Rogue Alpha (Jacky Leon Book 7), page 5
“That’s why they put a tracking device on my truck,” Heath concluded. “It’s a good thing you enjoy it because it’ll only get worse until the BSA feels they have gotten everything they need out of you. They’re probably still upset you never had to reveal any other werecats. I’d ask some of the werewolves if they’ve heard anything, but… well, we’ve already had that discussion today.”
“At least the BSA can’t expose our relationship, accidentally or purposefully,” I pointed out. “We’re out. They ruined our first date, but they can’t blackmail us like Brion did.” My lip curled, saying that name. If I never saw him again, it would be too soon. After what began as his new reign over the fae, I made it clear I never wanted to have dealings with his court ever again.
“Need to look on the bright side,” he agreed. “They’ll probably call us in the next few days. Be on the lookout for that.”
“Bethany can show up at my house. I don’t care.” Shrugging, I fiddled with the quiet music playing on the radio. Heath listened to country, and I wanted rock, but he didn’t protest when I changed the station. “The new office is really nice, by the way.”
“I’m glad. You shouldn’t have to run to your bar every time you need to get something done.” He smiled a little.
“I went today just because I wanted to stretch my legs, which was how I ran into Oliver on his day off.”
“It gets lonely sitting around the house when no one is around. I’ve noticed it since Landon moved out. Some days, I count the minutes for Carey to get home.”
“Yeah, speaking of Landon, do you think we should stop by his place? They’ll want to know we found a bug and were being tracked. We’re coming up on his turn, and it’ll let me get eyes on Dirk. I haven’t seen him in a couple of days.”
“Two steps ahead of you,” he said with a smile. “It’s better to do a sweep with both of them. I’ll be able to show them where I found it. They both know what they’re doing, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.”
“Do you think we’ll interrupt anything?” I asked, aiming for an innocent expression.
Landon and Dirk were the two most private people I knew, except for Niko, who kept his life so secure and secret, I was certain the NSA or CIA wouldn’t be able to pick it apart. My older brother didn’t tell anyone the names of his friends, the meetings he had, what he was working on, and only occasionally shared stories from his eight hundred years of life. Deciding to remain silent in the war about Heath and me together was natural when I looked at it from that angle.
“We’ll see. Landon has had hookups before, but I’ve never seen him in a relationship, so this is new for me. I don’t know what they get up to when they’re at his place. We might walk in on something.”
“You don’t seem too worried about it or even amused,” I said, crossing my arms.
“I’ve walked in on plenty of werewolves in awkward positions, including Landon. It’s the right of an Alpha to go anywhere he pleases in the pack. The property of the werewolves in the pack might not be my property or even pack property, but I am always welcomed. Landon might be the only werewolf who has tried to lock a door on me since I took position as an Alpha, and he only got away with it because he’s my son, and… he only did it once,” Heath said, softer at the end. From his expression, I knew he was thinking about old memories.
“Sounds… fraught. I never expected you to be the type to use that sort of power with people.” I didn’t know how to feel about it. Heath was polite, so the idea that he could just stroll into any house he wanted and disrupt days seemed like too much power and so rude.
“I’m good about it... normally. Landon is my son, and we enjoy bothering each other. With him, it’s a bit of a game, really. With others, I’ve always tried to respect privacy and not abuse the privileges of my position, especially with wolves who wouldn’t talk to me about it. Most dominant wolves would tell me they didn’t appreciate something, and we’d discuss it. More submissive wolves needed more careful handling. Normally, I saved walking in on someone for an emergency, and those happened.” Heath grew more somber suddenly. “A werewolf needs to know their human child or family member is about to be taken away, or their human brother got into a car accident, and it doesn’t look good. They need to know those sorts of things immediately. I couldn’t let the potential scene and embarrassment stop me from delivering that news to my pack. In those cases, Landon and my inner circle also had the right and need to enter any household or locked door when it’s necessary.”
