The Alpha 8: Protect. Procreate. Prevail., page 24
“Yeah, especially your pregnant girlfriend,” Hailey giggled. “That would give me serious asshole vibes.”
“Don’t forget that some of them might have already seen us head into the same hotel room together,” Blair cackled. “I’d think that was a bit weird if I didn’t know the truth, so I can imagine the orchestra probably feels the same way.”
“Then let’s try and keep our heads down as much as we can,” Arielle said.
“Yeah, ‘try’ being the operative word,” I laughed. “Kyle and Cassie wouldn’t think twice if they saw a bald eagle flying over the bus.”
“That was how we reacted when we first saw them,” Hailey replied. “But that didn’t last for long.”
“No, it certainly didn’t,” I said with a low growl.
I briefly explained everything that Connor and I had talked about, and what he’d told me about Reuben Dillard. They all agreed that tracking Reuben down ourselves was the best option, but they just hoped everything would go according to plan. Particularly since I had to try and fit in a couple of rehearsals and performances while also planning a brutal attack against the eagles.
The next couple of hours were spent in the hotel room as we waited for the bus to arrive. Some of the hotel security sat by the pool, Benji, Raina, and Harry had lunch in the restaurant, but I tried to relax as much as possible.
Jack Nolan was right when he’d said it was always a struggle the morning after the first performance. I’d only had two glasses of wine in the bar, yet that felt like two bottles, and I wondered if I would have felt the same way if I hadn’t had three eagles attack me minutes after I’d left the stage.
Either way, I tried to use the spare couple of days to relax, and I hoped I had a clearer mind when I went for a rehearsal on Tuesday morning. We had a performance on both Wednesday and Thursday, so it was going to be a busy week, but I’d dealt with worse in the past.
By the time the bus pulled up outside, my family and I had checked out of the hotel, and we simply waited as the other musicians boarded the bus first. Everyone had taken anosmiacs, and we all had spares on us to take more when we needed to.
Brenden, Kristina, and Marco are two minutes away, Benji reminded us silently. But they won’t arrive until the bus drives off, and then we’ll follow on behind you to Redding.
Excellent, I replied. And they all know where they’re going?
Yeah, I gave them the address to the hotel, my half-brother said. We won’t be far behind you, so we’ll still be able to communicate if we have to. And while we’re driving, we’ll keep a close eye on the sky.
Perfect, that’s great, I said with a subtle nod. There’s no doubt in my mind that the eagles will be following us somehow, so we’ll need to stay alert throughout the journey.
My patrol groups were still in the area, too, but they would head back to the Jansen home once we had left the hotel. Then a few others would take their places and patrol around Redding. It felt like the safest option, and it meant everyone took a turn without getting too tired or worn out.
I silently said goodbye to my group as Nikita and I boarded the bus, and we took the last two seats at the front. I allowed Nikita to have the window seat, and the two of us gave the other omegas a little wave as the bus pulled away.
It feels strange leaving without them, Nikita said as she used my shoulder as a pillow.
I know, it does, I agreed. We’re so used to traveling together. But at least they’ll be right behind us, and it won’t be too long before we get to Redding.
I might even try and sleep, Nikita said as she let out a quiet yawn.
You should. I smiled. I’ll probably do the same.
The seats were comfortable enough, and they came with a curved headrest, which I appreciated, so I imagined it wasn’t going to be too hard to fall asleep. Some of the musicians behind us held little conversations in their groups, and the bus driver had the radio playing softly, so it worked as the perfect lullaby.
But half an hour into the journey, both Nikita and I were still to fall asleep, and we simply watched the world go by. We were traveling further away from the coast, but it was nice to look out into the distance at the various hills and forests, and I became interested in the tiny towns we drove through.
When it comes to the eagles, I’m assuming you’ll want to attack as quickly as we can? Nikita asked after a while.
Yeah, I hope to, I replied. It all depends on what Connor can find out, but hopefully we can deal with the eagles before we leave Redding on Saturday.
That’s six days from now, so I think that’s possible. Nikita shrugged. But like you said, it all depends on Connor and the werecoyotes. It might take them six days just to track down Reuben.
Exactly. I nodded. He said they’re pretty good when it comes to tracking, plus they know the avians’ rough location. But we don’t want the eagles to find out we’re doing this, or for them to spot Connor nearing their territory. But I guess only time will tell.
I feel positive about this. Nikita smiled. We managed to hunt down the werefoxes in the city, and we even hired out a superyacht to get to Vancouver Island, so I think we can manage this.
When you put it like that… I snickered. But no, you’re right. I also feel confident that we’ll get what we want. It’s just a question of when that happens. Unfortunately, if the eagles have been listening in on our conversations, then they’ll know everything we’ve said, and who we’ve said it to. So we need to be careful that they don’t pick up on our plans.
Particularly if they are working for the SDD, my omega replied. Because then the department will have information that we want to keep to ourselves, and it could put Hazel’s job on the line.
At least we can communicate this way, and I’m doing my best to talk to Connor as privately as possible, I said. There’s only so much we can do at the moment, but I feel like we’re covering our bases as well as possible.
