Brothers 3

Chapter 17

The next day James went for a long walk. He couldn't go too far from the house because of the link so he walked circles, pushing it as far as he could. With everything going on he needed some air. The house was starting to feel oppressive. It was surrounded by wolves and full of tension. Not to mention lately he felt like there were ghosts of the past following his every step.

He came back towards the house, feeling sick as the wind wafted the scent of werewolf his way. It didn't even smell like his home anymore. He spat on the grass, trying to get the taste of bile off his tongue.

It was only once he was within a few paces of the house that he could distinguish the scents of the individual wolves. He picked out Mikey and his pack but there were others too. James tensed but put on his best calm exterior as he waltzed up to the house. On the front lawn Mikey and his pack were lined up in front of their tents. The tents were small camping ones and could fit two people per tent. James was pretty sure that they didn't have enough space for the whole pack, but he hadn't commented.

Facing the pack were six werewolves. They smelt familiar and James almost growled when he realized why. They were Ella's old pack. The ones who had burnt Orlando and the others. James's muscles ached with tension as he came alongside them.

In the setting light of the sun Ella's father's face looked sharp, all angles and bared teeth. He was speaking in a clipped tone to Mikey, squaring his shoulders and huffing in an attempt to intimidate the other alpha.

"You do not have the numbers to fight against us. Do not make us kill our own kind in the name of a vampire." When he spoke, his breath made tiny clouds in the cooling air.

Mikey for his part didn't look frightened at all. His pack were flanking him, close enough to show support but not crowding him.

"No one told me we were having a get together," James said.

All eyes snapped to him and Ella's father snarled. "Leech."

He made to approach James and James was ready for a fight. He had been tense of late, a little slaughter might help.

To James's surprise Mikey moved in front of him, blocking Ella's father's path. James was too stunned to even speak. Did he think that James couldn't take the wolf in a fight? Did he care? Maybe he was just making sure that Ella wasn't tied to a dead body, James reasoned. The alternative was too confusing to think of.

"Get out of my way," Ella's father growled.

Mikey stood his ground. The pack started to approach him but with one look Mikey commanded them to stay back. He met the other alpha's eyes and kept his voice calm and level. "This vampire is with me. I am not in the habit of abandoning my allies."

Ella's father made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat and glanced around at his pack. "Ally? This thing would see you in chains in the basement of his house, just as his father taught him to do."

James stiffened at the mention of his father. The memory of the pregnant wolf in the basement made his stomach flip but he hid his discomfort behind a smirk.

"Trust me I can be worse than my father when I need to be."

Mikey threw a look back him. his eyes were searching, and James was confused to find that he hoped that Mikey could see through the ruse and know he wasn't as bad as his father had been. No, he couldn't care what the wolf thought, could he?

"Whatever his father did, I don't hold that against him." Mikey turned his attention back to Ella's father, staring him down.

The other alpha snarled and bared his teeth. "This is your last chance to do the right thing and turn the vampire over to us."