The Alpha 6: Protect. Procreate. Prevail., page 9
“And I’ll be sure to keep a close eye on her, Doc.” I smirked.
“Quite right, Jesse,” he replied. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”
“What?” Hazel frowned.
“How are you going to get home without a car?” I asked. “And I know you’re a big fan of the diner, but I doubt you’ll want to stay there until your car is free to go.”
“Jesse’s right.” Stenton nodded. “You’ll want to have people around you, at least until you know the symptoms haven’t worsened.”
“Fine,” she sighed. “I guess you’re right.”
“I am.” I smirked.
We both thanked Dr. Stenton as we left the room, and Hazel never said a word until we reached the front desk. Then she started digging around in her coat for what I assumed was some means of payment, but the receptionist swiftly stopped her.
“Oh, no! No payment necessary, miss,” the werecoyote insisted. “You just be sure to take care of yourself.”
Hazel narrowed her eyes slightly. “No, I insist on–”
“It’s covered,” I cut in, and I gently steered her toward the door by her elbow.
She didn’t yank herself free of my hold, but she did remain silent as we headed back to the car. I assumed she needed a minute to sulk, and that was fine with me.
To our complete surprise, the rain had finally started to settle down, but my clothes were so damp that a chill ran through my bones, and I couldn’t wait to get home and put on a clean, dry outfit.
“If I know my aunt well enough, then I expect she’s already set up a spare bedroom for you to use,” I said as we drove toward the cabin. “The attached bathroom will be decked out with everything you’ll need to take a shower or whatever, so you can make yourself at home until you’re fit enough to drive. Also, I bet we’ll walk through the door to see that Arielle’s prepared you a cup of tea.”
“Thank you,” Hazel said quietly. “I know I’ve given you a hard time this morning, but I can’t help but think about what I would have done if you hadn’t come to help me. I probably would have still been sitting there now.”
“There’s no need to thank me.” I smiled. “It was the right thing to do, and I knew I would have wanted the same assistance if the shoe was on the other foot.”
“How about we come to an agreement,” she said with a hint of a laugh in her tone. “We don’t talk about this ever again, and we forget the crash even happened.”
“What crash?” I frowned.
“Exactly,” she giggled.
I had to admit, there was something about the sudden change between us that I thoroughly enjoyed. We hadn’t argued or attempted to overpower each other as much as we usually did, apart from if it was in a joking manner, and I liked that.
I also liked the added advantage that came with me being good friends with someone from the SDD.
Having a government agent on my side was exactly what I needed, especially when it came to finding out information on Theo Finch.
Chapter 6
“Do we really need to watch this?” Blair groaned as she sank further into the couch.
“Uh, yeah,” Benji replied with a snort. “Are you saying you’ve never watched this before?”
“Yes, and there’s a good reason for that,” Nikita muttered.
Because Benji had arrived in the living area first, he decided what we would watch, and it was some TV show about these guys who built robots and various machines. It then became a challenge between the groups to see whose robot lasted longest in a battle. Whichever group won was then handed a trophy, and they were sent through to the next round.
It was an alright show, but I had to be in the mood to fully enjoy it, and it was clear that Blair and Nikita weren’t the biggest fans.
“I think it’s only fair that we put on something we all want to watch,” I said as I patted the air with my hands. “I’m sure there’s something we can find.”
“But bro, you love this episode!” Benji waved the remote in the direction of the TV. “Remember? It’s the one where the smallest robot beats everyone! He’s, like, the least impressive, and all the other groups were like ‘nah, this group’s going home,’ but then they win it all!”
I had to admit, it was a great episode, and had my omegas not been in the room, I probably would have sat and watched the entire thing with Benji. But I didn’t want them to suffer through the boredom of a show they didn’t enjoy, and I knew they would have done the same for me if they wanted to watch a romcom or something.
There were a lot of people living in this cabin, and we did what we could to prevent any sort of argument from starting.
