Were in the City

Helen Lavelle's POV

Location Unknown

"Mama look! A puppy with wheels! Can I say hello Mama, please?"

Helen heard Julie laugh and say softly, "Here comes another one Boss. What's the count now, six or seven?"

She huffed and butted her head none too gently into Julie's leg. They'd had to do something to keep her and her wolf from going crazy, and yes she had agreed to give this a try, but she was never going to hear the end of this damn it!

She let the child pat her head and run his little hands down her back as Julie reassured the mother that her big special dog was very well behaved and loved children ... and didn't like her picture taken, please and thank you. When her latest admirers finally moved on, she looked up and shook her head at Julie, pulling on the leash to signal that they should turn around and go back.

"Oh no you don't, not yet. How the heck were we to know we picked 'Mom and toddler walk time' to do this?! The map says there's a side trail coming up, if it's wide enough for your wheels we'll follow it and hope to meet less people there."

Helen heard Julie let the guards surrounding them know what she intended to do and one jogged ahead to start moving up the trail ahead of them. She took a deep breath, trying to relax and just enjoy being outside in the trees, even if the smell of many humans and their pets was assaulting her nose. This was definitely NOT the forest of her home. She felt the ache in her chest grow large once more ... she would never run in that forest again. There was only ash there now.

Her thoughts turning inward to dark places, she wasn't paying attention to where she was walking and stumbled as Julie turned her onto the new trail. She whined as a front paw twisted on a root.

"You ok Boss?"

Helen sighed and flexed her front leg for a moment before nodding.

"If this map is accurate there will be a long flat section coming up, we can run a little bit if you want."

When they reached the flat area, Julie looked around and unclipped the leash. "Go for it. I'll catch up."

Helen yipped and took off, testing her front leg carefully for a few seconds before speeding up. The easy part was far too short for her wolf's liking. Instead of stopping when the trail started to twist and rise in elevation, she kept going ... and going ... and going. Maybe she could run for days, run away from everything, forget what was behind her. The trail came to an end as it met a paved road. Helen howled in frustration and she heard another wolf, one of her guards, howl back.

She moved back into the trees before any vehicles came by and waited for Julie to catch up. Leaning against a large tree, scratching her side to leave her scent, her wolf felt a bit better now but they couldn't do this kind of outing again. It was only safe here because they'd never come back to this park, they were just moving through the area. What Jessie Taylor had done a week ago had changed the situation for the better for them all, but no one was safe yet.

She had a few minutes alone before she heard Julie approaching, talking on her phone. "We won't come back. Meet us on the road where Trail 9b ends."

The RV Helen was currently calling home pulled up fifteen minutes later. Julie got her out of the harness before she shifted and was carried inside. They'd travel a few hours more before stopping for the night. The nomadic life was keeping her safe but it was wearing on them all, and it would only get harder ... winter was coming.

Two hours later she watched the sun set through the window as they moved north along the highway. She was supposed to be reading the damage report concerning her property, there were many decisions to make, but after looking at the first three pictures she couldn't continue. She just felt sick and very tired.

"Boss, you feel like talking? There's a call for you, its Jessie."

She took a deep breath, nodded, and took the phone.

"Jessie, how are you?"

"Better today. They've backed off on the pain meds so I'm awake more ... which means I'm complaining more. There's so much to do but it's still hard to move and I'm stuck on bed rest for at least another week. Liam and I have a bet going as to who gets out of here first and I'm determined to win. How are you doing?"

"Managing well enough I guess."

"Did the Alpha Council Chair contact you to say thank you for providing the cover story for all the fires? Given what happened to you, I would have been tempted not to do that. You are a good person, thank you."

"Indirectly. He called Jacob and then Jacob called me."

"Damn it, he's still not acknowledging what he saw with his own eyes while he was here."

Helen sighed, "He and others still have to deal with Mark Richard. They'll sit on the fence until there's a clear winner."

"Somebody wasn't sitting on the fence when they were here. Jacob tells me he looked carefully at the weapon used on me ... it had to have been sharpened with a tool like a knife. The only wolves I didn't trust who were not searched were the other two Alphas and their seconds. One of them fashioned the weapon, I'd bet on that and win."

