Free Werewolf Nights (The Pack Trilogy Book 2) by Chanel Smith Page A

werewolf?”
    “Oh, come off it, Chen. The brand has been solid for more than a century,” Raya pointed out. “As for how I found out, give me a break. You haven’t made any efforts whatsoever to hide that business from me and you know it. For two centuries you needed help financing your pack, and all of a sudden I start receiving regular checks paying off the debt. No explanation of anything, they just appeared in the mail. Then back in the 30’s you had that outrageous housewarming party, remember? And we got a look at your new digs. Petra even nicknamed it Tara! How am I not supposed to know you have a successful new business?”
    “I wondered if you picked up anything when I finally paid off our debt,” Chen said, a grin in his voice. “You never said a word, though.”
    “Figured you wanted it on the down low for a reason. Did get curious enough to fly out to Kentucky long before you got Tara, when you were living in that subdivision house. It was simple. Followed you to work one day, and I could smell that place miles before we arrived. The minute I saw that name I knew. Owlinmoon Fine Bourbon? Oh, that’s sneaky, all right. Owl… in… moon? Even the logo was tricky with the night bird in front of the full moon, with the shadow of the howling wolf on the mountain peak in the background. You tricky Chinese.”
    Chen sobered.
    “I never meant to hide it from you. Not you. But you never said anything, so I didn’t think you knew. I should have known better, eh?”
    “Do you keep any at Tara?” Raya wondered.
    “You’d best believe it. I have hundreds of cases of our finest years stored in a couple of cellars. Got a case I’ve been saving for you, too.”
    “The Rats will be happy as hell to clean you out. Bet those cases would bring a small fortune at auction.”
    “Not small by any reach of the imagination. There are barrels in Tara’s depths that are a hundred years old; from our very first draft. Many from prohibition, several held back in my personal stock from every year that we worked to build that house,” Chen admitted. “You think the Rats know?”
    “No idea, but we’re not taking any chances. Especially now that I know I’ve got a personal interest in one of those priceless kegs!”
    “I need to go pack,” Petra mumbled as she shut her computer down.
    “The hell you do. You have to stay here. Think about it. The Rats hit New York, Pennsylvania, and now Tennessee. See that line on the map in your mind’s eye. What’s that mean to you?” Raya asked.
    Petra pouted, then suddenly saw what he meant. The Rats barreled through West Virginia and were crossing over to hit Kentucky! After Kentucky was Tennessee, and then only Mississippi stood between the Rats and Louisiana. They were coming a lot faster than expected.
    They’d be in New Orleans soon, far too soon.
    “Shit,” Petra said, mouth in a straight line.
    “Precisely,” Raya agreed. “Do whatever you need to, but get the Pack the hell out of here. We both know they’ll refuse to go, so use your imagination but get it done. I have a bad feeling about all of this, like there’s something we’re missing. Something huge.”
    “Raya, I was about to say the same thing to you. I can feel something headed our way, and it isn’t pretty.” She shuddered.
    He came around her desk, pulled her to her feet and kissed her with rising passion. Then he pulled himself away and headed for the door. She whimpered in protest.
    “If I keep that up, I’ll never get out of here,” he shot over his shoulder, a mischievous smile spreading over his lips.
     
    ***
     
    Later that afternoon, Petra stood at the end of a table in the Heureuse Manor conference room, addressing the pack. She told them about the Rats and their accelerated timetable, and that they had to evacuate for their own safety.
    She was laughed out of the room, much to her chagrin.
    “What did you expect?” Andre said quietly when the others had left. “This has been our den