Tasting The Enemy

Azaire POV

I took the motorbike to the mansion. Oliver’s car was parked out front. Good, I hadn’t seen that bastard in a while. I’d been too busy with Elaine to hunt him down.

“Look, I’ve got a source who says the wolf enhancers are going to the Evangeline Hotel in Black Claw territory,” I said.

“Must be a good source,” Oliver muttered.

I cast him a deadly glare but the bastard couldn’t be bothered.

My uncle stood from the round table and stared at the map. The red dots represented the spots where the wolf enhancers had popped up. The old man ruled as Alpha since our Father died mysteriously or was killed as I like to think. During his time nothing like this happened. This is Richie’s first big test and everyone’s looking to him to protect the pack.

“What do you propose we do Richie?” Uncle Damien asked and everyone stared at my little brother.

Richie hadn’t sat down. The increasing numbers were getting to him. We went from the only pack in the area without wolf enhancers circulating to having the most numbers. Megan wasn’t here because she was out scouting the area. Ross was out there with her hopefully they came back with something like a bastard we can pummel until he speaks.

“There’s nothing we can do. We don’t have anything tangible to go on.”

“Bullshit!” Oliver blasted. “We should just go to Black Claw, stake out until the next shipment it’s simple.”

“It’s not simple. Black Claw wants a war with us and something as small as that could spark conflict. A war is the last thing we need,” Ross countered.

“But-” Oliver started.

“Enough!” Uncle Damien shouted. “Richie’s the Alpha and he’s spoken. Azaire, is your source sure about what they told you?”

I never doubted my source. I could be biased because I was crazy about her.

“More than sure.”

“Perhaps, a closer look at the Black Claw territory won’t hurt,” Uncle said.

Richie nodded. “Don’t engage. Last thing we need is conflict.”

“Yeah, I’ll go with Nigel and Kareem,” Oliver said.

I stepped in front of him. “No, I’ll do it.”

Oliver’s nostrils flared. “You? Where’ve you been all this time? You’re not reliable lately, Azaire. You’re missing training, meetings and most of the missions.”

“You don’t get to question me but I get to question you about the wolf enhancers that went missing at the neutral territory.”

“I told you there was nothing there. You wouldn’t know what we found. You weren’t there.”

“We were sure that site had the drug.”

“Hey!” Richie barked. “Enough, the meeting’s over.”

Oliver tugged on his jacket and marched out with the rest of the participants.

Richie’s hand landed on my shoulder and I knew what this was about.

“He’s right you know. What the hell is wrong with you lately?”

“Oliver’s never right,” I grumbled.

“He is about this. Where’s your head at?”

I held my brother’s stare. My relationship with Elaine’s gotten in the way of my duties as pack beta but I couldn’t discard what we had. My brother wouldn’t understand either. Lucas was barely keeping his mouth shut about us.

“It’s right here, Richard.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

He clenched his jaw. “Fine. You and I are staking out the Black Claw territory tonight. Since you’ve got trust issues now.”

He brushed passed me. Elaine should be home from her house-hunting trip. I pulled out my phone to call her and ask what she wanted for lunch but before I could dial tyres screeching distracted me.

“What now?” I grumbled.

Opal’s mini Cooper car parked crookedly next to Richie’s truck. My heart dropped. Where’s Elaine?

We met in the middle. The blood on her forehead made me panic, the mud on her clothes put my wolf in kill mode. I could barely control him. He was on the edge of my skin. Our mate was in danger.

“What happened, Opal? What the hell?”

“I…I… we… damn it.” Tears stained her eyes.

I was never good at dealing with girl tears.

“Alright, relax. Start from the beginning…uh…”

“We were driving and this car was following us! We didn’t stand a chance. I should have. I’m a stronger wolf than that, Azaire.”

“I’m sure you are, Opal-”

“But he still got the better of me and he took Elaine.”

My wolf came to the edge of my skin again, urging me to shift and search the earth for our mate.

“Azaire, what’s going on- You? Again?” Richie pointed at Opal.

I ran a hand down my face. I didn’t have time for this.

“You think I wanted to come here?!” Opal shouted.

Richie brushed passed me to confront Opal but he realized she’d been attacked and his features changed.

