The Alpha and The Fool novel Chapter 20

“Hey, Nic, where you bee — whoa, what happened to you two?” Jon asked as Dean, and I left the gym. He quickly shook his head, help up his hands. “Actually I don’t think I want to know. So we’ve been kind of waiting for you and figure what we’re going to do next.”

“Back to work,” I told Dean and rubbed a kink out of my shoulder. “I need a shower, and then we can discuss the what next. Meet you guys in thirty-forty minutes, okay.”

“Sure thing,” Jon said, giving us an odd stare before turning around and going back where he came from.

“Well, raincheck on the pampering. I’ll get some sleep and catch you later,” Dean said and slung his arm around my shoulders and gave me a hug. “But don’t let them keep you up too long. You need to get some sleep too.”

“Doctor’s orders?”

“Nope, nurses, and everyone knows that’s what counts,” he said, grinning that bright cocky grin of his. “Go do your thing, Boss lady. We’ll catch up later.” With a quick kiss on my cheek, he left, following Jon. I ran a hand over my head and tried not to grin like an idiot as I headed to my room to take a quick shower before meeting with the others.

They were waiting for me in the game room. “What happened? Jon said you and Dean were looking pretty rough earlier,” Wesley asked me as soon as I walked in.

“I told you, I don’t think we want to know the details,” Jon said, smirking.

I held up my fist. “Do you want me to knock that empty head off your shoulders.” My threat only made the smirk grow. “Dean was showing me what he could do.” Sade spat out the soda she was drinking and coughing violently. “Oh God, grow up guys. I’m talking about fighting. We sparred.”

Even Wesley was snickering now. “Ah, how did that go?” he asked rubbing his chin.

I rolled my eyes and sat on a barstool. “He’s good. Get your mind out of the gutter and let’s talk business. Now, don’t get offended, but Dean suggested it, and I think it’s worth a shot, but I would like you guys to verify Sade parents information. Is the pack happy with Brandon?”

“My parents wouldn’t lie,” Sade said, sounding offended like I told her not to be.

“I’m not saying they are, but it doesn’t hurt to check it out anyway. Right?”

“No, I guess not,” she said, still looking a little offended.

“Next, Dean mentioned a possible Plan B, involving some guy named Harry. Know who that is?”

“No clue,” Jon said shrugging.

“I do. Brook, the future luna, her step dad’s name is Harry, but I don’t see how he could have any kind of Plan B. The man use to be Black Mountain’s beta until he defected to this pack when the war started. From what I heard he usually doesn’t involve himself in pack business, and he certainly hasn’t tried to improve his rank among this pack.”

“Okay, well, find out what you guys can. I need to get some sleep,” I told them.

“I bet she does,” Jon whispered to Wesley, elbowing him.

I grabbed the little chalk cube and tossed it at him, hitting him right in the head. “Shut it, now.”

“Ow, that hurt,” Jon complained.

“Go, Nic. We got the fort,” Wesley told me.

“Thanks, Wesley, I can count on you, at least.”

When I was in my room, I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow and I didn’t wake up until late in the afternoon. Wesley had started making a few calls, and all signs were pointing that Sade’s parents were right. Wesley assured me not to give up hope yet, he still had a lot more to make, but we all knew how it was going to go.

So when Wesley finished and the results were for Brandon, I asked Dean about his Plan B. He first gave me a hug and told me my pack was full of idiots and now we were driving to meet this Harry guy, but he wouldn’t give me any details. The house of the driveway Dean pulled into was small, but homey. If I was right, this was on the edge of Alpha Brent’s territory.

We got out of the car, and Dean knocked on the door. A little boy, maybe five or six years old jump on him as soon as the door was open. “Uncle Dean,” he squealed.

Dean caught the boy and swung him around. “Hey, little man.”

An older woman followed the boy. She kissed Dean on the cheek. “Dean, we weren’t expecting you, were we?”

“Nah,” he said, setting the boy down. “Nancy, this is Nic,” he said, slipping an arm around my waist and pulling me over next to him.

I gave her a tight lipped smile, awkwardness fluttering through me.

“Nice to meet you, Nic,” She said, smiling and sounding as if she meant it.