“Oh, that’s…”
“Sometimes, I’d have to walk in, intending to kill someone,” Heath continued, even softer, his eyes turning ice blue. “And I didn’t care if their pants were down when that’s the case. That’s only happened twice. In both cases, their pants being down was the reason they were about to die.”
It was a dark turn for the conversation right before we turned into Landon’s driveway. Landon had found a little farm, much like the one Richard had once owned, which they used as a safe house when I told them to leave my territory.
“Sorry,” Heath said softly. “I’ve had Dallas on my mind a lot, and it’s made me think more about what I am and the things I once did. I used to rule that pack, and they were one of the strongest in the United States. Being an Alpha is more than being the most dominant wolf. There’s a laundry list of responsibilities, and it changes a werewolf on a deep psychological level.”
“I know,” I said gently. He hadn’t told me much about the intricacies of the position, and my family didn’t even know everything. Some information was heavily guarded, but we all knew becoming an Alpha changed a werewolf.
“Not every werewolf can do it,” he continued, cutting the engine. When he made no move to get out, I waited, undoing my seatbelt to be more comfortable. “Take Landon. My son, a dominant and dangerous werewolf, but he has no urge to lead. Maybe if he needed to for Carey or Dirk, but those are the only two people I could see him becoming an Alpha for, in some sense of the word. He would guide and lead them. Sometimes, I believe he’d be a lone wolf if it wasn’t for me, being both an Alpha and his father. He certainly can act like one sometimes. I know we joke that I’m an Alpha of two, but it’s important…”
“Heath?”
“I thought I left the Dallas pack with an Alpha,” he whispered. “Tywin was an Alpha of a small pack before coming to Dallas, so he’d already started going through the changes when I took his pack into mine. Looking back, I’ve been thinking about why his pack joined mine so willingly. That’s been on my mind a lot.”
I stared at his profile, wondering if there was anything I could say to ease the regret in his scent. There wasn’t. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Landon walk out of the house alone, shoving his hands into his pockets as he hopped down the front porch steps. He walked to the truck and hit his father’s window, causing Heath to snarl.
“Pa, quit moping with your girlfriend and tell me what you’re doing here,” Landon growled through the window. It was tense for a second until Heath smiled, and Landon chuckled, opening his father’s door.
“Seriously, what do you want?” Landon asked, using his body to block Heath’s route out of the truck as his father undid his seatbelt. I decided I needed to get out of the way, so Heath could find a different route. I opened my door, but Landon looked past Heath and narrowed his eyes. “No, don’t get out. That means I’ll need to invite you inside,” he said, huffing. Grinning, I scooted closer to get out of the truck, and Landon’s annoyance turned to a glare. “You’re going to ruin—”
“The BSA put a tracking device on my truck and ruined our date by coming to spy on us,” Heath explained, not sounding annoyed by his son’s attempt to keep us in the truck. “Move.” The power in his second order made me go still. The power didn’t touch me, but I felt it pass by me, a wave of something that should have slammed me in the chest.
Landon pulled away, sighing heavily, and Heath got out.
“Come in and have a drink,” Landon said, not sounding defeated but still annoyed. “You hit harder than you used to, Pa. Watch that.”
“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” Heath said softly. They both turned to me, Heath frowning when he realized I hadn’t moved. “Jacky?”
“What was that?” I asked softly.
“An Alpha telling his werewolf to get the fuck out of his way,” Landon explained. “Pa just has a harder punch than he used to. Most other supernaturals don’t catch it. If you noticed it, then he really didn’t consider how much power he put in it. It happens. I’m not a simpering submissive wolf who falls apart getting hit with that. He’s done it before, you just never noticed. Or maybe you have, but again, that one was pretty hard. Pa, seriously, you need to watch that.”
“I’m normally more… restrained. I’m sorry,” Heath said, rubbing his neck.
“Oh, okay. I was just surprised.” I nodded, then got out. Heath watched me as I walked around the truck. “I thought it was something different. It was so noticeable just then. I mean, I didn’t feel any urge to follow your order, so don’t get the wrong idea, but it washed over me, and I don’t know if I’ve ever felt that before. Weird, but okay.”
