Free Branches of the Willow 3 by Christine M. Butler

me.
    “Jessica.” He acknowledged.
    “Avery. What are you doing here? Has there been any word on Annalise?”
    “She’s fine, Jess. We found her. We also 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. “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 most 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 Malachai 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.
    “Here’s why. Avery’s lands have already been used as a hide-out before. He’s had problems with interlopers, trappers, 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 by all means, keep your resources to yourselves and your mouths shut. I don’t begrudge anyone choices. I have my own to make too.”
    Mac nodded in my direction. “I’ll put some of my boys on it first thing.”
    “Well, 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 simply.
    “He’s one of Freedman’s.” My father snarled as he stood, stalking closer to the man who had spoken.
    Mikael stood beside me, a threatening growl burst from him, the likes of which I had never heard from him before. I put my hand on his to calm him, and I stood too.
    “An invitation wasn’t extended to your pack.” My father seethed 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 this 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. Basically saying I’ wasn’t wolf enough to take him on, or anyone else. 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 word brought me a step closer around that table. “Do not ever mistake my kindness or diplomacy for weakness.” The power oozed from me now, 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 here.” I was right next to him now, the stink rolling off of him just as offensive as anything he had said to me thus far. He tried to stand up to me, but I shoved him back down