Getting there to the big confrontation...slowly but surely
Chapter 10
It had started off a bad day for Luke, and it wasn't getting any better. First he had to deal with some production issues at the Mill, then argue with an idiotic Japanese exporter who was insisting on a special logging mechanism for the redwood for his Shrine, and then he had a call from Josephine Wood at the school, reporting that she had to break up a fight between two of the younger Pack at recess. What with ripping each of the idiots a new one, and then ripping into his own nephew for not controlling his section of the Pack better - well it hadn't been a stress free morning. And he just knew Ruby would have a go when she was next in town. And okay maybe he had been a little hard on the kid - but something about James Cates' sullen expression, the flash of resentment in those slanting golden eyes had just pressed all his buttons.
So by the time he got back to the House at lunch, he wasn't in the best of moods. And then he opened his own front door and a cloud of Sophia Donner's scent hit him like a brick to the back of the head.
"Luke."
Matt looked up at Vivian's tone. She was standing uncertainly, half risen from the seat where she had been collapsed since his daughter had made such a memorable exit. He followed her gaze and saw their Alpha, nostrils flared and scenting, blue eyes narrowed and suspicious as he tracked the various scents of those who had invaded his home.
"Mother. What's going on?"
Vivian inwardly winced at his tone. She recognised that tightly clipped note of irritation from his father. It hadn't been a good idea to cross Willard in this mood either. She sighed. Well - it couldn't be helped. And she hadn't missed the momentary way his eyes had searched eagerly for a missing person whose scent still lay on the air. Hopefully that eagerness would at least make him more likely to listen to reason.
She thought wrong.
Luke paced back and forth across the floor like a coiled spring, a haze of golden fury almost blurring his vision. Inside him the wolf snarled in frustration, outraged at this out right defiance from members of HIS Pack. How dare they keep this from him, attempt to subvert his authority, go behind his back like this. How dare she keep a Seer from the Pack!
Matt glanced from the furious and pacing figure of their Alpha to the other two occupants of the room. Vivian was actively cowed, almost a first in Matt's experience, sitting very straight and still on the edge of the couch. He admitted to feeling rather intimidated himself. Only Sherman seemed unaffected, slouched in his chair, black eyes half lidded. And the sheer weight of their Alpha's displeasure hung over the room like a mist, pressing down on every instinct to abase himself his Wolven side had. He hunched his shoulders a little more and tried to think mellow thoughts.
Luke stopped pacing abruptly. For once the Wolf and him were in complete agreement. Decisive action was required. He regarded the three conspirators narrowly and paced over to Sherman, looming over the smaller man in his chair.
"Who runs this Pack, Sherman?"
The tone of voice was deceptively soft. Sherman met his blazing eyes calmly.
" You do, Alpha."
"That's right. I do."
Suddenly, with a move as fast as it was shocking he reached down and physically lifted the lighter man out of the seat, holding him up in front of him so he dangled, faces close together.
"You are Keeper, Sherman. And I respect that. But you are not inviolable - nor are you invulnerable. I run this Pack now, and I need to know EVERYTHING that goes on. Not just what you choose to tell me. If I find out you have been keeping anything else from me, we will be having much more than words. No one is irreplaceable, Sherman - not even you. Now. Do-We-Understand-Each-Other?
"Yes Alpha."
"Good Sherman. Very good."
He casually opened his hand and threw the smaller man back into his chair and turned to Matt Donner.
"And you - what kind of daughter have you brought up?"
The Sheriff looked stung by the accusation.
"Does she not know her duty? Does she not know her blood? Doesn't she know where she BELONGS?"
And with that he turned his back on the lot of them and strode to the door. "Luke - "
The timid tone momentarily stopped him.
"Where are you going?"
He glared at his mother, his jaw clenching with suppressed fury.
"I'm going to remind one of the members of my Pack the duties she owes to her Alpha."
Vivian looked as she would say something in response and he stopped her with a out flung hand.
"Don't say anything, Mother. You and I aren't exactly on the best of terms just now. And be assured I will have - words - with you about this little scenario later. But just now I have a little discipline problem to sort out."
Vivian winced, both at his words and the tone he uttered them in as he slammed the door behind him. Into the ensuring hush they all heard the squeal as the truck was driven away at high speed and Vivian's whisper.
