Chapter 42: 41 - She Gets Around
...Jason's POV...
She did.
I saw red.
I'm going to kill her.
I had to hold myself back from doing, I don't even know what, when her colorful hair filled head popped out of the van.
"Maria," I gritted.
She just smiled back at me.
Zach turned to face us. "Oh s**t," he laughed once he saw her.
I glared at him.
He cleared his throat, "I mean, what are you doing here, Maria?"
She beamed at him now, "Helping."
I shook my head, "Oh, you -"
"Great!" Someone from Night Hound cut me off. "Someone who knows her way around the city."
I looked to him then back to her, "Why do you know your way around these parts?"
She shrugged, refusing to make eye contact with me, "I get around."
"Maria, the only things in this city are pack-less crooks. What are you -"
I was cut off, yet again, by Maria clapping her hands, "So, what's the plan," she smiled.
I swear to the goddess, if someone interrupts me one more time I am going to lose my s**t.
I couldn't respond, I was so focused on not tearing someone's head off. All I could do was stand and glare daggers at her.
With my fists clenched painfully tight, I tried to breathe.
In and out.
F**k, this isn't helping.
***Maria's POV***
Wolfie just stood there glaring holes into my head.
After a few seconds he inhaled to say something else, but I put my finger up, "If you don't blow up about this I'll consider it your apology for what you did," I told him blankly, all jokes aside.
He paused, and I could hear his teeth grinding.
'... I already apologized," he finally gritted out.
I shook my head, "You didn't even look me in the eye to do it," I told him.
This was probably a weird sight for everyone else around.
I hardly demand apologies for even the worst of things, and you're lucky to catch me "serious" maybe once in a blue moon.
Unless you're Rose or Brandon or Doc or Marco the trainer, or... Well, I guess that's it.
Four's a pretty good number of shoulders to cry on though, I guess.
D@mn... What the f**k did you do, man," The beta from Night Hound pack, Stephan, chuckled after a moment of silence.
This made me smile a bit.
I'm quite fond of this guy. He's on the younger side, in his early twenties. He approaches things similarly to me. He's all about cracking jokes. Never a dull moment with him around, that's for sure. He can be annoying, but he's always able to real you back in with his charm.
"None of your business!" Wolfie snapped at him.
Stephan put his hands up in surrender. "Jeez, man, chill out."
"Yeah, Jay, what's gotten into you?" Cali, a vampire warrior from House Blue Blood furrowed her brow.
"Nothing, nothing! Let's just get going," he glared at me as he took the lead.
"Wow," I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"That was kind of intense," the other half of the duo finished.
I turned around to meet Rosie and Brandon with a smile.
"Sup losers," I smirked at them.
"Hey stupid," Brandon replied walking to my side.
"Hiya idiot," Rose said walking beside him.
My smirk grew.
This is my arena.
Our arena.
Haha, I wonder how Wolfie's going to react to my expertise.
We made it to our first location after walking a bit. It's a bar with a neon green sign that read 'MAVERICKS'. (A/N: Not a real bar, btw, at least I don't think so)
Most of, if not all, these establishments are owned and run by rogues and wanderers, so most gravitate toward that relative theme, with names like 'MAVERICK' or 'REBEL'.
It's kind of funny actually. The fact that they went solo, 'Rogue', led them together.
Sweet right? Sentimental even? Wrong. It just made them even stronger. Even angrier.
And guess who their favorite people in the world are?
That's right, the alphas and pure bloods.
And we just happen to be a big ol' group of them.
And when I say favorite, I mean they'd rip out our intestines and use them as party decorations if they got the chance.
So that's fun.
Though, it's not myself I'm worried about.
My friends and I have been coming to this part of town forever. Before I even understood what my title meant, really. I know my way around, how not to get myself killed and whatnot.
It's my obnoxious alpha male mate that I'm worried about.
I hope he knows what he's getting himself into.
Wolfie looked to Cali, Stephan, and a brooding wolf from Night Hound I don't the name of, and began giving instructions. "You guys go check inside the place for the scum-bag. If you find him, bring him out back, we'll be waiting."
They nodded and we went our separate ways.
We headed towards the back of the building and it just accrued to me, I don't know what we're looking for.
I leaned in to whisper to Wolfie, "Hey, what are we —"
"Wait, there he is!" Brandon whisper yelled, putting his arm up to stop us, using the other to point down the dark ally.