Landon gave Heath a curious expression. Heath met it, then turned to me.
“We’ve talked about this. You know Hasan is right when he says I’m getting more powerful and more dominant by being out here,” Heath said, running a hand through his hair. “Without more wolves in the immediate vicinity to compare, it’s hard to tell what my power is sometimes.”
“It’s fine,” I promised. “It’s not like I wanted to follow your order. In fact, I did the exact opposite because I was a little surprised.”
“So the BSA is tracking us again, huh?” Landon was clearly trying to get to the point now that I was out of the truck. He started walking back to the house.
“Yeah, I guess I should also tell you that a young man has asked your sister on a date,” Heath said, sighing heavily, but I caught the hint of a smile on his exhausted face.
6
CHAPTER SIX
Landon stopped walking and was eerily still. He was so still, I felt uncomfortable. Heath clapped his son on the shoulder as he went toward the house. I didn’t move, slowly covering my mouth as Landon’s eyes glowed.
“Pa, you can’t—”
“It’s being handled,” Heath said simply, not bothering to look over his shoulder at his son as he walked to the front door. “You’re more than welcome to ask your sister about it.”
Landon’s growl made my chest rattle.
“You can’t kill him,” Heath said, smiling fully as he turned back to us. “Come on, Jacky. We need to talk to Dirk. He’ll want to check your car.”
“Yeah.” I walked past Landon, keeping a wide berth. As I went in behind him, leaving Landon in the front, I chuckled. “Pa? I was a bit… distracted with everything else, but I didn’t miss that.”
“Yes, I know it’s not what people expect. It depends on his mood,” Heath said with a smile. “Pa is what he called me when he was a boy, and he only uses it around family. He started doing it years ago before I was an Alpha. Dad is something he picked up from Carey. Father is more serious or formal, what he uses in front of other werewolves or strangers. He’ll use it privately, too, but it’s not common. He’s certainly never going to call me by my name. Now, calling me Pa in front of you.” Heath’s smile turned into a wide, wolfish grin. “It’s a good sign.”
We both heard him come in, but I didn’t stop the conversation.
“He’s in a relationship with my nephew,” I pointed out. “About time he thought of me as family.”
“It’s not about Dirk, who is barely your nephew. My father loves you. You’re part of the family because of that,” Landon grumbled. “Yes, he’s Pa to me sometimes. Moving on.”
“It’s just so rural,” I said, shaking my head as I looked at him. It just didn’t fit, although it should have. Landon drove a big truck like Dirk and Heath. He liked to go fishing, camping, and hunting. He bought a house on a bit of land. He was a werewolf, and they liked open spaces like werecats did. But calling his father Pa just seemed like it was stepping over some invisible line.
Maybe because of their age. Almost no one calls their dad that anymore, but a boy in the eighteen-sixties might.
“Moving. On,” he growled. “Back to this… Carey can’t date, Pa. You can’t trust a randy boy within a hundred miles of here with her, and you know it.”
“It’s not your decision. It’s mine,” Heath said, shrugging. “Your rabidness about the idea is why I am telling you, but you are not allowed to be a part of the decision-making. Besides, she might not get to go on this date. She tried to play games with me.”
“Good.” Landon went from enraged to smirking. “I knew hanging out with Jacky would make her think she could get away with stuff. So long as it keeps her from getting into someone’s car and being in a dark room with a boy, I’ll take it.”
“I had nothing to do with this,” I hissed. “In fact—”
“You have everything to do with this,” Landon said with a toothy grin. I quickly realized I was getting relaxed and talkative Landon today, which was a pleasant change. He had a sharp tongue, but it was better than the cold shutout he’d given me for a long time. “You disobey and work around people all the time, thinking you can outsmart everyone. Of course, Carey is going to think she can do it and succeed. She idolizes you, and you’re not dead yet, so…”
“I don’t think I can outsmart everyone,” I retorted, huffing in offense. “I think I want to do what’s right, and people shouldn’t get in my way. What Carey tried to do with Heath wasn’t doing the right thing. There’s a difference.”