“Blair, if you could watch one thing right now, what would it be?” Nikita asked as she curled herself into the seat beside me.
“Uh…” Blair rubbed her lips as she thought. “Oh! Y’know what I haven’t watched in a while? Jackass.”
“Oooh, fuck yeah!” Benji bounced on his chair in excitement. “Okay, I can watch these reruns later!”
That seemed to please Benji and Nikita greatly, and I was always happy to watch Jackass, so the decision was made, and Benji searched the TV to find what we were after.
“While you’re getting that set up, I’m going to check on Arielle,” I said as I stood from the seat.
“Can you get me a Coke when you’re done in there?” my half-brother asked with a grin on his face.
“Sure,” I said, and then I glanced down at my omegas. “Do either of you want anything?”
“I’m okay, thank you.” They both smiled.
“No problem,” I replied.
Arielle had been in the kitchen for the last twenty minutes getting dinner sorted. She’d found a recipe for loaded chicken wings online, and just the description of them caused my mouth to salivate, so I couldn’t wait to try them. Apparently they came topped with smoked cheese, scallions, bacon bits, and sour cream, and that just sounded like a match made in heaven.
I found my werecoyote omega wiping down the countertop with a damp sponge, and if it wasn’t for the tempting scent that floated around the room, I wouldn’t have known she had done anything.
“How’s it all going?” I asked as I stood beside her with one hand on her back.
“Perfectly.” Arielle smiled. “The chicken wings are marinating, and the toppings have been prepared, so I just need to cook them in half an hour or so.”
“Excellent,” I replied. “And I’m assuming Aunt Eva has already gone for her bath?”
My aunt had mentioned something earlier about having a relaxing soak, and I hadn’t seen her in a while, so I imagined that’s where she was.
“Yes.” Arielle nodded. “I told her I’d plan to have the dinner ready for when she was finished, so I’m keeping a close watch on the time. But what about Hazel Wise? Do you think she would like some?”
The SDD agent had been asleep in the spare bedroom since we came back from seeing Dr. Stenton. It was now nearing five o’clock, and we had checked on her during that time, just to make sure everything was okay, but it was clear that she needed a long sleep after her traumatic event.
“If you’ve got some left over, then sure.” I shrugged. “I think she might appreciate the gesture.”
“Okay.” My omega smiled sweetly.
“By the way, we’re going to watch Jackass whenever you’re ready to join us,” I said as I grabbed a can of Coke from the fridge.
The aluminum was icy cold against my palm, and I ended up getting myself a can, too, because I couldn’t fight off the temptation.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that.” Arielle frowned.
“Really?” I asked. “It’s terribly painful, so you might like it.”
Unlike the rest of us, Arielle was more than happy to watch whatever we had on the TV. We often changed the channel over if it was clear she wasn’t enjoying it, but Arielle never made a fuss, and would often tune out the noise as she flicked through one of the books on her reading to-do list.
Arielle followed me back into the living area just as the first episode was starting.
“Here you go,” I said as I handed Benji his can.
“Ah, cheers, brother.” He grinned.
Benji and I opened our cans of Coke in unison, and the sweet hiss and pop of the soda blended in perfectly with the recognizable theme song that blared through the speakers.
“So, what’s the idea of this show?” Arielle asked. “Doesn’t it have something to do with stuntmen?”
“Uh… sort of,” Nikita chuckled. “They say they’re stuntmen, when in actuality they’re just a bunch of idiots attempting stupid and dangerous dares. It’s brilliant.”
Arielle was laughing and smiling when the Jackass crew were messing around with bikes and skateboards, but then her expression changed to pure horror when Johnny Knoxville took on The Bee-kini.
“Is he…” Arielle paused as an expert created a bikini out of ten-thousand bees. “He’s not going to wear that, is he?”
“He certainly is,” Benji chuckled.
Arielle’s reddish-brown eyes widened, and she covered her face with both hands as we watched Johnny talking to his doctor.