Wolfie looked in that direction, "Oh s**t, you're right, that's him."
"Who?!" I questioned quietly.
"Hush!" He hissed.
I rolled my eyes.
There was a group of three men ahead. Not anything special, build wise. Just your average vampire wanderers by the scent of them.
I just don't know which is the guy we're looking for.
Rose straightened up and cleared her throat. "C'mon," She looked to Wolfie as we started heading over, "be cool," she instructed him.
Ah, so she shares my concern that he'll act like a complete idiot.
Or... A complete alpha. But that's the most idiotic thing you could do around here.
He looked offended as she walked away, and I had to stifle my snicker. "Yeah," I punched his arm, "be cool," I smirked and followed Rose and Brandon.
"You're not even supposed to be here," I heard him grumble from behind me.
I laughed even more at that.
Before we knew it we were strolling up to the wanderers.
They gave us once overs.
Taking their sweet time with Rose and I.
Though the one in the middle did seem to take a second or two longer on my obnoxious alpha male mate.
But I ignored the looks.
Though, one thing was obvious when they were done with their examination.
They know we're not one of them.
They may not know who exactly, or how high up we are, but they know we're not wonderers.
I'd like to keep it that vague for now.
"I'm Alpha Jason from Silver Moon pack," He grabbed the guy on the left by the throat, "and you'll answer all of our questions if you know what's good for you."
Or we could do that, I guess.
The guy's friends immediately went into attack mode at the sight of their fellow wonderer being lifted off the ground by the throat, but I didn't have the energy for this right now so I stepped between all of them. "Woah! Woah! Woah! Everyone just chill out!" I put my hands out.
"You," I spun around to Wolfie, "put him down!" I ordered.
"But-"
"No!" I cut him off.
"He"
"Nuh-uh, put him down!"
"-"
"NOW," I hollered at him.
He dropped the man with a huff.
"Good," I nodded.
I smiled at the wonderers. "Now, let's not cause a scene, and just talk about this." I looked at everyone.
Rose and Brandon just stood behind me, having my back.
They know the drill.
After a few seconds there were some hesitant nods.
My smile grew, "Perfect." I looked to the man with the now quickly bruising neck, "Now, my friends and I need information from you, and you can either give it to us the easy way, or the hard way."
His eyes racked my body as I spoke. He's probably freaking undressing me in his mind right now.
Gross.
He just got chocked out and that is all he's thinking about?
Typical.
Woah, wait. Was that sexist or prejudice against wanderers?
Y'know what, I think it was just prejudice against sketchy people in alleyways.
Moving on, I snapped my fingers in his face, "Hellooo."
He came back to reality.
And had the audacity to smirk, showing off his yellow fangs. "And what would I get out of it?"
I forced myself to put on a matching smirk before the disgust reached my face, only to saunter closer to him.
I felt Wolfie move behind me. I assume he was reaching for me, but I also felt Rose and Brandon stop him.
I made sure to make my voice sound deep and sultry for the next thing I said to him, "I'm sure we can work something out," I batted my eyelashes at the wanderer for good measure.
A low growl resonated from where Wolfie was standing.
Welp, that's my cue to speed this up.
For a final push, I looked up at the man through my lashes and bit my lip while putting my hand out for him.
Wolfie's strong grip had just made contact with my shoulder when I twisted the arm that was attached to the hand the man stupidly gave me.
Now I have him pressed against the wall with his arm at an angle I can't imagine could be very comfortable.
Wolfie's hand disappeared from my shoulder.
I internally smirked.
I moved my hair out of the way and leaned towards the man's ear.
His friends finally snapped out of their shock and tried to pounce, but the rest of our group had arrived, and they were no match for all of us.
Weren't really a match for any of us, but even they knew they were helpless now.
I continued with what I was doing. "How about this?" I told him quietly, but everyone there could here it. "How about, you tell us what we want to know, and I leave your arm attached to your body," I smiled at
the man and jerked his arm for emphasis.
He groaned out in pain.
"How does that sound?" I asked sweetly.
He only let out incoherent groans again.
I sighed, "Well?!" I said louder, bending his arm further. There was a loud 'POP' that followed.
"Arghh! Fine, fine! I'll tell you what you want to know!"
I smiled brightly, "Great," I looked to Wolfie and the others, "What is it we want to know again?"