Page 43 of Hayden's Haven
“Then perhaps you need a break to gain perspective. I have an assignment for you.”
“I’m done with your assignments. I fucked up the last one, remember?”
“You got everyone home alive. And you’re being too hard on yourself, which is why you need some time away from here. Besides, I can’t give this to anyone else. I need you on this Hayden. Your skills in particular.”
Hayden released the low growl that needed to get out, for his wolf’s sake if nothing more. Damien ignored it. The alpha knew him long enough to understand his frustrations. “Fine. What’s the assignment?”
“Kate’s been in town, monitoring the news and doing some research. She’s located someone in the government who’s willing to talk to us. It’s our chance to distance ourselves from Drake, to get ahead of what he’s doing and hopefully come out of this alive. If we do nothing, the situation will only get worse.”
Hayden couldn’t argue. They both knew that the earlier attack on the humans in Wyoming would not be the last. Per the latest report, two thousand humans in the quarantined area had died. . .all because of Hayden’s asshole brother. Eventually, the government would discover shifters were linked to the deadly virus and they’d all be in trouble, the type that guaranteed their deaths.
“Take Frank with you. Kate already set up the meeting for next week. It will take you away for a week or two, depending on how far you get with her contact. Go over everything you can, including the WSSO and the shifter virus they’ve been using against us. Make them understand what’s been happening and that this HEV, this bioweapon, was a weapon of retaliation from one small pack of shifters. Call them rogues, outlaws, dissidents. . .whatever it takes but make it clear they acted on their own and that we aren’t a threat. Offer the government our help. . . make us an invaluable resource to them, Hayden. Give them whatever reason they need to guarantee our survival.”
“There are still innocents in Drake’s pack. Women and children, even male shifters trapped. You’re signing not just Drake’s death warrant, but theirs as well.”
“If you can pin this on Drake and his top shifters only, then do so. In fact, hang every adult male in that pack out to dry if it will save the rest, but get the U.S. Government to understand that we have nothing to do with the HEV.”
“That’s a tall order.”
“One requiring a smooth talker, which is why I’m sending you. Either way, I think you can use some time away from here. It will give you time to think, time for the pack to calm.”
Hayden’s eyes searched the compound for Mila. Gone. She hadn’t stayed to see if he’d survive the mob. She would not miss him when he left on this mission, either. If anything, she would probably settle in much better without him here to remind her of whoever had hurt her in the past. Perhaps she’d even cheer Damien’s decision to send him away, which is exactly what it was. An errand to remove him from the pack, because his presence was disruptive, creating dissension at a time when Damien and the pack needed to be ever-vigilant.
Between the WSSO, the U.S. Government looking for whoever had killed all those humans in Wyoming, and Drake’s lone-wolf approach to protecting their species, Damien’s pack was vulnerable, more now than ever before. Damien couldn’t afford to have anyone around that was going to divide the pack, or distract them from focusing on the true enemy, whichwasn’tDrake, but rather the WSSO. Hell, Drake may not technically be their enemy, but his actions were making him more dangerous than the WSSO.
Maybe that was the real reason Damien was sending him away. Hayden had never been able to think clearly when it came to Drake, and Damien knew it. Damien had some hard decisions to make ahead of him beyond telling Hayden to sacrifice his brother if need be. Meeting with the government. . . was this just a ruse to remove Hayden while Damien and Liam joined forces against Drake?
God, he hoped not. Drake was still his brother. Hayden didn’t want to see him dead, even though Drake would gladly kill him if given the chance.
“This is the last time, Damien.”
“The last time for what?”
“The last time you’re sending me away when you plan to meet Drake.”
“I’m not planning to meet him.”
“Then whatever it is you’re planning to do to him.”
“Trust me, Hayden. I know what I’m doing.”
It appeared to be Hayden’s lot in life, to serve an alpha who would—without question—lay down his life for him, but who also saw him as a source of discord that he was all too ready to send away for the sake of the pack.
Chapter Nine
MILA
Mila glanced over at Anna who had her hair pinned back and was highly focused on the papers spread out on the table in front of her. The blonde didn’t seem to notice the temperature drop in the past hour or that the overhead lights had gone out and she was squinting because the only other light source was the shed’s one small window. The generator had died again.
“You do realize we’re essentially working in the dark,” Mila said.
“Yes,” Anna said, circling DNA strands on the paper she had printed out before the power went out.
“And that one of us has to get up to brave the cold to notify someone in maintenance.”
“Yes.”
“Is that your way of saying you’re pregnant and shouldn’t be trudging out in the snow?”
