Chapter 2 2

James Lacrosse packed up his tools, graciously turning down the offer of lunch from the scantily dressed woman leaning on the wall in what he assumed she meant to be a seductive pose. He never understood why women thought that if they wore less clothing a man would suddenly become more interested in them. He quickly made his escape out of the house and walked to an aging werewolf standing by a red beat up pickup truck.

"Didn't stay for lunch?" The older werewolf asked with a chuckle and despite being his boss James shot him a glare in reply which only made the werewolf hoot with laughter. "Good, let them think you're playing hard to get," he said through bales of laughers. "They pay more that way. Just to see your pretty boy face they'll pay me double of what I usually charge," he went on gleefully and James shook his head.

He swore Freddie, sounded more like a pimp every day. Not that he could blame him for pushing an advantage. Freddie was getting up in the years and close to retirement. The old man wanted to pad his nest egg as much as he could, but James just wished Freddie stopped padding it at his expense. "Maybe I should be getting a raise since my dignity is apparently for sale," James replied back with mocked bitterness as he sat in the back of the truck.

Freddie sent out another hoot of laughter. "Dignity? Boy, what man wouldn't love to have all the pretty ladies practically throw themselves at his feet," Freddie exclaimed between laughter and James allowed his disgust to show. None of those women really were interested in him, but his pretty boy face as Freddie put it or his dark reputation.

Every werewolf knew the name, James Lacrosse. They knew that you didn't want to mess with him or you'd end up in the intensive care unit of the local hospital...if you were lucky, all thanks to Xavier Thompson's experiments. Except James wasn't the uncontrollable hothead he used to be but that didn't change the way people kept looking at him or treating him. Most wolves tread carefully around him so as not to ignite his famous temper.

Though some tried to recruit him as an enforcer or as in most cases with unmated women, tried to collar and tame the big bad wolf, they thought he was. Humans weren't much better, they didn't know about his monstrous shift, but they knew his reputation. So the result was always the same for the most part. They didn't see a person but a trophy. A trophy that they bickered and fought over so that they could be the ones to shelve it in their home.

He'd only met one woman that didn't treat him like that. The one woman he wanted more than anything, his brief and very reluctant mate, Lily Nawassa. James ran a hand through his hair with a sigh as he thought of her and as he had many times before wondered how she was doing. Did she get any farther to going back to human? Was she happy? "Hey James," a high pitched gleeful voice broke James from his thoughts.

James looked up and did his best not to cringe as he saw the woman approaching them. "Hey Ginger," he replied, trying his best to sound friendly and not annoyed as he really felt. She was an attractive wolf. Her red hair, bright blue eyes, and a curvy body was enough to get any man's attention. Top it off that she had a kind and upbeat disposition that made it a pleasure to be around but James just couldn't bring himself to see her as more than a friend.

Sadly, Ginger wanted to be more, especially after he made the mistake of letting her kiss him one night where he had more than one too many beers and was feeling lonely. Thank God he came to his senses and stopped her almost immediately. He tried letting her down, but she turned out to be painfully persistent. "Hey there, pretty lady," Freddie greeted with a sly smile, he knew what had happened and, of course, thought it was hilarious.

She gave him a brief wave of the hand and instead kept her focus on James. "I wanted to come by and invite you to lunch," she told James with a bright smile and James wanted to roll his eyes. He knew she wanted to invite him that's why he had been ignoring her calls.

"I've already got a lunch," he replied with his best diplomatic tone that had Freddie smirking behind his own food.

"That's okay, more the merrier right?" She jumped in, looking so hopeful that it made him feel bad for wanting to refuse.

"Sorry Ginger," Freddie told her. "The alpha has called some meeting later on that James has to be at so we need to make sure we get the day's work done by then," he explained and James glanced at his boss, wondering if he was telling the truth. Ginger pouted with clear disappointment then smiled a smile that made James more nervous than anything else.

"Maybe I could go with you," she suggested and James nearly choked on his sandwich but once again Freddie jumped to answer.

"Sorry sweetie but I heard that this meeting is invitation only," he told her and she looked at the older werewolf with some irritation then turned back to James giving him a bright smile.

"Well I could accompany you there," she said and Freddie lost all his amusement in his face.

"Girl, go away and let the boy eat his lunch," he demanded and she now gave him an openly hostile glare.

"If James wants me to leave he can tell me himself Freddie," she snapped at him and Freddie growled a low menacing growl. Freddie outranked her in the pack and her words were every bit a challenge to his position. If she insisted, Freddie had every right to put her in her place.