“Listen to the expert!” the omega cried out. “This could kill him.”
However, Arielle’s fear quickly subsided, and she soon began to laugh along with us and loved the show just as much as we did. Once the first episode had ended, Benji went onto YouTube to show Arielle the best parts of the show as well as the movies, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d watched someone literally cry with laughter at a single video.
Arielle left the party there in order to finish off the chicken wings, and we had to change the channel when Aunt Eva came downstairs from her bath. My aunt wasn’t exactly on board with Jackass, and she didn’t appreciate the theatrical scenes like the rest of us did.
Once the wings were ready, Nikita and Blair assisted Arielle in bringing the food through, and we all crowded around the dining room table as we tucked into the feast.
The chicken wings were sweet and a bit salty, and there was a slight kick of spice to them, too. My fingers were a greasy mess from the bacon, cheese, and sour cream, but I simply licked them clean before I went in for another wing.
“Holy shit, the things I would do for this wing,” Benji moaned as he tore the chicken away from the bone. “I’ll be needing a first class ticket to hell.”
“Benjamin Shaw!” Aunt Eva gasped as she smacked her nephew’s arm. “There is a thing called manners when we’re eating.”
I muffled back my laughter, but that came to an end as Eva shot me a frown.
“I know about manners when we’re eating…” Benji smirked. “But that all goes out the window when I have these on my plate! I swear, this is what sex tastes like.”
“Do you even know what sex feels like?” Nikita giggled.
Even Aunt Eva couldn’t hold back her laughter that time, and everyone continued to joke and laugh as we fought over the last few chicken wings.
Hazel Wise didn’t come downstairs until the dinner was finished, and she glanced around the cabin nervously as she pulled on the blue, oversized t-shirt and leggings she’d borrowed from Aunt Eva while she waited for her clothes to be washed and dried.
“How are you feeling?” I asked as the agent wandered over.
“Ten times better.” She smiled. “The headache has gone, and my neck is still a bit sensitive, but that’s it.”
“Good,” I replied. “You must have needed that sleep.”
“Yeah, I think I did,” she sighed. “I called into work as well, so they’d know I didn’t completely skip out on the day.”
“Are you hungry?” Arielle asked sweetly. “I have more chicken wings in the fridge if you’d like me to cook some for you?”
“Yes!” Benji cried out, but Arielle acted like she hadn’t heard him.
“That’s very sweet of you, thank you,” Hazel replied. “But you don’t need to fuss over me. I’ll be fine with just a sandwich.”
Just a sandwich for dinner? Benji asked silently. Yeah, you can tell she’s human. A sandwich is a midmorning snack.
Maybe a sandwich made from an entire loaf of bread, Nikita added. Clearly non-shifters don’t need as much food as we do.
“C’mon, I’ll make you a sandwich,” I said as I stood from the couch.
“Are you sure, Alpha?” Arielle asked. “I don’t mind making it.”
Yeah, because I wanted to have a little conversation with her, I said silently. Maybe she hasn’t realized our hearing is incredible, so she’ll talk to me privately, when really you can all listen in.
“It’s fine.” I smiled like our conversation hadn’t just occurred.
I led Hazel Wise through to the kitchen, and she stood against one counter as I rummaged around for all the ingredients I needed.
“Ham and cheese?” I asked as I held up the packets for her to see.
“Sure, that’s fine.” Hazel nodded. “But you really don’t need to make one for me, I’m sure I’m capable of making a sandwich.”
“Yeah, but it’s only right that we treat our guests properly.” I smiled as I opened up a jar of mayonnaise. “And before you ask, no, I do not plan on poisoning this flimsy slice of ham.”
“I wasn’t going to, but now I’m starting to think otherwise…” She smirked.
“Well, earlier you said I was unbelievable,” I pointed out. “Twice, in fact. So excuse me if I feel like I need to watch my back when you’re around, Hazel Wise.”
