The Alpha 8: Protect. Procreate. Prevail., page 23
However, the fact that he hadn’t tried to help his flock, but he also hadn’t swooped down and attacked while our backs were turned, was confusing to me. And the fact that he’d stayed on the roof for the entire time made me even more certain that the eagle was there to take notes.
But who were the notes for?
His alpha?
Or was he also gathering information for the SDD?
Did anyone see the eagle leave? I asked my team.
I did, Thalia replied. It looked like he was headed south, which is where their flock is based, so he’s probably returning home. I didn’t want to follow him, because it would have been so easy for him to lose me.
No, you did the right thing, I said. We all need to stick together until we have a plan in place. But for now, we need to make sure the eagles don’t return, and that we don’t have more spying on us from above.
My betas all replied by saying they’d watch the sky like a hawk.
The pun was definitely intended.
“Good riddance,” Blair muttered. “I spent ages doing my hair earlier, and those bastards ruined it.”
“Let’s try this,” Hailey said as she untied Blair’s hair from the ponytail.
Blair’s hair wasn’t as perfectly straight as it was before, but it wasn’t a complete mess, so all it took was for Hailey to comb her fingers through it, and then Blair looked as good as new again.
“There we go!” Hailey cheered. “Now Jesse, yours might need a bit more taming…”
“There’s a bathroom inside we can use,” I replied.
Fortunately, the majority of my injuries had healed in the short amount of time since the attack took place, and my hair didn’t look that bad, to be fair.
My hands and face were covered in dried blood, which was easy enough to clean in the bathroom, and I dampened my hair in an attempt to tame it. Harry’s shirt was slightly too big for me, and my shoes were scuffed at the toes, but it didn’t look like I had just been in a fight, which was the main thing.
My jacket and violin were still where I’d left them, too, and once I was ready to head to the bar, it just looked like I was disheveled from the eventful evening. Which wasn’t a lie in the slightest.
Apart from my omegas’ makeup that was smudged around their eyes, the five of us didn’t look that bad, and I imagined the orchestra wouldn’t have been looking that hard to really notice any major differences.
Gentle music floated from the bar as we made our way up the spiral staircase, and there was a low hum from the number of conversations that took place. Everyone appeared to be in good spirits, but they had no reason not to be.
Some of the musicians were standing at the bar, and others were sitting around separate tables that lined the dimly lit room. I noticed Nikita, Arielle, and Aunt Eva had secured us a table right at the back of the bar. They all smiled over at us, and Aunt Eva had one hand on her chest, like she was relieved to see we were okay.
“Jesse!” Jack called as he saw me walk in.
“Go and sit with the others,” I whispered to my group. “I’ll come over and join you in a second.”
“No problem,” Benji replied.
Jack wandered over with two glasses of red wine in his hands, and it looked as though his smile was permanently etched onto his face. His glass of wine was half-empty, and I couldn’t help but wonder how many he’d had while I was outside.
“I was starting to think you’d gone home,” Jack chuckled as he handed my glass over.
“No, I was just outside,” I replied. “This evening was overwhelming, so I needed some space to cool down.”
I took a long sip from my glass, and I didn’t realize how much I needed a drink until it had been handed to me.
“Trust me, we’ve all been there,” Jack said. “I felt like I’d entered a different body when I finished my first performance.”
“That’s… exactly how I feel,” I snickered. “But I’m sure the adrenaline won’t be as difficult to deal with as time goes on.”
“To be honest, it all depends on the venue.” The man shrugged. “Especially if it’s a concert hall where you’ve always wanted to perform. That’ll be a hard night for your mind to cope with. I often end the night thinking that everything went well, but there are some occasions where I almost feel like I have a hangover the next morning.”
“Then I’ll make sure to have some water and painkillers when I wake up tomorrow,” I chuckled.
“That wouldn’t be a bad idea.” Jack smirked. “But aside from that, you were incredible this evening. Everyone was. And to think, we hadn’t even rehearsed together much! I was really impressed with what I saw this evening.”
“Thank you.” I smiled. “It’s a night I’ll never forget.”
Particularly the bald eagles who’d attacked me seconds after I left the building.
But I kept that part to myself.
As my conversation with Jack came to an end, I ordered a second glass of wine, and then I went to sit with my family.
Nikita and Arielle instantly brought me in for a hug, and they whispered how happy they were that I was okay.
It could have been much worse if I hadn’t shifted, I replied. And if I had been out there on my own, then I certainly wouldn’t have made it out alive.
I don’t even want to think about that, Nikita sniffed.
We were desperate to come and join you, Arielle said. We literally had to hold ourselves down to stop us from running outside.
Well, it’s a good thing you weren’t there, I told them as I placed a kiss on their foreheads. And now that those three eagles have been dealt with, we can focus on aiming for the rest of the flock.
Do you want to go after them? Aunt Eva asked.
Of course, I do, I replied. I knew those eagles were up to something, and tonight just proves it. Plus, if they have the ability to sneak past patrol groups, then who knows what else they’re capable of doing?
