Oath Sworn (Jacky Leon Book 1)

by Kristen Banet

  “Okay…”

  “When Carey was born and I got custody over her, I knew there would come a moment when she needed a father. I started planning for passing on the reins to another wolf once the time was right. He’s my third, Tywin. Good wolf, and a very old friend of mine. My second is Landon, and he’s never had any aspirations for leading his own pack. Tywin, however, once was an Alpha to a smaller pack that I absorbed. He’s well-suited for the role. He wouldn’t become the Council Alpha without the other Alphas in the region agreeing, but he would take this pack from me.”

  “Where’s Tywin?” I asked.

  “No one’s seen him since this started,” Heath said softly. “I’m worried for him. We’ve been planning for my retirement to be next year. Word was beginning to spread so the transition could start now.”

  “And?”

  “And some weren’t happy it was going to be him, but it wasn’t their call. They weren’t happy I skipped other options, probably. Some wanted Fenris, but Fenris…no, he’ll never be an Alpha. He can’t. Some wanted it for themselves, and to them, I said they should challenge Tywin when he’s Alpha, but since they couldn’t beat me, they would have to wait to make their point known.”

  “Oh…” I leaned back, rubbing my face. “This is so the next guy doesn’t take the throne. Dispose of you before you hand over the reins, because they don’t think you have the pack’s interest at heart. Isn’t it?”

  “That’s my best suspicion,” he confirmed. “With Tywin missing, and possibly dead, it’s the best idea I have.”

  “Who else wanted power?”

  “I could give you ten names and not know which ones are actually the problem,” Heath answered. The other wolves stayed silent, probably letting their Alpha take the reins on this because they might have been ones to preach for other possible options. In the end, they fell in line behind the Alpha they trusted and respected, even if they didn’t like his successor.

  “Any close to you?” I asked, curious.

  “Some preached for Dean, who refused. Emma being a half-witch removes her from the equation. She’s not allowed to hold real power in the pack, living somewhat outside of it. She and Dean would share my fifth spot of my inner circle if it was allowed.”

  “Meaning you treat her like one of the inner circle without making it obvious enough to cause trouble.” I pursed my lips, daring him to say any different.

  “For a young, reclusive cat, you know a lot.”

  “I had a good education. Plus you make it obvious in the way you talk about her. You respect the hell out of her. You want her to be able to hold some power, half-witch or not. Maybe not Alpha, but something.”

  “Good ear,” he complimented.

  I shrugged. “So some wanted Dean, and in turn, his half-witch wife that he would probably share power with. Some wanted this Fenris, a very old, somewhat crazy wolf.”

  “There’s also…” Heath frowned. “Teagan, people talk to you. Tell Jacky here.”

  Teagan jumped in there, rattling off names of people who were suggested to the Alpha and those who presented themselves as options. Most were middle of the pack males who had all the balls but none of the strength. A couple were females, recommended by their mates or lovers as potentially kind leaders who could help the pack look better to humans. They would also give their male mates power in turn, helping them get boosted through the ranks.

  “You have to understand. This is pretty normal when an Alpha decides to step down to a peer instead of dying in action,” Teagan said. “It’s not the most common way for an Alpha to go and it leaves all sorts of openings and ideas of democracy and the like. The ‘maybe we can just vote on our next Alpha’ sort of things. The thing is, wolves? We don’t work that way. Until Heath leaves, he’s still in charge, and he’ll train who he sees fit. His successor can deal with the rest when he’s in power.”

  “So everything was ‘normal’ until a sniper tried to kill you,” I said to Heath, considering everything they had just told me. “So someone decided to take matters into their own hands, rules and Laws be damned. Which isn’t something new to be learned. I mean, I figured that out when I had wolves enter my territory. They don’t care about anything but the power at the end. There might even be a bit of a grudge against you for not giving them the position.”

  “Exactly.”

  “And that’s why they wanted Carey. Because if they get you to surrender to them, Tywin’s place goes out the window, even though he’s the third of the pack and there’s no other better options above him. Tywin would have to fight and kill the new Alpha, who gained his position from blackmail and war.”

