Getting Some Answers

Chase stared at Sophia’s former Gamma, Wallace. I asked him, “Why? Why did you betray Sophia?” Wallace snorted, “I was offered the Alpha position.” Derrick growled, “You should’ve said no! You were supposed to protect your Alpha! That’s the job!” Wallace shrugged, “I would’ve set my pups up to be Alpha’s.”

I growled, “You have Gamma blood, and no Alpha would be by your side after what you did. You plotted to kill your Alpha. So, the odds that your mate had Alpha blood was next to none. They would have always been susceptible to attack. You would’ve lost the support of all the allies around. Alpha Eric would’ve taken over the pack in a heartbeat. Hell, I would’ve taken over your pack. I wouldn’t allow myself to have a weak border. Alpha Hammond was rapidly becoming one. He wasn’t going to last long.”

Wallace snorted, “You don’t know the whole plan.” I gestured, “Enlighten me then.” Wallace rolled his eyes, “If I wouldn’t tell Sophia, why would I tell you?” I smirked, “Because I’m not as nice as she is, and I give no shits about you. Sophia was one of your dearest friends. Me, though, I could give a shit less. It hurts me in no way, shape, or form to tear you to pieces. To rip the flesh off your treacherous self sounds like a good idea. Bringing you all kinds of pain means nothing to me. I didn’t grow up thinking you’d be by my side having my back. I also thought something was off about you. The thing that stands between me and what I want is you. That’s not a place you want to be, Wallace.”

Wallace questioned, “What could I be standing between? Your marriage alliance with Sophia is over.” I growled, “No, it’s not. Because of you, I’m still married.” Wallace snarled, “WHAT?!” I mused, “I say that often about this situation. Don’t I, Matt?”

Matt answered, “He throws things. I have a furniture store on retainer right now. Actually, I bought it in my Alpha’s name. Have I told you that you now own a furniture store too, Chase? If I didn’t, you do. I have a call into Beta Caleb about our unmated pack members attending Haley’s training sessions. I need a fairy who can snap things back to normal. It’s becoming too expensive. Owning things is so tedious. You have to worry about their stock, workers, all sorts of shit.”

Wallace glared at me with hatred, “You aren’t good enough for her!” I laughed, “You’re in love with your Alpha? Interesting.” Wallace snorted, “They knew.” I turned to Derrick and Matt. I raised an eyebrow. Matt said, “It’s one of the worst kept secrets around here.” I asked, “Then why didn’t I know?” Derrick said, “Because no one thought he was insane enough to do anything about it.”

I turned back to our prisoner, “Why would you betray her then?” Wallace said, “You wouldn’t understand.” I raised an eyebrow, “Wouldn’t I? I married her so she could take over.” Wallace growled softly at me. I laughed, “You really do seem to like her…” I trailed off. No fucking way.

Derrick questioned, “Chase?” I growled at Wallace, “Are you her mate?!” Wallace didn’t answer me. I punched him in face. He went down hard, hitting the side of his face against the silver bars. He screamed in pain. I snarled, “I’ll kill you both if you hid that shit and let me go through this.”

He yelled, “NO! Ok. No, I’m not her mate.” I asked, “Were you ever? Did you two reject each other?” Wallace huffed, “No, I would’ve never accepted her rejection.” I admitted, “I’m confused then.” Wallace sneered, “What’s new?”

Matt growled and Derrick moved quickly to Wallace. He wrenched Wallace’s hand behind his back and popped it out of the socket. Matt commented, “I’d have gone for the hip, but I like the idea.” Derrick hissed, “You disrespected your position as the Gamma. You disrespect your Alpha, and your pack!” Derrick spit on him. “You are disgusting.”

Wallace grunted, “Yes, you made your disdain clear as you kicked me the ENTIRE way here.” I raised an eyebrow. Derrick shrugged, “I was upset.” Wallace yelled, “WHY? You were growling like a crazy person then suddenly you were fine. I’d watch him, Alpha Chase. Your Gamma is going feral.” I rolled my eyes, “He’s part of my pack. He can’t go feral you moron. Did you skip all werewolf related classes to your position, or are you just willfully obtuse?”

Matt linked me, “Could Derrick’s mate be nearby?” I frowned asking, “Why wouldn’t his wolf just tell him that?” Matt shrugged, “Could be something in the air. Jenna’s wolf has been antsy a few times but isn’t telling her what’s going on.”

I sighed, “Do we have eyes on Gamma McCann?” Matt said, “Yes. I’m insulted you have to ask. Getting sources in Nashville is too hard. I sent one of our lone wolves to observe from the pack next to Black Path. It’s the only pack those of us around here don’t hate. They won’t let him stay long though. They think it’s too dangerous to house a wolf from around our area, and to be fair they are right. Gamma McCann did not take the news of his brother’s death well. The sister didn’t seem to have a problem with it.”

That was smart. Lone wolves, unlike rogues, belonged to a pack. They just liked to pack trot, but as they had a home pack, they remained sane. Some just liked to be alone; like wolves that lost their mate. They usually wandered for a few years; at most a decade before they would come back to be a permanent fixture in the pack. Wolves liked to be with each other.

