📎A/N. I turned out that when I posted this chapter, it didn't actually publish. Whoops. Sorry about that. On the bright side... you get two in one day.

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"Bloody hell, that bogan is going to be the death of me." Joe took a deep breath and counted to ten.

Bradley and his mates were, once again, breaking everything in sight. Anyone would think they owned the place.

A large cheer went up from the crowd. Glasses smashed together in a toast, then shattered on impact.

Marie winced. "I just swept up the last mess."

Joe placed a hand on her shoulder. "Leave this to me." He reached for the broom that was now kept close at hand, behind the bar, and headed towards the bar flap.

When Michelle, the bounty hunter who had turned up a couple of nights ago, pulled away from the raucous group and headed towards the bar, he held back. While standing with Bradley and the others, the metal heavy sheila had joined in the festivities. However, the moment her back was to them, her expression dropped and turned stony.

He blinked and the expression was gone, replaced with a neutral one that he couldn't read. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Something is wrong with this picture. He placed the broom back where he'd retrieved it, reached for a glass, and waited for her. "What can I get for you, Luv?"

She slid onto one of the bar stools and let out a deep breath. "Coffee. And it better be fucking good and strong."

After pouring her a cup he slid it across the countertop. "I didn't take you for a groupie."

She scowled at him and her lips set into a thin line. "Watch your fucking mouth or I'll rearrange it for you."

He raised his hands. "I didn't mean anything by it. Just making conversation."

Michelle grunted at him and took a long gulp from her cup. When she finished, she pushed the cup towards him. "Fill it up, I think I'm going to need it."

Without saying anything further she reached for her phone and focused on the small screen.

Not wanting to aggravate the tiny dynamo any more than he already had, he wandered back to where he'd left the broom and stopped in his tracks when he noticed it wasn't resting on the back wall. Where the hell did it go?

He scanned the room and his eyes rested on Marie heading back towards him. Her hand clutched on the broom so tightly her fingers were white. Strewth. I said I'd do that.

Joe shrugged his shoulders. He'd learned not to argue with a pregnant woman. Without thinking anything of it, he served the next punter who came up for a refill. Some dodgy bloke from down south who heard Elise was going to lead them to the promised land and decided to make a beeline for the city of brotherly love to join her ever-growing army.

He'd hauled another tray of glasses out from behind the counter when he noticed Marie clutching on to her stomach with one hand, and the bar countertop with the other. The broom had been abandoned and now leaned against a stool.

Shit, it's the baby. She can't possibly be going into labor. It's still got ages to go yet.

"You okay? Is it the little one?" he asked as he rushed towards her, the counter still between them.

Marie shook her head. Her eyes, wide as Ayers rock, had transformed from shock to terror.

A cold chill ran up and down his spine. "What's the matter then?"

Marie drew in a deep breath and her eyes darted across the floor to where Bradley and his cohorts stood.

Why is she suddenly terrified of them?

He tapped on the bar to draw her attention away from her fixated stare.

"I overheard..." Marie's bottom lip quivered and her gaze dropped to the floor.

He stilled. Whatever she heard must be a doozey. "Out with-it woman. What were you eavesdropping on?"

Her voice dropped and she leaned forward. "I think they are talking about attacking another pack."

What? He stiffened and his head snapped up and his gazed zeroed in on Bradley. The wanker was in usual form. Dominating the conversation. Nothing new there. "You must have misheard."

She let out a shaky breath and tears welled. A single tear trailed down her cheek. "How many more children need to die before someone stops them. You must have seen the photos from the last massacre. It was all over the news."

A heavyweight fell to the bottom of his stomach. He hadn't stopped to think about how many innocent lives had been taken by Alpha Elise and her insane militia. Mostly because he was in denial that they could do that to their own people.

It was one thing to rebel against the injustice of the Alliance council. It was another matter entirely to indiscriminately kill Weres who had done nothing to them. Sure, he hated the half-breed that killed his parents. But he would have hated him just as much if he was pure born.

A sharp pain pricked at his conscience. But what the hell can I do?

"We have to do something," said Marie as if reading his mind.

He was stopped from replying when Bradley headed towards the bar. "This is a discussion for another time. Do not let them know you heard anything."

He then grabbed a cloth and began to wipe the countertop. Anger at Bradley and Elise had him polishing the shiny wood a little harsher than normal.

