Shattered Pack

by Erin, Aileen;

  “That’s not good enough. The whole world knows of your kind now. You shouldn’t be leaving us out of this.”

  Donovan patted his leg. His hand came away bloody. “Whatever did this is out there. I’ve got four injured Weres and one dead teen. Check your CCTV tapes and you’ll understand that it’s in your best interest not to get involved. This is very dangerous.”

  “Fine. Fine!” McTavish stared up at the sky, hands on his hips as he calmed down. After a minute, he blew out a breath. “What do you need from me?”

  Wow. That was easier than expected. Maybe the American cops needed to take a cue from the Irish garda.

  “We’ll have it cleared up within the hour. You’ve my word,” Donovan said. “It’d be a huge favor if you got rid of the CCTV tapes after you watch them. We’ll do the rest.”

  “All right. I’ll get the footage. I can’t guarantee anything if it’s not all cleaned up by morning, but no one comes by at this hour.”

  Donovan held out his hand. “Thank you, Colin.”

  “Aye.” McTavish took the offered hand, giving it a shake. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Donovan nodded. We watched as the cop got back in his car and drove away.

  “Well, that was easier than I expected,” I said.

  “The town is all locals who’ve known of us their whole lives. For generations. We pay to keep the town healthy and prosperous. In turn, they help us when we’ve a need.”

  “It’s kind of like that in Texas, but not quite. Mr. Dawson tries but…”

  “Aye. If it had been so, the footage wouldn’t have gotten out.”

  Nothing we could do about that now. “One question.”

  “What?”

  Something he said to McTavish wasn’t sitting right with me. “Does the beast really only kill after dark?”

  Donovan shook his head. “No. John was killed in the day, remember?”

  “Right.” It’d been night when we heard about it, but it was daytime in Ireland.

  “I had to tell him something. Don’t want anyone to panic.”

  “No, that would be bad.” Even though I was panicking a little. That beast was bad. I didn’t know how we were going to stop it. “So, how can I help?”

  “Nothing much to do. Ian and some of the others are coming with the cleanup crew. We’ll burn what’s left of Thomas tomorrow before the run.” He sighed. “Christ. What the fecking hell is goin’ on?”

  I caught an undercurrent of something that was bothering him—just a twinge—and couldn’t help but ask What’s wrong?

  His blue eyes glowed. My second murdered and now Thomas… It’s too convenient.

  I was missing something. Why convenient?

  After this, if someone isn’t coming after me, then I’ll be very surprised.

  What? He wasn’t explaining enough. Why do you think someone’s coming after you?

  John was my second. My brother. He took care of the pack in my stead. Without him, I can’t hold the pack and stay with the Seven. Now, Thomas has been murdered. It’s horrible, but I cannot ignore the fact that he’s the only child of Tadhg, who happens to be my strongest opponent in the pack. After his display in front of everyone, Tadhg is already showing that he blames me. If he’s against me, others will follow.

  Shit. This was bad.

  Exactly. With these two deaths, my pack is suddenly at risk.

  But they sent that monstrous fey beast against a child. It didn’t matter what species you were. Children were sacred. Who would do that?

  I have no idea. I don’t think that the fey would risk striking out against me. But if you’d asked me earlier, I’d say no Were would ever kill a child either. If this is coming from inside the pack, then I haven’t even a clue where to start looking. Without John, I’m blind in my own pack.

  What do we do?

  Find whoever’s sending fey against our pack and kill them.

  But if Donovan didn’t know where in the hell to start—and this was his pack—how were we supposed to do that?

  Chapter Twelve

  The sun had started rising over the horizon by the time we were finally making our way back to the stronghold. We’d stayed to oversee the cleanup, while rest of the pack had gone home. After most of them left, I’d found a first aid kit in the trunk of the car and seen to Donovan’s leg. He was lucky that the cut wasn’t from the beast. The bronze sword that the humans’ statue was brandishing had done the job, so the wound was already mostly healed. In a day, it’d be completely gone. The other four Weres that were hurt had a few broken bones, but they’d be fine in a couple hours.

  Besides Thomas, no one had been seriously injured. We’d been lucky on that end. But we still had so much work to do. I was pretty sure we weren’t going to sleep today.

  “As I see it, we’ve got two problems,” I told Donovan as we wound down the minuscule streets in his equally tiny car.

  “And they are?” Donovan asked, eyebrows raised.

  “You’ve got massive pack problems, but they’re going to take a while to fix. But if we deal with the pack first, we could have piles of dead bodies on our hands before we get it solved. So, in my mind, the bigger problem is this fey creature. It’s the more immediate threat. We’ve got to figure out what exactly is killing off Weres, and how we can track it, and keep it from killing again. Because as I see it, I might be next on its list.” Having seen the creature, I was pretty terrified. The thought of going up against it alone and ending up like John or Thomas made me literally shake with fear. I shoved my hands in the pocket of my down vest to hide the shakes.

  Around four in the morning I’d realized that losing me would massively destabilize Donovan. If I were trying to take down an Alpha, his mate would be my first target. We had to find a way to fix this or I was going to be diced up Were soon.

