Raven’s POV
We are in a small convoy of six SUVs heading toward the Black Moon pack. We are going to stop about 4 miles away from their gate and get everything straight. We have a general plan, and a warrior is driving us as Brandon, and Justin got over it again in the back seat and again trying to find a flaw. Our son Jax, and Kevin are in the last row talking excitedly about what we were about to do. We need to make sure that no one recognizes Brandon, Justin, or me. My dad called Olivia and she met him with the extra two vehicles of warriors to go with us. I can’t appear there with my black hair. People still love to watch the video that started it all to this day. I still get recognized, but usually, they can't remember exactly where they know me from. I needed to change up my appearance, but I can’t go blonde, as then I will look like Reagan. She lived there for a time, and I could be recognized pretty quickly by a long-time pack member. Olivia ran out and got me a luxuriously long red wig, one that I suspect will have me looking like Jessica Rabbit when I put it on.
Brandon and Justin were both dealing with making a watertight plan and didn’t know I was going to be “disguised” quite that way, but I didn’t want any identifying traits showing. I needed to look like someone else, someone that when described, will not point them straight back to Black Adder. I know now that my mother has lived here with them for the last 15 years. I am glad that the wig was in sleek waves from an old Hollywood glam style, it did cover up some of my face, and that was going to help. I was going to be the closest one to the gate guards and I need them to stay calm, and not suspect anything. I need them to not realize that there is any problem until it was time to let them know there was a problem. The plan is that I will be asking them for directions to a little town about 30 miles from their pack. The wi-fi is hit-or-miss where we are, and our cell phones aren't working. Olivia had even bought a map for me to use while I was speaking to the guards. I was going to be alone in one of the SUVs. Olivia was now with Cole and council member Emerson in the SUV in front of us, and all of the items she brought me were in a bag at my feet. I had checked them all out, and she made me smile. The short black dress made it look like I was about to go hit the club, and I had cute black shoes to wear with it, I just hadn't worn 4-inch heels for a while now. I am only 33, but I still look mid 20's. I have good genes from my parents. In fact, when I am out with my older sons, people think that I am their older sister, right up until one of the boys gets in trouble. Then they realize I am their mom.
Brandon and Justin are NOT going to like her part of the plan at all. Olivia told me that no one was going to suspect a thing unless they saw lights moving around across the street. She told me that the best thing to do was for me to pull up across the entrance to the gate so they won’t see the two black SUVs when they parked across the street, for them to search. She insisted that they won’t see them searching for the phone at all because all eyes will be on me. She gave me the name of the nightclub there in the city that I was trying to find, and that I will be singing there tonight, but I got lost. She said that they will be so busy trying to mindlink someone to take over their shift so they can go see me. They won't be paying any attention to what is going on across the street. I hope she is right. I wanted Cheryl to be able to prove her innocence. I know Graham did it. He is an ass, and I know for a fact that he did it, it totally sounds like him.
I am nervous though. She borrowed the dress from Simone, and the shoes too. We are the same height, and basically the same size. I do not know about the shoes though. I can count on both hands how many times I have worn heels this high. I am already tall, and they are uncomfortable, I would much rather have my slides, sandals, or tennis shoes on. I already know for a fact that seeing me dressed like this is going to set both of my mates off. I can absolutely guarantee it. They will not want me wandering around in this. I have been wearing exercise clothes, jeans, or shorts for the last 15 years. I rarely dress up, and when I do it is usually because Justin bought a beautiful dress, that he wanted to see me in. But I don’t have to wear high-heeled shoes, because we are still in our own room while I am wearing the dress. If I look good enough tonight maybe I will wear back to the packhouse for them. I am sure that they will both approve of it. They still love and want me, even after 15 years, and that really makes me the happiest out of everything. I will slip into the woods with Olivia to watch over me, and then she is going to help me get the wig on right. I have no idea how to do it myself. I am getting a little excited for my men to see me in it.
We get there pretty quickly and the men started going over the plan. Who was driving, who was riding with who, and that the drivers had to make sure that they had all their people before leaving. My part was easy, distraction. I can tell this dress was skintight, as I pulled the slim sleeves down to take off my sports bra. I left my underwear on and this dress was hugging all my curves. Brandon and Justin were definitely not going to be happy about this at all. I got the shoes on, and yea, I do not miss wearing them at all. Olivia goes right to work and has me bend forward so she can wind my hair up and put it under the wig cap. Here goes nothing, I think to myself as Olivia has me bend forward and she starts at the back and then slides the wig over my head. I feel a little weird, as the hair falls in place and Olivia pulls out a comb to smooth it down. This is much more hair than I usually have on my head, and I think that is what my problem was with it. This wig is a beautiful red and is even longer than my actual hair, going all the way down my back to my waist. I looked at Olivia who handed me a bold red lipstick and told me to apply it as she made sure my hair looked presentable.
