by B F Worlds
She grabbed one of his legs and dragged him behind a dumpster, kicking bits of trash out of the way. "Here you go, nice and out of the way. You hang tight Kyle."
Walking away, she couldn't help feeling smug. What she did would definitely come back to bite her in the ass, but it felt good to finally act according to her nature.
CHAPTER 26
Franklin finally received the message he'd been waiting for. He was in his office, reviewing the pack's assets, when an email notification appeared on the desktop. The sending email was a series of numbers and the subject line was an address. He ground his teeth as he copied the address and picked up his phone, hitting the second speed dial. "Dugen? My office."
Dugen arrived in a matter of moments, stepping just inside the door before snapping a salute. "Alpha."
"Tell the Guards they have the night off. You and I are going into the city."
"Are you sure sir? Being in the city without an escort-"
"I'm sure the two of us can handle ourselves. Besides, this is a private meeting. The people we'll be talking to don't take kindly to having extra bodies lurking outside."
Dugen frowned. "Are you talking about..."
"Yes, it's them."
"I am not questioning your decision, but I do not like these people. The wolf does not like them. Those who aren't pack can't be trusted to look out for our interests."
Franklin sighed. "I do not trust them. They are necessary for my plans. We need-"
His speech was interrupted by the door being thrown open. Kyle stormed into the room, his blue eyes blazing over his bandaged nose. "Franklin! You lied to me!"
Dugen stopped him before he could go much further, putting him a sleeper hold and pulling back with enough force that Kyle was forced to his toes. The younger man fought him, clawing at Dugen's grip while he yelled. "You son of a bitch! You sent me after her just so I'd make an ass of myself. If you didn't want me to be alpha, you should've fucking said so instead of sending me on a wild goose chase!"
Franklin growled. "Dugen, release him."
"But sir-"
"Release him!"
Dugen dropped Kyle and stepped back. The youth paid him no mind as he stepped into Franklin's personal space. "You're a bastard," Kyle spit out. "We're family, blood. And this is how you treat me?"
Franklin's hand snapped out, hitting his cheek with an audible clap. "You are my blood and that is the only reason I haven't torn your throat out. I'm even going to give you a single chance to explain yourself. What is this about?"
"Dean, the rogue." Kyle rubbed his jaw. "You sent me after her. That girl is not a submissive anything!"
"What are you talking about?"
"She lied. She has training and aggressive instincts. A submissive don't charge people and stomp their fucking faces in! And you can't tell me you didn't see through it. You're the one that claimed her! You knew she was a dominant, but you sent me after her and I got my ass kicked."
"...A dominant? That's impossible."
Kyle looked at him with furrowed brows before his eyes lightened with understanding and his lips twisted up into a mocking grin. "You didn't know, did you? She tricked you too."
Franklin stiffened up. "I wasn't fooled. Maybe you're more pathetic than you seem."
"No, no." Kyle snickered while backing up. "Well, I don't feel half as bad now. The great leader of the North American changers was also fooled by a rogue. Good to know you're as fallible as the rest of us."
Franklin backhanded him but there was no real strength in the blow. His mind was too preoccupied. When he'd first met Dean, the girl had immediately submitted to him. There hadn't been a dominance contest and there was no way a dominant wolf would fall to their knees without a fight. Would she? And for what reason? "Get the hell out, you fool. Before I really do kill you."
"You got it." Kyle laughed as he walked out of the office, slamming the door behind him.
Franklin pinched the bridge of his nose. This is was something he'd have to address, but the more immediate threat were the unknown hunters. Then he'd handle Dean. "Dugen, we leave by seven."
-
The doorman eyed the two large men approaching his door with a suspicious eye. Neither one of them suited the people his building catered too. The first looked like an intellectual; he had short blonde hair, slicked backwards over his scalp, and a whip thin figure. His skin was white as paper and the dark bags under his eyes made his blue eyes look even darker, almost black.
Compared to him, the second man was a bear. Large muscles were poorly hidden underneath a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. His blond hair was buzzed, but he had thick facial hair that made his severe features even more intimidating. Both gave off a dangerous vibe and the doorman stood up to his full height when they stopped in front of the door. "Can I help you?"
The man in the suit held out a phone to him. "It's for you."
The doorman accepted the device warily and pressed it against his ear. "Hello?"
"Corbett?" a sugary sweet voice purred in his ear. "Be a dear and let my guests up."
The doorman jumped. "Right away Ms. Evergreen. I apologize for delaying them."
"Thank you."
The line clicked as the call was ended. Corbett passed the phone back to the man in the suit, reached for his keys and unlocked the front door, stepping to the side while holding it open. "Excuse me sirs. Please go in."
The two men ignored him as they passed by. Corbett breathed a sigh of relief as he locked the door behind them. It was never a good thing when the owner of the building decided to talk to him personally.
-
Franklin adjusted his wrist cuffs as the elevator doors slipped open. They both stepped out, but he held up his hand to stop Dugen from walking further into the loft. "Stay here. And no matter what you hear, do not come in."
"Be careful."
Franklin nodded. "Expect me back in twenty minutes."
