Chase (Chasing Tails Rewritten)

TwentySeven - Rose

 Julie greets her brothers at the back door as they accompany Ollie and Paul into the pack house. Dresden invited them in to discuss a game plan on how they want to defend against the new all-Alpha pack. Tensions are tense as the two Alphas shake hands and Julie can see there are still underlying issues between the two but she's glad they're moving forward anyhow. Her brothers drag her into the dining room after them though she wasn't sure if she herself was invited to the meetings. Most of her pack had already been sent up to their rooms or are outside, training or patrolling. She had planned on staying in her temporary room with Lea and Nina but the two decided to go out and have some fun. She didn't ask what they meant by that and left them to it. Graham and the other guards followed her around after that and now, they leave her in her brothers' care.

"We've got some information," Andy tells her, murmuring quietly as Jack and Paul greet each other with even more adversity than their Alphas. "Rose is joining us."

"Rose?" Julie nearly shouts in surprise, her eyes finding her Alpha. Would he allow her sister to join them? Would he let her onto his territory? To offer her help? "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, she told us this morning when we spoke to her. She and Phillip are already on their way here."

"But..."

"Apparently, Dresden invited her," Andy tells her, watching as her rounded umber eyes takes in her mate suspiciously. "Maybe he's just trying to get on your good side after everything."

"Or he's playing her," Zach adds, openly showing his dislike for the wolf. Dresden doesn't show oblivion to it and openly returns it with his own, nearly snarling every time he's close enough. Julie is sure that Dresden is still sore over what happened between them during the interruption she caused but she ignores their tension, hoping they'll settle things on their own.

"The twins told us what happened between their old pack and the all-Alpha pack last year," Ollie starts, talking over his beta's argument with Jack as if it wasn't occurring. He and Dresden sit at opposite ends of the dining room table, staring each other down with a silent challenge. Andy quickly settles close to his Alpha, placing Julie next to him. Her eyes are unable to avoid looking at her mate who watches her with a stoic expression. It's the first she's seen that she's entirely unsure of what is going through his mind and she's not sure she likes that. Still, she stays quiet as the two Alphas talk and listens carefully for anything that might be useful.

"It's different compared to then. They're deliberately picking out our packs, charging us against each other with the use of Trisha's disappearance."

Dresden's words bring a low growl out of Zach and Julie attempts to sooth her brother by taking his hand. He squeezes it with what strength he does have, forcing a flinch out of her that only makes Dresden's angry expression turn into a harsh snarl.

"Enough!" Ollie orders him, creating an atmosphere that leaves everyone on the edge of their seats.

"You do not order me around, pup."

Something stirs inside Julie at her mate's words. It might be the tone of his voice or the shiver it causes but her eyes stay on him as if they're trapped there and she watches in a mesmerizing way as he and Ollie debate their next move.

Ollie rubs his face, letting out another groan. Deciding to let it go, he takes a long sigh and focuses his attention on the subject at hand. "If it's like that, there's a motivation behind their actions. They might know one of us and if that's the case, they're probably watching us."

"Which means," Paul adds. "They probably know about Julie stopping you two from killing each other."

"Which means," Jack continues, glaring at Paul. "They might have a target on Julie as well."