Lunch was pleasant, when we kept the conversation off territory. But as we ate, I realized we couldn't put that particular conversation off forever. James must have been making the same realization, because he set his fork down.
"I think we should take this particular conversation outside." he rose, and looked down when Tara touched his arm.
"I'll go with you." Kit offered, and I held up a hand.
"Derek should come." I looked down at him. "If you want." Derek nodded and stood, following James and I outside. We stood next to my truck, in the middle of the bustling parking lot. I leaned against the tailgate and looked at James, aware of Derek standing half a step behind me. I hated feeling as though I needed backup. But I wasn't so sure this wouldn't turn into something ugly. It was good I had backup. Trace would be glad I had someone else there.
"Okay, talk." I gestured for James to go first.
"I think our packs should join together." he pushed that subject again and I rolled my eyes.
"We tried that once before James. It was how Carpenter got killed, remember?" I snarled, a deep shudder shaking my shoulders. I still smelled his blood in the air, felt it splashed across my muzzle, staining my fur…
"Hey, he chose to challenge me!" James sneered, his hands curling into fists.
"He was seventeen James! He didn't know what he was doing!" I didn't back down when he stepped up to me, toe to toe. Both our bodies shook with anger as we stared one another down.
"You seem so certain. What would you do if one of your wolves challenged your position?" he snarled.
"You let me go easily enough." I reminded him icily. James sneered down at me.
"Women are weak." I felt my hands tense for a punch, but then I sensed Derek shift uneasily behind me. I couldn't risk his life.
"Women will always be stronger than men. We just choose to let them think otherwise so their fragile ego's stay in tact." I smirked and James' nostrils flared in agitation.
"I could press that right now." James leaned closer, threateningly, but I didn't back down. I couldn't allow him that sort of advantage.
"We're staying in separate packs." I snarled with finality. "I sort of do my own thing, and that works for my boys. Besides, I don't take orders well." I wrinkled my nose, thinking back to last night. It wasn't usually so easy for them to tie me down like they had. "There has to be some agreement." We both stepped back equal amounts, the tension diffusing slowly. "Something like the Cabal."
"If it is a Cabal after them, we'll need to focus all our attentions on that. You know better than anyone the lengths a Cabal group will go to find someone, and kill them if that is their wish…" I shuddered again.
"Yes, thank you for reminding me. So we're agreed. We focus on killing an Cabal agents that arrive, and keeping everyone safe." James shrugged.
"Sounds good enough to me." he thrust out a hand and I shook it firmly.
"Derek, head back inside. There's just one more thing I need to ask James." I ruffled his hair and he looked at me for a long moment before walking slowly back to the restaurant. I waited until he was inside. "You're willing to help me on this?"
"Those ticks will kill any wolf within a hundred mile radius of where they're at. I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to risk Tara's and my baby's life just because your family wasn't careful." he shook his head slowly. "I'm going to keep my wolves on high alert."
"They'll send their bloodhounds here first. The scouts." James grinned in anticipation.
"So long as I can sink my teeth into the same guys that killed my brother, there should be no problem." I grinned as well, the familiar adrenaline, the red that tinted the edge of my vision when a fight was offered up, all surged forward.
"At least we can agree on one thing." I turned for the restaurant and we headed back, surprisingly in one piece.
Tara smiled in relief, obviously relaxing, as we stepped into the room once again.
"We should get going." I smiled my best and looked over at James. "Hopefully we can work out our problems like this in the future James." I smiled and looked over when Derek chuckled.
"My sister, the optimist." he stood as well, shaking James' hand when he offered it.
"You know Derek. If you ever get tired of her bubbly attitude, I'm always welcoming for new wolves. So long as they don't like to challenge my position." I laughed and grabbed the scruff of Derek's neck softly.
"This is the kid that sits silently in the back of the classroom." I ruffled the back of his hair and smiled down at Tara when she touched my arm.
"It was nice to meet you Daniella. Maybe I can stand up for you when he decides to curse you next." she giggled, and I leaned to hug her softly when she wrapped her arms around my shoulders.
"Damn. You've even got my mate turned against me. You're like a two month old puppy." I laughed and nodded.
"It's part of my evil plan." I laughed when Derek snorted.
"You're about as evil as a two month old puppy too." I smacked the pack of his head.
"Those things pee on your couch and rug. They're pretty evil." I folded my arms over my chest, stumbling when James knocked me on the back.
"I'd say it was a pleasure Daniella, but I have to hate you." he shrugged, then wrapped an arm around Tara. "I'll keep you posted on any Cabal movement in the area."
"I can't thank you enough James." I murmured as my little group moved toward the door. "My family means the world to me. I will do everything I can to protect them." It wasn't just a conviction to my family. It was also a warning, and he'd heard it clearly.
"You have nothing to worry about from me Daniella. We're both civilized people, despite what people say about our kind. And despite my apparent lack of empathy and respect for you. I think our packs can coexist in some form of harmony." I nodded and smiled again.
"I think we're going to stop at a couple stores, maybe get some new clothes for the girls. We'll be out of the city by three though." He nodded.
"I'll have one of my wolves send you off then." he nodded, but his tone indicated he was joking. We headed out to the truck, and I was just about to step up into the bed when my stomach rolled. I clamped a hand over my mouth and crouched down just in case, swallowing back the bile that was rising in my throat.
"Dani!" I heard Derek behind me, and he put a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" I waved his worry, and took deep breaths through my nose, wondering why this always happened lately.
"Daniella?" I heard Kit, and looked up when he leaned down next to me. "Are you alright sweetie?" he asked, putting a hand on my forehead.
"It's nothing. I've just been feeling off the past couple days." I shook my head and stood with Kit and Derek's help.
