Sword of Inquest (La Patron's Sword Book 1) (18 page)

Chapter 29

The sliver of moon crested the mountain providing minimal light in the inky black night. After three days, Hawke and Asia completed the first part of their mission. According to a message they received from Angus, there had been no recent killings, this part of the problem was solved. Bone weary, they decided to stop at the next hotel, sleep and start fresh in the morning. The vehicle Chacal loaned them had been a godsend but her eyes blurred and she had zig-zagged across the road too many times.

“There should be a hotel ten miles up the road,” Hawke said yawning. The last test wolf didn’t fight, he ran into a crowd of people. It took two hours of following the wily beast before he wandered into a place where few would notice him falling to the ground. After Hawke pushed the red button, the wolf screamed drawing attention as he dropped dead. Instead of burying him as they did the other six, they left him for the authorities.

Tomorrow afternoon they were scheduled to meet with the council. Asia wasn’t sure why, but La Patron required she attend, and she would.

“I see a light ahead.” Hawke pointed.

“I wonder if our tail will spend the night or go ahead.” She glanced at him. The past few days they had been shadowed by no less than four full-bloods. They never approached but she sensed them every time they searched out a test wolf.

“Probably. Wouldn’t be surprised if they took a rest as well, they’ve got to be just as tired.”

She turned into the well-lit parking lot, pleased there were not a lot of cars and popped their trunk. Hawke stepped out, grabbed their bags and met her in the front of the car. She locked the car with the remote and they entered the lobby together. When they reached the counter, it was empty. “No one’s here?” She looked at Hawke who looked around the large space.

“No. Let’s go.”

She frowned at how quick he wanted to leave. It might be a while before they found the next hotel. “Go? You don’t want to look around, ring a bell for service?”

“Scan.”

She scanned the area and sensed movement in the direction of the hotel. It wouldn’t be empty for long. She shook her head and met his gaze. “Can’t we have one night in peace? I just want a shower and you.”

His eyes glowed. “Then that is what you will have. Let’s go.”

They turned to leave and three men, full-bloods, walked in. Asia recognized their scents. These were the men who had been trailing them. They looked familiar but she wasn’t sure. Hawke stepped in front of them, pushing them backward so she could walk behind him to the door.

“One moment, please.”

Hawke looked over his shoulder at the man behind the front desk. “You wanted a room?”

“Not anymore.” When he finished speaking men and women walked through the front and side doors, pushing them back.

“Come with us please.” One of the men who had been following them said.

“No.” Hawke did not explain and neither did she. Instead she stood behind him prepared to fight from the rear.

“We simply want to talk,” he said looking around the room at the growing crowd.

“Talk but make it quick as you know we have had a long day,” Hawke said.

“We must wait, just a few moments, please have a seat.” He pointed to a chair in the middle of the room.

“No.” Hawke said and Asia knew he grew tired of the delay.

“Why do you need to wait?” she asked.

The male looked at her and then at Hawke. He didn’t immediately answer. That was a big mistake. Hawke bulked to his hybrid, and picked the male up by the neck. There were several growls in the room but no one moved to intervene.

“Answer the question,” Hawke growled.

“They waited for me. My apologies for being late,” a newcomer said walking into the well-lit part of the room. “Please, put him down. There has been enough violence already against our people, don’t you agree?”

Hawke stared at the man for a few seconds and released the male. Next he returned to his normal size. “What do you want to talk about?”

She sensed Hawke’s wariness and looked closer at the small male. He was full-blood, but the creases in his skin and thin hair, she would guess him older than Angus and La Patron’s three hundred years. Was he another Alpha? Had they trespassed?

“Are you here to help? Friend of the wolf or enemy or neutral like Chacal?”

“Help? Help with what?” Hawke asked.

“Our people are disappearing. La Patron is aware and that is why he sent Angus Black Wolf. But we do not know where he stands on the issue. We have followed you since the meeting with the three stooges and have seen how you treated each wolf. You gave each an opportunity to prove they would not be a threat to us all. You took time to help those you could and terminated those you could not with humble dignity. That is rare.”