  Donovan grunted. “I’m worried about the same. I also think it’s too convenient that the pack is in this kind of a state and John and Thomas were specifically picked as targets. One of ours has to be working with the beast. We won’t be able to stop this from happening again until we know what’s really going on.”

  That was debatable. “If we kill the creature, then it’s out of the way. Problem solved.”

  “It wouldn’t be long before another popped up in its place.”

  Maybe. Maybe not. With the fey going into hiding, it might not be that easy to find another fey creature willing to murder on cue. “So what’s our best plan?” I was willing to hear him out, but I still thought going after the fey creature first was the best plan.

  “Hmm.” That was all Donovan said, leaving me to my own speculation.

  Regardless of what we did first, we were going to need more intel on the fey creature. Specifically, what it was and how to track and kill it. “Don’t you have a regular contact among the fey that you trust? Someone who could tell us what the creature is and why it’s killing Weres?”

  “I do. We’ve a method that’s worked for a long while. I hike to the nearest circle and leave a message. By the time I get home, Qusay is there waiting.”

  “So, we’re hiking?” Once we contacted the fey and figured out what this thing was, we could take it down. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about someone—probably me—getting turned into minced meat.

  I could get behind this plan.

  “Thing is, Qusay’s both our local contact and a member of the cross-court council, so he’s still in Canada. Even if he were here, he wouldn’t be able to help. He can only act when the queens allow him to, and with the way they’re feeling right now toward us…”

  Crap.

  “So, we need a friend in the court. Someone who would risk getting in trouble for us. Someone we can trust.” The tang of vindication was sweet. I’d been right to invite Cosette to the mall. Keeping a relationship with her was good on a lot of levels. “I can see if Cosette will answer my texts.” I was pretty sure she was still in Colorado, but there was a chance that she might be back at her court. Even if she
wasn’t, she could ask someone at court if they’d heard of one of theirs working with the Irish pack.

  “I’ve a feeling Cosette’s in as much trouble as she can handle right now, and I have a mirror. I don’t like using it. I had a relationship with the Lunar Queen and…”

  A thing? With Cosette’s mom?

  Wait. No. I didn’t want to know about that. It’d just mess with my head. So, I picked the much safer topic. “You have an enchanted mirror?” I’d heard they were basically like a mystical version of video chat.

  “Yes. I’ve not used it in a while. I’m not sure where it is, to be honest, but I’ll dig it up.”

  “To call the Lunar Queen?” And we were back to her.

  Donovan nodded. “Me and Helen… She and I… It was a long time ago.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” The whole thing was just… No. I definitely didn’t want him to say anything else about it.

  “I’m not keen on using the mirror, but we don’t have a lot of choices. I’d rather not get Cosette in more trouble than she already is.”

  I appreciated that he was looking out for my friend, but my mind was still blown with the whole he used to date the Lunar Queen thing. “Did you at least end it on good terms?” I couldn’t imagine a pissed-off, heartbroken fey helping us in any way.

  “Of course we ended on good terms.” He tapped the steering wheel. “At least I think we did. It’s been a while.”

  Well that sounded exactly not at all promising. He didn’t even remember how they’d ended things? “How long ago was this exactly?”

  “It’s been a very, very long time. And I don’t think she was upset, but even if she was, Helen wouldn’t show it. She’s a queen. She can’t show weakness. Not even to me.”

  So she could’ve been heartbroken, and he’d never have known. “Why would she help us? I mean—let’s say for a second that the breakup was totally amicable—isn’t she pissed about how I was on the news with Cosette? Again.”

  “I doubt she’s thrilled her daughter was caught again, but Helen always believed it was only a matter of time before her people were exposed. We were in complete agreement on that. I don’t think she’d be the source of any unrest within the fey.” He glanced at me, with a bit of a sheepish shrug. At least he understood how weird this was for me. “I can feel your worry, but please don’t. We had a connection a while back. It started out sharing information and maintaining peace. The friendship eventually grew into more, but ultimately, I had to put my pack first and she had to put her court first. Neither appreciated our relationship. When unrest started, we cut off contact. Better to have no questions about what was happening or not.”

  “So you would’ve kept seeing her if the pack approved?” I hated to ask, but a part of me needed to know.

  “No. It would’ve ended one way or another. We didn’t suit.” Donovan was quiet for a second. “Plus, the pack was concerned—and rightfully so—that she was queen of the Lunar court.”

  “Why would that matter?” We’d learned about the courts at St. Ailbe’s, but only a quick overview. There wasn’t a lot of information about them, other than who was in charge and the basic differences between each of the seven groups.

  “You don’t know? And your good friend is princess of it?” Donovan gave me a long look that I didn’t appreciate.

  “Why does it matter that she’s Lunar rather than Midnight or Gales?”

  “Lunar has control over the moon. Our kind are tied to the moon. Some believe that the lunar fey have power over us.” He let that sink in for a second. “The pack didn’t like Helen because they thought she’d make me favor the fey, and force my wolves to do her court’s bidding. The pack will be slaves to no one.”

  I had to pick my jaw up from the ground. Not literally. But holy shit. “Tessa’s always bitching about how bad the Weres are at sharing information, and for the first time, I agree with her. Why the hell wasn’t that covered in class during our section on the fey courts? It seems pretty damned important.”