“How do I look?” I asked Olivia as she smiled at me.
“You look stunning. I can’t wait for Brandon and Justin to see you in it” Olivia said with a smile as I packed my sports bra and my tennis shoes back into the bag. I smiled at Olivia as she said, “Just give me 1 minute to get out there OK. I just want to get to where I have a good spot to stand, so I can see them when they first get their eyes on you.”
I must be unrecognizable then, and I give a laugh as I waited for her to head over to the group. I see her get her phone out to record, so I guess she wanted to capture this for me to see them too. It was getting just past dusk now, and they didn’t see me at first as I crossed from the tree line to approach the group. Brandon was pointing at the map and where he wanted everyone to be parked. I could hear him reiterate that the boys, Kevin and Jax, could not be left behind. That they were to ride with Cole, Olivia, and council member Emerson when they left. Our SUV, the one I was going to be driving, was going to be the last vehicle, along with one that held 5 warriors from my dad's pack, that had joined us for this trip. We were going to run interference if we needed to, as all five men were armed, just like we were. Even if Blake did come out, he would think twice about messing with the council member. I could tell when some of the warriors noticed me and then more and more of the others turned to see what they were looking at, as they were clearly not listening to instructions anymore.
Brandon kept giving out instructions and I see Justin stiffen up to his full height and take me in with a lazy gaze on my body. He always enjoys seeing me dressed up. I have to admit it is an ego boost. I saw him tap Brandon with his elbow. Brandon looked up to see me standing there, and the deep growl that resonated from him curled my toes in the shoes. He was able to clear his mind quickly and said, “No, no way, Raven. I know you want to not be recognized, but this, this is too much” he said as he approached me with Justin right behind him. They each leaned down to take in my scent as they were both getting wound up. Justin said, “Please, please tell me that you are willing to wear this all the way home too. You are always hot, but I have never seen you in anything like this before.” He pushed the hair back from my shoulder and nipped his mark on my shoulder. I had to hold in the moan, as we are not alone out here.
“I agree. I would like to see this dress on our floor as well” Brandon said and I smiled and nodded at them both. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to be a redhead for a night, couldn’t hurt. I had to stop myself from biting my lip, I would get lipstick on my teeth. I see my dad trying to hold in a laugh as Brandon and Justin’s focus was only on me now, and not on passing out instructions to the group anymore. Dad took over as they stood on either side of me, and didn’t even try to hide the fact that they had a lot of interest in the outfit. It is nice for the reminder that I am not just a mom or their mate, but a living breathing woman that they both still found desirable. I heard, "Gross. Dad you know that we can still hear you" come from Jax. Thankfully the sound of Kevin's laughter at Jax's remark made everyone laugh, as we got the plans down for tonight.
“Cole the plans have changed a little. Instead of your warrior driving the SUV belonging to Black Moon, it will be Justin and me in it. We can’t allow our mate to be that close to unmated wolves. If they try anything we need to be there to let them know it would be a bad idea to approach her” Brandon called out to my dad, who smiled and said, “I completely understand guys, I happen to love a beautiful redhead myself.”
“Yes, that way we are riding back to Black Adder together,” Justin said to me in the shell of my ear. His warm breath made me shiver a little. The warriors were mumbling, and I caught the words, “They are so lucky” as everyone went to the vehicles that they needed to be in. Three of the SUVs would leave before us. They needed to get further down the road so they could turn around and double back our way. They could only park to start the search after I blocked them from the gate guard's view. One of the warriors was going to use his flashlight when we go to leave. It will take them a minute to scale the wall to come after us and we may have to throw the keys away to make it harder for them with opening the gate. But I plan on being able to pull an “I’m so confused” act out as I try to get them to help me find the nightclub. I am not nervous. I just wanted this to be done quickly and we get out of here.
