by Erin R Flynn
Fucker.
I didn’t even know how to handle this one. I pulled out my phone and sent a few texts, glad at least Galvin was still in town. I told the driver where to go and to park near the front door even if he had to do it illegally.
It wasn’t like we were going to be staying long.
“Stay here,” I ordered them, glad when their eyes glazed over because that meant they weren’t going to be a problem. The problem was my tank was running empty. I hurried into the dealership, relieved when I saw Sands and Brian walking like they’d just gotten back too.
“He’s totally in love with the hottest Ferrari,” Sands snitched. “He went right for it and test drove it but doesn’t want to tell you because of the price.”
“It’s not like a red midlife crisis mobile, right?” I checked, glancing around at the cars as if I would ever know which one it was.
“No, I like the silver and it’s hot, but no, Sera,” Brian argued.
I ignored him, walking over to the nice salesman and pulling out one of my cards and writing Dain’s phone number on the back of it. “This is the number to my attorney. He knows you’ll be calling and will handle payment, the wire, whatever and finishing the paper work.”
“Sera, stop, it’s two and a half million dollars,” Brian hissed, trying to snatch the card away, but I was faster and got it in the guy’s hand.
Then what he said sank in. “For a fucking car? Why?” I waved off his answer. “Whatever, it’s fine. You can work out details or whatever later.”
He went to argue, but then worry filled his eyes. “What happened that you’re rushing like this?”
“We have a situation,” I sighed.
“Don’t you always?” Sands teased me.
“Yeah, well, this situation just tried to abduct me at gunpoint as I was waiting for my lunch order,” I snapped, growling a bit too much and way too loud given where we were. I rubbed my forehead and gestured to the van parked outside the front door. “I can’t hold them much longer.”
They shared a look, and both had their guns out and heading to the van as fast as they could. I rolled my eyes and sighed, glancing at the sales guy.
“Just get whatever started and call Dain. We’ll try and work on whatever sort of options or whatever. Sorry, work always comes first.” I turned on my heel and headed out, bitching under my breath that the whole trip was fucked and I was a failure of a girlfriend since I couldn’t even give him one fun fucking lunch.
I was pretty sure I even shocked the New Yorkers as to how much one woman could cuss over a few hundred feet. They had eased down before I reached the van, realizing I was using my power, but I didn’t care, flicking them each in the forehead.
“Idiots. They’re wolves. Be smarter,” I chastised. “Let’s go. We have a meeting about what to do. Luckily people weren’t far and I now have an empty building near.” Brian went to guide me away from the van, but I shook my head. “The closer I am to them the easier it is to keep my power going. Just please hurry. I’m seriously down on the tank.”
“Got it,” he agreed, giving a nervous look at the van before he took off to the rental. I knew he wanted to offer to let me feed, but really, he wouldn’t be anywhere near the feed I needed, so it was better to hurry.
It wasn’t like I could feed off the guys who I was using power on. That was like two negatives in a sentence canceling out.
I told the driver the address and hopped in, glad when we caught most of the lights and traffic had thinned a bit even if it was a Friday afternoon. It seemed like the after lunch lull, and as they were having a snow storm hit soon, people probably wanted to get work done fast so they could go home.
We pulled into the parking garage, and I told them to park by the others once I found them. The moment the van stopped, I was out the door to feed so I could keep holding them.
Eugene came storming over to me, his stern eyes even more intense than normal and his red hair down and wild. He grabbed my arms and gave me a shake. “Why were you alone? Why were you out only with two humans and then you went off alone?”
Instead of answering, I yanked his head down and fed, taking huge, huge gulps of energy. I needed more but also had to take a break so it didn’t overwhelm me. The tank had been that empty holding five wolves when so much else had gone on. He must have scented them when we stopped kissing, as he went to move me aside so he could go for the van.
“Eugene, wait, you can’t,” I argued, pushing at his chest.
“The fuck I can’t,” he growled. “They’re wolves.”
“They’re cops,” I snapped, giving him a light shove. “I’m Alpha here.” I shoved him again when he kept staring at the van.
He fisted his hands and nodded before looking at me. “He pulled a gun on you, Sera. I’m not the only one who will want to dismember them.”
“I know, but you’re acting extra aggressive because it’s the full moon and they’re wolves,” I said more for the others. “Plus, you keep pushing for a protection detail like other Alphas. I get it. I’m glad I didn’t this time because we needed to catch these guys and they approached because I was alone.” I shook my head when he went to argue. “They could have started a lot of shit later. We clean house now.”
“We clean house now,” he agreed, adjusting his neck.
“I’m Alpha here.”
He frowned. “I know that, Sera. I wasn’t challenging you.”
No, but others were and that was the problem.
Barry snorted quietly from a good distance away, further than most shifters could hear at that volume. “Hugene’s totally pussy whipped by a bitch who doesn’t even tear apart wolves that threaten her. I don’t know which of them is weaker.”
Yeah, like him.
I moved faster than any of them could keep up with and took Barry’s legs out from under him, slamming him down into the concrete as he fell hard enough that it cracked and left a huge dent. I snarled in his face, letting my hand shift so my claws dug into his neck.