Asia thought the image of the three stooges appropriate and funny, but remained alert and quiet.

“They were victims, none of them deserved to die for something beyond their control but they could not control the need to destroy.” Hawke shrugged and she knew what it cost him to appear as if it didn’t matter. It did. He did what was necessary but she felt his pain each time he pushed that button.

“True. My questions have gone unanswered with the council. I have been shunned and labeled a trouble maker. The Alphas you met with yesterday hide behind their titles and do nothing as their pack shrinks. They challenge any wolf who questions them or points out the truth. I am surprised they were so… malleable at the meeting. But then I am told your Alpha is not one to be trifled with. So again I ask, are you here to help?”

“You are?” Hawke asked.

“Radoff, Alpha of the Red Clan. You are north of my lands.”

“I am Hawke, this is Orion.” He pointed at her using the name they’d given her new persona. “We are tasked to hunt down the test wolves and settle the matter. I don’t know what La Patron’s plans are or how long we will be here. We are not the enemy of the wolf, we are full-blood. But I cannot say if we are here to help because I don’t know what is required.”

Radoff stared at Hawke for a few moments and then looked at Asia. She met his gaze for a few moments and then looked at the men standing behind him. Two had been at the Alpha meeting. Had Radoff been there?

After a lengthy silence, Radoff spoke. “You are entitled to your secrets, of which there are many. But what happens to our people affects you. You will not be able to avoid becoming involved. That time is coming sooner than you think and I am glad. We have waited a long time, and suffered many losses over this matter. It is more than you think and goes deeper than you know. It brushes against the fabric of who we are as a people. Certain things, natural orders, should never be toyed with.”

Chill bumps rose across her arms as he spoke. His words reminded her of La Patron and his battle in the states. Within the past few years he discovered human females bred half-breeds for full-bloods and it rocked their nation. In certain areas, half-breeds still had it rough even though La Patron’s pups were all half-breeds. He had made a comment similar to Radoff about someone messing with the natural order of things.

“I agree,” Hawke said.

Radoff nodded and stood. “When you are ready to learn more, return here. This is neutral grounds run by members of my pack. I would caution you to be careful. Your Alpha is powerful; there is no question about that. But no one is infallible, and there are those who would take what is his by any means possible. Tread carefully and keep your Council to a few.”

Hawke nodded. “Thank you, that’s good advice.” He looked around the room at the crowd. “Have you lost members of your pack?”

Radoff stared at him for a moment and Asia would swear his eyes blazed gold for a second before settling. “Yes. Yes we have.” He turned and left the lobby. Within seconds the lobby cleared leaving them and the male behind the desk who waited for their decision.

Asia looked at Hawke, leaving it up to him.

“Thoughts?” He gave her his back while looking around the room.

“He is old. The first mated pair said something similar a couple of days past. We may need to talk to him and I am tired.”

He glanced at her and walked to the front desk. She sat in a nearby chair and waited. Why couldn’t this be easy? Just point out the bad guy for her to fight or destroy, and it would be over.  A nice clean cut solution. Not something deep and mysterious. She stretched and looked over her shoulder at Hawke. He met her gaze and smiled.

A shower, her mate and sleep, in that order. He held up their bags and the room card. Standing, she followed him to the stairs and ignored the smirk from the front desk.

Chapter 30

Angus stood alone in the forest gathering his thoughts and reconnecting with the land. The trees and deep trenches in the ground bore witness to Asia and Hawke’s fight against the bluebirds. He surveyed the damage. It looked like a hurricane swept through the area and tore it apart. Uprooted trees, deep furrows in the ground, branches split apart… the Liege had a new weapon and based on the video Chacal sent, if this one was ever perfected they would have a real fight on their hands. The animals were so fast they did not show up on scans. He chuckled. But Hawke said he knew they were coming, a serious flaw in the design. Angus glanced at his watch. Asia and her mate should return in the next hour. She had sent a message when they left the hotel a couple of hours past.

