To say that Thursday had been hard on him would be an understatement. He was never one for acting and that was what he had to do. He had to act like he cared that Alyssa was gone but he really didn’t care. Her being gone was probably the best thing for him and Shift.

Even though the divorce was final he knew deep down with Alyssa alive it would never be over. Maybe that’s why he didn’t feel guilty about her dying. Everyone has to make sacrifices for the club, he was away from Shift and Kale for 3 years, 29 days, and 17 hours, Shift had lost both her parents and Alyssa…well Alyssa had to give her life.

He ended up having to go to the hospital and act…not distraught…but upset that she was gone. So he went into her room and pretending as if it had been Shift that died. He held her hand and cried, he said his goodbyes and asked for forgiveness and by the time he was done with his little show he even had all the nurses crying with him.

That was yesterday though and today was a new day. Tonight church would be held in the chapel and he was going to bring up Tripp’s protection run. Shift did her job in making sure Alyssa was taken care of and now it was his turn to make sure Millington was protected by The Wolf Pack.

“Hey, what are you thinking about?” Shift asked him as they laid in bed and she rested her head on his chest.

“Nothing much. Just bringing up the protection run in church tonight. Dad said you didn’t want to live with me…” Justin told her as he felt her smile against his bare chest.

“I didn’t say that!” Shift stated as Justin chuckled and she smacked his chest.

“No, I know baby girl. Teak thinks I’m handsome…I wasn’t supposed to tell you but since you’re smacking me I thought I should.” Justin told her as he grabbed her hand and held it against his chest.

“Good for her, did that help your already huge ego?” Shift asked him as she looked up at him with a smile on her face.

“Shut up!” Justin muttered as he kissed her forehead, “Did mom talk to you about that mini-vacation to Texas for the Patch-Over?”

“Yeah. I would like that. Just us three. How do you think the patch-over will go?” Shift asked as Justin tighten his arms around her.

“I really don’t know. Dirk is old school. He still has that Free Rider mentality. I don’t know how he’s going to feel about us taking over. If anything goes down though at least The Wolf Pack will be there. I’m just worried about ridin’ with Kale.” Justin told her as he got out of their bed and pulled on an old pair of jeans and old t-shirt.

“Do you think we’ll need to be packing?” Shift asked as Justin watched her climb out of bed in nothing but a thin cotton tank top and some tight boy shorts.

“You walking to the shower in that?” Justin asked as he looked her body up and down, “You better put some fucking clothes on,” he told her as his possessive side came out, “We need our own fucking house! Fuck the heat! Fuck the ATF! I don’t want to kill on of my brothers because they checked out your fine ass.” He finished telling her as she pulled on a pair of jeans and one of his old shirts.

“Quit being so possessive. You know I belong to you,” Shift told him with a smile as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her, “You goin’ take a shower with me baby?”

“Hell yeah. Let’s go make you scream my name in the shower.” Justin said before he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, smacking her ass as she laughed.

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*Friday Night 9:00pm*

Justin looked around the chapel, proud that this was his club and the men sitting around the table were his brothers. Shift’s ass was late but she was getting their son ready for bed across town. They had ended up buying a house but he would “sleep” in his room at the club. In fact all day today the club helped them move.

He was grateful to have his brothers there. Even though most of the prospects did the heavy lifting.

“Hey man, where’s your lady?” Eddie asked him.

“Yeah man, Shift’s never late.” Chuck said.

“Helping my mom put Kale to sleep. We need to make Church later if it causes her to be late now that we have the house.” Justin told them as he took a swig of his beer.

“Why don’t we discuss some things that don’t include her?” Teak suggested as they all looked at her.

“Everything in this club includes Shift. Never forget that prospect.” Paul growled and Teak nodded her head in understanding.

“Sorry I’m late. Kale didn’t want to sleep without seeing his daddy.” Shift said as she walked into the Chapel holding a fussy, but wide awake Kale.

“Hey buddy,” Justin said as he got up from his seat and took Kale into his arms, “Listen to your music okay? Daddy and Mommy are going to have a meeting with the club.” Justin told Kale as he helped Kale with his little Ipod shuffle.

“Okay Daddy. I’ll be good.” Kale said as he put in his little earbuds and started bobbing his head to the music.

Justin took Kale to his seat and sat him down in his lap as Shift took her seat next to him. He held onto Shift’s hand as Paul hit the gavel on the table starting church.

“So, we need to discuss who’s going to the patch-over. Justin and Shift will be leaving on Tuesday with Kale for Texas. The patch-over will be on Saturday so we need to leave on Thursday. Who can go?” Paul asked the other members of the Pack.