I nodded to Derrick and spoke out loud, “Work out whatever aggression you have since Wallace isn’t in a chatty mood. I’ll check back later to see if you’ve changed his mind after whatever it is you're going to do.” Derrick smirked, “I have the best Alpha.”

I laughed and walked outside with Matt. I asked, “What did you learn about McCann's sister?” Matt informed me, “The sister’s mate was the lead warrior. The little brother didn’t like that. He outspokenly didn’t agree to the match. The sister was waiting for the lead warrior to come home the day she was allowed to move in with him. He planned to mark her that night. They found him on the border with his neck broken. The Alpha blamed rogues but the sister, along with MANY pack members, blamed the little brother. It’s why he’s been traveling. The sister can’t stand to see him.”

I frowned, “How did she go into heat then?” Matt frowned, “Unclear. The sister told a friend in a different pack she needed to leave her pack and get some air. She was traveling to her friends but didn’t make it in the timeframe she was supposed to. Her older brother, the Gamma, arranged for her to stay with a pack along the way. Miraculously, she goes into heat and conceives while she’s staying with this other pack.”

I wanted to wince. I asked, “What pack?” Matt tilted his head, “Fascinating question. No one knows, not even the sister. She’s fuzzy on the details of her entire time there. She was found on the border of her friend’s pack with an unknown powerful scent on her. It’s presumed her pup is of ranked blood. Alpha, Beta, or Gamma. The sister barely allows her family around her pup. The pack of course knows his rank, but our lone wolf hasn’t seen him. No one in the surrounding area has.” That sounded so off it was crazy.

Matt continued, “The pup, a boy, is apparently a happy little guy.” I frowned, “They sold their sister to some ranked wolf to produce a pup? They killed her mate, a lead warrior, to do so? Why?” Matt shrugged, “Apparently Gamma McCann and his brother were enraged when they got word the father of her pup had died. They don’t use his name, and the sister was relieved the baby wolf daddy was dead. The sister is well loved in the pack, and the Gamma’s brothers are tolerated.”

I sighed, “Hopefully she can keep her son away from them.” Matt snorted, “I’d be more worried about baby daddy’s family showing up. Anyone who drugs a she wolf, and somehow sends her into heat; then abandons her and the pup she’s carrying? That’s a shit wolf.” I frowned, “You think they drugged her?” Matt snorted, “Why else could she not remember? Her brothers circulated in her grief she forced her heat and couldn’t control herself.”

I gaped, “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. No one believes that. Do they?” Matt said, “The Alpha said he cannot disprove what they are saying. Not that the Black Path Pack has a reputation for protecting their female wolves. How the Davis family remain the Alpha’s in charge, I really don’t understand. He should be removed; hell, his father should’ve been removed. He never helps his pack members. I mean at minimum he should’ve demanded a name from the brothers. What would you have done?”

I snorted, “I’d have gotten a damn name, and I’d have gone there myself. There would’ve been restitution if not take over the damn pack. Everything that wolf had would’ve gone to the she wolf. If my lead warrior had been murdered, someone would fucking pay. I would not presume anything. I’d solve the damn murder. Even if it was a rogue, they didn’t hunt it down. As improbable as it is a rogue could take down a lead warrior; IF they did then it’s a wolf with Alpha, Beta, or Gamma blood. For the safety of the pack, that rogue needed to be found.”

Matt agreed, “Exactly. Their Alpha did NOTHING. Nothing about any of that. The situation reeks of a payoff. Someone wanted the Gamma’s sister and paid for her. They basically raped her, and her family let it happen. Her ALPHA let it happen. What the hell is worth a pack member being murdered, and a she wolf being raped?”

I answered, “Nothing. Let’s keep an eye on them.” Matt inclined his head, “It’s hard. They are all the way in Nashville. Our lone wolf will be leaving next week.” I snorted, “I’m not asking you to keep eyes on someone in California. It’s a pack in the same damn state.”

Matt held his hands up, “I’m just saying I got the backstory about the Gamma’s sister because Jenna’s college friend was in the pack the sister was supposed to be coming to. Their Alpha was appalled. He couldn’t prove any of it, but he offered the sister membership to his pack. I’m told she was considering it then her brothers showed up and brought her home. Kicking and screaming apparently. She hadn’t accepted the Alpha’s offer so he couldn’t stop them from taking her. He did demand they not drag her off in his territory.” I snorted, “How kind. How well run are the packs in Nashville?! The fuck is going on down there?”

My phone was buzzing like crazy and so was Matt’s. I was about to look when Derrick came back up, He took a deep breath, “I don’t know about you guys, but I feel so much better.” I laughed, “Well, that’s good. Let’s go see what Wallace has to say about this coup attempt.”

I walked back down to Wallace and barely managed not to gasp audibly at his appearance. I had never known Derrick to be this upset. Matt was shocked, “DAMN DERRICK! Mad respect flowing through me for you right now.”

I taunted, “Wallace, do you want to answer my questions now? It’s going to be Matt’s turn next and then it will be mine. I think we both know you don’t want to get to my turn. Why did you try to take over and kill Sophia?”

Wallace spit out blood, “Kill her? Who the fuck said I was going to kill her?” I looked at Matt, “That’s how you take the Alpha position when you aren’t the named successor, Wallace. You kill the current Alpha. Did you even go to classes on pack life?” It was mandatory for pups, especially ranked ones.