Green - a werewolf story

32. The Worst

Vanessa wasn't the sort of person to share information with random people who attacked her, but she knew that if she didn't tell her what she wanted he could use force to drag it out of her. Not that she couldn't stand pain, but she didn't particularly like it either and she didn't know what she'd do if they hurt Green again.

Fine," she huffed. "I wanted to go to San Francisco and Green came with me."

"What were you doing in San Francisco?"

"Sightseeing."

He shook his head. "You're going to have to do better than that, sweetheart."

Vanessa shifted in the oversized shirt. "I'm telling the truth. We did a bit of shopping, then we went to The Watering Hole and I was poisoned by a lindorm. That was the most exciting thing during the whole trip."

"The Watering Hole, huh? Tell me, is Mr. Smith still running the show?"

Ah, so they were doing this. She nearly rolled her eyes at the guy's careful name dropping. Mr. Smith? That was the best he could come up with?

"I don't know about Mr. Smith, but Mr. Sadjie was in charge when we were there. He made Moina give me a drop of her blood and the next day I was better."

He nodded thoughtfully. Vanessa relaxed slightly. He was going through a lot of trouble to make sure she was telling the truth. She wondered what sort of information he'd been planning to extract from them if she and Green had been part of the pack they'd thought they were. How to make the drugs themselves, probably.

"And now you're going where?"

"New Orleans. Gr... Aiden's sister is having a baby."

"Thrall's wife?"

Vanessa opened her mouth to reply, but closed it again. "You're very curious about him for someone who doesn't seem to be part of his inner circle."

"Of course I am. We might be on the other side of the country, but what the Thralls do affects our entire population. Have you heard of his plans for a council?"

Vanessa had not, but wasn't sure she should admit it. "I... I... er... joined this family about a week ago."

"Really?" he said and looked from her to Green's unconscious body and back. "Mates?"

"Yeah," Vanessa huffed.

"You don't sound happy about it."

He was perceptive for a packwolf, It was difficult to lie to someone like that.

"I don't like people telling me what to do," Vanessa admitted.

"Not even the Goddess?"

"I don't believe in any of that religious bullcrap. A goddess of the moon caring for wolves? Please," Vanessa said and her companion laughed.

"You're alright," he said. "I'm Mario, by the way."

He held out his hand and after a moment's hesitation Vanessa grasped it with her own. "I would say it's nice to meet you, but..."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Mario said. "Like I said, we've been having issues with a pack of drug dealers."

"And now you're suddenly sure we're not part of them?"

"One hundred percent."

She knew she shouldn't ask, should simply accept her good fortune and leave it at that, but she'd never been good at accepting things.

"Why?"

"They're very devout. I don't know them well, but I know enough of them to know that they'd rather slit their own throats than call the Moon Goddess religious bullcrap."