Read Online Wolver's Gold (The Wolvers) by Jacqueline Rhoades - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jacqueline Rhoades
Ads: Link
made no other move toward McCall. "Pack your bags and get out. I'm the Second, and in this pack, that means my word is law. You can forget the job."
"Fine. Keep the job," Mr. McCall told him. He shrugged and the face he made showed his indifference. "But before I go, I'll Challenge and you won't live to enjoy your petty victory."
Challenger McCall said it as calmly as saying it looks like it's going to rain. Rachel's eyes widened at the stupidity of the remark and the man who made it. Had he no wolf sense at all? Didn't he hear what the Second said about his word being law? Did he not understand? Did he have a death wish?
Challenges were issued for position in the pack. To challenge the Second was to Challenge the authority of the Alpha himself.
"He didn't mean it, Mr. Holt" she said quickly, "He's new. He doesn’t understand." She made sure she kept her eyes cast down in deference to his position. This wasn't about his aggressive courtship. His position in the pack gave him no right to force her to mate. This was about McCall.
"I understand he's an ass. That alone should be worthy of a challenge, but I don't need to look for a reason," McCall said to her, but his eyes never left Holt's.
Holt was breathing hard. Rachel could feel the tension as he strained to control his power. She swallowed the lump of fear in her throat, her body taut as a fiddle string as she waited for the explosion she knew would come. Her head snapped up when Holt spoke.
"You can't Challenge for Second. You're not a member of this pack and you never will be." He spat the words as if McCall wasn't worthy of membership, but Rachel recognized it for what it was. Holt was backing down.
The fool wolver laughed again. "I never said I'd Challenge for Second. I couldn't if I want to, which I don't. The Second's position is earned, not won, or have you forgotten that?" He shook his head at the implied stupidity. "The Challenge would be personal, over your assault of a female and just in case you've forgotten that, too, any male from any pack has the right to do that under Primal Law. You have heard of Primal Law, haven't you?"
He would Challenge Barnabas Holt on her behalf? Head still lowered, Rachel's eyes slid to the newcomer. The churning inside her settled into something warm, but unfamiliar.
"Your word against mine, McCall. No witnesses," Holt sneered.
Rachel knew both men were looking at her, but she couldn't look up. Instead, she looked at her tablecloths strewn in the dirt at her feet. The warmth inside her coalesced into a burning ball that uncoiled into the wolf she thought had died. Her hands started to shake as the long absent sensation of her inner wolf made its presence known. Its growl was almost a whisper, directed not at the situation, but at her complac ency. She toed the filthy linen and that's when it hit her.
Holt was counting on her to refuse to air her 'dirty linen' in public. He was counting on her keeping the shameful secret to herself.
Insides quaking , she was surprised how steady her voice sounded as she quietly said, "There is a witness, Mr. Holt. You seem to have forgotten. I was there, too."
"Well, there you have it. What's it to be, Holt? How long would you last as Second once it's known you've assaulted one of the fair and gentle females of Gold Gulch? Hmm?" Mr. McCall turned away and then turned back. "Oh, and about that job I'm never going to get? You're too fucking late to the party on that one, too." McCall pulled the badge from the pocket of his jeans. "Your Mayor already hired me."
Chapter 7
Mr. McCall led her through the door to the kitchen and held the chair for her as he sat her at the table. She was still shaking, but whether it was from fear, or anger, or the fact that her wolf had awakened after all these years, she wasn't sure.
She wasn't sure about a lot of things lately and the inner turmoil was driving her mad. Look what she'd done to Jack Coogan in the restaurant. Good heavens! What
"Fine. Keep the job," Mr. McCall told him. He shrugged and the face he made showed his indifference. "But before I go, I'll Challenge and you won't live to enjoy your petty victory."
Challenger McCall said it as calmly as saying it looks like it's going to rain. Rachel's eyes widened at the stupidity of the remark and the man who made it. Had he no wolf sense at all? Didn't he hear what the Second said about his word being law? Did he not understand? Did he have a death wish?
Challenges were issued for position in the pack. To challenge the Second was to Challenge the authority of the Alpha himself.
"He didn't mean it, Mr. Holt" she said quickly, "He's new. He doesn’t understand." She made sure she kept her eyes cast down in deference to his position. This wasn't about his aggressive courtship. His position in the pack gave him no right to force her to mate. This was about McCall.
"I understand he's an ass. That alone should be worthy of a challenge, but I don't need to look for a reason," McCall said to her, but his eyes never left Holt's.
Holt was breathing hard. Rachel could feel the tension as he strained to control his power. She swallowed the lump of fear in her throat, her body taut as a fiddle string as she waited for the explosion she knew would come. Her head snapped up when Holt spoke.
"You can't Challenge for Second. You're not a member of this pack and you never will be." He spat the words as if McCall wasn't worthy of membership, but Rachel recognized it for what it was. Holt was backing down.
The fool wolver laughed again. "I never said I'd Challenge for Second. I couldn't if I want to, which I don't. The Second's position is earned, not won, or have you forgotten that?" He shook his head at the implied stupidity. "The Challenge would be personal, over your assault of a female and just in case you've forgotten that, too, any male from any pack has the right to do that under Primal Law. You have heard of Primal Law, haven't you?"
He would Challenge Barnabas Holt on her behalf? Head still lowered, Rachel's eyes slid to the newcomer. The churning inside her settled into something warm, but unfamiliar.
"Your word against mine, McCall. No witnesses," Holt sneered.
Rachel knew both men were looking at her, but she couldn't look up. Instead, she looked at her tablecloths strewn in the dirt at her feet. The warmth inside her coalesced into a burning ball that uncoiled into the wolf she thought had died. Her hands started to shake as the long absent sensation of her inner wolf made its presence known. Its growl was almost a whisper, directed not at the situation, but at her complac ency. She toed the filthy linen and that's when it hit her.
Holt was counting on her to refuse to air her 'dirty linen' in public. He was counting on her keeping the shameful secret to herself.
Insides quaking , she was surprised how steady her voice sounded as she quietly said, "There is a witness, Mr. Holt. You seem to have forgotten. I was there, too."
"Well, there you have it. What's it to be, Holt? How long would you last as Second once it's known you've assaulted one of the fair and gentle females of Gold Gulch? Hmm?" Mr. McCall turned away and then turned back. "Oh, and about that job I'm never going to get? You're too fucking late to the party on that one, too." McCall pulled the badge from the pocket of his jeans. "Your Mayor already hired me."
Chapter 7
Mr. McCall led her through the door to the kitchen and held the chair for her as he sat her at the table. She was still shaking, but whether it was from fear, or anger, or the fact that her wolf had awakened after all these years, she wasn't sure.
She wasn't sure about a lot of things lately and the inner turmoil was driving her mad. Look what she'd done to Jack Coogan in the restaurant. Good heavens! What
Similar Books
