by Bryce Evans
***
“Okay, who are we waiting for?” Pelton asked.
“Ash and Larsen,” Larken muttered. He wondered what was taking them so long. Then the door opened and Ash and Larsen walked in holding hands. Larken could see his mark on Ash’s shoulder. He smiled when she came in.
Ash walked over to Larken and grabbed his hand, then squeezed it as she sat down beside him. Pelton, Jonas, and Nash were already sitting when Ash and Larsen walked into the room. Larken couldn’t stand it so he reached down and touched her where his mark was. She shivered from the small touch, letting Larken know that he affected her as much as she affected him.
Jonas smiled at Ash when their eyes met. “Okay, now that everyone is here, let’s get this started. Okay, all the Alphas went back twenty years and came up with names of people who were kicked out of the pack for one reason or another. We compiled a list, marking off people who we could account for. Either they were in another pack now or married off and stayed in contact with family. But there are three names we can’t locate or find. All three went Rogue and haven’t been heard from again.”
“Okay, let’s hear the names and see if we can find pictures of them and get a Forensic Artist to show how they might have aged over the years,” Ash said.
“That’s great, Ash. That would be great and if we can’t find any pictures maybe with the profile we came up with, they can draw up a person who would have these characteristics.” Pelton’s eyes sparkled. He loved it when a plan came together.
Pelton got up and wrote the three names of the possible suspects on the board. “I spoke to Jake Paul this morning, and the Investigator who came out to his area asking questions got a lot of information. Hopefully when the Investigator gets here today we can get a picture or at least some descriptions of these Rogues. They had to make a mistake some way.”
“Do any of you know these people or ever heard of them?” Pelton asked.
Nobody spoke as the three names were written on the board. Jonas sat at the table, staring at one of the names on the board. The door opened and a waiter came in pulling two carts of food. “Well, while we wait for Connor Stalls to get back from the Nortic Pack, we should go ahead and eat,” Larken said.
Chapter Ten
“Well, well, my little cousin wants to join my pack,” Lex Mann muttered as he walked into the hotel room staring at his cousin, Johnny Mann.
Johnny Mann was an outcast at best. He was a werewolf with beady eyes that glared at everyone he watched. He wanted to be someone but didn’t have the knowledge or the power to accomplish it. He would be perfect for his pack, Lex examined. He will do exactly what I want him to do. He is too stupid and too scared of me to do anything but what I ask. Let’s just see what he knows and how he can help me.
“Why should I allow you in this pack, Johnny?”
Johnny crossed his arms, thrusting his chest out as he arrogantly answered Lex.
“Because I’ve had enough of Jonas Glenn’s shit. He never allows me to move up in the pack simply because of my last name. He punishes me for being a Mann. We should be in charge of that pack. That asshole just keeps us down. Plus I know how his pack works and who does what job. I can show you every spot in those woods where their secret stashes are for clothes. I know all about Jonas Glenn’s pack,” Johnny responded in an angry tone.
“Now you’re talking, Johnny. They treated my mama like shit all those years after daddy died. Always saying that we were all going to turn out like my daddy. Well he was right about that. They have no idea how much I am like my daddy. He knew how to run a pack and how to control them. When I get this pack big enough, I plan to take back what is my birthright. Jonas Glenn will pay for that, but first I plan on taking two of his bitches to mate with my men.” Lex snorted as he walked over and sat on the chair, propping his feet up on the bed.
“Mates?” Johnny looked up at Lex smiling. “I know the perfect ones, Lex,” Johnny said with too much excitement in his voice as he rubbed his hands together.
“You may be useful after all, Johnny.”
“I will help you, Lex, but you have to give me one of the girls when we get them from the Glenndale Pack.”
“Why, little Johnny wants a girl to mate with. I didn’t think you had it in you, boy.” Lex leaned over, smiling at Johnny, showing his teeth, then punched him in the stomach, dropping him to his knees. Johnny gasped, trying to suck in air as he grabbed his stomach when the pain rushed through his body. He couldn’t speak, as the painful tightness in his lungs wouldn’t allow him to breathe.