  “Exactly,” he repeated softly.

  “So we’re dealing with someone who doesn’t know that every supernatural race is going to come down on his head for breaking the Law, whether he wins or not. Someone arrogant and possibly uneducated. Someone young enough to think the Law is a boogieman and not the very real foundations by which we can live our lives.” I was rambling a little now, but it was helping me put things together. “Who fits the description? When was the last time someone was executed for breaking the Law?” I couldn’t remember off the top of my head.

  “Probably the case a century ago. A fae who killed a werewolf without grounds. He was attempting to steal the wolf’s skin, much like Selkies use seal skins for transformation. Before that…” Teagan took a deep breath. “The werewolves who killed Hasan’s daughter, only a couple years before the fae.”

  I froze for a second. I had no idea that wolves had killed her, only that she was killed. It took me a moment to convince myself to think on that later and get back on topic.

  “So we’re dealing, probably, with a wolf or wolves under a century old, probably even younger, since most closer to a century would remember the aftermath of those Tribunal executions.”

  “Good. Most of the traitors are quite young so far,” Heath agreed. “That means Fenris is off the table completely, which I already figured. He’s too old to think he can break the Law and get away with it. He’s crazy, but he’s also not going to get an entire pack killed for himself.”

  “Who else?” I asked.

  Teagan began writing in a notebook, crossing out names as he spoke. I didn’t absorb all of it. I really didn’t want to leave Dallas knowing the name of every werewolf who wanted power.

  “None of these wolves have proven to be traitors yet, though a couple are missing. Our security plans actually have Dean and Emma hiding alone, protecting their son. Magic and wolves pisses some on both sides off. They won’t contact us until everything is over, which is what I ordered them to do.” Heath ran a hand through his hair and I realized the problem.

  Wolves were normally very straightforward. They didn’t do betrayal and plots and blackmail. It wasn’t in them, so Heath, no matter how smart he was, wasn’t very good at thinking like those who did those things.

  “What if we’re looking at the wrong angle?” I cut in, against my better judgement. I really shouldn’t have been helping them find the traitor just for the sake of it. “Some of these names were recommended by other people, for a variety of reasons. Best friends, lovers, siblings. They would have gotten power by proxy if their suggestion was used.”

  “That’s…” He smiled at me. “Huh. A week hoping we can just beat the answers out of the traitors, and you walk in with the obvious. Teagan, do we remember who recommended everyone?”

  “You aren’t used to this sort of thing,” I reminded him, shrugging. “Werecats…we don’t have politics, but we’re cats. Cats are fucked up.”

  “True that,” Chrissy muttered.

  “I don’t, sir. The mated males putting their wives forward? That’s easy to see coming, but some of these? It was random wolves. I had no idea there was any connection. They could have just liked a wolf they reported to. I don’t…” Teagan shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “I’ll get someone looking into it. We’ve gotten off track here.” He nodded back to the w
hiteboard. “We should be focused on Carey.”

  “Figuring out our traitor is one of the fastest ways of finding her,” Laurent said from his seat.

  “Yeah, but I’m walking a tightrope.” I couldn’t let anyone forget that I was in a place I wasn’t supposed to be.

  “What you do or say in this room will remain with those of us here,” Heath told me. “Right, wolves? We’re not going to betray her to the Tribunal if we are called to the stand when this is over.”

  “Yes sir,” they answered, again in that annoyingly perfect unison.

  “What places do the wolves own as safe houses? Places where it’s feasible to stash Carey.”

  “We’ve cleared all the safe houses since this started,” Heath answered. “For other reasons, but we’ve done it.”

  “Okay…you know what. Tell me what you can. You obviously know more about Dallas and your wolves than I do.” I threw my hands up.

  “And what? You’ll just be the muscle when we find out where she is?” Chrissy raised an eyebrow.

  I bared my teeth. “If that’s what I need to do,” I answered.

