Lesser of Two Evils

by K. S. Martin

  “Do these trees belong to you?”

  “Us and the pack, yes. Pack territory, thanks to Alexander, is ten miles in every direction.”

  “So you own the town?” He was messing with her, surely.

  “We own the buildings, not the businesses themselves…well, some of them, but not all. Alexander liked to dabble in real estate.”

  She nodded.

  “You like walnuts?” He looked up at the trees.

  “Oh, there are pecans, too. Chestnuts, black and English walnuts, and I think an almond tree, but we were going too fast. I saw apples and pears. Are there peaches?”

  He shook his head.

  “Oh.” Disappointment clouded her face.

  “You like peaches?”

  She gave him a small nod.

  “What else do you like?” He’d slowed the car and was creeping along but she didn’t know why.

  “I don’t know. I like persimmons. I like all the fruits, I guess.”

  “Thelma is our gardener. Talk to her and she will plant whatever you like if you promise to help her weed.” He winked and turned the car around to back into the garage. Kerry watched the mirror worriedly. They were going backward down the center, the other vehicles passing quickly. She eyed the rickety pickup truck that he’d come for her in. It could rest now for another thirty years or so. She wondered if it would make it.

  “I have to pack. Can you entertain yourself for a while?”

  She nodded.

  He pushed the button that lowered the big door and got out. She followed him inside the house carrying her small bag. “Oh, I forgot to mention, I have a delivery coming later today or tomorrow morning. Just sign for it and put it away,” he said over his shoulder as he hurried down the hall.

  Kerry stopped in the kitchen and looked inside the fridge. It was stocked. She went back to the big freezers and opened their doors one by one. There were three. One was full of fish and chicken, the next full of pork, and the last, beef and lamb. How efficient, she thought. No turkey anywhere. She went back to the fish and chicken to look again. Nope, not a turkey in sight. Maybe he didn’t like it. She went to the bedroom, where he was folding pants and putting them into a duffle. “Do you like turkey?” He gave her a funny look. “You don’t have any in your freezers.” He tilted his head in thought.

  “Do you like turkey?” he asked with a teasing smile. She nodded. “We’ll get some. I love turkey.”

  She smiled, happy with his answer. She went to the closet and pulled out her laptop bag. She found the charger and plugged it in. It was almost out of battery when she’d packed it yesterday. He came over and opened it.

  “That’s mine.” She reached for it. He gave her a low growl, and tears pricked her eyes. “I saved a whole year for that, please don’t break it.”

  “Sweetheart.” He turned to her. “If I do, I will be more than happy to replace it. I’m only giving you access to the wireless.” Her brows knitted. “So you can go on the internet.” She dropped her hands and watched. The only time she got to use the internet was when she could get a ride to the public library.

  He opened the network, let it find the signal, and entered a password. “If something happens the password is ‘AlexanderIsKing,’ all one word. It took me ten minutes to break it.” He chuckled, “and that’s the password to anything that needs one.” He winked. “If you want, there is a computer in the office, too. You’re welcome to use it. I have to go. They don’t like to wait.” He kissed her forehead and grabbed his bag. She listened to him walk down the hall and then heard the door close. She sat down in the wing chair with her sketchbook. She didn’t like to use the laptop while it charged. She’d heard a story about cellphones and other technology catching fire if you used they while they were charging. The thought of setting her mate’s house on fire frightened her. He would not be happy with her, and they were still on shaky ground. There was a raven outside squawking, and she hoped that bigmouth would hold still for a few minutes. She sketched for a long time until the bird flew away, and then she napped.

  When Kerry woke, the sun was nearly down and her belly grumbled. She sat there enjoying the quiet for a few moments and watching the sunlight that dappled the ground through the canopy of leaves. It was rare for her house to be this quiet. She heard a clock ticking somewhere, but that was all.