You always do, Jesse. Nikita gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek. You always know how to protect us, and that’s one of the reasons why we love you so much.
Likewise. I winked. As long as you’re all safe, then I can sleep peacefully at night.
Oh, my god, Benji called out from one of the cars behind us. You’re so smooth, bro.
Yeah, maybe you should take some tips for when you next talk to Kiri, Blair chuckled.
Leave her out of this, Benji replied. Leave me out of this, too.
You started it, Blair said playfully.
I could just imagine Benji rolling his eyes, and Blair probably had a smirk curled across her lips.
The playful teasing created a happier and stress-free environment as we continued on toward Redding. And although the drive was three hours long, it didn’t seem like that much time had passed before we pulled up outside the next hotel.
The hotels in Eureka and Redding were both part of the same chain, so the layout was practically identical, and the only difference was the dining room. Instead of having a restaurant, there was a buffet section where we could help ourselves when it came to each meal.
I could just imagine the amount of food my betas and I were going to pile onto our plates. Buffets could be very dangerous with shifters around, especially when we couldn’t shift and burn off the food that easily.
Just like before, I had secretly booked extra rooms for the security, and the betas remained out of sight and waited there until the orchestra had checked in. I knew a few of the musicians would probably realize the same people were following us from place to place, but I hadn’t heard anyone talking about it, so I saw no reason to change anything.
The hotel suite was roughly identical to the last one, too.
The color scheme was the same, and there was a living area when we first walked in the room. But instead of everything being open-planned, the two double beds were closed off with a door, and the ensuite bathroom was more spacious with a separate shower and bath.
“I know we have a swimming pool at home, but there’s something so exciting about a hotel pool,” Arielle giggled as she opened up a suitcase to find one of her many bikinis. “Who’s going to join me?”
“You know I will,” Blair said as she pulled off her red t-shirt to reveal a matching bra underneath. “Benji, Gemma, and Seth said they were willing to go, too.”
“I’ll come along, but I think I might just dip my toes in,” Nikita said. “I washed my hair before we left Eureka, so I’d rather not do it again today.”
“That makes sense.” Arielle nodded as she began to undress. “Hailey? Jesse? Do either of you want to join us?”
“I will once I’ve laid down for a minute,” Hailey giggled. “I know we’ve just been sitting in a car for hours, but I need to rest, y’know?”
“Oh, I get it,” Nikita snickered.
“I won’t get in the pool, but I’ll sit outside with you once I’ve taken a shower,” I said. “That bus was very hot. My clothes feel like they’re sticking to me.”
“That’s the downside to traveling with humans,” Blair chuckled. “They don’t blast the air conditioner like we do.”
As Arielle, Nikita, and Blair changed into their bikinis and left the room, Hailey collapsed onto the couch and flicked through the channels on the TV, and I went into the bedroom to sort out my belongings. I found a safe place to keep my violin, hung up my suit in the closet, and then went to take a shower.
It was a good thing I’d decided to bring more than one suit, otherwise I would have had to buy a new one after the attack last night.
The shower pressure was extremely powerful, and for the first five minutes, I simply stood with my back to the water as it pounded against my tired muscles. I had it on a low heat to help cool down my body, and I let out an audible groan as I leaned my head back and allowed the cool water to trickle down my face.
“Jesse?” Hailey called out a few minutes later.
“Yeah?” I asked.
Part of me thought Hailey was going to tell me she’d changed her mind about not going to the pool. But as she opened the bathroom door and walked her naked body toward the shower, I instantly knew what she had planned.
After all, Hailey loved nothing more than being fucked against a shower wall.
“Do you mind if I join you?” she asked coyly as she pulled open the shower door.
“Do you even need to ask?” I smirked.
“No, I suppose I don’t,” Hailey giggled.
Then, before the shower door could even close behind her, Hailey threw herself at me, and our lips fused together in a heated, desperate kiss. Her tongue slipped around my own, and her hands became lost in my hair as I traced her back with my fingertips.
Neither of us moved away from the other as I dropped my hand lower, and then a low groan vibrated from Hailey’s throat as my fingers slipped into her dripping pussy.
“Mmhmmm,” she continued to moan as I pumped my fingers harder and faster.
Hailey rocked her body gently against mine, and the only time she moved away from my lips was when the pleasure became too much for her to cope with. Hailey leaned her head back as she squinted her eyes closed, but then she relaxed around my hand and instantly threw herself back into the kiss.
Apart from the occasional moan, neither of us really said a word, even when I wrapped her legs around me as I pounded my cock deep into her soaking entrance.
There was something extremely sensual about keeping our words to ourselves and allowing the rush of the shower as well as the smacking of our skin to make all the noise.
Even as our bodies rippled with our climaxes, and I shot my seed deep into Hailey’s womb as her juices coated my cock, we still smothered back our words as best we could.
“Oh, Jessseee,” Hailey whispered as the knotting kept us firmly together.
“Was that better than going to the pool?” I asked.
“So, so much better,” she laughed breathlessly.
“I thought you might say that,” I chuckled.