“That’s because you are unbelievable,” she chuckled. “And I haven’t forgotten about the lack of payment at the clinic, so you will find that money on your table when I leave.”
“You can put that money toward the tow truck and getting your car fixed.” I smiled. “Oh, wait, that’s covered, too.”
“I… you’re… gah!” Hazel grabbed her hair in both hands as she resisted the temptation to say the word ‘unbelievable.’
“Yes?” I asked. “Go on…”
“You can’t pay for everything!” she sighed. “I do have my own money.”
“Who said anything about me paying for it?” I frowned.
“Because you said it was covered,” Hazel replied.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’m forking out for everything,” I chuckled. “Remember that I’m the alpha here, so that comes with a few added benefits.”
“Yes, I’m starting to see that…” Hazel mumbled. “But that actually brings me to a conversation I wished to have with you. You know, before my car decided to become well acquainted with a tree.”
“Uh-huh…” I said as I sliced a tomato.
“Gray Mackenzie’s case is now closed,” she explained. “It’s been a few weeks since everything was settled, so you won’t see me hanging around Monroe or having breakfast in the diner anymore.”
I wasn’t sure why, but I didn’t like the idea of no longer seeing Hazel’s white BMW driving through the quiet streets of town. She was a pain in my ass when she’d first turned up, but then she almost became part of the furniture.
But that meant I couldn’t “accidentally” bump into her whenever I needed her assistance, so I needed to find another way to keep her on my side.
“So what are you doing now?” I asked casually.
“I’ll be working on the werefoxes for a bit, and then I’ll go wherever my boss sends me.” Hazel shrugged. “I doubt it’ll take long to sort out their case, especially given the help from your friend.”
“Yeah, Mordaine’s pretty good when it comes to that sort of thing,” I replied. “Just as long as you’re not going to drop my name into the mix?”
Max and Aiden Jansen’s parents, Jonathan and Amber, had been the ones to anonymously give my name over to the SDD, and they were the reason Hazel started to snoop around my pack in the first place. Fortunately, we managed to give them a spoonful of their own medicine, and we slaughtered those motherfuckers in the dead of night.
I just needed to make sure the same thing wasn’t going to repeat itself.
“No, it isn’t my intention to do that,” Hazel said honestly. “I have to take everything into consideration, and I have to appreciate the fact that my work would have been ten times harder if it wasn’t for you and Mr. Mordaine. It wouldn’t feel right getting you into trouble after all of that.”
“Thank you.” I smiled. “So, what did you tell your boss when they asked about the werefoxes?”
“I just went along with what everyone else said.” Hazel shrugged. “They have no idea which pack killed the foxes, or what happened to the bodies, so I played along with it.”
“How sly of you.” I smirked. “You would have fitted in perfectly with Randell and Gus.”
“Oh, yeah, because I’m constantly taking drugs and breaking into someone’s house or car,” she said sarcastically. “Damn, if only I was a shifter, too.”
“Hey, you never know,” I chuckled. “My aunt always told me never to judge a book by its cover, so it’s only right that I do the same with you.”
Once the sandwich was finished, I sliced it in half and handed it over to Hazel on a plate. She didn’t waste any time in taking a bite, and then I cleared everything away as she chomped down on her tiny dinner.
“So, why did you need me to come over in the first place?” Hazel asked. “I never really had the time to ask you earlier.”
“Oh, yeah,” I replied. “How about we take this to the table, and we can discuss it there?”
“Jesse…” she said with a raised eyebrow. “I told you I wouldn’t do anything illegal.”
“It’s not that illegal,” I chuckled. “I just need some… information from you.”
“No, absolutely not,” she said firmly. “I cannot go around handing out government information to people, and that includes you, too.”
I knew she wasn’t going to open up that easily, but I couldn’t take no for an answer on this one. Too much was at stake, and the possibility of my parents’ killers moving this way was not something I could afford to be lax about.
“But this is different,” I told her upfront. “I’m not one to take advantage of you like that, and I truly never intended to ask you for this kind of help. But this is personal, so I can’t sit back and not do something about it.”