  “After the breakdown we just witnessed?” She shook her head. “I think you should take Heath up on his offer and go home.”

  “Too late for that,” I whispered, looking down at my hands. “It’s just too late for that.”

  “Werecats have an obsession with those they feel are theirs,” Teagan told everyone at the table. “Jacky won’t be able to stop until she’s dead, especially young as she is, fighting against instincts that are stronger than her.”

  I pointed at Teagan, an indication he was right. Instincts I wasn’t fighting again. Nope. I fully embraced them.

  “Really? Even if you’re on the verge of a breakdown?” Sheila snorted. “Foolish.”

  “I can break down after, and I probably will, but I’m going to see this through,” I snapped.

  “Stop,” Heath ordered. “Wolves, collect everything we know.”

  “I guess I get phone duty then,” I muttered.

  “Whatever works, feline.” He walked out then, leaving us to our own devices.

  Laurent jumped up and put his laptop down on a desk. “Come here, Jacky. I’m going to set this up for you. To answer calls, just hit the green button on the screen. To see texts, look at this window.” He pointed everything out when I walked over to stare over his shoulder. “You’ll be monitoring Heath’s phone number. I can only do the one, and he seems like the most important.”

  “Okay. I’ll keep an eye on it.”

  “Cool. And I know we haven’t said it yet, but thanks for coming to us and helping us find Carey.”

  “Of course.” I sat down when he vacated the chair and proceeded to stare at the screen.

  17

  Chapter Seveteen

  Hours passed. No one called or texted Heath’s phone, leaving me bored as the ‘team’ I was with walked around and played on other computers. They were constantly coming and going from the room, too.

  Which was how I didn’t notice a new wolf walk in. Everything smelled like wolf, and even after a few hours, I still wasn’t able to figure out their individual scents.

  So when one of them growled behind me, I froze, both worried and confused. I looked over my shoulder slowly to find a grizzled thing, three scars running across his face. His teeth were bared, already showing signs that he was losing control along with his glowing green eyes.

  I stood up slowly and raised a hand. “I’m Jacky.” I greeted him carefully. I was pinned in the cubicle, and the last thing I wanted was another fight, especially one that wasn’t needed.

  “I knew I caught wind of a murderer,” he snarled out, stepping closer.

  “Now, didn’t anyone tell you I was here? I’m helping your pack. The traitors have Carey—”

  “Oh, I heard. Why should I believe anything that’s come out of your mouth, cat?” He spat the word, taking another step closer. “You walk in here and hide behind us and my own damn Alpha. You have other wolves running around, doing your bidding.”

  “You must be Fenris,” I guessed, moving slowly to try and edge away out of the cubicle.

  He sidestepped and stopped me, ending up even closer than he already was. “I’m glad someone told you my name. Remember it as the name of the wolf who killed you when you go to whatever Hell you belong in.”

  He lunged for me. I was thankfully faster, and my healing was going well. Every hour that passed gave me more of my original strength and speed, with less of the painful repercussions. I ducked under his grab and made it around behind him. I kicked his ass, sending him into the chair and desk I had been using before doing the smart thing.

  Running.

  I hauled ass, heading for the door of the office. I didn’t want this fight. Hell, I didn’t even know where it came from. They had said Fenris was crazy, but I hadn’t figured he was ‘attack on sight’ kind of crazy.

  I got the door open before he reached me. I dodged his grab and tried to slam the door in his face. There was a problem, though. He was too old and too far gone into the partial shift and animal craze for me to be very effective against him. He pushed the door into me and sent me into the far wall, which cracked as my back slammed into it.

  It knocked the air from my lungs, leaving me gasping for air, but other than a bruise, I didn’t think it would cause too much of a problem. Nothing felt broken.

  I scrambled to stand up as I realized he was closing the distance again. He reached out for me, and before I could stop him from grabbing me, a blurred grey-blue shape took him out of my line of sight.

  “Oh shit, Jacky!” Chrissy. “Fuck. We had no idea Fenris was back from his mission. Sorry.”

