Page 11 of Eclipsed Legacy

“I know, I know, but he’s one of the pack, and he was actually pretty helpful last night, so…” I shrug. “Besides,” I say a little quieter, “if we are about to be ambushed, we can’t really be picky about our back up.” If my brother weren’t with me, I’d probably be excited. I have never worried about being ambushed by another pack. Logically, I know this isn’t exciting, but the wolf in me stirs, eager for the fight.

“Fair enough,” he says. We continue to walk around the outer perimeter of the mall without straying too far from the car. We need to see when Ricky arrives. It’s not freezing out, but it’s only February, so it is a bit cool. I’ve got goosebumps, but the adrenaline has me sweating. Not the most enjoyable combination. Part of me wants to go back in the building and kick some ass, but I know that wouldn’t help Michael. I can’t risk him getting hurt. Plus, if I roll up swinging, it’ll look like some random assault, and I’ll get arrested. I can’t protect anyone from behind bars. I’m temperamental, not stupid, but right now, it kind of sucks.

I see Ricky’s rust bucket pulling up, so Michael and I walk over to meet him by my car. After switching all of my belongings to the bed of the truck, Michael and I hop in.

“We can come back and get your car tomorrow. I’ve got a buddy that works in an auto shop. He said he can getchoo a deal on them tires. I can change ‘em tomorrow.”

I nod. “Thanks, Ricky.”

No one says anything for a while. The hum of the engine is a pleasant white noise. The silence allows me to calm my system and think. I need to come up with a plan. I need to talk to Grandma. The bullying, the bar, ambushes, my tires—it’s too much to be random, too premeditated. We have to figure out why the hell this is happening.

“Ricky?”

“Hmm?”

“Can you take us to Grandma’s instead of my place?”

He gives me a quick look before turning back to the road and nodding. “Sure thing.”

“Thanks.” She needs to know what’s going on. As our pack’s alpha, it’s her responsib— and like my head on the bar floor, it hits me. She knew. She fucking knew. All the chaos, the sage, the shutting us out. Mel, Ray— we could all tell she was hiding something, but why the hell wouldn’t she tell us another pack was entering our territory? What else does she know? I relax my jaw, only now realizing I had it clenched so tightly that it is now sore.

“So, Michael, cuttin’ school?” Ricky asks with a smile and wiggles his eyebrows.

“No, suspended. For fighting,” Michael says without any particular tone to his voice.

Ricky throws his head back and howls. “Oooo-eee! Didja win?”

“No,” Michael says with a glare. “I got my ass kicked by a couple of juniors. Apparently, they smelled the wolf on me.” He sounds a bit bitter, but he does give a slight smile at the word “wolf.”

Ricky quickly glances at me. “Damn, dude. Seems like we’re all getting’ it from this new pack. But you’re one of us?” He gives Michael a playful elbow jab. “If they could smell ya’, you’ll turn soon, and we’ll show you a thing or two ‘bout how to defend yourself. Hell, we could start that part today!”

“Really?” Michael’s voice slightly cracks at the end, but I manage to contain my chuckle. Part of me wants to tell Ricky that Michael’s too young, but with a possible threat in the area, he needs to be able to defend himself. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s not a baby anymore, even if he is the baby brother. As Michael has pointed out in the past, I did start learning how to fight before I was ten. If anything, I suppose he’s long overdue for some ass-whooping instruction.

When we pull into Grandma’s, Ricky gives me a concerned look before turning to Michael. “Did yer sister tell you how she ruined the guy at the bar last night?”

I see the familiar twinkle in Michael’s eyes and cannot help but roll my eyes.

Ricky briefly gives me a mischievous look after he and Michael get out of the car. “Well, she didn’t beat his ass, but she did make a grown man almost cry!”

As they make their way to the backyard to, I assume, practice fighting, I slowly walk up the steps to the front door, bracing myself for whatever retribution Grandma has waiting for me.

Chapter 4

I stop after opening the screen, which quickly springs back to close and hits my hip. I’ve never knocked on Grandma’s door before, but after last night, I’m hesitant to just walk in as usual. I don’t want to piss her off further. But on second thought, I’m kind of pissed at her too. I take a deep breath, then set my shoulders straight before opening the front door.

“Grandma?” I call out as I enter, suddenly feeling guilty and second-guessing myself. But it’s not like I’ve broken some expensive vase.

Grandma comes around the corner from the kitchen, drying her hands with a dish towel. “May I help you?” she asks in cockiest of tones.

“Grandma, don’t be like that. You know we were just trying to help.”

“You disrespected me in my own home,” she says, placing her hands— and towel— on her hips.

I narrow my eyes but lower my voice. “You’re hiding things from the pack, from the family.”

“And I told you, that’s my business! You’re too young to understand.”

I cross my arms. My heart pounds. The pulse quickens behind my ears. In this moment, as frustrating as it is, I can’t help but notice the similarities. Both of us standing with one leg slightly forward, one hip cocked to the side, with both of our mouths pressed in hard lines. I’ve been told I look more like her than any of the other granddaughters. That once made me proud, but God help me if I am ever as stubborn or as reckless as she is! I close my eyes for a second before looking up at her with what I only hope is the most accusing glare she has seen in the last decade. “Too young to understand?” I sneer. “Perhaps you are just out of touch.”