Once the knot between us had released, Hailey and I assisted each other in washing our hair and bodies, but then I fucked her once again.
It was too difficult to stay away from my glorious werewolf omega, particularly when she stood naked in front of me. The water droplets rolled down her immaculate breasts, and I wasn’t going to let her walk out of the shower before I’d felt her juices roll down my cock one more time.
I wasn’t sure how long we were in the bathroom for, but the omegas were still down by the pool when we walked back into the hotel room, and I could hear them laughing and splashing around with the other betas who’d joined them.
I also had a text message from the newest patrol group to say they were in the area. Once I’d replied to them, I messaged my pack members back at home to explain everything that had happened last night. Even though they knew to look out for eagles, and I was pleased to hear they hadn’t spotted any, they needed to know this was now a serious threat.
Connor hadn’t been in contact since I’d met with him this morning, but I knew it was going to take longer than a few hours to get the answers we needed.
I just hoped the werecoyotes were able to get that information without the eagles finding out.
Otherwise we could find ourselves in even more danger before we had a plan in place.
Chapter 15
The following morning, the orchestra went to the Redding Civic Auditorium in order to get ourselves comfortable with the new performance center.
We didn’t have a proper rehearsal until the following day, but apparently Jack preferred for his orchestra to visit each place so everyone knew where they were going and what to expect.
At first, when I noticed it on my itinerary, I didn’t see the need to check out the venue, because we had time to look around during the rehearsal anyway. But I found myself eating my words when I arrived at the auditorium.
Unlike the first concert hall we’d played at, the Redding Civic Auditorium housed various acts and events, including ballet and rock concerts. The stage was smaller than the last one, but the actual room itself was longer, so noise carried differently in the larger, wider room.
Like in Eureka, Jack Nolan planned for the buses to take everyone to and from the hotels, or we could make our own way toward the venue. Because it was another occasion where family had no reason to come along, I decided to take the bus with the others.
My omegas were being well looked after by my security, and the patrol groups were still on the lookout for any pesky eagles, so I felt comfortable leaving everyone for a couple of hours.
“Ignore the lighting for now,” Jack Nolan said as he wandered across the stage. “The stage will look slightly different when we rehearse tomorrow, but I want everyone to get a good feel of the room as it is right now.”
The lights Jack spoke about were bigger and bulkier than what we were used to. I knew some orchestras were different, but Jack preferred a very calm and somber presence when it came to his performances. And the boxes wired up on stage were more for strobe lighting and flashes during a concert.
“There are also a few items on stage right now that won’t be here tomorrow,” Jack continued. “For example, the drums will be moved out and the piano will take its place. So for now, I want everyone to stand in their correct positions so you can understand how much space you’ll have around you.”
It was an absolute riot as everyone moved around the stage and tried to find their places in line. I stood in a little group along with Alex, Samantha, Steven, and Julia, and I was able to get a much better understanding of the distance between myself and the left wing, but also myself and the second violins.
It was definitely much more cramped, but it wasn’t uncomfortable in the slightest. I knew we also had to consider adding in chairs, music stands, and all of our instruments. However, I trusted Jack, so I knew he wouldn’t have booked this venue if it didn’t match the vision in his head.
Once we had finished on stage, Jack took us into the wings to show us where everything would be kept and organized. He also took us around the floor so we could get a feel for just how large the auditorium was.
We were in the building for a couple of hours, but it was a nice chance for me to learn more about the musicians. There were a few I hadn’t even spoken to yet, and I found out that one guy was also going to become a father within the next few months. Although we still had no idea what to expect when it came to raising a child, we were both just as excited for that day to come, and it was a nice thing to bond over.
When Jack told us we were free to go, a few of the musicians mentioned visiting the Turtle Bay Exploration Park which was near the venue, but I had to kindly decline. It would have been a great way for me to spend more time with the performers, but I had other things I needed to do.
Connor and the werecoyotes had found out information on Reuben Dillard, so I desperately needed to get to the Jansen home to organize everything.
I would have loved to spend the day with the orchestra, but the flock of eagles came first. Plus, I knew I could spend the rest of the month with the performers once the avians had been dealt with.
I told Connor not to tell me anything until we met up at the Jansen home, but my palms itched with the need to find out what he had to say about Reuben.
Brenden was waiting outside for me as I left the venue, and the two of us were going to head straight to the Jansen home where everyone else was waiting for me.
“How was your morning?” Brenden asked as I pulled the seatbelt across my chest.
“It was pretty good,” I said honestly. “I’m glad I went to see the auditorium instead of waiting until tomorrow because it’s much bigger in person.”
“Yeah, I saw online somewhere that it holds two thousand seats?” Brenden put the Jeep into reverse and pulled out from the parking spot.
“Which is five hundred more than the concert hall in Eureka, and it’s a sold out show,” I told him.
“Oh, fuck,” my beta captain laughed. “Are both shows sold out?”
“I think so…” I muttered. “I’m not actually sure. But Jack Nolan is a big name in the orchestra world, so there are a lot of people who want to go and see what he can do.”