He stepped further into the loft, a small part of him taking note of the expensive white leather couch and colorful paintings covering every inch of the walls. Both the Fae and the vampires had more material wealth than any pack.
Evergreen was known for flaunting that wealth. She owned the building he was in and a dozen like it throughout the city, plus several small businesses. That was her personal wealth. The wealth of her family, the Higher Fae that started her bloodline and all its descendants, was beyond Franklin's scope to detect.
They had dealings in everything, everywhere, and those were the kinds of connections he needed to make his ambitions a reality.
The layout of the floor was unfamiliar to him, but it was easy enough to find his query by following the sound of movement.
He ended up in what had to be the master bedroom. It was done in shades of green and brown. The walls were dark brown, with lighter brown lines drawn at the base to represent roots, slowly winding up until they connected to leaf designs on the ceiling.
The carpet was actual grass, the long blades blowing in an invisible wind to curl around Franklin's ankles in a gentle caress he could s feel through his pants. The room was completely bare of any furniture, but a large pile of softly packed earth sat in the center, in the shape of a bed.
Reclining on top was a woman dressed in a white nightgown. Her face was hidden by long blonde hair but she turned her face toward Franklin when he stepped into the room. "Franky," she cooed in her sugary voice. "Good of you to stop by."
"Evergreen." He looked around, his mouth pressing into a tight line. "This is a little personal for our meetings."
"This has gotten personal." She sat up. "Those hunters were ours Franklin. And one of your wolves killed them."
He ground his teeth. "An accident that could have been avoided if the Council deigned to keep me informed when they made a move in my territory."
"This shouldn't have had anything to do with you dear. We've been chasing our target for months and had no reason to believe it would come into contact with the Freewood pa
ck."
"What is this thing exactly?"
"That isn't something you need to know. Tell me about what happened."
"Two of my wolves and a feline from the local pride were out for a run when they were attacked by your hunters. They defended themselves and then contacted me. I took Gold into my custody and then contacted you."
"The three involved. I would like their names."
Franklin stiffened. "What for?"
"Their names Franklin."
"You will not come after my pack!" he growled, the hairs along the back of his neck standing on end as his wolf came closer to the skin.
Evergreen waved him down with a dismissive hand. "I've told you plenty of times dear, we're your allies. I promise no harm will come to your wolves. Now, their names."
"Rachel Salvatore, daughter of Rosa Salvatore, the woman in charge of the pride. Viktoriya Volkov, the daughter of Viktor Volkov. And Dean Rock."
The blonde woman tilted her head curiously. "Dean Rock? No history for that one?"
"I don't know the girl's history. She's a rogue who appeared in my territory one day out of the blue. A detective in my pack found her and brought her to me."
"A rogue?" Evergreen chuckled. "Oh my…Here we were thinking it had already disappeared to gods knew where. Oh my my my. Franky, I just knew you were useful!"
"...What are you talking about?"
"Dean Rock is the target we've been chasing. We'll be coming for her soon. Congratulations! The Council will be very happy about this."
Franklin shook his head. "I don't understand. Dean Rock is nothing. A submissive from a weak pack destroyed by rogues. Why does the Council want her?"
Evergreen burst out laughing. "Nothing? Franky, this is why you need our help. You can't see anything. Don't think about it, just leave this Dean Rock to us. And release Gold into the city. We'll pick him up."
"Very well…And about the matter we discussed during our last meeting?"
"Yes. The alpha who opposed you in Washington is being taken care of discretely. Without him, the others will swing in favor of joining with you."
"Then our business here is concluded." Franklin turned and began walking from the room.
"Franky?"
He paused in the doorway.
"When we come, the fight will be loud and bloody. We won't stop to distinguish friend from foe, if you get my meaning dear."
"I'll be sure to clear out of your way."
-
"ALPHA!"
Franklin paused but waved a hand for his Guards to continue on to the car. Standing between them was Gold and they pushed him into the back seat of the SUV. Franklin turned around to see Viktoriya standing a few feet away, her eyes bouncing between him and the car. "Viktoriya, it's past midnight. You have school tomorrow."
"I don't understand. That man attacked us. He tried to kill my mates. Why are you letting him go free?"
"This doesn't concern you."
"The hell it doesn't!" She balled her hands into fists. "He is a threat to my mates. My wolf is howling for his blood this minute. The only reason I stopped Rachel from killing him was because I wanted to know who sent him. Not to have him back on the streets to take another shot at us!"
Franklin stepped closer, hiding his anger as he arranged his features into a pained grimace. "Since when did you stop trusting me?"
Viktoriya's jaw worked as her eyes bulged in surprise. Words failed her and she dropped her head in shame. Franklin grinned inwardly, but let out an exaggerated sigh. "Everything I do is for the best interests of this pack. The hunters are not our friends, but they aren't always are enemies."
"Yes sir…I just don't understand."
"The hunters do not work alone. The threat they are chasing is real and they won't stop until it has been destroyed. That leaves us with two choices. We can start a conflict over a misunderstanding. Or I can release him and step out of their way, sparing my wolves a pointless death. Their side suffered the loses, not ours. Do you understand now?"