“You listen here, you little shit. I’m your Alpha, not Jonas. Do you understand me?” Johnny couldn’t speak so he nodded as he continued to hold his stomach. “First, you are not the boss. I am and only me. I have other men who will be my Second and other Betas so get the thoughts of grandeur out of your head. This is how it’s going to work. You are in, but if you double cross me or fuck up my plans in anyway, I will slit your throat. Kin or not. You fuck this up and I will kill you.”
Johnny swallowed hard, knowing that Lex was crazy enough and would kill him if he screwed this up.
***
Jonas looked up at the one name Pelton wrote on the board, Lex Mann. Jonas hated Lex Mann. They grew up together and he has hated him ever since he could remember. “Jonas, this man is from your pack?” Larken asked as he stood in front of the board, pointing at the name.
“Yep, he was. He still has family in my pack. His Aunt Joan and her son, Johnny Mann, are still part of my pack. Unfortunately, Johnny was one of the men Ash threw up against the fence yesterday.” Jonas snorted. “Can’t say I didn’t enjoy that. He has always been trouble. He always expected that since his great grandfather was Alpha of our pack that he should have been, too. His daddy was just as bad. His name was Luther Mann. He tried robbing a liquor store outside of town and the shopkeeper shot him right in the head. He would have lived if someone would have gotten to him in time to take the bullet out, but the shopkeeper sat over him in a chair with the gun pointed to his head as he lay there and bled to death. The shopkeeper was a wizard and knew that if you could get the silver out quick enough you may live, but this old wizard was nasty. He told my father that Luther deserved what he got. He would harass all his customers every time he came into the store. My father could never understand why Luther chose to rob that store when he knew the shopkeeper knew who he was. Lex was the same way, always a troublemaker. My father kicked him out of the pack twenty years ago.”
“What did he do to get kicked out?” Larsen asked.
“Well, he tried to poison me when I was seventeen years old. We are the same age and everything was a competition for him. Usually it was against me. He could never best me so he would cheat to get what he wanted. I could never understand why he hated me so much, but my father finally told me that I stood in his way of being Alpha. He thought that if I was dead then he could wait until my father got older, kill him, and take over the pack. He was bat shit crazy.”
Ash wanted to laugh, but didn’t know if she should. Ash put her head down on the table. She was about to burst out laughing and was trying to hide her face. She made a little giggle sound. She covered her mouth, but her shoulders started shaking as she tried to hold the laugh in.
“Ashland Peters, are you laughing at me?” Jonas asked laughing.
Larken couldn’t help it. He started laughing, too. Then Larsen and Nash started laughing. That was it for Ash as she burst out laughing, too.
Jonas raised his one eyebrow as he snorted at Ash. “Well, he was a crazy guy. Really bat shit crazy.”
“Tension breaker, thanks, Jonas. We can always count on you.” Pelton patted Jonas on the back laughing.
A knock on the door stopped everybody from laughing. Larken stood and went to the door, shaking his head at what Jonas said. Connor Stalls was standing at the door with a DVD and a backpack.
“Welcome back, Connor.” Larken shook Connor’s hand, pulling him in the room.
“C
ongratulations, Alpha, and to you, too, Sheriff. I hear that you have found your mate.”
Connor showed his Alpha respect by titling his head sideways and showing him his neck. “Thank you, Connor. I appreciate it.”
Connor walked into the room and handed Pelton the DVD. As he walked to the table to sit down, he stopped in front of Ash and bent down on his knees, looking up at her face. “You have brought much hope to my pack, ma’am. I would like to take this opportunity to tell you the pack is very happy and supports you in this mating. If I can do anything to help you, please let me or my family know.” Ash sat there not knowing how to respond. It was such a kind gesture to her for him to say that in front of everyone.
