Ezra had to give it to her, she was good at trying to keep herself together.

"Ms. Standish," Larabee said, voice gravelly and deep. "I'd advise you take your leave now." He sounded barely human, despite his appearance.

"The name is Emmet. Lady Maude Emmet. I married Lord Hartland Emmet, Mr. Larabee," she replied haughtily. "Of Emmet Enterprises. You would do well to remember that," she added loftily. "It just happens to be the largest shipping enterprise this side of the country, expanding to the west."

Chris didn't react and Ezra knew he couldn't care less. Emmet Enterprises could be run by the President himself and Chris wouldn't give a damn. He just looked at her with that steady, rather unnerving expression, that promise of death. Ezra had quite some experience in what it was like to be fixated by those intense eyes, to see the Fenris lurking underneath the hazel eyes. He had faced the man often before, had felt his power, the energy licking through his veins, but unlike Maude, Ezra had never been truly frightened. Maybe a little impressed, but never scared.

"I am visiting my son," she went on, head held high, but there was a slightly dazed look in her eyes.

Chris' body suddenly went completely still, like the eerie silence before a storm that is about to break lose and wreak havoc. "You claim familial rights? A mother's bond to her child?"

She hesitated for a moment at the almost formal wording, clearly at a loss as to what Chris was going for. Ezra's eyes were on his alpha, trying to keep himself relaxed, not react to the words. He remembered what Chris had said when they were at the shelter. He remembered it clearly.

"Ezra is my son," Maude stated, but it sounded far less steady than before. "He is my family. Of course I claim such… bonds, using the primitive terms you seem to like."

The crossbreed winced inside at her clear disdain.

"Ezra is my pack," Larabee told her, a volatile growl in his voice. "I am his alpha."

She had the audacity to laugh briefly. "My son doesn't run with a pack! Such a primitive notion! Like primordial times where shifters were nothing but the animals they turn into! You might be the team leader of these appointed regulators, but Ezra will not play this role much longer. We are leaving for…"

The flash of yellow in Chris' eyes had her stop and her throat worked noiselessly as she took an involuntary step back.

"Ezra isn't leaving."

"I'm not leaving," Ezra added almost the same second. "Not with you, not with anyone. This is my Territory, Maude."

"And you are not welcome," Chris snarled. It sounded like he was barely holding himself together, but Ezra saw that his alpha was in perfect control.

"You can't threaten me like that!" she whispered.

"I already am."

"He is my son!"

"No."

"How dare you…!"

"Ezra is not your son. He never was and he won't be now. You bought him. As such, no family ties exist. As alpha, I claim pack ties."

"Pack ties again?" Maude's face was twisting in anger. "I'll have your badge for how you treated me, how you threatened me, Larabee!"

"Not wearing a badge."

There was something like amusement in Chris' voice and it caught Ezra by surprise. The alpha's lips curled in a humorless smile, his expression still deadly.

"I'll have you removed from this dusty excuse for a town and you'll never find a job ever again!" Maude snarled, though it was as threatening as a puppy's.

"You are in Four Corners Territory, lady," Chris said evenly. "I am the law here. I was appointed by a Section Judge. Take it up with him. Don't forget to mention that the reason for your eviction. Or that you bought a crossbreed child, raised him like a pet, used and abused the child for your cons and other purposes. I could have you thrown in jail just for that."

Her mouth opened and closed again as she wrestled for words. The penetrating stare from Chris was unnerving.

"Yes, we know what Ezra is. I know who he is quite well. I am the alpha of this pack, Lady Emmet. Ezra is a trusted member. My mate."

Maude's eyes widened and Ezra thought she would pop a blood vessel any moment.

"Mate?" she croaked. "Mate?! You lowered yourself to such a demeaning position? A… a… primitive consort? I might just understand that you needed to pass the time with a warm body, Ezra. I can see the attraction on some sort of basic level. But a mate? You enslaved yourself to… to this man?"

Chris' face was a reflection of Death About To Happen and Ezra easily stepped between him and the Lady Emmet. He doubted the Fenris would do anything rash, but one never knew. Chris was a perfectly controlled man, wouldn't just fly off the handle because of some crass remark, but this was something on a personal level. This was pack and his mate, this was Ezra.

