Were in the City Ch. 23

Dora laughed softly, "I'll do it ... though it's an odd thing for a wolf to ask." She stepped up and reached out. As they touched, Jessie could tell Dora was quite a bit older than she looked, was pregnant, and was worried about what her Alpha might do but she trusted his leadership ... and Dora understood Jessie's identity and strength. "Why does touching you tell me these things? .... you're Sam's daughter ... you are telling the truth ... and you're an Alpha!"

Billings growled, his wolf pushing forward. Jessie let go of Dora and growled back, her eyes shifting, "Like I said, the pack question is complicated. I carry an Alpha mantle and have the right to make a pack claim, but I haven't decided if I want to do that yet. I have no wish to challenge your position here. My claim will be elsewhere."

"We can't help you. We will let you go, but go now."

Jessie took a chance. "You are on the Alpha Council, so tell me ... which West Coast pack Alphas do you trust?" She held her breath, hoping for the right answer, and got it. William Jenkins was one of two Billings named.

"Will you call Jenkins right now. Tell him Jessie Taylor is at your gate and ask him to vouch for me. He knows me."

Billings and Kyle did not look happy. Dora spoke up, "Rob, please, it's just a phone call. A few minutes more, what can it hurt?"

Her Alpha mumbled, "I'm sure there are many ways it could hurt damn it!" He sighed, "Very well. Wait here." He and Kyle walked back to the truck, but Dora stayed by the gate.

She looked at Jessie, "We always thought Sam never visited because he was keeping our secret from his human wife and daughter. It never occurred to us that he'd married a wolf. You all lived in a city! It had to have been hard on her and you. Did her pack live close by?"

Jessie shook her head, "No. She was a rogue ... and not by choice. All her family were murdered and she was hiding from those who would have hurt her."

Dora sighed, "That's terrible. Your parents met when Sam was in England didn't they? Is your Alpha mantle from a pack there?"

"No. I'm sorry but it's something I can't talk about at the moment ... I am happy to meet you though. My father wrote me a letter that I read after his death and in it he told me about you and Kyle. He said he trusted you to help me if I ever needed it."

"His family and ours have been friends for more than 150 years now. We missed seeing him but he kept in touch every so often, mostly through hand-written letters. He was very proud of you, telling us about your activities and successes at school. He should have sent you to us. Rob would have accepted you, you wouldn't be a rogue now."

Jessie gave a sad little smile and shrugged, "That would have been complicated ... in more ways than you can guess. I'm curious ... how did my father's family find out about werewolves? And remain trusted to keep the secret?"

"He never told you? I wonder why not. The Taylors have known about our kind since about 1860 I think. It's not your standard wolf-reveal story ... you know, something like hunter-sees-wolf-turn-into-human or vise versa. Your family's story involves a baby girl, an orphan, only a few days old. She needed a wet nurse and your ancestor, a woman named Jessie like you, had recently given birth so she was asked to feed the girl. She ended up looking after the baby for months until some distant relative was found who was willing to take her. Your ancestors wanted to keep the girl, raise her as their own ... they loved her ... and were going to make a fuss about it, so they had to be shown why they couldn't. The child was a wolf."

"Holy fuck! This happened in Ontario, in the 1860s? ... do you know the child's name?"

"No. Don't know that I ever did. You father might have, he was the historian. Why?"

"I heard another story with a lot of similarities to yours not that long ago. Makes me wonder if it's related." Jessie groaned softly, "It also makes me question the nature of my existence damn it!" Sighing, she asked, "My ancestors were trusted to keep the secret. Why?"

"They loved the child and the child loved them. Your ancestors didn't fear us, and understood why werewolves needed to remain hidden. They wanted to keep the child safe. I don't know the details but the Taylors promised and they've kept their promise. You are the last living Taylor who knows, and you are a wolf. That should make it easy for you to keep the secret!"

Jessie was going to ask more questions but at that point the two men returned, Billings holding a cell phone. "Jenkins wants to talk to you."

She nodded, reached through the gate and took the phone, "Hello ..."

"Jessie! Are you alright? Is Jacob with you?"

"Yes and yes. Is the family member you were looking after alright and with you?"

