She couldn’t quite hold back her tears then, tears of relief. He was a zealot, she understood. Werewolf advancement at the expense of all others, she knew the type . . . but if he was willing to advance her, Jude decided she didn’t much care.
“You can take her tonight?” Lux’s voice was an urgent shiver at the back of her neck, and her stomach clenched at the implication.
“Wait . . . You-you’re coming with me, right? You promised.”
“I’mnot taking her anywhere.“ Jack Hemming frowned at the shadow in the corner. “She needs to walk through our doors on her own volition.”
“Dad, maybe we could — “
“We leave the question of legality up to your brother,” he cut in sharply. “He does what he does for a reason. Do you think I want to go through another circus like the one we just wrapped up? I won’t put the foundation in jeopardy that way, and Gray would hunt us down if we tried.”
The younger man’s mouth pressed in a flat line of acceptance, but his dark brows had drawn together again.
“Perhaps you missed our little exchange a few minutes ago, but she shouldn’t be around any other wolves once she goes into heat, not unless she wants to be bred and bonded. So if you have a plan for getting her out of here, I would prepare to enact it as quickly as possible.”
Jack Hemming hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering from Jude to the corner, and she could almost see the question he wanted to ask, the puzzle he was slotting together in his head. “You know, itisa multi-species town. Everyone is welcome. She’s smart and resilient, I can tell that already. She won’t need our help for long. She’ll be in her own place in no time, and then . . .“ He trailed off, raising his hand to motion at the air between the two of them.
“My kind are very rarely welcome anywhere, Mr. Hemming.”
“That’s not true,” the younger man interjected. “There’s a shadow person in town who owns a business right off Main Street, a little tea shop.” His eyes moved to Jude, dark and sparkling, giving her an encouraging smile. “I’ve been there with my girlfriend. It’s a really weird place, but it does a good business. It’s a nice town. And hey, we’ll be neighbors. I’m at the firehouse most of the week, right in the center of town, just ask for Trapp. The wolves where we’re from . . . we stick together, we all have the other’s back. You don’t have to worry about pack bullshit.”
“Your girlfriend is a werewolf too?”
He looked abashed for a brief moment, giving his father a sidelong look before returning Jude’s smile again.
“She’s actually a human. So if you ever want company during the full moon, there’s a whole support group.”
“A human?!” she exclaimed, shocked at the revelation, especially considering his father’s earlier words.
The man shrugged, rolling his eyes.
“I have six sons, they couldn’t all be winners. Don’t hold it against me, Jude.”
She almost missed his next words in her audacious laughter, but they were directed to the corner once more.
“Obviously I’m not in a position to hold judgment against anyone else, and it’s clear that if you were not in the line of business in which you are currently employed, you’d not have been here as a witness to intervene on her behalf. It’s funny the way fate works sometimes, isn’t it? But this is your opportunity to change your own circumstances for the better as well, Mr. . . Lux, was it? There is room for everyone in our community. But if you’re not coming with her to help her improve her life and the caliber of people in it, then it would be best for all concerned parties if you stayed away.”
Lux said nothing, and her stomach twisted as Jack Hemming turned away, scanning the room slowly.
“Well, what do you think?” he addressed his son. “Enjoying your first taste of pack negotiation?”
“I think you should have brought Grayson,” the younger man gritted out. “He has the stomach for this. I just want to rip someone’s fucking throat out.” He hesitated, cocking his head, eyes narrowing at his father before rolling his head dramatically, and Jude grinned. If the werewolves in this new town were anything like this dark-haired man, she might actually get along with her own kind, for the first time in her life.
“. . . And that’s why you brought me instead,” he finished his thought, scowling at his father.
Jack Hemming shrugged, and she swallowed down her laughter.
“I love it when they figure out the plot without needing hints,” he said to Jude with a grin, clapping his son on the back. “Gray can’t get his hands dirty with this anymore. Just think, if youwere busy in surgery somewhere, you wouldn’t need to get your hands dirty either.”
“Oh yeah,” his son snorted. “Then who would have been your muscle? Owen?”
“We’re going to need to come clean in the morning, you know. We don’t keep secrets this big, especially not about this.”
“Yeah, and she’s going to lose her fucking mind,” his son grumbled. “I’ll tell the boys to keep the ambulance ready for you. Do you even see anyone you recognize outside the family?”
Jude sat up when she realized they were talking about the Contis, Vin and his father.
“Maybe a few? It’s been too many years. I’m not even sure which cousins are the ones in control now. I thought we might see your namesake, but he always had a big mouth. Too many opinions. He was probably kept far away from a beggar’s ball like this.”