Ash leaned forward and kissed Connor on his cheek. Larken and Larsen both started growling. Ash gave them both a look that said ‘shut up or else.’ Then her eyes turned to Connor. They had turned soft suddenly, glistening with dampness as she looked down into Connor’s eyes, caressing his cheek. She placed her hand over her heart as she whispered, “Connor, that was the sweetest welcome anyone could have given me. You don’t know how much I appreciate your kind words.” Connor blushed, turned his head into the palm of her hand, and breathed in her scent. Then quietly he stood, walked around the table, and sat down.
Nash patted Connor on the back. “That made her day, Connor.” Nash nodded his head toward Ash. Connor looked back at Ash, who still held her hand over her heart. Nash knew that Ash needed the acceptance from the pack if she planned to stay in Colorado.
Larken couldn’t stand not being beside his mate. He walked back to the table and sat down beside Ash. This time it was Ash who reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it, then she placed her hand on his leg, calming him. She reached over and put her other hand on Larsen’s leg, calming him, too. It was the little touches a mate could give to another mate to calm their mind. Ash’s body warmed and her body released all the tension in her shoulders as she rubbed circles on her mates’ legs. Larken and Larsen immediately felt calm and a little turned on, too, as their mate touched their legs. Any time their mate touched them, it would bring pure sexual need coursing through their body. Ash only had to walk in the room and they were easily aroused.
“Jonas, do you think Lex could be our wolf?” Pelton asked as everyone’s attention turned back to Jonas.
“Don’t know. I pray he isn’t because he is a cruel person, and I fear what those girls are going through. I just don’t know. Lex was an evil person. I wouldn’t underestimate him if it is him.” Jonas looked away as he said it, praying that it wasn’t Lex.
Ash knew that if her instincts were correct then Lex Mann was the Alpha kidnapping the girls, and he wouldn’t stop. He was the perfect person that fit her profile.
“What is on the video, Connor?” Ash asked.
“I interviewed this lady at a service station outside of Nortic’s territory and she described a man in a white van that may be who we are looking for. She said that he came in and got gas and asked how far away Dugan town was. The clerk said he gave her the creeps at the way he looked at her. She knew he was a wolf so she didn’t say anything. She told him she didn’t know. She described him as having black hair to his shoulders. She said he had the blackest eyes she had ever seen. Her only other description was that he was taller than me. I’m six foot three. So this guy is big. I just figured since the second girl that was taken was from the Dugan Pack then maybe he is our man. She also said there were two other men in the van. They got out and stretched. One of the men kept looking in the back window while the other one pumped the gas. She allowed me to copy her surveillance footage of that day.”
“Great work, Connor. That is our best lead yet. I hope this video is worth a damn,” Larsen responded.
Pelton put the DVD in the player and pushed play. They sat there watching the video but never saw a van pull up. Then the video showed a white van pull up at the gas tanks and three men exit the van. One of the men walked into the store and just like the clerk stated, one of the men pumped gas and the other man walked to the back of the van. Jonas got up and walked closer to the TV. “I can’t see any of their faces. Dammit. With the technology we have today, you would think they could make a damn video camera that was worth a damn.”
“Pelton, do you think your lab could clean the video up and get a better picture of the men’s faces.”
Pelton never looked up. “I don’t know. The quality of this video is crap and I don’t know if the lab could do anything with it.”
As they watched the video, the man exited the store, keeping his face down so the camera couldn’t get a good picture of him. Then he got back into the van with the other two men. They drove off heading in the direction of Dugan Town.
“Dammit. The license plate even has mud on it so you can’t make out the tag number,” Jonas added, who was getting agitated. Ash watched as Jonas rubbed the back of his neck then patted his pockets as if he forgot something. He walked in front of his table, dragging his hands through his hair, as he paced.
Ash knew that Jonas had the same feelings she did about Lex Mann being the man who was kidnapping the young girls. He was a good cop and his instincts were screaming at him. Ash could tell he felt guilty since Lex was from his pack. “Maybe we can get some of the numbers and letters off the tag and run it through the NCIC database. We may get lucky and one of the tags will come back to a white van,” Ash responded.
“Maybe.” Pelton continued to watch the video.