"He's resting, healing ... still at the safe house with Beth. The rest of us are home. What you set out to do ... you've done it. One at the airport, the rest lost in a plane crash. Those that remain are now focused on Jacob, he was seen."

"I understand. Can you vouch for me with Alpha Billings? I need some supplies and a car."

Jenkins sighed, "Jacob already owes me a lot. Might as well let you add to his tab ... and you all had better stay alive so you can pay me back." His voice changed, getting serious, "Jessie, the situation with Helen's group and rogues in general is bad. I spoke with Liam earlier today and he told me things about the rogue situation ... things I don't know that I believe. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

"No."

"Ok, ask Jacob. What will you do now?"

"Find the rest of my family and then decide. Where are they?"

Jenkins gave Jessie the address and then she handed the phone back through the gate to Billings. The Alpha paced back and forth, talking for another few minutes before ending the call and walking up to Jessie.

"We'll give you what you ask for. Jenkins has requested that I keep this whole thing with you quiet, you were never here. We'll do that ... for now. He told me it's very important to keep you alive. Why?"

Jessie shook her head, "Sorry, can't say right now. It's better if you don't know, safer that way."

Billing sighed, "Fine. The car we can give you will be here in a few minutes. It's nothing fancy but it runs and has a full tank of gas."

Jessie nodded, leaning against the gate. She waved at Dora, hoping to talk to her more while she waited. Jacob's alert in her head snapped her to attention.

Wolves! Four of them. Shit!! They are following our trail. I'm coming to you now.

Jessie yelled, "Wolves have tracked me here. They are close. I will run but they'll know I was at your gate."

Jacob came out of the trees towards her, going as fast as he could with one front leg supported by a makeshift splint. One of the guards raised a rifle.

"No, don't shoot! He's with me."

Dora looked at Billings, who nodded. She said, "Run west to the river, then go north. You'll see a gate in our fence a few miles up. Wait there."

Jessie nodded and shifted, moving west as Jacob reached her and followed. She barely registered the various gasps of surprise from the others.

West to the river, then north. Will your leg hold up?

It has to. If the wolves reach us, you run. We need to split them up, if they surround us we won't make it. Do everything you can to take them on one at a time, hurt them until you can finish them.

I won't leave you!

You must. Two against four doesn't work.

Gunshots rang out behind them.

They're shooting at them?

Good idea! If they approached looking at all threatening, the Alpha has the right to defend his pack. It might slow them down or turn them away ... we'll see.

There was more gunfire and then silence. A few minutes later they reached the river and got in. The water was low but there were so many rocks under the surface that Jacob was struggling.

This isn't working. We'll have to run along the bank.

They moved as fast as they could, listening careful for any pursuit. Eventually Jessie spotted the gate in the fence and they moved towards it. Jessie shifted back to human form when they saw a dust cloud and heard the sound of a vehicle approaching.

Dora and Kyle got out of the car, letting it idle, and Kyle opened the gate.

Dora pointed west, "Follow the track across the river, you'll come to a gravel road in a few miles, turn south and you will get back to the highway. There's cash, clothes and some food in the trunk."

Jessie asked, "What happened to the wolves?"

Kyle answered, "At least one was hit, they moved back. They could still be searching for you so get going now."

Jessie nodded, "Thank you for this. I hope one day to be able to visit and talk more. One day when I can tell you everything about me."

Dora reached out and hugged her. "We'd like to see you again too. Good luck."

Jessie turned to get in the car just as Kyle yelled, "Wolf!"

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Liam's POV

Jenkins' Safe House

He knew Helen would not be pleased with what he'd told Jenkins and Beth but now was the right moment for the unaligned to stand up and be counted. The last 20 years had bought them more time to build their association as Lily had envisioned it -- for the most part, it had worked. He was sure they could get the Alpha Council to leave rogues alone, and if Helen became a voting member on the Council at least she'd be more informed without having to rely on their spy network. If she could influence some of the Alphas, build a block of support that could counter the Richards and their allies, maybe then some of the worst parts of that nasty empire could be pulled apart. They'd waited long enough.