“Quite right, Jesse,” he replied. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”
“What?” Hazel frowned.
“How are you going to get home without a car?” I asked. “And I know you’re a big fan of the diner, but I doubt you’ll want to stay there until your car is free to go.”
“Jesse’s right.” Stenton nodded. “You’ll want to have people around you, at least until you know the symptoms haven’t worsened.”
“Fine,” she sighed. “I guess you’re right.”
“I am.” I smirked.
We both thanked Dr. Stenton as we left the room, and Hazel never said a word until we reached the front desk. Then she started digging around in her coat for what I assumed was some means of payment, but the receptionist swiftly stopped her.
“Oh, no! No payment necessary, miss,” the werecoyote insisted. “You just be sure to take care of yourself.”
Hazel narrowed her eyes slightly. “No, I insist on–”
“It’s covered,” I cut in, and I gently steered her toward the door by her elbow.
She didn’t yank herself free of my hold, but she did remain silent as we headed back to the car. I assumed she needed a minute to sulk, and that was fine with me.
To our complete surprise, the rain had finally started to settle down, but my clothes were so damp that a chill ran through my bones, and I couldn’t wait to get home and put on a clean, dry outfit.
“If I know my aunt well enough, then I expect she’s already set up a spare bedroom for you to use,” I said as we drove toward the cabin. “The attached bathroom will be decked out with everything you’ll need to take a shower or whatever, so you can make yourself at home until you’re fit enough to drive. Also, I bet we’ll walk through the door to see that Arielle’s prepared you a cup of tea.”
“Thank you,” Hazel said quietly. “I know I’ve given you a hard time this morning, but I can’t help but think about what I would have done if you hadn’t come to help me. I probably would have still been sitting there now.”
“There’s no need to thank me.” I smiled. “It was the right thing to do, and I knew I would have wanted the same assistance if the shoe was on the other foot.”
“How about we come to an agreement,” she said with a hint of a laugh in her tone. “We don’t talk about this ever again, and we forget the crash even happened.”
“What crash?” I frowned.
“Exactly,” she giggled.
I had to admit, there was something about the sudden change between us that I thoroughly enjoyed. We hadn’t argued or attempted to overpower each other as much as we usually did, apart from if it was in a joking manner, and I liked that.
I also liked the added advantage that came with me being good friends with someone from the SDD.
Having a government agent on my side was exactly what I needed, especially when it came to finding out information on Theo Finch.
Chapter 6
“Do we really need to watch this?” Blair groaned as she sank further into the couch.
“Uh, yeah,” Benji replied with a snort. “Are you saying you’ve never watched this before?”
“Yes, and there’s a good reason for that,” Nikita muttered.
Because Benji had arrived in the living area first, he decided what we would watch, and it was some TV show about these guys who built robots and various machines. It then became a challenge between the groups to see whose robot lasted longest in a battle. Whichever group won was then handed a trophy, and they were sent through to the next round.
It was an alright show, but I had to be in the mood to fully enjoy it, and it was clear that Blair and Nikita weren’t the biggest fans.
“I think it’s only fair that we put on something we all want to watch,” I said as I patted the air with my hands. “I’m sure there’s something we can find.”
“But bro, you love this episode!” Benji waved the remote in the direction of the TV. “Remember? It’s the one where the smallest robot beats everyone! He’s, like, the least impressive, and all the other groups were like ‘nah, this group’s going home,’ but then they win it all!”
I had to admit, it was a great episode, and had my omegas not been in the room, I probably would have sat and watched the entire thing with Benji. But I didn’t want them to suffer through the boredom of a show they didn’t enjoy, and I knew they would have done the same for me if they wanted to watch a romcom or something.
There were a lot of people living in this cabin, and we did what we could to prevent any sort of argument from starting.
“Blair, if you could watch one thing right now, what would it be?” Nikita asked as she curled herself into the seat beside me.
