SWNOVELS Chapter Not my cup of tea
Speeding through the forest, Tyra’s chocolate paws effortlessly cover the rocky ground, closing the distance on their prey, she makes the lightest of touches on the ground, leaving no clear tracks.
She grimaces at what’s coming next, it’s as distasteful for her as it is for Toni, but the Alpha’s command forces her hand.
Veering left, flanking her prey, pushing him closer to the cliff edge, she can feel the panic coming off the wolf, he knows to fear her, even if not exactly who she is.
Realising he couldn’t win a fight, his wolf had run without thinking, his panic blinding his awareness of his surroundings full flight mode had taken over.
Snapping at his shoulder, catching it, the fur tears, he pulls away, clearly panicked, desperate to keep a distance between them, he darts sideways, losing his footing, he scrambles madly before plunging over the edge of the cliff, screaming, Tyra slows and lopes to the side before Toni makes the shift back.
Carefully backtracking to check for evidence of her tracks she sees none, checking over the cliff, the mangled body lies below, shifted back into human form as he fell, she doesn’t need to drop down to know he’s dead, Danny, the youngest son of Alpha Davies, the newest face to haunt her dreams.
She kneels sending a prayer for a fallen wolf to the moon goddess, a waste of a young life, but Alpha Vincent’s message has been delivered; shifting once more she melds into the forest shadows and makes her way back towards where she left her bag.
This death had to look like it was accidental and yet his father would know it was not, the wolf was barely an adult and the weakest of his family, he had been a gentle artistic soul.
About six miles from where the ‘accident’ occurred, she shifts, her stomach spasms becoming too much, one hand on a tree, the other across her stomach, she throws up nothing but bile, trying to block out the images.
Some kills hit her worse than others, Danny was just seventeen, if there was a simple way out of it, she’d have taken it, but she’d been left with no choice.
Waiting until her stomach stills, she grabs her bag from the tree it’s hidden in, rinsing her mouth she changes into her uniform.
‘Minak Cthale hale mircyl shial eipar sial len ut’al retornil ali yia drial sepal an dre linte eip walk ali lud’
(Moon Goddess have mercy on my soul when it’s returned to you, this is not the life I want to lead)
Her silent prayer is sent to the heavens
She has one more pack to officially visit, the last task set her, probably her most distasteful but this is her life, the Nightshades enforcer, she hates it and the fact she has no choice.
Her twentieth birthday cannot come soon enough, but life moves on, well except for her and her victims, those lives have all ended.
It’s still dark when Toni sees the target building, she’s being reckless, but her life is about taking risks, why not this one too she thinks to herself, but deep down there’s a part of her that knows she’d be happy to be caught, one way to break the cycle.
Quietly, she scales the building using the window sills and blockwork to get to the window she’s targeted, five floors up.
They say it’s darkest just before the dawn, but today it doesn’t feel that way, the moon is bright even if it’s falling lower in the sky, giving her plenty of light to climb by as if daring someone to see her.
But she’s said it before, wolves rarely look up unless you give them a reason to.
Breaking and entering are secondary skills she’d acquired over time, and like this window, often the higher floors are easiest to break into, people rarely bother locking things above the third floor, taking height as a false security but it’s good for her.
Letting herself in quietly she hides in the shadows and waits, it’s still early in the day, but the owner of the office is normally an early riser.
Hearing the key in the lock, her body stills, breathing and heart rate slowing, her scent, masked with chemicals, it smells like the right place from memory, but that doesn’t guarantee anything, could even be a cleaner.
A lone wolf walks into the room, moving quickly towards his desk, confident in his office, getting almost to the centre before he stops, had she wanted to, his life would have already been hers to take, but that’s not her plan, she sees his body tense slightly as he stops, his wolf finally sensing he’s not alone, turning slowly, scanning the room she speaks.
“Royal Delta Alek”
Using his full title to show respect, trying to diffuse his tension, she makes no move initially from where she stands at the open window, escape just one step away.
“I am here to talk only, but it needed to be an unofficial visit.”
Her voice is quiet but breaks the uneasy silence.
Stepping slowly forward by half a pace, so he can see her clearly, she’s wearing her standard dark cloak, but her hood is pushed back so her face is visible.
“Gamma Antonia, explain yourself, who knows you are here?”
His terse words are delivered as a command but he no longer has any power over her, not even the smallest tug on her wolf.
“I don’t think anyone knows Delta” she answers honestly
“I’d prefer it was kept that way at least for five minutes, ten if you want to give me a decent head start for ‘old times sake’ ”
She lets the smallest smile hit the corners of her lips at that statement, her anger at him for handing her back has waned over the years, she understands better than many that free will isn’t always available, even to ranked wolves.
She watches his every movement for warning signs but all he does is raise an eyebrow, moving to his desk but leaning against it facing her, letting her know he’s not about to attack, but he's also still on alert.
The alarm will need to be raised soon, she knows that watching him carefully for any suggestion he’s mind linking or going to make a move to try and grab her, after all, she wasn’t invited.
His eyes look over her carefully, he’s wary, which she expected, she has breached their borders and no one was any the wiser, and for a wolf to make it to the central town of the Royal Pack, unchallenged was unheard of, but he’s relaxed a little which she takes as a good sign
“To what do I owe this visit?” his voice is calm enough
She’s pretty sure he’s not alerted anyone, he’s got too much curiosity in his voice, at least for now.
“I think it would be good to send someone to the Blue River pack for a few days to do a random check.” her voice is quiet, trying to bring no outside attention to herself
“Check on what?”
“You know, general pack health and safety"
She tries to emphasise the keywords
“Are you or they doing anything illegal you need me to know about?”