She nodded. "I do. I apologize for my rash attitude earlier. I was-"
He held up a hand. "There is no need to explain. Go on now. You need your rest."
"...I'll see you in the morning."
As she ran off, Dugen stepped over to Franklin's side. "You know just like I do that hunters don't have misunderstandings," he said in a quiet voice, mindful of nearby ears. "Green wouldn't have allowed a single shot to be fired unless the target was confirmed. They were after those girls."
"Not girls. Girl. Dean."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
Franklin turned critical eyes on him. "No."
"Dean is a good wolf. We shouldn't just abandon her to those bastards. It's not right!"
"What isn't right," he growled, "is that the plans I have been working on for over a decade now in danger because of one useless rogue. They can take the girl and publicly execute her for all I care."
Dugen's shoulders stiffened. "Sometimes, I want to kill you."
Franklin laughed and threw his arms open. "Go ahead. You're the only in this pack that can. Come on. If you really hate me that much, tear my head from my shoulders and claim the Freewood pack for yourself." They stood in tense silence for several moments, but the Guard's hands stayed balled at his sides. Franklin let his arms fall with a scoff.
"As I thought. You won't disobey Viktor's final orders to protect me. Because you know he gave that order for a reason. The man had vision. He could see what was coming which is why, even though he hated my guts the same as you do, he followed me and died to keep me alive. I may be a terrible man, but I'm trying to save this pack. Trying to save our entire race. Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made."
"And what about Viktoriya?" Dugen growled. "Is she another one of your sacrifices?"
"Don't insult me. Viktor's dying wish was for me to keep his daughter safe. I'll keep her out of harm's way."
"She won't sit back while her mate is targeted."
"...I'll do what's necessary."
CHAPTER 27
Gold entered the bedroom and bowed. "Lady Evergreen."
Evergreen smiled. "Raise your head hunter. We have much to discuss."
He did as commanded. It was one of the rare occurrences when the lady bothered to dress; the nightgown had been replaced by a white robe stitched with gold thread with flowers running up an down the arms. Underneath it, she wore dark pants tucked into thick brown boots. Her blonde hair was tied back with thorny vine and her eyes were hidden behind a thin strip of black cloth. Gold didn’t know why some of the Fae did this. It was just another one of the mysteries surrounding them.
"You said you had information to share with me?"
"Yes. While in the process of fighting the target, I noticed that it has a substantial transformation time."
"Green mentioned it in his report. He said it took several minutes?"
"Closer to fifteen."
"Truly? How strange. Changers and their animal halves are two sides of a coin. For the two souls to be so out of sync...." She gracefully swung her legs off her bed and got to her feet. "The more I learn about our target, the more I wish to possess her."
"Put me in charge of another squad and I'll-"
"Hush Gold. You don't need to worry about anything. They aren't sending a simple squad of hunters. In two days, the legion will descend upon the city, with me at their head."
Gold balked at the words. The last time Evergreen had taken place in a hunt-"My Lady, surely your presence isn't necessary. The legion alone should be more than-"
He cried out as a vine wrapped over his mouth, the thorns cutting into his cheek as it dragged him to the floor. Once his back hit the ground, several more of the plants slid over him, crawling over themselves until he was completely bound, groaning from the pain.
"Humans are so arrogant." Evergreen stepped over him. "You hunters are alive for one reason; to hunt down the scum that infest this world meant for the Fae. You failed in that mission. Yet, ins
tead of groveling on your knees for forgiveness, you feel the need to question my plans."
She flicked her fingers and the vines slid off him, the thorns cutting across his skin causing him to hiss through his teeth. Evergreen grabbed him by the shoulder and hauled him to his feet. "I would worry more about yourself dear. This isn't the first mission you've bungled up, is it?"
She dragged him across the room and laid him over her bed. As his blood seeped into the dirt, tiny green sprouts began to grow. Gold tried to push himself up but he couldn't muster the strength. It felt like something was sapping the energy from his body, lulling him into unconsciousness.
As darkness started to creep into his vision, Evergreen's face appeared over him. "A wager. If you can last until I get back, you get to walk away from this room. If you don't....well, I'll make sure you grow into something nice, okay sugar?"
"My Lady..."
She placed a finger against his lips. "None of that now. You need to save your strength. If you go too soon, the fruit won't be very tasty."
-
LEAVE!
"Be quiet," Dean growled under her breath while she massaged her temples. The animal had been pestering her for days, demanding they leave the area. She couldn't blame it. Even she had begun to worry when Franklin released the hunter. Something large was at work behind the scenes in the Freewood territory and all her instincts were telling her she would be safer if she got away. That's what she'd always done when she'd smelt danger on the air. But this time, it wasn't as simple as grabbing her bags and leaving.
"Dean?"
"Hmmm?" She looked up to see her two mates watching her with worried eyes. They had skipped lunch and met up in the library. Dean was struggling in her classes and the girls had decided to put extra effort into helping her study. Not that much was getting accomplished. "I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
Viktoriya shut her textbook. "Well there's no point if your head's not in it. So let's talk about what has you so distracted."
