My lower lip must have been the indicator that I was now in pout mode; I hadn't heard from Winkler in a while and now I knew why. Kellee was so jealous it was frightening, although I knew she really didn't love Winkler. Kellee loved Kellee. There wasn't much room there for anyone else.
"You'll have to wear the uniform; Dusty, Bill and Arthur will meet us there. Quite a few dignitaries are coming so we'll be extra security." Tony's grey eyes searched mine as the plane lifted off the runway, and he held a thumb and forefinger on my chin. "Lissy, she's pregnant and has Winkler over a barrel. What else can you expect?"
"Nothing. I'm getting used to it," I said, pulling my face away from his hand. We were the only two on the plane aside from the pilots, so Tony sat next to me. He didn't even pull out his laptop, which was a huge shock. While we were in the air, Tony informed me that under normal circumstances we could have stayed with Winkler. Since Kellee was there, we had a hotel room. A suite, actually, with two bedrooms. We reached the Dallas airport around two in the morning and Dusty waited there with a car to drive us to the hotel. Our rooms were all on the same floor and Arthur and Bill were asleep already. I served as night guard for the others after unpacking a little. The wedding was scheduled for the following evening at eight and it was going to be close, getting me there on time.
A church was booked for the wedding, with the reception afterward in a ballroom at one of the nicest hotels in Dallas. I stood at the back of the church with Bill standing not far away. Dusty and Arthur were on the other side and there were plenty of big names in attendance. Not bad for a shotgun wedding. Kellee's parents were all puffed up and I could see right away where she'd gotten some of her attitude. It's a damn good thing Winkler had money; he was going to need it. Davis stood up with Winkler, as did Weldon and two other werewolves I didn't recognize. Kellee had a flower garden of attendants with her; all dressed in the gaudiest multi-colored silk dresses. I might have gagged—if I still could.
I tried to get out of going to the reception but Tony wouldn't allow it. "We need the extra security," he claimed, so off we went. The owner of the local basketball team was there since Winkler was a big fan and a season ticket holder. I never told Winkler the whole time I'd worked for him that I was a San Antonio fan. Therefore, I was there in the ballroom of the hotel while people laughed, ate and drank; all while I watched the door, navigated the perimeter of the room and made sure Tony was safe—possibly from overeating. He seemed to like the veal that was served quite a bit.
"Lissa," Davis was suddenly at my elbow. I'd scented him as he approached.
"Hey, Davis," I said, keeping an eye on the ballroom entrance.
"Winkler asked me to come and get you for a few minutes. He wants to talk to you," Davis said softly.
"I'm supposed to be guarding the overly important guests," I said, not meeting his eyes.
"Tony said it was all right," Davis went on.
"The boss has spoken," I sighed, motioning for Davis to lead the way. We found Winkler pacing inside a small room across the hall from the ballroom. Davis pulled me inside and closed the door.
"Lissa?" Winkler had been raking fingers through his hair—even more than normal. He was stressed. I hadn't seen him since New Mexico and a lot of things had happened since then—to both of us.
"What's going on?" I asked. No man should be asking to see another woman on his wedding day. If Kellee knew, she'd probably be screeching at the top of her lungs right then.
"Lissa, sit down." Winkler was still pacing and I didn't like it. I was getting weird scents off him and knew he was upset and agitated, even without seeing him moving around as he was. He was like a caged wolf and that wasn't comfortable to watch. I also didn't want to sit down but Davis was silently begging me to so I did. There were three chairs there; the kind the hotel provided if you were going to a meeting or something. I sat in one of those.
"Lissa, I managed to put a pre-nup together," Winkler began, "and convinced Kellee to sign it but there was one stipulation that she made before she'd sign the damn thing. Otherwise, she'll get the kids when she walks away and that's not how the werewolves do things. The kids are left for their fathers to raise if the female wants to move on. Kellee already does so I just have to wait this out." Winkler raked fingers through his hair again, his dark eyes troubled and not meeting mine.
I had a sick feeling in my stomach, then. This involved me somehow and I was just waiting for the shoe to drop. Davis sat down next to me and tried to take my hand. I pulled away from him and kept my eyes on Winkler.
"Lissa, I know what you've done for me." Winkler glanced at me for a moment, his dark eyes searching my face before he turned away. "I'd give you anything you want if you asked for it." He stopped and cursed under his breath but I heard his words anyway. "You want money? It's yours. Property? That's yours, too. All you have to do is ask. But Kellee is so f**king jealous, even though I've told her repeatedly that there was never a relationship between you and me that she's forcing me to transfer your Pack membership. I have to turn you over to someone else, Lissa."
I'd never asked to be a member of his Pack to begin with. Kellee sure knew how to hit below the belt, however. She was a bitch in every sense of the word. If she weren't pregnant, I might have been tempted to find her and toss her through a wall.
"What does Weldon say about this?" I asked instead.
"He didn't say much, not in front of Kellee, anyway," Winkler muttered. "He's pissed, though. He's been pissed at me ever since I picked her up to begin with, when she commandeered my attention while I was supposed to be acting as his Second."
"Now he comes to his senses," I looked at Davis and shook my head. "Glen's dead, because of her." I turned back to Winkler. "She's not a werewolf—she's a lapdog." I couldn't keep the contempt out of my voice. "You want me to say I want something?" I asked. "Then put up a memorial to Glen. I've been thinking about this and I've contacted sculptors. I think I want a statue of a sleeping wolf on his grave, Winkler. I've gotten prices from several good ones, actually. Do that and we'll call it even. Which Pack am I going to? Has that been decided?"
"Weldon has already done it. Thomas Williams Jr. is going to send information to you soon. You'll be a member of the Sacramento Pack. His entire family has told Weldon how proud they are to have you as a member."
"That would have been my choice," I rose stiffly. "Goodbye, Winkler. I hope things turn out for you."