Robert’s eyebrows crept up. “Old enough to accept the consequences of your decisions?”
“Yes,” Ascanio said.
Robert glanced at me.
That was exactly what I needed. A hundred forty pounds of teenage crazy in a pressure cooker. “Fine.”
Derek glanced at me. “Really?”
“Yes.”
He stared at me, incredulous. “So he gets what he wants?”
“Yes. We’re too close to the People’s territory. If we chase him off, he’ll just keep following us and walk himself into something he wouldn’t get out of. And if the People get hold of him, they’ll use him as leverage against us.”
Ascanio beamed.
“Look at me,” I squeezed through my teeth. “You will obey me. If I say ‘stop,’ you stop. If I say ‘jump,’ you jump. If I say ‘hold your breath,’ you’d better pass out before you start breathing again.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“This isn’t over. If we survive this and get back to the Keep, I’ll have a talk with your alphas. You think the Beast Lord is scary, wait until we get back to the Keep. I promise you, after I am through with you, you’ll regret this.”
“I’m regretting it already,” he promised.
I turned Cuddles. Ascanio trotted over next to Derek. Derek snapped his teeth. Ascanio winked at him. “You know you missed me.”
We turned up the street.
Now I had two of my personal bodyguards. Too bad their average age was seventeen and a half. That reminded me . . . “Desandra?”
“Hmm?”
“The blond curly-haired guy with Jennifer. What’s his story?”
Desandra sighed. “Brandon. He just turned twenty a month ago. A classic case of second child syndrome: he has an older brother who is better than him at everything and he’s pissed off at his parents, because they mostly ignore him. Jennifer is really good at making him feel special. That’s her secret talent. She picked up on his insecurities and made him feel like he’s her hero. From what I found out, that’s how she got Daniel, too. He must’ve had some inner demons that needed soothing. The woman is very good at it, I’ll give her that.”
“How loyal is Brandon?”
Desandra shrugged. “Jennifer is older, attractive, more sexually experienced, and higher up on the food chain. Brandon is dying to be appreciated and praised for the special treasure that he is. Plus, I’m pretty sure she’s playing that whole forbidden-sex card. ‘I want you but we can’t. It would be so wrong.’ I know they haven’t slept together yet, but she must’ve dropped hints, because she’s got a leash around his dick and when she tugs, he comes running. He would throw himself off a cliff for her. That put-down I did on the bridge wasn’t for his benefit. It was for the others, in case they get any wrong ideas, because let me tell you, Kate, if Jennifer tells him to stab you in the back, Brandon will do it.”
Nice to know. Yet another wolf to beware of.
“Derek?” Desandra looked at him.
“Yes?” he said.
“Let’s say I do make a bid for the alpha spot. What will it take to earn your support?”
He shrugged. “I’m just another wolf.”
“We both know that’s bullshit,” Desandra said. “You’re a member of Curran’s inner circle. You’re practically family. You have a lot of pull in the clan. What will it take? Would you like the beta spot?”
Derek smiled. “No.”
“Aiming higher?” Desandra raised her eyebrows.
“No. I watch them.” Derek nodded at me. “I can see how happy the alpha spot makes them.”
“The sarcasm, it burns,” I said.
“Why do you want it?” Derek asked.
“I can make things better,” Desandra said. “I can make the clan run smoother. I can make the people feel safer and happier. And one of my children is a monster.”
If the younger of Desandra’s twins ever tasted human flesh, he would become lamassu like his father. He’d grow wings and huge teeth. We weren’t exactly sure what else he was capable of.
“What does that have to do with anything?” Ascanio asked.
Desandra smiled at him. “Jennifer will never let him grow up in the Pack. She all but said so.”
Jennifer, you dumbass.
“I’ve spent my life under an abusive alpha,” Desandra said. “I know what it’s like to be at someone’s mercy. My children won’t grow up persecuted. If I have to take the alpha spot and hold it to make sure they have a happy childhood, I’ll do it.”
A deserted building sat on our left, sagging to the street, thin streaks of graffiti staining its walls like tears. Robert squinted at it. “One moment.”
He took a running start, jumped, and ran up the near-vertical wall. His fingers fastened over the third floor’s windowsill and he dived into the window. Desandra whistled quietly.
“You know he’s married, right?” I asked.
“I can still enjoy looking at his ass.”
Her eyes lit up.
Oh no.
“It’s like two . . .”
“No.”
Desandra giggled.
That was a close one.
“You know, if you have certain frustrations,” Ascanio said, “I would be happy to help you work them out.”
Derek looked at me, pointed at Ascanio, and punched his left palm with his right fist a few times. I shook my head. No, you can’t pummel him.
Desandra laughed. “Maybe in twenty years. When I have, what is it called? Midlife conflict?”
“Midlife crisis,” I supplied.
“Yes. That. Assuming you live that long.”
“That’s a big ‘if,’” Derek said.
Robert reappeared carrying a small dirty sack, leaped down, and jogged over to us.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“It’s a rat stash,” Derek said. “They hide them all over the city.”
Robert reached into the sack, pulled out a large roll of duct tape and a bundle of canvas rags, and smiled.
“What’s this for?” Desandra asked.
“You’ll see,” I told her.
We headed down the street.
Desandra shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, Kate? Have you thought of walking up to Hugh and telling him that he’s got the biggest dick ever?” She spread her arms to the size of a baseball bat.
“No, you think it would work?” I asked.