True mates Book Two of Ozark Wolves
Chapter 41: Retribution

Rick and William loaded the last of the kitchen in the loading truck in record time. Paying the driver for waiting while they dealt with a personal matter. Thanked the man and sent him on his way. As soon as he was out of sight of the house William approached his brother with menace in his eyes. "I know you are pissed. But Ford and Carter have not been heard from for two days. I wanted answers. Terrence knows how to get answers." Rick said in defense of his actions.

William stopped right in front of Rick. "I do not care about that part." He said low and dark. Then slammed a fist hard into Rick's stomach. Rick stepped back from the force of the punch doubled over. "He could not have called you or texted you instead of telling you what he had found in front of her. She is terrified enough of those bastards getting past us to her. Now she knows they are practically at our doorstep and you thought that would be helpful?" William closed the distance between them. "You have a fucking psychology degree and yet you do that stupid thing." William drew his fist back to hit Rick again but soft fingers slid over his arm.

"Stop, William." Alexandria said softly behind him. "I needed to know. Rick knew I needed to know. Yes I am worried, I would be worried either way. Beating your brother will not help." She stepped close and rested her head on his back. She listened as his breathing became more regular and his heartbeat slowed. She felt the anger in him subside. "Save it for who truly matters."

"You are supposed to be sleeping, sugar." William replied. He touched her hand on his arm. Lifting it and turning to face her.

"Quincy tensed when the first blow to Rick happened. Save your anger, darling. Rick does not deserve it." Alexandria smiled weakly then looked to Rick. "You alright?" There was just a hint of sympathy in her voice.

"Yes, love." Rick winced straightening. "Go back to your nap." He nodded to Quincy who was looking a little concerned and more amused. "She is five foot two inches and you could not stop her from coming down the stairs?"

"I do not go up against someone who has a personal relationship with my netherbits, brother. Mother taught me that." Quincy winked.

Alexandria rolled her eyes and shook her head then kissed William softly and then Rick. "Break furniture, not each other." She said as she reclaimed her hand from William. Turned and went back to her bed. Exhausted and a little satisfied to have calmed them down for now. Quincy was right behind her. She sat on her bed and removed her shoes. Laid down on her side so she was facing Quincy. "You didn't even know what I was going to do." She told him as he laid down next to her on his back and pulled her into his arms. Her head on his chest.

"If I had I still would not have stopped you. Take your nap, honey." Quincy said. "I will be right here." He kissed the top of her head and relaxed to perhaps get a nap of his own.

Rick and William hauled the brothers' twin beds down from the second floor as quietly as possible. There had been some debate about the chests of drawers they'd had since they were toddlers. Deciding to keep them since their father had made those for them. Along with Quincy's desk and William's drawing board. The Goodwill truck was back but Joseph was not granting him entry. Rick and William went to check out what was going on. At the sight of them the truck pulled out and left.

"What was that about?" William asked when Joseph met them halfway.

"That was not the same driver from earlier." Joseph explained. "Smelled odd too. Like Terrence only worse. Much worse. Add more blood and a hate."

"Did he look at the camera." Rick asked.

"Yep. Got a good shot of him." Joseph smiled. "You gonna tell me what the hell is going on now? Unless that is what Terrence's little pow wow is about?"

"You got it. There are three of that guy is all we are going to say." William replied. "Stay sharp."

"Oh Moon. Three of that?" Joseph groaned. "What are they planning?"

"Don't know." Rick replied. "Their end goal is pretty cut and dry though. Kill us and take Alexandria back."

Joseph barked out a laugh. "Do those idiots not know who the fuck you are or who the fuck your parents and grandparents are?"

"Apparently not. Nor do they seem to understand that we take protection of our own very seriously." William grinned darkly. "Good work. Send the video to Chaz and Terrence for confirmation."

"Will do." Joseph said still laughing. "Sheltered fucking idiots."

"Alexandria accused me of being almost arrogant earlier when I was discussing the fact that those three may be psychos, but we have skills." Rick said as they walked back to the house.

