Page 127 of Wolf's Mark

“How the hell can you boycott being a member of the Wolfen?” Parker asked. I understood his amusement. For those who didn’t understand Wolfen politics, the entire drama that was unfolding must seem ridiculous.

“Any referendum can be revoked if enough people vote against it,” I told him. “Plus, the pack members can simply refuse to follow any orders.”

“What about joining in the fight against the werewolves?”

I studied my friend and half laughed. “They can ignore that mandate as well.”

“Well, I guess you guys are fucked just like our stocks will be if we ever conduct regular business again. I don’t know who leaked the lore to the press, but they are having a field day with it from Los Angeles to the Big Apple. They’re making fun of your name and everything else.” Parker tossed an actual physical copy of theNew York Timesacross my desk. “It will affect business. My guess is my phone will be ringing off the hook with current clients and those prepared to go under contract. Any guesses how many cancellations there will be?”

A part of me wanted to laugh, even though it wasn’t a laughing matter. “We’ll work through them.”

Riker grabbed it. “This is dangerous,” he huffed after reading just the headlines.

I barely glanced down. “We’ve gone through this before.”

Parker lifted his eyebrows. “Not before the invention of social media, I bet. Have you seen the memes on Instagram? The crap on TikTok? It’s hilarious, but not funny at all.”

“No,” I agreed. “Not funny at all.”

Riker knew me too well. He narrowed his eyes before addressing me. “What happened? Did you not reconnect with Sedona?”

“We had a good night. She went to the lab and talked to her mother, confronting her about being a wolf.”

I sensed the two men looking at each other.

“And?” Riker asked.

“And it would appear there was a plan set in motion over two decades before to create my one and true fated mate.”

“By whom?”

“By the council. Our mother. I don’t know.” I shook my head, still trying to process her message. Yes, it had been filled with comical animosity, but she’d been telling the truth about what she’d been told.

Riker breathed out, making a face as he did. “Wow. This shit is getting deep.”

Another knock on my door was followed with Chase coming inside immediately.

“How are the great FBI?” I asked him.

“Silent. I don’t like it. After the reports hit the news, it seems they are not owning up to having anything to do with an investigation. And they’ve been asked by numerous sources. They’re up to something.”

“Yes, I believe you, brother,” I told him.

“However, I did glean from a source of mine it’s entirely possible at least one agent is keeping an eye on what’s going on in Cartersville.”

Riker snarled as he walked closer. “We need to lock down all information, including coming from the company.”

“True,” Parker agreed. “The last thing we need is to have the corporation threatened.”

“Chase. Keep a closer eye on the FBI. I don’t care how you do it. Find out what they are up to. Riker, one thing we must do is find Jeremiah’s lair. Until we do, we won’t have a chance in hell of ending this nightmare.”

“You’re assuming there’s a chance we can.”

Riker wasn’t usually this concerned about anything. Today, I sensed otherwise. “I need to, Riker.” Whether or not I accepted the role of being the lead Alpha at this point no longer mattered.

Our survival did.

“Take Eliza and a few of the others. From what Mother told me on the phone this morning, Jeremiah possibly established a temporary lair close to Cartersville. He’d want to be where all the action is, a location where he could bring his newly created army.”

---