Page 23 of Wolf Trapped
Pack members start to move over to stand in front of us. Several aren’t here yet, so we wait a while longer. Patrick nods to me as he scans the crowd with a frown. I wave him over.
“Patrick.” I reach out, shaking the shifter’s hand. “After the meeting, can you take Alex and relieve Carter and Jacob from patrol, please? They have been out there most of the day.”
“Of course, Alpha.” He agrees instantly. That’s one of the many things I like about Patrick. He’s not only loyal, but he is willing to help always.
“Thank you.” I clap him on the shoulder and scan the crowd. The street lights are blinking on and lighting up the houses nearby. Many have their lights on, but something is wrong here.
“What the hell? Where is everyone?” I peer at Angela, and she shrugs. Only about half of the male shifters who are capable of patrol showed up.
“I don’t know. Everyone was told to be here.” She glares at the nearby houses. I don’t blame her. The show of defiance is irritating me.
She hands me the paper with the rotation schedule, and I turn to post it on the bulletin board. “I didn’t want to have to do this. You know I don’t like running things the way my father did, but the sheer lack of volunteers to help keep our territory safe is disgusting.”
Whispers and groans fill the air, and I turn back to glare at them. “Everyone who is able will be in the rotation. This is non-negotiable. Punishment will be swift and harsh if you do not show up for your shift.”
“Why does everyone have to do it?” there’s a whisper from the back.
“Why? Because when we have hundreds of shifters in this pack and only eleven volunteer, it pisses me off. I will not force those who care to protect us to patrol around the clock.”
“Everyone who volunteered gets the best shifts,” Angela calls out to the crowd to more grumbling.
“Quiet.” I roar. Silence rings out around us.
“You all brought this upon yourselves. Have some respect for your families. Those in the pack who can’t protect themselves. Whatever ideas or prejudice you have against my mate will fucking stop. You will protect the territory, or you can go rogue.”
“You would banish us, Alpha?” That same voice from the back sneers.
“I will not banish you for missing a shift, but the punishments will be harsh. The pettiness in this pack has gotten out of hand, and many of you forget who we are. We are the Everette Pack, and we take care of each other. This fucking bullshit ends now.”
There’s grumbling from the group but many of them nod their acceptance. I hate forcing things on them, but this has reached my breaking point. I stomp away without another word, Angela hurrying to catch up to me.
“Make sure someone we trust is at the beginning of each patrol. I want to know if those scheduled actually show up. If they defy me again, they will spend the day in the cells.” I clench and unclench my fists at my sides.
“It will be done, alpha.” She nods.
“After tonight, switch Patrick’s shift to the daytime shift. He volunteered just like the others, and I don’t want to punish him with all evening shifts.” I instruct, and she nods. I reward my shifters for good behavior, and Patrick is the best of them.
“Absolutely. He doesn’t need to miss dinner with his family.” Angela agrees.
“Alpha.” Patrick’s frantic shout hits my ears just before I take the first step up to my front door. Spinning, my mouth goes dry, and I curse. Jacob is either unconscious or dead in Patrick’s arms.
Patrick and Jacob are drenched in blood, and Jacob’s throat has been ripped out. I’m not even sure if he can breathe like that. It’s horrible. I’m too late to stop Angela from seeing him like this, and she gasps, tears well up in her eyes. Shit. This is bad.
If the beta is showing any kind of emotion, then she really is serious about him, and if we can help him, we need to do it now.
“What happened?” I roar.
“I don’t know, Alpha. We found him like this. Alex shifted and went looking for Carter.” I am moving to the healer’s cabin before I know it and bang on the door.
“I’m right here.” Carter speeds over to us just as the door opens. “I chased down the wolf, or at least I tried to. That fucker is fast. Is Jacob okay?”
Marie waves Patrick in, and we follow behind him.
“I can’t heal the dead, Archer.” She sighs as she checks for a pulse. The healer's face is blank, but I see the sadness in her eyes. She hates this as much as the rest of us do.
“What?” Angela screams. “No, he can’t be dead.”
Angela rushes forward, but Carter grabs her before she can get to the healer. “Shhh, I’m sorry. I should have brought him here instead of after the wolf.”
