Dire Consequences: The Alexander Matthews Chronicles Book 1

by Leji Albano

  Alexander sighed. Well, what’s done is done, he thought as he made his way to the meeting he had called.

  He had just seated himself at the table in the conference room when both Julia and Enzo arrived. His Beta closed the door and took a chair.

  “Coffee?” Alexander offered his subordinates before pouring a cup for himself.

  When everyone had their preferred beverage sitting in front of them, he started the meeting. “Enzo and I have already had a one-on-one, Julia, and some of this may be a bit repetitive for him, but I have some things I want to cover.”

  She tipped her head in acknowledgment.

  “First of all, we will be meeting like this fairly frequently…at least initially. I hate to be so hands-on, but I think you both will agree that circumstances warrant it. As time goes by, you will notice that I will leave most of it to each of you. Secondly, as I mentioned earlier, Julia, please don’t hesitate to make me aware of any issue that impedes your ability to get tasks done. That goes for you as well, Enzo. I am not averse to spending funds where they are needed.”

  Enzo nodded thoughtfully.

  “Additionally, I will be including the new vampire Coven leader and anyone she chooses to invite, in future meetings. One of the reasons is that both this Pack and Caterina’s Coven will be functionally joined at the hip. I plan on making everyone operate as a single entity. Am I clear?”

  Julia cleared her throat. “There may be push-back on that, Sir.”

  Alexander chuckled. “I suspect that may be just a wee bit of understatement. Be that as it may, it is going to happen.

  “I see that the dining room has been reorganized to accommodate the new eating arrangements. You have my thanks for that, Julia. Has the chef been made aware of my plans?”

  “He has. Chef’s exact words were, ‘Good. That simplifies things.’”

  “Enzo, I want all available Pack members onsite and gathered in the back of the residence before dinner. I will have some announcements to make.”

  The Beta pulled out his phone and sent a text to his team. “On it.”

  “I want to run a couple of options by the two of you, and I desire input. As I mentioned, I want the Weres and Vampires to be a cohesive team here in Naples. Generally, the easiest way to go about that would be to force everyone to live together, but neither residence is large enough for that. Can we put out feelers and see if any properties meet the requirements? You would both need to be involved, considering the impacts on both of your departments. Staffing levels specifically for you, Julia, and security needs among others for you, Enzo.”

  They looked at each other, then nodded.

  “We can do that.”

  “Alternatively, can we buy the properties surrounding this estate? If we had those, we could probably get by,” Alexander said. “It isn’t the preferred solution as far as I am concerned, for various reasons, not least of which is that I would prefer that the new housing not have belonged to either us, or them, prior to today.”

  Alexander held up his hand and began ticking items off. “I want room for an indoor shooting range. I noticed that we currently don’t have one.

  “We need a large auditorium or courtyard for training and conditioning. Everyone will be required to participate, whether they live onsite or not.

  “I want a large quiet space with copious amounts of bookshelves. The library will be open to everyone. And, I want art scattered throughout the entire property.

  “And the final item, a home theater with seating for forty, as well as a gaming room.”

  Both of his subordinates had thoughtful looks on their faces, but no objections were raised.

  “That is about it for today. I do have a couple of final questions for you, though, and I will want the answers tomorrow. Does everyone have a job? If so, what are they? If not, why not? And what would be your recommendations if we need to assign them?”

  Alexander stared out at the crowd gathering in the large courtyard at the rear of the villa. It was taking some time for everyone to arrive since some had jobs in the city, and many of the families had their own housing. It can’t be helped, I suppose, but I’m not going to wait much longer, he thought.

  As expected, there were a lot of speculative conversations being had, and more than a few concerned looks directed his way. Francesca, and a small group of her allies, stood near the front glaring at him and whispering amongst themselves. Impassively he stared back, impervious to their implied threat. He knew that sooner or later, they would make a move, and then he could act. Until then, Alexander would just ignore them.

  He nodded at Enzo, and his Beta shouted for silence. When the crowd noise had dropped to a level that would allow his words to be heard by all gathered, he started to speak.

  “I’m sure you are wondering what this is all about. It’s really quite simple,” Alexander began.

  Spying movement at the rear of the crowd, he saw that Caterina and Tina had just walked in. The latter did not look all that happy to be where she was. He mentally shrugged. There wasn’t much he could do about that at this time anyway.

  “Not much time has passed since the actions by one of your Pack members forced me to take the Alpha position. I am aware that some of you are not too happy with that.” Alexander looked pointedly at Francesca. “Others are simply waiting to see how it will all shake out.”

  “I’m fine with that. However, I also want you to make informed decisions. Let there be no doubt that changes are coming. One of those changes will be implemented tonight. You may have noticed that the dining room now has seating for most, if not all, members of this Pack. We will eat our meals together, as a family. That includes me.”

  “That’s ridiculous! I refuse to dine with the lesser Pack members,” Francesca shouted, her cronies lending their support.

  Alexander sneered at her and her group. “Then you don’t eat. This is non-negotiable. Of course, you may elect to dine at a restaurant, but that will be on your own dime. No Pack funds will be used in such cases. Before you say anything else that will jeopardize your general health and wellbeing, I would merely point out that your current status in this Pack is Omega as far as I am concerned.”

