Persuading Danielle

ALLIE

With the emergency pack meeting arranged for this afternoon, I have just enough time to visit my old housemates.

I want to extend James’s offer for them to join us at the Red Moon Pack to them personally.

They need to know that they will be welcome, and they might need some convincing that the Red Moon Pack will be the safest place for them to be.

Adam and Toby shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Since I’ve mated with James, they’ve been gradually thawing toward him. They’re beginning to appreciate the man behind the fearsome alpha image.

I’m not so sure about Danielle, though. She didn’t accept James’s earlier offer to join the pack and move in with us.

She has remained fiercely independent, but I need her to swallow her pride and appreciate the danger she’s in.

I’m relieved to find that all three of my old housemates are home. It will make it easier if I can speak to them all at once.

We sit around the kitchen while Adam makes coffee.

“I don’t know if you heard, but Ryan’s rogues launched another raid on the Red Moon Pack last night. The Red Moon Pack warriors fought them off, but not before they breached the pack borders.”

I have their undivided attention, so I take a deep breath and go on, “The pack is being put on high alert.

“We have a meeting this afternoon, and James is going to advise pack members to limit their visits to Linton. All pack members who are students in Linton will be ordered to return to pack territory.”

Now I’m at the hard part. “He’s also advising that students from other packs return home until the trouble dies down. He can’t guarantee that werewolf students can be kept safe in Linton.

“You all know what Ryan is like. He doesn’t care who gets caught in the crossfire when he attacks a pack, and we know that he’s determined to take Linton…”

“So we won’t be safe either,” Adam says gloomily. “Ryan might pretend that he’s the champion of loners, but none of us believe that.”

“What should we do?” Toby asks. “I don’t have anywhere else to go. Linton is my home. It’s all very well knowing that we are in danger, but I can’t see that there is much we can do about it.”

“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. James has offered to house some of the lone wolves, like yourselves, at the Red Moon Pack.

“He won’t take everyone—he has to be careful who he lets in, in case they’re working for Ryan. But people like you, people we know we can trust, he wants to help.”

Danielle is already shaking her head. “That’s nice of him, but I don’t want to leave my home. I don’t want Ryan to drive me out of somewhere I love yet again.”

“Danielle, you have to come. You won’t be safe here. You know what he does to people, what he did to your pack.”

“I won’t draw attention to myself... If I’m careful, there will be no reason for me to leave.”

“You already have his attention, though. He knows you’re my old housemate and my best friend. He will target you to get at me.”

“No, he—”

“Don’t argue with me,” I interrupt her. “You know it’s true. That’s exactly how he operates. The only way any of you will stay safe is if you agree to come to the Red Moon Pack with me.”

Adam and Toby nod. They can see that there is no other option.

Danielle has a stubborn look on her face, though. “There has to be another way. I just can’t stay with all those self-entitled arrogant pack wolves.”

“It wasn’t so long ago you ~were~ one of those self-entitled pack wolves!” I remind her. “Anyway, they aren’t all that bad. Most of them are really nice, and even David—”

“Is a pampered self-entitled prince,” she cuts me off.

“Really? All the time you have been spending with him recently driving to and from school hasn’t made you feel a bit warmer toward him?”

“No, not really.”

I smile at her. I don’t believe her. There is something between them, whether she wants to admit it or not.

“James has arranged separate accommodation for the loners, so you can stay far away from him and the other pack members if you really want to.”

She nods, and that looks like the closest I’ll get to an agreement.

“We need to pack and let our friends know where we are going,” Toby informs me.

“Okay. I’ll come over tomorrow and help you move.”

We say our goodbyes and I leave, pleased at the outcome.

I didn’t expect it would be easy to get Danielle to agree to move to the Red Moon Pack, but at least she had accepted the inevitable, even if it was done grudgingly.

When I return to the Red Moon Pack House, James is waiting for me.

“Ready to speak to the pack?” he asks.

“Yes. The sooner they know what is going on and the danger they face the better.”

“Good, we agree.”

James walks me into the pack dining hall. The dining tables have been removed, and rows of chairs have been set out. They’re all occupied; the whole of the Red Moon Pack has turned out for this meeting.

We walk to a raised dais, and James shows me to a seat. He remains standing to address the pack.

“Thank you all for attending this meeting at such short notice. It’s important that I share with you the extent of the threat that we’re facing. You need to understand the danger we are in.

“As you all know, Ryan and his Savage Wolves have been raiding the Red Moon Pack and the town of Linton for several months.

“He has targeted this pack for takeover and has been launching increasingly vicious attacks on pack lands. Last night his wolves were able to breach our borders before our warriors could repel them.”

Gasps of consternation and feverish whispers emanate from the wolves in the room, but James raises a hand to calm them before continuing.

“I’m confident that we will defeat Ryan. None of his attacks have so far been successful, but we need to take additional precautions in order to keep every wolf in this pack safe.

“For this reason, I’m imposing a curfew. No wolves will leave pack grounds between eight p.m. and six a.m.

“I’m not going to stop you going about your daily business in Linton, but I am asking that no one travel into Linton alone. Everyone is to travel in groups with a warrior escort.

“All Red Moon and Silver Fang students in Linton have been ordered to return to pack lands. I’ve also advised students from other packs to leave the city as a precaution.

“Warrior training for all will become mandatory, and training sessions will be increased. All single wolves will be expected to take their turns patrolling the pack borders.

“I’ve also invited a small group of lone wolves to join us. My beta is arranging accommodation for them in the old warrior quarters.

“I’ve only invited wolves that have proven themselves to be trustworthy, and they will be monitored while they’re here to ensure that they have no links to Ryan.

“We are working tirelessly to identify any traitors who are sharing information about the pack with Ryan’s rogues. I’m confident that this pack is loyal, but I ask you to maintain constant vigilance.

“Does anyone have any questions?”

“Why are you inviting strange loners to join us? Surely, they will be more likely to help Ryan than be loyal to us?” one middle-aged wolf asks.

“Because Ryan has proven that his attacks are as likely to target loners as they are pack wolves. He doesn’t care who he kills or injures as long as he wins the fight.

“It’s our duty to protect all vulnerable wolves.”

“You have never tried to help rogues before,” Karen says loudly. “Why open us up to the risk of being betrayed by them now? Is it because she’s your mate?” She points at me.

“I’m not going to lie to you,” James answers calmly. “My attitude toward loners has changed markedly since I found out that Allie was my mate.

“But that doesn’t mean I’m only willing to help loners because of her.

“Many of those lone wolves started out as pack wolves like you and me. It was only when Ryan attacked and destroyed their packs that they were forced to submit to him or strike out alone.

“Those wolves have as much reason to hate Ryan as we do. It’s only fitting that we take them in and protect them just as we would want another pack to protect us if we were in the same situation.

“I’m not lowering my guard. These loners will be monitored by our warriors while they’re here.

“I won’t allow them to be in a position where they are able to betray us to Ryan, but I won’t let fear of him stop me from doing what is right, either.”

The majority of the wolves in the hall nod in agreement.

There are only a few who remain silent, and all of them are close to Karen.