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Chapter 6

They walked back to the cabins in silence, but the tension thickened with each passing minute. Her parents led the way, at the rear were Ajax and the other vampires. They were behaving like they expected another attack. None came.

But it would, maybe tomorrow. Or the day after when their guard was down. Owen’s father had lost face, and he’d want to remind Owen who was in charge even though he’d left the pack.

There were vampires waiting outside the dining hall, wolves in knots around the central clearing, all waiting for the news. Hungry for gossip about whose blood had been spilled.

Her father stopped and surveyed the scene. It wasn't good that so many people knew something was going on. There would be no going to bed and sleeping and figuring out how to tackle this problem fresh in the morning. It had to be dealt with now.

“We need to talk.” Macey’s father headed toward the Green River pack cabin. Then he stopped and turned to Ajax. “Not you.”

“I'm a part of this now.”

“Owen's not part of your pack,” her father growled.

“Not officially, but we're friends from way back.” Ajax said with a nod at Owen. “Besides, I can’t throw a vampire to the wolves.” Ajax spread his hands like he was harmless.

“Macey is my daughter. I wouldn’t hurt her.” Her father sounded offended.

“You’ve been hurting me for years, ever since I didn’t shift. You pushed me aside and made me feel like I didn’t belong. This gathering I’m moving packs.” She met her father’s gaze in time to see the shock.

“Why?”

“Let’s get this out of public viewing,” Owen said. “The Death Valley pack cabin is emptier and given that they are now my sponsor, so I’m allowed at the gathering, that seems the most appropriate.”

Ajax and her father nodded. They made their way as a group to a small cabin. Even though Ajax was the pack leader, because he was a vampire he wasn’t able to stay in the pack cabin, he had to share with other vampires. It was no wonder he was surly. Everything was about to be ripped away.

Two old wolves were in bed, but awake.

“Sorry for disturbing you,” Ajax said. Everyone, except the extra vampires from neither pack piled into the room.

“Why do you want to leave?” her father asked before the door had closed. “Is it because of him?” He pointed at Owen.

“We have bigger problems than changing pack,” Owen said.

“You have bigger problems and you have dragged my daughter into them. Your brother could’ve killed her,” her father snarled, teeth bared like he wanted a fight.

“Stop it,” Macey said. She stood between them. Owen vibrated with energy. “I wanted to leave for college but stayed because mom asked. That was a mistake. I’m not a wolf and I’m not a babysitter for my siblings. You pushed me to the edge of the family, the edge of the pack. And I’m done with the pity, and the commiserations when people hear I failed to shift.” She lifted her chin. “I’m not a failed wolf. I am a vampire. And I’m going to find out what that means.”

“You can’t be with a wolf. It’s not done. You’ll be shunned.”

“Not done in your pack, or my father’s,” Owen said. “But in some packs it happens.”

“They ignore it and hope it’s a phase. A vampire won’t produce pups.”

Macey stared at her father. “You’re worried about lineage and grandchildren? I want to live and explore and do something with my life.” Helping Owen set up a new pack was that something.

“You’re making a mistake. Your home is Green River.”

“And I can always visit you, but I don’t want to live there. I will request a change in the morning.”

Her father glanced between Owen and Ajax. “Whatever you cook up in here will be doomed to fail. And you are ruining more than just your life.” He pushed past to the door.

“Then you’d best make sure when the announcement is made you think about the Green River vote and what it means.” Macey said. Her voice held only the slightest tremor.

Her father glanced over his shoulder. There was no pity in his eyes this time, it had been burned away. He slammed the door after him.

The reverberation echoed and no one spoke. Macey sat on the edge of an unoccupied bed. That wasn’t how she’d planned to tell her parents. She rested her head in her hands, her body aching and bruised. “What are we cooking up?”