Page 21 of The Price They Paid

I thought back to that night. I didn’t remember anything else happening after I climbed into bed except the dream that I’d had. I’d been asleep when a wolf came in. His scent was strong and bold like Seuss’ but it wasn’t as appealing to me. It didn’t smell bad, it just wasn’t my Alpha. He’d climbed onto the bed and hovered above me. I was underneath a sheet, cozy and warm.

When my eyes met his, I’d slowly and reluctantly shifted back into human form. I’d fought him so hard though, that when I was fully shifted, I was exhausted. I remembered him pulling my hair as he padded off but that was it. I’d passed out in defeat afterward. I didn’t remember the man. I’d also thought that it was all a weird dream. Hell, I’d thought everything about that day was a dream. Thinking back, I wondered what the purpose of him pulling at my hair was, or had he? The details were fuzzy, but I knew one thing for sure; that was where I’d encountered his intense stare.

“You let the ex-Alpha into my room?!” My voice was louder than I intended catching the attention of some of the pack members. I growled.

“Seuss told me that if something happened to him that I could use whatever measures I needed to keep us on target. Justice, you’re strong. When Maddox tried to get you to shift, you didn’t even blink an eye. Augusto is an Alpha male. He is the only male that I trusted to get that close to you in your vulnerable state. He would never have hurt you.”

I looked over to where Augusto stood talking to the elders. Feeling my eyes watching him, he turned toward me and smiled. He then turned and headed my way with the elders in tow.

“Nice to finally meet you, Justice.” Augusto leaned forward to hug me, but I stiffened in his arms.

“Augusto.” I nodded.

“I have to ask your secret. What’d you put in those wings?” he asked.

“Spice,” I responded sarcastically.

He chuckled and held up his hands in mock surrender. “You’ll have to cook for me sometime.”

I nodded. “Sure thing.”

“How’s Seuss holding up?”

“He’s doing just fine. Almost brand new.”

“That’s good. He’s been down a long time. We wouldn’t want anybody trying to challenge the throne. Things seem kind of crazy and out of control leaving that possibility on the table.” His threat didn’t go unnoticed.

“Miss Justice?”

I turned to see a boy that had to be at least six feet three.”. I turned back to see Augusto departing through the crowd. I needed to talk to Maddox.

“Well, aren’t you tall,” I half joked. I didn’t want to seem standoffish to the members with everything going on. I still searched for Maddox while half paying attention.

He smiled nervously. “I just wanted to let you know that I really liked the wings.”

“Thank you! Help yourself to as many as you’d like,” I said distractedly.

“There aren’t any left unless you have more somewhere.” The look on his face was priceless. The puppy dog expression wasn’t lost on me.

“Tell you what, we can do a trade of sorts. What skills do you have? Can you fix anything?” I inquired. There was no way that the boy didn’t have any strength in those arms of his.

“Sometimes I help my dad around the house. Mostly, I help him outside. Chopping wood, cutting grass, repairing the wire on the fences.”

Interest piqued, I asked. “How old are you?”

“Seventeen. I’ll be eighteen in the spring.”

“I’ll tell you what. If you agree to help Mr. Maddox clear out the trees near the housing complex, I’ll make you some more wings.”

“Really?!”

“Yup. What’s your name?”

“I’m Billy.”

“Billy, do you have any friends that could help out anywhere else?”

I had a few more conversations like that throughout the night. Jeanie was a homemaker that sent her last child off to school leaving her nothing to do during the day. Starting tomorrow she was going to be cleaning the Alpha House. Her son needed more responsibility and would tend to the yard of the Alpha House.

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