The next couple of hours were spent making sleeping arrangements for our thirty-five or so unexpected guests. Rose Crest doesn’t have any hotels, and most of the pack Elders weren’t too keen on staying too far away from Sirhan, so Mom and I rummaged through the storage closets at the house. We pulled out blankets, old decorative pillows, and bolts of cloth—anything that could make a few bedrolls.
It was strange, really, that only a couple hours before I had been worried these Urbats were going to kill us—and now one of my biggest concerns was for their comfort as they slept on the cold hardwood floor of the parish social hall.
But now that they’d accepted Daniel as Sirhan’s successor, and me as Daniel’s alpha mate, they treated us with the utmost respect.
“I could only find stuff for about twenty people,” I said when I showed up at the parish with a few boxes of old baby quilts, sheets, and sleeping bags.
“I guess it will have to do,” Jude said, and took one of the boxes out of my arms. I smiled at him, remembering the time we’d spent together as siblings, sorting through boxes for the annual Thanksgiving charity drive each year. Working with him now almost felt like old times.
April grabbed a couple of sleeping bags.
Lisa Jordan picked up a set of threadbare Star Wars–themed sheets out of one of the boxes—the same set Jude, Daniel, and I used to make tents out of in the family room for movie night when we were little. “I don’t think I’ve roughed it since 1991,” she said. “Not since Sirhan took me in.”
For some reason, I’d always imagined that a werewolf pack that lived in the mountains would be roughing it all the time. Living in campers or caves or something. However, based on the fleet of practically brand-new Cadillac Escalades—not to mention the Aston Martin Rapide—and the quality of the pack members’ velvet robes, I’d started picturing Sirhan’s compound looking more like a fine European manor with at least a dozen garages attached.
I guess if you’ve been around for almost a thousand years, you probably learn a thing or two about long-term investing. It was obvious Sirhan and his pack were swimming in money. No wonder someone like Caleb coveted control of this pack—I imagine it came not only with power, but also with Sirhan’s estate.
“I guess some of them can stay at my house,” April said. “My mom is on a business trip, and we’ve got two extra bedrooms.”
I looked at her. April was offering her home to a bunch of werewolves to spend the night? For some reason, I wasn’t shocked.
Lisa dropped the sheets and popped up on her toes. “Do you have HBO?” she asked. “Sirhan doesn’t allow TV in the compound. I haven’t seen a movie in years.”
“Yeah,” April said.
“And licorice. Do you have popcorn and licorice? We could have a girls’ night!” Lisa looked happier than a puppy with a brand-new chew toy.
April smiled. “And I just got a new pedicure set.”
Lisa squealed, clapping her hands on April’s arms. “I haven’t painted someone else’s nails since the 1980s. You know how hard it is living with a bunch of grumpy old werewolves? Not another girl in sight for miles.”
“You want to join us, Grace?” April asked with a hopeful smile. “Girls’ night!”
“No, thanks,” I said. “But have fun.” I had way too much on my mind to think about movies and makeovers. I didn’t foresee a “girls’ night” anytime in my near future.
April looked at Jude. “It doesn’t just have to be a girls’ night. You can stay at my house, too. I promise not to paint your nails.”
“No.” Jude shook his head adamantly.
“Ooh, is that your boyfriend?” I heard Lisa ask April when the two made their way to April’s car. A small group of Urbat men followed after them, rolling their eyes. If they wanted comfortable beds to sleep on tonight, they were going to have to put up with the giggly girl squad.
I glanced at Jude, whose eyes followed April with a longing sort of look. “If you want to go with her, I’ll cover with Mom. Just this once.”
Jude shook his head. “I want to stay here tonight. Back in the cage in the basement.”