-10- James

James could hear the alpha shouting at the woman in his office. “Here they go again,” Doctor Thompson said, shaking his head. James gave him a questioning look. The beta nodded his head. “Yes, they do this often. They may not be related by blood, but both have similar personalities,” he told him with a chuckle. His curiosity flared once more and almost asked the beta about her when the door flew open. Andrew stomped out of the room with the human in tow. Both were glaring at each other and the anger filled the room, making everyone, even him, tense.

The human tried to break free from the alpha’s grip as she demanded that he let her go, but the alpha ignored her. He opened the front door and pushed her out onto the porch. “Stop trying to act like a one-man army,” he demanded in a harsh snarl. “I will tell you once more that you will do as I say! A pack is as strong as its weakest member and the pack will protect you! Now go home and get some rest!” he shouted at her, then slammed the door in her face.

James shifted from one foot to the other. Seeing the alpha treat her like that bothered him, and part of him felt tempted to step forward and ask the alpha to ease up a bit. However, he also couldn’t help but wonder why she was refusing protection. The human had to know that if a werewolf attacked her, she’d die. She couldn’t be stupid enough to think she could fight off such an attack by herself.

“Let us continue,” the alpha demanded and ordered them to follow him back into his office. With a shrug, Xavier followed Andrew back inside. James glanced at the front door for a second before following the other two into the alpha’s office.  

“So then what do you think we have on our hands?” Andrew asked, directing his question towards the pack doctor, once everyone had taken their seat.

“I still am not sure that this is all connected,” Doctor Thompson replied, knotting his fingers together and resting his elbows on the edges of the chair.

“I am afraid we have sound evidence to believe that is, in fact, connected. Jake Addams’ attempted abduction was like James. Also, James informed me this morning that the mad man contacted him admitting to being the one who caused his particular way of shifting and attacking Lily,” Andrew explained.

“This is horrible,” the beta started with a sad tone. “Who would want to do such a thing to our children?” He turned to the alpha. “I am not sure what we can do now, to be honest. We’ve no leads and the thief stole the pills.”

“We have one lead. James will recognize the werewolf present in the attempt to kidnap the Addams child,” Andrew began, then looked at James. “Speaking of which, I want you to stop by the laboratory and check out the scent. I have already talked to the pack members who are on the police force. You will enter with no problems. I want to know whether it’s the same or we are dealing with more than one traitor,” he finished.

“I will go over there as soon as we finish here,” James answered.

“Good. Now, as far as the pills, we haven’t lost them all, Xavier. Apparently Lily foresaw a break in at the laboratory so she kept some pills hidden somewhere else,” he explained and the doctor smiled.

“Did she? Well, what an intelligent move. I have to say I am impressed,” he cheered, and the alpha smiled, too.

“Getting them from her though is going to be... challenging. She refuses to give up the pills or back down,” Andrew said with frustration. “She seems to have taken this personal and has refused to let me attempt to protect her,” he finished with a growl. Xavier’s lips stretched into a small smile.

“I have to agree with her on that last part, Andrew; I don’t think she’ll need protection. The attack at the laboratory wasn’t against her; it was to get the pills back. Now that this thug thinks he has the pills, he won’t bother her again. She is only a human, after all,” he explained to the alpha. Andrew sighed, shaking his head.

“You may be right, Xavier, but you know how she is. She’ll find a way to piss this mad man off and like you just said, she is only human,” he expressed concern.

Xavier laughed, “Of course she would! She’s your daughter even if she is human! Give it a day or two to calm down, then send someone who has the gift of extreme patience to talk to her,” the beta explained, and the alpha smiled tiredly. James felt his curiosity flare up once more than he listened to the conversation. Never in his life would he have ever imagined it possible for a human to become a part of an alpha’s family.

“That’s a good idea, Xavier, I knew I could count on you,” Andrew expressed with gratitude and then turned to James. “Once you have checked the lab out, I want you to check out the local hot spots of the pack and see if you can identify our unknown werewolf. If you find him, don’t engage him or make him aware that you know who he is. Just come back and inform me,” the alpha explained.

“Yes Alpha,” James answered with a nod and all three men stood, understanding the meeting was now over. James got up and made his way out of the house.

“Hey, wait up, James,” Tony called after him. “I am going to tag along,” he added, and James smiled.

“It will just be like old times then,” he told his best friend, and they walked towards Tony’s old jeep.

“Be careful Tony,” a dark-haired beauty called out to Tony, looking worried.

“I’ll be fine Liz...it’s nothing dangerous I swear. You don’t need to worry,” he told her with a wave. “What?” he asked once he noticed James giving him an intense examining look.

“How the hell did you get a mate like that?” he asked, and Tony smiled, looking proud.

“I am the alpha’s son and the next in line to be alpha. I get nothing but the best,” he replied as his smile spread from ear to ear.

“So it seems... damn lucky bastard,” he muttered as they got into the jeep. Tony laughed, looking even more prideful.

“How does that work out for you, by the way?” Tony asked, pulling out of the driveway and onto the street.

“What do you mean?” James asked as he looked out of the window.

“Well, I mean, do you have one or are you too different?” Tony asked, looking unsure.

“Hell, if I know. I just know that I have yet to meet a woman that has caused any of those telltale signs that she’s my mate,” he explained with a flat tone. He didn’t want to let on how much he had thought about that question himself.

“Man, that sucks,” Tony admitted and James shrugged in reply.

“Suits me just fine. Now can we change the subject? I swear we sound like a group of girls,” he teased, and Tony looked at him for a moment with his entire face scrunched up in disgust.