Page 58 of Escalating Alpha

I realized it was because she was scared to be in that area, and she hadn’t packed it all up, so she didn’t really know what was in the boxes. So it was a bit of a wasted trip.

I sent Noah the details and asked to borrow a truck and some of his movers to work with my ancients and get the place cleared out and brought up to Chicago. Maya could help Deanna go through it all and decide what to do with things. It could even be cathartic and a nice project for her.

I smiled at her when it was time to send her off. “I have a few more stops before Chicago. This is my buddy, Sander. I swear to you that you’re in good hands and just chuckle if he makes lame jokes.” I bit back a smile when he snorted, Deanna easing down a bit too. “Being around old vampires will help. I don’t get much from them.”

I ended up giving that agent my and Reagan’s cell numbers so she could get in touch with us directly if she needed to. The relief in her eyes was thick.

“I got attached. She’s a great kid and—it’s hard to be an orphan.”

Because she had been too.

“Clearly, I did too,” I chuckled, not holding it against her.

The moment the plane took off, I thanked them all again and we climbed in the chopper. I took the time to leave a message for the division chief of Birmingham that I was impressed with his agents and was a bit jealous how well his area worked together.

And I also let Perez know the same. We hadn’t hadoneproblem with them and that was rare. Too rare, but that was a whole different story.

It was late when we landed in Louisville. I wasn’t surprised when we had some ancients with vehicles waiting.

What did surprise me?

That the Alpha was still partying it up with the pack. It was a Monday night. Didn’t these people work?

The bile that came from his sober mouth didn’t need to be repeated. It was the same vile sexist crap I got too often from men and wolves. Basically, that I was pathetic for bothering toshow up and act like my opinion mattered because it didn’t. On and on for a few good minutes.

Oh, but with a new twist that it was my fault that I couldn’t keep a man happy so his wolf could have a chance to steal him.

Clearly, I hit my limit at some point because I didn’t even comprehend why he’d gone quiet at first… Until I realized there was liquid on my arm.

Yup, my hand was in his chest. I had killed him without a thought.

This is why supes terrify people and you constantly push to be careful of who we turn.

I acted like it was nothing and easily handled the Betas who attacked next, Reagan and Freddie both able to handle themselves as well.

I turned and smiled at the woman who had gone after Carter, relishing at the fear in her eyes. “Now I’m your Alpha. And yes, I will absolutely punish you for what you did now that I can. I’d start making lists of ways to pay penance before I have time to make lists of how you’ll make this up to me.”

Just to drive my point home about how serious I was, I threw one of the dead Beta’s hearts at her.

She was completely clear that her ass was grass.

After I cleaned up, I was at a bit of a loss of what to do since this really hadn’t been the plan.

“The council sanctioned this, right? They hoped you might even?” Freddie checked, relieved when I nodded. “I thought there was a list of who they hoped you handled.”

I snorted the same time Reagan did but then explained. “More like a list of who not to touch or I would piss them off. The rest, yeah, pretty much fair game if me.”

“That’s disturbing on so many levels because there’s no way they really know those Alphas or packs,” he muttered.

“Yes, something my adopted uncle is making clearat lengthand no one should have given me a list for the wolves besideshim,” I drawled. “Fucking all the fuck and fucked up.”

“Sums it up well. Thanks for sending Ashley back with Deanna.”

I nodded but then decided to be honest. “I realized sending a sixteen-year-old on a plane full of men she didn’t know would be terrifying.”

“Yeah, figured that but still glad with how things turned out.”

Fair enough.

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