Chapter 3

ELIZABETH'S POV

I sit on the sofa eating cereal with my eyes glued to the television but my brain isn't processing what my eyes are seeing. I keep seeing him, sitting there with that smirk on his face, his eyes looking at me like he knows everything about me. The annoyance starts to build until I hear a knock on the door. I can already tell who it is. I can feel the ridiculous energy and excitement that fills her every time. I roll my eyes but a part of me is happy as well.

I walk to the door, open it and I see Evelyn standing there with a bright smile on her face.

"Hey!" She squeals, practically bouncing on her feet. I know her well enough to understand that there isn't anything in particular that is making her this excited. The world is just roses and daffodils for her.

"How are you, Eve?" I ask. She hugs me or at least tries to as she manages the packages she is carrying.

"What is all that?" I ask, gesturing to what she is carrying. She looks at it like she is just realizing that she is carrying it then she looks back up at me.

"What do you think it is? I am cooking today. I mean. I am sure you have been eating way too much pizza and the occasional restaurant. You have become so thin!" She exclaims as she walks past me. I watch her with an amused look on my face as she walks in. Ah well, a little cooking wouldn't be so bad.

Evelyn is whistling to herself as she chips the vegetables. I would have offered but I would probably choo my finger riff and she would get to see it regrow. There are just parts of my life I can't share but there are things I want to discuss. I know it would be extremely difficult to go live with my aunt but I know Marcus to be a snake.

"Eve?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"You are already asking. Go ahead, shoot," she says to me.

"Say you got a job offer but it was from a douche that you don't actually like and your choices are rather slim, would you take it?" I ask and she looks at me then narrows her eyes.

"Oh my God, you got a job offer? My, I didn't think you'd ever get another job after how the last one ended. Tell me, where is it? How much are they paying? I hope they have dental…"

"Hey, Eve? Calm down. Focus," I say to her. She pauses and inhales deeply then she stares at me for a while.

"I just said that I don't like the person making the offer."

"What does that matter? He is offering a job, not a one night stand or a relationship and you could use the money. I don't think you want to move back to your aunt's place. She is a sweet soul but you know she won't be happy supporting your twenty five year old ass," she says.

She stares at me with those bright green eyes, her lips pressed firmly shut.

"You know I don't like it when you do that."

"You don't like it when I do what?"

"That. I don't like your art of silent persuasion."

"Is it working?" She asks. I sigh.

"He is Marcus Harrington," I say to her and her eyes widen. She opens her mouth to speak then she shuts it and shakes her head.

"Wow, that's a…that's a handful. I mean, isn't that the guy you just led the protest against recently? The same guy you forced to speak with you and agree to your terms?" She asks and I nod.

"Technically I didn't force him. He outplayed me but he conceded as an act of good faith according to him. I mean, this feels like a trap," I say but she shakes her head.

"No, this is actually good. The mere fact that he is offering you a job means that he is already aware of your…tendencies and think those may be an asset. I think this one may actually last," she says to me. I blow breath through puffed cheeks then I shrug.

"You really think so?" I ask. She nods.

"Positive. I think you should take the job and if he is offering it by himself then it means that the pay would be off the charts," she says. I nod slowly and sigh.

"I refused to take his card."

Evelyn slaps her forehead.

"You will have to request a meeting with him, then. I don't see any other way you can do this. You have to swallow that pride of yours and get this bread," she says to me. I stand there for a while then I finally nod.

"I know it would probably make that pompous prick happier than he has been this year but I guess I have to go talk to him," I say and she nods.

"Now go into the parlor and wait for your food. You must be hungry," she says. My stomach grumbles at the same time and we both laugh.

MARCUS'S POV

I watch the rain pound the glass and take a glass of whiskey as I hear the footsteps walking in. I turn to see Elliott standing there in his thick jacket, dripping water on the marbled ground. I look at it then back up at him.

"What if those were the Persian rugs? Barbarian," I mutter. He shakes his head.

"Doesn't matter. We'll replace them."

"Extravagance. I like it. Now, I know you don't want to just come and share a drink with your big brother. What is the matter?" I ask.

He pours himself a glass then raises it to me and pours it down his throat.

"Barbarian," I mutter again. He shrugs.

"It is the Red moon pack. My people have received reports that they wish to enter the car business. They have acquired Voltec and they are making a new hybrid car. You know what that means?" He asks.