“We can go.” Eddie and Chuck said at the same time.

Eddie and Chuck were brothers with Chuck being the oldest. He was 33 years old and Eddie was 30 years old. They never did anything without each other. Their father was Robert “Bubbles” Bubble and he was nothing like his nickname. Bubbles was part of the original nine along with Paul.

“Like my boys I can go too.” Bubbles told them with his gruff deep voice.

“Count us Kenleys in.” Benjamin “BK” Kenley stated.

Benjamin “BK” Kenley was also part of the original nine and by us he meant him and his two sons, Benjamin “Ben” Kenley the second and Riley Kenley. Ben and Riley were twins and were 27 years old. Justin had gone to school with them and treated them like his own brothers.

“Deuce and I can go.” Juan “Trace” Ayala the third stated.

Trace was Justin’s best friend and also the worst troublemaker of the group. Justin always got in trouble while trying to bail out Trace in their younger years. Lynn and Trace’s mom were best friends since forever so Justin and Trace were destined to be friends. And Deuce, well he was Trace’s dad and also an original nine.

“Prospects are going, and you can count in us O’Doules.” Ron, an original nine, said as his son Connor “Irish” O’Doule nodded his head in agreement.

“Count us Figarros in too.” Evan “Fig” Figarro stated as his dad Christopher Figarro, another nine, nodded as well.

“I’m staying here to watch the shop with Fox.” Joshua “Tree” Oak said as Jon “Fox” Randell held up his beer bottle.

“Okay looks like we got the patch-over run settled and the shop will be looked after. Does anyone have any business they want to put on the table.” Paul asked as everyone looked around at the other members.

“Yeah,” Justin said as everyone turned their attention to him, “Tripp did me and Shift a favor and he has one of his own. His vintages are being stolen while en route. I promised we would do a protection run on Monday night for him. So I’m putting it to a vote.” Justin said as he looked at the other members.

“I like Tripp, always helps out the club when possible. I vote yay.” Fox said before taking a swig from his beer bottle.

“I say yay.” Eddie said as he looked at his brother.

“As do I.” Chuck said.

“Anyone opposed?” Paul asked as the rest of the members shook their heads no, “Okay then, protection run for Tripp Monday night.”

“Everyone needs to be at the Pilot in Memphis at eleven pm.” Justin told them as everyone nodded their understanding.

“Um…” Teak said as everyone turned their attention to her and she suddenly got nervous, “I can’t go to the patch-over. I-I have previous obligations that were made before I became a prospect.”

“Teak?” Shift called as Teak looked at her, “Can we talk outside of the chapel?” she asked as Teak nodded her head but didn’t move, “Like…NOW!” Shift growled.

Teak jumped in her seat at Shift’s growl and scrambled out of her seat to make it to the door where Shift was already standing at, waiting for her. She didn’t know what was going to happen, but she didn’t think they were just going to talk. Shift waited for her to pass her before shutting the door behind them, leaving them in an empty hallway.

“S-Shift…” Teak started to say as she turned around to face Shift.

All of a sudden Shift landed a right hook against her cheek, sending her reeling into the wood doors of the chapel. Shift grabbed her by the shirt, throwing her across the hallway and into the other wall. She wanted to fight back but she knew Shift would end up beating her if she did.

Shift’s hands went around her neck, choking her until her hands started to claw at Shift’s. Shift was going to kill her! That was all she could think about as Shift placed her hands on Teak’s shoulders and head butted her. Teak fell to the floor as Shift took a couple of steps away from her and fixed her hair.

“You’re goin’ to the run and next time don’t open your mouth in chapel,” Shift told her as she cracked her knuckles before pulling out a picture and throwing it at Teak as she leaned down to whisper in her ear, “You can think Justin is handsome all you want but remember he’s mine,” she whispered before she pulled away and walked back into the chapel, leaving Teak alone in the hallway.

Teak picked up the picture Shift had thrown at her and was shocked at the image before her. In the picture Shift was in just her bra on all fours facing the foot of the bed, her mouth open in ecstasy as a bare chested Justin pounded into her from behind. It’s hard to look at the picture by itself but to see it when you like Justin and you see him enjoying someone’s company and body made it ten times harder.

Teak stuffed the picture in the pocket of her jeans before trying to look presentable as she walked back into the chapel. Everyone tried not to look at her as she made her way to her seat but she could feel their heated gaze. She understood that if she had been a guy one of them would have done what Shift did to her but she knew Shift had enjoyed it.

“Look Mommy, Teak has some boo-boos!” Kale stated loudly as he pointed at Teak.