We had about 5 minutes before they will start to suspect something. I plan on dragging my feet as I walked up to the gate. I send a quick prayer up to the Goddess that we get away with this safely, and that everyone makes it back to their pack with no problems. Kevin knew his mom's former cell number by heart. He told us that once he and his siblings started to leave the pack, they had to know both parent's numbers and Beta Garrett’s too. Just in case of emergency. He already programmed the number in my dad's phone. When the drop dead time hits, we need to be able to find that phone. We will call it to locate it if we need to. I know that I need to not shut my engine off, the noise from my engine will cover the noise from the SUV that we are delivering back to Black Moon. Everyone is ready to go now, and dad called me to tell me that it was show time.
I was not scared, Justin and Brandon will be right behind me when I get there. There are excellent fighters who would protect me to the death, so I had no worries at all. I slowly pulled up and acted like I was lost, and slowly got out of the SUV with my map and a pen. They would scent that I was a she-wolf and that I was alone, as I left the windows down on my SUV. That let them know that I knew what this place was and that I knew I would be safe here to get directions. Justin was pulling slowly up the road, and then pulling over onto the grass to drive and park about 40 feet back from my truck, right next to the wall. Brandon was out of the truck by the time Justin was about to fully stop.
“I am so sorry to bother you, but do you know how to get to the Lycan Lounge, in Clarksville? The coverage out here is really spotty, and I can’t get a signal. I had this map in the glove compartment, but I can’t read it. I mean, who knows how to read a map these days?” I said to the two men at the gate. There were two more men in the shack behind them, and once they saw me, they hurried over to help me too.
‘I can read a map. But I know where the club is. You are on the right way to get there” one of the younger men said to me and pushed through the two that were already at the Gate to help me.
“We can’t let you in here miss, but I can show you where you are. Do you have any paper? I can write it down for you?” Another man stepped up to assist me. I heard the two SUVs stop on the other side of the road, but the men didn't hear it because they were arguing back and forth with each other about the directions that they were trying to give me, and not suspecting that I posed any danger to them.
I just kept up the pretense, as they had no idea that I could take out all four of them before they realized what was happening. “I don’t need to come in there, I wasn’t trying to disturb you all. I just realized that this was a pack so I turned around and came back to see if I could just get some help. I don’t want to be late. I am singing tonight, I am supposed to take the stage at 9 pm. I will be late if I can’t find it. I just need to know how to get there, without wrecking as I can't drive while looking at this map” I told them and pretended to be frustrated. They proceeded to start arguing about the best route for me to take to get there again, when all of a sudden one of them said, “What is your name?”
Such an innocent question. But I was not expecting it, so I said the first thing to pop into my mind, “Jessica.” I felt like Jessica Rabbit, so I might as well steal her name too.
“That is a beautiful name. I hope that you will come back to sing there again one night. I wish I could get someone to trade out with me. I would ride up there with you so you could make it there safely. Next time you can let me know when you are going to be up there. I wrote my name and cell number at the top of the map. You can just bring me with you next time to keep you safe, you can just drop me back off here when we are done” the youngest one said. He could only be like 20, or 21, years old. I have a son just across the street that is only 5 years younger than him. So the blush that graced my cheeks was a natural one. He thought he was charming me, instead of the actual embarrassment that I was feeling about his offer. I caught what he was throwing. He was going to stay with me all night. He didn’t even try to hide what he was hinting at as he tossed that offer right out there for me. I knew we had about a minute before Justin, or Brandon, couldn’t take it and ended up exploding in anger at this young man.
“I am sorry, I have a mate,” I said and pushed my hair back to expose my mark, no need for overkill by showing them both marks, and plus, that would identify me too.
“That doesn’t bother me, Jessica,” he replied back and then winked at me. I already knew what was about to happen. I saw the movement before they did and stepped back quickly as Justin pulled up and then parked the SUV right in front of their gate. Two of the guards were immediately yelling at Justin and me, while the other two were mindlinking and calling for backup. Brandon and Justin were pissed and spoiling for a fight.
“It bothers me though junior. Here are the keys to it. It belongs to your pack anyway. I am just returning it for your former Luna” Justin said as he threw the keys well over the wall toward a group of trees far away from their shack. Brandon came out and grabbed me possessively and gave a low and dangerous growl back at the gate guards.
“Get in the truck,” Justin said to me as he turned to run around to the driver's seat to adjust the seat back for him to drive. I hopped in the back and Brandon got in the front passenger seat. Justin whipped the SUV around to the other side of the road, by driving slowly across the median of the road. Brandon jumped out to go help them search for the phone. We could all hear it playing in an area of taller weeds and Jax and Kevin ran over to find it. I was very thankful that it had enough battery to still be on, or we would have never found it. I can hear two vehicles driving up to the gates, as Justin had left the windows down as I had them when I pulled up. The vehicles were coming at a high rate of speed and a short time later I see a handsome man climbing up the gate to see what we were doing. I can see him frantically looking around and his eyes stop when they get to Kevin who was now standing there holding his mom's phone in the air like a trophy. I bet this is Blake, but I was not sure.
