Chapter 7

“Am I even doing the right thing?”

Maggie stood in front of the mirror at her reflection. She was dressed in a sexy red dress which she had chosen for the night. After spending the whole day at the office with Caleb ready to tackle anyone who came to challenge her authority she was quite disappointed when no one came. But she wasn’t done. She knew they knew about her presence in the city. Surely Ezekiel must have told everyone she was alive. So why did no one come?

Caleb had the answer.

They knew she was expecting them and would be prepared. They wanted to spring a surprise on her. She had laughed when he said that. She would be the one surprising them. That was why she had gone shopping for the red dress. Her dark coils were washed and conditioned so that they fell freely around her face. Her lips were a dark red, she had gold hoops in her ear and a gold chain that fell between her breasts.

It had seemed like a good idea when she thought about it but now that she was dressed up she wasn’t so sure. The Red Light district. Her father owned the biggest club in the district exclusive only to werewolves. Even rival wolves were welcomed making it a common ground for partying, making deals and late-night business meetings. All those who wanted her and her father dead would be there. But most importantly, Lance would be there.

She realized with a touch of anger directed at herself that he was the reason she was having second thoughts about her plan. Her hands shook as she squeezed the gold chain around her neck. Even after his betrayal why did she still feel this way about him? 

What was his motive for killing her? Did he regret it?

Of course not, she told herself. He looked into my eyes and carved out my heart!

She remembered the sight of him blurred by her tears. “Why, Lance?” she had asked as he coldly ripped her heart out.

The gold chain snapped. She was no longer shaking from fear but anger. That’s it, Margaret Storm. Let that anger charge you up. He killed you and he has to pay for it.

With her body now fueled by her anger she grabbed her purse off the dresser and stalked to the door in her velvet leather heeled boots.

Caleb was waiting outside the door of the motel with a car waiting for her.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes ma’am.”

She sat behind the driver’s side looking out of the window. I am doing the right thing, she told herself. For my sake and Dad’s. Think about Daddy, think about what they did to him. You promised him, remember? The thought of her father made the ride bearable and soon they were entering the district. As the name implied red lights from many clubs in the block gave the roads and buildings a red hue. Neon lights flashed from signs above doors and pop music poured out into the streets where teenagers and adults alike hung out.

Maggie suddenly smiled as she remembered a fond memory of her father. He only let her into the Red Light district when she turned 18. Ezra had been an overprotective father and she knew why. He blamed himself for her mother’s death in a ski resort in Austria when she had fallen into a bottomless crevice. The resort authorities pronounced her dead the next day. Even for a wolf, accidents were inevitable. So her father had become protective of her allowing her only one friend. Vivian. Until she turned 18 and he began to slowly let her free of his protective love.

If Dad was alive…but he wasn’t.

“We are here ma’am.”

She looked up at the building in front of her. Phoenix’s Claws was the name of the club, named after the moon goddess. She was the mother of all wolves.

“Go find a place to park, Caleb. I’ll meet you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She got out. The front of the other clubs in the area were littered with bottles and cans of beer and wine but an exclusive club like Phoenix’s Claws had none of those. The doors were manned by 6’4 bouncers, warriors from the pack. A long line of impatient people stood outside waiting to be admitted into the club. She climbed the curb and walked to the door, cutting the line. She hadn’t gone far when one of the bouncers she recognized came to block her path.

“Who are you? Do you have a pass?”

A pass was for all exclusive wolves.

Maggie stared him down. “I don’t think I need a pass into my own club, do you Don?”

His frown cleared and he began to stutter. “M-Miss Margaret?”

“Save the stutter.”

“B-b-but…”

“Ah yes, the plane crash," she waved her hand dismissively with a sardonic smile. "Can’t believe I survived that. Don’t keep me waiting, Don.”

He hastily stepped back and opened the door to let her through. As soon as the door was closed behind her Don turned to his colleague. 

"Give me a second," he said and stepped down the stairs frowning as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. She was supposed to be dead were his thoughts as he dialed a number.

Inside the club disco lights illuminated the vast space, Franz Ferdinand’s No You Girls was booming from the speakers, and the dance floor was crowded with dancers. On the 360 leather chair that lined the wall, couples drank and made out. The club’s policy was to allow humans only if they were accounted for by their werewolf companions so it was no surprise to see human males or females with werewolf partners in their human forms. Maggie made her way through the clubbers, her footsteps muted by the music. She was suddenly glad she had come. With all the wolves out here tonight it would be impossible to sniff her out. The VIP-exclusive section of the club was cut off by soundproof glass and tinted so that only those inside could see what was going on in the main area without being seen. Maggie ruffled her coils so that her face was obscured. 

“Hey, honey. Noticed you soon as you walked in. You know this song reminds me of you,” a hot voice said in her ear as someone pressed into her from behind.

“I’ll ask the DJ to change it if it bothers you,” she said with a deceptively sweet smile before walking away from him. She needed a drink. The bar was crowded but a server saw her and came over.

With her face still obscured by her hair she ordered a dry martini.

She was just lifting the glass to her lips when she felt it. Her wolf stirred.

Lance.

“Easy, girl,” she said holding her hand to her chest. She sat back in her seat and casually glanced around and that was when she saw him coming out of the VIP exclusive lounge.

Her heart began to beat heavily. He was so handsome. His features were sharp and strong. He was dressed in a suit but the button had come undone and the top buttons of his shirt were open too to reveal his solid chest dusted with dark hairs. He held a bottle of whiskey in his left hand. That hand used to touch her body. Those were the only hands that ever aroused her in her life. Memories of a few nights they spent together intertwined in each other’s arms flashed through her memory. He moved toward the door with the strong, powerful gait of a fighter with the body of a fencer. Her body, stupid as it was, stirred with excitement.

When he stopped walking and began to look around the club she sat stiffly in her seat worried that he sensed her presence. She didn’t want him to notice her. She wanted to be the one surprising him. She wanted to see the look on his face when he saw she was still alive. She needed the right opportunity.

But the next moment the door opened and the person who walked through made Maggie gasp with excitement.

Vivian. The only friend she could trust.

She started to rise from her seat when Vivian threw her arms around Lance’s neck. Her eyes widened when Lance’s hand enclosed Vivian’s lean form, holding her close. Maggie’s vision blurred. Lance was kissing her. His hands were roaming her body. Vivian was laughing as she kissed him back.