“Uh…” Blair rubbed her lips as she thought. “Oh! Y’know what I haven’t watched in a while? Jackass.”
“Oooh, fuck yeah!” Benji bounced on his chair in excitement. “Okay, I can watch these reruns later!”
That seemed to please Benji and Nikita greatly, and I was always happy to watch Jackass, so the decision was made, and Benji searched the TV to find what we were after.
“While you’re getting that set up, I’m going to check on Arielle,” I said as I stood from the seat.
“Can you get me a Coke when you’re done in there?” my half-brother asked with a grin on his face.
“Sure,” I said, and then I glanced down at my omegas. “Do either of you want anything?”
“I’m okay, thank you.” They both smiled.
“No problem,” I replied.
Arielle had been in the kitchen for the last twenty minutes getting dinner sorted. She’d found a recipe for loaded chicken wings online, and just the description of them caused my mouth to salivate, so I couldn’t wait to try them. Apparently they came topped with smoked cheese, scallions, bacon bits, and sour cream, and that just sounded like a match made in heaven.
I found my werecoyote omega wiping down the countertop with a damp sponge, and if it wasn’t for the tempting scent that floated around the room, I wouldn’t have known she had done anything.
“How’s it all going?” I asked as I stood beside her with one hand on her back.
“Perfectly.” Arielle smiled. “The chicken wings are marinating, and the toppings have been prepared, so I just need to cook them in half an hour or so.”
“Excellent,” I replied. “And I’m assuming Aunt Eva has already gone for her bath?”
My aunt had mentioned something earlier about having a relaxing soak, and I hadn’t seen her in a while, so I imagined that’s where she was.
“Yes.” Arielle nodded. “I told her I’d plan to have the dinner ready for when she was finished, so I’m keeping a close watch on the time. But what about Hazel Wise? Do you think she would like some?”
The SDD agent had been asleep in the spare bedroom since we came back from seeing Dr. Stenton. It was now nearing five o’clock, and we had checked on her during that time, just to make sure everything was okay, but it was clear that she needed a long sleep after her traumatic event.
“If you’ve got some left over, then sure.” I shrugged. “I think she might appreciate the gesture.”
“Okay.” My omega smiled sweetly.
“By the way, we’re going to watch Jackass whenever you’re ready to join us,” I said as I grabbed a can of Coke from the fridge.
The aluminum was icy cold against my palm, and I ended up getting myself a can, too, because I couldn’t fight off the temptation.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that.” Arielle frowned.
“Really?” I asked. “It’s terribly painful, so you might like it.”
Unlike the rest of us, Arielle was more than happy to watch whatever we had on the TV. We often changed the channel over if it was clear she wasn’t enjoying it, but Arielle never made a fuss, and would often tune out the noise as she flicked through one of the books on her reading to-do list.
Arielle followed me back into the living area just as the first episode was starting.
“Here you go,” I said as I handed Benji his can.
“Ah, cheers, brother.” He grinned.
Benji and I opened our cans of Coke in unison, and the sweet hiss and pop of the soda blended in perfectly with the recognizable theme song that blared through the speakers.
“So, what’s the idea of this show?” Arielle asked. “Doesn’t it have something to do with stuntmen?”
“Uh… sort of,” Nikita chuckled. “They say they’re stuntmen, when in actuality they’re just a bunch of idiots attempting stupid and dangerous dares. It’s brilliant.”
Arielle was laughing and smiling when the Jackass crew were messing around with bikes and skateboards, but then her expression changed to pure horror when Johnny Knoxville took on The Bee-kini.
“Is he…” Arielle paused as an expert created a bikini out of ten-thousand bees. “He’s not going to wear that, is he?”
“He certainly is,” Benji chuckled.
Arielle’s reddish-brown eyes widened, and she covered her face with both hands as we watched Johnny talking to his doctor.
“Listen to the expert!” the omega cried out. “This could kill him.”
