Page 6 of Branches of the Willow (The Ancients #3)

6

Business

O ur mini vacation ended with a flourish when our phones started ringing off the hook the next morning. “Well, I guess that’s mom’s way of telling us it’s time to come back to work.” I groaned as I glared at the buzzing phone on my bedside table.

“Yeah, I know, Evan woke me earlier. I told him I needed a shower and coffee first, so I have to call him back in just a bit. Why don’t you hop in while I go get coffee started?”

I hadn’t even noticed Mikael wasn’t in bed with me when the phone woke me. That meant I slept through the call from Evan too. Odd. The smallest noises usually woke me. “Hey,” I called out to him remembering our shared dream. “I wasn’t imagining things last night, was I?”

“I’m still reeling from that trippy episode. Do they shift like that all the time when you’re there?” He asked as he smiled brightly at me, having obviously enjoyed the encounter despite how disconcerting their shifting forms could be.

“Yes, they do. It was annoying at first, but I got used to it. I’m so glad I was able to pull you in. I feel like, now, at least one other person in the world won’t think I’m completely bonkers.”

“No one thinks you’re bonkers, Jess.”

“Well, I felt like I was. It’s weird having creatures basically live inside your head that only you get to talk to. Come on, admit it, that’s crazy talk!”

“Okay, fine. But I thought you looked cute when you spoke of your imaginary friends.”

“Jerk!” I smacked his ass on my way through to the bathroom to grab my shower. “Make the coffee extra strong, please! I have a feeling it’s going to be a long day.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Mikael took off for the kitchen while I hopped in the shower and got dressed for the day. I was just putting on my shoes when my phone started buzzing again.

“Hello?” I answered as I held the phone between my shoulder and ear while I tied my shoe.

“Jessica?” It was Avery Daniels, and he sounded a bit frantic.

“Avery? Shit!” I remembered the two men we were supposed to drop off with Avery’s pack before Mikael and I took our impromptu honeymoon period. “We’ll be bringing those two wolves to you soon. Mikael and I just needed a break away.”

“What wolves?”

“The two I sent Andy to tell you about.” I told him.

“Andy? I haven’t seen Andy since your bonding ceremony.”

“I sent him days ago, Avery, if you haven’t seen him then what’s this about?”

“How many days, Jess? I was calling to tell you that my daughter, Annalise, has been missing for a few days. We found traces of blood near a hunter’s trap but haven’t been able to locate her.”

“Shit! It was four days ago that I sent Andy.” I could hear Avery’s stuttered breathing on the other end of the line. “We’ll figure it out. Let me get back to the pack lands and see what I can find out on our side. I’ll have my dad send a few of his men to check between our lands too.” My heart hammered away inside my chest at the thought that I’d dropped the ball and possibly lost Andy in the process.

“Avery, I sent Andy through the pass. Maybe you can start there. If she was injured, maybe, I don’t know…” I was grasping for straws. “Maybe he found her and they’re hiding? Or…” I didn’t want to say what else I was thinking that maybe they fell victim to the same hunters who had been plaguing his lands of late.

“Jess,” his breath hitched as he said my name. “Just give me a call when you get there and let me know what you’ve found. We’re going to go search the cave pass now.” He hung up without further ado.

“Jess?” Mikael called out when he saw my face. “I brought coffee.” I took the mug and knocked it back like it was a shot. “What’s the matter, love?”

“Our vacation was bad timing. That was Avery. No one ever bothered to see if Andy made it there. He didn’t.” Concern flashed across Mikael’s brow. “That’s not all. Annalise is missing too.”

“Avery’s younger daughter?”

“Yeah, we need to get back to the pack, now.”

“Okay, Dad, fill me in on everything I’ve missed.” My father wasn’t looking at me. He was looking over my shoulder at Mikael, who was oblivious to my father’s death stare. “Earth to Jameson!” I shouted in his ear. He turned an incredulous eye on me then.

“I don’t know why you thought it was a good idea to take time off right now anyway. You’ve just launched new programs involving multiple packs, not to mention the man hunt for Malachi, Zach, and Sophia…”

“Jameson St. Marks!” My mother admonished her mate. “You will not give Jessica any of your shit. This is an adjustment for everyone, and she deserved a few stolen moments with her new mate. I do recall you refusing to be pack leader once upon a time, so that you could be with your family more and worried about pack politics less. Jessica doesn’t get the luxury of refusal, so you will cut her some slack while she adjusts.”

“Eileen,” my father started to argue until he saw my mom’s face scrunch up in fury.

“Don’t you Eileen me! She’s here now, so fill her in.”

