Mercy Thompson 01-05 - THE MERCY THOMPSON COLLECTION

would feel it necessary to protect the prisoners.”
    That was nature’s balance to the role of the dominant wolf. As strong as the instinct of wolves to follow those who were dominant, was the instinct of dominants to protect those weaker than themselves.
    â€œAll lone wolves aren’t deviants,” protested Connor.
    David smiled. “Thank you. But werewolves need packs. It takes something stronger to keep them away. A few are like me, we hate what we are too much to live within a pack. Most of them, though, are outcasts, men the pack wouldn’t accept.”
    His smile changed, grew bleak. “I have my pack, Connor. It’s just not a pack of werewolves—” He looked at me. “I left the other members of our team with Gerry to keep an eye on the situation there. There are six of us. A small pack, but it works for me. Most wolves who live very long outside of a pack go a little crazy. Mercenaries are a little the same way. A mercenary who only works alone usually does so because no one else will work with him because he’s stupid or crazy—and the stupid ones are mostly dead.”
    â€œNot someone I’d want to meet as a werewolf,” I said, as my phone rang. “Excuse me a minute,” I said, and fished around in my pockets for my cell, which had miraculously escaped damage.
    â€œHappy Thanksgiving, Mercy!”
    â€œHappy Thanksgiving, Mom,” I said. “Can I call you back? I’m a little busy right now.”
    â€œYour sister has just told us she’s engaged . . .” said my mother, blithely ignoring me. So I sat and listened to her chatter about my siblings and my stepfather while three mercenaries sat in my living room and watched me.
    â€œMom,” I said, when she showed signs of slowing down. “Mom, I have company over.”
    â€œOh, good!” she said. “I was worried about you all alone on Thanksgiving. Is it Warren and that nice young man of his? I hope he keeps this one. Do you remember the last one? Easy on the eyes, I must say, but he wasn’t someone you could have a conversation with, was he?”
    â€œNo, Mom,” I said. “These are new friends. But I have to go, or they’re going to feel like I’m ignoring them.”
    I hung up the phone gently a few minutes later.
    â€œI forgot today was Thanksgiving,” David said, but I couldn’t tell if it bothered him or not.
    â€œI’ve been thinking about these drug experiments, sir,” said Connor. “Most men who are trying to assassinate a ruler intend to set themselves up instead.”
    â€œThese are werewolves,” his grandfather said. “Not humans. Gerry could never be Marrok. Oh, he’s a dominant—but I doubt he’d ever be strong enough to be Alpha of any pack, let alone all the packs. He knows that.”
    â€œBut does he like it?” asked Connor. “Have you watched him among his wolves? Did you notice that the mercenaries he has who are still human show signs of being dominant? He tells them that he can’t risk losing them right now—but I think he’s being cautious. He doesn’t like it when you give his wolves orders and they obey.”
    â€œHe can’t change what he is,” said David, but not like he was disagreeing.
    â€œNo, sir. But he has Adam under his control now, doesn’t he? Between finding the right combination of drugs and Adam’s daughter, he could have Adam under his control all the time.”
    David tilted his head, then shook it. “It wouldn’t work. Not for long. An Alpha would kill himself fighting before he’d submit for very long. He’d defeat the drugs or die.”
    I wasn’t so certain. I don’t think anyone knew exactly how the drug cocktails would work—not even Gerry, who had been experimenting with new wolves and not powerful ones like Adam.
    â€œIt doesn’t matter what we think. Could Gerry believe they would work on Adam?” asked John-Julian.
    For some reason, they looked at me, but all I could do was shrug. “I don’t know Gerry. He didn’t spend much time with the pack, and he traveled a lot with his job.” I hesitated. “Bran wouldn’t put a stupid person in a position like that.”
    David nodded. “I never thought Gerry was stupid before this. But that bloodbath has had me rethinking my opinions.”
    â€œLook,” I said.