They didn't touch, but there was a brief connection nevertheless, and Ezra was reassured that the alpha behind him wouldn't do anything rash. He was too seasoned, too experienced.

"I suggest you leave," Ezra said calmly. "Alone. Enjoy your current standing, Maude. As long as it lasts."

Probably until she had cleaned out enough funds to find another, more lucrative target. Ezra highly doubted she had ever felt real love in a relationship. He had never been able to get it from her either.

"You… you want to stay like this?" she sputtered. "Like the animal you are? As someone's toy? And for what? Sex? You can have that in the arms of one those many fine daughters of the rich businessmen I could introduce you to. Or if you fancy a man…"

Ezra could feel the rise of energy behind him again. It was a warning, mixed with blatant posturing, and a little bit of murderous intention. He met Maude's eyes, took in her still so very pale face. She knew Chris was close to the edge, was probably taunting him on purpose, but as much as she wanted a rise out of the alpha, he didn't give her the pleasure. Larabee wouldn't give her anything to use against him and the others, wouldn't give her the pleasure of making himself a target.

And his very presence was growing more and more intimidating. While Ezra wasn't looking at Chris, he was convinced the eyes were golden now.

"You should leave," he said softly. "Now."

"You will regret this, Ezra! You will see what this… friendship will get you. You think you're anything but a warm body to while away the time? Your softness and empathy will be your downfall one day!"

The last was like a final parting shot and Ezra looked at her with almost pity. Chris' eyes were now pure gold and he snarled. Maude couldn't bite back the whimper hat escaped her lips.

"Leave," the Fenris whispered. His voice was rough and low, sounding like he was chewing glass. "Now! There is a coach waiting and you will be on it. Or you will spend the night in jail!"

Ezra met her terrified expression, feeling nothing.

Nothing at all.

She rushed past him, past the clearly furious alpha, and was out the door faster than a jackrabbit on the run. Chris followed her, stalking, prowling, each movement measure and reflecting the coiled power underneath the human façade. Ezra followed, refraining from touching his alpha or even talking to Chris, but he was less than three steps behind him when they left the saloon.

Maude was already halfway to the coach that would leave in the next hour, skirt flying, and yet she had a dignity to her that belied her terror. Chris just stood under the saloon's awning, lips still pulled back from even, human teeth. His eyes had returned to their hazel color.

"I didn't know you were back from patrol early. I doubt someone called you when Maude arrived and you high-tailed it back, which means you cut patrol short for some reason. You didn't have to defend me," Ezra said conversationally as he tracked Maude's flight. She was by now demanding a ticket and a seat from the driver. "I wouldn't have gone with her."

"She claimed family," Chris ground out, voice still darker than normal, reflecting what he felt. And he felt a lot. "She called you an animal!"

There was still some distance between them. No closeness showed. Just two of the town's regulators watching the busy main street. Still, people gave Larabee a little more space, shot him surreptitious little looks.

Ezra felt something inside of him clench at the words, at the memories they brought up. He had thought his mother would leave him alone after her last visit, but she had to come back; she had to try and upend his new life.

Going as far as threatening to reveal what he was to the people he called friends.

A knife between the ribs wouldn't have been a worse action.

Emotionally he was still reeling, but on the outside he was his calm and composed self, fighting hard not to let the mask he wore slip.

Now was not the time.

And he wasn't a damsel in distress, swooning into the arms of his alpha. He had handled his mother for a very long time and he had survived their confrontations before. Of course, she had never been this forward in her threats, but he wouldn't fold now. He wouldn't give her the pleasure.

"You called me your mate," Ezra finally said softly. "Openly. In front of a stranger."

::You are my mate!:: was the forceful reply and Chris' eyes were hard, unyielding, boring into his.

::She could use this information against us, against you:: he said, fighting against the tremors that went through him.

If his mother used that… if she somehow tried to sever the connection between them… Ezra knew he wouldn't… couldn't go back to what and who he had been before Chris and the pack. It was impossible. He was bound to these men, their relationships within the pack as colorful and varied as they were themselves. None of the Seven could undo what the two years had done, and Ezra was no exception.

