Someone else knocked on her door and she got up with a little hesitation. She was enjoying Greg’s company. “I will be right back,” she told him, taking another drink of her coffee and walking towards the front door.
She frowned slightly when she opened it to find none other than James Lacrosse standing there. “What’s up?” she asked, moving aside to let him in.
The next day James and Tony hit some more local hot spots, but the cold rainy weather meant very few people were out and about. It was Sunday afternoon; James shook off the rain from his jacket and entered the diner where he’d eaten at on Friday. The mummer of the diner quieted and people turned to look at him. It flared his irritation and he wanted so badly to shout at all of them to turn around and stick their noses in their own business, instead he walked over to the large corner booth where Tony, Lacy, and their mates sat.
“Hey everyone,” he greeted as he sat down next to Lacy. Chris held out his hand and James took it for a moment then released it.
“Heya James, nice to see ya,” Chris greeted with a laid-back ease that surprised James a little since obviously laid back or ease didn’t describe the typical reaction he got from people. James hadn’t spoken to the werewolf much, but he decided Chris wasn’t too bad. He wondered how a werewolf from California ended up all the way at the east coast. Either way, he and Lacy seemed to be really good together. He better be good to her, James thought. She was like a sister to him and anyone who hurt her would have to deal with him.
“You too, Romeo,” James told him with a small smile and Chris laughed.
“Nah, I am way better than Romeo,” he replied with a wink and Lacy rolled her eyes at him, a hint of a smile on her lips. James’s smile grew as he started to sort out the scents in the diner like he had Friday night and the previous day. Their waitress walked up to the table, visibly shaking, and stood as far from James as she possibly could.
“W-what c-can I g-get you t-today?” she stuttered eyeing James as if he was a rabid animal that would jump for her throat at any moment. Everyone started to give their orders when the waitress accidentally brushed up against Tony. Liz growled at the already rattled girl.
“Watch it, girl,” Liz threatened her. “Don’t touch my man again if you don’t want to get hurt,” she snarled and James swore the waitress nearly fainted from fright.
“Liz relax,” Tony demanded placing his arm around her shoulders to keep her calm. When she started to complain, he gave her a quick peck that seemed to calm her down and James couldn’t be happier that he didn’t have to deal with that crap. Despite his moments of feeling lonely, he really did hope to hell that he was too changed for a mate. He didn’t need that possessive clinginess that came with mates or just women in general.
They always thought they could change him and mold him to be just like every werewolf out there. That just wasn’t happening. James was always honest with the women he got involved with and made sure they knew it would never be serious or anything more than casual sex. They never listened though and would always expect more. Of course, they’d then blame him when he wouldn’t give them that.
James smirked as a different waitress brought out their food. This one wasn’t safe from the jealous possessiveness of Liz either. The dark haired beauty glared at the waitress as if they were mortal enemies. When the woman placed the plate in front of James she didn’t shake like the earlier one, but she stank of fear that almost caused James to choke.
“You sure do make an impression on people don’t you,” Chris joked and Lacy slapped him in the arm with a scolding look.
“Yeah, comes in handy when you don’t want to stand in line,” James joked back and now Lacy shook her head at him with a slight smile.
“That’s just horrible James,” she told him lightly.
“Hey, I have to find a silver lining somewhere,” he replied. They ate lunch and chatted about this and that while James idly continued to search the scents. He sighed in frustration, just like Friday and Saturday he wasn’t finding the werewolf involved in the kidnappings and the break in.
Monday morning James parked his bike in the driveway of the Roberts’ home, his mood dark with frustration. He had spent the rest of Sunday revisiting old sites and was sure he hadn’t missed a single member of the pack, but the werewolf remained unidentified. Sandy greeted him warmly and he tried to greet her with the same warmth, but he was simply too angry to put much effort into it. “Andrew is waiting for you in his office James,” she told him with an understanding tone.
“Thanks, Sandy,” he told her with a quick hug and walked down the hall towards the Alpha’s office. He knocked on the door and Andrew called him in. James plopped down in the chair of the alpha’s office and relayed the disappointing news to him. When he was finished he leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling, aggravated with the situation.
“Well, this proves that there are at least two involved,” the alpha stated with a tired grave tone. He hoped like hell whoever they were and whatever they were doing it didn’t lead to a pack war. Pack wars were always bloody, usually resulting in many more innocent deaths than need be, the losing pack’s alpha family was usually always murdered including the children. That was something James didn’t even want to think about.
“The question is how we find these bastards before they hurt anyone else?” James growled as he looked at Andrew again.
“I don’t know James, but right now I can’t help but think of another problem. Would you mind doing me a favor?” the alpha replied.
“That’s what I am here for Alpha,” James respectfully told him, feeling curious at what he was going to ask.
“I haven’t yet heard back from Greg since he was sent to keep an eye out on Lily yesterday. Can you please make sure she didn’t silver him to a chair or something like that?” he asked. James remembered Greg Malcolm, he was an omega werewolf that had a bad tendency to tremble and nearly piss his pants with the tiniest of frights. James managed to contain a laugh at the idea of poor Greg going up against that human. Then he frowned and leaned forward to rest his hands on his thighs.
“Why did you send Greg?” he asked, wondering why he’d ever send Greg if he really feared for her safety. The guy would faint at the mere thought of going up against another werewolf.
“Because he is the most patient man I have ever met and if anyone can get her to give up something she doesn’t want to it will be him,” the Alpha explained with a tone that suggested James shouldn’t even have asked. James nodded and got up from his chair.
“I will head over there right now,” he told the alpha.
“Thank you, James,” Andrew replied, handing him a piece of paper with her address on it.