“You were attacked. Were you attacked on my land?”

Opal glanced at me. I wanted to know too!

“Uhm, I guess so. Does it matter?”

“It does if it was done on my soil! What’s going on with you two? This is the second time she’s been here and it’s two times too many for a Black Claw wolf.”

I ran a hand down my face. These two were going to kill me.

“N-nothing! We have something serious to take care of,” Opal snapped.

“No, you’re not welcome here and you won’t talk to my beta.”

I grabbed my brother by the front of his shirt and shoved him towards the house. I wasn’t getting anywhere with these two. I wrapped an arm around Opal’s shoulders and guided her back to her car.

“Details now,” I ordered.

Richie wouldn’t leave it alone.

He stepped in front of the vehicle.

“Alright, what the hell’s going on?”

“Alpha Neel attacked us now… my cousin’s missing. I think she’s been taken back to her Dad’s house,” Opal explained

I clenched my jaw. That’s the last place I wanted her to be. But knowing Neel touched my mate infuriated me more. If it weren’t for Richie holding my last resolve together I would have run through a mountain.

“Cousin? Do you mean Elaine? Laiken’s daughter? But like don’t you live right next door to her?”

Opal frowned at stared at me. “He’s not very bright is he?”

“I’m still the Alpha,” Richie smirked.

Opal rolled her eyes. “I can’t get through to her Azaire.”

“Fuck. Richie, you’ve got things to do let me handle this.”

Richie shook his head. Damn it these guys can be so stubborn.

I grabbed his shirt and growled. My wolf shone through my eyes and my claws cut through his shirt.

“You’re going to go back inside and you won’t ask me anything else. Got it?”

Years of roughhousing didn’t faze Richie but then realization kicked in.

“You’re a screwed man, aren’t you?”

“Not as badly as you’re going to be if you don’t fuck off.”

“Are we leaving or what? Because this happened hours ago and I’m sure Elaine’s not liking it.”

Richie shrugged me off. “You’re not going to burst into Black Claw territory unarmed.”

“She’s in there. I’m not unarmed. I might as well be an entire army to those guys if she’s not with me in the next hour.”

Richie straightened his now torn shirt. “I can’t believe I’m helping you do this. I’m going with you.”

“But you’re the Alpha of our rival pack,” Opal said, crossing her arms.

“Yeah, but Azaire’s still my brother. That’s more important. I need details on the drive there.”

***

Opal sat in the back while I drove to Black Claw territory. I was still trying to digest my brother’s reaction to my involvement with Elaine. He was smarter than the rest of us. He knew he might literally lose a limb if he tried to stop me.

“What’s the plan?” Opal scooted forward.

“We can’t go in and find out if she’s there but you can,” Richie said.

“Sure I can’t just bust in there and get her out?” I suggested.

“Again we don’t want conflict with these guys. When you see her let Elaine know we’re here.”

I parked outside Opal’s family mansion. Far enough not to alert the guards. If my mate came back to me with as much as a scratch, I’d bring down this entire pack. I wouldn’t stop until Laiken’s blood was on my hands. He should treasure his daughter but he treated her like a piece of shit.

“Fine, I’ll try.” Opal popped the back door open.

“And Opal, you might want to clean up first.”

Opal frowned. “You’re charming, Richie.”

Richie flashed her his best playboy smile. Opal left and trotted to the Alpha’s house. I hammered my fist on the door.

“Damn it.”

“Dude, why didn’t you tell me about this? You didn’t think it was important?”

“Because I didn’t think it was a good idea to tell you my fated mate is the sister of the guy who killed our brother. Lucas didn’t like it.”

“Damn, even Lucas knew before me! Now I’m offended.”

I shut my eyes and groaned.

“Did you think I’d make you reject her? Elaine was a kid when Aiden was killed. My beef’s with Nik and Laiken. It has nothing to do with her.”

Richie was better than me because I put that entire family in the same basket then she came along and now she’s the only thing I think about.

“Does she know her brother is a killer?”

I clenched my jaw. “No.”

“How?”

“Laiken runs pretty good propaganda.”

“What’s she going to think when you tell her Nik killed our brother and her Father let him get away with it?”