Leaders of the Pack Ch. 07

Tairneach manor was deserted, dark and boarded up. The Council had ordered the pack disbanded and the property forfeit. Jenna wondered which of the neighboring alphas were vying for her territory. This was precisely what her father had been trying to avoid for the past decade. Jenna could feel the rage searing through him.

"It's around back," she said simply.

Jenna, Devon, the rhino-cat woman, and the black suited driver all walked around the manor. The once well lit grounds were dark and cold.

"Keep an eye out," Devon said. "Cadifor may be watching for her here."

"I would think this would be the last place he would expect me to go," Jenna growled.

"It seems that most of your thoughts are wrong lately. I suggest you keep them to yourself until you are asked for your opinion," Devon responded.

The back of the property was lit only by the moon. They walked the length of the pond that Jenna had described to a gazebo that bordered the edge of the forest that covered the rest of the territory.

Walking directly to the back seat Jenna instantly noticed that the board she had buried the notes beneath was ajar. Pulling the board aside she got down on her knees and dug in the soft earth beneath the gazebo. Nothing.

"Jenna?" Devon questioned with growing annoyance.

"It was here," she said. "Right here." She started to dig more frantically in the dirt, creating a hole much deeper than the one she knew she had left the notes in. Finally she sat back, breathing deeply, shaking her head. Defeated. Completely defeated. Her last card was gone. She had nothing left to bargain with.

Brennus growled, You should have listened to me, in the back of her mind. She knew that he was close to giving up on her.

Devon stared at her wide eyed and silent, rage etched in all his features. The moon shining on his scales reminded Jenna of a horror movie.

"You might as well kill me now. If the notes aren't here then I don't know where they are."

The level of resignation and sincerity in her voice was enough for Devon to believe her at the moment. "I'll decide what to do with you when we get back in one piece, if we haven't been discovered by Cadifor by coming out here, and after I determine what the NSA is going to do to me. But you are correct in thinking that your lifespan may have been seriously shortened by this. If I discover that you have lied to me, I can't even begin to describe the pain I will put you through."

Cadifor slammed the door as he entered his room. "I am so tired of talking to Lycans who are more concerned with politics than getting things done. No one wants to act until they hear from one person or another. If someone tells me that we need to wait for confirmation before we charge in one more time," Cadifor growled furiously. "At this rate the notes, Jenna, the weres, and anything else that might be wrong is going to get worse."

Lounging on the bed Makeda was attempting to finish a fairly long novel. Better to hid in Cadifor's room reading than to deal with the Council. "See, this is why I left the council years ago. It's not worth the upset."

Cadifor couldn't help but notice the new lace lingerie she was wearing. One of Makeda's favorite hobbies involved new articles of revealing clothing.

"What are the chances," she purred, getting up and sauntering over to Cadifor, "that you'll let me help you forget the Council for a short time?" Makeda pushed the sports jacket he was wearing over his shoulders and down his arms, letting it drop to the floor.

There was no way that the vision of the beautiful dark woman wearing hot pink lace couldn't affect him. Her shoulders were bare save for the spaghetti straps. He knew she would not be the least bit interested in the problems of the Council. She never wanted to hear about the meetings or anything remotely troubling. In fact, Makeda's only real interest was sex. Cadifor thought she was perfect. There was nothing he loved more than to completely ignore duty by laying between her legs.

"It's a shame that you never wear these things long," he said bending his neck to kiss her shoulder. He pushed the spaghetti strap off her shoulder and began working his way down to a lace covered breast. The pink against her dark skin was incredibly erotic. "Have I mentioned to you how easily you could change my favorite color to pink?"

Makeda sighed happily as he untied the bow between her breasts. He peeled the lace back, cupped one hand beneath her breast. Makeda leaned back from him as Cadifor bent further to wrap his lips around her nipple. She ringed her fingers in his white blonde hair.

Sweeping her up into his arms, Cadifor carried her over to their bed. Frustrations of the day melted. He pulled his shirt and pants off. Staring into Makeda's deep brown eyes he crawled across the bed into her arms. Kissing her deeply he ran his hand along her arm down to her fingers and pulled her small hand to his swollen cock. She wrapped her fingers around him and began to stroke gently.

He bit at her lips, peppering nips and kisses along her jaw and down her neckline to her collarbone. His lips found the old scar on her shoulder from her lost mate. He had his own mark that echoed her loss. He wondered briefly if mating was something she would consider again. The thought surprised him.

Pulling back from her briefly he stared at the beautiful woman in his arms. Her dark skin sharply contrasted against his pallid white. In so many ways she complimented his personality and life. He never thought he would consider taking another mate. But Makeda...