“I know KT…tell her to stop running into doors and walls.” Shift told him as he giggled and Justin chuckled.

“Stop running into doors and walls Teak! Silly head.” Kale told Teak as everyone but Teak laughed.

Shift was humiliating her and she knew it. Everyone knew it and more importantly to her…Justin knew it. He had lied to her. When she asked him not to tell Shift and he said he wouldn’t, he did. That was his silent lesson to her that nothing came in between him and Shift.

“So, are you going on the run Teak?” Paul asked her, even though he already knew her answer.

“Y-Yeah I’m going.” Teak said.

“Okay, church adjourned.” Paul said as he banged the gavel and church ended.

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*Monday Night 11:00pm*

Teak stood at the Pilot in Memphis nervous as hell. She felt so out of place. Everyone else was joking around and smoking as they waited for Tripp’s driver to show up. She wasn’t nervous about riding with them it was more the fact that Shift had given her two .45s as protection.

She watched as Shift took a puff from her cigarette before handing it to Justin who was shittin’ the breeze with Trace. She watched as Justin took the cigarette from Shift and kissed her cheek before taking a puff of his own. She couldn’t help the jealousy feeling that surged through her as Shift walked up to him and kissed him. She almost wanted to cry as Justin threw away the cigarette butt and pulled Shift to him by sticking his hands in the back pockets of her jeans.

No one else seemed to mind them making out as everyone waited. But of course most of the members with them had gone to school with Justin or Shift plus they were all sons and daughter of the original nine members. The only one besides her who wasn’t related to a nine was Martin “Marty” Nichols another prospect and he was standing beside her feeling just as out of place as she was. Steve “Red” Oak, the other prospect, was hanging out with the Pack like he didn’t have a care in the world. Probably because his father was an original nine and he grew up with the rest of the members.

She had wished that she grew up with the Pack so that she could be over there listening to what they were saying and it was then that she realized if she wasn’t careful she would get caught up in this life. Shift looked over at her smiling slightly before making her way over to her.

“Teak, listen…I think we got off on the wrong foot,” Shift told her as she sat next to her on the sidewalk, “You just have to understand…I don’t like anyone trying to take my man. Besides this club and Kale…Justin is my everything. Surely as a woman you can understand that.” Shift told her as she pulled out a cigarette and lit it up and handed Teak one.

Teak took the cigarette as Shift lit it for her, “How long have ya’ll been together?” she asked as she took a puff.

“About 18 years, give or take a few.” Shift told her.

“Tell me, does it ever get to you? T-This lifestyle I mean…are there days where it just isn’t worth it?” Teak asked her curiously as Shift looked at her.

“Of course it gets to me, especially as Kale gets older but this is all I know. Those boys are my family…the only family I have. Besides I learned long time ago if it came down to me or the club Justin would choose the club. He loves me, I don’t doubt that, but the club is all he knows too. And I’m not losing him,” Shift told her and suddenly Teak realized Shift wasn’t so bad, “I realize this is hard for you,” Shift said as she inhaled, “coming into a club where you don’t know anyone, can’t trust anyone,” Shift said as she exhaled the smoke from her lungs, “but we’re family. We’ll take care of you and watch your back when no one else will. That’s what we do,” Shift finished telling her as she rose from the curb.

“Hey Shift?” Teak said as Shift turned around.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks..y-you know for…everything.” Teak said as she threw her a genuine smile.

“I’m here anytime you need me. We girls got to stick together around these boys.” Shift told her with a smile as she took one last puff from her cigarette and threw it to the ground extinguishing it with the toe of her leather boot.

Teak watched as Shift made her way back over to Justin. She watched as Justin pulled Shift into his arms, kissing her forehead before looking at Teak. She knew Justin’s MO. He was quiet, letting Shift do all the talking because he would silently backstab you. He was deadly but hid it well.

“What about Teak?” Justin asked as Shift rested against his body.

“Definitely ATF. I smell a rat.” Shift replied as she laid her head on Justin’s shoulder.

“So, how are we dealing with that?” Trace asked them both.

“Leave her alone,” Justin stated, “Let her do her job, gather some information, report back to her bosses some…I’ve got a plan for her,” Justin said as he leaned down and captured Shift’s chin, turning her head to face him before he kissed her, “Nobody comes between us or tries to threaten the club.”

“Tripp’s driver is here JT. Let’s do this so we can go home. We still have to pack for tomorrow.” Shift told him as she pulled away from him.

“Let’s do it.” Justin growled out as everyone pulled on their helmets and got on their bikes.