However, Arielle’s fear quickly subsided, and she soon began to laugh along with us and loved the show just as much as we did. Once the first episode had ended, Benji went onto YouTube to show Arielle the best parts of the show as well as the movies, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d watched someone literally cry with laughter at a single video.
Arielle left the party there in order to finish off the chicken wings, and we had to change the channel when Aunt Eva came downstairs from her bath. My aunt wasn’t exactly on board with Jackass, and she didn’t appreciate the theatrical scenes like the rest of us did.
Once the wings were ready, Nikita and Blair assisted Arielle in bringing the food through, and we all crowded around the dining room table as we tucked into the feast.
The chicken wings were sweet and a bit salty, and there was a slight kick of spice to them, too. My fingers were a greasy mess from the bacon, cheese, and sour cream, but I simply licked them clean before I went in for another wing.
“Holy shit, the things I would do for this wing,” Benji moaned as he tore the chicken away from the bone. “I’ll be needing a first class ticket to hell.”
“Benjamin Shaw!” Aunt Eva gasped as she smacked her nephew’s arm. “There is a thing called manners when we’re eating.”
I muffled back my laughter, but that came to an end as Eva shot me a frown.
“I know about manners when we’re eating…” Benji smirked. “But that all goes out the window when I have these on my plate! I swear, this is what sex tastes like.”
“Do you even know what sex feels like?” Nikita giggled.
Even Aunt Eva couldn’t hold back her laughter that time, and everyone continued to joke and laugh as we fought over the last few chicken wings.
Hazel Wise didn’t come downstairs until the dinner was finished, and she glanced around the cabin nervously as she pulled on the blue, oversized t-shirt and leggings she’d borrowed from Aunt Eva while she waited for her clothes to be washed and dried.
“How are you feeling?” I asked as the agent wandered over.
“Ten times better.” She smiled. “The headache has gone, and my neck is still a bit sensitive, but that’s it.”
“Good,” I replied. “You must have needed that sleep.”
“Yeah, I think I did,” she sighed. “I called into work as well, so they’d know I didn’t completely skip out on the day.”
“Are you hungry?” Arielle asked sweetly. “I have more chicken wings in the fridge if you’d like me to cook some for you?”
“Yes!” Benji cried out, but Arielle acted like she hadn’t heard him.
“That’s very sweet of you, thank you,” Hazel replied. “But you don’t need to fuss over me. I’ll be fine with just a sandwich.”
Just a sandwich for dinner? Benji asked silently. Yeah, you can tell she’s human. A sandwich is a midmorning snack.
Maybe a sandwich made from an entire loaf of bread, Nikita added. Clearly non-shifters don’t need as much food as we do.
“C’mon, I’ll make you a sandwich,” I said as I stood from the couch.
“Are you sure, Alpha?” Arielle asked. “I don’t mind making it.”
Yeah, because I wanted to have a little conversation with her, I said silently. Maybe she hasn’t realized our hearing is incredible, so she’ll talk to me privately, when really you can all listen in.
“It’s fine.” I smiled like our conversation hadn’t just occurred.
I led Hazel Wise through to the kitchen, and she stood against one counter as I rummaged around for all the ingredients I needed.
“Ham and cheese?” I asked as I held up the packets for her to see.
“Sure, that’s fine.” Hazel nodded. “But you really don’t need to make one for me, I’m sure I’m capable of making a sandwich.”
“Yeah, but it’s only right that we treat our guests properly.” I smiled as I opened up a jar of mayonnaise. “And before you ask, no, I do not plan on poisoning this flimsy slice of ham.”
“I wasn’t going to, but now I’m starting to think otherwise…” She smirked.
“Well, earlier you said I was unbelievable,” I pointed out. “Twice, in fact. So excuse me if I feel like I need to watch my back when you’re around, Hazel Wise.”
“That’s because you are unbelievable,” she chuckled. “And I haven’t forgotten about the lack of payment at the clinic, so you will find that money on your table when I leave.”