  “Ehm. Well, might be that not all Weres know. The Seven have kept that bit quiet. It wouldn’t sit right with most Weres and we’d prefer to avoid a pre-emptive war with the Lunar court. I thought that with you being friends with Cosette, you’d know about all of this.”

  “No. I had no idea.” I went back through my time around Cosette. Had I felt like she was making me do anything? Had she forced me to be her friend?

  I couldn’t recall anything like that. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn’t have to worry. Siding with the Weres and staying friends with us had hurt Cosette more than anyone. If anything, she’d gone out of her way to help me, not the other way around.

  I felt better until I remembered how the unattached males at St. Ailbe’s had acted around her. They’d followed Cosette around like sick little puppies. I’d thought it was because she was gorgeous and smelled like sugar water in the moonlight, but maybe it was because she was a Lunar fey? “Can they? Control us?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe a little bit if they want to and you’re open to it. For me, it was more like when you’re a little hungry and walk past a pizza place that smells amazing. Enticing. Helen would occasionally entice me to do something, but I still had my full head about me. I could decide if I wanted to give in to that desire or not. It gets trickier with the pack members who are fully submissive.”

  I swallowed. “That’s good to know.” I was in the upper-middle when it came to power, but from now on, I’d keep my guard up around the Lunar fey. I was sure Cosette wouldn’t try to use her influence on me, but you never knew. “Do you think the queen will tell us anything?”

  He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he thought. “Won’t know until I ask. Hopefully, she’ll give us a clue as to what we’re up against. I wasn’t certain this attack came from within the pack, but after Thomas’ death, I’m sure it did.”

  “So, we find the mirror and get the queen on the line. Then, we somehow try to dig information out of her. And maybe—just maybe—she tells us how to get rid of the fey creature. And if we’re lucky, maybe she’ll know who from your pack has been buddy-buddy with her court and will be nice enough to tell us that, too?”

  “Right.”

  “Easy-peasy.” Yeah, right.

  Donovan laughed. “Exactly.”

  That left the harder problem. “Do you think it’s someone from your pack working with the fey beast?”

  “I’m leaning that way, yes.”

  Yeah. That was what I thought, too. “So, how do we find out who from your pack is responsible?”

  “I’ve no idea.”

  That wasn’t a good start. “Can you feel along the bonds? Anyone standing out to you?”

  “There’s the problem. The bonds are a mess. Since John died, feels like everyone is angry at me. Some more than others, but rage is there in every tie. I can’t sort out who’s generally upset, who’s angry at me, and who’s so furious that they’d go to these lengths.”

  That made this a whole lot more complicated. “Okay. So, we take it person by person. I’ll start hanging around the pack and going through your files. We’ll find the killer.”

  “I hope so. I’ve no stomach for another scene like that one. A bloody teenager.” He tightened his hands on the steering wheel and it creaked under the pressure. “If someone wants me gone that badly, might be best if I leave.”

  What? Was he joking with that? He couldn’t just leave his pack. “No. Whoever is doing this isn’t a good person. You can’t hand your pack over to them.”

  Donovan stayed quiet, and I shivered.

  That so wasn’t happening. I wouldn’t let him give up like that. We’d figure something out. The queen would give us a hint, we’d eliminate the fey threat, and then find the traitor. I wasn’t giving up before the hunt even started.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The receiving room was fitted much like the rest of the castle, but here, hand-woven wool rugs covered
the stone floor in rich colors. Three red velvet brocade couches surrounded a small fireplace. Off to the side, a beautiful illuminated manuscript was open on a stand, with a floor lamp to light it. A couple chairs rested along the walls next to a small table. The walls held portraits—some more modern than others—but what stood out to me were the different fashions in the portraits. It was a nice collection, and I recognized Donovan in a few paintings, but I couldn’t place any of the other people in the frames. Bookshelves filled in the spaces between portraits.

  Ian had taken down the big painting over the fireplace that depicted a Were hunt bringing down a lion in Africa. That frame now rested against the back wall, and the fey mirror had taken its spot above the mantel. It was a long oval with an ornate golden frame, its edges carved swirls and curlicues. The scent gave away that it was actually made of gold, rather than painted gold. I didn’t even want to think about how much it was worth.

  “You ready?” Donovan asked.

  I took a breath. “I guess so.”

  He walked to the mantel and grabbed something from his pocket. I didn’t realize it was a knife until I smelled the coppery scent of blood.

  “What’re you doing?”

  “Everything comes with a price when you’re dealing with the fey. It’s important to remember that. Also, never say thank you or promise to do something unless it’s clearly defined. The more specific you are, the better off you’ll be.”

  I knew most of that, but his little lecture made me nervous. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “Cazadores were patrolling last night and still one of ours was killed. Thomas shouldn’t even have even been out in town. I’m not sure who to trust besides you, so I don’t think we have a lot of options. But if you’ve a mind for something else, let me know.”

  I shook my head. He was right.

  I held my breath as he pressed his bloody hand to the mirror. “Helen. If you’re able, I’d like a word.”