Just One Bite

Chapter 6: James' POV

"Can I sleep over yours after the party tonight?" Louise asks as she starts to tuck into her tuna salad, "The old man is out of town for a few days," she explains as her eyes shift to the rest of us; "On Rogue business," she finishes.  

"Sure," Olivia replies with a shrug, "My parents won't mind."

"Where's Amy staying?" I ask with a frown.

"Over mine."

My eyes travel to the far side of the table where Em was slouched against the canteen wall, her legs sprawled over Rebekah's lap and her thumbs briskly tapping away on her phone. She briefly looks up to make eye contact for a second before turning away again.

"Of course," I mutter, "I should've guessed."

"Our dad's travelling to the Valleys tonight," Amy informs, her mouth full of apple, "The Trackers have caught a trail on some Rogues that could be responsible for the attack last Saturday."

"Who are the Trackers?" Jack asks, draping an arm lazily around Holly's shoulders, "Are they Government Hunters?"

I can't help to notice Em's eyes flash up over her phone towards the twins, while Amy and Louise just give each other a small glance. "Sort of," is all Amy replies, her voice a little strained.

"They're a team founded by the Government," Louise explains, tapping her fork quietly against her half empty plate, "But not all of them are human."

"Huh?"

"The Lunar Pride Pack," Louise replies and everyone's jaws drop.

I suppose we all have to be grateful that some Supernaturals were willing to compromise with humans once the secret was unmasked six years ago. And the Lunar Pride Pack were one of them. They stepped forward, exposing themselves in the process, and offered their service, ideas and any information required about the Supernaturals. No scientific research was needed; it turns out there were already doctors, physicians and professors who had secretly discovered every physical, emotional and spiritual way each creature worked. Humans only had to be educated, resulting in such a rapid reorganisation and recovery of hospitals, the school syllabi and political system.

The Lunar Pride Pack have to be one of the most famous in our area, their territory located in the capital city just half an hour up the coast. There are nineteen members, apparently all family and born Werewolves, protected by the Government in return for their service to help regain order over those who refuse to adapt to this new world.

"Several members of the pack are part of that team," Louise babbles on as she finally finishes her salad, "Including the Alphas and the Beta himself."

"Your father actually works with them?" Molly gasps, who's sitting a couple of seats along from me, "Wow. What do they do once they catch the Rogues?"   

"They take them to a confined Government facility," Amy replies, throwing her apple core into a nearby bin, "It's like a prison. That's as far as we know."

"And what about the Stalker Pack?" Chris asks, taking a massive bite out of his pizza slice.  

"You mean the Silverclaw Stalkers?" Maria corrects from behind a textbook.

"They're the Informers Team," Louise replies, "Like the Government's spies. It's rumoured they have recruited at least thirty lone wolves and use their eyes and ears to keep track for any foul play within the city itself."

"The Male Betas are so hot," Molly comments with a sheepish smile and I catch Em rolling her eyes, her thumbs still dancing across her phone screen like it was a matter of life and death.