"Yeah but she only knows what they had done to her. She has not seen us." William said. "Feel like going to grandfather's later. We need to burn off some steam and it has been weeks since we got to spar. You still need your ass kicked."

"Absolutely." Rick replied. "Call Goodwill and make sure their driver is okay. We do not need dead humans in town."

Three hours later all four were headed back to town. They had decided to take William's car since the backseat was more spacious. The driver for the Goodwill truck had a headache and a concussion for the blow with a billy club in the back of the head. Terrence had confirmed the identity of the false driver. William, Rick, and Quincy were twitching in their seats to get to their grandfather's Dojo. "Great." Rick exclaimed as he read the message on his phone.

"What?" William who was driving asked. Quincy could see the message and groaned but did not stop playing with Alexandria's hair. She was the only one relaxed at that moment.

"Mom and Dad are at Grandpa Kenneth's right now." Rick said through clenched teeth. "How the hell do we explain?" His phone vibrated and his head hit the back of William's seat with a smack on the leather. "And Mother is having a fit." All three brothers groaned and sunk down in their seats. Quincy had to pause in his ministrations of Alexandria's hair.

"What does that mean?" Alexandria asked concerned. What kind of fit could she be having right now.

"She knows." The three said deflatedly. "She knows all and is ready for blood." Then to not break the thinking. "Joseph."

"Fucking damn the man for his loyalties." William snarled.

"Loyalties. He worships her. Or at least would never do anything to cross her. Her hair is red for a reason." Quincy said. "Ever wonder what Terrence would be like if he ever got crossed?"

"Yeah and it would be the same bloodbath only a male standing in for the long haired female." Rick shuddered. "And you guys wonder why I chose to befriend him. I sure as hell do not want that for an enemy."

William wheeled the car into the parking space next to his father's Mercedes. The brothers got out of the car one at a time. Quincy first. Scanning the area. Rick was second he too had was being vigilant. He walked to the door for the Dojo. William was last. He moved around the front of the car to open Alexandria's door then Quincy offered his hand to her. The three were treating her like she was a model or something. William closed her door and locked and engaged the alarm to his car.

Margarette's words came back to from the night before. 'Most precious possession.' She thought Margarette had been kidding. Not in the least. She was that important to them. Not just for their line but also for their souls, hearts, minds, and bodies. Their wolves were just as vigilant. Noses in the air. Tails and ears back.

Once inside they took the stairs to their grandparents' living quarters over the Dojo. "What the hell are you all doing in town?" Margarette asked from the open door before the four reached the top of the stairs.

"We need to burn off some steam and could not leave Alexandria alone. Andrea and John took a little weekend trip." William said since he was in front and kissed his mother's cheek.

"Hello, Margarette," Alexandria said and kissed her on the cheek as well.

"Yes hello dear," Margarette said gently and hugged Alexandria a little. "Did you enjoy the Japanese Gardens?"

"I did thank you." Alexandria replied then smiled. Terrence had already told her. Joseph was off the hook.

"Nice job calling Terrence." Margarette praised Rick as he took the last step after Alexandria. "Foster and Carter have been stuck in Kansas City trying to sort out that mess with Skud."

"I thought he wasn't going to tell you. For the sake of those poor bastards. You get a hold of them and there won't be anything left." Rick smiled and kissed his mother.

"Your father has made me swear on your souls that I will not lift a knife, bow, or staff against those idiots." Margarette replied patting his cheek. "Plenty to go around that way."

"I had nothing to do with outing." Quincy said. "I was asleep when they made these plans." He gestured to his brothers.

"Sleeping when there was work to be done to ready for the teardown of you old place." Margarette tsked her eyes sparkling with humor. Quincy grinned and kissed her cheek.

The brothers greeted their grandparents and father then asked for a sparring room. "We were hoping you would entertain Alexandria while we are down there." William said.

