The Wolf in Sheep's Skin

Chapter 29

I listened to her hurrying about the pack house and talking to Dixon. She knew I’d hear her at the barbeque. And with how dominant she seems to be, I’d bet she has good ears.

“Mind if I shower?” I left the doorway and went to the shower without waiting for Ansel to answer.

“What did you do to make her beat you up?” He followed me into the bathroom, shut the door, and turned on the fan. I stripped and hopped in. Modesty between us was gone after running around the country as wolves for centuries.

“I didn’t do anything. I got my arm stuck in a wall.” I scrubbed the blood off me. Dixon and Gwen left the building, and the pack car rumbled off into the distance. “She knows about the gift.”

“Gift?” he sounded puzzled.

“You know, the gift.” I vigorously scrubbed my hair with my eyes closed, ridding myself of the smell of plane.

“Oh! So I was right then, you’re-“

“Don’t!” I growled, and his words caught in his throat. There’s too many ears here, and the last thing I need is for her to find out through some gossipy eavesdropper. “But yes, you were right.”

Ansel clapped, and his shoes tapped on the floor like he was jumping up and down. I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair.

“I knew it!” I paced around in the bathroom, and I worried he’d hop into the shower with me to pester me. “Does she know?” He gasped.

“I doubt it.” I yawned and finished my shower. Turning off the water, my eyes didn’t want to stay open. My body ached, and I groaned at the idea of driving myself home. More driving. Fantastic.

“What’s your plan? Your next move?”

“To go home and go to bed.” I stepped out of the shower, and Ansel was facing the wall away from me. I grabbed a towel and dried off.

“That’s not what I meant. Flowers? Dinner?”

“You’re not being very discreet.” I grumbled and tossed on a spare change of clothes. Every bathroom in the pack house had a cabinet with a first aid kit, and clothes in different sizes. The T-shirt and sweatpants were fine enough in a pinch.

He turned and snapped a finger at me with a big smile on his face. “Dancing! You should take her dancing!” He whispered, leaning in with a big grin.

“Dancing is your thing, Ansel, not mine. And the only plan I have is to get her not to hate me.” I whispered back and frowned.

“Hate you?” His face fell. “What else have you done?”

I shrugged. “She thinks I’m arrogant.”

“She isn’t wrong.”

I grumbled and glared at him.

“Let’s just discuss the past week so I can go home and sleep.” Sleeping in some other packs cr*ppy hotel hasn’t been very restful.

“Fine, but we’re not done talking about this.” He asked and led us out of the bathroom. We headed up to his office to discuss the latest ‘job’ I’d been on.

I shut the office door behind me and I sunk into a chair, rubbing my temples.

“You handled the vampire brood?”

“Yes. They’re all gone; we searched the entire city twice.”

“Alpha Tony was pleased?”

“Is any Alpha ever pleased after I visit?”

“Good point.” He snapped his fingers and paced around the room. “Anything else noticeable? Any other vampire problems?”

“You need to try to move more wolves into that pack. The area’s the perfect vampire location.”

“Or we move the pack?”

“You’re willing to let the vampires take over the city?” I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose.

“We’ve talked about what they’re doing in Washington.”

“That’s different. Their pack is big and united; the area I just went to has a bunch of small packs that hate each other and fight over territory.”

“We can unify them.”

“And who’s going to be Alpha of that pack?” I propped my head up with my hand, putting my elbow on the arm of the chair.

Ansel stroked his mustache and hummed in thought.

“This can wait; we’ll talk to some of the other pack members.” He said and waved his hand around.

Good, now I can go home. I moved to get up, but he rushed towards me and stopped directly in front of me. He leaned over, clasping his hands together with a wide grin. If anyone else had gotten so close, I’d have punched them in the gut.

“You should take her to a movie! Or bowling! Oh! You two could go to the bookstore on Main Street, buy your favorite books, and swap them! How romantic!” He clapped his hands together and smiled so wide it looked painful.

“I don’t need advice on how to woo my mate, Ansel.” I glared at him.

“Of course you do; you have the emotional capacity of a rock.”

“I’m going home.” I tried to stand, but he kicked my leg.