"I would not be surprised. We must all be very careful now, trust is a precious commodity."

"Yes it is. I wish I'd had a chance to question the young man who stabbed me ..."

Helen sighed again, "He attempted to murder an Alpha, he wasn't going to live. Whoever told him he had a chance to survive was lying and he should have known that."

"Maybe so, but no one gave Edward permission to kill him. Jacob says I should have Edward whipped but I won't start out that way. That first day was crazy, I wasn't really in control of anything yet and Edward was confused about his place in the pack. Besides, in his mind he was protecting me."

"Be careful Jessie. You may be able to sense what others are thinking and feeling but pack laws should only be bent so far. An Alpha's strength rules the wolf but the human side needs the law, applied fairly and openly, to keep a pack functioning properly."

"I know ... I have a lot to learn ..." Jessie paused and Helen heard a sharp intake of breath. "Why couldn't I have inherited some super-duper, better than normal Were healing ability? Arg ... anyway, back to the reason for my call ... Helen I have a proposal for you. I would like to offer you the use of the Richard Trust land, for as long as you need a place to stay. It's going to need some cleaning up, some buildings were lost or damaged in the raid to free us but you've got enough people to manage it and defend it. If you consent, you and I, and a third person we both agree on, would be Trustees. We would have to agree on any major changes to the property, but I would leave the details to you to manage there. What do you say?"

To say she was stunned would have been seriously understating it. Helen couldn't believe it. She sat in silence for a moment, thinking.

"Jessie, the forest on my property will take 50 years or more to regrow. Are you offering me the use of the Trust for that long?"

"Yes Helen, I am. There is no actual Richard Pack. I've got my hands full with the Algonquin Pack and it's a lot smaller than it was a week ago. I can't spare the wolves to look after both properties and you need a new home for a while. I want a neighbour I can trust, we can help each other, and you'll be close enough to see to the restoration of your land."

"You are really offering the use of the Richard Trust to a group of rogues and other non-wolf Were? Jacques Richard will be screaming from the grave and Mark Richard might just have a stroke."

Jessie chuckled, "We can only hope, but I don't think we'll get that lucky with the last Richard."

"Yes. I will say yes and thank you. I'm sure there will be a million details to sort out but I'm willing if you are."

"Great. Your people are guarding the land right now, so you can think about the safest way to take possession then go ahead and do that. I called the Council Chair this afternoon to confirm official transfer of the Trust to me has been done, so I can have you named as the second Trustee right away. The rest we'll work out as soon as we can."

"Jessie, the Trust is one of the largest pack lands in North America. You'll be hearing from every Alpha as soon as word gets around about what you've done, and they won't be kind, even the ones who have supported you so far."

Jessie sighed, "I'd love to tell them what a financial and legal mess the Richards have left there, it's no treasure at the moment, but if I sell some of the jewellery from my horde I'll be able to deal with much of that. Ug .... my other half keeps complaining every time I think about that."

"I assume as one of the Trustees you'll be open with me about the issues there won't you?"

"Yes, of course."

Helen nodded, "Good. I have contacts that will be useful. If the Trust is to be my home I will want it to be secure."

"It will be." Helen heard Jessie cough and groan softly, and another voice say something about rest. "Beth looks like she's about to take the phone from me, so we'll talk more later. I don't know if you'll be passing by Algonquin land on your way to the Trust but if you do, please stop and say hello. I am looking forward to meeting you in person sometime soon Helen."

After she hung up Helen looked over at Julie and shook her head in amazement, "It seems I'll be living my remaining days on the pack land where I was born ... from omega kitchen drudge to rogue trustee ... who would have guessed?!"

************************

Edward's POV

Algonquin Pack Land

He sighed when he saw who his partner was for guard duty overnight at the east gate. Why Alpha Jessie had accepted Tim Farrow was a mystery to him. He'd been a pack warrior and detested enforcer until recently. Tim was one of the wolves who had been unable to hold the Richard land, the whole group had been demoted and ridiculed when they had returned to the Algonquin Pack. Edward had done his share of jeering when he still was a beta but now they had the same rank ... and everyone was supposed to start over, if that was possible?

