Chapter Thirteen
Conrad
“Travis,” I sighed. The chances of me pissing him off by appearing as though I was second-guessing his leadership were high, but there was too much unknown—to me at least—and it wasn’t just my curiosity. I had an omega to look out for. “I respectfully request I be privy to the knowledge concerning the items I found in my omega’s attic.”
I sounded like a pretentious prick instead of a non-asshole shifter mistrusting their alpha. Not that either of those were good, but at least one had me less likely to be gnawed on.
“Sit down.”
So, not angry?
I did as requested and just sat there in silence while he rummaged through his file cabinet.
“Here.” He held it out to me. “Read it, and then I will answer any questions you have.”
I opened the folder, and my jaw dropped as I read page after page of information. I’d been under the misimpression packs simply found their bad seeds and eliminated them, but this series of documents was more similarly aligned to the way humans prosecuted their cases.
Some of the papers had things I already knew, but most were not only new to me, but like something out of a horror novel.
There was a network or group of wolves in a purist movement to keep their packs from intermating and for those undesirables, whose lineage had been “tainted” generations ago, to be considered second-class citizens at best and slaves at worst. They were sick and had tried to cover up their ill intent with a legit sounding name—The Wolf Allegiance.
“And Dash was head of this?” I asked, seeing very little about the man who almost stole my true mate from me before we even met.
“No. Dash was part of them, though. From what we can tell, he kept all of the evidence in his home as a sort of insurance policy in case they decided to turn on him. He was very unliked by them, according to Jamison. When he was kicked out of Distance, he attempted to join them.”
“So, it was only Dash in Distance?”
“He and another, from what our intel has been able to uncover—the other is also dead.” Had he not been, he’d have been soon. Turning on your own out of a sense of self-righteousness and superiority would have had my tiger needing him gone, adding to it, he put my omega in danger would’ve sealed that fate.
“And that is why the last page concludes Distance is in no need of extra surveillance? But not Angus pack?”
“Distance is and has been ruled fairly successfully for generations. Our people have been well-fed and cared for when drought or human wars had other packs suffering. We aren’t perfect, as you have already noted I’m sure.”
“Angus pack not so much.” I flipped back through the paper, and where Distance held confidence based on the evidence The Wolf Allegiance no longer held a presence on their lands, Angus held no such confidence. “And they had two of their own harmed by them.”
He gave a curt nod.
“We have to help,” I spoke without thinking, and the second we flew from my mouth, I knew I had overstepped. My tiger didn’t agree. He wanted to go over there and find any and all remaining WA members and sever their limbs one by one.
“Agreed.” Travis’s response floored me. He was like no wolf I’d ever heard of. “The two omegas saved are on their way to our lands. We will feed, clothe, and assist in their healing. At such a time they are ready, they may choose to return to Angus or join our pack or, if they so choose, go rogue.”
I bared my neck, overwhelmed by the compassion being shown to a pack even I was aware had less than stellar relations with Distance, and I wasn’t pack—or a wolf.
“How may I help?” I offered.
An hour later, I left his office, needing to scent, touch, and hear my omega. The things those omegas I’d roundabout helped free had gone through sickened me and enraged my tiger. Knowing they were coming to Distance was the only thing keeping me sane.
Hayden met me at the door, letting me know both Owen and Jasper were napping. Going to him and climbing in bed with him just to feel his touch and reassure my tiger all was right with him was exactly what I needed. It was not what Jasper needed.
He trusted me more and more with each day, and I’d walk through fire to avoid breaking his trust even the tiniest bit. So, instead, I headed to the cabin. In theory, the last of the plumbing in the bathroom would be done this afternoon, leaving only the tiling in the bathroom, which was great.
Travis hadn’t said so, but knowing both he and Hayden, the omegas would be in their guest rooms and under their direct care. Jasper, of course, would still be welcomed, but, knowing him, he’d feel as if he was overstaying. Getting him moved in was the best for all.
My phone buzzed as I stepped off the porch. My brother. Of freaking course.
“Hey, Ron, what’s up?” I knew what was up. We were a week over on the Distance project. I gave zero shits about that. He gave many.
“You missed our meeting this week.”
“Because you were not there.” I’d waited ten minutes. Long enough. I’d had an omega to provide for.
“Because you didn’t wait.” Oh, he was good and mad. “The board reorganized the divisions. You are being moved to community relations.”
What the fuck? No, of course not, he was just pushing me out while still providing for his family.
“Unacceptable. My division brings a profit and helps the community and environment.”
“Not enough profit.” And there it was. Greed.
“Listen, Ron, I have no time to argue with you. I need to finish up a thing. I’ll call you when I’m less livid.” Had the call come before Travis had revealed what had been going on, I’d have been livid, even more livid than I tried to come across. Truth was, I was pissed at the way it was done, but relieved.
I didn’t want to be working all over the state and region, away from Owen. This might not be my pack, but he was mine. The rest were just details, or so I tried to convince myself multiple times a day.
“Starting after your current contracts.” Had he not been listening to me?
“I will call you later.” I hung up and shut down my phone as I entered the cabin. The plumber had gone and three guys were already laying the tile. The house would be ready the next day, and I couldn’t wait.
My omega deserved this, and providing it for him was the most rewarding thing I’d done to date.
I might be out of a job or not, that wasn’t clear, but weighed on me not at all.
The joy of being able to give Jasper and Owen what they deserved and to show them they were worth it—that was everything.