“No, you’re not! This is serious.”

“I’m doing fine on my own.”

“You said she hates you.”

“Perhaps, but I’m growing on her.” I grinned, thinking about the closet.

“You don’t grow on a woman!” He scoffed. “You romance her, court her! When was the last time you did any of that?” He scowled at me, and I growled.

“I have half a mind to toss you out that window.”

We both looked at the only window in the room.

“Fine, but you’ll have to face Genevieve.”

I groaned and tapped my fingers on the chair.

“You could bake her cookies? You’re good at that.”

I threw back my head and laughed, deep from my gut. “Are you trying to get me stabbed?” I wheezed, and he tensed and dropped his hands from his hips.

“She wants to stab you?” He asked with genuine concern. “She seems so docile.”

“Docile my *ss. Have you forgotten her slapping me?” I stood, and he moved out of the way.

“That was a onetime thing, and you deserved it.” He pointed at me.

“Perhaps. But she has quite the temper.” I grinned, and he gave me a confused look. “I’m going home. I’m exhausted from hunting vampires and doing mental gymnastics.”

“We’ll continue this tomorrow.”

“Very well. I’ll have to fill you in, so you don’t keep suggesting awful ideas.” Maybe bringing her cookies wouldn’t be such a bad idea? I grinned to myself and whistled as I left the pack house. “Oh. And I had to reem Olivia about her treatment about pack members. I gave her a warning this time.”

“What’s she doing?” Ansel scowled at me.

“Calling submissive’s useless. Blocking people from going to Gwen’s store.” I shrugged and his eyes narrowed.

“I noticed her behavior at the party planning committee. I had to intervene. Hopefully your warning was enough.” Ansel sighed and his jaw tensed.

“I doubt it.”

Gwen

Dixon was a quiet man. I sat in the backseat in the big black SUV at his insistence. I’d tried asking him questions about the pack and himself, but each question felt like I was ripping out his nails, so I gave up.

I welcomed the silence and stared out the window. Stars shined in the sky, along with the growing moon. Fields of oak trees passed by, illuminated by the moon’s rays.

What did Bridget tell her? I asked her to talk to Olivia about the shop, not to go around spreading rumors about me.

I wasn’t that friendly with Jay. I tolerated him mostly. I frowned out the window. Olivia seemed more p*ssed that Jay came to the house. Eleanor was right. That’s what this is all about. If Bridget had kept her mouth shut about Jay coming over, this wouldn’t have happened.

Olivia wouldn’t have harassed me. Jay wouldn’t have gone to shout at her. And he wouldn’t have found out. It all could’ve been avoided.

Worry gnawed at my stomach. What if he doesn’t keep his word? What if he slips? He didn’t seem to think my secret was important.

But he did give me one in return. Unless he doesn’t think his secret is important. I sighed and closed my eyes. No. His secret is important. If no one knows, that must be part of his reputation. If he gets in a fight and can heal so quickly, people must think he’s invincible. If people found out, it might make them less afraid of him.

He’ll keep his word if I keep mine. I kept repeating it in my mind. I’m alright. I’m sure he’s capable of keeping people’s secrets if he’s lived this long.

It would’ve been easier if Bridget had kept her mouth shut, though. My stomach swirled with a mixture of anxiety and rage. I wanted to go shout at her, tell her off for blabbing about family affairs. Why would she tell her? Is being friends with Olivia so important to her?

Have I done something to her to make her that upset? I deflated, sinking into my seat.

The dirt road crunched, and the car slowed as we turned onto my driveway. He stopped near the house and looked at me in the rear-view mirror.

“Thank you, Dixon.” I opened the door and hopped out.

He nodded, and pulled away as I walked up to the house. It was quiet as I went inside, and I had half a mind to go into Erik and Bridget’s room to question her.

But the clock in the living room said it was two in the morning, and my eyes were droopy. I have to be ready for the appointment in the morning. My stomach turned at the idea of making Geneieve a gown. What if she hates it?

I sighed and walked past their room and went up the stairs to bed. Maybe Olivia forced Bridget to tell her about Jay coming over? Hope fluttered in my stomach, and I drifted off to sleep.