He inhaled. The lush forest called to his beast. America was good. Silas was all he could hope for in a litter mate. But his heart… his heart was to the south, on the Continent. He had not realized how much he missed the open spaces and freedom. There were hundreds of places humans had not explored where a wolf could roam and be one with nature.

When the need arose for Asia to seek shelter, he contacted an old friend, Chacal. That first conversation led to many. When Jasmine told him to come assist Asia, his bags had been packed, his plans had been made. His pack was in trouble, unlike Chacal, he could not remain neutral. He had to help in any way possible. Silas understood and promised his support. The next few days would set the course of action. He hoped the European Council was ready to listen, unlike the Black Clan council who shut him down before.

At least not until he devised the chameleon bracelets. Then they wanted him to turn over the device to them, to allow them to control it. Even then, he sensed something was off and refused which shocked him more than them. After hours of lecturing him on protocol and his constant refusal to explain how the device worked or how he created it, they finally agreed to allow him to work on a plan to infiltrate their new enemies, to gain information of the threat. But they tied his hands, refused to allow him to act against the Liege. He had been the only person who knew Brix’s true identity which he believed saved the young pup’s life.

Someone stole a chameleon bracelet from one of his deceased operatives and gave it to the Liege. Asia recovered the device and killed the Liege Lord in the process but the fact remained that someone committed treason and betrayed the Black Clan.

Pity he could not scan Alphas or Council members for lies. It would make this next meeting so much easier. Silas didn’t trust the Council and warned him to be careful. Their link had to remain open during the meeting. Silas took it a step further and required Asia to be in the meeting as well. Everyone knew she had the best bullshit meter and would in all likelihood call the Council members on it. Silas did not care if she broke social protocol, he expected it. He wanted to see how the Council handled conflict and if those men were relevant in the quest to discover what happened to the missing black pups.

His thoughts turned toward their meeting with the European Council again. He had been surprised they agreed to meet with him and hear his concerns so quickly. The group traveled to Odessa instead of requiring him to meet them in one of the major cities in Europe. Had things deteriorated to the point they were willing to listen to a different point of view? He hoped not. Things had been bad for a long time and the Black Clan Council had done nothing.

“Angus.”

Angus stilled and turned slowly to greet his former Alpha. Chacal must have allowed the man to enter the grounds and hadn’t bothered to tell him. They would discuss ground rules of good hospitality later. He nodded. “Ulric.”

The man looked as if he hadn’t slept in a week. His shirt stretched tight against his chest but he lacked the width Angus remembered.

Ulric’s jaw ticked at the lack of proper greeting. His jet black hair seemed to rise at the widow’s peak. “I am Alpha Ulric.”

Angus shook his head. “Not to me. I serve another and you know this. Why are you here? To discuss my change of Alphas?” He suspected Ulric had much to say with about his upcoming meeting and waited.

“No. It is disrespectful that you return to the Continent and do not pay your respects. I thought you were beyond our petty disagreements of the past, but I see you have not moved forward.”

Angus smiled at the tall, dark complexioned man standing in front of him and the bravado he spouted. “I am here on my Alpha’s behalf. Did you travel across a continent to chastise me for not coming to say hello? Come now, I know better than that. What do you want? Why are you here?”

If Ulric tightened his jaw more it would snap. Angus wondered if the man would challenge him after all these years.

“Word has come to me that you seek an audience with the European council.” He paused as if Angus would or should explain. He had no intention of doing either. Instead he held Ulric’s gaze and waited for him to continue.

“Is this true?” Ulric ground out.

“Why? Does it matter?”

“Yes it matters,” Ulric snapped taking a step closer.

Angus changed positions and prepared to fight if attacked. “I’m not at liberty to answer you. As I said before I am here on behalf of my Alpha and cannot discuss his directives.”

Ulric’s eyes blazed his frustration but other than fight Angus, which his chances of winning were slim, there was little he could do. “Things are tense everywhere. New Alphas taking over packs using underhanded tactics with no honor. The old ways …ignored. Gadgets instead of using this,” he tapped his nose, “to track prey.” He sounded disappointed and disgusted by the change of time.

