Page 24 of The Wolf She Shouldn't Desire

“Don’t play the idiot, Eric,” Lance growls, causing all of Jordan’s wolves to sit straighter and move to the edge of their seats.

“Watch yourself, Lance,” Jordan growls back. His growl is deeper and fiercer than Lance’s, commanding all around him to take notice. With that growl, he shows who the more powerful wolf is here and who is an alpha. Though Lance looks mean and burly, he does not exude the same command and alpha aura that Jordan does. “Didn’t think I was asking you or anyone else’s permission in who I could interact with in this club.”

“It’s not just that you are interacting with them,” he sneers. “It’s the fact that you are acting like cozy little besties. They’re kind need to be wiped from the streets like the parasites they are.”

“Well, you might as well get that notion out of your head because we aren’t going to be rid of them like you want, just like they’re never going to be rid of us.”

“Doesn’t mean you cozy up to them and kiss their asses. Next thing you know, you’re going to be bending over and spreading your ass cheeks while they fuck you from behind, and then use you as their own personal blood bank. Fucking traitorous scum!”

I sit there a little stunned at the picture this asshole has so eloquently painted in what he thinks will happen between us just because Jordan and his men decided to have a few drinks with us and chat. The stark reminder that werewolves and vampires don’t interact much if at all let alone in the manner we all were just doing hits me like a cold bucket of water. The idiot though does realize Jordan, the alpha I have no doubt he is based on the few interactions we have had, wouldn’t bend over or take shit from anyone, vampire or werewolf, right? I want to knock this asshole down a few pegs. It doesn’t matter that he is a werewolf or not. I can’t stand pricks like him that are so prejudiced thathe thinks there should be clear segregation between the two species.But I stay quiet and let Jordan handle it because I have no doubt the wolf standing in front of us would twist anything I say or do to sound like Jordan needs my aid in coming to his defense or dig at him for being weak. Jordan can handle him on his own, and if the roles were reversed, I would hope he would let me handle it if it was a vampire coming up to us like this.Hell, I did earlier with Eddie.

Glancing over at Jordan, I see his face is the epitome of cold rage. His eyes burn with rage, creating a formidable image that any smart man would know to shut the hell up and walk away from before it was too late. I’ve yet to see him like this, and it’s intimidating yet thrilling. The wolf on the receiving end of that look should be running for his life. Me? A thrill races through me in witnessing the power and aggression caged within this beast of a man and feel I should sit on the edge of my seat like his wolves with the hope of seeing him unleash it on Lance.

Jordan stands and moves towards Lance. He stands a good two feet taller than Lance on the raised platform we sit on, but even without it, he would still tower over Lance. Jordan looks down his nose at him when he speaks. “Remember who you are calling traitorous scum. Last I heard, you sold your soul to some humans who ended up killing a few of your werewolf friends.”

Lance becomes pale, and the wolves behind him exchange glances of confusion.

With a low and level tone but none the less deadly, Jordan continues to talk. “What I do is none of your concern, and you have some fucking nerve thinking you can stick your nosey, self-righteous nose into my business so as to judge me with the shit you’ve done that no doubt you’ll continue to do to endanger wolves around you. Walk away now, and know that if youapproach me like this again in the future, I won’t be so generous in letting you walk away with a simple warning. Understand?”

Lance simply pinches his lips before quickly storming off with his companions following behind him slowly.

Jordan stands there for a second before he turns around. “Sorry to cut the evening short,” he says to us with a quick glance at me before turning to Eric and the other werewolves. “We need to head home.” As they stand, Jordan walks off without another glance towards me and disappears through the crowd and out the front entrance to the club.

“Well, that was interesting,” Asher states, breaking the silence that Jordan and his wolves leave behind in their wake.

“Yeah, interesting,” I say solemnly. The night feels like it has turned sour. It went from being filled with laughter and ease to being strained. The way Jordan left so suddenly after Lance left makes me feel that even though he told Lance he essentially can do whatever he wants, including interacting with vampires like he was doing so with us, he probably realized it wasn’t a good idea. Although it was a good time, he probably thinks it’s more trouble than it’s worth interacting with us. Interacting with me. Vampires and werewolves don’t mix, and Lance showed us tonight how others will react if we try.

I sigh, and Danny looks at me.

You okay?

I nod. It sucks and more so than just having to deal with bigots. I don’t want to analyze my thoughts and feelings of why Jordan leaving so quickly hurts and leaves me with an empty feeling like the empty spot on the couch next to me where he sat. There is no point in dwelling on it. It’s likely I won’t see him anytime soon or ever, unless for some business-related reason. The friendly interaction between our two groups was the first and no doubt the last time. It was nice while it lasted, at least.

Chapter 12

Talia

“Why do you need me to kill them?”

My father stands in front of me with a twist to his mouth like he just ate something vaguely unpleasant. Likely because I’m questioning his orders instead of saying “Sir, yes sir” like a good little soldier. “Because I told you to should be good enough, but if you must know, they have been skimming off of our shipments and have been whispering about trying to take over our distribution.”

“And we can’t send them a message with a well-placed beating and a lot of spilled blood?”

“Thisissending them a message,” he hisses. “I’m not about to let them continue with stealing from me and trying to take what is mine through their scheming. They’ll likely just become pissed and feel they need to prove they can’t be pushed around with a beating by you. So, no, you’ll not just send them home with a beating and a trail of blood behind them when they return home. Your orders are to kill them.”

I nod to him. He isn’t going to hear any argument from me. I just wanted to hear the reason I’m about to end them. I learned a long time ago to not try to fight my father on such things or to try to reason morally with him. This is what I’ve been molded into and taught to do. I’m the coven’s weapon, andmy father is the wielder of said weapon at his own discretion. Pick your battles, as they say.

“Anything else?”

“Just get the job done tonight. Our contacts indicate they will be in the warehouse district around midnight. Take a few others with you and make it known why they were killed and by who.”

“Understood.” I turn to walk out of his office and go in search of Danny and the Fab Four. A small smile creeps on my face as I think of the fun this will be. The adrenaline and thrill of hunting someone and taking out the trash essentially vibrates through me making my skin feel alive with anticipation. I never said I was a saint. A girl has to get her kicks where she can.

***

Stalking down the streets of the city, my body is thrumming with anticipation of finding our mark and from being hyperaware of everything around me. When I’m sent out to take care of tasks such as this, there is an edge to everything. The air feels sharper in temperature, the scents of the city seem stronger in my nose, and I feel I can see every particle of dust, pollen, and dirt. Part of it is my heightened senses as a vampire, and the other part being the fact that I have to be vigilant as I can’t make a mistake or allow those I am charged with going after to know that I am coming.

Danny walks beside me as the other four men walk behind, checking every alley and roof as we pass. As we come to an intersection of alleys shrouded in darkness with only one lonely lamp illuminating one corner, the wind shifts bringing the distinct scent of males, and not just any males, but werewolf males coming from the three alleys opposite from the one we just passed through.

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