  She blanched at his words but remained silent.

  “Where was I? Ah, yes. Another major change will be the integration of this Pack with the remainder of the vampire Coven that also forced my hand. This is not open for discussion or debate. It will happen. I will be meeting with them tomorrow and making them aware of this situation. I suspect they will also not be overly enthused.

  “Regardless, the one certainty in all of this is that much of what has been considered traditional, or normal, will be changing. I am not asking for permission to make these changes. You will adopt them.”

  Alexander held up a fist and began counting off. “If you cannot accept this, you have limited choices. Number one, you can challenge for the Alpha position.” The confident grin on his face showed what he thought of that.

  “And number two, you can get the fuck out of my city.” He glared balefully at them all. “Exile does not mean leaving this Pack and going on about your business. If you choose to leave, you will need to relocate at least as far away as Rome. Let me be perfectly clear. If I find you living anywhere within an hour of Naples, I will kill you.”

  Alexander relaxed and said, “Please consider carefully before making any decisions, but don’t take too long, or the choice will be made for you.

  “Now, let’s eat the meal Chef has prepared.”

  Alexander stayed in place as the crowd filtered back into the villa, his eyes on the two women pushing against the tide and walking toward him. His palms began to sweat, and he rubbed them against his pantlegs. Caterina prowled toward him, head held high. On the other hand, Tina slouched along reluctantly.

  “Caterina approves of your speech, although perhaps Caterina should have been made aware of some of it prior, yes?” Her smile softened the words.

  “Agreed. Although I’m
not sure when we would have had the time.”

  He stared expectantly at Tina, but she just stood there, eyes down.

  Cat sighed heavily. “This one is now your problem. Caterina has explained that she needs to learn how to be a wolf, and that this can only happen in a Pack environment.”

  He nodded.

  “Caterina also wants Alexander to know that she mostly just wants to choke the shit out of the little brat…but will leave that up to him.” She sniffed and turned to leave.

  “Thanks, Cat. I owe you one.” His words were only loud enough to carry to her ears.

  He stared pensively at Tina, her arms crossed defensively across her chest, still not looking at him, then he sighed. “Come on then, dinner is waiting. Please sit wherever you like.”

  Alexander walked away, leaving her to decide what she was going to do.

  He caught Enzo’s eye as he sat down at an open spot at one of the tables, specifically not choosing to sit at the head where he usually would.

  His Beta leaned down. “Signore?”

  Alexander spoke barely above a whisper. “The woman who arrived with Cat is very important to me. She isn’t thrilled with me right now, but I would appreciate it if you could look out for her? Obviously, I cannot.”

  “Ahh, this would be the cause of the late unpleasantness?”

  A faint smile on his face, Alexander responded, “You could say that she was the catalyst, yes. Help her settle in, guide where you can, and be a friendly face. Tina has much to learn and little time to do so.”

  “As you say, Sir. It will be done.”

  “Thank you, Enzo, now please eat, let Chef know you appreciate his efforts.”

  Tina took a seat as far away from Alexander as possible. Her emotions were churning, and she just couldn’t stand to be in his presence. Part of her knew she was being unreasonable, but she didn’t care. He had made a decision without consulting her that would now impact the remainder of her life. Any choice she may have had was taken from her with the bite that infected her and changed her into a monster.

  There he sat, across the room, smiling and laughing as he spoke to those around him. For their part, they responded positively, seeming to enjoy his company. She knew very well how charming he could be when he wanted to, but this didn’t seem to be an act. How could any of them stand to be around him after what he had done? At least five members of their Pack had died at his hands…and yet it all seemed so normal. Even the children responded to his magnetism, some shyly saying hello, while others brazenly climbed into his lap as their parents beamed at them all. Tina had to admit that he was good with them. Which confused her even more.

  Which Alexander was the real Alexander? The murderous monster who had bitten her? Or the charming rogue who had cast a spell over most of the people in the room? She had listened to his speech and thought it pretty harsh. Caterina had told her to not be stupid, Pack dynamics were different than human norms, and she would need to figure them out quickly. She also had said that being Alpha came with a lot of responsibilities.

  “Excuse me, Signorina, may I sit here?” a faintly Italian-accented voice asked.

  Tina glanced up at a man who was a few inches shorter than Alexander. Dark hair, solid build, but not too muscular, and a serious face, worry lines etched deep. She gestured for him to sit.

  He offered his hand and said, “I am Enzo Falconi.”

  She shook his hand. “Tina Ferrante. I’m new here, but I guess you already knew that.”

  He took a bite of the pasta on his plate. “I did. It can be a lot to process all at once.” He smiled fondly at the rest of the room. “I am the Pack Beta, what you might call the second in command, although I share that title with Caterina now.”

  “I see. Are you here to babysit me, Enzo?” she asked sardonically.