Bradley slammed his palm down on the bar. "Another round for my friends."

Joe threw the cloth down and wiped his hands on the ever-present towel over his shoulder. "Looks like your celebrating. Anything special?"

A smug smile grew on Bradley's face. "Victory."

He reached for a glass and held it under the beer tap, careful to keep his expression neutral. "I didn't realize you and your mates were into sports. It's not that sissy American rules stuff is it? With those poncy helmets and shoulder pads?"

Bradley stared at him with a confused expression.

Strewth, how dense can one cobber get? Joe resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "So it's not a sports win you're celebrating over?"

"Of course not. We are going to squash more of those Alliance oppressors and finally claim back our rightful place."

Joe nearly dropped the glass he'd poured to the brim. His throat dried and he gulped. "And that would be where exactly?"

"As rulers over the humans. It's about time we stopped listening to the Alliance and the Humans. Alpha Elise is our rightful Queen. She has shown us the path to our true forms."

Joe nearly choked, but held back his thoughts. "What about the rest of us. Where will we stand when Elise takes over?"

"That all depends if you are with Alpha Elise or against her." Bradley leaned further over the countertop.

Joe resisted the urge to take a step back.

Bradley sneered. "And you wouldn't want to see what happens if you are on the wrong side of this."

Joe ached to lash out his fists and make contact with something. Preferably Bradley's face. The bully had far too many mates. Even if he managed to deck him, it would take less time than for a sparrow to fart for the others to come to Bradley's aid. And then where would he be?

Six feet under. That's where.

Instead, he forced the corners of his mouth upwards in what he hoped was a smile. "In the end, everyone gets what's coming to them."

As expected, the meaning flew well over Bradley's head and he lifted his glass. "To victory."

Joe forced himself to make small talk with Bradley while he continued to pour oversized glasses for the bully's cohorts. By the time the last one had wandered back to the tables, he was seething.

This has to end.

He narrowed his eyes and stared daggers across the room. They had no remorse. No shame for the lives they had taken, and were more than happy to be led by a woman whose agenda did not help werewolf kind in any shape or form. If anything, she was worse than the Alliance.

"Enough is enough," he said, under his breath.

His wolf, who had been fighting for dominance, finally stopped pushing and let him concentrate fully.

Marie placed the glass she had been polishing for the last ten minutes on the bench beside him. "What are you going to do?"

He lowered his voice. "We need to work out a way to let the Alliance know what's going on."

"How are you going to do that?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Fucked if I know. It's not as though they have a 1-800 number."

"They already know."

Joe froze. Marie's eyes widened in fear. Somehow, Michelle had moved from her original position and was sitting near enough to their huddle to have heard the conversation.

His eyes darted across the room towards Bradley. The bounty hunter would be in his ear in a heartbeat. Crikey, we're screwed.

He needed to get Marie out of here before they came after him.

Michelle tossed her head back and began to chortle. "You should see your fucking faces. I'm sure that smell is coming from your britches."

Not sure how to react to Michelle's outburst, Joe indicated to Marie to leave—and fast.

"Don't go running off on my account. How are you going to help if you go into hiding from these Neanderthals?" Said Michelle.

His head snapped around to face Michelle. Wait. What?

Marie dropped her voice to a half whisper. "But I thought you were with them."

Michelle snorted. "Hardly fucking likely."

"I'm assuming you heard the same thing I did?" said Marie. Her face was pinched and her color hadn't returned.

Michelle pushed her cup loudly across the countertop. "Fuck it! What do you have to do to get a refill around here?" She then lowered her voice. "Would you both sort your shit out. Relax. Pour me another coffee. And little Miss Knocked Up, fucking put a smile on your face before they wonder what's just walked over your grave."

Joe threw the empty cup in the small sink and reach for a clean one while Michelle continued.

"Alpha Locke and the rest are a too high profile. They'll be spotted well before they step in the state, let alone the city. They are on their way but need to work out how to get their forces in without Elise knowing."

He pushed the cup across the bar. His hands were shaky and a small amount spilled onto the shiny mahogany. Shit!

Taking care to act normal he pulled the towel off his shoulder. "How do you know you can trust us."

Michelle half nodded towards Bradley. "Because that fucking moron doesn't."

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📎A/N. So Joe has finally taken a side! But just how is he going to help??

Take care,

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