“Sure—”
“I think it’s her new friends and hormones,” Heath said, smiling as though he was very pleased with Landon trying to blame Carey’s misbehavior on me. That bothered me, but it was also nice to see him happy after the dark moment in the truck. “I’m pretty sure I’m right. Carey was always going to try, but she pissed me off, so she’s going to wait until her birthday party for an answer. Currently, it’s a no. Now, let’s get to the actual reason Jacky and I are here. The tracker on my truck. Go get Dirk.”
“He’s in the shower,” Landon said softly, looking away. “I’ll tell him about this and—”
“We’ll wait,” Heath said, heading into the house. Landon sighed, then looked at me and made a dramatic gesture for me to go with Heath.
“I’ll get drinks,” Landon said, shaking his head as I followed Heath through the brown interior.
“He gets his interior design prefernces from you,” I pointed out, looking at the couch in front of the television. Heath looked at it, shook his head, then silently decided on the loveseat instead.
“Oh, really?” I said with a chuckle, having to pass the couch to get to the loveseat. Heath shrugged one shoulder as he sat down. I caught the same scents Heath did.
“You know it’s rude to say anything,” Heath said softly, giving me a look as I sat down.
“I didn’t,” I retorted. “I wouldn’t. I couldn’t stop a little chuckle, though. It’s not like Landon would want to sit on my couch, either, and he wouldn’t care if it was rude. He would make it very clear why he wouldn’t.”
“Good point,” Heath agreed, smiling again. “At least we know why Dirk is in the shower.”
I covered my mouth, trying my best not to laugh.
“It is interesting, though. I didn’t smell Dirk on Landon. I can barely catch him in here.” Heath’s smile moved to a frown as we listened to Landon move around his kitchen.
“Dirk has a rune, spell, or something tattooed on him out of sight,” I explained. “It makes his scent very subtle unless you’re looking for it. Niko let him get it or agreed to let him get it. Too many good noses made him vulnerable to manipulation.”
“Really?” Heath crossed his arms. “That would explain some things. He’s good at staying low-key and doesn’t draw attention to himself.”
“All Niko, either by training or circumstance.” I sighed when Landon walked in. “One day, Niko will make all of this really complicated.”
“His father can fight me for him,” Landon said, his wolf eyes clear as he put drinks on the coffee table, then fell onto the couch. “The Traitor doesn’t scare me. I’ll take him at a hundred yards. He’d never stand a chance.”
“You won’t need to shoot him,” I said, eyeing Landon with caution. “Dirk is human. He might be the adopted son of my brother, but he’s not… this isn’t as harsh as it sounds, but Dirk is human; therefore, he’s not family. You’re right when you say he’s barely my nephew, and it’s a really loose use of the world. He’s not beholden to the family rules the way I am or Niko is. He doesn’t have to follow or enforce the Law for Hasan. Aside from that, for every privilege he has that we don’t, he’s in far more danger than we are. He’s the one people will target if they want to hurt Niko or me since he’s been here so long.”
“And now me. I’ll take on anyone willing to pick that fight,” Landon said, his edge not going away.
“Niko might not like you for Dirk, but he won’t have a leg to stand on. Dirk can be with whoever he wants. It’s just… complicated. It’s another way our families are tied together. Niko won’t have legal standing, and he won’t commit violence, but he’s a father and wants what’s best for Dirk.” I waited for Landon to relax, and he did, slowly as my words sank in.
“Yeah, I get that,” Landon finally said softly. “Pa?”
“What do you want me to say? I’m not exactly in a good position with her family.” Heath chuckled. “We’re poaching the best members of the family for ourselves and will all pay for it, eventually. Complicated is better than deadly, though.”
Landon laughed and grabbed one of the drinks he put on the table.
“Good point.”
“We’re not the best—”