“I am Alpha here. Not you. Not anyone with a mother fucking dick. You get me? The two most powerful shifters here have breasts. Cut the sexist shit before I throw you off the fucking roof.”
“What did he say?” Axel asked as he came closer. “He’s a dick but good at his job. I’ve never known him to start problems.”
“Apparently because the bosses are men,” I drawled. “Does he work with Haton?”
“No,” he and Eugene said together, Axel continuing. “But a lot of bears don’t work well with large cats. It’s a toss up which animal could take whom.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s more than that from the way his heart races. I bet he doesn’t work with any of the council women all that well. He’s been saying shit to his team he doesn’t think I can hear from the moment I razzed him for his lame nickname for Eugene. It’s not even been one damn day, and we’ve barely spent time together, and I’m ready to tear off his balls.”
“What has he been saying?” Axel asked again.
“Tell them,” I ordered Barry, slamming his head into the concrete again when he didn’t. “Do as instructed or I will start getting pissed, asshole.”
So he did, and then I wasn’t the only one seriously pissed at him.
“What the fuck is wrong with you, asshole?” Axel bitched, going for him but Eugene stopping him in time. “We’re drowning in corruption, bullshit, and seriously fucked up shit, and all you can focus on is a wolf bitch is more powerful than you and in charge of so much? We get it. You think you’re awesome as a bear and a man, but fuck, stop with the petty shit! You know she didn’t fuck people to get what she has.
“She did what any other Alphas do—even more since she’s law enforcement! Tons of shit she gets from all sides, way more than most Alphas ever get, and you’re saying it’s because she’s pussy whooping people? I don’t know if you’re just fucking thick or you’re pissed she’s not given you another look.” He growled when we heard Barry’s heart tell us it was the latter.
“You will shut your face and handle the next raid and leave with them. I do not need this shit. I am doing what you and your council could not. So remember that the next time you fucking run your mouth about me blowing vampires or blowing humans or just—fuck, shut up! We have more important problems!” I stood, giving him a look like I wanted his agreement.
He didn’t give it, and I lost my patience. I kicked him in the head and knocked him out. I took in the shocked looks of his team.
“Take him with you and make it clear he’s lucky I didn’t snap his fucking neck.” I waited until they nodded and went back to our actual problem. I got lightheaded on the way, and Axel caught me, mashing his mouth to mine. I fed heavily, hearing some raised voices in the background.
“They’re not making out,” Brian snapped as I pulled away. “They’re sharing energy. She’s using her energy to hold your dirty cops and hasn’t had enough to eat or fucking rest.”
“We’ve seen it before,” Galvin assured the NYPD police chief. “Just give her a few moments.”
I thanked Axel, glad when one of his team set up a laptop on one of the SUVs and already had Skype going. We went over there, and I thanked Haton for taking the call.
She sighed when she saw who else was there. “What now? Did you find aliens, Seraphine? Is this the moment I learn aliens are real and the government truly has been hiding them?”
“No, no aliens,” I drawled, sounding just as tired. I was shocked to see her normal calm crack. “Things going well there?”
She gave the slightest flinch the humans wouldn’t have seen. “We’ve had to call in extra interrogators, and everyone’s been working a lot of overtime to get everyone the information they need. We have been in contact with Councilman Papadopoulos and Dubois to help fill in some gaps of the complete picture, so thank you for that suggestion.” She glanced over my shoulder as if saying that was all she would be willing to say in front of other humans.
“I’m glad it’s working out. There are huge, heaping piles of shit all over the place, and working through them efficiently and finding the best way for everyone while keeping people safe is what’s most important,” I said, pacing within view of the webcam someone had hooked into the laptop. “I have to divulge some of the information from these interrogations that we were keeping compartmentalized.”
“Knock out the wolves so she’s not using energy to hold them,” Eugene instructed his team.
“No, they’re cops,” I reminded him, waving the others quiet, looking at the police chief. “We haven’t cleared your people like we have Pratt’s teams, which is why they’ve been keeping information like a vault. However, someone still gave your fucking office a report because it was demanded of them anyways. You have a leak because it got back to the five NYPD officers that tried to abduct me today.
“They are also wolves.” I gave both sides a moment to let that sink in. “One is the Alpha of the Newark, New Jersey pack. He—along with the other four—took over the New Jersey pack after the hit against me didn’t happen and they knew I would come for New York. They were a failsafe to get Alpha Mario and others out if the shit hit the fan. Just like the Russians had shit in place to take out Galvin should I come, as he could stop it all.
“Except there is no honor amongst criminals and that was never going to be what they did. They waited for me to take out Alpha Mario and a lot of the problems, and before we got to outing them and their misdeeds, they came to cheat and take me out, take over New York and well, everything.
“Which brings me to the shifter law I want to propose that if people cheat—caught or not—they can never be Alpha, and even if the Alpha dies, the pack reverts to the next strongest member of that pack. Or a named second from another pack that would take control until order is restored. The rules are in place to protect, but they assume too many play fair, and we know that not to be true.”