The two of them ignored each other for a while but Edward finally broke the silence, trying to do what Jacob had told them all to do - start building trust, and talk nicely, respectfully to each other.

"Have you been told what you'll be doing for the pack yet?"

Tim grunted and nodded, looking over at the much younger man, "For the next while, boundary guard duty and helping to get rid of all the contraband in the tunnels and the warehouse. After that, who knows ... depends on how our Alpha figures this pack is going to generate legit income."

"I've been looking up what other packs do," Edward confessed, "it's nothing fancy. Mostly just using the land like humans do, agriculture or forestry ... and wolves can have jobs off pack land. You could ask to do that if there's something you want to do."

Tim shook his head, "I've just been muscle whenever and where-ever muscle was needed for so long, I'm not good for much else. I got to travel sometimes, but never got to look around on my own. I'd like to do that, see other places, but that's not a job."

"You could go to school. Alpha Jessie said I have to finish high school and then she wants to know what I want to do next. She's going to give me some say in my future, you can have some say in your future too."

Tim sighed, "Well I'm NOT going to be a dairy farmer like our human neighbours. I like eating cows, not milking them. Wolves shouldn't be forced to do that!"

Edward laughed, "I agree. I was thinking the pack could get into commercial maple sugar production. We already harvest some for ourselves, but we could sell it too, and I looked it up ... it's a good business."

Tim nodded, "I enjoy tapping the trees each year, and I've planted a few new sugar maples over the years. That wouldn't be enough income to take care of us all would it?"

"No, but we'd do other things too. It would all add up."

They both went silent, thinking as they paced back and forth along the fence. Edward had never considered that Tim did anything other than fight and intimidate others, now he knew a little bit more. At one point as their paths crossed at the gate he asked "Can we talk about maple sugar later? I really think it's something the pack could do. We could suggest it to Alpha Jessie."

Tim stared at him for a moment, then his hands clenched and he spat out, "WE could eh? Just do what you're told ... you are so fucking lucky your back isn't a shredded mess right now ... and keep your head down! Alpha Jessie may have grand dreams but we are not safe here or anywhere. What I've seen ... what I've done ... there's trouble coming kid, a lot of trouble."

"Maybe so, but at least we have an Alpha now who cares about us, who wants to protect us! She saved my life, I want to help her and our pack. Do you? If you don't you should leave, like she said. She accepted you, and if you think about that you'll realize that's a big deal. She threw a lot of wolves out, but not you, and you did some bad shit. She's telling you she believes in you, that there's more to you than the bad stuff you did. She told me I have to want more than to just stay alive ... you should want that too!"

Edward stomped away from Tim, and for the next hour glared at him every time they crossed paths again. Finally Tim groaned, "Ok, fine, we can talk about maple sugar later. But you take the idea to our Alpha on your own ..."

Edward nodded, "Ok, but if she likes it you'll have to help make it happen. So start getting used to the idea of stepping up omega!"

He heard Tim mumble under his breath, "Still talking like a fucking beta", but took no offence. He was going to earn his way back there one day.

A little after 10pm they heard the sound of a truck approaching. Edward tensed, not looking forward to have to deal with another unhappy former customer. He'd hoped word had gotten around by now and the trucks would have stopped arriving.

He looked at Tim,

You want to talk to the driver or do you want me to do it?

Tim shrugged, indifferent.

All yours.

Edward picked up a sheet of paper from a pile by the gate and walked up to the truck. After handing over the official written notice that Algonquin Enterprises was no longer in business, and enduring five minutes of increasing animated discussion, he called out to Alpha Jessie's second.

Jacob, there's a truck with a human driver at the east gate demanding a shipment, and he's delivering guns as some kind of payment. I gave him the notice but he's refusing to go until the guns are unloaded. He doesn't want to be caught with them.

Jacob replied,

Not our problem. Tell him to go ... and no dumping his cargo within a hundred miles of us. Ask one of our visitors to follow him and make sure he obeys.

