I glanced from her to Michael and decided to let him field that one.
He sighed. “We fight a lot, yeah, but this isn’t a normal fight. It’s more like a war. Or at least a battle. Calvin Malone and his men kicked us out of our home and our territory, and we have to take it back by force.”
“But you’re just going to beat some guys up, right? No one’s going to get…killed?” When Michael didn’t answer, she turned on him, and I saw the horror on her face in the rearview mirror. “Michael, have you killed people?”
“Not by choice,” he finally answered, and Holly’s mouth opened and closed, without producing any sound. “We do what has to be done to protect ourselves and the rest of our Pride. That’s just the way it is. I’ll explain it better when I get back, but I don’t have time right now.”
Because Carey Dodd’s house had just come into sight at the end of the street.
“But what if you don’t come back?” Holly demanded, as Jace turned into the driveway. “Who’s going to explain that to me?”
Michael took her by the shoulders, as Jace turned off the engine. “I will come back,” he said. “I haven’t told you the truth after all these years just to…” But he clearly didn’t know how to finish.
I twisted in my seat to face them as Owen pulled into the driveway behind us. “Holly, try not to worry. Glasses notwithstanding, your husband’s kind of a badass.”
“Really?” She looked both hopeful and skeptical.
“Yeah. Did you think all those muscles come from pushing paperwork at judges? He’s done this a time or two, and he always comes out on top.” Which was more than I could say for myself lately.
Thanks, Michael mouthed to me, as he helped his wife from the car. I nodded, and wordlessly accepted another layer of guilt for having given her false hope. I couldn’t guarantee Michael’s safe return any more than I could guarantee my own. But neither could I justify letting her worry, when there was nothing she could do to change things.
Dodd met us at the door and ushered us inside. The other toms were waiting for us in his living room, having parked elsewhere and walked the rest of the way in the dark. His house was so packed with large men it looked like the Dallas Cowboys had stopped in for a visit. At my count, nineteen toms waited for orders, all either watching me or eyeing Manx, Des, and Kaci in awe and curiosity.
While Michael and Owen said their goodbyes to Holly and Manx, I found my mother and Kaci in the kitchen.
“Who are all these guys?” Kaci asked, peering nervously through the doorway into the packed living room.
“They’re the Pride members who’ve remained loyal. Most of them are going to fight with us, but we’re leaving Carey and Ryan here with you. You remember Carey Dodd, right?” He’d been driving the getaway car when one of the thunderbirds dropped a huge bolder on it during their siege on our ranch.
Kaci nodded, and though her eyes were shiny, she seemed to be denying true tears an exit. “I’m not mad at you, Faythe. I just wanted you to know that before you go fight. Just in case…. I know Marc’s supposed to meet you there, but Jace is pretty good, too, isn’t he? And Vic and the others?”
“Yeah. They’re all great fighters. And with any luck, when this is over, we can all move back home.” Four days away from the ranch felt like forever, when I wasn’t gone by choice. “You and Mom try to keep Holly calm, okay? She’s new to this.” Even newer than Kaci.
“I’m not staying,” my mother said softly. I had to process that for a moment before her intent truly sank in.
“Oh, yes, you are.” I planted one hand firmly on the counter separating us. “I can’t take you into this fight, Mom. Dad would never forgive me. Hell, I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you.”
She propped her hands on the hips of her gray slacks and eyed me like I’d just threatened to ruin my dinner with cookies. “Katherine Faythe Sanders, I’ve spent my entire life in this territory, and I’ve lived on that ranch since before you were born. I will be there when its fate is decided, and if you try to keep me from it, I will never, ever forgive you.”
I gaped at my mother, speechless. “But…” I pulled her to the side so we could argue in whispers, well aware that Kaci was straining to hear. “Mom, this is a war. People are going to die. I can’t let you become one of them.”
