The Wolves and the Vipers

Chapter 15 - Another Pack

The conifers towered over the rest of the forest, and I couldn't help staring at them. They cast long, dark shadows compared to the gentle broad-leaved trees. They weren't native, despite being everywhere in Britain, but there were none at New Dawn. They probably made a point of cutting them down when they did appear.

"He said it's fine," Jace told us. "Let's go."

We were pulled over at the side of the road, but Bradley was turning the key in the engine now. We were barely three hundred metres from Silver Lake's border, and that was where we had stopped to wait for Jace to call their Alpha, pretend like we were just passing through on our way elsewhere, and get permission to visit the territory.

The aim was to surprise them. To make sure that if they did have Aria Lloyd, there was no time to ship her elsewhere. Jace was confident that he would be able to feel her through the mind-link if they were within a dozen miles of each other. We would see.

I kept one eye out of the window as we approached the pack entrance. There were lots of signs declaring it 'private property' and claiming that 'trespassers will be shot.' I wished New Dawn had a few more of those — it might have saved me a trip to prison. After those threatening signs came a mechanical barrier which was manned by two imposing men. They waved us through after exchanging barely five words with Bradley.

"What are we not going to talk about, everybody?" Jace asked.

"Pine Forest," the other men in the car answered dutifully. I just peered around, wondering what I'd missed and when I'd missed it. Luckily, my confusion shone brightly and blindingly into the mate bond, and Jace answered my question before it was even asked.

"Another pack," he explained. "Silver Lake have been feuding with them for almost as long as we've been feuding with Riverside. They're very touchy about it ... especially since our pack is friendly with both sides."

I gave a little nod. "Anything else I should know?"

"Yes, actually," Jace said, and then he swapped to the link, which was my first warning that he wasn't going to say anything pleasant. "The Alpha is very old-fashioned and very easily offended. He's not going to treat you like a human being, and I need you to ignore that. Remember, we need his help. Not the other way around."

I stared at him with wide, horrified eyes and wondered what the hell I had let myself in for.

***

The Alpha was waiting for us outside the pack house. It wasn't hard to spot him, standing with his arms folded, taller than he had any right to be. He had a dozen of his men behind him, one of whom was visibly trying to persuade the others to stand in a straighter, more orderly line as we were getting out of the cars.

"Jace!" the other Alpha called. "Good to see you, as always. To what do we owe this honour?"

Jace resisted the temptation to reply at the same volume. He waited until we were a lot closer, and as we walked, he slipped an arm around me and pulled me close. He was very warm, and he kept the wind off me, so I didn't mind too much.

"I thought we were overdue a catch-up," he said. "I hope it's not an imposition."

The Alpha waved a hand dismissively. "No, no. You've saved me from a dull meeting, and ... ah. Wait a minute. Who is this?"

He'd noticed me — the only woman in our entire group. And there was a very interested gleam in his eyes now. I didn't miss the cursory glance that went from my head to my toes and back again and paused in a few places. Already, I knew I didn't like this man.

"This is Emma. Our new Luna," Jace said, squeezing my arm. "Emma, this is Keith Vaughan. He's my counterpart in Silver Lake."

"Hi," I said brightly. I knew that if I was the slightest bit grumpy during this meeting, Jace would probably kill me. It was important. We both knew that.