That’s true, Benji mumbled. I mean, we had people outside this evening, and they didn’t even spot the eagles arriving. That bastard on the roof was watching us for a reason, and I think he noted down all of the information for the next time they attack. They now know how we fight, and that’ll only make them stronger when they put their next plan into action.
Urgh, Blair groaned. We literally came to California so you could take part in the orchestra, Jesse. And on the way here we talked about treating this month like a proper vacation. Now I’m starting to wonder if we’ll ever be safe?
That’s exactly why we need to do something quickly, I replied. No one is safe unless we put a stop to them. Those bald eagles could be anywhere right now.
So what do you want us to do? Arielle asked.
I’m not sure just yet, I mumbled. But what I do know is that those avians are going to die. Very soon.
Chapter 14
The following morning, as my omegas and I worked to get everything packed and organized, I received a text message from Connor to say that he was outside waiting for me.
It had been roughly twelve hours since the fight against the bald eagles, and because I was about to leave for the next destination on the tour, I needed to make sure everything was sorted out before we left. My betas had been subtly patrolling the hotel, and luckily they hadn’t caught sight of any eagles, so I hoped it stayed that way.
However, I needed to make sure I got to the avian flock before they tried to attack us again, and I wasn’t going to have the upper hand unless I knew every tiny detail about the bald eagles.
Which was where Connor and the werecoyotes came in.
I couldn’t have a conversation with him outside, especially if the eagles were around somewhere. I also wasn’t mentally connected with him yet, so our best option was to meet in the hotel restaurant, with a patrol group outside, and hopefully we could have a whispered conversation without the eagles hearing my every word.
Connor told me that he’d come here with four other betas, and they would join the patrol group while he and I met up in the restaurant.
The restaurant was surprisingly empty when I walked in, and I instantly spotted Connor sitting at a table in the middle of the square room.
“Hey, Alpha.” He smiled as I took a seat. “I’ve ordered you a black coffee. That’s what you asked for, right?”
“That’s perfect,” I replied. “Thank you.”
The clanging of cutlery and slipping of ceramic plates echoed around us as the staff cleared up from breakfast, and I welcomed the added noise. There was nothing worse than having a private conversation with someone, but you’re the only one speaking in the room.
“So, how are you after last night?” Connor asked with a grimace. “I can’t believe that happened. The one night where you just wanted to be yourself.”
“I’ve started to realize that I don’t think I can be myself anymore,” I sighed. “I had this feeling that something was going to happen, and unfortunately it happened on the one night where I needed to concentrate. But, hey, at least they waited until after I left the stage, I suppose. It could have been before I even arrived at the concert hall.”
“That’s one way of looking at it.” He shrugged. “But don’t worry, the coyotes and I are more than happy to do whatever we can to help you.”
“Thank you.” I smiled. “I appreciate the assistance.”
Before I could say anything else, a waiter handed over our two coffees. I added one sugar packet to mine, yet Connor clearly liked a sweeter, creamier coffee, judging by the three packets of sugar and half a jug of milk he added to his drink.
I cradled the hot cup in my hands as I leaned back in my seat, and I felt the stress leave my body as I took a calming breath. I felt so mentally exhausted that I was actually looking forward to the bus journey later.
“So,” Connor said as he took a sip from his coffee. “What is it you want us to do?”
“Basically, I need to know everything about the avians,” I whispered. “Where they live, the name of their alpha, how many there are… Things like that.”
“Well, I can already tell you the name of the alpha.” Connor combed through his black hair with one hand. “But their location and flock numbers are also a mystery to me. Until they started to show up recently, I hadn’t seen any in a long time, so I only know their rough location.”
“That’s okay.” I shrugged. “We can find out that information. So, who’s the alpha?”
“His name is Reuben Dillard,” Connor whispered as he leaned forward across the table. “I met with him once when I first moved my pack to Harnsey. I think he just wanted to know who the new shifters were, and that was the last time I’ve seen him.”
“And you’re sure he’s still the alpha now?” I asked. “Because anything could have happened in those years since you saw him.”
“I haven’t heard anything,” the werecoyote replied. “I mean, they are a few hours south of here, so I suppose Reuben could have been killed and there’s no reason for me to have been informed. But either way, I can try and find out their exact whereabouts, and then I’ll be able to give you a clearer answer.”
“And what was he like when you met him?” I queried.
“He…” Connor paused to think. “He was actually really nice to me. The avians were the only shifters in Northern California at the time, so of course, they were interested when werecoyotes appeared. But he just said that as long as we stick to our own territories, then we’d live in harmony.”
“He didn’t keep that promise, then,” I snorted.
“It could have been because I was so used to Gray, so any alpha was going to seem nice compared to him.” Connor rolled his brown eyes. “But I didn’t get any bad vibes from him, and he was genuinely interested in just finding out who we were.”
“So…” I mumbled as I took a sip of coffee. “Either Reuben’s a great liar, or something has changed since you had that conversation.”
I was more than used to liars and manipulators, especially since I’d had Clarice Osborn living under my roof.