She frowned fiercely. “I know my limits, Faythe. I haven’t seriously fought anyone since before Michael was born, and I’m not going to take on more than I can handle. And no one’s going to be gunning for an old dam, anyway. I just want to be there. I need to be there.”
I scowled at her, but she only rolled her eyes. “I’m not asking permission. I’m stating my intent. You may be my Alpha, but I’m still your mother. Let’s go.” And with that, she crossed the kitchen to kiss Kaci on the forehead, then stalked into the living room and out of sight. Leaving me speechless.
Jace pulled me aside when I stepped into the main room to issue the final orders. “Did I hear that right? Your mother’s coming?”I huffed. “Yeah, and if you try to stop her, she’ll ground you till you’re thirty.” Before Jace could argue, I stepped into the center of the room and cleared my throat. And almost dropped dead of shock when silence descended and every head in the room turned my way.
There were no whispers, no jokes, and no stupid questions. They were wearing their game faces, and they’d all come to fight. And they were prepared to die for our cause.
A chill of awe ran through me at the power we represented. The potential we held. The future was in our hands—not just the future of our Pride, but of our entire species, because with Malone disposed of and me reinstated as Alpha, things would change. They would have to. And the men surrounding me believed in that change, or they wouldn’t have been there. They believed with every cell in their robust bodies, with every thrum of restrained power and bloodlust humming through them.
The only thing wrong was Marc’s absence, and I felt that like I would have felt a missing limb. He was supposed to meet us in the woods behind the ranch, but I kept turning to spot him, expecting to find him with us already, watching me from the corner or standing by with advice. And every time I couldn’t find him—every time I remembered that he’d left me—the wound broke open all over again.
And the worst part was that I had opened that wound in the first place.
Jace stepped up behind me and wrapped one arm around my waist, whispering in my ear. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I shook my head, trying in vain to concentrate on the task at hand. “Just…thinking.”
“I think it’s time for a little talking, then a lot of fighting.”
I nodded, and Jace stepped back. When I looked up, I found everyone watching the two of us in one combination or another of confusion and surprise. I cleared my throat again. “First, thank you all for showing up today. Your loyalty will not be forgotten.”
Several toms nodded, but no one interrupted.
“Second of all, the Midwest, East Coast, and southeast Prides have all sent men to fight with us, and we’ll be meeting them in the woods behind the ranch in just a few minutes. Also, I’ve cashed in a favor from a Flight of thunderbirds in New Mexico, and when we leave here, I’ll call them in.”
They all already knew about our air support, but a murmur of general fear and skepticism ran through the crowd, anyway.
“Our main objective is to take out Calvin Malone. Not capture him. Not spank him and send him home crying. I want him dead. If you have a shot, take it. If not, fight for that shot. Kill if necessary, but show mercy if it won’t get you killed. If someone surrenders, knock him unconscious and move on.”
There were a couple of grumbles, but no one openly objected.
“Because the thunderbirds can’t tell us apart in cat form—and you’re all going in cat form—everyone will get a strip of orange construction tape.” I gestured to Jace, and he held up the three rolls we’d bought on the way. Di Carlo, Taylor, and my uncle were all similarly equipped. “One of us will tie it to one of your front legs, so the birds know you’re off-limits. Do not lose that tape. Hopefully I don’t have to tell you how dangerous thunderbirds are, and we can’t afford to take hits from friendly fire. Any questions?”
“Where’s Marc?” One of the older toms—from somewhere near the Oklahoma panhandle—asked.
I answered without hesitating, but no one was fooled. “He’s coming separately, but he’ll be there.” But they all heard what I hadn’t said, and glances flicked toward Jace, who stood tall against the wall to my left, neither acknowledging nor denying. “Anything else?”
“When do we get started?” Holden Pierce called out from the far corner of the room. Parker’s youngest brother was our newest Pride member, and he’d remained loyal to us, rather than his father. He was only a sophomore in college, and I felt another strong pang of guilt at the knowledge that I might be sending him to his death before he’d really lived.
But he’d made his choice. We all had.