"But I was leaving anyway," Ginger said hastily with a nervous look. "Since James can't have lunch with me," she added with a flip of her hair and flashed James a cheery smile before turning on her heel to leave.

"You're going to have to do something about that one," Freddie said once she had gone and James shook his head.

"I know, but I'm just trying to figure out how to tell her to get lost without looking like a jerk in the process," he replied and Freddie laughed.

"Now that's funny...The James Lacrosse doesn't want to look like a jerk," he barked out and started up a fresh bought of cackling.

"Yeah, real hilarious," James said sourly then looked over at Freddie. "Hey, were you serious about that meeting?" The older wolf nodded, wiping his hands clean.

"Yep, the alpha wants you at the meeting hall at four," he replied then quickly added, "No, I don't know what it's about. All he told me was that he wants you there." James nodded and continued his lunch, wondering what Tony wanted to talk to him about.

Ten till four, James walked into the low-key brick building that served as the pack's meeting hall. He gave a non-committal nod to a few people as he walked to the conference room that Tony usually used to for the smaller meetings. It was a large room with a large black rectangular table in the center ringed with chairs. Tony sat at the far right end of the table with a large giant of a man who served as the pack's lead enforcer and was James's brother in law.

"I see you've been invited to this party Keon," he greeted the enforcer as he sat across him.

"Any party worth having invites me," Keon replied with a cheeky grin and James returned his grin and then looked to Tony. The alpha had the Roberts' family characteristic blond hair and blue eyes and like all wolves, especially alphas, was well built. He was leaned back in his chair in a relaxed posture, but James could see his jaw tight, relaying that he was worried about something.

"Thanks for coming guys. Let's get started," Tony stated and leaned forward in a more rigid position. "Late yesterday evening I got a call from the Aequivalere They've asked to send a squadron to hunt a rogue vampire that they suspect may be in or around our territory," he started and James stiffened at the mention of the Aequivalere. Those were the people Lily had left town to work for.

"I thought the Aequivalere didn't work hands on and ask the locals to deal with it," Keon asked, leaning forward and resting his large forearms on the table.

"They usually don't, but this time they want to. Obviously there's something odd about all of it. When I tried to find out more about their target they gave me the runabout and wouldn't give me any details then they flat out refused the aid I offered it," Tony explained and James leaned to the left of his chair in thought.

Now that was weird, he'd never heard of them refusing aide. "Now if that wasn't suspicious enough, I got a call a few hours later from Lily telling me she's coming for a visit."

James's head jerked to Tony and he stiffened in surprise. Was Lily coming home? "Lily? That's your sister, right? The one that's been gone a few years," Keon asked, glancing at James before turning all his attention back to Tony. Keon knew of James history with her. The alpha nodded to and leaned forward, the tension in his shoulders easy to read.

"She claims that her workload has eased allowing her time to come for a visit," Tony explained.

"Claimed? You don't believe her?" James asked, trying hard to keep his voice neutral and not show any of the mix of emotions he was feeling but from the look on Tony's face he wasn't doing a very good job of it.

"Not after the Aequivalere call. Also, she was a little vague herself. Said she couldn't tell me how long she was going to be here or why the sudden relief of work. Just that she'd be here by tomorrow around lunch time," Tony explained and James rubbed his chin in thought.

"So what do you think is going on?" Keon asked after a few seconds of silence, shifting his weight in his chair causing it to squeak under the man's large mass.

"Well," Tony started, opening his suit jacket and tossing it back and readjusting his posture. "That either one: Lily and the Aequivalere have had a fallen out and they're hunting her or two: Lily is helping them capture someone that, for whatever reason, they want us to keep our noses out."

"Knowing her, it's probably the first," James said with a snicker and even Tony allowed a small but brief brotherly smile.

"Probably," Tony added then went back to his alpha seriousness. "So until further notice Keon I was all the patrols on high alert. Don't add more men, I don't want them to know we suspect anything," he told the enforcer then turned to James with an almost pained expression that let him know exactly what Tony wanted from him.

"And you want me to keep tabs on Lily, figure out what is the real reason she's here," he offered and Tony smiled in reply.

"You're the only one that can do it without having to fear for their life," Tony told him and James simply shrugged. He wasn't sure Tony was right but despite everything, James wanted the job.

"Alright then Keon you know what to do and James I want you over for lunch tomorrow. Keon if you have time, I'm sure my mother would find room for you too." Tony finished and with that the meeting was over.