But I had a feeling the only reason Reuben would have manipulated Connor was if he wanted to try and attack the werecoyotes while their backs were turned.
Reuben had more than enough time to plan an attack since then, yet nothing had happened, so it made me think something had changed in him since he’d made that promise to stay off Connor’s territory.
“You think he became buddies with the SDD since then?” Connor asked.
“Potentially.” I nodded. “Again, we don’t even know if the two are actually linked, there are just too many coincidences to completely scrap the idea. I’m not sure how I’m going to find out the answer unless I force it out of Reuben, but I will get to the bottom of it somehow. Until then, let’s try and focus on finding out the little details first.”
“Sure,” Connor said. “You’re headed to Redding now, right?”
“Yes,” I replied. “So it’s a bit further away from Harnsey, but at least it’s not that far.”
“In that case…” Connor glanced off in thought.
Redding was three hours away from Eureka, but it was only an hour and a half away from the Jansen home, so it actually worked out quite well when it came to my small army. It meant that my betas could stay where they were for now, and they could still complete their jobs without being too far away from me.
However, the orchestra would continue to head south from there, so I would need to locate a new place for the army to stay as the tour went on.
But I could focus on all of that once the bald eagles had been dealt with.
“Okay, I think I have an idea,” Connor said a moment later. “How about I focus on tracking down the avian flock while you head to Redding. Then once everything has been sorted out, I’ll meet back up with you at the Jansen home? That way, we can put a plan together while everyone is around to hear it, instead of making multiple trips just so everyone knows what’s going on.”
“Yeah, that sounds good.” I nodded.
“I have to admit, Jesse, I haven’t taken part in as many fights as you have,” he snickered. “But normally I would keep some betas guarding the home while the others handle the fight. Do you think we should do the same thing again?”
“Uh…” I mumbled. “Personally, I always have as many betas on my side as I can get a hold of, but I’d also make sure to have patrol groups scattered around the area, just in case. So I think we should plan on having some of the betas in other locations nearby, that way we can spot any eagles that try to flee. But we’ll wait until we have exact numbers before we plan who goes where. Does that make sense?”
“Yes, that makes sense,” Connor replied. “In that case, we’ll try and track down the avians as quickly as we can, and I’ll give you the answers as soon as we have them.”
“That’s great, thanks.” I smiled. “Let me know if you have any issues finding out where they live and I can try and locate the information myself.”
“We’re pretty good at tracking, so I hope it won’t be too hard,” Connor said with a light shrug.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what you can find,” I replied.
Once Connor and I had finished our coffees, we left the restaurant and headed off in separate directions. I felt confident that Connor was going to get all the information I needed, and I would have preferred not to go to Hazel Wise, but I would call her if I had to.
It would have been so much easier for me to phone Hazel, ask for Reuben’s address and information, and then go on from there. However, it also felt too risky to have her complete a task like that. It would have been almost impossible for us to speak in code on the phone about something so specific, so unless Connor couldn’t track down Reuben, then I wanted to keep Hazel Wise as safe as possible.
As I arrived back in the bedroom, I found Hailey and Nikita lounging on the couch in front of the TV, while Blair and Arielle worked together to try and close a suitcase.
“Whose suitcase is this?” I chuckled as I gave them a hand.
“Miiiine,” Blair groaned as she pulled on the zipper. “I haven’t bought anything since we’ve been here, so I don’t know why it’s so hard to close!”
“Did you pack it any differently?” Arielle asked. “Because I have all of my clothes rolled up and positioned around my shoes, and then my dresses are neatly laid on top to make it easier for everything to fit in.”
“That’s the difference between you and I,” Blair chuckled. “I threw everything in there without thinking much about it, and then I forgot about my makeup bag so I added that in at the last minute.”
“That would be why it’s not closing, then,” I laughed.
The zipper refused to budge, and it took both Arielle and I pressing down on the lid of the suitcase in order for Blair to close it.
“Ah, thank god for that,” Blair sighed as she collapsed onto the suitcase. “I might need you to pack it for me next time, Arielle.”
“Okay.” My werecoyote smiled. “I love organizing suitcases. It’s one of my favorite things.”
“What about the rest of the suitcases?” I asked as I glanced around the room. “Are they about to pop at the seams, too?”
“Nope, we’re all good now,” Hailey called out from the living area. “It was just that one that was causing us some issues.”
“Perfect.” I smiled. “Then it looks like we’re good to go as soon as the bus turns up.”
“Yep, I think so,” Nikita replied. “Seth came by the room while you were with Connor to say that there will be plenty of cars arriving when the bus does, so all we have to do is work out who goes with who.”
Because the entire orchestra was headed in the same direction, there wasn’t enough space on the buses for my four omegas, Benji, and Aunt Eva to sit with me. Hence why I had asked for some additional cars to come by the hotel.
“I mean, I think it makes more sense that you come with me, Nikita,” I said as I collapsed on the couch in between her and Hailey. “After all, they think you’re my only girlfriend, so it might look a bit weird if I left you to get in a car while one of your sisters sat beside me on the bus.”
