Even though Grace meant to be reassuring, it just makes everyone look over their shoulders even more as we imagine unknown wolves stalking us through the mist.
Suddenly, a yellow light above the door of the hall lights up, and everyone jumps. Lights come on up and down the rough little street, and Alisha breathes a sigh of relief.
“Okay, so they have timed streetlights,” she says. “They aren’t total savages.”
“I don’t see what one has to do with the other,” I mutter.
The lights coming on have only made the surrounding shadows seem deeper, and I’m now searching the surroundings even harder than I was before.
It’s weird that there is no one to greet us, but even weirder that there’s no everyday, ordinary noise.
A scuffle of footsteps up the path makes the entire party swing around as one and look up the street. I can see a tall, thin man walking awkwardly as if he’s pulling something behind him, and a small group of men behind him.
Tension seems to run through all of us at the same time, and I know all of us are ready to fight.
“Jackson?” Rex calls, stepping forward away from the group. “Is that you?”
“Alpha Rex!” the man calls, jogging towards us with a smile on his face. Behind him, a small group of men and what looks like two women follow closely.
“Glad you could make it,” Jackson says, shaking Rex’s hand. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to greet you. We just had a bit of excitement at home.”
“No trouble at all,” Rex says, smiling the fakest smile I’ve ever seen. “Good to see you!”
I sometimes forget Rex was the best double agent in WS history. Jackson is eating this shit up, but I know Rex—he’s ready to rip this guy’s throat out at the slightest provocation.
“Even better to see you,” Jackson replies, buttering up his tone. “I am sorry, truly. I wanted to have a meal prepared for you and a proper welcoming party, but we are so low on resources, and our people have been so disheartened since the loss of Talon.”
“For that, we are eternally sorry,” Alisha says, stepping forward and offering him her hand. “I am Alisha, the luna of Eccles, and I was involved in the attack and personally responsible for some of those deaths.”
Jackson’s face goes through an interesting change of emotions as she speaks, and when he reaches out to take her hand, I don’t like the look in his eyes at all.
“A luna who is involved in diplomatic matters and in battle,” Jackson says. “A great honor to meet you, dear lady, and the fault is ours for attacking instead of initiating contact in a more peaceful way.”
“It might not have mattered,” Alisha says. “Eccles have been grounded in some pretty rough ways themselves, and there is a good chance any overture from you would have been metwith slaughter. I am here to assure you, though, we aim to mend the old ways and bring all the surrounding packs together in peace and prosperity.”
“Long may you reign,” Jackson says, bowing his head a little. “I am beyond honored to be striking an alliance with such fine people.”
The longer Jackson speaks, the less I like him. I also find it strange that his group is hanging back like they don’t want to introduce themselves.
“We had a long day of travel,” Brad says. “Do you have a place for us to stay, and something to eat?”
“You’ll find all that we can spare waiting for you in the hall with some bedding and bunks,” Jackson says. “Although the new alpha may immediately move into Talon’s residence, if you would like to introduce him?”
Jackson’s eyes sweep around the group, and even though part of me wants to sink into the shadows, a bigger part of me wants to pound this guy into jerky.
“That would be Shawn,” Rex says, gesturing to me as I step forward.
Jackson focuses his eyes on me, and I see a flash of something cold in his blue eyes before his smile wipes it away.
That’s it. I was already committed here, but now I have to know what this bastard’s up to. He’s rotten to the core, and I can fucking smell it!
“Alpha Shawn,” Jackson says, nodding and shaking my hand. “Long may you prosper. It is so wonderful to have a strong alpha in position here!”
“Your last was not strong?” I ask softly.
“Oh, he was,” Jackson almost gushes. “But we live rough out here—we don’t have access to supply chains or trade. We begged Talon to give us contact with the outside world, but he refused. Convincing him to take some more territory, just to increase our resources, was extremely difficult.”
“I see,” I answer, nodding.
