Page 10 of Escalating Alpha

Sander winced but nodded before looking at Brian. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I do—we all just try to help, man. I know you think a lot of us are rooting against you. We’re rooting for Serato be happy—all of us even. I used to think you were the right person for that. I don’t know you are anymore, and I don’t want her hurt. I hope you prove me wrong.”

“More than I wanted to hear but fair enough,” he grumbled but then yanked off his FBI ball cap before pulling it right back on. He frowned when I snorted.

And I felt horrible because he thought I was amused with his upset. Then I got annoyed. “Bri, have some faith in me too.”

Thenhegot annoyed, crossing his arms over his chest. “I actually got frustrated because we used to be on the same wavelength that when you snorted like that I normally got the joke and didn’t have to ask. It upset my wolf and person for different reasons. Did you really think I assumed—”

“Sorry,” I whispered, glancing away and letting out a slow breath. “I’ve always found it endearing how you show your frustration or emotions with your damn hat. I could tell your whole day from it. But I used to worry you’d go bald with how fucked the FBI could be and how they shit on you. I was just thinking you won’t have to worry about that as a wolf now. That was the snort.”

“That’s actually pretty funny,” he admitted after a moment. He let out another heavy breath. “Can I join you for a jog? Sorry to crash but…”

Yeah, there was no good way to really finish that. Still, I nodded because Sander had fucked up his attempt for the first time we tried this new thing, and it clearly bummed Brian out.

Then, about a mile into the run, I realized it was also maybe that I missed my part of things. “Thanks for telling me—trying and wanting to communicate this better and let me in.”

He visibly relaxed more next to me.

We ran for a couple of hours and then made our way to the Chicago Police Motor Maintenance Division where we were holding this crazy car wash. Long story short, we had wolvespaying penance for a variety of reasons—the biggest one was a drunk kid driving and his friends with him who were drinking underage from the Milwaukee pack.

But there were others. Too many, and I wasn’t happy about that.

To be fair, most were kids not hitting their grades or minor infractions. I just already felt overloaded and like I shouldn’t be the boss all the time… Imposter syndrome. That was what Phobie always called it.

So when I kept getting proof to my face that there were problems, I was upset and down on myself.

Ashley was in charge of it all and managing the shit jobs and chores those men were doing especially. We’d run out, so in a show of good faith and paying back their debt—and even thanking CPD for stepping up to do better by supes—we were washing as much of their motor pool as we could in a day.

Except we weren’t going all over to do it. The reserve cars, the ones being fixed, and any they could drop off would be washed.Also, any cop could come get their vehicle cleaned as well as long as they didn’t take pictures or video.

There were kids of the pack attending after all. This also wasn’t a chance to dox those who were wolves. The police chief made it damn clear he felt the same and passed it along.

At the last minute, we decided that anyone getting their personal vehicle done had to make a donation and we were putting it towards a college fund for wolves. Not our wolves but wolves we were allied with who didn’t have the resources we did in Chicago and easy access to college maybe. Supes were hurting all around the country and cops knew that.

They could give five or ten bucks or so towards someone going to school and having a better chance. I thought that more than fair when taking their vehicle in to get washed and vacuumed out would be thirty easy.

Everything was more than in hand when we arrived. Ashley was made for the job and I was impressed by her more and more. I was also happy to see that the underage drinkers were already washing police cars and apparently had been for a few hours. They’d seemed to think the punishment was a blow-off at first and some PR stunt.

They’d learned fast it wasn’t, and I’d been impressed with how seriously they’d taken it. I’d also been fair and told their parents that. Just to keep giving them side updates, I took a few pictures of their kids working hard and sent them to Hestia since they were her people.

My adopted little brothers were already there as well helping. They hadn’t done anything wrong. They just liked to be involved, and they were limited to what they could do because they had to stay hidden. I was glad they had security, and even the cops we were working with on organizing this were on the ball that they knew they had to be protected.

“I appreciate it,” I said, shaking one of the officer’s hands.

He snorted. “This is a huge help, Chief. You know how it goes and they always want more from us and we never have enough time or people for it all. I know they messed up, but those are some good kids.” He nodded when I couldn’t hide that I was confused. “They were helping here yesterday when they all came to get the lay of the land.”

Another officer chuckled. “They were dragging tires that were delivered off the truck since we have to do a ton of changeouts this month. Helping us get it all set up—saved my back and us so much time.”

I thought about that a moment. “You teach them anything?”

The first one’s eyes flashed shock, but then he nodded. “Yeah, I showed a couple how to spot bad brake pads and change the tires, let them get the nuts off even.”

I bobbed my head. “I’ll talk to the chief. I’m good with leaving one or two of them here a few days a week—half days or something to help out.Ifthey learn something and you protect them. I didn’t tell their parents to send them here to be shit on or bullied. So you promise to protect them even from cops coming in and out and I’ll see if we can make this work.”

“I’ll put them in fucking bubbles if you can, Chief,” the second officer said. “We lost two this year because they were tired of the shit, and they’ve not been replaced.Andthey want us to pull out miracles. We’re months behind normal maintenance, and I’m tired of getting chewed about it without asking why or trying to fix things. Really, I am.”

That was a serious breakdown in management, and I was already annoyed that I’d seen the guy wince a few times. Clearly, he had an injury or issue that he was ignoring.

I thanked them and messaged Vinn to get the crew there some of Nina’s soap to help with aches and pains. Brian and I went to finish our run before the car wash officially started, and I sent Dain a voice message telling him what had happened and asked if he could check into the legal side of it so we were protected and talk to the chief.

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