The Next day James arrived at the large white house, feeling a nervousness and maybe excitement. He still didn't know if he was happy she came back or dreaded it. After their last argument that ended their mateship, he'd hardly spoken to her. He'd been so angry and felt so betrayed that he couldn't talk to her. By the time he'd been ready to approach her and talk about things, she was on a plane out of there without a looking back. It felt like a betrayal all over again.

James parked his pickup and walked into the house, but he didn't get a chance to knock before the door opened. To his surprise, it was Chris Lyon leaving the house. "Hey, James!" Chris greeted, looking surprised but happy to see him. "Good to see ya man," the other werewolf said, giving him a fist bump.

"Same to you Chris. When did you get back?" James asked, glad to see the other looking so good since the last time James had seen Chris he was a broken man.

"Today, I came with Lily," Chris told him and to his surprise, James was hit with a hard, sudden wave of possessiveness. He nearly slammed Chris against the wall demanding to know what he was doing with his mate, but she wasn't his mate and this was just Chris after all. There was no way he and Lily would be together like that.Yes, they were close but not that close...

"Really," James started, trying to keep his voice normal. "What were you doing with Lily," he demanded, a cold, harsh tone slipping into his voice. Chris looked a little taken aback but gave him a nervous smile.

"Well we ran into each other in Montana," he replied, fidgeting a little under James's unintentional scrutiny and looking slightly...guilty? There was something Chris wasn't telling him, he could practically smell it. "Well I gotta get something for A-er Lily out of the car," he said, sounding even more nervous and practically flew down the porch steps.

I'll kill him, James thought heatedly as he walked towards the front door and unable to stop his feelings of jealousy. The beast and a part of him, deep down inside, still saw Lily as his. James shook his head as if to scatter his thoughts and focus on the task at hand. She wasn't his and he needed to keep his head if he was going to find out what they were hiding.

As soon as he opened the door Lily's scent hit him, wrapping around him and seemingly seeping into his very soul. A shiver ran down his spine and his tension vanished only to be replaced by a sudden carnal hunger. He had to see her! James followed her scent when Tony stepped out of the kitchen, blocking him. "James," Tony said, sounding slightly nervous. "About that assignment I gave you...forget about it. I'll find someone else."

James froze and blinked at his alpha and best friend a couple of minutes. "What?" He managed to reply. Where did that come from and why did the alpha look nervous. What was going on?

"Just...I um think it's better if someone else does it," Tony said, not exactly meeting his eye, not out of submission but more like evasiveness.

"What is it, Tony? Is she with someone else? Is it Chris? You'd think I'd attack them? That I'd risk the assignment?" He asked a little bitterly, honestly a little afraid of that himself. Seeing as how he was reacting now, James wasn't so sure he would be able to restrain himself if he saw her with another man.

"What? Chris? God no," Tony exclaimed. "He's like family and would never screw you like that. He's not suicidal," Tony jumped in then looked sheepish. "She's not with someone else. Well at least not like you think. I really can't say more. I promised," Tony explained, sounding cryptic. "You'll see soon enough man and when you do try to keep your cool and remember you're free to leave at any time," Tony finished before darting off into the house.

What the hell was going on? James thought as he walked down the hall and into the living room. It was empty, but he froze as he saw Lily through the patio door. Emotions rage through him as he looked at her for a moment. Her back was facing him, but he could tell it was Lily.

With a deep breath, he opened the patio door and joined her on the large wooden porch. She turned as she heard the door and gave him a small smile that shot right through him. "James Lacrosse," she greeted him.

"Lily Nawassa," he greeted back and to his surprise her smile grew just a little as her gaze ran up and down him. "You look good James. How you've been?" She asked, leaning on the porch railing. Despite the fall chill she wore only a long sleeve shirt that didn't look very thick and a pair of jeans that showed off the curves of her legs that he loved so much. Her dark hair was loose around her face and it beckoned him to just run his hand through it. Her posture seemed relaxed but he could see her muscles taut with what he assumed was tension.

Her scent told him that she was still a hybrid so he guessed she hadn't yet found that cure she had so desperately wanted. "I've been...alright," he said after a moment of debate on how to answer. "How about you? How's the life of a guardian treating you?" He asked and an emotion he couldn't read quickly flashed over her face before she hide it.

"I'm not a guardian. I never made it past their basic training," she replied with a nonchalant tone but he could detect a hint that something about that bothered her.

"Really? Taking orders was the deal breaker?" He joked and she let out a small bark of laughter, but it sounded a little forced.