She can see the confusion in his eyes
“Nothing illegal.....”
Taking a deep breath before she decides to be more specific.
“Their Alpha has agreed to a bad deal and could probably do with some help.
A chance to save someone, a true innocent, unlike me, at least I knew what my fate would be if I was found and sent back to the Nightshade pack.”
His eyes are boring into hers, trying to read her face for any subterfuge, but she glances outside, dawn has broken, there is a background hum to the building as the pack starts to wake, and she needs to be on her way, sunlight doesn’t aid her exit.
“I have to go.
If you want me dead, just tell people I was here, it will get back to my Alpha soon enough....”
She’s hoping that her words will keep her name out of the alert he has to raise.
Slipping out the nearest window, she uses the window ledges between each floor to swing between, gracefully moving down the side of the pack house as he watches, she gets to the second floor before stopping briefly.
“Get better protection on your buildings” she risks the loud whisper seeing him looking out of the window.
Pulling the cords on her cloak, Alek watches as it compresses to a tight ball leaving her naked, the sense of shock on his face is clear, she turns jumping off the ledge, shifting as she falls, landing perfectly, sprinting through the streets, the dark colour of her wolf brazen in the early morning light, she needs the shadows of trees to make good her exit.
It feels like less than two minutes later when the alarm goes off, game on Alek, game on, she thinks.
Running quietly, she makes her way to the furthest border from the Blue River Pack, sure that’s not one they will search for the intruder to cross, she doesn’t have to mask her exit, knowing the leadership will all feel it as she leaves the boundary, her false trail led away from this direction, after all, she smiles to herself, it’s all in the planning and she had all night to prep.
Twenty-eight hours later she crossed the Borders of the Blue River pack, striding along the road to their town, not a single person challenged her until she was within minutes of the main pack house, amazing how slack some packs can be she thinks.
“It’s customary to wait at the border and ask for permission to cross.”
Beta Wilson stands arms crossed in her path, flanked by two warriors.
“I’m here to collect payment Beta, the Alpha’s terms were not met
You can of course ask me to leave now, but there are consequences to every action.”
The determination clear in her words
Her face is impassive and she doesn’t acknowledge his statement, he may be on home turf, but she doesn’t let him control this conversation.
“Gamma Antonia”
The Royal Beta walks out of the pack house acknowledging her.
“I wasn’t aware you were visiting this pack, is it an official visit, I don’t think anyone here expected you.”
“Royal Beta”
She bows her head in respect, playing a part.
“I was in the area and knew there was an outstanding matter between our packs that Alpha Vincent requested I chase up.
Strange to find the Royal pack visiting.”
She keeps her voice neutral, but inside she’s happy, she just can’t let it show.
“It’s part of our five-yearly audits.”
He acknowledges
Her hand goes to her neck involuntarily
“How could I forget”
There’s the briefest flash of guilt that crosses his face
“You are here alone Gamma?”
Beta Dan is looking behind her
“I am”
Toni keeps her answers short, but her tone is respectful to him.
Inwardly she’s relieved.
“Beta Wilson, is there somewhere we can discuss this matter privately?”
“The Alpha is busy for a few weeks Gamma Woodfield, maybe if you were to schedule a meeting”
There’s a smugness in Beta Wilson’s voice thinking that he can push her away with one more poor excuse.
“We have a legal agreement, Beta Wilson, you are already two weeks overdue and you don’t answer or return calls, so I find myself here since each week adds to the amount owed.
The Contract is valid, either One point two million is wired to the nominated account before the close of play tomorrow, or the Alpha’s daughter comes with me.”
Toni holds his eye, not backing down, but ultimately happy he hasn’t taken it to a private conversation, keeping it in the hearing of Beta Dan means he could step in to help.
“She’s sixteen what would Alpha Vincent want with a pup?”
Beta Dan’s voice cuts into their conversation.
“It’s not my place to question the terms that Alpha Vincent agrees, just to ensure they are honoured.
This was a contract that was agreed upon between both Alphas and their legal counsels.
I cannot say what the Alpha had in mind when the contract was agreed, nor has he, or would he share his plans with me.” She explains honestly.
“Tomorrow is the deadline?” Beta Dan asks
“Correct, after tomorrow the outstanding amount goes up by one hundred thousand, but Alpha Vincent has ordered me to close off the contract.
I cannot allow a longer extension.”
“You are alone though?” Dan looks at her curiously
“This is a legally binding contract.
Should I fail to make it back, the Alpha knows where I am.
Worst case I may lose my life, but then Alpha Vincent would probably demand some form of retribution, as per the werewolf laws and the girl or the money would still be taken anyway, by force if needed.”
Her words are bland, stating facts, but the meaning is clear, she has no regard for her own life and she doesn’t, her job, well, let’s just say that she’s not expecting to live a long life, the last five years has made her realise that.
“How can you do this to a child,” Beta Wilson asks
“Two things Beta.” Toni starts
“One I didn’t gamble with her future by putting it into the contract, that was your Alpha’s choice”
She sees him flinch at the truth in her words.
“And two, like you, I have to follow the commands of my Alpha.
It can be sorted by wiring the outstanding amount to the pack account to repay the loan, I’m not the one doing anything to your Alpha’s daughter, it’s purely his choice.
I can come back tomorrow, or it can be sorted now”
She glances at Dan as she gives her ultimatum, Beta Wilson is tense, like a coiled spring, but she can tell he disapproves of the terms, but like her, his hands are tied.
As far as Toni is concerned, trading a pack member for a monetary debt is akin to slavery, but she cannot back down, no matter how much she doesn’t want to be here, she has to give off the image of not caring, of being as hard as her reputation describes her and it destroys her on the inside.