Chapter 49
(Santiago’s POV)
“I don’t understand what it is about Bethany that makes me feel almost submissive, but here we are trudging off to the Rogue Forest for the cryptic meeting she demanded,” I tell my wolf.
He laughs, “You seriously can’t understand why?”
“I take it that you do?” I ask. “What, you’re some kind of wolf psychiatrist?”
“You sure could use one. She reminds you of your mother…before Karan destroyed her psyche.”
I scoff…after thinking about it for a minute, I shake my head. “Damn, yeah…that’s it.”
I announce my arrival as I enter their camp.
“Alpha Santiago, thank you for coming,” Bethany says while bowing her head.
“You said it was important and concerning Isabella. I’m confused as to why you didn’t want her to know?”
“She’s in danger. You need to keep her from leaving your pack house.”
“Why?”
“An Alpha tried to hire one of our werewolves to assassinate your mate.” She shudders as her gaze falls to the ground. “We heard about Isabella’s hospitalization. The attempt on her life came close—didn’t it?”
I growled.
Bethany’s eyes jump back to mine.
“Are you telling me your family had something to do with Alpha Isabella’s assassination attempt?
“I’m telling you the sorry excuse for an Alpha from Crimson Claw Moon Pack dared to try to hire my only surviving child after fucking murdering his brother, who helped him drug and photograph the two of you.”
“Pack your family up. You’re coming with me.”
“Go fuck yourself,” a kid with dark hair growls as he steps from behind a red pine.
I put my hands out to show the kid I am not going to fight him. Bethany has already lost one son. I won’t let her lose another.
“Look,” I say softly. “I’m not great at being social. “I appreciate you coming to me with this. I will keep Bella safe and investigate this lead. Thank you for that.”
The older man comes down from the same red pine his son hid behind with a rifle.
Sniper. I bet it has silver bullets aiming for a head kill shot.
“Then why’d ya tell my mate to pack us up?” The older man asks.
“Jesse killed your other son to tie up loose ends. You are all vulnerable without the protection of a pack. I’d like you all to stay in my territory for your safety.”
Bethany agrees with me, and she, her mate, and their son return to my territory. I text Levi and Singer to meet me in my office at 3:00 PM. They arrive right on time.
“Have a seat guys,” I say, gesturing across my desk. “I’m going to keep this brief. Jesse Hansen was behind the assassination attempt on Bella. We can’t sit around and wait for her to be attacked again. I’m enlisting you both to help me investigate this.”
“Alpha Santiago, is this why you brought the rogue family here?” Levi asks.
“Jesse is behind it, but I suspect he’s got help,” I say.
Singer’s brow peaks upward. “You suspect the council?”
“I suspect at least one.”
“Understood,” they say in unison.
We decide to pay Jesse a visit. Bethany calls him in for a meeting in the forest at their camp. Only, instead of meeting Bethany, her mate, and their son, Zack, it’ll be me, Levi, and Singer.
We schedule the meeting for the witching hour and arrive early. We start a fire so Jesse won’t expect anything when he arrives, and then hide in the thicket so they don’t see us and get spooked.
The fire crackles and spits embers up at the full harvest moon. While shadows wrap us in pitch black darkness, blending our shapes into the trees.
The only sound is the fire, and the only light is the combined orange glow reflecting between the flames and the moon, which sits low on the horizon with a soft white ring.
We stoop down low, avoiding crunching the fallen leaves and twigs that would give away our location.
Voices carry on the wind. Two. Male.
Levi whispers, “I recognize Jesse, but not the other one.”
Singer nods. “It’s Elder Elias.”
“Where the fuck are they, Hansen?” Elias asks in a low sickly gravely tone.
“How should I know. Bethany called me and said they changed their minds about helping the cause.”
“And what cause might that be?” I ask, stepping into the light. Elias backs away and makes a play to bolt but runs right into Singer.
Jesse tries the same, but Levi rushes him and punches him, knocking him out cold.
“Damn boy,” Singer declares. “Your Beta doesn’t play around, Santiago.”
“No, he doesn’t. Tell me, Elias, if my Beta can knock out an Alpha, what do you suppose I can do to an Elder?” I ask, cocking my head to the side while staring straight into his amber colored eyes.
“If you act against me, you’ll be sorry,” Elias spits.
“Cut the shit,” Singer says, shoving the old man to the sitting ground around the fire.
He sits up laughing. “Let me tell you boys a story. You three have been conspiring with Alpha Isabella. It’s how she won at trial, or that’s what I will be filing if you don’t let us go.”
“Shove it, Elias. Your games are over. You are the silent partner Jesse has been working with. You are the real one behind her recent assassination attempt,” Singer says. “I have a slam dunk case with circumstantial evidence in my office that implicates you. Now, this sting operation was meant to draw out Jesse and his accomplice. Slam. Dunk.”
“Fine. Kid. Fine, yeah…it was me who shot her.”
A guttural growl erupts from deep within my chest. My hands ball into clenched fists. Claws spring from flesh, leaving my hands a bloody mess.
My tongue runs across elongated fangs. I lunge at Elias, finishing my shift in mid-air.
My enormous front paws hit his shoulders. He’s pinned to the ground. My wolf has taken over and pushes my consciousness to the back of his mind.
“You tried to kill my mate!”
Drool flies out of my wolf’s mouth. He sinks his fangs deep into Elias’ throat. He holds him to the dirt.
Blood falls to the ground, muddying the soil.
My wolf drags Elias by the throat toward the fire, placing the old man’s face close enough to the flames to roast him.
Elias croaks, “Call him down.”
Levi walks over and kicks Elias in the ribs with his steel-toed boot, then stomps Elias’ chest and leans forward. “Let me be clear where my loyalty lies…My. Alpha. And, Santiago’s mate happens to be a real good friend of mine, you son of a bitch.”
My wolf applies more bite pressure until Elias lets out a satisfying squeak.
The sensation of shredding flesh fills my mouth. Metallic scent hits my nostrils, while the bitter taste of his blood drips from beneath my wolf’s fangs.
Singer squats down on the other side of Elias’ body, opposite Levi. “Why are you after Isabella? She doesn’t know anything about this Healing Gem you’re seeking out.”
Elias chokes and gags. His motion only causes more ripping and shredding of the delicate, wrinkled, elderly flesh of his throat.
My wolf bites down harder.
“Okay, okay…she is unaware, because she is the rare Healing Gem.”
