Chapter 41: Just Called to Say I Love You
Bonnie
I had everyone’s undivided attention. Even the ancient Ernest Hewlett was fully alert.
“Respect isn’t given. It’s taken,” I insisted. “Sunrise Corp’s unwillingness to negotiate means our only option is to unshackle ourselves by force.”
“With all due respect...” Jedediah Goode said through clenched teeth. “Do the Alphas honestly expect our packs to confront Sunrise Corporation head-on? They’re a juggernaut! We’d do no better than a paper sailboat against a battleship.”
“Yes, and the last thing we want is to awaken a sleeping giant,” Mayor Reed added.
“It’s not just about confronting them head-on,” Blayze countered. “It’s about bleeding them dry. Death by a thousand cuts. If Sunrise Corp believes that this is only the beginning, they’ll see trying to control us as a waste of time and energy.”
“The Alphas are right,” Tank agreed. “Sunrise Corp is all about economic viability. The last thing they’d want is for their profit margins to take a hit. And taking the vampire out will show them we’re just as big a threat to them as they are to us.”
Everyone sat quietly, letting the suggestion sink in. They were taking our argument seriously. Even Goode, who thought my authority was illegitimate.
“As founder of Gnaw Bone,” Ernest Hewlett’s shaky voice rang out, to everyone’s surprise, “I second the motion that’s been brought before us.”
“Third,” Cyrus said.
“Fourth,” Red followed up.
“Very well,” I replied. “But due to the gravity of the situation, I believe this vote needs to be unanimous.”
“Agreed,” said Blayze.
“All those in favor of burning the narcotics and driving a stake through the walking corpse’s heart, say, ‘Aye,’” I said.
I held my breath as everyone around the table gave their answer. One by one, the MC officers and pack elders voted as I’d hoped. But then it came time for Jedediah Goode to cast the final and deciding vote.
“I can’t say I agree,” Goode said. “But I will not be the one to stand in the way if this is what everyone believes to be the best course of action. Aye.” And just like that, our plot was set into motion.
We determined that secrecy was needed for this plan to work. And there was one person above all others who couldn’t know the details of what we’d decided to do: Harlow. Blayze agreed with me when I mentioned her by name.
“So I have to lie to her?” Cyrus scowled.
“I’m sorry,” Blayze replied, backing me up. “But Harlow’s human. Madoc could use mind control to get the truth out of her. We can’t take that risk.”
“She’ll feel betrayed that I knew all along and didn’t say anything. What am I supposed to tell her when the time comes?” Everyone else watched our back and forth like a tennis match.
“Tell her it was for the good of the packs,” Blayze replied.
“Werewolf lives could depend on it,” I added. “You understand?”
“Yeah, I understand,” Cyrus said before storming out. Soon after, the meeting was adjourned.
“Hey, can we talk in private?” Blayze asked me.
We stepped outside the main entrance. “What’s up?” I asked
“We still haven’t talked about you and me.”
I let out a sigh. “Is this really the conversation you want to be having? Now?”
“I just want to know where you think we’re heading. That spark is still there. I know you feel it too.”
I felt myself growing increasingly frustrated. “Blayze, we have bigger problems that need our attention. But even if we didn’t, have you considered what being together would be like for our packs? Have you forgotten how my authority as Alpha was undermined the second you split off and took a third of the pack out from under my nose?”
“I know. I wish more than anything that I had done things differently. I’m just saying that the way we’ve been co-leading lately... It feels right.”
“You wanna co-lead for the time being, fine,” I said. “But the rest of it... Sleeping together was a mistake, no matter how right it felt. We shouldn’t let it happen again.”
Disappointed with my answer, Blayze left. But even as he hurried off, I struggled to suppress the part of me that wanted the same thing he did.
Harlow
“Is this some kind of joke?” I said, staring in disbelief at the burner phone Madoc had just handed me. I hadn’t been able to speak to my father in over three years. Could he really be on the other end?
“Sunrise Corporation owns the prison. I got one of our people from administration in to see him,” Madoc explained. “But you only have about five minutes guaranteed without anyone listening, so you should hurry along.”
My hand shook as I brought the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” my voice trembled.
“Harlow? Is that really you?” said the voice on the other end.
“Daddy?”
“Oh, my God! My Baby Girl! It’s been so long.” It was him.
“I—I don’t know what to say. This was just sort of sprung on me.”
“Me too. Someone came in here and said this was some sort of favor. Well, how are you?”
“I’m good. More than good. I was on the road for a long time, but I may have finally found a place that’s safe to settle down.”
“I’m so glad to hear that,” my father said with relief.
“How are you—Sorry! Bad question.”
He chuckled. “Well, it’s no five-star hotel, but I’ve grown used to it. Trying to make the best of what I have.”
“Oh, Daddy,” I said, my eyes beginning to water. “I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am.”
“Now, now, Baby Girl. You have nothing to—”
“The only reason you’re there is because of what I did,” I cut in. “It’s me who should be locked up.”
“No, Harlow. I should have never put you in that situation in the first place. What you did saved us both. I made my choices and dragged you into them. You deserve to have a chance at some sort of life. The way I see it, I’ve done so many bad things, being here helps to right my wrongs.”
“But not for the rest of your life! You can’t live like that!” Tears began streaming down my cheeks.
“Knowing you’re all right is enough to keep me going. All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be safe. That’s why I did what I did.”
“It still doesn’t make it fair.”
“I know, Baby Girl, but that’s just the hand we’ve been dealt.”
There was so much more I wanted to tell him—things that I’d imagined myself saying if I could speak with him again—but I knew our call was quickly coming to an end.
“Do me a favor, will you?” he continued.
“Anything.”
“Pursue what you love in life, and find someone to share that love.”
“I actually have met someone.” I wiped the tears from my face. “We haven’t been together that long, but we’ve gotten pretty serious.”
“That’s wonderful. I hope he makes you happy as your mother made me.”
I nodded as if he could see me. “He does.”
“Look, Harlow, I don’t know how much time we have left, but I just wanted you to know that I will always love you. I think about you every—”
“Your call to the inmate has ended,” a voice interrupted. And just like that, he was gone. I turned to Madoc, who seemed to have realized what happened.
“You okay, Kiddo?” he asked.
“Yes. Thank you.” I threw my arms around him, giving him a tight hug.
Cyrus
It was dark by the time the meeting was over, and I couldn’t find Harlow anywhere. After what went down, I just wanted to see her again. I hated that I had to hide our plans from her, but I knew it had to be done. For the time being, I wanted to forget about it for a while and make sure she had a good birthday.
I went to her trailer first, but she wasn’t home. Then I ran by the bar, where I found Stella and Brat hanging lights for her party around the entrance.
“Hey, have either of you seen Harlow?” I asked them.
“Saw her walk by not that long ago,” Brat said.
“She was heading toward the garage,” Stella said, pointing to the Howler clubhouse.
Madoc. I hurried across the highway and made my way to the cellar. Without bothering to knock, I opened the door and hurried down the stairs. But when I reached the bottom, to my shock, I saw that the vampire had his cold, undead arms wrapped around Harlow. She had tears running down her cheeks, and seeing him hold her like that, I was sure she was under his mind control. It sent me into a full-on rage. All I saw was red.
Screw the plan! The vampire was gonna die tonight.