SWNOVELS Chapter 39: The Pack
Angel’s POV
The sun was extra bright through the motorhome windows. She quickly reached behind her and felt a cool bicep rising and falling with deep breaths on the small bed. He was still here. He was still touchable. Angel sat up and looked him over, exhausted and sore everywhere. The man was a machine. A love machine. She vaguely remembered that was a song and smiled.
It was a strange peace. Whatever happened today under the full moon, they had spent a night in the garden of Eden. She dressed and looked him over again, committing his angelic face and form to memory. “I love you Castiel.” she whispered as she was sneaking out.
She had one last stand to make. One she had to do on her own. One that if it failed she would call out to the lust demon herself, and serve next to her love forever. Maybe two demons could touch? She jogged through dead streets and confidently pushed open the unassuming strip club door.
Everything was hot pink inside. Taala was squished in the middle of a fuzzy loveseat with sparkly pillows, a purple travel mug half raised to his lips. She laughed out loud at the sight. “And just like that my image of you is forever ruined.” she teased.
“Listen my dear, it’s an image you’ll see here every morning when you sprout horns. Where’s Castiel?”
“Sleeping off a hangover.” she lied. She smiled innocently as he read her aura for the truth and shook his horns with a ‘tsk’ sound. She cleared her throat and unholstered her knife from its band on her leg to get to the point. “Taala, I wish to start my 3 hours of protection now.” She held it by the blade out towards him.
“Angel dear, the fight will be tonight. You are too early.” She shook her head and bounced the knife in the air. He raised eyebrows and took it slowly. “Why?”
“I need to speak with the Pack.”
Taala stalled for an hour with a story about Hurricane’s favour. Eventually he relented and handed the blade back to her. “3 hours my dear. It is not failproof, it is only a warning. The wolves will be nearly full strength, so do not test it carelessly.” He stood and crossed arms over his chest. “Angel, I truly hope this is not the last time I see you?” There was emotion in his normally flat voice and it wrapped around her heart.
Angel sighed and nodded, returning the blade to her thigh. “Put in a good word with Lady Desirae for me then?”
She rushed out and headed towards the east. She wished she had planned this better and drank, eaten and showered first. She frowned thinking that didn’t matter much if this was a walk to her death. She really should have said good byes first. Tall apartment buildings flanked either side of the street as she crossed the invisible boundary and her feet stalled at the bottom of a hill when the street in front and behind filled in with shadows.
“You’ve got a death wish kitty?” A female voice from the left.
“No, she’s just come for breakfast.” A male voice on the right.
“What the fuck do YOU want?” Falkner pushed in front of the crowd with nothing on but a pair of loose brown shorts. He meant to stride right to her but stopped short many feet away. He snorted. “No fucking curse will keep me from ripping your throat out!” Jesus he was scary.
“I wish to speak with your Alpha. I have a question.” She spoke with all the confidence she ever possessed.
Murmurs and growls surrounded and shook her fragile nerve. A shirtless beast of a man pushed through and stood tall with Falkner. “I am Alpha Logan Blackmoor. Ask your question fast, it will be your last.”
Her heart choked her throat. “How- How does Pack treat family? One of their own who goes against the grain?”
He stared, then glared. “We protect our family with every fiber of fury. Any who do not support our Pack beliefs leave of their own volution to start new Packs. We remain loyal to all here and gone, even as they expand the bloodlines out of sight.”
“We grow!” From the left.
“We thrive!” From the back.
“Why are you ask—“
“Hurricane Blackfang.” Angel interrupted loudly. 100 brown eyes glared more if that was even possible.
Alpha Logan took a step forward. “He was a great alpha. What of him?”
“Where is he?” she asked softer, knowing the answer.
“All Gone.”
“Dead.”
“6 feet under”
She was learning not to look for the additional voices and just to hear them. She stared straight at Alpha Logan’s moving lips. “He was murdered with his Pack. 50 hearts lost.” Genuine sadness broke his angry voice. He added an additional point Angel didn’t know. “He was my brother.”
“Massacre!”
“Vengence!”
The family revelation knocked her jelly legs and she shifted weight to stay upright, Her fingers gripped the hilt of her knife as she willed her breathing to calm. Here goes nothing.
“Alpha Logan? I’m Angel.. Blackfang.”