Page 17 of Howling With Wolves

“Find the truth,” I ordered. My mate didn’t need rumors.

“I will.” There was no doubt in his voice. West would dig until he had what he wanted. I’d liked the male from the firsttime we’d met. Before Rowan Byrd was presumed dead. Before Bas had met and mated Raina Byrd and the James Pack had taken residence in Rigton County. “There are good people here, Donovan. People who are hurting. Clayton was a bastard, but I’m learning his wife was loved. She did a lot of things to take care of this pack. Some of these people don’t know where to go.”

“Talk to Cyan.”

“Thing is, I think it might be time to regrow the Rigton Pack. A lot of our pack was absorbed into yours when Bas and Raina were mated. They felt abandoned by us, and I get that. Rowan gets that. Maybe, it’s time for some new blood,” West suggested.

“Then do it. I can’t see Bas or Cyan caring. Let them head this way. James Pack or Rigton wolves. We’re both here. We’ll both welcome good people and weed out any bad that try to sneak in.”

We’d done it when we first took over this territory. One thing the James Pack wouldn’t tolerate was bullies and abusers. We had zero tolerance. There’d been problems along the way. Several mates who’d been attacked or in danger. That was all gone now. The last had been cleaned out when Rowan Byrd had risen from the dead and discovered who’d initiated the attack on him and his mate. We’d had peace since then. Or at least, no major drama until Emma arrived. Thinking of my mate made me think of the men who’d hurt her.

“Find out if any of the survivors had anything to do with my mate’s capture and abuse,” I ordered. “If so, I want them brought here. Justice will be given out. By Anthony, Emma, and me.”

“I’ll let you know,” West promised. “Give me a few more hours, and I should have another update. The rest of the building will be cleared by then. Scott and Cody are moving about the town, feeling out who was who in the pack hierarchy.”

“With his sons out of the way, who stands to gain the most,” I mused.

“Exactly. See if your mate has any insight on that,” West suggested.

“Will do.” I disconnected then turned as Michael joined me. “Fuck.”

“What’d you find out?” he asked, flipping his keys around his finger.

“They found Claire Richards’ body.”

“Shit. Sorry, man. You going to back in to tell her?” Michael asked.

I was torn. She needed to know, but would it make any difference if it was now or when she woke up? No matter how much she’d voiced her acceptance that her mother hadn’t survived, learning it was true would hit her hard. Was it wrong of me to want to protect her from that just a little longer?

“Not yet. I’ll let her rest a little longer.” I finished a text to Anthony, giving him a heads up in case anyone reached out. “Let’s head on over to Bas’ and see what else they know. Maybe, Nico has checked in by now.”

“Cyan said they still can’t reach him. He’s gone dark. Hell, at this point, we don’t know that Clayton Richards didn’t killboth sons. Whatever it is, we won’t know shit until we hear from Nico.”

“Clayton Richards took his daughter and tortured her to locate Sam,” I reminded Michael.

“I’d say it’s pretty obvious he wasn’t sane?” Michael countered. “Then again, I’m sure he has a list of enemies. Who says someone else didn’t take Sam?”

That gave me pause. “What would anyone have to gain by taking Emma’s brother?”

“Control of the pack. Think about it. Take the remaining son before Clayton can kill him, too. That pack passes from father to son. Cyan should have been their alpha, but Clayton killed his brother and sent Cyan away. There were a few attempts on his life before he joined with Bas. Even one after.”

I nodded as Michael spoke. We’d all heard about it. Many of us had left broken or toxic packs and been hunted in one way or another. My mind raced through Michael’s thoughts and everything we’d just learned.

“If Clayton is dead, then they have Sam to use. If they can control him. If Sam is missing, then they have Clayton’s body to use. If they can convince others he’s alive.”

“If Clayton survived, he’d be hurt in some capacity,” Michael mused. “You don’t walk away from an explosion like that without taking some damage. Unless he was the one who set it.”

“True. Plus, if they have Sam…” I stopped. “We need to know more about Sam. Where was he when his brother waskilled? When Emma was captured? Did he get out, or was he involved?”

“You think he might have helped Clayton kill Jonathan? Why would…” Michael paused. “Damn. That’s diabolical. Second son. He’ll only be alpha if he takes out his brother.”

“Just as his father did.” I glanced at Michael, urging him to follow my train of thought. “Who else stands in the way of that?”

“Of Sam being alpha?” Michael asked. “They wouldn’t let Emma take control. That’s a patriarchal pack.”

“It is, and who’s the only living male of a former alpha who might have a claim? If he wanted to assert it,” I added.

“Fuck.”

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