“Okay, I’ve got to make some phone calls to my Second to see if they can talk to the Mann family and find out when the last time they heard from Lex. I’ll see you guys at dinner.” Jonas walked out of the room with a worried look on his face.
Ash watched as Jonas walked out of the room. She turned and looked at Larken. “Jonas looked worried,” Ash spoke to Larken.
“He is worried. If these Rogues keep up their path, then they are headed into his territory next. He is here at the lodge and he is worried they will take one of his. Just like we are,” Larken said as he hugged Ash closer to him. Her scent and warmth kept the worry away for a few minutes at least.
“Okay, baby, we need to talk. Let’s get out of here for a few hours then we will meet back with you, Pelton.”
Pelton nodded and started pulling out papers from his boxes. Ash thought Pelton looked like he was on a mission. She wanted to stay and help Pelton, but she knew this was going to be the ‘you are our mate and you will move here’ talk.
Larken and Larsen pulled Ash to her feet and walked with her out of the room. Larken escorted Ash to his office so they wouldn’t be disturbed. Ash walked into a huge office with a big mahogany desk, a couch, and some chairs sitting around the room. It was beautifully decorated with the same type furniture his pack mates made. Larken pulled Ash into his office and asked her to sit down in the chair. He sat down and Larsen sat down on the couch.
Ash started getting nervous, wishing she had more time to think about this, but what was there to think about. She was mated to these two men and they seemed to love her, and she always wanted to move to Colorado and be near Nash. And if she was really honest with herself, she was already in love with Larken and Larsen. It was really a win-win situation. At least that’s what she was telling herself.
“Ash.” Larken purred her name and his voice made her body heat up between her legs. She didn’t understand these feelings of wanting them all the time, but she wanted him now—and she meant right now.
“I need to ask you some questions.”
Ash didn’t wait for the questions. She jumped up and crashed into Larken, kissing his lips, sliding her tongue along his. Her mouth devoured his as she tasted his sweet, delicious mouth. She wanted his clothes off now. She wanted to feel his skin rub against hers. She thought she might have been able to stop herself, but the need had become too strong to resist. Reasoning had left her and all she needed was him. These men had turned her into a nympho.
Larken couldn’t believe what just hap
pened, but he was glad she did it because he wanted her ever since he smelled his twin on her. Larken felt bad because he felt something inside him wrench tight, he was going to ask her to leave her home in New York and her job behind. But Ash tore his shirt open as she nipped a hungry path down his chest. The question he wanted to ask Ash died on his lips. Then she straddled him, pulling his belt open and pulling his pants and underwear down. She reached down and pulled his shoes off. Ash then grabbed her pants and jerked them down, along with her panties. She jumped back onto Larken, straddling him. He didn’t have time to say anything before Ash slid her body down onto his erection. He gritted his teeth as she slid down further, moaning as she went.
Larsen sat back on the couch watching his mate have sex with his brother. He wanted to join in, but he knew Larken needed this. He could feel the strain in his brother since the meeting started. He would have his way with his mate as soon as he finished, but Ash wanted her mate and he just loved to watch her in action.
Ash bounced up and down on Larken, reaching down as she squeezed his nipple, making him hiss out her name. She rotated her hips, pushing down further until she felt the pressure building inside her. Her cheeks colored as Larken reached up and purposefully ran his thumb over her bottom lip.
Larken rose up then lifted himself off the ground, holding Ash to him. He laid her across his desk and pushed further into her until she orgasmed. She inhaled as the small cry of pleasure escaped her lips.
Ash moved her head back and forth, feeling the sweet pleasure of her mate pumping into her. She knew that she would never get enough of him. He leaned down and kissed her passionately, biting her bottom lip then kissing down her throat, scrapping his teeth against his mark, making her fangs release. She reached over and grabbed Larken by the hair, twisting his head until she plunged her fangs into his neck. Larken gasped when he felt her fangs push into his skin, then he pushed harder into Ash. She sucked on his neck until they both climaxed. Ash retracted her fangs, leaving her mark on her mate’s neck. She licked until there was no more blood left on his neck.