  “Who?” I pointed to the blurry, furred object wrestling Fenris to the ground, biting painfully into his shoulders, arms, and legs.

  “Heath. He’s got a quicker shift than most of us,” she answered.

  I looked up to her, frowning. “How much faster?” I asked.

  “About five minutes,” she informed me, holding a hand out. “You think you can stand?”

  “Yeah.” I grabbed the offered hand, grateful for it. “How did he know…” I nodded to the wolf still putting the feral old one in his place. Fenris was snarling and trying to protect anything vital, but from the rage in his eyes, Heath still had some work to do if he wanted Fenris to leave me alone.

  “We were about to go out on a hunt. Heath shifted first, to guide some of the slower ones through easier. We heard Fenris across the damn warehouse. He wasn’t exactly quiet. Heath and I came running. Teagan, Laurent, and Sheila will be here any minute.” She gave me an embarrassed look. “One of us was supposed to stay with you at all times while Heath was dealing with the other wolves.”

  “It’s fine,” I said, flexing and rotating my shoulder. “Nothing’s broken.”

  “Good. That’s good.”

  A yelp and whimper suddenly replaced the snarls and growls.

  “I cede, Alpha!” Fenris called out. “I cede! She’s yours!”

  I looked back to the fight, not ready for what I saw. Heath’s jaws were dripping with blood and Fenris’ left leg was so mangled I wasn’t sure it could ever heal. I watched the painful beginning of Heath’s shift back into his human form as Teagan, Laurent, and Sheila ran up. Teagan continued to move, heading for the two further down the hallway. He bowed low to his Alpha, who looked like a freak mashup of man and wolf, then kneeled to tend to Fenris.

  “Will Fenris be okay?” I asked softly.

  “Yeah. Old wolves like him and Teagan have seen worse damage. He’ll be out of commission for a few months, but it’s really his fault. He should have submitted faster instead of trying to tumble with Heath,” Laurent answered. “Idiot. We need strong wolves right now, and he’s gone and done that to himself.”

  What the hell have I gotten myself into? They don’t even have an ounce of sympathy. Even I do, after he definitely tried to kill me. I wrapped my arms around myself, shaking a
little. Not from fear. It had been a sudden rush of adrenaline I hadn’t been expecting, and now I needed to come down from it. “Why can’t I catch a damn break?”

  “You’re a werecat. What do you mean?” Chrissy was frowning at me now, obviously confused by my state.

  “I own a bar!” I growled. “I don’t fight wars or kill werewolves all the time! The only reason I’ve been doing it recently is because of Carey, and once she’s safe, I’m fucking getting out of this business.” I turned back to the Alpha. “Heath, you better hope this doesn’t happen once everything is said and done. When Carey is safe, I’m fucking done with you wolves.”

  I stomped back into the office, breathing hard. A few minutes later, the door opened and slammed shut again. I was already back in my chair, slumped and tired. As Heath came into view, I sighed. “Well. That was interesting.” I tried for a weak smile, but it refused to come.

  “I’m sorry. It was the very thing I was trying to avoid. You’re not hurt, right? Chrissy—”

  “I’m fine,” I interrupted. “I’m just fine.”

  “Jacky, what you said—”

  “I was serious. When this over, I never want to hear from another wolf, especially not one from this fucking pack. Is that clear? I’ve been shot at. I’ve been clawed and bitten. I’ve been harassed, and oh, the best one, fucking killed. I should apologize for my attitude to you right now, but I won’t because all of this is your fault!” I was standing and never even remembered making the move. “I’m in here, just monitoring your damn phone, and some fucking rabid animal comes for me! Now, I’m sure that Fenris has a great reason for hating my kind, much like Teagan probably does, but god damn, I’m trying to help here!”

  “I know.” He clasped his hands and let them hang in front of him. “Fenris is a one-off case. He’s more traumatized by the old war than Teagan. I’m sorry. I really was trying to keep an eye out for him, but then I got busy with everything else and—”