"Of course." Myrtle said taking Alexandria's hand. "I have not gotten a chance to really speak to my granddaughter."

The brothers kissed Alexandria softly on the way out the door again. William the last one. "We are just downstairs. You are safe up here. I love you, sugar."

"I love you, darling." She said though she felt like she was being babysat.

"Trust me when I say it is safer for you up here than down there with us." William said lifting her chin gently to look in his eyes. "Have fun." He brushed one more kiss on her nose and followed his brothers out.

"He is right. Watching them spar is an awesome event but it is dangerous." Kenneth said from his chair in the corner. "I stopped overseeing them when they were ten."

"I remember that." Marcus said with a half smile. "Rick and William had knocked Quincy out and were going at each other with intent to beat the shit out of each other. You tried to step in and the two turned on you."

"They become focused. Marcus is the same way. So am I." Kenneth said. "The boys are way more."

"I have seen it in William. To some extent Rick and Quincy as well." Alexandria said understanding dawning. "A darkness within that they do well to keep under the surface."

"Yes." Margarette said. "That is exactly right." She smiled encouragingly. "You help them keep that hidden. William is less volatile. He used to go driving once a week. He has not left your side. Rick is less in his own head. Intune to you. Quincy is more serious. These are all good. You make them be more."

"As a true mate does." Marcus said. His hands on Margarette's shoulders.

"Come visit with me." Myrtle said to Alexandria. "They will be hungry when they get this out of their system. I was going to make chicken parmesan."

"That sounds lovely." Alexandria said and followed Myrtle to the kitchen where a cup of milk and cookies were waiting for her.

The three chose staves to start. It had been weeks since they had been able to work out. Finals, graduation, and then Alexandria. It was always two on one. The better to hone skills. Odds would never be even in a real fight and they did not like rules. Quincy and William started on Rick immediately. While they were perfectly matched height and weight. William had pure fury, Rick had a bit more strength, and Quincy had a two move speed rate. Quincy grinned as he caught Rick wide eyed with a perfect hit to his nose. Cracking it at the bridge. Rick cursed a streak to make a seasoned sailor blush and stepped to the wall to staunch the bleeding on a towel. Rick felt where the break was. Nothing that would not heal well on its own. Which would take approximately five to ten seconds thanks to what they were. William and Quincy paused as Rick stepped back up for more. Pure rage and a little arrogance in his eyes. He nodded and they started again. William caught his legs and drove the pole into Rick's stomach just below his diaphragm. "Fuck. I get it. I fucked up. Seriously." Rick choked.

"That was just for fun." William said with a mean fire in his eyes. "Get up baby." Rick got to his feet with a kick up already breathing normally again. William turned his gaze to Quincy and Rick and William started in on him.

In sparring they knocked each other down twice and switched. Went through the cycle and then changed weapons. It usually took three to four hours before they worked their way through it all. And this evening was no different.

Alexandria hissed and held her nose above. "What the hell?" She asked. It felt like her nose was bleeding and yet there was no blood. Myrtle smiled and handed her some ice.

"That would be the bond," Myrtle said. "First time Kenneth took a hit from a commanding officer I about choked to death. Should have reminded them of that before letting them loose."

"It's fine. Just shocking. I felt William gut punch Rick earlier and wanted to punch him myself." Alexandria smiled. She remembered the feeling as a few minutes later she gripped the table and gasped for air holding her chest. Myrtle frowned. Alexandria smiled as her breathing returned to normal. "How long do they do this?"

"Four hours at most. They cycle through the weapons. Hence me taking my time making supper. I will not have my grandchildren driving home and getting take out when I could feed them. Besides the boys love my Italian cooking." Myrtle smiled though there was still concern in her eyes.

Quincy got grazed with a throwing star and that was the end. Five hours and they were done. All three felt better. Calmer. They grabbed their bloodsoaked towels and threw them in the incinerator on their way back up to the living quarters above. Long standing rule. No wolfblood left the Dojo unless it was still inside. Better safe than sorry.