Liam used Beth's phone to call a small credit union in the Maritimes and left a message asking for a callback regarding a loan for building a backyard pool. A little more than two hours later, after a series of questions and correct responses, the return call was transferred to Helen. They didn't have to worry that someone was monitoring all communication to or from Helen's property. She wasn't there.

Liam got right to it, "I'm hurt but recovering. It will be at least a few days before I can travel. Beth is with me. Jenkins is home. Have you heard what happened to some of the Richards?"

"Yes, we got word last night. Four gone. We also heard a de Vries was seen in Timmins and is being hunted. You or Jacob?"

"Jacob, with Jessie. They are responsible for what happened there. I have no word on their current whereabouts though, do you?"

"No."

"Jenkins told me the Council is debating a move to wipe out all rogues that can be found. Do you know that?"

"Yes. We are discussing options now."

"I told Jenkins the truth about our association. He won't say anything, he's trusting us to make the right moves. We have to assert ourselves now Helen, we can stop it."

Helen groaned, "I've reached out to the Council a number of times in the past few days, they are refusing to talk to me. The Alphas I thought would at least advocate for my right be heard are all avoiding me as well. Shit! We are trying hard to have this cost as few lives as possible but the other side is a fucking mess."

Liam nodded, looking over at Beth who was listening to everything, "So we do something to make them take your call ... give them a demonstration and an ultimatum, something like "Talk to me or this will go from contained to every single pack's problem very quickly". I think I can get Jenkins to deliver the message. Can we have everyone set to pull something off by 11pm tonight on the West Coast, 3am East Coast? It will most effective if it happens all at once."

Beth sighed, "That's about 4 hours from now. If Jenkins will do his part, I will set a demo in motion."

"Do it. I will convince Jenkins. Call me back in a couple of hours."

After he hung up Beth asked, "What kind of demonstration?"

Liam grinned, "Don't worry, it won't be lethal ... but I'm sure Helen and her team will think of something no pack will like. Now, let's get Jenkins back on the phone."

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Dora Andrews' POV

Hundred Lakes Pack Boundary

She sat clenching the steering wheel, staring out the car's front window watching three wolves try to kill the injured one who was with Jessie. Kyle had tossed her into the front seat and slammed the door as soon as he'd seen the first hunter approaching, then he'd shifted and jumped onto the roof. The gate was still wide open but the car was on their pack side of the boundary. Kyle had called for pack backup, more of their own would be arriving soon. The three hunters would not dare come through the gate.

Dora held her breath as Jessie lunged at one of the attackers, raking him with ... with whatever her front feet were. She had what looked like a raptor's legs, those claws ... talons? ... were impressive and all three hunters were suffering from significant wounds both she and the male had inflicted. Her companion was struggling now with three of his four legs seriously hurt and a bad gash in his side. It was strange though, the hunters were obviously not trying to kill Jessie and that was preventing them from finishing off the injured male since she kept getting in their way. Trouble was, she couldn't do much more than spin and slash to keep them away and she was tiring. It wouldn't be long until she was pinned down and then the male would be done for.

Kyle, we can't just sit here and watch this. Jessie and the other can't win against those three and she's trying so hard to protect him, he must be important to her.

My love if we make a move then we become targets and I won't put you and the baby at risk. We don't know why this is happening, if we interfere we could be making trouble for our whole pack.

Rob said that other Alpha, Jenkins, told him it was important to keep Jessie alive. And she's Sam's daughter ... she's family Kyle, we have to help her!

Dora suddenly realized the car was still running.

Kyle, I can use the car. If we can drop the number of opponents down then they've got a chance.

No.

Normally a gentle, caring person who sorted out every kind of conflict between pack members - the highest ranking female at the moment since Rob had not yet found a mate - Dora was also the daughter of an Alpha and had a will of iron. She'd never fought a real life-and-death battle before, she'd been very lucky, but that didn't mean she didn't know how to. And when family was in trouble, you had to help. 'No' was not the right answer.

Sorry Kyle, you can either get off the roof and help me or hang on, but I've got to try something.