I gave my mom an appreciative smile and watched out of the corner of my eye as Mikael hugged her. My father huffed his indignation, but let his lecture drop to fill me in on everything that had been happening. More to the point, the lack of anything happening.

“So, there hasn’t been a single sighting of Sophia, Zach, or Malachi? Anywhere? I just find that hard to believe.” I paced back and forth a bit, and then remembered my earlier conversation with Avery. “Avery’s daughter, Annalise, is missing. Andy never made it to meet with Avery. They both seem to have disappeared on the same day, and the Daniels’ lands have been having trouble with interlopers trying to hunt there. I’m beginning to think that’s not all coincidence. Has he checked back in yet with updates for anyone?”

“Not yet.” My father answered. “I’ll give him a call though.”

“Okay, while you have him on the phone, let him know that I am calling a meeting of the nearest five pack leaders. We need forward progress where Sophia, Zach, and Malachi are concerned. I can’t believe that no one has seen them. We do have people planted with the humans in places, right? Can’t we get them put on a watch list or something?”

“If we did that, then we wouldn’t be the only ones looking for them. Do you really want to risk an unsuspecting human approaching any of them?”

“No, I guess not, but there has to be something more we can do. I’m not just going to sit back and wonder if they’ll ever pop up again. I need closure, and so long as they are out there, our people remain in danger. None of them seem to have any qualms about hurting those who get in their way. Tom and Jack are proof of that.”

“I’ll call a meeting.” My dad agreed. “I’ll let Avery know, but he has his own worries right now.”

“I don’t expect Avery to show up. His priority is, and should remain, Annalise. Have we heard from the guys that were sent out to scout between our boundaries?”

“Not yet. They should be checking in soon though. I’ll let you know as soon as they call in.”

My dad got ready to head to his office before I called him back. “Dad, the interlopers on Avery’s land…”

“Yeah?”

“I have a weird feeling. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that our three fugitives are missing, and suddenly there’s a hunting problem on the Daniels Clan’s grounds.”

“You’re not the only one thinking that.”

“If anything happens to Annalise because of Zach and Malachi…” I couldn’t even finish the thought. What I wanted to do was crush them. Annalise was such a sweet girl. I couldn’t imagine something awful happening to her just so those sadistic sons of bitches could taunt me some more. If anything happened to her, I would crush them, but it would be without mercy, their deaths would be of the incredibly slow and painful variety.

“Let’s not add to our worries before we need to, Jess, even if we are all thinking it. I’m sure it will take a few hours for the others to gather here. You should go check with the Ancients you have in Jack’s place. They’ve been getting a bit restless over there, wondering why no one’s moved them to their new pack yet.”

“Of course.” I looked over at Mikael questioningly. “Walk with me?”

“Like you had to ask?”

Mikael and I did our rounds, checking in on the three Ancients. Brian and Nicholai were both chomping at the bit to get to the Daniels Clan and get settled in. I was happy to see that Dimitri was settling in with the guys working in the woodshop. They had wonderful things to say about him. Apparently, he was a natural, and had picked up a thing or two when he was watching Mikael’s uncle for all those years.

It was close to five o’clock by the time everyone arrived, and we all met up at the meeting hall. I was surprised to see Avery Daniels there among the group. He noticed the look I passed his way and excused himself from the conversation he was in to come speak to me.

“Jessica,” he acknowledged.

“Avery. What are you doing here? Has there been any word on Annalise?”

“She’s fine. We found her and located Andy. He’ll be staying with my pack for a time though.” I wasn’t known for my poker face, and Avery read the question there. “Can we discuss the details later, in private?” I noticed that there were several people in the room who were trying hard not to look like they were eavesdropping. It was almost laughable how horribly they were failing at their attempts.

“Absolutely.” I moved away from Avery then, and took my place at the table. “I want to thank you all for coming on short notice. I know many of you were here a week ago about the Ancient Immersion Program, but we’re meeting for a different reason now. The last time Zach Brighton went into hiding we all shrugged it off and discounted him. He may not be powerful, but he has a nasty habit of getting in bed with those who can help him cause a lot of trouble for our kind. I want him, the witch-Sophia, and Malachi found. I don’t care what kind of resources you have to put on this, we need to start seeing results.”

“I don’t mean to sound crass, Jessica, but why are these three our problem?” Mac, the leader of the MacDonnel Pack, wasn’t looking at me with the eyes of an enemy. He wanted good reason to throw his resources behind a problem, most saw as my own.

“I have no problem giving you that reason. Avery’s lands have already been used as a hide-out before. He’s had problems with interlopers, trappers, possibly hunters on his lands for a couple weeks now. They are not afraid to use every means necessary to get at me. That includes luring me out with threats of violence against others. If you want your pack to be amongst those used and abused, then keep your resources to yourselves and your mouths shut. I don’t begrudge anyone their choices. I have my own to make too.”