Shift rode along side Justin as they followed Tripp’s semi-trailer, so far they hadn’t had any trouble but they still had 20 miles to go. It was then that she noticed a black cage trying to make it’s way around them to get behind the semi-trailer. She pulled back as did Justin letting the other members pass them.

Shift looked at the cage gauging if she could fit beside them on the lane. She pulled back further until she was right beside the cage and Justin was on the passenger side. She tapped on the window, letting whoever was driving know that they should pull over.

Shift swerved into the other lane as the cage started swerving back and forth. She couldn’t see inside the cage since the windows were tinted but that didn’t matter as she pulled out a AMT Silverdale .45 handgun. She swerved until she was beside the car again and tapped harder on the window this time with the barrel of her gun.

This time the cage didn’t swerve and actually let Justin pull back so the cage could pull over. The other members, seeing the commotion behind them, had Tripp’s driver pull over as they split up. Some stayed with the truck while the others pulled back to help Shift and Justin with the cage.

The windows to the cage rolled down as Shift kept her gun steady.

“Why were you following us?” Shift demanded to know.

“We’re just going to Memphis.” The driver spat at her.

“Get the fuck out of the cage before I blow your fucking brains out!” Shift ordered as Justin pulled out his switchblade and started ripping into their tires.

“What the fuck! Get the fuck away from my car!” The driver shouted as Shift held her gun against his head instantly silencing him.

“One more word and your friend here,” Shift said as she pointed to his passenger, “will get the pleasure of having your brains splattered all over him. Get out of the car slowly…ALL OF YOU!” She ordered as the club pulled their guns as all four doors of the cage opened.

Out of the cage stepped four guys all in their early twenties. They didn’t look too scared which worried Shift. Just as she though that she heard shots ring out in front of them by the semi-trailer. The driver of Tripp’s truck was shooting at the club! So he was the insider and these guys were his crew! In all the commotion of what was going on before them the driver’s crew was able to pull out their gun and start shooting.

“Someone get in the truck! Kill the driver and get in the truck!” Shift shouted as she tossed Justin her other .45.

“Trace, call in the crash van!” Justin shouted as the four guys climbed back into the cage, shooting at the club through their rolled down windows, “Shit! The car’s bullet proof! Shoot through the windows!” Justin ordered as he shot into the car hitting one of the guys, instantly killing him.

“Hey! We need the crash van now! They’re fucking shooting at us!” Trace yelled into his cell phone as bullets flew by him.

Shift could see the members in the front gaining headway as Fig climbed into the rig, throwing the driver out into the club’s hands. The remaining members Club Rat Packed the driver as Shift took a shot into the car, killing the driver of the cage.

“Fucking shit!” She heard Justin groan as he was shot in the arm, “Piece of shit shot me!”

Shift saw red as she climbed on the hood of the black cage and started firing into the cage through the windshield. To her it seemed stupid to bulletproof the car not the windows of the car but it worked out great for her. When she ran out of bullets she started kicking the windshield until it started breaking. The other members joined her in pulling the windshield off the cage so they could get inside.

Shift reached inside grabbing the still breathing passenger and pulled him through the front window of the cage, not caring when he cried out in pain from the sharp broken glass of what used to be the windshield.

“You fucking shot my man!” Shift shouted as she brought down her elbow smashing it against the guy’s collarbone making him cry out in pain.

Justin climbed on top of the cage’s hood and slammed the hilt of his .45 against the guy’s jaw before Shift followed with a right hook to the other side of his jaw. They ganged up on him delivering blow after vicious blow until he begged for mercy. And Justin showed him mercy by cocking his gun and shooting the guy in the head.

The Pack left one guy alive but just barely as the crash van showed up and Justin climbed inside as his bike was wheeled into the semi-trailer. Shift and the other members stayed behind as the crash van made it’s way to the clubhouse and they lit the black cage on fire to destroy any evidence.

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Dr. Rutherford was sitting at home enjoying his first day off in about a month. He was still dealing with all the torment losing Alyssa caused. His cell phone rang and he debated whether or not to answer, knowing that it could be the hospital and he really didn’t have a choice. He answered the phone even though he didn’t recognize the number.

“Hello.”

“LJ, it’s Shift. We need you at the clubhouse.” He heard and he knew he wasn’t going to go.

“I don’t have time for this shit!” He spat into the phone.

“Unless you want pictures of you killing Alyssa finding their way into the sheriff’s hands I suggest you come to the clubhouse now!” Shift told him with a smart tone.

“Fine! I’ll be there.” He sighed, realizing the club owned him now.

He should have known better but he let his emotions get involved. And The Wolf Pack prayed on those emotions.