“Wait! Actually, under pack charter, any pack member or guest has the right to see a healer,” Grant barked at him.
“It’s true,” Juliette said loudly. The other Elders nodded, some with relief, some reluctantly.
“Then I will accompany her.” Jerrold angrily moved towards Leota, and she flinched.
“Sorry.” Grant grinned fiercely. “Under pack charter, the healer–patient bond is sacred, and the patient has the right to consult with the healer in privacy.”
Taylor stifled a laugh behind her hand. He’d done it. She had no idea how he’d coordinated this with Anita and Leota, but he’d done it.
Leota hurried over to Anita, who put her arm around her protectively. They ran for Anita’s car.
Jerrold shouted with rage as Anita and Leota drove off with a screech of tires. His men had to hold him back, and he thrashed wildly in their grip.
“Phineas! My mate!” Jerrold’s face was bright red with fury.
“There’s nothing that I can do to help you,” Phineas said unhappily. “It is very clearly spelled out in the pack charter. When you are Alpha—”
“When I’m Alpha, I’ll have your head for this!” Jerrold shouted furiously.
Cliff smiled.
Jerrold quickly realized his error. He couldn’t afford to alienate any of the Elders who were on his side. Yes, he’d gained Oswald, but if he lost Phineas he’d lose his majority. “Forgive me,” he said stiffly. “I spoke out of turn. I have nothing but the deepest respect for you, Phineas.”
Phineas fixed him with an icy glare for a long moment, then turned and walked away without a word.
Jerrold spun around and fixed a murderous glare on Cliff. “I never hit her in the face. You set me up. I know you’re behind this, and when I win, every last one of you will be sobbing for death after I have my way with you.”
But nothing could wipe the grin of triumph off Taylor’s face.
Chapter Eighteen
That night Cliff, Chantelle and Taylor sat around a picnic table in the garden, with Rusty and Truman sitting on separate benches and watching Chantelle. The hedges of rose bushes were in full bloom and perfumed the night breeze. There were fairy lights strung up in the trees, and their faint glow lent the garden a magical air. So did the fact that Cliff had repeatedly changed from wolf to human for the past half hour, for Chantelle’s benefit.
Serafina and her brothers were there, hanging back and watching, fascinated by the new visitor.
“So. Werewolf.” Chantelle stared at Cliff as if she expected him to grow a second head. “Werewolves are real, Taylor is going to turn into a werewolf, and she’s been working for a werewolf company for the last year. People turn into animals.”
“Would you like to me show you again?” Cliff asked helpfully, reaching to unbutton his shirt.
“Nah. It feels kind of inappropriate to be staring at Taylor’s naked boyfriend. Eight times was enough. I get it.”
“You still look kind of pale,” Taylor said, worried. “Did you take the Platinum pill?”
“Yes, I took the pill. I’ll be fine. If you’d been grabbed by that creep Jerrold, you’d be pale too.” Chantelle managed a smile. “You realize it’s going to be very hard to convince my parents not to freak out and call the cops when I tell them that I’m staying here for the next week and a half at least? They’re already worried about Taylor vanishing. They look on her as a second daughter.” She gave Taylor a slightly reproachful look. “Sometimes I think you’re the favorite child, in fact.”
“I’m sweeter than you – of course I’m the favorite. And I didn’t vanish. I called. I spoke to you on the phone. I texted you,” Taylor protested.
“Yeah, but it was still kind of abrupt and weird.”
“You can tell them that Taylor is getting married,” Cliff said. “And you’re here planning the wedding. Hint that she has to get married in a hurry – they’ll think she’s pregnant.”
“Huh.” Chantelle considered the idea. “That might potentially work. You’re not as dumb as you look.”
“I look dumb?” Cliff raised an eyebrow.
“Just because you’re so pretty. Life wouldn’t be fair if you were that hot and also intelligent.”
He shrugged, a hint of a smug smile tugging at his lips. “Well, we already know life’s not fair. So there you are.”