Mac nodded in my direction. “I’ll put some of my boys on it first thing.”

“I can tell you John ain’t doing no such thing.” I looked over at the scruffy man who spoke up. He had been sitting quietly at the end of the table, trying not to draw attention to himself.

“And you are?”

“No friend of yours.” The man stated while simply watching me as if I were nothing more than a pesky fly on the wall in need of swatting.

“He’s one of Freedman’s.” My father snarled as he stood, stalking closer to the man who had spoken.

Mikael released a threatening growl from where he quickly stood beside me, warning the man that there would be consequences for his attitude. The growl was something I had never heard from him before. The sheer menace in the tone set the fine hairs on my body to attention. I put my hand on his to calm him, as I stood too.

“An invitation to this meeting was not extended to your pack.” My father seethed the words through his clenched teeth.

“A little birdy told John about the meetin’. He thought we should be represented, especially since that’n there thought she could just waltz in here an’ take o’er without having to scrap for the spot.” My father was the one to growl a warning that time, and he was right in the man’s face. “Lookin’ like John’s right ‘bout that. Not a hair outta place, but her men folk are spittin’ fire at me.”

I’d had enough. He was calling me out by saying I’ wasn’t wolf enough to take him, or anyone else, on without the assistance of the men in my life. I wasn’t sure if it was solely because I was a woman, or if there was more to it, but I was about to show him what was up.

“You wanna be alpha? You take it, sweetheart. You don’t wake up with white hair, and think your pretty face is ‘nuff.”

“Sit. Your. Ass. Down.” I enunciated each word so that I made myself perfectly clear, and I threw power behind each word as I stalked forward. Every syllable brought me a step closer around that table. The man’s ass met the chair too quickly and it slid out from under him. Still, he didn’t bother to correct, and just sat there on the floor. “Do not ever mistake my kindness or diplomacy for weakness.”

The power oozed from me, electrifying the room with enough static energy that it began raising the hair on everyone’s body. “I am not weak, and you will show respect when you are on my father’s lands and in my presence.” I was right next to the man, looking down my nose at him where he sat rooted to the floor. The stink rolling off him was just as offensive as anything he had said to me thus far. He tried to stand again, but I shoved him back down and threw more power into him.

“SUBMIT!” My voice was all power, and had I looked around the room, I would have seen everyone else there on their knees. He fought it for a second, and then he dropped, wincing from the pain it caused him to attempt defiance. Not only did he drop to his knees, but he also lifted his chin, holding his head off to the side, exposing the column of his dirt-caked throat. His body was shaking under the weight of my command, and with the fact that he did not want to submit but knew he couldn’t fight me. When he began to let out little startled whimpers of pain, I released the hold my power had on him. He collapsed forward, catching himself with the palms of his hands in order to try to shift his body into an upright position again.

“Do not, for one minute, think that I have this position simply because of the color of my hair. I am the white wolf. I hold the power of generations of leaders within my blood. I hold council with the wise ones still. I will not tolerate another showing like this. You let John Freedman know the next time he wants a voice in matters, it better be his own or I will consider him too weak to rule a pack and find a replacement to rule over your pack.”

I turned and walked three steps away, feeling as though my nostrils had been tainted by breathing the foul man’s air. “Also, pass along this message: If I catch another of his inbred, stink-covered, vile betas in my business or near these lands again, they will come back to him in a goddamn doggy bag.”

“You mean body bag?” The idiot stammered out his question.

“I said exactly what I meant, now, get out.” I tossed a wave of power over him, and he crawled on hands and knees until he got to the door. Once he was there, he finally scrambled up off the floor and bolted through the door and outside. My father was immediately on his phone, no doubt having a detail put on the mutt until he was off pack lands.

When he was gone, I turned back to see everyone still down on their knees, necks exposed. It was a startling show of submission from some of the most powerful alphas we had in this part of the world. It took everything I had not to suck in a surprised breath. I nodded to them all. I hadn’t forced the posture on anyone, but John Freedman’s man. They took the position out of respect, and to show that they backed me. I appreciated the gesture, even if it was an unsettling one.

“I am going to have some food ordered for everyone. No one is to leave this room right now.”

My father approached me then, “Jess, what are you doing?”

“You didn’t invite Freedman, did you?”

“No, obviously not.”

“Well, I’d like to know who the ‘little birdy’ is that leaked information about this meeting to him then. The people who were invited are all here, so let’s see which one tipped him off.”