"Something like that," Lily replied, brushing some of her hair out of her face. He had the strongest urge to walk over to her and hold her against him, to make sure all of it was real. She really was back. He actually took a step forward when a loud bang came from the glass door. James turned and saw a little boy he'd never seen before hitting against the glass. He was just about to ask who the boy was when Lily cocked her head to the side and clicked her tongue.

"Stop that A.J.," She scolded and opened the door. Wait, she knew the boy, how? "Why aren't you playing with Matty?" She asked picking him up.

"I want mommy," the little boy demanded and wrapped his arms around her neck. James froze in shock. No, it couldn't be, James told himself with a mental shake of his head. She couldn't possibly have kids, she was like him. Their genetics was too messed up for kids.

"Well here I am but I'm talking at the moment and you're going to get cold out here," Lily said in a soft sweet tone that James didn't even know she could make. He watched as she caressed the boy's hair and gave him a kiss.

"No," the little boy insisted and Lily sighed with a smile. James felt a jolt when the little boy looked at him with curiosity. "Who that?" He asked and Lily looked panicked for a moment quickly looking away from James.

"Look, there's Chris and he's got cookies," Lily stated, her voice shaking a little. The boy cheered and Lily opened the porch door once more. She set the toddler on the ground and he ran over to an awaiting Chris. "Can you keep him busy please," Lily pleaded and Chris glanced to James with a nod. James concentrated on taking deep breaths to control himself. He had to get the whole story before flipping out.

"So you're a mom," James asked, with a bit of an edge to his voice. If Lily heard it, she ignored it as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah...who would've guessed right," She said, obviously nervous and not looking at him directly. He stuffed his clenched fists into his jacket pocket and continued to take slow deep breaths. He couldn't believe it. She had replaced him and started a family without him. He knew it was stupid, they were never really together, but he felt yet again betrayed.

"Did his father come with you?" James asked, his voice sounding strained even to himself and she cringed, her gaze never meeting his.

"His father," Lily started then stopped with a perplexed look on her face. I need a name of who I'm going to rip apart, James thought, allowing himself to entertain the fantasy though he knew he wouldn't actually hurt the guy...probably. "His father," Lily started again then finally looked at him, hints of anxiety in her face. "Is you, James."

James simply stared at her for a moment. He wasn't sure if he heard that right. Did she just say that the boy was his? "What?" He finally managed to blurt out stupidly and once more she told him that he was the kid's father. "How...but..." he stated, feeling unable to get his brain and mouth to work together enough to get out more.

"Well, because you obviously missed the safe sex talk in high school," she said with a teasing tone but he simply gave her a hard look. Her smile fell and she gave him a nod, understanding he was not in the mood to be played with. "Veronica, the vampire I work with, is a genetic expert and she thinks it because our wolves are genetically alike..." she explained and James ran his hand through his hair.

That kid...was his kid...he was a dad. Then it hit him. That kid wasn't born yesterday. "Why am I finding out about this now?" He growled and she flinched, but he didn't care. How could she do this to him? Out of all the cruel, heartless things she had done to him this was by far the worse.

"You know the chances hybrids have of survival James?" she asked him but didn't wait for an answer. "Ninety-nine percent die and the other percent end up becoming rabid insane monsters. You saw Xavier's attempts to make more like me. I really didn't believe that the pregnancy would come to term. I didn't want to tell anyone, especially you, to give them, give you another death to mourn," she explained with a pained tone and looked at him. He could see the deepness of that pain etched in her face

"And when you did and he was born?" James snapped and she sighed, her shoulders slumping as she seemed to deflate.

"Physically A.J. was born normal...well, he'll most likely have a beast like us but that didn't mean he wasn't born with the typical hybrid insanity," She said looking back out the yard. "I wanted to tell you sooner James but...I don't know it just seemed to get harder and harder as time passed. After a while I figured you would've moved on, made a life for yourself and I didn't want to screw that up," she explained, still avoiding his gaze.

James made a crude sound of disbelief and glared at her angrily. He wasn't like her. He couldn't just forget about someone that was meant to be his and move on. "That's bullshit and you know it, Lily. Why don't you just tell the truth? You didn't want to me to have a rightful place in the life of my own son, the only one I'll probably ever have!"

"No, it's not like that James," Lily argued, finally turning to him again.

"Don't," James warned, now fully understanding why Tony said he didn't have to take the assignment. "I don't want to hear anymore! I knew you were selfish when you stomped on everything I did to make us being mate easier for you," He growled, feeling his hands tremble. "But this? I guess you really are a cold-hearted bitch," he snarled at her and stomped back into the house.