He wanted this.

The smile Chris gave him was terrifying, promising darkness and death in one. It was an expression befitting a monster from the dark, a night terror, but not a perfectly human face.

::Let her try:: he rumbled, voice rough and deep, making even Ezra shiver a little.

Not from anything like fear; it was more a reaction to the power the few words wielded.

::You heard what she said about Mrs. Travis:: Ezra had no doubt Chris had already been there to hear the whole argument. ::Just a few words and the lovely reporter would print a whole new section of wonderful nightmarish tales of crossbreeds!::

This time the tremors were real, couldn't be hidden, and Chris' eyes changed from hard and unyielding to soft and understanding. There was still an edge there, but no longer as cutting and serrated as before.

::Ezra, the Territory has its own laws. We are the law. She won't turn the town against you or drive us away from you::

He met the intense gaze, held it, let a bleak smile play over his lips. ::You can't speak for everyone in town::

::That I can't, but I can speak for us. And I will speak to Mary if you want, warn her of Maude's possible attempt of slander. She wouldn't print lies and childish tales of horror about shifters::

::Crossbreeds:: Ezra whispered.

::No difference. Mary wouldn't do anything to hurt the pack. And the town and its council is quite aware that the pack is their protection. You leave, we leave. They verbally crucify you, we leave::

::Chris…:: He shook his head. ::You know she likes you::

The incredible reflection in the hazel eyes would have been comical any other time. ::Mary knows I'm not interested in her. Yes, she likes me. Yes, I like her. She is a friend, Ezra::

::I know that, Chris. I'm not playing the jealousy card on my part. But with me out of the picture she might see it as a second chance::

Larabee looked like he wanted to drag him into an empty room and yell at him, but he didn't want to lose track of Maude, who was still arguing with the ticket office and the driver.

::You are my mate, Ez. My mate! Mary understands what that means::

Ezra looked into those intense eyes, saw the anger and need mixing in their depth. ::She knows:: he murmured.

::Yes, she knows. She was actually the one asking::

Ezra made a non-committal sound, slightly perplexed.

::I wouldn't want her companionship, Ezra. I was never interested. It's you. It was always you::

Chris' expression left no room for argument.

::Sometimes I need a reminder of just why I love you, Christopher Larabee:: Ezra said softly, seriously.

The Fenris blinked, looking like he hadn't expected this response to his words.

"But I do," Ezra said out loud.

Chris' lips curled into a real smile, something more private and warm. There was an answer in that smile, in those liquid hazel eyes, and it was answer enough.

There was a soft whistling. "Man, she ran to that coach like all the hounds of hell were after her." Buck sauntered over and leaned against the awning's support post. "Or should I say: one nasty dog?"

Chris shot him a scowl.

"Took the short patrol route?" Wilmington added. "Or did you have a feeling?"

"Buck," was the one-word warning.

Buck chuckled, eyes coming to rest on Ezra. "Pard?" He was suddenly serious, no teasing light left.

For all his joviality, how he enjoyed life and women and whatever came his way, Buck wasn't an oblivious jokester. He had quite clearly picked up on something going on.

"I am fine, Mr. Wilmington."

Buck raised an eyebrow.

"Buck," Ezra sighed, cursing his defensiveness whenever he was rattled. It showed and his team mates could tell.

"Good." It got him a nod.

And that was enough for the other wolf. For now. Buck wouldn't just let it rest, would probably come later for answers, but not right now. He sauntered off, probably to bug JD or hang around Inez.

Chris expelled a soft breath, probably coming to the same conclusion.

"You want to tell them," Ezra murmured, eyes scanning the street.

"It's important for the pack to know. It could hurt them not to know."

"I know." But he didn't have to like it.

"Ezra?" Blond brows rose quizzically.

Ezra briefly closed his eyes. "Tell them," he whispered after a while.

Chris hand clasped his shoulder, heavy and warm. He squeezed briefly, then pushed away, heading out into the street, toward the coach office.

Ezra stayed, watching the black-clad figure. He was drawn between following and being away from his mother as far as possible.

Finally he walked into the saloon, in desperate need of a drink and a distraction.

tbc... third part of this long scene coming soon