“It’s your show, Jessica. Just be careful with it.”

“I don’t think anyone in this room did it purposefully, but we need to know who they talked to about coming here.”

My dad walked back over to the table to start talking to the other leaders as Mikael approached me. We both walked out into the hall to let Sierra know that we needed some food ordered. She was the unofficial secretary during traditional pack meetings, so she was around whenever my dad was here now. Once I got her situated Mikael started talking.

“You gained his respect through brute force, but you have to know, you won’t have gained a friend there.” Mikael said to me through clenched teeth. “It took everything I had not to go punch his nose out through his asshole.” He was still seething over the episode with John’s man.

“His nose through his asshole, huh?” I laughed at Mikael, trying to shake off the tension that had settled in him.

“Yeah, well, you know what I mean. I had a very vivid vision of how that was going to happen.” My mate mentioned as he pulled me close to him while chuckling. It took a few minutes before he was able to be serious again, and when he pulled himself together, it was to leave a kiss on the top of my head. “You handled yourself brilliantly in there.”

“You should not have bowed down before me though. We’re equals.”

“Oh, no ma’am. I will bow down to you until my dying day. You are mine to worship and cherish. Besides, you never complain about me being on my knees before you when we’re at home.”

Sierra’s laughter behind me let me know that she had walked up at just the right time to hear him. “Should I get you two a room as well?”

“Not necessary.” I grinned at her. “How long for the food?”

“About an hour and a half thanks to the drive time.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Sorry, it was the best I could do, unless you want to put some of the pack to work cooking for you guys.”

“Maybe I should add restaurants on pack lands to the agenda in there.” I nodded back to the meeting room door. Honestly, it was something we were going to have to consider if we ended up with the influx of wolves that Mikael and Evan had hinted at previously. According to Ashely, they had a whole city in Romania. I wanted to cry thinking of the small little pack life we’d had here as I grew up. It was going to suck to see that change so drastically, all because I ended up being the white wolf.

Sierra’s voice pulled me from my lament. “Can you pull for an Olive Garden? I just want those damn crack-sticks they have. I don’t even care about the rest of the food. Just give me some Sangria and garlic bread.” Sierra walked away with a wistful gleam in her eye after putting in her restaurant request.

“She doesn’t require much, huh?” Mikael commented.

“Nope, she’s a woman of simple tastes, but she’s right about the breadsticks though. They are delicious.” My stomach growled at the thought of food. “An hour and a half, huh?” Mikael grinned and nodded his head. “This is going to suck.” We both went back into the meeting hall, where everyone was now bantering back and forth about what happened earlier.

“Jessica,” Avery called out to me as he approached. “I wondered if I might get a minute with you.” Avery and I stepped back out into the hall while he explained to me what happened with his daughter, Annalise, and my pack-mate Andy. I was shocked but understanding of the situation.

“I’m glad they’re both okay. Hopefully, Andy stays that way!” I gave him a side-long glance that was part warning and part humorous.

“I don’t see as though there is a choice left in the matter. He can stay on with us if you like, or…”

I cut Avery off when his eyes turned sad. “How about we just let them decide what they want to do?” Avery agreed. “Oh, before we go back in. I have two Ancients that came in last week. I think they’d best go to your pack. One of them is a bit cheeky, so he bears watching, which is why I wanted him with you, but if it’s too much, considering…”

“No, it’s fine. It’ll give me someone to yell at.” That seemed to cheer Avery up a bit, and we made our way back into the hall to sit with everyone else while we waited for our dinner order to arrive.

My father did a good job of guiding the others through who could have possibly been working with John Freedman’s pack. As it turned out, one of Freedman’s sisters was traded off to Mac’s pack a few years back, and she had overheard her mate talking about the leader heading here for a special meeting. Mac promised to get the issue straightened out as soon as he got back.

A knock at the door interrupted the lighter conversation that followed. We all thought it was just the food, so my father bellowed, “Come on in.”

To his surprise, and everyone else’s, a woman – a witch - stood in place of what we thought was going to be our dinner. Jaws dropped as the stunning woman’s piercing glacial eyes travelled the crowd until they locked with mine. “Jessica, we need to talk.”

Every wolf in the room jumped to get in front of me, some snarling and snapping. They could sense that she was a witch, though they weren’t certain if she was friend or foe yet. Many were not aware of what Sophia looked like, or whether witches could change their appearance on a whim. Mikael, even knowing who this witch was, still didn’t trust her. He pushed me behind him and snarled right along with the rest of the wolves.

“Please, if you would allow me to explain, I promise it would ease your worry. I’m here to help.”

