a cold voice; I don't like how stone-cold his face is.
"Why did you move here from all the places?" I ask.
"I didn't want to move out of the state; at the beginning, I needed the place to get better and get some rest. Mae agreed to help me, and I stayed longer than I intended to. I didn't know that Mae was living so close to any community like yours."
I gulp, he may have a point, but one thing is sure, he has to have steel nerves that he was able to play that show in front of us for ten years.
"Have you threatened Danny? To make him quiet."
"No," Terry answers, but I see he isn't happy with this question" Danny is a family, although I failed him in the past. I asked him for help, and he agreed."
"What happened with Jordan Nightingale?" I need to know that thing; I need to know what was his deal with Danny.
"He is dead, or at least that's what I think. I didn't see his body, but I left him in a very dire situation. I don't believe he survived it. My grandfather is dead for sure if that makes you feel better."
Knowing that one cruel monster is dead makes me feel better, but I need to know about the second.
"What happened between Jordan and Danny?" I ask, and Terry loses his stone-cold demeanor and averts his eyes; there is shame on his face I clearly see it.
"I know what happened between Jordan and Danny, but if you want answers to that question, you must ask Danny, not me."
"Because what? Because you suddenly care about Danny," I feel my anger boiling. "You made him lied to us, put him in danger, and now you decided to be considerate about him!"
"And you, Julius tell me if Danny is such a precious member of your pack, and you all are so concerned with his well-being so often time he came here, he usually had some fresh bruises?"
Terry POV
Julius punches me in the face, and I fell down from my chair. I should've seen it coming, but I was also angry. Angry with his righteous attitude, as if he had never done anything to be ashamed. Well, he wasn't killing others just because they are different; he will always be above me because of it.
I can accept his malice as a former hunter and an enemy but not as someone who cares about Danny. Because with Danny, something is wrong, and whatever happened to him happened on Julius's and Natasha's watch in their pack.
For a moment, there is a dead silence after I fell to the floor and Julius storms out of the bar. Pearl and Mae come to help me stand up. Some old customers ask what the problem was, but we brush it off with neighborhood arguments. It's, after all, not uncommon that two people who drink with each other from time to time also argue from time to time.
But the atmosphere of this evening is ruined, and many guests say goodbye, but unfortunately, that doesn't mean nobody new shows up. Brandon and three of his friends come inside; Mae and I exchange looks, wondering if we will have problems because of it.
"Take Pearl upstairs; I doubt he will do something with so many people around," I whisper to her and stand behind the counter; I whistle so Doggy crawls to lie closer to me. I check if my knife and gun are in an accessible place in the case, I may need them and pour for Brandon and his friends what they asked.
Brandon smirks when he takes the drinks and gives them to his friends, who move towards their table, but Brandon stays close to the bar's counter.
"Do want something more?" I ask, trying to sound calm
"No, just wanted to know what your plans are. Do you intend to stay permanently?"
"Is there any reason I shouldn't stay permanently?"
"No, you are a man of many talents. When I become an Alpha, I may want to use them from time to time." He smirks, and it irks me; I really want to wipe that smirk from his face.
"You may or may not be an Alpha; that matter is still in question," I say, starting to wipe up the counter.
"Please, I'm strong, come from an honorable family, I'm blood-related to the Howl Family, and I'm a male. Alexa is strong, but her background isn't good enough. I am a better pick, and I'm ready to prove it."
"You seem to be awfully sure of yourself, Brandon, but your pack's future isn't my problem or my interest. I want to keep living in peace and quiet." I say slowly.
"That's also what I want; I just want you to stay away from my mate. You got him into serious trouble, and I don't want him into more trouble."
This time I clearly hear growling in his voice, and my hand just subconsciously touches the knife under the counter. Brandon smiles brightly, but his eyes flash red? But I'm not sure if I really saw it or it was just the play of lights in the bar.
"Well, it's late," he finally says. "I should go home, it's late, and Danny is waiting for me."
I'm fast as I reach and grab him by his wrist; he looks at me, surprised but also angry.
"If anything happens to him, I will cut you into pieces," I say lowly, and Brandon pries his hand from my hold.
"I would never hurt him; he keeps me and my wolf strong and happy," he leans closer to whisper into my ear. "Or at least his tight ass does."
Blind fury goes through me, but I keep control; I know what the fucking bastard is trying to do, just like his father; he wants to make me lose it, to give him and his friends a reason to make trouble in my bar. To give them the excuse to slaughter me.
He turns around and goes in the direction of the door as I take a big breath to calm myself down. But I have no idea, something is just wrong with him, but I can't grasp what. To my surprise, Trevor, who came with Brandon, leaves his two friends and comes to speak with me.
"Why you didn't kill me?" he asks bluntly.
"Because I'm no longer a hunter, I will kill in self-defense; that situation wasn't about it."
Trevor nods but looks as if he wanted to ask about something more.
"When we trashed the bar some years ago, I thought we are just unlucky that you managed to deal with us so effectively, blamed it on the alcohol, but I know now that was not the case".
"Finish your drink Trevor and go home, all of you; it's better for all of us just to avoid each other."
The bar is slowly getting empty within the next two hours as I think about Brandon; he clearly offered me the prospect of a future deal, which I declined instantly. He wasn't happy about that; the cocky bastard, for sure, was too full of himself.
Brandon's friends start walking toward the door, they are the last guests to leave when Trevor's phone starts vibrating, and he takes a call.
"Yes, no, we are leaving, it's calm, no I don't think so. No, we are sure he went home. Yes? But why? No, I... Holly shit, I'm sure he isn't that stupid!"
"What happened?" I ask when Trevor puts his phone down. "Trevor, tell me what happened?"
"Fiona came home with the bruised face and doesn't want to tell what happened, and Alexa is sure it's Brandon, so..."
The fear engulfs me; if it's Brandon, he went extremely angry home, where Danny is. I take my phone to dial his number, and see the message from him: Since tomorrow we won't see each other again. I feel cold sweat all over me as call him. No answer, no answer, no fucking answer.
"Trevor, can you call Brandon, please I need to know if he is with Danny."
Trevor looks at me a bit unsure but does as I ask; no answer either.
"Trevor, I need to see Danny now," I beg him, but he gives me a stern no as an answer. I scream at him, and it makes Aunty Mae and the girls go downstairs. Trevor's friends growl; they are sure I can attack them any time.
"I need to go to Danny; I think he is in danger!" I scream, but Aunty Mae shouts back at me:
"If you go there, you are dead meat. You will not help him; I'll call Julius and ask him to check on Danny!"
Shit, shit, she is right. If I go there, they will kill me the moment I set a foot on their land, and I won't be able to help anybody. I may panic for nothing, but I'm scared. I'm scared something will happen, and I can't do anything about it!