She smiled at him. "You've a strange look on your face, lover. Usually you are much more forceful than this. I have to wonder why you have yet to tear this beautiful lace teddy off me. Don't you like this one?" She teased him and stroked his cock a bit more insistently. That part of him at least seemed as eager as ever.

"Both you and the lace are enticing," he growled passionately, reaching up, taking a handful of her long braided hair and bringing it to his nose, inhaling deeply.

The intimate gesture was far from lost on her. Still she wondered, "you had better not be thinking of that muin Council meeting.

"Far from it love. Don't even mention them." He kissed her again, long and needy. Trailing his hand along her him he found the hot pink panties and looped his fingers in the waste. Contrary to his usual style he sat up and slid them down her legs, kissing her hip and thigh.

Panties off he pressed her legs apart and moved slowly to her center. Makeda moaned as he ran his tongue along the inside of her thigh and nibbled her labia gently. Makeda's hips began to keep rhythm as he sucked on her clit. Moaning with growing intensity she was feel herself draw closer and closer to her end.

Taking his cue from her delicious sounds Cadifor moved up her body momentarily sucking on her nipples before kissing his way to her lips again. He entered her, forcing another moan from her lips.

"I could listen to that sound for the rest of my life," he whispered into her ear.

Makeda paused at the implication. Cadifor wasn't one to drop comments like that lightly. She wasn't quite sure how to respond. At the same time her body was moving with his intense rhythm and there was no pausing the coming climax.

Collapsing together on the bed Cadifor growled into Makeda's ear.

"Not done?" She giggled, loving how he couldn't get enough of her. Part of what kept her with him when she had cycled through so many other lovers to this point was that it seemed no matter how long they were together he never grew bored or tired of touching her.

Flipping her onto her stomach suddenly he moved to between her legs and pulled her hips up to his own. Makeda felt his cock prodding her from behind. Looking back over her shoulder she saw his eyes shift first and then the white wolf broke through. Claws dug into her hips.

"Shift," he demanded.

Makeda was uncertain about his mood and motivation for the first time since they had come together.

"Shift," he growled again, pushing into her and digging his claws in deeper.

She growled back, feeling her wolf responding forcefully to his. She had to admit there was a part of her that would happily give in to him if he chose to take this too far. Shifting for him, Makeda braced as he began thrusting against her.

The bed shook with each movement. Makeda dug into the bed ripping through the sheets and into the top of the mattress. He had rarely inspired her wolf this way. Cadifor grabbed her and pulled her up so her back was against his chest. She felt his breath on her neck and his mouth on her shoulder.

Uncertainty gripped her fiercely and she pulled away from him, feeling his cock ripped from her body. She turned to face him, shifting back to human and staring him questioningly in the eyes. Did she really want to have this conversation? Scared that the best relationship she had in decades was in danger, the knock on the door was a welcome reprieve.

Allowing her features to return to her standard seductive mask she stood from the bed and sauntered to the door as if nothing had happened. She flashed a flirting look at Cadifor, praying that he would just let it go and nothing would change.

Opening the door Makeda found Cullen standing stone faced on the other side. "I take it you have not come to join the fun. I wonder if Ais would allow it. Should I call her?" Makeda teasingly pulled on Cullen's sleeved guiding him into the room.

Ignoring her offer entirely he bowed his head apologetically to Cadifor. "I have news that you are not going to like."

The white wolf shifted down to his human form and leveled a gaze on Makeda that told her with certainty a conversation she did not want to have was coming.

Sighing with frustration she picked her book back up and laid on her stomach on the bed. Propping her self so that both men had a good view of her cleavage.

Cullen took in the state of the bed and situation he had interrupted. "I hope that my disturbing your down time won't play into your opinion of what I have to tell you."

Shaking his head Cadifor walked over to one of the chairs at the small table in the corner of his room. "Have a seat," he said gesturing to the other chair. "So what is the urgency that this could not wait until morning."

"I had a phone call," Cullen tossed a piece of paper with an address on it onto the table in front of Cadifor. "That's the address where the NSA is hiding Jenna and the missing weres."

Stunned silence filled the room. Makeda looked up from her book and Cadifor picked up the paper. The pause seemed to last an eternity before Cadifor turned his eyes back to Cullen. "Okay. So tell me how you came upon this."

Cullen's jaw tightened. "I can't." He looked away from Cadifor, leaned forward and stared at his feet.

"I see," Cadifor responded, bottling the rage that came a bit more quickly than it may have normally. He stood up, walked to a cupboard and removed several small glasses and a bottle. "Why?"

Releasing a heavy breath Cullen shook his head. "The price for acquiring the address."

