Chapter 8: Thaniel

[Grey Eldan] Tell me what I heard from Evie is bullshit.

Sadly, it wasn't bullshit but I didn't have time to deal with this right now. I just wanted to get through fucking work and out to the damn meeting spot to hand over a crate of AKs. I didn't need more of this shit. It was fucking one encounter. Sorry, two now. But still! Cut a man a break.

I rubbed my temples and ignored the text, leaving him on read. I didn't have time for this shit. I needed to focus on the task at hand and that was answering damn client emails all day.

It took me all damn day to finish those fucking emails and five cups of coffee. I ran into Christian more than I cared to and even ran into Jason a few more times; although, I'm sure he planned that out. He always seemed to know where to find me. Just like Daniel and his wife, Evie. All I wanted was to disappear and not be found. I was beyond exhausted.

My watch went off and I peered down at it to notice that a full moon was approaching in a couple nights time. This meant a few things, one being that I needed to prepare for it. Our pack had a special place where we were locked up for the duration of it so that we didn't hurt humans. Although, one of us didn't partake in it. They would rather run through the town and possibly murder them, and that wasn't what we were brought up to do.

At least, I wasn't brought up to do that fucked up shit. To me, it didn't matter what blood ran through your body. You still deserved to live and have respect. That's why Christian made me so angry. He went against the pack and no matter how many times I knocked his ass up the side of his head, he didn't give a shit.

I quickly grabbed my phone to check my list of everything I would need in order to handle the transition. I was missing a few key items, but nothing I couldn't grab from the grocery store. The storehouse wasn't filled with meat, and we all knew to bring our own. Some of us went on a big hunting trip before the day and some of us just went to a butcher and had them do the hard work for us. I preferred that. I didn't want to go out and become some animal, murdering deer and other game until I was pleased. My thrill wasn't in hunting animals. I didn't want that blood on my hands, or any for that matter.

I got everything squared away and by the end of my shift, I was prepared to get ready to meet up with the client. You would think that I would be surprised that the meet up spot was at some abandoned warehouse, but I wasn't because how cliché can one get. It seemed like every damn action film had the meet up spot either at an old warehouse or a dock, but in this world... that was where it was at. Less eyes to pry on us, I suppose. Although, I'd pick somewhere odder just to throw people off.

I sped through the city to get back to my house because I just wanted to get this shit over with. I was doing a damn job for my mom because I was expected to. The number of bullets I'd taken in the past would have killed a normal man, but they barely nicked the surface. I had scars running down my back and a couple along my forearms from bullet grazes, but that was about it. Plus, each of us had a burn mark on our forearms that was more like a brand. It showcased our rank and who our sires were. A token from the vexed women or men that cursed us. Mine was in the shape of a mermaid, rather a siren with Pagan symbols around it like a seal that locked it into my skin. No matter how hard someone scrubbed it, tattooed over it, or removed it... it always came back or stayed put. Mike had even tried to remove it with a new brand, but it hadn't done anything but absorb the new one and replace it.

Witches were too good at what they did. They lured you in with a song, doesn't have to be a literal song. It could just be words that they know you want to hear. Next thing you know, you're drinking wine, passing out, and waking up cursed with a burn. Mine was much crueler. She played me for years, pretending to be an Omega. A serpent in wolf's clothing. I fell hard before she turned the tables and fucked me over. My mother had been proud because of how strong I was. She and my father put me in charge of the pack, all born from their friend's children. All vexed by men or women to be these monsters, beasts.

So, here I was. A fucking monster that no one wanted yet wanted to fuck. Cursed by a love that turned out to be a witch. Part of why I didn't want to date an Omega. Couldn't trust their asses.

I swung into the garage and got out, running into the house to go to my cellar. It was the place where I kept my weapons and gear for doing an arms run. I walked through the hallway and stopped in front of a door, typing in a code for it. It trilled and then the metal door shot up with a loud sound. I ducked to walk inside the room that was floor to ceiling covered in weaponry and black foam to hold each one in place.

I walked through the weapons room to put on a pair of black leather pants and a navy silk button-down. I grabbed a holster from a hanger and threw it over my shoulders along with a thigh holster. It was made from straps of black leather and steel hardware buckled it in place. I tugged a black leather jacket down and shrugged it on. I walked back into the weapons room to grab a matte black dagger, flipping it before stomping my military style boot down onto a bench to slam it into a sheath hooked to the side of my thigh. I grabbed a couple of Glocks, shoving them into each holster beneath my jacket so it wouldn't be obvious. Didn't want to get caught locked and loaded on the street by cops.

I bent down to grab the massive black case that was locked and bolted, full of the AKs that were asked for. I threw it up onto one shoulder and made my way back to my garage. I didn't have time to stop to eat or drink. I had to get to the warehouse with the others at a specific time.