“Things have been tense for decades that’s not new.”

“So you said many times.” He paused and then straightened. “Is it true your Patron seeks to claim the Continent as well?”

A lifetime of hiding emotions served Angus well. He did not show his surprise at the ridiculous question. Silas had been clear in every communication with the Alphas he had no
interest in expanding his territory overseas. A few Mexican packs sought to join his nation. He, Alpha Theron and the Alphas bordering Mexico were considering the possibility based on logistics more than anything else. Silas was content with the fifty state packs already beneath his crest.

“What makes you ask that?” Angus wondered who started the rumors.

“Do you deny it?”

“Yes I do. Someone is playing an interesting game among the Alphas on this part of the world.”

“If he is not interested in pack lands on the continent why speak to the council? Everyone knows they have been discontent with the way things have changed for decades and would leap at a chance for fresh ideas. What does your Alpha hope to gain?” Ulric pressed.

“I will not discuss my Alpha’s business with you. I have said he does not seek to claim anything on the Continent.” Angus chuckled. “La Patron is Alpha to fifty tough, loyal Alphas. Each run a state with the help of their betas and protect millions of wolves across the United States. His national pack is
the
strongest and most prosperous in the world. He has an army at his command, and pups who grow up secure with the knowledge of their heritage. Billions of dollars are spent on the education and protection of the young, which guarantees a solid future for the pack.” He met Ulric’s gaze. “Why would he want to start from scratch here? With this messy situation? You just said things were bad. Alphas who refuse to share information, don’t honor allegiances, and do not protect the vulnerable.”

Neither spoke. Angus knew he hit a hot button speaking on the young. Would Ulric speak on the problem of disappearing pups?

“I find it strange he sent you, considering your feelings about our pack.”

Angus sighed. “Not strange. I am the most qualified because of those very things.” He glanced at his watch, Asia should be arriving soon. He needed to change into more appropriate attire.

“You did not approve of my position of Alpha and set about sabotaging me at every turn. You fed the council lies and sowed seeds of discord among the pack. It took a long time to recover from the damage you caused and I refuse to allow my people to go through that again. You need to leave, return to your Alpha and not return.”

Hurt burrowed into Angus’ chest at the hateful words. He had never lied or deliberately caused problems. He did ask questions and was turned away. To hear his concern for the pack twisted and maligned grieved him on a deep level.

“I did not approve of the manner in which you took the Alpha’s position –”

“He is dead! A ghost cannot lead a pack.” Ulric walked off and tipped his head to the sky. The bitter scent of his frustration reached Angus’ nostrils. “He was a great Alpha, the greatest the Black Clan ever had. But he’s dead. Gone. We needed to move forward. We were losing respect amongst the other clans; we needed to act, to come together. But you… you never supported the clan…”

“I never supported you is what you mean.”

“Right, you never accepted me as Alpha which caused problems in the ranks. And because you never challenged me for the position –”

“I have no interest in being Alpha, never have.”

“I knew that. But the pack did not.” He paused. “Your attitude caused problems. It may not have been intentional but it did and I was glad when you left.”

Angus straightened. “I was glad to leave. But I am not on the Continent. In fact I am thousands of miles from your pack lands and you are here asking me to leave. You claim to be concerned with my Alpha taking over the Continent but La Patron has never sent anyone to Africa. So all of this confuses me.” He waved his hand at Ulric. “This entire visit, your presence, your explanation, none of it makes sense to me.”

Ulric clenched and unclenched his fist. A barrage of emotions crossed his face. Confused, Angus waited to see if the man would come clean and share what troubled him. Something had happened. Something shook Ulric so bad; he sought out the man who left his pack. Something deep and disturbing sent a flash of fear across Ulric’s face.

“Ulric?” Angus said, concerned by the prolonged silence and ticking of Ulric’s jaw.

“Nothing.” His former Alpha said and turned away. “Just go home and stay off the Continent.” Ulric ran deeper into the forest and disappeared.