Chapter 38: The Alpha Calls

A knock sounded loudly and startled Loriann from her baking. She wiped her hands on her apron and headed to the front door, wary. It was Keena.
“Keena? What are you doing here so late?” she asked and ushered the woman inside. She glanced behind her and saw that she was alone. “Where is your father?” he usually accompanied her anywhere she went, acting as chauffeur and bodyguard.
The girl was solemn as she let Loriann lead her to the kitchen. The warm smells of pumpkin pie drifted through the air, thick with spices and butter. Keena sat down, somehow still regal despite wearing a thick winter coat and jeans.
“We’ve received a message from one of the scouts. There seems to be a congregation of Red Hoods assembling at the Brochade’s. I am aware that they have arranged marriages for their children, however, something about this just isn’t sitting right with me. Why would so many be here when the wedding dates have not yet been set?” she asked Loriann. Loriann’s eyes took on a calculated gleam.
“They mean to attack would be my guess. I’m assuming that they know about Willow and Garin,” she replied flatly and leaned against the counter. She wasn’t looking forward to a battle. Her fighting days were over. She hadn’t fought since before Willow was even born. But she would fight if her family and pack were threatened. She had no choice.
“I didn’t think they knew, though unless they have spies of their own,” Loriann mused, playing the events of the past few weeks back in her mind. She didn’t think that they would have kept tabs on Garin once he left town unless they were following Willow.
“Sadly, we believe it was one of our own that tipped them off that the relationship was still going,” Keena said and pulled some folded papers from her jacket pocket. She slid them across the counter to Loriann. There were a dozen images of a dark-haired man walking to and from the Brochade estate. A few were of him placing something onto their door.
“Lyall?” Loriann growled, already knowing it was him. Keena nodded once.
“The scout believed that he recognized him. We sent a few deputies down to go collect him, but his father said that he hasn’t seen him in weeks. The last place he was seen in person was at my home. He reported Willow and Garin to the council.” Keena replied.
Loriann saw red. She should have hunted him down the second she smelled his foul scent in her home. Keena watched as the older woman’s eyes glowed and she somehow seemed to grow larger without shifting her shape. She would have made an intimidating alpha, Keena thought, feeling slightly traitorous towards her mother.
“When was this?” Loriann asked, her lips pressed into a tight line.
“A week or so,” Keena said. “Why?”
“That is around the time that he broke into my home,”
“What?” Keena declared and stood, her own eyes flashing. “So, he has been breaking laws left and right it seems. Why didn’t you tell us?”
“With the Willow situation, it seemed not as pressing. Plus, I was planning on handling it myself at a later date.”
“Ah,” Keena replied, not pressing for more answers. Alphas were allowed to dole out their own justice on certain matters of hearth and home without consult from the council. “That aside, as we have other matters, I came to inform you that we will be having an emergency council tomorrow evening. We are going to be prepared for them. My mother suggested that you come to stay with us. She believes that your house will be targeted.”
“I’ll think about the offer and I will be at the meeting,” Loriann replied. She would have to call Willow and make her go as well if she hadn’t already left the state. Keena nodded curtly.
“Stay safe. We have posted a watch over you. You should be able to sleep safely tonight,” With that Keena left, showing herself out.
Loriann sat down heavily at the counter, her head in her hands.
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“So… your mother,” Willow began as she and Garin ate breakfast at the cozy restaurant a few blocks from his house. He wiped the syrup from his face and looked up at her.
“What about her?” he inquired, his eyebrows raised. Willow pulled the leather tome from her bag and set it on the table.
“Did you know?” she asked and flipped to the tabbed page. He glanced over at the page and blanched.
“Your grandmother explained that she was dangerous. I didn’t realize how dangerous until she gave me that book to read. You know my dad gave me a similar book about you? Well, not just you but your entire family.” He responded. It was her turn to look quizzical.
“Oh? Can I read it?” Garin shrugged.
“If you’d like. It’s chock full of anti-wolf propaganda. It also has your family tree.” He remarked.
“Does it…have my father’s name?” she queried, nervously. Garin took a deep drink of his coffee before replying. He leaned forward slightly; his hands clasped in front of him.
“That is the weird part. His name is completely scratched out, nearly ripped from the page. I have it at my house if you want to take a look at it. Maybe if you take it to your grandmother, she will tell you more,” he said and reached for her pale hands. They were cold.
“Maybe,” she murmured. She was staring out the window, her mind miles away. He rubbed his thumb against her knuckles softly, leaving her to her thoughts. Suddenly, Willow’s head jerked, and her eyes flared.
“Are you okay?” Garin exclaimed and jumped up, sliding into the chair next to hers. She was shaking slightly, her eyes burning bright in the weak morning light. He wrapped his arms around her and felt something weird happening. Her muscles were moving underneath her skin, sliding, and tensing as if they were liquefied. Horrified, he dropped his arms and moved away.
Come. Come to me. Come. A deep voice tore through her mind, shrouding her. She felt the pull. She knew where she needed to be. She saw flashes of trees, smelled the sharp tang of freshly spilled sap. She saw Rashida, sitting atop her throne, beckoning to her. Her beautiful dark face regal and commanding, her yellow eyes gleaming.
She took a few shuddering breaths as her body jerked and twitched. Gulping for air and grasping control, she finally stilled. Garin glanced around. Thankfully, the café was nearly empty, and no one had noticed her spasms.
Willow felt as if she were going to retch. Her fingers grasped the edge of the table as the breaths racked her body. Garin tentatively laid a hand on her back but she jerked away, moving faster than he could see. His hand hovered awkwardly in the air between them.
When she looked up at him, he drew back again with a sharp intake of breath.
“Your eyes,” he stammered. While still yellow, they were changed. They weren’t the eyes of a human. They were now the eyes of a wolf, wary and predatory.
“What happened?” he asked, keeping his distance.
“The alpha is calling,” she panted.