Sharon’s Wolves(69)

Pastor Edmund spun around and glared at a group of people to the right and behind him. “Heathens. All of them. God did not intend for the races to mix like this. We need to return to simpler times to save our land.”

Mayor Cromwell spoke again, louder this time. “I’m going to have to ask you to sit down, Pastor Edmund. We have much to discuss. If everyone would please calm down and listen to Adam Masters. He knows what he’s talking about.”

“Why?” a woman from the rear on the Native American side shouted. “Why should we listen to a white man tell us what to do? For all we know, he’s trying to run us off our land. He could be making every word of this up to scare us into fleeing our territory. We won’t be intimidated.”

Sharon watched the woman as she shook with disdain. It was crazy how ridiculously some folks behaved.

Another man stood next to her. Sharon recognized him as Pete Sandhouse, a deputy on the reservation. He was Native American and a shifter. “I agree with Veronica. Why should we believe anything you say, Masters? Your family has done nothing but make a mockery out of both Cambridge and Sojourn. Your sons are an abomination, sleeping with our women, and hell, our men too. It makes me sick.” He turned toward the mayor. “If you want us to stay and listen to anything you have to say here tonight, I suggest you get this sick bastard off the podium.”

Gene stepped forward next to Jackson, catching Sharon’s eye. His hands were fisted at his sides. “I can’t believe how many idiots live among us,” he whispered, barely holding his cool. “I’m glad Joyce isn’t here tonight to witness this. She’d blow her lid.”

Sharon grinned at Gene and then turned her gaze back to the mayor as he returned to the mic while Sharon’s father stepped aside, his head held high, no apology on his face. Thank God. She didn’t think she could stand to see weakness in his eyes.

She glanced at her mother on the front row and found her also sitting tall and straight. Her hands were gently folded in her lap. She showed no sign of the bullying her husband was receiving.

As for the woman who’d spoken before Pete Sandhouse, Sharon now realized she was Veronica Miller, the Native American human Sandhouse was currently fucking with no intentions of claiming. He was using her, feeding off her anger at having been jilted by Corbin Archers when he mated with Laurie Hamilton and Zachary Masters.

The mating was unavoidable. Fate doesn’t give two shits about timing or other people’s feelings. Veronica had been an unpredicted casualty, and the woman hadn’t taken it well. Instead of stepping away gracefully when Corbin broke things off with her, she’d taken up with Sandhouse in an effort to seek retaliation.

It seemed everything would come to a head right here.

“What the hell is going on?” Jackson communicated into her mind. “Isn’t that Veronica Miller?”

“Yes. Long story.”

“I think I can gather the gist of it.”

Mayor Cromwell held up a hand. “Please, everyone, take a seat.” When the hush died down to a minimum, he continued. “Frankly, I’m appalled at how immaturely many of you are behaving. Now, I don’t give two shakes about anyone’s disagreements over old topics. We aren’t here to discuss morals, religion, or jilted girlfriends.”

Sharon almost choked out a laugh when Mayor Cromwell, who obviously knew the history, glared at Veronica.

“We’re gathered here tonight because, like it or not, our lives and our land are at stake. These small earthquakes are serious and could very well be indicative of something much larger.” His voice was stern. His glare at the audience was ferocious.

Sharon didn’t think she’d ever seen him so serious and tipping the edge of losing it. The man was usually the calmest, most collected person she knew. Too bad he wasn’t a shifter.

Someone else from Cambridge jumped to his feet and pointed a finger at the mayor. “If you’re willing to listen to these assholes, you’re a bigger fool than I thought, Cromwell. The Masters cannot be trusted. They continue to form threesomes with those damn Indians, increasing the numbers on their commune at the edge of the reservation.

“I can’t believe you’d be so stupid as to give a rat’s ass what they have to say about anything. Hell, they’re probably making the entire thing up just to draw attention away from their hedonistic ways.” The man shook as he finished speaking, glaring at Sharon’s father and then directly at her.

She held her head high. No one had a lick of proof anything was happening in her family that wasn’t on the up and up. They had broken no law ever. None of them were even married to one person, let alone two. And she would never deny Fate and take heed of whatever any other soul thought about her.