A Bit of Wolf in Her

8. The million dollar question

"Maybe this wasn't a good idea," Winnie said under her breath and Noah gave her hand a squeeze.

"Don't worry, I'll be right outside." His words of encouragement did little to persuade her. "She wouldn't agree if she wasn't interested in what you have to say," he said.

Nodding, Noah let go of her hand, which was shaking with nerves. He knocked on the door and she groaned when she saw Elijah. Noah pushed past him into the room, squaring up with him immediately.

"What are you doing here?" Noah asked. Winnie trailed in after him, noticing the woman in the leather chair behind a beautiful mahogany desk. She looked a lot more like Elijah than Noah and looked on at the two guys in front of her calmly.

"I have a right to be here," Elijah shot back.

Winnie winced at the reminder that Elijah was werewolf royalty. Jesus, if her chances had been slim before, it was almost non-existent if he stepped up as Alpha. Noah never failed to assure her he was there to protect her. But would he be able to fight his own Alpha? How would he fight something built into his DNA? Winnie stopped her frantic train of thought, knowing she couldn't afford to jump the gun just yet.

"Your rights went to hell after the shit you pulled. She's only in this mess because of you."

Elijah made a low animalistic sound that shot fear right up Winnie's spine, almost like a growl.

"Enough," the woman behind the desk ordered. She hadn't raised her voice, but both boys shrunk back a little.

"If he's staying, so am I," Noah said, and Winnie glanced up at him in surprise.

The woman behind the desk studied them for a split second before nodding. Elijah was less than impressed but didn't dare question it, and stepped back as he stared Noah down.

The situation was already less than ideal.

The fewer people she wanted to know about her situation, the more did. Finally acknowledging her presence, the Alpha woman stood up and held out her hand for Winnie to shake. She towered over Winnie, upright and brimming with confidence.

"I'm happy to meet you, Winnifred, although the circumstances are less than ideal."

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me." Winnie shook the woman's hand and sat down.

"Tell me why you wanted to see me today."

Swallowing to help lubricate her dry mouth, she shifted nervously in her seat, unsure of where to start. She wanted to tell someone. Yet, as she sat there under the watchful gaze of the three Delaneys, Winnie wished a meteor would strike her where she sat.

"I'm sure you've heard some things about me already." Winnie looked at Elijah for a second. "I thought I should explain what happened before it comes from," she hesitated, "someone else."

The woman leaned back in her chair. "You mean like from my nephew?" Winnie nodded. "Elijah has a knack for taking things out of proportion." Winnie saw him tense out of the corner of her eye. 

Understatement of the year. 

"A few days ago, I got attacked by a man. He's... like you." Winnie refused to say the word out loud. "He gave me this." She lifted her shirt and wished she hadn't as she thought of the night Elijah took care of her. Whoever he had been wasn't the same guy standing in front of her.

"Why?" 

The million-dollar question.

"His name is Osiris. We grew up together and he wanted to become the head of his own pack. But it's not through blood that they taught us you become an Alpha, only through death. I couldn't forgive him for taking a life and I ran away. From him and his new pack. I thought he would look for a while before giving up." Winnie stopped, trying to catch her breath and calm her erratic heartbeat. "Guess I was wrong."