"But she's not one of your Pack, son. She never was."
Chapter 10
It had started off a bad day for Luke, and it wasn't getting any better. First he had to deal with some production issues at the Mill, then argue with an idiotic Japanese exporter who was insisting on a special logging mechanism for the redwood for his Shrine, and then he had a call from Josephine Wood at the school, reporting that she had to break up a fight between two of the younger Pack at recess. What with ripping each of the idiots a new one, and then ripping into his own nephew for not controlling his section of the Pack better - well it hadn't been a stress free morning. And he just knew Ruby would have a go when she was next in town. And okay maybe he had been a little hard on the kid - but something about James Cates' sullen expression, the flash of resentment in those slanting golden eyes had just pressed all his buttons.
So by the time he got back to the House at lunch, he wasn't in the best of moods. And then he opened his own front door and a cloud of Sophia Donner's scent hit him like a brick to the back of the head.
"Luke."
Matt looked up at Vivian's tone. She was standing uncertainly, half risen from the seat where she had been collapsed since his daughter had made such a memorable exit. He followed her gaze and saw their Alpha, nostrils flared and scenting, blue eyes narrowed and suspicious as he tracked the various scents of those who had invaded his home.
"Mother. What's going on?"
Vivian inwardly winced at his tone. She recognised that tightly clipped note of irritation from his father. It hadn't been a good idea to cross Willard in this mood either. She sighed. Well - it couldn't be helped. And she hadn't missed the momentary way his eyes had searched eagerly for a missing person whose scent still lay on the air. Hopefully that eagerness would at least make him more likely to listen to reason.
She thought wrong.
Luke paced back and forth across the floor like a coiled spring, a haze of golden fury almost blurring his vision. Inside him the wolf snarled in frustration, outraged at this out right defiance from members of HIS Pack. How dare they keep this from him, attempt to subvert his authority, go behind his back like this. How dare she keep a Seer from the Pack!
Matt glanced from the furious and pacing figure of their Alpha to the other two occupants of the room. Vivian was actively cowed, almost a first in Matt's experience, sitting very straight and still on the edge of the couch. He admitted to feeling rather intimidated himself. Only Sherman seemed unaffected, slouched in his chair, black eyes half lidded. And the sheer weight of their Alpha's displeasure hung over the room like a mist, pressing down on every instinct to abase himself his Wolven side had. He hunched his shoulders a little more and tried to think mellow thoughts.
Luke stopped pacing abruptly. For once the Wolf and him were in complete agreement. Decisive action was required. He regarded the three conspirators narrowly and paced over to Sherman, looming over the smaller man in his chair.
"Who runs this Pack, Sherman?"
The tone of voice was deceptively soft. Sherman met his blazing eyes calmly.
" You do, Alpha."
"That's right. I do."
Suddenly, with a move as fast as it was shocking he reached down and physically lifted the lighter man out of the seat, holding him up in front of him so he dangled, faces close together.
"You are Keeper, Sherman. And I respect that. But you are not inviolable - nor are you invulnerable. I run this Pack now, and I need to know EVERYTHING that goes on. Not just what you choose to tell me. If I find out you have been keeping anything else from me, we will be having much more than words. No one is irreplaceable, Sherman - not even you. Now. Do-We-Understand-Each-Other?
"Yes Alpha."
"Good Sherman. Very good."
He casually opened his hand and threw the smaller man back into his chair and turned to Matt Donner.
"And you - what kind of daughter have you brought up?"
The Sheriff looked stung by the accusation.
"Does she not know her duty? Does she not know her blood? Doesn't she know where she BELONGS?"
And with that he turned his back on the lot of them and strode to the door. "Luke - "
The timid tone momentarily stopped him.
"Where are you going?"
He glared at his mother, his jaw clenching with suppressed fury.
"I'm going to remind one of the members of my Pack the duties she owes to her Alpha."
Vivian looked as she would say something in response and he stopped her with a out flung hand.
"Don't say anything, Mother. You and I aren't exactly on the best of terms just now. And be assured I will have - words - with you about this little scenario later. But just now I have a little discipline problem to sort out."
Vivian winced, both at his words and the tone he uttered them in as he slammed the door behind him. Into the ensuring hush they all heard the squeal as the truck was driven away at high speed and Vivian's whisper.
"But she's not one of your Pack, son. She never was."