"Ah, Dona is expanding her enterprise?" I ask and she shakes his head in frustration.

"She is reaching into ours. There was a peace pact fifty years ago which stipulated the businesses they should never be allowed to enter but they are and they have also been known to sometimes reach into our territory. They are growing bold, brother. I don't feel good about it," he says.

I take another sip of my drink then sit down and lean back on my chair.

"Dona has the tendency to become a little bit…overzealous. She has the tendency to overreach and it is in times like this that she must be reminded of certain things. I will make time to pay her a visit and we will discuss this matter you have brought to me," I say to Elliot. He nods but I notice a little hesitation.

"What is the matter, Elliot?"

"I want to be the one to go," He says to me. I stare at him for a while, wondering if he is ready to handle such a thing. He may just lose his temper and blow everything to dust but I have refused him far too many times.

"I will go but you will come with me. She is an alpha. She must be given the courtesy of my presence," I say and he grits his teeth.

"She doesn't deserve anything," he growls.

"She does," I maintain and lean back in my chair.

"I expected her to call by now," I mutter.

"Dona?" Elliott asks. I shake my head.

"Someone else," I say.

The door opens and Anna dashes in. Her eyes are wide and her breathing is coming in gasps. I sit up to look at her, my senses already alert for any danger.

"Anna?" I say quietly.

"Come outside. Come outside now," she says to me.

I stand then I start walking outside with my brother close behind me. I can already smell blood in the air and I think that I have an inkling what it is. I try to put that thought away as I enter the corridor leading outside and that is when I see them standing there. I stop and my brother stops behind me.

"By the fucking moon," he mutters behind me and I can sense his anger start to soar. The men lying on the ground have been battered and cut up in ways that I shudder to think of. I walk to the one who seems to be the least hurt among them and he looks at me with one eyeless socket and the other so full of blood that I think it might explode at any time. I place a hand on his shoulder and speak quietly to him.

"My friend. What happened to you?" I ask even as I can see the blood seeping from their wounds. It would seem that they forced them to ingest wolfsbane, rendering them incapable of healing as fast as they normally should. I start to feel the anger within me as well but I hold it close to my chest and try not to be overwhelmed by it.

"The red moon pack. There was an argument that led to violence. They attacked first and they hurt our people," a tall woman standing beside him said. She seemed to be perfectly healthy.

"You were there?" I ask and she dips her head in respect.

"I was there and I saw them," she says to me. I blow breath through puffed cheeks as I look at the blood then I nod.

"Take these men to the infirmary. Make sure they are treated well," I turn around to face the other woman who is looking at me but had trouble maintaining eye contact. This may be the closest she has ever been to her alpha.

"Tell me now and tell me the truth. Who started the violence? If you lie to me then you would be breaking the sacred bond between an alpha and his underlings so speak now and speak true."

"The red moon started it," she says. I watch her for a while then I nod and step back to see Elliot looking at me.

"There is no greater declaration of war than this. I think that we should strike back and we should do it in a way that they don't forget about it in a hurry. Brother, stand with me on this," Elliott whispers in my ear. I think about it for a while then I turn and start walking in. He follows me.

"You think this is by coincidence?"

"What?"

"You think she doesn't know exactly what she is doing? She moves on our territory first and the second thing she does is belittle our strength by attacking members of our own pack in broad daylight! She is testing us, prodding us and we must teach her a lesson."

"You want a war?" I ask, turning around to face him and he nods sharply.

"If that is what it will take to pull her back in line and make her fear us,then that is exactly what we must do."

"I don't think you understand. You were fifteen at the time so you didn't see it. We start this war because a few men were Injured but many will die, many fathers and brothers and sons. War is always a last resort. Always should be. I will speak with Dona and she will explain the meaning of this but there won't be a war until there is no other option," I say to him and he grits his teeth then shakes his head.

I stand there watching him for a while and start walking away to call Dona and my phone rings. I look it up and see that it is my secretary. I pick the call.

"Hello sir. There is someone here demanding to see you," she says.

"Demanding? Who is that?" I ask.

"She did not say her name but she says that she didn't pick up your card that day so she couldn't call you and that you would know who she was. She also said that you're…she used a word that I cannot use at this time. May I send her away?" She asks me. I shake my head as the shadow of a smile crosses my face.

"On the contrary, Cass, make her comfortable. I will be there soon," I say and hang up.