Read Online Not The Leader Of The Pack by Annabeth Leong - Free Book Online
Authors: Annabeth Leong
Tags: shapeshifters
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extension, the right of each individual.”
“The packs in Wyoming betrayed the Council and broke their vows of kinship with us.” Heather pulled her lip back from her teeth in a snarl as subtle and elegant as her tasteful gold accessories.
Neil smiled. His body relaxed. He moved as if the tension had gone out of the room, when in fact it had grown even more. Juli watched him warily. She had to remind herself to breathe. “I guess someone’s thought of a solution, then.”
“Neil, what are you saying?” Juli couldn’t help reaching out to him. The magnitude of the trouble he flirted with horrified her. The investigators could arrest him just for hinting this way. They could haul him to Lewistown, or expel him from all Council-affiliated packs, or require that he take lycanthropy suppressants in such large doses he wouldn’t be able to shift even on the full moon. No matter how much conflict had grown between them, she didn’t think she could bear for any of that to happen. She didn’t want to be cut off from him.
He dodged away from her fingers and faced Heather, shoulders square. “I’m saying the Missoula pack isn’t going to follow the Council anymore. We’re seceding, just like Wyoming. I’ll lead.”
“Neil!”
“You can join us, Juli.” He paused and looked straight in her eyes. “You’re always welcome as far as I’m concerned.” She picked up the invitation laced through his words, but for once felt too distressed to respond.
Heather sighed loudly and dropped her weight in the chair she’d just vacated, unlatching her briefcase with a loud slap. “Well, I guess I’m not going home yet. Gabriel will not be happy about this.”
“Are you going to arrest me?”
She arched a speculative eyebrow, and another irrational flash of jealousy spread through Juli’s body. “Do you want me to?”
“I’m happy to walk out of here as a free man.” Neil shrugged, but Juli thought she detected a little discomfort in his defiance, as if he hadn’t realized how far he could take things. He shifted from foot to foot and shoved both hands in his pocket, and he’d lifted his shoulders almost to his ears.
Heather shuffled more papers, and did not deign to meet Neil’s eye. “The Council recognizes that werewolves are prone to hasty speech. Technically, you’re not in violation unless you fail to appear at the ceremonial swearing in of the new alpha. I’ll be sure you and the rest of the pack are notified. Until that event, your rebellion is considered a threat only—serious, but not yet requiring intervention. You might want to take some time to think things over between now and then. We can make things very uncomfortable for you if you choose to join the rebels in Wyoming.”
Neil lifted one corner of his mouth. “Sure. I’ll give that some thought.” He turned on his heel.
Heather stopped him with a voice like a whip crack. “I’m not finished. We’re going to have to call in a full complement of investigators. We’ll take a statement from every pack member, and place guards on each one. Anyone found to be involved with sedition will be duly punished after the next full moon.” She paused for dramatic effect, a long nail tapping against her pale cheek. “If you don’t want your pack to suffer, I’d recommend you rethink your actions.”
Neil’s back muscles twitched. “I’ve had it with your threats and your police state.” He headed for the front door.
Juli jumped to her feet. She missed him as if he were already lost to her. She wished she could talk about what had just happened. If it hadn’t involved him, he would have been the person she sought out. “Neil, where are you going?”
“Out.”
She bit her lip. She’d already embarrassed herself plenty in front of the Lewistown officials. If she ran after him now, she didn’t think her pride could recover. She bit her lip and sat back down. Heather certainly had plenty of paperwork to keep her occupied.
Chapter
“The packs in Wyoming betrayed the Council and broke their vows of kinship with us.” Heather pulled her lip back from her teeth in a snarl as subtle and elegant as her tasteful gold accessories.
Neil smiled. His body relaxed. He moved as if the tension had gone out of the room, when in fact it had grown even more. Juli watched him warily. She had to remind herself to breathe. “I guess someone’s thought of a solution, then.”
“Neil, what are you saying?” Juli couldn’t help reaching out to him. The magnitude of the trouble he flirted with horrified her. The investigators could arrest him just for hinting this way. They could haul him to Lewistown, or expel him from all Council-affiliated packs, or require that he take lycanthropy suppressants in such large doses he wouldn’t be able to shift even on the full moon. No matter how much conflict had grown between them, she didn’t think she could bear for any of that to happen. She didn’t want to be cut off from him.
He dodged away from her fingers and faced Heather, shoulders square. “I’m saying the Missoula pack isn’t going to follow the Council anymore. We’re seceding, just like Wyoming. I’ll lead.”
“Neil!”
“You can join us, Juli.” He paused and looked straight in her eyes. “You’re always welcome as far as I’m concerned.” She picked up the invitation laced through his words, but for once felt too distressed to respond.
Heather sighed loudly and dropped her weight in the chair she’d just vacated, unlatching her briefcase with a loud slap. “Well, I guess I’m not going home yet. Gabriel will not be happy about this.”
“Are you going to arrest me?”
She arched a speculative eyebrow, and another irrational flash of jealousy spread through Juli’s body. “Do you want me to?”
“I’m happy to walk out of here as a free man.” Neil shrugged, but Juli thought she detected a little discomfort in his defiance, as if he hadn’t realized how far he could take things. He shifted from foot to foot and shoved both hands in his pocket, and he’d lifted his shoulders almost to his ears.
Heather shuffled more papers, and did not deign to meet Neil’s eye. “The Council recognizes that werewolves are prone to hasty speech. Technically, you’re not in violation unless you fail to appear at the ceremonial swearing in of the new alpha. I’ll be sure you and the rest of the pack are notified. Until that event, your rebellion is considered a threat only—serious, but not yet requiring intervention. You might want to take some time to think things over between now and then. We can make things very uncomfortable for you if you choose to join the rebels in Wyoming.”
Neil lifted one corner of his mouth. “Sure. I’ll give that some thought.” He turned on his heel.
Heather stopped him with a voice like a whip crack. “I’m not finished. We’re going to have to call in a full complement of investigators. We’ll take a statement from every pack member, and place guards on each one. Anyone found to be involved with sedition will be duly punished after the next full moon.” She paused for dramatic effect, a long nail tapping against her pale cheek. “If you don’t want your pack to suffer, I’d recommend you rethink your actions.”
Neil’s back muscles twitched. “I’ve had it with your threats and your police state.” He headed for the front door.
Juli jumped to her feet. She missed him as if he were already lost to her. She wished she could talk about what had just happened. If it hadn’t involved him, he would have been the person she sought out. “Neil, where are you going?”
“Out.”
She bit her lip. She’d already embarrassed herself plenty in front of the Lewistown officials. If she ran after him now, she didn’t think her pride could recover. She bit her lip and sat back down. Heather certainly had plenty of paperwork to keep her occupied.
Chapter
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