She heard Kyle yell Dora, don't .....! as she took the car out of park, jammed her foot on the gas and leaned on the horn. She managed to hit the hind end of one of the hunters as all three leapt out of her way, taking him out of the fight. Slamming on the brakes and opening a side window a little she yelled, "Get in!"

Jessie and the male shifted as they moved, reaching the car in human form and opening a back door. Jessie pushed him in and closed the door as the remaining hunters circled back. No longer needing to shield another, Jessie shifted back and went straight at the weakest of the remaining two hunters. Instead of taking the challenge, the wolf ran, pulling Jessie away from the car as she tried to chase him down.

Dora hit the auto-lock button and threw the car into reverse as the last hunter launched himself at the car, landing sideways on the front window. The glass cracked and sagged but didn't give way. As the wolf dug his claws onto the windshield wipers and stayed on the hood, Kyle landed on top of him and now there were two large werewolves rolling and smashing into the glass which shattered all over the front seats. The male in the back seat yelled, "Don't stop, keep going backwards, they'll slide off."

She did as she was told, giving it all the gas she could. The car shot backwards through the gate as the wolves tumbled off. She managed to keep the car on the track and avoided crashing into anything. Braking once again she and the man in the back seat watched her mate defeat the hunter and then administer a quick death to the one she had hit.

More of her pack arrived, surrounding the car and spreading out along both sides of the fence.

Dora, you ok?

Yes, I'm fine.

The man behind her coughed and groaned. She looked at him, asking "Where's Jessie?"

"Still chasing the last one. I'm calling her back now. They were keeping her alive for a reason, I don't want her trapped and caught." He sighed, "I hope your Alpha understands you drove me across your border ..."

Rob spoke up from outside the car where he was standing staring through the space where the windshield used to be, "Well this is all quite the shit-storm, thank you VERY much! Who are you? And don't you dare say you can't tell me!"

The man sighed, "If I have to say I'd rather say when I'm on the other side of that gate."

Rob, he's a mess. Don't force him out until we patch him up. Give him a chance. I can take of it here ... can I get a med kit?

Her Alpha shook his head, exasperated, but gave in. Fine, but do it quickly. I want them both gone ASAP.

She carefully got out of the car, grabbed a blanket from the trunk, got two of her pack to help the stranger out of the car and lay him down in the shade. As she and an assistant were dealing with his wounds, she heard excited pack talk and verbal exclamations - Jessie had arrived back at the fence.

She looked at the injured man and said softly, "What is she?"

"Some call her a gryphon - a combination of bird and wolf."

"I've never seen anything like her. And she's an Alpha ... is there a pack of gryphons somewhere?"

The man smiled sadly, "I have no idea. I think she may be unique."

"Is that why the hunters didn't try to kill her? Someone wants her because of what she is?"

"Yes, in a way. Not because she's a gryphon but because of her alpha mantle."

Dora nodded, "And you are her guardian?"

He laughed, "Sort of. One of them. It's complicated."

"So she says. Where will you go now? Those wolves wanted you dead in the worst way, and some of them are still out there."

"Do you have another car we can borrow? I don't think we can legally drive that one without a windshield ... we don't want to be noticed if we can help it. And could we rest on this side of the fence until tomorrow morning?"

"I'll ask. Your wounds will take a while to heal. Your broken arm is hot and swollen, I'm going to give you some antibiotics. You shouldn't shift for a few days and you have to protect that arm. I'll give you enough pain meds for a week."

An hour later everything was cleaned up, the gate was closed and two of their pack were left on watch there. Jessie and her companion were allowed to camp out on pack land overnight as long as they stayed where they were. A new car would be brought to them in the morning.

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

Jacob's POV

Hundred Lakes Pack Boundary

The night was clear and the sky was incredible. He never got tired of the stars. The pain had woken him and he searched for more meds. Jessie was fast asleep beside him. After he swallowed more pills and chased them down with half a bottle of water he lay back down.

It was hard to relax. He was very worried that there was no way out of this place that didn't have them cornered by those who knew where they were. They could try to run in a car but every exit had to be covered by now and he was in no shape to fight. He would have to convince Jessie to let him be the decoy and have her go in gryphon form in another direction to escape. How he would do that was a mystery to him though - what would make her leave him and save herself?