Relaying the order, it took almost 10 minutes more before the driver finally gave up and drove away. Tim had phoned the Were in charge of the Lavalle visitors to let him know about the truck. Edward wondered what would happen to it now. A motorcycle with two people riding on it pulled up to follow the truck. As Edward opened the gate to let them out, he caught the scent of the female passenger and suddenly his wolf went nuts.

Mate! Mate!

He growled and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her backwards off the bike onto the ground, burying his nose in her neck. Her helmet was in his way and he tried to pull it off. She fought him until she got a good whiff of him, then she became as enthusiastic as he was to smell and touch and taste.

When he got picked up and tossed to one side Edward came up ready to shift, wanting to tear the one who interfered to bits, but Tim grabbed him and said urgently, "Get hold of yourself! He's her father ... behave!"

"Anabelle, get up. Let's go."

"Papa, please ... he's mine ... mine!"

"No bloody way are you accepting a pack wolf. Reject him right now."

Edward struggled with Tim, "NO! Don't reject me! I won't hurt her. I will look after her, I swear it."

Her father looked at him, furious. "She doesn't need you to look after her, she's strong and capable on her own. She's free and she's staying that way."

"Then I'll leave the pack ... I'll go rogue if I have to ... but she's mine." He looked at her, desperate, "Please don't reject me."

He heard Tim call out,

Jacob we need you at the east gate ... quick!

***********************

Jessie's POV

Two weeks later

Algonquin Pack Land

It had been another very busy day. As she slowly walked up the stairs to the main house she couldn't decide if she wanted to eat something, have a long hot shower or just find the nearest bed and fall into it until morning. She needed all three things but the last one was definitely the most enticing.

A big moth was fluttering around one of the porch lights. She stopped and stared, feeling it call to others of its kind. She'd been noticing every sort of living thing lately, it was distracting and almost overpowering at times. She felt larger somehow, more sensitive. This morning she'd realized she knew where every wolf she was linked to was, she no longer had to ask them. She'd given Edward hell for letting Anabelle visit him during his guard shift. His Alpha had had enough of his thoughtless behaviour. Protecting the pack was never to be taken lightly, right now it could be life or death for all including his new mate.

"About time you showed up. You missed dinner again."

Beth stood in the doorway giving her a disapproving glare. Jessie sighed, nodding. "I meant to be good today, I really did, but things got away from me again. Sorry ..."

"Well get in here. I've got a plate of food to heat up for you now."

As she ate, Beth hovered, finally blurting out "You can't keep pushing yourself like this. You have to delegate more. Tell people what you want and check in with them, you don't have to be everywhere all the time."

"I know, and I will get there Beth, but every wolf needs to work with me so we learn to trust each other, and we are reinventing everything here." She rolled her eyes a little, "Sometimes I'm tempted to grab a bare body part and push a wolf in the right direction but if I ever start down that road everything will come apart. My pack are not pawns, and I'm not omnipotent."

Jessie smiled briefly, "One bit of good news ... this afternoon the doctor gave me the all-clear to shift so the pack is finally going to see what I am. They can all smell that I'm different and it bothers them."

Beth nodded, "Pack run tomorrow then."

"Late afternoon I hope. There's a Council meeting at 11am. I'm going to need to release a lot of tension after that so a run will be wonderful!"

"Maybe Jacob and Liam will be back by then?"

"Not sure yet. Depends on how long it takes to sort out the situation with Anabelle's father. He's angry and he can't keep lurking outside our boundary forever. I wish he'd been willing to meet with me but he isn't. Hopefully Helen can help."

Beth shook her head, "I don't like that they are both gone."

"I know it's risky, but it's just one more risk piled on top of many others right now. They are not far away, not gone for long, and have an escort there and back. It's been years since they've seen Helen in person. I wish I could have gone with them but it's too soon for the pack to be without at least one of us present."

Jessie waved away the hot coffee Beth offered, "No caffeine thanks. I want to sleep soon, tomorrow's another busy day. Which reminds me ... how's the accountant Helen sent us doing?"

"He told me at lunch that the Algonquin audit is done, he's just finishing up the report. The Richard Trust audit is apparently ... and this is a direct quote ... a 'fucking mess', so who knows the ETA for that report."