I threw aviators over my eyes and grabbed a different set of keys, pushing the key to unlock an armored car within my garage. It was one of my pride and joys. One of my many babies that were key for doing these deals. I didn't want my ass shot by someone wanting what I had or by someone unhappy about a deal. I had my hands in many things, one being vehicle sales.

I threw open the back and tossed the locked box inside beside another one. The order was pretty decent for what they wanted. It didn't take long for Mike to rush up beside me.

"Run all the damn way here?" I didn't look at him as I flung my driver's side door open.

"Only way, brother," Mike shyly spoke, and I peered over at him and took in the white cloth that was always over his eyes.

"I'm still impressed by how well you get around." I shook my head and laughed, putting my arm over the back of his headrest to peer behind my shoulder to back up.

"Got a nose for a reason." He poked it and smirked at me. "So, what's the deal? Jason comin'?" He licked his lips and softly laughed.

"No, his kids had a recital. I gave him the night off. Just you, Vix, Daniel, and me. Christian didn't answer."

"Mm... didn't answer... or you didn't invite him because you hate babysitting him?" Mike snickered, and I sighed.

"You win, now sit your ass down. I have to speed to pick up Daniel." I floored it all the way to my best friend's house.

That was one ability we had, we could run fast, fuck fast, and knew how to get out of a bad situation with ease. Mike had become blind from the vexed woman that had stolen his heart. She had scratched his eyes and burned a brand into his forearm to solidify it. He had the worst of it in that department. She had been damn ruthless with his curse.

I slammed on the break in front of Daniel's house and watched him speed run to the car and get into the back.

"Ready?" Daniel smirked with a gun in his hand like he wasn't going to wait to shoot.

"Yeah, you gonna put that shit away before we get asked more questions than I want to today?" I peered at him and waited for him to put his pistol away in his jacket.

"Sorry." Daniel sighed and leaned back against the seat.

I hit the gas and took off to the meeting point. Vix would meet us there. She never ran with the pack. She always seemed to do her own thing. I didn't mind, she got the shit done.

I got to the warehouse in record time, swerving into the meet up spot. Five men stood in the middle of a bunch of steel crates. Mike and Daniel followed me inside where we met up with Vix. I nodded at her, and she did it back in kind. She was probably the most badass bitch in our pack.

Her white tank top was tight and contoured to her breasts. A pair of tight black pants showed off her figure and a blade sat in a thigh holster that ran into a hip harness. Her long hair was black as night and was up in a high ponytail and a pair of silver aviators sat over her light grey eyes. A floral tattoo ran down one side of her face, along her temple and beneath her left eye. She would be a real catch if she wasn't scary as hell to women. She intimidated everyone with the way she carried herself.

A heavy-set man walked up to me in a navy suit with cream pin-striping. He was balding and had rings on most of his fingers. I widened my stance and held my hand out to shake his.

"Thaniel Eldan." I held my hand solid as the man's slammed into mine.

"Mathew Daniels," The man gruffly spoke with a cigarette between his lips. "Got what I wanted?"

"Five cases of AKs, sir." I nodded over my shoulder and the pack shoved them forward.

"Anyone follow you?" Mathew whistled and his men ran over to check the cargo.

"Not a damn soul." I smirked and watched the man whistle again.

"Here's your money. Tell Ursa thank you." Mathew backed up as his men took the boxes and one brought over the container of cash.

"Will do." I nodded and gestured for my pack to follow me out.

It would have gone well and smooth if I didn't hear guns cock behind us. I growled, beneath my breath, as I felt the cold barrel of a gun press against the back of my head.

My eyes flashed to burning gold and I suddenly spun around, gripping the man's wrist and snapping it. He dropped the gun and fell to his knees with his limp wrist in my hand.

"Wanna try that again?" I snarled at him and showed off my fangs, causing fear to fill his eyes. "You really don't want to fuck with us."

"Sorry, I'm sorry. Stand down!" Mathew yelled out and I threw his arm down.

"Don't make me take the AKs and your money. I'll do it." I growled at him, and he raised his hands up.

"You got it." Mathew trembled, and I nodded towards Vix.

She walked over with a sway to her hips and pulled her Glock from her holster, knocking him upside the head so he blacked out. "Who's next, huh?" Her voice echoed through the crates and the men raised their hands and vigorously shook their heads. "That's what I thought! Take your toys and go!"

I smirked and we all headed back to my father with the money. My mother worked the office, but my father took the money to log it at their house. My father was also in charge of cleaning the money from the arms runs.

I turned on my car and sped back to my parents' house where my father was in his home office most the time.