“You can put that money toward the tow truck and getting your car fixed.” I smiled. “Oh, wait, that’s covered, too.”
“I… you’re… gah!” Hazel grabbed her hair in both hands as she resisted the temptation to say the word ‘unbelievable.’
“Yes?” I asked. “Go on…”
“You can’t pay for everything!” she sighed. “I do have my own money.”
“Who said anything about me paying for it?” I frowned.
“Because you said it was covered,” Hazel replied.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’m forking out for everything,” I chuckled. “Remember that I’m the alpha here, so that comes with a few added benefits.”
“Yes, I’m starting to see that…” Hazel mumbled. “But that actually brings me to a conversation I wished to have with you. You know, before my car decided to become well acquainted with a tree.”
“Uh-huh…” I said as I sliced a tomato.
“Gray Mackenzie’s case is now closed,” she explained. “It’s been a few weeks since everything was settled, so you won’t see me hanging around Monroe or having breakfast in the diner anymore.”
I wasn’t sure why, but I didn’t like the idea of no longer seeing Hazel’s white BMW driving through the quiet streets of town. She was a pain in my ass when she’d first turned up, but then she almost became part of the furniture.
But that meant I couldn’t “accidentally” bump into her whenever I needed her assistance, so I needed to find another way to keep her on my side.
“So what are you doing now?” I asked casually.
“I’ll be working on the werefoxes for a bit, and then I’ll go wherever my boss sends me.” Hazel shrugged. “I doubt it’ll take long to sort out their case, especially given the help from your friend.”
“Yeah, Mordaine’s pretty good when it comes to that sort of thing,” I replied. “Just as long as you’re not going to drop my name into the mix?”
Max and Aiden Jansen’s parents, Jonathan and Amber, had been the ones to anonymously give my name over to the SDD, and they were the reason Hazel started to snoop around my pack in the first place. Fortunately, we managed to give them a spoonful of their own medicine, and we slaughtered those motherfuckers in the dead of night.
I just needed to make sure the same thing wasn’t going to repeat itself.
“No, it isn’t my intention to do that,” Hazel said honestly. “I have to take everything into consideration, and I have to appreciate the fact that my work would have been ten times harder if it wasn’t for you and Mr. Mordaine. It wouldn’t feel right getting you into trouble after all of that.”
“Thank you.” I smiled. “So, what did you tell your boss when they asked about the werefoxes?”
“I just went along with what everyone else said.” Hazel shrugged. “They have no idea which pack killed the foxes, or what happened to the bodies, so I played along with it.”
“How sly of you.” I smirked. “You would have fitted in perfectly with Randell and Gus.”
“Oh, yeah, because I’m constantly taking drugs and breaking into someone’s house or car,” she said sarcastically. “Damn, if only I was a shifter, too.”
“Hey, you never know,” I chuckled. “My aunt always told me never to judge a book by its cover, so it’s only right that I do the same with you.”
Once the sandwich was finished, I sliced it in half and handed it over to Hazel on a plate. She didn’t waste any time in taking a bite, and then I cleared everything away as she chomped down on her tiny dinner.
“So, why did you need me to come over in the first place?” Hazel asked. “I never really had the time to ask you earlier.”
“Oh, yeah,” I replied. “How about we take this to the table, and we can discuss it there?”
“Jesse…” she said with a raised eyebrow. “I told you I wouldn’t do anything illegal.”
“It’s not that illegal,” I chuckled. “I just need some… information from you.”
“No, absolutely not,” she said firmly. “I cannot go around handing out government information to people, and that includes you, too.”
I knew she wasn’t going to open up that easily, but I couldn’t take no for an answer on this one. Too much was at stake, and the possibility of my parents’ killers moving this way was not something I could afford to be lax about.
“But this is different,” I told her upfront. “I’m not one to take advantage of you like that, and I truly never intended to ask you for this kind of help. But this is personal, so I can’t sit back and not do something about it.”