Cadifor set the glasses down on the table, filled them with a golden brown liquid, pushed one toward Cullen and left another for Makeda. He lifted the glass to his lips and took a long sip as he considered his friend.

Letting his anger sink into the glass he emptied it and poured himself another. "So are you at least positive the source is reliable?"

"Yes." Cullen emptied his glass as well and reached for the bottle.

"So do you propose we tell the Council what you just told me?"

Cullen shook his head. "I know too well that would lead in directions I don't want. But if it means bringing Jenna in then I will take the heat from the Council. Let them investigate the Arnauk. I have nothing to hide," he responded with angry conviction.

Tapping his empty glass on the table Cadifor considered the situation. He understood completely why Cullen would trade his standing in the Council to get his hands on Jenna. "I'm considering how long we've been friends, Cullen. That is the only reason I'm not handing you over to the Council now or throttling you for disregarding my position and authority. If I ask you a question, you answer. Hiding information like this is serious. How do we know we can trust it? And if you're willing to keep something from the Council so blatantly, how do we know we can trust you? This touches on one of our most fundamental laws."

"I'm aware."

Cadifor growled angrily and poured himself another glass. "No excuses?"

"What am I to tell you?" Cullen finally looked up. "No I have no excuse."

Standing up glass in hand, Cadifor knocked back one more drink before turning and throwing the glass against the wall. Tension snapped and Cullen stood up eye to eye with Cadifor. Both men growled menacingly.

Makeda calmly walked over to them and reached between them, picking up the glass that had been poured for her. "Are you both finished," she asked. "I have a suggestion, before this comes to blows."

Cullen lowered his gaze and bowed his head as he turned away from Cadifor. Once Cullen had backed down Cadifor glared at Makeda. "You were saying?"

"You already have men out looking for Jenna. The Council knows it. If you magically produce this information they would simply believe that you had finally turned her up. You wouldn't even need to lie about it. Reasonably you could walk in and say that you finally had the address and that would be enough. It would make you look good and it would protect the Arnauk."

Cadifor considered the suggestion. "Why would I protect the Arnauk if the Alpha's loyalty is questionable? I should be handing him over."

"Then," Makeda continued, turning toward Cullen and drawing his glare away from Cadifor, "I suggest that Cullen confide the rest of what he knows in his good friend with the understanding that it could lead to protecting his own ass."

Cullen growled and paced.

"Just a suggestion," Makeda reiterated, filled her glass again and went back to the bed and her book as if she wasn't at all interested in the argument.

Turning on Cadifor again Cullen eyed the man. He knew Cadifor could be trusted. But he also knew that it was difficult to determine if the man would try and take over the situation. "Will you leave it to me to deal with?"

"What," Cadifor asked in annoyed confusion.

"I want to handle it myself. Will you leave it to me?"

"I guess that depends on what exactly you aren't telling me," Cadifor growled.

As much as Cullen didn't want to go back on his word to Tormaid he had to admit that Makeda's idea was reasonable and possibly the best route to go. "My brother."

Cadifor's eyes narrowed on Cullen. "Odd for him to turn up suddenly with this kind of information."

"It seems he's working for the group that we can't find. Been working for them. They apparently act as a clean up crew for problems, anonymously. To keep the human populous in the dark."

"So why come to you with this if it's exactly the type of thing they handle?"

"It's gotten to big for their group to handle. At least that's what he says. I've already sent Keith to try and track him down. There was more he wouldn't tell me." Feeling a strange relief at turning the truth over he sat down in the chair again.

"Well at least we know we were on the right track," Cadifor responded with considerably less edge in his voice. Looking at the clock he could see the hour was verging on morning. He suddenly felt exceedingly tired. "Is there anything else?"

"According to him the mixed weres killed Nora looking for a cure for their condition."

"Hmm, that explains alot and makes much more sense then random lycans attempting to disrupt the Council and the Circle's new diplomatic relations."

Cullen nodded, filled his glass again and took another long drink. "When do we go after Jenna?"

"Tomorrow," Cadifor returned, deadly calm in his voice. "That bitch has caused too much grief. In the morning I'll present the address to the Council with as few details as can be managed," he looked over at Makeda. "And by the evening I intend to be on her doorstep."

Cullen stood up and moved to the door. "I'm more than ready."

Cadifor watched Cullen leave, then turned to the naked woman in his bed. "Beautiful and brilliant is a deadly combination."

Makeda flashed him a brilliant smile. "Turn the light off and come to bed," she said.

"I suppose it's good that we'll be leaving tomorrow night. Who knows how long it would take for this mattress to be replaced." He adjusted his position so that he wasn't lying the spot that Makeda had ripped up, wrapped an arm around her and closed his eyes.