Page 20 of The Price They Paid

I chased him out of the kitchen and Alice moved out of the way laughing. She was coming into the kitchen and Maddox almost knocked her over as he passed.

“What’s he done now?” she asked between fits of giggles.

“He’s always stealing food!”

Alice laughed and walked into the kitchen behind me. “Anything I can do?”

“If you could just put things in the refrigerator while I check the wings that would be amazing!”

“They are going to love you.” Alice started covering things and putting them away.

“I hope so.” I wiped my brow and headed over to the sink to wash my hands. “I think I have just enough time to freshen up.”

“You go do that and I’ll take care of things in here.”

I knew that the wings only had about another ten minutes, so I hurried back, added my secret sauce, and put them in the oven for their final taste good minutes. I set up the food just before the pack arrived. I’d also warmed up the room with some table cloths and a few decorations.

I sat up front next to Maddox until the meeting began. He opened the floor up to concerns and immediately the meeting was filled with the buzzing sounds of issues. There were things not fixed, some issues with the youth, programs fallen apart, the elderly needed help, and the list just continued to grow. I disappeared to grab some paper from Seuss’ office and found some clipboards. I made three categories. Community needs, repairs. and rising problems. The people seemed weary of writing down the issues, but when I explained that problems couldn’t be fixed if we didn’t have them documented, things ran much smoother. That was, until the ex-Alpha showed up.

Augusto seemed to command the room immediately upon his entrance. Seven men filed in behind him turning the room eerily quiet. I turned toward Maddox, about to ask who the man was, but the menace across his face halted me.

“How lovely for you to join us, Augusto. I see you’ve brought the elders as well.” Maddox spat each word as if they left a bad taste in his mouth.

“Glad to be here. Since this meeting covers official pack business I’m required to attend. The elders are here of their own accord.” Augusto smiled, but for some reason it didn’t meet his eyes.

“Please be seated as there is a discussion in progress.”

Augusto and the others sat down, but he seemed to watch my every move. His eyes seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place them just yet. The more he studied me the more I felt the challenge in them. I tilted my head a little trying to figure out what his aim was, but he only smiled and waited. The noise around us filtered out, and my heart began pounding through my ears.

“Justice, he’s baiting you. Please let it go. He’s not worth it.” Maddox’s voice was so low that I barely heard it.

I moved my eyes only to look at Maddox. I could see the cords in his neck working, and knowing that the Alpha was affecting him only amped up my defenses against Augusto. I turned back to Augusto, and he was busy writing something on the clipboard in his hands.

“I’ll look over the concerns that you all have and cover them with the Alphas. Make sure to enjoy the feast here today. I know that Justice contributed quite a few goodies to the table for her new pack.” He began naming off foods, but I still watched Augusto.

Augusto was up to something. I could feel it. I found Alice as soon as everyone started moving about.

“Hey, Justice!” She smiled as I approached her.

“Can I speak to you for a second?”

Alice nodded, and we moved to a quiet corner. “How can I be of service?”

I could feel her nervous energy. “Why do I get the feeling that I’ve seen Augusto before?”

“What makes you say that?” Alice’s fidgeting didn’t go unnoted.

“His eyes.”

“I don’t know …”

I cut her off. “Alice, spill it.”

“Shit!” She looked at her feet gathering strength. “I couldn’t get you to shift back.”

“What?”

“When you were in wolf form, nothing that we did made you shift back. I had Alec, Seuss’ brother, transport the ex-Alpha to you to make you shift. He came to you in wolf form.”

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