“If you allow us to lock you up while you explain, then you can stay, but I’ll be damned if I am going to have another witch involved around Jessica and not take precautions.”

“I think that’s a fair proposal.” I called out from behind Mikael’s shoulder, suddenly pissed about feeling like a schoolgirl who couldn’t see over the rest of the class. “Once you’ve said your peace you will be free to go. You have my word.”

“Very well, if that’s the way it must be. I suppose you have a secure location to put me?”

“As a matter of fact, we’ve been preparing.” My father announced stiffly. I hadn’t known anything about cells being prepared for a witch’s containment, but then again, this was my father’s pack lands, not mine. He was free to do as he saw fit. “Once you are secured, Jessica will follow.”

The witch nodded and allowed herself to be escorted out by my father, Mikael, and Mac. Avery and two others stayed behind with me. The men were only gone with the woman for two minutes before my mom came bursting through the door to the meeting hall. “Jess, you need to come with me.”

“Mom, we have a little crisis going on right now, I can’t.”

“Well, it’s about the whole reason you’re all gathered here.” That piqued everyone’s interest. Damn it, she needed to learn a bit more decorum when delivering news around the foreign pack leaders.

“What is it?” I asked while moving my mother out into the hallway so that we couldn’t be overheard by so many ears.

“Annabelle sent word with one of the guards that she heard from Malachi. She said she will only talk to you about the details though, because you are the only one who is capable of making a deal for the information in exchange for her freedom.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Is everyone going to pop up out of the woodwork today wanting to make deals and telling me special stories? Fine.” I turned to look at Avery who had followed me, as he was considered my right-hand man during these meetings whenever my mate and father were not available. “I’m going with my mom really quick to see what this is all about. Let them know, I will be back to see to the witch as soon as this is taken care of.” Sierra popped her head in just then, and the minute she opened the door, the smell of oriental food sent my taste buds into overdrive. All I could do was salivate over the food I no longer had time to eat. I looked longingly at the bags she carried as it was brought in. “Enjoy your dinner.”

“I’m sure it will still be warm when you get back, honey.” My mother offered sympathetically.

“Seriously, Sierra just served up fresh, hot food to a room full of hungry werewolves, and you think there will be any left when I get back?”

“I can always make you something, if you like.” She looked guiltily between the door where the food had just disappeared and me. I ignored her offer because it annoyed me that my mother had to offer to cook for me because I couldn’t even find a moment to eat with everyone else. Once again, I felt as though I were being pulled in far too many directions all at once.

“Are Annabelle and Leanne still being held over at Betsy’s house?” I asked.

“Yes. It’s the most secure location outside of the cells. I think your father was hoping that if they were in a homier environment, they’d be more inclined to talk.”

“Well, looks like his plan may have worked then.” I offered. “I’ll swing by the house for something to eat as soon as I’m done. There’s no need for you to come with me.”

“Okay, Jess. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Once I was at Betsy’s place, my hackles went up, and I tensed, on alert. Something was not right. The guards that should have been stationed around the house were nowhere in sight. I thought, maybe since my mother had come to get me that she had them wait inside with the women. So, I went to knock on the door anyway. I waited for an answer, and Annabelle opened it with a sweet smile on her face. “Thank God, you came. I thought for sure you were just going to ignore my pleas.”

“I’m here. Now, tell me what’s going on, because I have some important things to get back to.”

“Oh, okay, well come in.” She slid out of the way, so I could pass by her to get inside the house.

No sooner had I taken a few steps inside, than Leanna came out of the shadows from somewhere off to the right and blew powder into my face that had been hidden in a ring she had on her finger. When I turned in her direction, I noticed two guards face down on the floor in the shadows, apparently victims of the same little trick. There was someone else in the shadows, but she was not a victim.

“You…” I didn’t get anything else out, because my world spun on its heels and tipped sideways all of a sudden. My body became an immobile brick, as I fell over, and wasn’t even able to catch myself. No one else in the room bothered to catch me either. I knew I would be aching if I could feel anything, but the lights were dimming, and everything sounded like it was suddenly coming from the end of a very deep, dark tunnel. As things grew quieter and darker, I wondered if I would be lucky enough to be rescued this time.

Surely, this time, my captors would just kill me and get it over with. Mikael’s face came to mind. His eyes lit up behind that gorgeous grin of his. His smile made me want to mimic it, but he wasn’t really there. His face faded, and I saw Ashley’s, and then my parents, the Reynolds family, even Jack’s wonderful visage graced my presence. It wasn’t so much my life flashing before my eyes as my loves. Everyone I ever cared about streamed in and out of my conscious thoughts before it all dimmed completely and I was swallowed whole by a numbing, black, nothingness.