“Agreed and you are not the first one to bring this up, but we keep seeming to have more pressing matters,” Haton replied. “Though that is a definitive start and one of the better suggestions. I will bring that up once this mess has passed, as all of us agree something needs to be done and not just to protect you but all of us.”
“Good, that takes something off my mind, and I thank you for considering it.”
“Sera, slow down,” Brian muttered, moving in front of me. I crashed into him, and only my wolf reflexes kept us both from keeling over. “You’re pacing faster than we can keep up with. Let them knock out the wolves.”
“We have enough potion still,” Eugene cut in, and that was the piece I had been missing.
“Shit, I didn’t know that,” I sighed, rubbing my head. “Yes, please.” I looked at the chief of police. “It’s just a sedative for eight hours. I can’t keep using energy to control them with everything else.”
“Fine,” he agreed. “I want to know how you figure there’s a leak in my office?”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “I didn’t tell you about the Russian self-storage place, and I know my people didn’t. Which means your people did.” His heart fluttered, and I sighed. “Yeah, they told you. Well, someone in your office told them.” I gestured towards the van where Eugene and his team were dosing the wolves. “That’s why they scrambled to get me today instead of waiting for me to clean up a bit more.”
“I still don’t—”
“Has the morgue misplaced any bodies lately?” I cut in, nodding when Galvin cursed. “Yeah, apparently they’re in the storage unit in freezers and these five cops are how they went missing and blew apart cases against some bad, bad people.” I looked at Galvin. “Who are represented by that law firm that came at me in Memphis that you were working whatever about.” I glanced at the webcam and gave Haton a look she should jump on that.
“Deputy Director Galvin, I believe it might be best we have a conversation soon about that investigation, as apparently this firm is a bit pointed at shifters, or now we are more involved given wolves were helping them and their clients. There is probably some crossover and ways we can help.”
“Yes, apparently this is much deeper than we thought,” he accepted. “For now there is too much already in front of us.” He focused on me. “They’re shifters so they go to the council.”
I nodded. “They came after an Alpha without a legal challenge. Yes, they go to the council, but they are also cops.”
The police chief sighed, rubbing his hand over his head. “People would notice them just gone. And we don’t want to just announce we found dirty cops. Dirty wolf cops and sent them off to the super secret Shifter Council that has no oversight.”
“We do actually,” Haton argued, noting his surprised face. “Even I know it’s in the FBI information all police departments have. Sometimes you humans are your own worst enemies.”
I snorted. “It’s not just them. I’ve given many lectures that the moment claws come out it is the same as a human with a knife. Shifters are in possession of deadly weapons. You wouldn’t believe how many just stare at me blankly as if I made that up to screw with them, and I know you gave updated rules to Alphas after paranormals came out.”
“Yes, all people are idiots too often,” she grumbled, most of us grunting in agreement. “The problem is you can’t just out them as wolves and they were transferred, as you’ll then be looking into their cases knowing they were dirty. Except others won’t, and it will seem as if you assume they were dirty because they were wolves.”
For the next ten minutes the “adults” argued on what to do and how things needed to be handled. I went and handed out lunch to Brian and Sands, annoyed that it was basically cold and really cold as I got to the second bowl. Another ten minutes of not getting anywhere and my annoyance growing as I read other updates on what was going on, and my patience snapped.
“Enough,” I snarled as I went over and grabbed Barry, dragging him over into view of the webcam and dropping him none too gently. “Later you can talk to Axel, Eugene, and the teams here and find out
the really huge fucking favor I did the council by not gutting their sexist and asshole team lead, so in return, you guys can interrogate the Newark Alpha and proxy my killing him to take over.
“That information is more important than who tears out his heart. We can have enough respect for each other in that.” Then I glanced between the men right there. “They’re obviously friends, the answer is something that doesn’t involve any work. That way there’s no dirt on the NYPD and no shit dumped on the FBI for uncovering it all. Someone had a family member die and oh no, they got in a car wreck on the way home and are dead.
“There has to be someone who can help make that happen. I refuse to believe no one’s gotten a bit of this and that signed off on that can make this happen. Closed casket or whatever and a review of their files would happen anyways because others had to take them over.” I held up my hand to the police chief. “And I won’t throw a fucking fit that you knew there was dirt on this and you’re pulling rank and shit to know what was going on.
“Because I just got word the cartel we were going after just closed ranks and are making sure to surround themselves with people. We don’t know their main location but a few we could grab them from and instead, they’re surrounding themselves with collateral damage, which makes this infinitely more complicated. So stop trying to show you have the bigger fucking dick and more pull and just get the mother fucking job done.”
There might have been more to say, but Carter and Orson were suddenly there restraining me. Sander fed me energy and so did Emilio, both giving me sympathetic looks.
“We will fix this, Sera,” Carter promised. “We will keep them safe.”
“What is he talking about?” Galvin demanded.
“The dirty cops gave the cartel names. Including Havers. They know who to target,” Carter explained.
I felt my wolf riding me as I met the police chief’s gaze. “And if they hurt him or any of mine, you better fucking run because I will tear you limb from limb. We were keeping people safe, not shitting on you. Who else knows what got out? Was it worth it? Was it worth your fucking pride or—”