  Her mother always had a radio or TV playing because she couldn’t stand silence. At least that’s what she said. Kerry suspected it was to irritate her father. He didn’t want them to use any unnecessary electricity. Neither she nor her parents had ever had a steady job, and money was scarce. Kerry found the silence comforting. She also found that the less her father yelled, the better she felt, so she was content sitting in a dark room sketching or reading.

  She tracked movement deep in the trees, past where the raven had been. Honing in on it, she watched. The wolf pushed. Game. Her mouth watered. Turkeys. At least five turkeys were back there. The wolf pushed harder. Her Alpha liked turkey and they didn’t have any. Kerry kicked off her shoes and ran to the next room. She stripped as quickly as possible, opened the window, and she was out. Two minutes for the fat one. The wolf presented herself, and they were off. Creeping through the woods, she could hear them as she moved without sound. Her wolf was a true predator. Her father made her that way. Her earliest memory was of her first hunt.

  “If you want to eat, you’ll catch and kill your dinner. Until then you go hungry.”

  “Kerrigan, she’s only four.”

  “Four and hungry.” His eyes had flashed, terrifying her. Her belly was empty and growling. Kerry shifted then and snapped at him. He’d backhanded Kerry and sent her rolling across the floor. Dazed, she’d gotten up and ran out the open door like a flash. A squirrel chittered in the yard, and she’d given chase, but he’d gone up a tree. Then she heard it. A doe, a baby, really, but it snorted at the edge of the clearing. Kerry started counting in her head. The seconds ticked by, and she’d reached twenty before she’d caught it around the throat and snapped its neck. Its mother burst out of the thicket then and nearly stomped Kerry to death with its sharp hooves. Her mother not only protected her but brought the big doe back as well. A count of ninety had ended two lives but prolonged three others.

  Kerry dragged her little doe behind her mother as she dragged hers. They’d left them on the porch. She remembered her father whistling as he’d cleaned them. It was the only time she’d ever heard him do that. Kerry never ate that venison. Killing it tormented her even today. It was just a baby. He’d made her do that.

  The turkeys were just ahead of her now. There were six, not five. Five were hens and one was a tom. She’d leave him and his brood to make more. She chose the second largest and stalked forward. Ten seconds for you, girl. Something spooked them and they scattered.

  The wolf bolted after one, not the one that she’d picked but the closest one. It took off and flew for a short distance, and Kerry gave chase. She followed it, letting it lead her from the house and the group. It circled and ran, taking off sometimes, still leading her farther and farther away. Eventually, it ran out of stamina, but the wolf was raring to go. She had it in her jaws. The turkey’s life over.

  It was dark now. The crickets buzzed, and frogs croaked somewhere nearby. She didn’t remember scenting water when she left the house. How far had she gone? She put the bird down and scented the air. It was chilly and clean. No pack, no people, and no other wolves. Lifting the heavy bird, she went in a straight line, following what she thought was the correct path.

  Chapter 4

  The council chambers looked a lot like a courtroom, because in essence that’s how they were used. When enforcers brought a wolf into chambers for ruling or judgment, the council would sit up there and make their decision. Usually, there would be a few spectators, but not today. He sat here alone, waiting in what would usually be the prosecutor’s chair. It was his usual chair.

  He was not here to defend himself, he decided. He was here to say th
at he’d decided to end his employment. He wasn’t under contract, hadn’t been for a long time. None of them thought he would ever give this up, him included. Until he’d come across Alexander’s kingdom..

  He had a nice house, a car collection, and a great pack. Alexander’s pack needed an Alpha like him, honest. Alexander’s pack, his pack, could continue to grow their assets legally, and he would lead them properly. The council wouldn’t care about the girl, about the mating, what they cared about was that they’d lost their best enforcer. They were filing in now. They were all three times his age or more. You had to be ancient to be on the council. If you could achieve that age, you had to be smarter or more cunning than everyone else was. That was the thought anyway.

