Page 61 of Escalating Alpha

Next, I went back to the wolves who were all gathered by now. Some had gone home because of work or whatever and were now called back. We probably had a few we’d have to track down or go after because they were bad but… That was to be expected.

“None of you have to be on camera if you don’t want to,” I told them firmly “And this doesn’t change what you’re allowed to say as a wolf or by council laws. I’m not risking loose lips making us targets. So think before you speak. Always.” I gave them a moment with that. “This is a chance for you to tell your storyif you want.

“No one’s pushing you. This isn’t part of my Alpha agenda. It won’t be held against you if you opt out. The kids’ faces will all be blurred, yours can be too if you’re not out. It’scompletelyup to you.” Again, I let that settle. “The rest isn’t up for debate. You will work with the FBI team and my people to go through everything.

“I work for the federal government. That protects you in a lot of ways, but it makes us sticklers to the rules. It means you follow the fucking law or—I think everyone knows by now what I did to those kids from Wisconsin. I do not fuck around whenyour actions can risk the safety of all of us. So if you have an unregistered weapon, late taxes, or any issues—tell us.”

“Please just tell us because we get fucking pissy and discuss tossing you out when we find out later,” Reagan added. “And we always,alwaysfind out. Each one of you will be interviewed with us and questioned—almost like an application process. But also to get your resumes and see how we can turn around this pack and help Louisville.

“You don’t want to tell the council all of it? Fine. You don’t want to tell the camera team? Not a problem. But youhave to tell us. We won’t tell the FBI if you’re late on your taxes. If you have a warrant out, they will know, so just tell us and we can handle it. The easier you make this on us, the faster we can focus on making things better.”

That seemed to put them at ease. I couldn’t even get mad because Reagan was good at that. He didn’t fuck around, but it was his conviction that made people secure it was the right path.

I tended to get too pissy and cuss, so it wasn’t as… Hell, I wasn’t sure. But I didn’t blame people. There were so many rumors about it sometimes I thought it was a miracle that anyone ever listened to me.

15

SAiC Davis was going to handle everything with the ME’s office since a few more things had come up than planned. And by that I meant that I took over the Columbus, Ohio pack too.

No, I wasn’t kidding.

While things got going in Louisville, I went over to handle that with Freddie and the ancients… And found the Alpha Mate beaten almost to death. His kids were in bad shape too. There was a range from old to new and—it was a mess. A fucking mess.

I stabilized her with power and we loaded her onto the chopper along with the kids. There wasn’t even a supe hospital in Columbus—some ordinance or another prohibiting it—so it was their best shot.

I was at a loss then and was a bit surprised at who I called.

“I’m not going to like this, am I?” he answered with a sigh.

“Scott, I don’t know what to do this time and not end up at the ethics hearing,” I admitted, sharing a glance with Freddie. “It’s legal, but… Even I would throw a fit that I didn’t just arrest the guy. I think I snapped.”

“You didn’t,” Director Galvin said firmly. “You’re just too upset to think. I know you, Sera. You walk away first. You are too logical—you’ve been through way worse. Now tell me what happened.”

“If you arrested the guy, his pack would have been invaded before he was at the prison, Sera,” Freddie reminded me. “It’s why you couldn’t just take in Engle either. Call in another supe office team—Gere owes you a favor or five, right? Get one of his teams out here to clear this and handle the FBI side.”

“I agree with whoever that is, but—did you take over a pack, Sera?” Galvin asked quietly. “Kill the Alpha and take over?”

“Yeah, two,” I chuckled darkly. “One threatened to kidnap my son and other shit, and the other—I don’t know his mate will survive, Scott. I’ve never seen a shifter in that bad of shape and not already dead.”

“We have. You when you came off that plane,” Freddie whispered, his voice haunted. “But she will probably never have full mobility to walk again. Her leg…” He wiped under his eyes.

Yeah, it had been gut-wrenching to see.

I told Galvin all of it and he sighed. “Sorry.”

“No, I get it and you’re right, he’s right that you can’t just arrest the Alpha by shifter laws. It’s—trust me to handle this.”

I winced. “I invited Summer to film it all and see the process in Indiana for more transparency. The Alpha side. I’m tired of everyone—did you know St. Louis thought I was buying the Alphas as whores? Or that’s what they were telling people. Oh, and one of his Betas killed the guy and took over so I didn’t. Awesome. I just had to be a wolf when I got infected.”

Freddie was less than thrilled that I said that but patted my shoulder anyway, understanding it was the stress.

“Anything else?” Galvin asked after I answered some more questions.

I snorted. “One of the men I sirened—my top Beta and the man I love—the father of Topher—his extended family is in this pack and apparently only cares about the twins now that they can be useful. They want me to put his cousin as the head of the pack and just… Fuckeverything.”

“I don’t blame you. I really don’t, but you—I owe you a lot too, Sera. I feel like a new man now that I got my kids back and they’re safe, so let me help.”

“Thanks, boss. Really.”

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