  He gazed steadily at her for a moment. “No, Tina. Part of my duties as Beta includes assisting new Pack members with getting settled in, acclimated if you prefer. For instance, I will assign you a room within this residence and ensure you have everything you need. I will also assign any tasks that you may be qualified for, and aid in your continued training as necessary.” He paused meaningfully. “I wouldn’t have the time to babysit you even if I wanted to.”

  Her cheeks flushed dark from embarrassment as she realized she had gone too far. “I’m sorry, Enzo, I was out of line. This is all too much to process. Yesterday I was just a normal person, and today…?”

  “I understand. It will be a change for you, but it isn’t so bad, really. You will see.”

  She turned to him, eyes blazing. “How is it that I look around me and see happy, smiling faces, when the man who did this to me, the man who killed so many of your Pack sits amongst us?”

  Enzo considered her words. “The son of the previous Alpha, and his vampire friend, attacked you in a very public place. The fact that they felt free enough, safe enough, to do so, should give you some indication of what things were like before Alexander took the leadership into his own hands. Not everyone in this room is happy about that change, but I can assure you that many more are. Or at least are hopeful it will be a good thing.”

  He gestured around. “Last night this room held but one table, and only a select few were allowed to dine here. The so-called elite members of this Pack lorded it over everyone else, basking in privilege. No input from the lower members was allowed, much less sought out. Now, look around you…. This looks and feels more like a family. This is how it should always have been.

  “Alexander leads, as is his right, as Alpha, but more importantly, he doesn’t set himself apart, or act as if he is better than anyone else. I have been a member of this Pack for forty years and I have never seen the like. My visits to other Packs have only reinforced that how I was treated by the former leadership was normal. Expected.”

  He nodded his head to Alexander. “Does that look like a man lording it over his serfs?”

  Tina scowled, but had to acknowledge that it didn’t. “I guess not. But even so, does might really make right?”

  Enzo chuckled. “It most certainly does in Pack society.” His face grew thoughtful and he continued. “But if you are very, very lucky, the mightiest is also the leader you need.”

  She frowned at the Beta. “You sound as if you admire him?”

  “I do, Signorina, and I would follow him straight into the mouth of Hell. He is an honorable man, and quite possibly the most powerful Were on the planet.” He paused, then said, “Are you finished eating? I have something I want to show you.”

  Tina followed Enzo upstairs and to what was obviously a security office. At least twenty LCD monitors were mounted on the wall above the long desk. He offered her a seat, then took one for himself.

  “What I am about to show you has been watched by fewer than a dozen people, and all of them are part of my security team. Other than that, only the actual participants can say that they witnessed even part of it. Do you understand?”

  She nodded her head.

  “This is the actual footage taken the night Alexander came calling. I will have to switch between feeds because it starts outside, then transitions to a few different zones within the villa.” He busied himself with the equipment in front of him, bringing up a view of the outside of the house, which he paused.

  “As you can see, there is one guard stationed at the front entrance who provides perimeter sentry activity.” Enzo placed his finger toward the bottom of the screen. “I want you to watch here.”

  The video started to roll, and Tina noticed a blur accelerating across the screen, a brief scuffle, and Alexander tossing a body aside. “Let me replay that at a slower speed; most of the detail is lost because it happens so fast.”

  Enzo started the video again, but at a much-reduced rate. “You can clearly see the expression on his face as he moves to take out his target. What do you see, Signorina?”

  “He looks…calm. Focused, I guess.”

  “Exactly. This is not a mad animal rushin
g to destroy his prey.” He took another breath. “Do you see any weapons, other than the sentry’s?”

  “No,” she replied.

  “No. Many of my team were surprised to note this. An unarmed man should be at a severe disadvantage in such a situation. Let us continue.”

  She watched as Alexander opened the doors and walked inside. Enzo had to switch to a different feed, this one monitoring the foyer. It clearly showed her boss pausing just inside, dismissively glancing at the stairs, then raising his nose into the air. “He is getting a scent picture of where the Pack are, deciding upon his next course of action. Soon, you will notice that your own sense of smell is greatly improved, as are other things.”

  Alexander paced over to the set of double doors centered underneath the second-floor landing, cocked his head, then nodded. “He has identified the location and number of the next set of guards just beyond those doors. They are protecting the dinner party that is taking place in the dining room.”

  Tina looked questioningly at the Beta. “He could hear them. Breathing, shifting of feet, perhaps even their heartbeats. Nothing would surprise me about our Alpha.” He switched to another feed.

  Alexander grasped the doorknobs and practically ripped them off their hinges as he burst through. The guard on the left was down and bleeding out via a throat that had been clawed open. The other was either unconscious, or dead, as he was lowered to the floor.

  “What is he doing?” Tina asked incredulously.

  Enzo chuckled. “Ahhh, we are approaching my favorite part. Whenever possible, we will remove our clothing before shifting, either into our wolf form, or our hybrid Battle form. As you might imagine, we tend to destroy whatever we are wearing at the time when transforming.”

  “I guess that makes sense.”

  On the screen, a now-naked Alexander picked up the unconscious sentry and launched him head-first through the doors. Even as the body was still in the air, he shifted into a large black wolf. Tina gasped loudly, but Enzo simply paused the video and said, “Magnificent.”