  “Ethan,” Samuel said and nodded his head. Ethan nodded back. Sam had always been nice to him. Abraham had not. He was a shitty old coot who was prone to tantrums, and right now he looked to be on the verge of an epic one, but he wasn’t in charge. She was. The oldest known living wolf that glided to her chair was council leader. She didn’t come across as old, and he could only hope he could be that sure-footed if he reached her age. It was rumored that she was over a thousand years old and she’d changed her name every so often with the passing centuries. He knew that was true because the last time had been recent. Krystal was her new name. What a stupid choice for a wolf this old. Her eyes were still sharp though, nearly black, shrewd and twinkling.

  “Ethan Castle, you are called here today for us to review your assumed Alpha position of the Petri pack, your employment contract, and I understand that you mated a wolf that is off the grid.” His ears perked at that. Luke wasn’t paying dues as she’d said, the council didn’t know about them. “What say you?” He’d watched this play out before with other wolves. They would spill their guts at this point to the amusement of the council.

  “I haven’t heard a question yet,” he answered quietly.

  “Have you mated a wolf off the grid?” They seriously wanted to know about Kerry?

  “I was unaware that she was off. I met her mother in the garden center. We spoke briefly and hit it off. She had a daughter, and I wanted a mate. Kerry and I mated shortly after that. Her mother didn’t want her to mate with the pack Alpha, and I’ve felt the…need lately to mate.” Sam snorted at that. He’d had six mates in his time and was never without one for long. He’d felt the need, too. Ethan grinned up at him.

  “Who does she belong to?” Krystal asked.

  “Me.”

  Sam laughed aloud at that one. Lee, who sat next to him, was napping, his gray old head bobbing each time Sam made a sound.

  “Who did she belong to?” Krystal amended.

  “Her name is Kerry Waters. Kerrigan Waters is her father, and her Alpha’s name is Luke Koontz. I am unadvised as to his standing with the council. We did not speak. She chose me over him.”

  “Why?” Krystal asked.

  “Because she says that he is a nasty piece of work.” He left off that Luke was old, because to the council, he was a pup. Krystal nodded and scribbled something down.

  “I will need a location before you leave today.” That was a relief, the fact he would be leaving. Maybe he could get back to his mate before morning. “Now, about your employment contract. When I summoned you, I thought that you were still under contract, but I found that you are not.” Ethan shook his head. “As for the Alpha position at Petri pack, it is in question. You reported that you found Alexander torn limb from limb in his own front yard. Were the rumors about the drug dealing true?” Ethan nodded and shifted his long legs. “His assets, what have you done with them?”

  “He had a garage full of vehicles that I welcome the pack to use, a house that the pack communes in, and a bank account that is used for pack good. Greed wasn’t my motivation to become their Alpha, if that’s what you’re thinking. The pack needed an Alpha, theirs was dead, and there was no beta in place. They welcomed me with open arms.” That was mostly true. It had taken a few days, but eventually… She nodded and scribbled some more. The rest of the council looked bored, except Sam of course because everything amused him.

  “The council will vote on your situation, and judgment will pass shortly. You may wait outside.” That was a first. He always stayed in chambers before, but he was never on trial before. He got up and left the room. In the outer room, there was a coffee-maker and a TV. He poured a cup and went to stare out the window. It was very dark now. He looked at his watch. He’d waited nearly two hours for them to convene after a six-hour drive. He pulled out his phone and rang the house. There was no answer until he heard his own voice and hung up. She must be asleep or can’t find the phone. He rang it again in hopes that she could locate it in the office. It had a long squealing ring, so he knew that she heard it. No answer. He rang Connor, who answered on the first ring.

  “Ethan,” Connor said. “What’s up?”

  “Is Kerry around?” He watched the quiet street below. It was dark, but there were humans out there jogging and dog-walking. He smirked at that. They were all oblivious to what went on inside this building. It said Abernathy Inc. on the outside. It was a squat gray building with glass doors. When you entered the lobby, there was security guard to greet you. The black marble lobby looked like the lobby of any other office building in America. Potted plants, a fire door, and elevators were in place to continue the illusion.