He walked through the house, ignoring everyone watching him like a hawk. They all knew. They all had known before he did! There was no way he was going to be staying in that house a minute longer! He couldn't or he was sure he'd do something he'd regret. "James wait," he heard Andrew, Tony's father, and the ex-alpha, call after him. He paused by his truck, gripping the door handle tightly.

"So I guess she told you," Andrew said slowly and James gave him a "what do you think" look. "We didn't know until today either. I want you to know that. We didn't know until she showed up with A.J. on her hip. Sandy laid into her hard for keeping it from everyone, especially you," Andrew told him and with a deep breath James forced himself to calm down. "I know it's really not my place but I think you should stay James," the ex-alpha added.

"I was robbed of the first years of my son's life. He doesn't even know who I am," James growled and Andrew gave him an understanding expression.

"Yeah I know but hey, look at the bright side...you kind of lucked out," Andrew offered and James looked at him in stupefaction. "Everyone makes a big deal out of the first year, but honestly it's filled with late night feedings, stinky dirty diapers, teething, lots and lots of crying. Then there is the hormonally stressed out mom to deal with that can go from happy to tears to rabid anger in a matter of three seconds," Andrew explained then clapped him on the shoulder.

"It's now when kids start to get fun. He's starting to talk and he can walk more or less which means you can take him out and actually play with him," Andrew went on, but James wasn't soothed. Okay, the whole crying and dirty diaper thing didn't really seem like something great but it was his right to be there. "If you leave now your only losing more time with him," Andrew finished.

He had a point there, James had to admit. He took a deep breath before speaking. "Alright I'll stay," James said, letting go of the door handle, wincing when the handle fell to the ground in pieces.

If Lily thought for a moment that she could dangle his son in front of him and go back to Montana like nothing ever happened then, she was dead wrong. His son was going to be staying by his side and if she didn't like it, James didn't really give a damn. At that moment, a black SUV drove up into the driveway. His sister, Keon, and their daughter Eliza got out.

"Uncle James," Eliza cried out and jumped into his arms.

"Eliza, be careful! You're not a little girl anymore," his sister, Harley, scolded her, but James simply laughed, hugging his niece.

"Don't worry about it sis, I can take this lightweight," he said as he set Eliza on the ground and earning a hard look from her, apparently she didn't like being called light weight.

"How about you go and help everyone in the house by giving Matt someone to play with," Koen told his daughter. The girl huffed with an eye roll that made her look just like her mother when she was younger. It made James smile, his anger burning away like it never existed.

"Actually Matt's got a new little friend today," James told them, feeling a little excited and nervous now that the anger was gone.

"That's great, who is it?" Harley asked and James took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Well it's my son," He said plainly and Harley froze, gawking at him that made him smile a little.

"Your son? But...how...I thought you couldn't..." Harley started, reminding him of his reaction but just like Eliza she threw herself into his arms giving him a strong hug. "Oh James congratulations," she cheered then looked confused. "Why am I finding out I'm an Aunt now?" She asked with a frown and with some of his anger returning James explained more or less his conversation with Lily.

"How could she do that to you?" His sister demanded with indignation, practically shouting, and Koen put his hands on her shoulders.

"Easy babe, you don't know what's going on. You know that sometimes families make stupid decisions in an attempt to protect those they love," he told her and Harley shot him a glare. James knew he was talking about their parents. Once they discovered what James was, they refused to Harley and James be around each other...for her own safety of course.

"It's just not fair," Harley huffed and James shrugged and he hugged her again, not wanting to think about it lest he gets too angry again.

"Yeah well life hasn't been exactly fair to her either," James stated before he realized it. Harley mirrored his surprise at him defending her. He had no idea why he felt the need to defend Lily. Harley suddenly smiled a mischievous smile at him.

"Aw my brother is in love," Harley cooed and James glared at her.

"Don't," James warned her. "Not today okay sis. I'm holding on by a thread as it is," he explained and Harley snorted with a dry laugh.

"Well duh, you got yourself mixed up with Lily Crazy Horse Nawasa," Harley told him and James looked at her in surprise. "She made quite the name for herself in the public school system. That girl could go cool to crazy in point zero five nanoseconds if you pissed her off," she explained and James couldn't help a smirk.

"Figures," he replied with a shake of his head. "Let me go inside so you can see my son," he finished with a smile, guiding his sister up and into the house. Time for round two, he thought a little bitterly.