Chapter 2

Erik took a deep breath and heaved a sigh. “I can’t go around letting everyone challenge each other to duels whenever the mood strikes. If you look around, the entire pack, minus a few of us who had to work or whatever it is that keeps them from mandatory meetings... we’re all here. And if you notice, we’re not as numerous as we were. I can’t have you killing people just because you feel like you’ve been insulted.”

I looked around the room in the second’s worth of a pause. I never noticed before, but he was right. Just last year, when our weekly shifter court convened – which, by the way, gives very different meaning to the term ‘monkey trial’ – this room was packed full. As it stood now, there were a handful of empty chairs in the front row, and scattered throughout the hall.

“I... I know that, Alpha,” Lucien said. He was so whiny that even I wanted to smack him one across the mouth. I’m not exactly the smackingin-the-mouth type, either. “But I’ve been wronged, and this is the way of our pack! When someone steals your mate, you have the right to challenge them to a duel.”

Going back to my typewriter and adding what Lucien just said, I let my mind drift a little.

I’m so not like that. It’s crazy what being around a bunch of testosterone-pumped, muscle-bound, machismo-dripping werewolves, werebears, werefoxes and weregators can do to a person. As I looked around the room, Leon flicked his tongue out and licked an eyeball.

I never did figure out what he actually was. He got really mad when you called him lizard.

These days though, it was harder to think about going home and dealing with normal human drama. The shifters I had gotten used to, but Judgmental Uncle Ted? Ugh.

“Yes,” Erik said. He was being patient. Way more patient than I ever could have been. He leaned forward on the desk where his lectern used to sit, his knuckles popping. “That is true. However, I’m not sure that she was really stolen, Lucien.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The wolf, I noticed, wasn’t taking his dressing-down very well. “She was my mate, and then that jackass took her away!”

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t half expect someone to voice a complaint about the pejorative use of ‘jackass’ but I kept my head down and went right on typing.

“All right,” Erik began. “What is it you expect to happen, Lucien? Let’s be realistic.”

“My honor!” the middle-aged wolf was almost shrieking. “My honor is at stake, Alpha! When that monster... that freak took my mate, I was going to murder him, drive a silver spike straight through his heart, to avenge my honor.”

Erik sighed again. It was really hard not to laugh. “First of all, let’s not start in with the freak talk. We’re all different here, but we’re all one pack. Get it? Werebear or werewolf, there’s no difference in the eyes of the alpha.

And, in case you forgot, that’s me.”

I didn’t look up, but I knew the glare he was giving the room. I’d seen it a thousand times.

“He threatened me! He stole my mate, he—”

“What is the other rule about mates, Lucien?” Erik interrupted. “The one that says if your mate wants to leave, then...”

Lucien shook his head, at least feigning that he didn’t understand. A shifter’s mate leaving was a mark of shame for which we humans don’t have a corollary. The closest thing might be, I dunno, eating your coworker’s lunch and getting caught on tape.

Erik gestured with his hand. “Come on, Lucien. If your mate wants to leave, then she... c... c...”

“Can leave?” Lucien said. I swear his lips were trembling.

“Uh-huh. So, if she can leave if she falls in with someone else, then I don’t really see what kind of a case you’ve got.”

“So I don’t get to fight him?” Lucien balled up his fists and stood. Erik hates it when people stand up. “That freak takes my mate and I can’t even fight him over her?”

Erik half-laughed, and then shrugged. “You can fight whoever you want. That’s not my business, that’s not pack business. But if you want to issue a sanctioned challenge for dominance, you’ve got to play by the rules. If he kidnapped her? Okay. If he swept in, cast a spell on her and took your children? Perfect. But right now, all we’ve got is someone leaving someone else, and no rules have been broken. Now sit down, and stop complaining.” Lucien grunted, and he sat down hard. “Okay, fine,” he said, then added a mumbled, “Goddamn assho—”

“What?” Erik leaned over the table. “What did you say?”

“Uh... I said yes... I mean yes, sir.”

Erik’s shoulders visibly relaxed when he checked the clock. This was his favorite part of court days. The ending part.

“Fantastic,” he said with a sigh. “I thought that’s what I heard. Now, if there’s no other complaints to hear today, I—”

From the left, someone shouted, “I’ve been waiting all day!” From the right hand side of the room came a “Me too! This is ridiculous!” and then from the back of the room, someone complained that they’d been coming for two weeks and hadn’t yet been heard.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “There’s a lot of really irritated people. Is this really the time to go hide out in your office?”

Erik flashed a dimpled half-smile. “Do you remember what Walt wanted me to hear two weeks ago? He has a complaint about his neighbor watering his lawn three times a week instead of two. Oh, and the other one, Greg? Who’s been waiting all day, you saw the report. He is complaining that Leon of all people stole a bunch of DVDs out of his car. I just... I can’t even imagine. Leon can hardly keep himself awake most times.”

The noise from the audience started to grow, and before I knew it, Erik had my hand in his, and I grabbed the typewriter off the table. “Got everything?” he said.

“Uh... yes, I think,” I said, stammering as he pulled me to my feet. “Wait!” As he pulled me to the door to his office, which was conveniently six feet from where we were standing, I stuck out a hand and barely grabbed my notes. “Okay, now I do!”

“Good,” he said. “Court is adjourned! I’ll be in my office until four, but don’t bother knocking unless you have an appointment.”

“Sir,” I said, “there’s no appointments, you told me not to make any.”

“I know,” he grinned. My sex muscles clenched. I hated when he did that. Okay, hate is a little strong of a word. More like ‘wish he’d only do it behind closed doors.’