"Maybe you should ride inside." Kit offered. "I can ride in the back with the boys." I nodded and took the keys from him.
"I know my way around the city anyway." I sighed and opened the door, making sure I had control over my volatile stomach before climbing behind the wheel.
"It's all good." I smiled when Chloe inquired if I was alright. "I've been in wolf form for the past three days. This is the first time I've been on two legs for a while." I laughed, pulling out onto the street. "I'm probably just not used to it yet." She nodded, satisfied with my answer, but Lauren watched me carefully. She knew I was just as unsure of my answer as she was. But I started the truck and maneuvered my way through the city traffic.
"So Daniella, what do you do for a living?" Lauren asked politely.
"I design houses for the big wigs." I laughed when the three girls gasped and inquired how I had come by a job like it. "I was doodling a floor plan on the back of a napkin when Trace's mom, who knows a lot of people, saw it. That's actually how I met Trace. I designed his parent's house, and they insisted I be his date for the opening party. Even though he was already a full grown wolf I was pretty tall back then, I was just about the only girl he could dance with that he wouldn't have to bend over to hold." I smirked.
"How do you stay under the radar. Surely you can't keep your secret while you design houses for famous people?" Tori raised an eyebrow, rolling her eyes when Chloe hissed for her to shush.
"No, it's okay Chloe." I smiled at her in the rearview mirror. "I go by an alias. Christiana Pliete. A young Italian protégé." I shrugged. "I was seventeen when I came up with her."
"Wow." Chloe smiled.
"Who all have you designed for?" Lauren inquired with a friendly smile.
"Well, there's Christina Agulera, Brad and Angelina, Beyonce, J-Lo, a couple of the ex-Presidents, a few governor's, and just last week I got a call from the President of Mexico. He want's me to design a beach house for his property in Tahiti." I laughed when I noticed their shocked faces. "Yeah, I know. But Trace still insists on working at the hospital, and I don't mind. It makes us look a little more normal." I laughed when Tori scoffed.
"You're six feet tall, and explode into a wolf every so often. I don't think normal is in your vocabulary."
"What is normal Tori? Is it contagious?" I gasped in mock horror. "Don't touch me! I might catch your 'normal'!" I grinned at her in the mirror as Chloe laughed. "I'm kidding Tori." I promised, nodding when she gave in and laughed as well.
"Are you sure you're Derek's sister? You're so funny and he's so… Derek." Tori sniffed, rubbing her arm when Chloe smacked her. "Ow! Chloe!"
"Why can't you two just get along?" Chloe grumbled, folding her arms over her chest.
"Tori, Derek's seen a lot in his life. I was just like him when I was younger. It wasn't until I realized Trace truly loved me, despite my horrible passed, that I actually lightened up." I smiled.
"So if Chloe just says 'I love you' he'll lighten up?" I rolled my eyes and pulled into the Target parking lot.
"No. It doesn't work like that. He has to make the realization on his own." I turned the truck off and opened the door, my stomach turning again. I moaned and made a mental note to grab some pepto while I was in the store. "Okay, you can disperse and find what you need. There's not really a money limit, so you girls can get some clothes. But I really need to get you some hair color Chloe." I winced and gestured to her hair. She nodded earnestly.
"Please." She smiled up at Derek and I watched as Tori dragged her towards the clothes, Lauren following them with a small laugh.
"Okay kids, where to?" I jolted a little when I realized this was the first time I'd been with my family, my father and brothers all together, in nearly four years. I swallowed down my tears, laughing at myself when Derek looked worriedly up at me.
"I'm sorry." I choked, rolling my eyes. "I just haven't seen you guys in forever." I smiled when Derek wrapped an arm around my shoulders, chuckling.
"It's okay Daniella. We're all okay, and we're together again. Now shut off the water works. I still can't handle it." he shivered and I smacked his arm, rolling my eyes at him.
"Poor Chloe." I looked down at Simon. "Should we tell her she's with an apathetic dimwit?"
"Hey!" Derek growled, sneering at me.
"Nah, she'll figure it out eventually." Simon snickered.
"Come on guys!" Derek folded his arms over his chest, glaring between us as Kit chuckled.
"He's right Simon." I sighed dejectedly. "We are being unfair."
"Thank you." Derek smiled, and I linked my arm with his as we walked.
"He's just a dimwit." I giggled and skipped away from him.
I liked shopping just about as much as Trace did, but somehow I was always the one that got dragged along on the girls' ridiculous shopping sprees, so I had to suck it up and smile once in a while. With my brothers and Kit it was easier. We all sneered in equal amounts, barely paying attention to exactly what everything looked like. When the girls were finished, they found us, wielding a cart full of clothes.
"You go pay, I have to grab something to settle my stomach." I smiled reassuringly and they all nodded. I turned for the medicine aisle, sensing someone half a step behind me. I turned to smile at Simon. "I'm not going to disappear Simon." I laughed, ruffling his blonde hair.
"Just making sure." he shrugged, "That and I really didn't want to listen to Tori going on and on about her new 'totally amazing' jeans." he grimaced, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"What's the story with her anyway? Dad told me she was a witch."
"Yeah, she's also our half sister." Simon pressed his lips into a thin line. "It's a really long story. Dad explained the whole thing, but even then I didn't quite understand it all." I nodded slowly,
"We'll have family night tonight or something. Where we'll catch up completely." I promised, clasping his shoulder. He grinned and we turned into the medicine aisle, where a little row of boxes caught my eye and I froze.
"Dani?" Simon's voice broke through my shock and I smiled.
"Sorry kiddo." I shrugged, grabbed the pepto and made a mental note to call Samantha once I got home.