Page 25 of Blood Pack Beginning

“Don’t forget the rogues,” Sasha added. “While Roderick might be dead, that doesn’t mean another half-Lycan, half-vampire hybrid won’t take his place and begin recruiting again. It might even be easier now, seeing as Nathan’s been telling the packs to reject all loners and to even think twice before letting anyone who’s been gone from the pack for any period of time to return.”

“Wait, what?” Diego exclaimed, his alarm most likely caused by the fact he’d been away from his Pack for a while. “Why the fuck would he tell the packs to banish their own members?”

“Because he’s worried they might be tainted. Can you imagine the havoc a trojan wolf could cause from the inside of a compound?”

“Not much, I imagine, actually,” Amir’s dry response. “Unlike Moon Dew, which was for all intents and purposes, human-inhabited, a pack wouldn’t be caught unaware. Lycans have a sharper survival instinct. They wouldn’t have slept through an attack, not to mention, they can fight. Anyone who tried to threaten would be quickly torn apart.”

“Don’t be so sure of that.”

“Is there a way of detecting who might be tainted?” Cyrus asked musingly.

“Not easily. Thaddeus can do it, but only because he ingested some of Roderick’s ashes, giving him the alpha command ability, which, along with his strong mental powers, allows him to root out the possibly afflicted.”

“Didn’t you have some of Roderick’s dust?” Diego frowned. “Shouldn’t you be able to do the same?”

“I can, but to a much lesser extent, since my talents in mind tricks aren’t that strong. If the person placing the geas on the mind was stronger than me, then I might not be able to spot it.”

“So how are the packs supposed to protect themselves?” Cyrus’ voice strained with concern.

“I don’t know,” she offered with a shrug. “Nathan’s solution is probably best until we do find a way.”

“Not really. It means me and Diego and lots of others who travel for days or weeks at a time as truckers and stuff can’t go home,” Cyrus pointed out.

“I didn’t realize you and Diego were planning to return,” her stiff reply.

“I wasn’t,” Diego hastened to reassure. “However, at one point, if we’re going to stick with you, then we’d like to grab our stuff.”

“You better not pack those godawful white jeans,” Amir grunted from the back.

“Hey, I happen to love those.” Skintight, and the women claimed they made his ass look great.

“Jeans should be blue or black,” Amir insisted.

“He’s right,” Sasha agreed. “Dark colors are always preferable. Blood is less likely to show that way.”

Sounded like a joke but, given her serious mien, he doubted it was.

“Once we move our shit out, we’ll be considered rogue,” Cyrus stated quietly.

“Not exactly.” Sasha paused as she checked the traffic at a light before turning right on a red. “There is a new Pack that is accepting any and all Lycans. Dormant, rogue, anyone looking for something new.”

“A new Pack? Is it Lycan Council sanctioned?” Cyrus asked.

“Kind of. Nathan knows about it, and he’s been telling those who aren’t being let into the compounds to make their way to Thaddeus.”

“So that’s what’s up with all the extra Lycan showing up?” Amir had a note of incredulity in his query. “Nathanis sending them to your boss? Why?”

“Because Nathan has a duty to protect his Pack inside his compound, and right now, that means not letting in anyone who might be Roderick-touched. However, he’s not heartless, so he’s giving them an option other than simply leaving them out on their own.”

“But he’s a vampire!” Cyrus couldn’t contain his shock.

“Who has the alpha command ability, allowing him to lead wolves. He can look through minds and assess if there is darkness there, while also, for all intents and purposes, form a Pack under his rule.”

“A bunch of wolves following a vampire,” Cyrus muttered in disbelief.

“Did I mention this pack will be a mixture of vampire and wolf?”

“And Nathan is okay with it?” Amir appeared pensive in the backseat.

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