“Kevin, Kevin, please come back. I am so sorry for everything. I know you are my son. I will make it up to you and your mother. Just please come back to me. I have arrested Graham, and everything will be different from now on if you will just come back. I am so sorry son, I am proud of you. I have been for a while. I just allowed my jealousy of thinking that you were not mine, I was crazy with jealousy and it made me mess everything up. Please, Kevin, come back to me” the man called out. I guess this is Blake.
“It doesn’t matter anymore, Alpha. You said you have three pups, and you do. You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I have found where I am supposed to be. Don’t worry about mom either. She almost died and she is still 50/50 right now on if she will survive what all you and Graham put her through. I will never leave her when she was the only one to care for me for the last 7 years. Bye, dad” Kevin said to his father. It did not escape anyone's notice that he said "dad" both times in a very sarcastic manner, before he jumped into my dad’s SUV right behind Jax, to leave. We all heard the roar of pain, and fury, as he sees Brandon who is clearly lit up by the headlights of our SUV. He got further illuminated by the headlights of the SUV that my dad's warriors were in. They had been at the top of the hill to provide cover for us in case Black Moon started firing on us. I am sure that Blake is pissed, even more so at Brandon's pack being the one she ran to for protection. All the SUVs head out and Justin stays at the back so he and Brandon can look out for any headlights following us as we leave the area. We knew that the warriors had gone to look for them to be able to move the SUV we dumped right on the doorstep. I saw that his dad made it over the fence, phased in the air as he jumped off the roof of the SUV blocking the pack entrance. He chased us for miles, but he couldn’t keep up with us. We were doing over 80 to get out of the area. He had no chance to follow us.
We stopped when we got to the city, and Jax and Kevin got into our SUV, as we split up to go back to our separate packs. The boys were in the back talking and Brandon leaned forward to go through the phone and sent the audio file to all three of our phones. Kevin didn’t know what all had happened as far as graham's plans for him. It was for his mother to decide if she wanted to tell him. She may now have ever wanted him to know.
I cannot believe how well Kevin did tonight. Most kids, even when they have been mistreated would have run back, wanting the love and care they had been denied all this time. But clearly, this young man knew what all his mom went through to get him to freedom, to get him safely away from his pack. He probably never knew that his life had actually been in danger, but he was smart. Things like that have a way of getting out, and being exposed. I heard the pain and the sorrow in his father’s voice. He was really going to make changes. He had Graham locked up and he seemed serious about what he had said. He didn’t try to hide anything and he saw that there were several people out of the SUVs. He had to know that we knew what had happened at Black Moon. He never tried to deny it, just took the opportunity to beg Kevin to come back to him, and to bring his mother back too. I am going to mention it to her. She deserves to know. Knowing that he acknowledged his mistake, and was correcting it, may change things for them, but I doubted it. I had the same bottom line myself. He took it too far.
Just remembering that first time I saw Justin sleeping with Reagan, made me upset quickly. Even to this day, it was a very disgusting thing to remember happening. I knew Justin could feel my emotions. He didn’t know what upset me, but he was worried about me. I smiled as he reached out to take my hand. I really hated it at first when the Goddess gave Justin back to me. But after a while, I realized that the Goddess giving Justin back to me was actually a gift. He was a wonderful father and mate. I cannot imagine my life without him. They had the gate open for us as we pulled in, and I know that either Brandon or Justin had mindlinked them to notify them that we were almost back. Both gates were secured back behind us, and the ground plates were brought up and ready to go to keep the solid gate from budging. I know why Brandon stepped into the light, he doesn’t hide. He wants Black Moon to come here. He wants them to attack because he is going to end it right now. He is forgetting that there was a second pack the Goddess warned us about. At this time, I am sure that it is Blood Tracker, but until we have confirmation of that, we will wait, and watch them both. We will continue to train our people, and prepare them for war. We still had a five-year window before conditions were supposed to be where the Goddess was warning us. We will wait, we will prepare and train, until we are ready on our side, so we can take it out of their hands and attack them ourselves if we need to.
A Guest for Dinner