  “I guess she’s inside. She hasn’t come out. I’ve kept a look out for her.”

  “She’s not answering the phone. Go check on her, please. Make sure she’s okay. I hooked up the internet on her laptop before I left. She’s probably watching a movie or listening to music. Call me back.” Ethan disconnected.

  “Ethan.” It was Sam. “She’s ready for you.” Sam winked, and Ethan grinned at him, then handed him a slip of paper with Luke’s address on it. Sam shoved it in his shirt pocket. Ethan followed the old wolf inside and down the aisle. “Your new mate, is she young?” Ethan nodded, keeping a slow pace beside Sam as a mark of respect. “Hmm. Is she hot?”

  Ethan grinned.

  “I like ’em hot!” Sam said cackling. “Keep a tight leash on her, and I find if you keep them busy in the sack, they’re too tired to look at anyone else.” He cackled again, and Ethan laughed with him.

  “How’s Pam?” Ethan asked.

  “Hot as a sizzling fry pan,” Sam smiled.

  “Glad to hear it.” Ethan laughed. The council waited at their seats as he and Sam found their way back inside to their places.

  “Ethan Castle,” Krystal thundered seriously. He schooled his face back to passive. “The council has decided to allow you to end your contract.” There was none, so that was a given, he thought. “The mating will be considered further until we bring this pack into the fold. We will expect you to handle that since your mate came from there and we find ourselves short of an enforcer.” She quirked a brow. She was admonishing him. He was not taking the bait. Many wolves would’ve jumped up and let their temper fly at that look but not Ethan. He’d sat in too many hearings to fall for it. He was not free to go until he was outside of this building.

  Sending a local Alpha to do their bidding was uncommon but not unheard of. Sometimes local Alphas were called upon to do their duty for the council. He nodded. “We will consider her pack standing and what her Alpha has to say.” Ethan didn’t like that. “You will advise him that he has to pay dues.” Ethan nodded. “Now for your standing as Alpha.” She sighed loudly. “You are on probation until you have fulfilled our demands.”

  His phone shrilled loudly then. He silenced it.

  “Are we keeping you from something?” she asked, her voice full of hostility.

  “No, ma’am. It’s my beta checking in.”

  She nodded. “I’m glad that you have one in place already. Your pack is fifty-three strong?” He nodded. “You need one more as soon as you can get them. Even numbers are best. Your mate can rule the females.” Ethan nodded again. “Anyway, we will expect to see you back here w
ithin three months with all conditions met. Bring the other pack into the fold, get two more betas, and we want statements from her previous pack members and Alpha as to her standing. We don’t want a previous employee and friend to stray down a wayward path at the direction of a mate who knows no better. School her and her old pack on current conditions, and also find out how they got off grid,” Krystal ordered. “The council has been in place for four hundred years so not many excuses will be acceptable. That’s all. You are excused.”

  Ethan leapt up and headed for his car. He was tired, but he could make it. He’d had longer days than this one. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he answered it. “Kerry?” he asked without looking at the screen.

  “Gone,” Connor said. “I searched the house. The front door and garage doors are locked. The basement door is locked, but I found a window open in one of the back bedrooms. Her clothes were in a pile there on the floor.”

  “Fuck,! She saw something she wanted.”

  After a pause, Connor grunted. “Huh? What could she want, that house has everything.”

  “Game. She saw something outside that she wanted. Apparently my mate likes to hunt.”

  He could hear Connor smile. “Yeah? My mate likes to shop. Kerry sounds like good people to me.”

  “Find her. She’s never hunted on our land, and I haven’t had time to show her or her wolf.”

  “I’ll take volunteers, but none of us have met her wolf. She won’t be receptive to a crowd coming after her.”

  “I said, find her.” Ethan barely maintained his control as the wolf pushed.

  “Will do.” Connor disconnected. He was right. Her wolf would be frightened with the pack chasing her, but what could he do? He pushed the gas pedal to the floor and took the highway at an obscene speed. Perhaps he could cut this trip to four hours.